By Phil Whitebloom, Founder of BeenThere Consulting Services
With over $1.5 billion in sales throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand what separates consistent top performers from those who struggle. Every salesperson has experienced it—the dreaded sales slump. One moment, deals are closing, commissions are rolling in, and everything seems on track. Then suddenly, leads dry up, calls go unanswered, and panic sets in. It’s not a mystery. It’s not bad luck. It’s the direct result of inconsistent prospecting.
Sales success isn’t about riding waves of luck or waiting for referrals to come through. It’s about taking control of your pipeline every single day. The secret? Make the sales calls. It’s that simple, yet most salespeople overlook it when they get busy.
This article will break down exactly why sales slumps happen and how the best salespeople prevent them. If you’re tired of unpredictable revenue and ready to take control of your results, keep reading.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Email me at Phil@BeenThereCS.com with your experiences or biggest takeaways, and I’ll send you a free eBook copy of my book, Handling Objections – Clues for Closing the Sale.
The Secret Revealed: MAKE THE SALES CALLS!
Yes, that’s it. No complicated formulas, no gimmicks, no shortcuts.
If you’re not making sales calls every day, your business will always be unpredictable. No matter how busy you are, how much revenue you have coming in, or how many referrals you think you’ll get—if you stop prospecting, you will eventually hit a wall.
This is the #1 reason salespeople and business owners experience deep revenue slumps. And it’s the reason so many struggle to build consistent, scalable success.
The best salespeople and business owners never stop prospecting—even when they’re busy. That’s why they don’t experience deep revenue slumps.
Are you ready to take control of your sales pipeline once and for all?
Book a Free Call to discuss your needs.
Now, let’s talk about why so many salespeople ignore this simple truth—and how you can fix it today.
The Very Busy Salesperson with Never Enough Sales
Horace was well-liked. Personable, punctual, and always busy. Yet, despite all his hard work, he rarely made sales.
A deep dive into his daily activities revealed the problem: Horace spent hours “working” but not selling. He buried himself in research, crafting elaborate quotes—even for low-probability deals. Instead of making new calls, he kept himself occupied with tasks that felt productive but didn’t drive revenue.
In the end, his pipeline dried up, his sales never took off, and he was forced to move on to a different career. Horace worked hard, but he worked on the wrong things.
The Big Sale and the Poor Performance Review
Freddy was thrilled. A single $2 million deal landed him a $50,000 commission, pushing him over quota for the year. But at his annual review, I gave him a less-than-satisfactory performance rating.
Why? Because that big deal had been three years in the making. It closed now, but the work had been done long ago. Meanwhile, throughout the year, Freddy missed his quarterly numbers and failed to keep his pipeline full for future sales.
He spent most of his time calling on existing customers, hoping for repeat business, instead of prospecting for new ones. When the inevitable customer churn happened, Freddy had no new business to replace the lost revenue.
Sales isn’t about one big win—it’s about consistently creating new opportunities.
The Superstar Salesperson
Lucy was a force. She single-handedly accounted for nearly one-third of the company’s revenue.
Her secret? She never stopped making sales calls.
Lucy knew that sales is a numbers game. She didn’t waste time on admin work, building quotes, or handling callbacks—she delegated everything that didn’t require her to be in front of customers.
She wasn’t just successful—she was known for being the best. So much so that when she changed companies, her success followed her.
Lucy made the calls. And that’s why she won.
THE THREE TYPES OF SALES CALLS
There are three essential types of sales calls that every salesperson must make:
- New Sales Calls – Just like it sounds. You are calling prospects that you have never done business with. New sales calls should be made every business day. The most effective way is to plan in advance (the night before) to determine who you will be calling the following day, eliminating wasted selling time on research.
- In-Process Sales Calls – These are sales calls following through on actions required to move prospects forward to ultimately close. These must be driven by priorities, promises, and deadlines—laid out first, with other activities working around them.
- Retention Sales Calls – These are calls to existing customers that can bring additional business and referrals. They must be planned just like new calls. Retention calls should never be sacrificed for new calls, nor should new calls be sacrificed for retention. Both are essential.
