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Sales Engagement is a Key Driver of Productivity, with Darryl Praill, Ep #191

Sales Reinvented

Release Date: 04/29/2020

How Exercise and Well-Being Drive Sales Confidence and Motivation, Ep #482 show art How Exercise and Well-Being Drive Sales Confidence and Motivation, Ep #482

Sales Reinvented

Managing energy through fitness is vital for sales success, as Steve Whittington, President of Roadmap, go-to-market strategist, and mountain climber, well knows. Steve offers insights into the routines and habits that boost resilience, focus, and motivation in this demanding profession. From lead climbing and HIIT training to the importance of making fitness sacred, Steve highlights how prioritizing well-being can directly impact confidence, stress management, and ultimately, sales results.  Steve shares actionable tips on bringing your best self to every client interaction, and shares a...

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On the show this week, I’m joined by renowned sales expert Mark Hunter—also known as "The Sales Hunter"—for a dynamic conversation about the powerful link between physical fitness and sales performance. Mark shares personal stories and actionable insights, drawing from decades of experience, including his global speaking and best-selling books like "A Mind for Sales" and "High Profit Prospecting." We explore how daily fitness habits foster energy, resilience, and relentless discipline—essential ingredients for thriving in the demanding world of professional sales. You’ll hear...

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Karen Kelly’s approach to corporate sales has always gone beyond scripts and talk tracks—it’s rooted in her personal commitment to fitness and wellbeing. Early in her career, Karen set herself apart not just through her expertise, but through the discipline of starting each day with a run. Her colleagues quickly came to recognize that when she arrived fresh from her morning exercise, Karen was “unstoppable.” This daily ritual gave her mental clarity, energy, and stamina for the long days and tough meetings ahead. Unlike others who needed a caffeine boost by midafternoon, Karen found...

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Kristie Jones — sales consultant, B2B SaaS expert, and author of "Selling Your Way In”- discovered that her best workouts aren’t defined by the time of day, but by consistency. After long, sometimes challenging days at the sales office, Kristie prefers to “defrag” with evening exercise sessions, finding them the perfect way to unwind and recharge. Rather than chasing morning routines, she focuses on fitting in activity at least five days a week, motivated by the endorphin boost each session brings. For Kristie, the most important part of fitness is enjoying the process and staying...

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There’s a powerful connection between physical fitness and professional sales success. Bob Woods, a leading LinkedIn and social selling strategist, best-selling author, and Chief Product Officer at Social Sales Link, shares how fitness energizes and builds resilience—key ingredients that help sales professionals shine in their roles. From his personal journey of losing 120 pounds to the daily habits that keep him sharp, Bob offers practical strategies and real-world examples of how movement, sleep, and consistency fuel both business achievements and personal health. Whether it’s treating...

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More Episodes

Better sales engagement is what drives sales, but many salespeople are fumbling with the concept. Sales engagement platforms give you the confidence to follow-up with leads and help guide your conversations with prospects. Many salespeople aren’t utilizing a sales engagement platform—but according to today’s guest, Darryl Praill, it’s absolutely necessary. 

Darryl Praill is the Chief Marketing Officer of VanillaSoft and is a marketing executive with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He excels with B2B marketing, is passionate about mentoring, and loves viewing obstacles as challenges. Listen to this episode for his rapid-fire advice. 

Outline of This Episode

  • [0:53] What is productivity?
  • [2:00] Why aren’t salespeople productive?
  • [2:49] Steps to improve productivity
  • [4:16] The 5 attributes of a productive salesperson
  • [6:27] Use a sales engagement software
  • [8:03] Top 3 productivity dos and don’ts
  • [10:24] Darryl’s favorite productivity story
  • [12:15] BONUS: Pitch-slapped

How to improve productivity

According to Darryl, productivity is doing what you say you’re going to do, in the timelines you’ve committed to, at the activity levels necessary to achieve your goals. While Darryl admits that it’s a cliche—sales IS a numbers game. You need to operate with the right frequency, cadence and activity levels. 

Most often, sales professionals struggle to be productive because they don’t plan. They struggle to manage their calendar. Darryl implores sales professionals to block time on their calendar and protect those time slots as if your life depends on it. 

He also recommends knowing your targets—to define your target and chase it relentlessly. You have to know your product inside and out, typical objections, and be able to explain why what you’re offering matters to your target. 

The 5 attributes of a productive salesperson

Darryl believes the top-performing sales professionals embody some of these traits—If they don’t, they’re working hard to develop them:

  1. Competitiveness. A sales professional should strive to have the highest conversion rates and the highest quality calls. They enjoy overcoming obstacles.
  2. Committed. They must be committed to knocking things out and hitting numbers.
  3. Measurable results. Focus on what can you improve and measure. Try different scripts and see which works better. 
  4. Brutal honesty. Acknowledge your shortcomings and weaknesses and get a plan in place to improve them. 
  5. Willingness to learn. Always improve. Model after those who are more successful than you. 

You need to invest in sales engagement software

Darryl is the CMO of VanillaSoft, a leading sales engagement platform. He points out that you don’t necessarily have to use VanillaSoft, but emphasizes that a sales engagement platform is something you need to invest in. It helps feed you the right leads so you can call (or connect) at the right time using the right channels. 

He notes that 48% of leads never get called, and if they are called usually only 2-3 attempts are made. Many salespeople wait 36-63 hours before calling a lead. All of these errors kill the ability to develop leads.

Darryl recommends using a sales engagement platform, because it “bridges the gap between marketing automation and CRM software”. It can help you improve your interaction with your prospects and increase close rates. They serve you the best lead and help you qualify and triple your pipeline. 

Learn to eliminate what distracts you

Darryl admits that productivity doesn’t come easily to him. Just like many others, he’s apt to get easily distracted by social interaction and technology. The few times he’s consistently kicked butt, he’s bent on being hyper-focused. He locks his door and refuses to leave until he gets the task done. Each step he takes he sees himself progressing against his goal. As he gets closer to reaching said goal he becomes more confident. Having that one productive day amplifies his entire week. 

Darryl also recommends scheduling important activities during times when you’re at your best. He’s not a morning person and works best in the afternoons. You can’t work well when you’re tired, hungry, fuzzy-headed, etc. Above all, don’t avoid doing the work that you dislike. Instead, focus on improving it. Listen to the whole episode for his recommendations in detail!

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Darryl Praill

Connect With Paul Watts 

Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED

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