Win, Lose or Draw?

Hard to believe it’s the end of March already. It is the end of the quarter, but think of it this way:

The Quarter Doesn’t End… It Reveals

I got a call this week from a seller who sounded… tired. Not burned out. Not checked out. Just… worn down. “Jeff, I feel like I’ve been pushing all quarter and I’m not sure it’s going to come together.”

I’ve heard that tone before. Maybe you have too—either in your own voice or in the hallway, on a Zoom or in the silence between calls. Because here’s the truth about the end of the quarter: It doesn’t create results. It reveals them.

It reveals the conversations you had… and the ones you avoided. It reveals whether you were prospecting consistently… or hoping something would break loose. It reveals whether you were building relationships… or just chasing transactions.

That’s the harsh reality check.

But here’s the opportunity.

Many sellers treat the end of the quarter as the finish line. It’s not; it’s the scoreboard. If you only start sprinting in the last two weeks, you’re not actually racing — you’re just trying to fix a system.

I remember early in my career, my mentor Bill Mann said something that stuck with me:

“Your pipeline is always perfectly designed to give you exactly what you’re getting.”

I didn’t like that at the time because it meant the problem wasn’t the market, the pricing or the competition.

It was me.

And that’s both the hard truth and the empowering one. The best broadcast and multimedia sellers don’t panic at the end of the quarter. They get clear.

They ask three questions:

1. What’s real—and what’s hope? Deals in your pipeline aren’t all equal. Some are conversations. Some are maybes. Some are real. Clarity beats optimism this time of quarter. The leading indicator? Your calendar. If you’re not important enough to be on your client/prospect’s calendar, they aren’t significant enough to be in your pipeline.


2. Where can I create an advance? Not close— an advance - movement. A decision. A next step. A meeting. A refinement. Momentum closes deals. Pressure kills them.


3. Who have I not talked to that I should have? This is the big one. Because as Jeb Blount says: “The number one reason for failure in sales is an empty pipeline.” And pipelines don’t empty at the end of the quarter. They were empty weeks ago.

You don’t need a rah-rah speech right now. You need perspective.

• If you’re behind—good. You’re aware. Now act.
• If you’re ahead—better. But don’t coast. Build what’s next.
• If you’re right on track—stay disciplined. Finish like a pro.

Because, this moment? It’s not about quotas. It’s about identity. Are you the kind of seller who reacts or the kind who builds, day after day, regardless of the calendar?

At the end of the quarter, most sellers look at their numbers. The best sellers look at their behaviors. Because numbers are a lagging indicator. Behavior is the lever.

So as we close this one out, don’t just ask: “Did I hit my number?”

Ask:

“Did I build a system that makes next quarter inevitable?”

That’s the difference between surviving in this business and becoming someone your clients—and your company—can’t afford to lose.

Think Big, Make Big Things Happen!

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com . You can also connect with him on X , YouTube, and LinkedIn .