SALES CALLS ARE THE PRIORITY, NOT TO BE TIME BLOCKED
Time blocking is a methodology promoted by many coaches. In my strong opinion, sales calls should NOT be time blocked. They are the priority. Sales calls must be scheduled wherever they need to be to get the greatest results. All other important business activities should be time blocked around sales calls. If an activity is not important, eliminate it—it is a distraction from success.
Enable these practices as your takeaway from this blog, and combined with your quality selling skills, you will be successful. If you are not already a superstar, you are on your way!
MAKE THE SALES CALLS!
Why Work with BeenThere Consulting Services?
Sales should be strategic, engaging, and results-driven. The most successful business owners, executives, and sales professionals understand that consistently making calls, engaging in high-impact conversations, and building authentic relationships aren’t just tasks—they’re competitive advantages.
If your sales team isn’t actively prospecting, your revenue is at risk. If sales conversations feel forced, your prospects sense it. And if you’re relying on outdated tactics while your competitors focus on relationship-building and proactive engagement, you’re losing business.
I don’t teach one-size-fits-all sales strategies. I help business leaders and sales teams:
- Build instant trust with prospects and customers through a strategic approach to engagement.
- Master tactical conversations that move deals forward and eliminate hesitation.
- Create a sales process that makes buying from you the obvious choice—again and again.
This isn’t about theory or “feel-good” sales advice. It’s about results. With over 40 years in sales leadership and more than $1.5 billion in sales, I’ve helped companies close more deals, strengthen their sales teams, and dominate their industries by selling smarter—not harder.
Are You Ready to Take Sales Seriously?
If you’ve read this far, you already know something needs to change.
You have two choices:
- Keep doing what you’ve been doing and hope for different results.
- Work with someone who can give you a strategic and tactical edge over your competition.
I make the next step easy. Let’s have a 30-minute conversation where I show you exactly how to turn every sales interaction into a revenue-generating opportunity. No fluff. No wasted time. Just real solutions that drive serious results.
Regain Control of Your Sales—Schedule a Call Today
Unlock the Secrets to Closing More Sales with “Handling Objections: Clues for Closing the Sale”
Are you tired of hearing “no” or struggling to close the deal? In Phil Whitebloom’s book, you’ll learn how to turn objections into golden opportunities to secure the sale. Whether you’re new to sales or have years of experience, this book is packed with actionable insights that will elevate your approach to closing deals.
Here’s what others are saying:
Kelley Ridings says, “This book is a valuable resource! It opened my eyes to the psychology and problem-solving involved in sales. If you need to understand sales better, this is the book for you!”
Richard O., a successful small business owner for 35+ years, calls the book “a breath of fresh air” and says it’s packed with useful ideas for closing deals.
Brianna Hendley points out, “An objection is not a NO. It’s an opportunity to ask more questions and uncover your client’s true needs. A fun and impactful book I refer back to regularly.”
David Illig reminds us that everyone is a salesman in life, “Whether it’s a product, an opinion, or a point of view, Phil Whitebloom will guide you to a successful conclusion.”
Bryan Lilly describes the book as “a good tour of ideas and examples” that help you navigate different objections with key principles.
M.J. James highlights, “If you’re in a sales slump, this book will teach you how to embrace objections and turn them into catalysts for closing more deals.”
Don’t wait—level up your sales game and turn those “no’s” into “yes’s.” Get “Handling Objections: Clues for Closing the Sale” now and take the first step toward mastering the art of closing deals.
Purchase here.
PURCHASE YOUR COPY BY CLICKING HERE!
The BeenThere/SoldThat Podcast
Join Brianna Hendley of Achievant Business Coaching and Phil Whitebloom as they discuss practical strategies to enhance your sales and business skills. Get ready to achieve your goals and dreams! Listen here.
More from BeenThere SoldThat
Want to know what programs you can participate in to grow your sales and business? Go to BeenThereSoldThat.com and see what programs are available.