#068: The 2 Most Important Sales Activities

Read time: 4 minutes

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Time is Your Biggest Asset in Sales

We’re all familiar with the endless stream of sales advice promising to revolutionize how we work. Complex CRM setups. Productivity hacks. AI this and AI that. Time-management apps. But let’s get real.

The best sales reps don’t rely on fancy systems to succeed. They focus on what actually matters: finding new opportunities and advancing existing deals. It not fancy enough to get tons of engagement on LinkedIn, but it works. Simplicity is often the best answer.

Let’s talk about where most sales reps go wrong and what you can do differently.

Busy ≠ Productive

Sales reps love to talk about how busy they are. But let’s be honest, how much of that busyness actually drives revenue?

You’re probably guilty of:

1. Overanalyzing reports

2. Attending irrelevant internal meetings

3. Spending hours perfecting email templates

4. Organizing and updating your CRM

5. Updating deal notes for the 10th time

6. Firefighting other departments' problems

7. Pressure to be “always available” when your manager messages you

8. Continuously planning and organizing

9. Tweaking your LinkedIn profile again

10. Responding to emails that don’t advance deals

Most of these feel important, but they don’t help you close deals.

What Actually Drives Results?

The best sales reps prioritize two things above all:

1. Finding new opportunities

2. Advancing existing opportunities toward close

That’s it. Everything else is secondary.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Prospect every day. Whether it’s new accounts or expanding within current ones, keep your pipeline alive.

• Multithread deals. Build relationships with multiple stakeholders to strengthen your position.

• Build business cases. Help your champions sell internally by showing clear ROI.

• Leverage your network. Ask for referrals and introductions.

• Focus on calls and meetings. The more face time you get with prospects, the better your results.

Your #1 Goal for the Year

What if you doubled the number of conversations you have with prospects or customers every day? Imagine how that would impact your pipeline, your close rate, and ultimately, your quota.

The math is simple: The more time you spend talking to prospects, the more deals you’ll close.

GOAL: Double the number of daily conversations with potential customers

Golden Hour Activities vs. Outside Hour Activities

Golden hours (typically during your prospects’ working hours) are the most valuable time for sales reps. This is when you have the best chance of engaging with prospects and advancing deals. Any activity that directly involves prospects or generates sales opportunities should take priority during this time. Less critical tasks and self-improvement activities can be done outside these hours.

Golden Hour Activities (Prime Prospecting and Selling Time)

These activities focus on direct interaction with prospects and advancing deals:

1. Prospecting and Outreach

   • Cold calling and emailing prospects.

   • Following up on leads.

   • Engaging with prospects on LinkedIn (e.g., commenting on posts, sending connection requests, starting conversations).

2. Customer and Prospect Meetings

   • Scheduling and conducting discovery calls, demos, and presentations.

   • Hosting seminars or presentation sessions to move deals forward.

   • Conducting upsell conversations with existing clients.

3. Deal Advancement

   • Multithreading: Building relationships with multiple stakeholders in existing deals.

   • Addressing objections or providing tailored follow-ups based on prospect needs.

   • Building business cases to help champions sell internally.

4. Networking and Relationship Building

   • Attending virtual or in-person industry events, conferences, or trade shows.

   • Calling warm referrals or leveraging your network for introductions.

5. Live Negotiations and Closing Deals

   • Reviewing contracts or pricing with prospects.

   • Handling final-stage objections and closing calls.

   • Getting in front of legal or procurement early in the sales process.

Activities for Outside Golden Hours (Supporting Sales Success)

These are essential but can be done during early mornings, evenings, or other non-golden hour times.

1. Admin and Reporting Tasks

• Updating the CRM with deal details, meeting notes, and next steps.

• Generating sales reports for management.

• Reviewing pipeline and identifying stalled deals.

2. Skill Development and Training

• Attending sales training or coaching sessions.

• Watching webinars or tutorials on new tools, techniques, or industry trends.

• Practicing objection handling or role-playing sales scenarios.

• Reading books or listening to podcasts about sales strategies or personal growth.

3. Research and Strategy

• Researching prospects and target accounts (e.g., analyzing LinkedIn profiles, company websites, or news updates).

• Refining outreach strategies and personalizing emails.

• Preparing for calls, meetings, or presentations by reviewing relevant materials.

4. Internal Collaboration

• Participating in team meetings or syncs with marketing, customer success, or leadership.

• Providing feedback to product or marketing teams based on customer conversations.

• Coordinating with operations or finance on contracts, invoices, or custom pricing.

5. Planning and Organization

• Creating your daily or weekly schedule and prioritizing tasks.

• Reviewing your pipeline and setting goals for new opportunities to add.

• Organizing files, templates, or sales tools for quicker access during golden hours.

6. Personal Branding

• Writing LinkedIn posts or engaging with prospects.

• Reseaching new content ideas/publications to post about

Actionable Takeaway

Before you start every day, ask yourself:
“What’s the one thing I can do today to grow my pipeline and advance a deal?”

Then do it. Every single day.

Want to see how many opportunities you need to hit your quota? Check out this free calculator.

Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube

Episode 53: [Sales] Every conversation is a negotiation with Saad A Saad

• What exactly is a negotiation?

• Common mistakes people make in negotiations

• The role of friction in negotiations

• The key differences between selling and negotiating

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