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Circadian Rhythm Selling

22 January 2017

Sell sell sell, network network network. This is a key mantra for business success and yet it’s often shouted loudest by the people who love to sell sell or network network.

Their enthusiasm can become a bit oppressive if we lack experience, or confidence and we can maybe withdraw and feel that we are not good enough.

Of course the truth is that we are good enough and we can find our own path to success.

Recently I was talking to a colleague who grumbled that he was no good at networking, or selling, and was getting stressed at the thought of it.

In the course of our discussion he revealed that he really enjoyed delivering evening workshops and yet hadn’t made the connection that this was selling activity too. His fear of sales work was based on the assumption that selling only happened in the morning, because that was when the majority of the networking meetings took place. His own circadian rhythm leaned towards the end of the day when he was full of energy …at the start of the day he was tired and more withdrawn and preferred to do quieter desk-based work. In the afternoon and evening he had more energy for meetings, creative work and running workshops.

When I suggested that it was okay to avoid networking meetings in the morning and to focus on evening workshops, he brightened up. He liked the evening work and now realised that he was good at selling his services. He just needed to remember that fighting our own natural rhythm saps our energy and enthusiasm, whereas going with the flow makes life more enjoyable and business more succesful. 

Networking and selling can take place at any time of the day and we can all find times and routes to market that work for us.

I’m much more of a night owl, than a morning lark, and when I’m president all networking will take place between 10pm and midnight. Early morning starts would be banned! However my view on the world isn’t better than anyone else’s. When you’re president you can decided on the rules too …and for now there are no rules. 

We can all listen to our own rhythms and pay attention to patterns of working that make us more sucessful. 

So then, what can you pay attention to this week? 

Next week: Grown Up Kids Need Structure!