Not Taking Time Off Is a Warning Sign | Sales Strategies

I was recently talking to a sales rep who told me he had not taken a vacation in 5 years. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he saw it as a badge of honor and was bragging about it. I stopped him and told him that it’s not a badge of honor to never take some time off. In fact, it’s a sign that you are highly inefficient if you feel you can’t go away for a few days—let alone a few weeks—and have everything fall out from underneath you. It’s also a sign of a really unhealthy ego if you think that your business and your client will fall apart if you go away. You believe that you are the only thing that is holding the territory together. Stop it.

Sales Leaders Have This Responsibility 

Sales leaders need to encourage their team to take time off. When they do take that time off, sales leaders need to set the example by not continuing to send emails or make calls to them. Indeed, sales leaders need to take responsibility for forcing their team to take some time off. Why? A well-rested and energized team is a creative team. It’s a nice team and a team that people love to buy from. A tired, cranky team is not a team that builds relationships. It’s not a team that healthily and profitably grows your business. We don’t want people to be overtired, sick, and to not be able to think clearly. All of those three things happen when you don’t take time off.

I was talking to another seller earlier this year who told me that, even though he had a terrible flu, he got on the plane and traveled to see customers. I thought to myself: gross. Does that customer really want to be sitting across the room, making eye contact, and shaking hands with you if you’re sick? No. Simply put, take the time off. I promise you that, in doing so, you will be more efficient, effective, creative, and build much better relationships with your clients.