🧠 how elite reps think

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7 steps high-performers follow to win deals

Marcus Chan reveals 7 steps that change average reps into elite sales performers.

High-performing sellers focus on systems, root causes, and personal consistency.

1. Solve root problems

🎯 Improve forecast accuracy by measuring customer actions.

💎 Example: Instead of logging “demo completed,” track whether your prospect brought in their CFO afterward.

Stop checking boxes, start mapping decisions instead.

2. Personality matrix

🎯 Spot personality in the first 10 minutes or you’re flying blind.

💎 Example: A new hire won’t drive a deal forward, but a driver under pressure moves fast.

Customize your approach to personality, not your preference.

3. Establish belief first

🎯 Your problem isn’t time; it’s confidence in your solution.

💎 Example: A rep who believes their platform saves 10 hours weekly prospects with conviction.

Internal conviction always fuels external performance better.

4. Focus on one thing

🎯 Select one process gap, track it for 90 days, and master it.

💎 Example: Spend three months improving discovery-to-demo conversions before learning a new closing trick.

Process mastery comes from depth, not task variety.

5. Pain drives action

🎯 Uncover “if this isn’t fixed, I’m quitting” pain to achieve gains.

💎 Example: “If we don’t reduce churn this quarter, we’ll miss payroll” drives urgency.

Nice-to-haves don’t close. Pain establishes long-term rewards.

6. Qualify your champions

🎯 Real champions have access, credibility, and influence.

💎 Example: A manager who likes you but can’t reach the CFO isn’t a champion - they’re a fan.

Without influence, your champion remains just a fan.

7. Time block outreach

🎯 Batch your research, outreach, and follow-ups consistently.

💎 Example: Block Tuesday mornings for 3 hours of calls, Wednesday afternoons for follow-ups, and Fridays for research.

Treat prospecting like your paycheck solely depends on it.

Why mindset beats talent in sales

Mark Hunter outlines key habits differentiating top sales performers from the rest, backing them with real-world examples from his own business:

1. Know your products

Deep product knowledge isn’t about rattling off features.

It’s knowing the product well enough to translate features into business impact—without needing a SME on every call.

✔ Aim to know your product like the internal experts do.

✔ Helps you sell value, not features.

2. Prospecting is a habit

Top sellers prospect all the time.

They constantly improve their questions, targeting, and channels - even if they’re already good at it.

✔ Stay consistent with the basics, but always improve your approach.

✔ Revisit your ICP regularly to adjust your tactics.

3. Let the customer talk

High performers make buyers lead the early conversation.

They listen deeply to uncover real needs to prevent assuming too much.

✔ Let the prospect control the flow so you can learn more.

✔ Every good discovery call is built on silence and curiosity.

4. Refine your sales process

Use one-sheets and custom talking points based on profiles and outcomes.

This speeds up closing deals and keeps messaging consistent.

✔ Build reusable sales assets tied to common buyer outcomes.

✔ Share value-adding content with prospects before they become customers.

5. Objections are patterns

He writes down every objection in his CRM.

Not just for that customer, but to spot patterns.

If an objection blocks a deal, it may help close the next.

✔ Keep an objection journal. Write consistently on progress.

✔ Learn what’s surfacing across deals and how to respond.

6. Closing is always planned

Top performers don’t get jittery at the close.

Low performers scramble. Top performers glide.

✔ If you’ve earned the close, asking for the deal is natural.

✔ Confidence at close comes from preparation, not pressure.

7. Identify your network

He’s always identifying smart, connected people and looking for ways to build genuine relationships.

✔ Relationship-building is a daily effort, not an endgame strategy.

✔ The right network creates opportunities before you ask.

8. Invest towards growth

Top sellers don’t wait on their company for training.

Buy your own books, listens to podcasts, and seeks out knowledge.

✔ Take ownership of your professional development.

✔ The most successful reps are also the most coachable.

9. Protect your mindset

Mark admits he’s been in a “valley” recently.

But, his mindset stays focused on gratitude and action.

✔ Track what’s working; review your pipeline and celebrate small wins.

✔ Your emotional state impacts performance more than your product does.

10. Use data as your strategy

From CRM insights to call ratios, top sellers rely on data when sharpening decisions and identify bottleneck options.

✔ Don’t just log activity. Analyze it carefully.

✔ Know your own numbers: how many calls = a close?

11. Faithfully protect your time

The best reps make time as their most valuable asset.

Every habit above makes them a lot more efficient.

✔ Eliminate time wasters and other distractions.

✔ Block off time for prospecting, learning, and thinking.

12. Reflect weekly: win or lose

At the end of every week, review what worked and what didn’t.

Every day ends with a small, personal celebration.

✔ Debrief weekly to track progress and course-correct.

✔ Daily wins keep your momentum high—even on tough weeks.

Free resource

Metric structures behind great playbooks

Carla Macciocu breaks down a 7-step structure that sales reps can use instantly.

Connect your ICP problems and experiences into one systematic framework.

1. Define your ICP

➤ Add 3 - 4 reasons you’re winning over your competitors.

✅ Example: “We outperform larger vendors because we integrate faster, cost less, and require no IT support.”

A sharp ICP makes targeting easier and more effective.

2. Map their pains

➤ For each differentiator, list the problems your solution fixes.

✅ Example: “If manual reporting isn’t automated, finance teams lose 10 hours weekly and risk costly errors.”

Without consequences, it’s not a problem: it’s trivia.

3. Identify buyers

➤ Link pain to experiences and why it matters personally.

✅ Example: “A stressed VP of Sales with high churn risks budget cuts and losing top performers.”

Attach challenges to people, not just organizations.

4. Connect to solution

➤ Provide in 1-2 lines how you fix each problem.

✅ Example: “We cut onboarding time in half, reducing turnover and training costs.”

Keep it short so reps can repeat details easily.

5. Build the process

➤ Outline the buyer journey with exit criteria at each stage.

✅ Example: “Discovery is complete only when budget, authority, and timeline are confirmed.”

Clear stages keep your deals moving instead of stalling.

6. Add sales plays

➤ Move from theory to practice with plays for scenarios.

✅ Example: “Objection play: If a prospect says, ‘We already use a competitor,’ acknowledge and show proof of switching success.”

Plays give sales reps repeatable moves that really work.

7. Package learning

➤ Make details easy to absorb with overviews, videos, and role-play quizzes.

✅ Example: “A 5-minute video demo + 3 role-play questions beats a 50-page handbook.”

The greatest sales playbooks are simple enough to be used every day.

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