Get to know Quincy Edwards, the 2019 Up-and-Comer of the Year!

Up-and-Comer of the Year*
Quincy Edwards
Bright Ideas (asi/146026)

*Up-and-Comer of the Year: 3 years or less of industry sales experience

For many sales reps, the hectic nature of each day – from prospecting to managing current orders to following up – can make it challenging to focus on long-term goals. But for Quincy Edwards, an inside sales rep for Troy, VA-based Bright Ideas, every activity she undertakes during the day is in pursuit of her sales objectives.

“It’s all a numbers game,” she says. “I set my yearly goals, and then I break it down into daily tasks. I figured out I’d need to make a certain number of prospecting calls every day to achieve them. I also determined which months were busier for new business, so I have heavier goals in those months.”

And it’s working. During her time at Bright Ideas (she just reached three years), Edwards’ sales revenue has reached six figures, with annual sales increases above 50% year-over-year. She attributes much of that growth to establishing goals, sticking to her routine to reach them and protecting her valuable time.

“I have young kids, so I don’t have the opportunity to research prospects or work on proposals at home,” she says. “I make phone calls between 9 a.m. and noon, then work on quotes, jobs and proposals in the afternoon. I’m diligent about activities that yield results. I know if I don’t reach my goals for a given day, it’s probably something I could have controlled.”

Her commitment to a routine sets her apart, and it’s certainly been noticed by company management. “Quincy follows a process day in and day out to exceed her goals,” says CEO Janet Baellow. “Her sales skyrocketed this year, and she’ll tell you that staying laser-focused on the habits she’s created is the key to her success. She plans her work, works her plan, reads sales and self-improvement books and takes new ideas and runs with them.” C

Clients appreciate her creativity as well. One is a university that buys move-in day giveaways for incoming freshmen. Edwards is tasked with finding something usable and fun the students will be excited to receive.

“Being familiar with different imprints is just as important as the products themselves,” she says. “It can be a regular item that becomes unique with a cool logo. When this school goes to college fairs, the other schools say they have the best swag.”

Next year, Edwards has added to her yearly goals: increasing her margins and narrowing down on her unique value-adds. “I want to figure out exactly why clients continue to work with me and point out those differentiators in bidding situations,” she says.

For new reps, Edwards’ advice is simple. There’s a system to the sales process; stick to it. And be patient. “Turning a suspect into a prospect doesn’t happen overnight,” she says. “And clients aren’t going to come to you. You have to call them. You have to want to grow.”

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