Be Better Than What's Normal

Imani Rhodes

I’m sitting on the wooden bleachers inside the high school gym waiting to pick up my niece. The place is half-lit, quiet around the edges, but alive in the center. Her team—the defending state champs—is huddled on the court, sneakers squeaking across the floor as they finish up. Their captain holds up a faded practice jersey and asks, “What are we known for?” No hesitation. The whole team fires back in one voice: “No one out-hustles us.” Not “We shoot better.” Not “We’re the fastest.” Just hustle. Consistent, repeatable effort. Their baseline. Their identity. Their floor. Watching them, it hit me how rare that mindset is in sales. Too many of us aim to simply “do our job.” We send standard emails, run standard calls, give standard follow-up—and prospects can feel it. Every average moment quietly drains trust. Momentum dies before it ever starts. But when your floor is higher—when your everyday standard is just a little above expected—everything changes. Trust stacks faster. Prospects remember you. You get callbacks, referrals, second chances. You win in the tiny, invisible moments other reps never even see. Your standard sets your story—Are you average or are you remarkable?

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

That hits home, Imani. When I started in sales, I didn’t know any better—I just over-prepared because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I’d dig through notes, practice questions, rehearse openings, walk in with everything highlighted like I was taking a final exam. And honestly? It worked. Not because I was talented, but because I cared enough to show up ready. But then I got comfortable. I settled into “average” without even noticing. Calls got looser, emails got shorter, prep got thinner. Couple of lost deals, a few lukewarm reviews, and it hit me: I wasn’t bad…I was forgettable. And being forgettable is worse. So I made a promise to myself—every interaction would get the same effort as my very first one. Over-preparation wasn’t going to be the exception anymore; it would be the standard. I treated every call, every walkthrough, every follow-up like it was my only shot. And something wild happened: the mix of preparation, excitement, and focus—stacked on top of real experience—turned me into someone different. Someone consistent. Someone confident. Someone prospects trusted immediately. I won’t lie—it changed everything. That combination of effort and expertise made me unstoppable.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

So, let’s make this real. Sports teams—they scout the opponent, watch tons of film, and then run drills on what to do when it’s game time. There's a system for everything. In sales, I sorta borrowed a playbook from that: SOS—Study, Own, Surprise. First, Study the standard—what do most folks in your industry do? I mean, be honest, half the time it’s copy-paste emails and boilerplate proposals, right? Second is Own—make sure your process shows you’re actually prepared. You know your product, but do you know the prospect? What’s their pain point, what’s kept them up at 2am? And then, and this is where trust stacks up, Surprise—deliver just a little extra, something small, but real. I’ll give you a quick example: Before a meeting, I’ll check what our competitors send after their demos—usually that’s a PDF, a polite thank-you, and “let us know if you have questions.” I’ll prep that, but then I’ll write a handwritten note—like, “Thanks for the thoughtful conversation — I’ll be in touch with next steps.", or “Thanks for the clear direction. I’ll follow up soon.” It’s personal, not pushy, but nobody expects it. Suddenly, you’re not just another rep, you’re someone who saw them as more than the next signature. That’s the trust shot right there.

Imani Rhodes

That “Surprise” is the kicker. Behavioral science says we trust people who break through our expectations with clarity and a sense of real care. It’s like the story of the mail-carrier who built an actual fanbase by always delivering a little more—maybe a wave, a quick “how’s your day,” or how she’d take an extra second to check in on people along the route. Her route was the same, but her impact was next level. The point is, these aren’t flashy big gestures. It’s about the micro-moments, the habits you repeat.- How about a quick example? Something real that shows the difference.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

Yeah, let’s take a proposal setup. Most salespeople just email it off, attach the PDF, and hope the client figures it out. No context. No clarity. They think the client is comparing proposals, but really the client is comparing people. Add the human touch and you stand out immediately. That’s where remarkable lives.” Average waits. Remarkable reaches out first. Try that Imani:

Imani Rhodes

‘Hey Ty, I’m just finishing your proposal and wanted to check in—did anything else come to mind or change since we last talked? Let’s pick a time to meet and review everything together. I think I’ve captured all the details you asked for, and we’re sitting within your budget. Anything else we should cover so our next meeting is productive and gets things moving for you?

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

Right? And when you add that human note, you’re not just a name in an inbox. You’re the person who made it easy, made it real—sometimes, those little things tilt the whole decision. In an industry where salespeople are known for being slow, distracted, and reactive, this kind of call stands out. It tells the client, ‘You matter—and I’m on it.’”

Imani Rhodes

Alright, here’s your move for today—and it couldn’t be simpler: Grab a pen or your notes app and write down the three most common actions in your job. First client call. Post-meeting recap. Proposal delivery. For each one, ask yourself: How can I go one notch beyond what’s normal here? Maybe it’s clarity—you paint the picture so your prospect knows exactly what to expect. Maybe it’s a small gesture—remembering something they mentioned or making the next step effortless. Try it and see what lands: Did the meeting feel stronger? Did they say, “Thanks, this makes things easier”? That’s your proof. Now turn those little tweaks into habits. Once you’ve got your first three locked in—muscle memory, automatic—pick three more. Master those. Then choose three more. Keep going. You stack habits like that and you’ll out-hustle your competition every day without burning out. That’s momentum. That’s trust. And that’s how you change your cloze rate for good.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

And if you’re wondering what a win feels like—picture this: You’re not chasing prospects, they’re actually coming to you. Someone says, “We heard nobody does it like you,” or, even better, “One of your clients told us to call.” That’s the game-changer. The next big opportunity doesn’t come from a cold call, but from word of mouth—that’s your scoreboard. But don’t just listen, take action. Try this tomorrow and share what happens in the comments or community. Tell us—did the extra effort stick? Did you see that lighter vibe on a call? Did anyone notice? That’s how we get better—together. There’s urgency here. Trust is built on action, not intention. You can do this. Your team, your clients, they’ll feel it.

Imani Rhodes

Exactly. Every big leap starts in one small moment. Don’t wait. Make your new standard your story—do the action items, track what happens, show up tomorrow with just a little more game than yesterday. And share your wins with us; those stories build community, and together, the bar gets raised.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

Let’s keep raising the standard. Drop in your stories, bring the energy, and remember—be better than what’s normal. Catch you all in chapter 2.