--- title: To Outsell Them, Outwork Them | The Sales Blog description: I’ve had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven’t run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you’d be surprised at much […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_52706665-copy.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you’d be surprised at much fun you can have. > > –Woody Hayes I was never the best at [cold calling](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/your-ethical-obligation-to-cold-call). I had to work very hard to gain any competency at all. I have worked with all kinds of salespeople who were better than I was at cold calling but, when I only carried a bag, I could work the entire day without putting down the telephone. It was then that I noticed that the salespeople who did well weren’t the best at any one given task; they were the ones with the strongest [self-discipline](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/what-my-second-sales-manager-taught-me-about-self-discipline-and-sales) and work ethic. #### Can You? You may not be as good on the telephone as some of your competitors. Can you outsell them by outworking them on the telephone? Can you muster your self-discipline and work ethic to [out-prospect them](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/on-research-and-prospecting-separating-tasks-by-outcome)? You may not have nearly as much experience as some of your competitors. Can you outwork your competitors by reading, studying, and [developing the business acumen ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/develop-your-three-pound-power-plant-of-sales-success)that helps to make what situational knowledge experience that you do have even more powerful? Many of your competitors are bigger than you, and many of them have greater resources. Can you outsell them by nurturing and developing your dream client relationships? Can you out-hustle them by developing the consensus up and down the organization and, by doing so, eliminate the potential benefits of your competitor’s greater size? Some of your competitors are good salespeople; you should [respect](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/two-ways-to-never-have-to-fear-your-competition) them. But most of them struggle with the same issues that you do. Can you outwork your competitors by taking a true [consultative](http://thesalesblog.com/2010/10/selling-and-the-difference-between-price-and-cost/) approach and shift the decision-making factor from price to the cost of the actual value created? It’s hard work, and most of your competitors don’t want to rise to this challenge at all. #### The Hustle There are lots of things that can make the difference in a sale. But there is nothing that makes a larger impact on whether you win or lose a dream client opportunity than you! You are [the difference that can make a difference](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-differences-that-make-the-difference). And know this, there will always be smarter salespeople. There will always be salespeople who have a product or service that may be easier to sell. There will always be salespeople with advantages that you will likely never have. But there will also be very few salespeople who are willing to try to outwork or out-hustle you. There will always be fewer salespeople who are willing to do the heavy lifting, the hard work that makes possible your success in sales—or in any other endeavor. You can outsell them by outworking them. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2011](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2011) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on April 9, 2011 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/c9f553be-fbba-4813-9199-95c1603472e7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/c9f553be-fbba-4813-9199-95c1603472e7) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2024-09-11T10:21:07 AM", "datePublished" : "2011-04-09 22:15:38", "description" : "I’ve had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven’t run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s just the way it is. 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