A Sales Journal With 23,806 Lessons
Since 1989, I’ve kept a detailed sales journal: 25 hardcover books, 50,000 pages, tracking every sales call.
Each entry recorded:
- Date
- Client
- Product / Service
- Value
- Preparation
- Result
- Long-term outcome
With the help of a university researcher, I recently compiled this data into a database. The insights revealed something fascinating about the timing of sales pitches.
The Best Time to Pitch (Proven by Data)
From 23,806 pitches, here’s what the numbers showed:
- Morning pitches had a 43% higher chance of closing immediately compared to pitches after lunch.
- Before 11:00am → 26% higher close rate than between 11:00am and lunch.
- Monday–Wednesday → consistent results.
- Thursday → close rates dropped 23%.
- Friday → close rates dropped 33%.
- Repeat orders showed the same pattern, but with less decline (about 60% lower drop).
Takeaway: If you want to win more deals, pitch earlier in the day and earlier in the week.
The Science: Decision Fatigue in Sales
This pattern reflects a well-documented concept: decision fatigue.
The more decisions people make throughout the day or week, the weaker their ability to make new ones. Their mental energy drains, making them more likely to delay, avoid, or reject decisions.
- Parole hearings, for example, show the same trend—prisoners reviewed in the morning are far more likely to be approved than those reviewed later in the day.
- In sales, too many choices worsen the effect. Offering six options instead of three cuts your chance of getting a decision in half.
Your buyer’s mental energy is a limited resource. Time your pitch to when they have the most of it.
How to Apply This Sales Secret
- Book meetings early in the day. Aim for 9:00–11:00 am.
- Prioritize early-week pitches. Save Monday through Wednesday for new deals.
- Keep choices simple. No more than three clear options.
- Use late-week meetings for follow-ups or relationship building, not high-stakes pitches.
- Be aware of buyer energy. Even the best pitch falls flat if the buyer is mentally drained.
The Takeaway
From 23,806 pitches, the message is clear:
- Morning beats afternoon.
- Early week beats late week.
- Fewer choices beat too many options.
Sales isn’t just about what you say—it’s also about when you say it.
That’s Sales Secret #1: Pitch earlier in the day, and earlier in the week.