Why the ones who show up and follow up are winning.
By Brian Sullivan
We’ve spent the last five years automating everything. Emails? Automated. Sequences? Scheduled. Follow-ups? Scripted, tracked, color-coded and blessed by AI.
But here’s the thing nobody wants to say out loud: while your competition is perfecting their sixth-step email cadence, someone else just walked into the building and booked the deal.
That’s the rise of the Double Threat Rep – someone who knows when to click and when to knock. And in 2025? That rep is getting the meetings faster, gathering the intel earlier and closing the deals you thought were “going dark.”
Being present
Let me say this right up front: this is not a knock on inside sales. Some of the most productive reps I know never leave their desk, and my own 15 cold calling SDRs at PRECISE prove daily that you can book pipeline from a laptop with the right coaching and conviction.
But this article is for the rep who has access to the field and has stopped using it.
Maybe you think it’s too crowded. Maybe you haven’t been trained to drop in without a meeting. Or maybe no one told you the truth: In-person isn’t dead. It’s just underused.
And that’s your edge.
Field gravity still closes deals
Double Threat Reps understand you don’t need a scheduled meeting to matter. Sometimes, just showing up – intentionally, respectfully, and consistently – puts you back on the radar.
That nurse you used to bump into near the elevator? She’s now the one whispering in the decision-maker’s ear. That purchasing manager who always said no? They’ve retired, and you’d only know if you walked past the front desk and asked.
You don’t learn that over Zoom.
You learn it when you’re there.
That’s field gravity. The more you’re seen, the more you’re trusted. And the more you’re trusted, the faster things move.
What makes a rep a “double threat”?
Being a Double Threat Rep doesn’t mean you’re on the road 24/7. It means you’re dangerous because you know how to move between the inbox and the front desk without missing a beat.
Here’s what they do differently:
- They prep using CRM data, then show up in person to fill the context gaps
- They follow up digitally after an in-person interaction, so they’re remembered twice
- They walk the halls with purpose, not just presence
- They bring something that makes the prospect smarter or happier – a relevant article, a quick case study, a branded Sharpie, or just a solid idea that helps solve a real problem
- They combine value with visibility – and they get deals moving because of it
It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being intentional, memorable, and worth talking to – online and off.
From invisible to in-demand
One of the reps I worked with – we’ll call her Alex – was hitting every number except revenue. Her activities looked great. Her call notes were beautiful. Her sequences were on-brand.
The problem? Nobody in her territory remembered her name.
We made one change. She started time-blocking field time into every day – even just an hour. Her calendar now had set blocks for planning, phone prospecting, admin, and purposeful visits. Not random pop-ins. Each stop was intentional: bringing something useful, solving a problem, or sharing an insight that made the customer smarter – or happier.
By week three, people were calling her.
By week five, her win rate started climbing.
And by month two? She was the name they remembered.
That’s Double Threat selling.
Want to be one? Try this weekly rhythm
Here’s a practical cadence that balances screen time with street time:
- Monday: Review accounts and flag ones with recent digital touches but no physical follow-up
- Tuesday/Wednesday: Stack meetings and schedule smart visits before or after each one
- Thursday: Pick a hospital café or clinic lobby and work there for 90 minutes – yes, with your laptop
- Friday: Follow up on in-person conversations with short, personalized emails or voicemails
“Great chatting near imaging – following up with what we discussed…”
Do it consistently, and you’ll stop being the rep who “pops in once a quarter,” and become the one they expect to hear from.
What if you don’t have field access?
Double Threat isn’t about geography – it’s about awareness.
Even if your role is fully remote, you can still:
- Call a staff member directly instead of always emailing
- Ask a local team member to hand-deliver a piece for you
- Send a video referencing something hyper-local
- Set up a Zoom with a gatekeeper – not to pitch, but just to make their day
It’s not just about being in the building. It’s about being top-of-mind.
Be the rep they remember
In a world of noise, sameness, and templated outreach, the most dangerous thing you can be is … memorable.
And here’s the truth: CRMs don’t close deals. Connections do.
Double Threat Reps know this. They click when it makes sense. They call when it counts. And when it’s time to get the meeting, they walk in, smile and say: “Thought of you. Got something I think you’ll want to see.”
Brian Sullivan, CSP, is the Founder of PRECISE Selling and a leading voice in B2B sales strategy. He helps companies master the art of prospecting, presenting, and negotiating – while also building elite outsourced sales teams through his PRECISE Performers division. A nationally recognized speaker and author of 20 Days to the Top, Brian’s mission is simple: turn salespeople into champions. Learn more at www.preciseselling.com.