What top sales reps do differently to keep learning and growing

(and how you can too)

Read time: 3 min

Here’s part 3, and the final piece of “How to start your new sales role.” If you missed the first two parts:

• Part 1: How to prep like a top sales rep, 5 critical steps for crushing day 1
• Part 2: 7 tips for succeeding in your new sales role (What to do in your first month at work)

Let’s get cookin’ ??

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Ever wondered why some sales reps outperform others?

It’s not luck—it’s strategy.

Top reps have a few key habits that keep them growing and improving, no matter how experienced they are.

The good news?

You can apply these strategies to your own sales game starting today.

Here’s what they do —and how you can start doing it too:

Today's menu:

• Learn from your boss
• Study top performers
• Coach yourself

#3: Turn your manager into a mentor

Top performers don’t wait for their manager to hand them a roadmap—they create their own. They engage with their managers. Then turn those relationships into a powerful development tool.

You can start doing the same by preparing for every 1:1 like a top rep.

How you can use this:

• Prep your 1:1: Come to your meetings with a clear agenda. Create a simple document to track your goals, challenges, and progress. This helps you stay focused. It shows your manager that you’re serious about your development.
• Be open about challenges: Don’t wait for your manager to discover where you’re stuck—tell them. Be specific about the challenges you’re facing and come up with potential solutions.
• Follow up on feedback: When you get advice, apply it, then follow up to show progress. This builds trust and encourages your manager to invest more time in your growth.

Try this today:

Start a rolling document for your 1:1s. List out your key goals and current challenges. At the end of each meeting, write down the feedback you received and create an action plan.

Real-world example:

I took a proactive approach with my 1:1 by setting up a shared document with my managers. In it, I tracked my goals, challenges, and progress. This simple step transformed our meetings into focused, productive conversations with personalized feedback that made a difference.

#2: Study top performers to become the best

Top reps are always learning from their peers. They know that success leaves clues. They make it a habit to analyze and adopt the strategies of top performers. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—you can fast-track your growth by learning from what’s already working.

How you can use this: ...

Want the rest of the newsletter?

We go over:

• #2: Study top performers to become the best
• #1: Become your own coach

Read it by clicking here.