# The Jeremy and Valarie Case Study

Source: Fanatical Prospecting, Ch 7 (p61–62), Jeb Blount.

This case study is the definitive illustration of perfectionism as a prospecting performance blocker. It quantifies exactly what the activity gap costs in outcomes and commissions.

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## The Setup

Jeremy and Valarie are sales reps with offices next to each other. Same company, same product, same territory access, same tools. One morning they both have a calling block. What follows is a direct observation by Blount.

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## Jeremy's Morning (Perfectionism)

Jeremy begins by arranging his desk perfectly. Then he organizes his computer. He makes sure his script is just right.

He then researches each prospect on his list:
- Google search
- LinkedIn search
- Company website
- Detailed review of the history and call notes in the CRM

One hour passes. Then two.

Finally, he makes his first call — to the prospect he has meticulously researched. It goes to voicemail. The next call goes to voicemail. So does the third.

He sighs: "No one answers the phone these days."

After three calls he stops to rearrange things on his desk. Twenty minutes later he packs up and heads into the field to visit existing customers.

**Jeremy's result:**
- Time in "prospecting block": approximately 3 hours
- Calls made: 7
- Decision-makers reached: 0
- Appointments set: 0

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## Valarie's Morning (Action)

Valarie sits down at her desk the same morning. She immediately runs a list on her CRM and starts dialing.

One hour later:

**Valarie's result:**
- Calls made: 53
- Decision-makers reached: 14
- Appointments set: 2 (with qualified prospects)
- Prospecting emails sent: 39

She ran into a few snags. A couple of calls would have gone better had she researched in advance. It was not perfect. She accomplished far more than Jeremy.

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## The Commission Delta

Valarie earned approximately **$100,000 more in annual commissions** than Jeremy.

Valarie was the **number one–ranked sales rep in her division**.

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## What This Means

The difference was not:
- Skill
- Product knowledge
- Territory quality
- Scripts
- Luck

The difference was the decision to act before conditions were perfect.

Blount's principle: "Messy success is far better than perfect mediocrity." He explicitly states he will beat any rep who spends a calling block meticulously researching each prospect by simply picking up a targeted list and calling. The activity gap is too large to compensate for with marginally better preparation.

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## The Nuance Blount Preserves

Blount is not saying research is never appropriate. He explicitly notes:

> "If you are calling C-level prospects, or you sell a complex and expensive product, it is a good idea to research your prospect in advance so that your message is relevant to their unique situation."

**The operative word is "advance."** Research happens before and after the calling block (in protected time — "Platinum Hours"), not during it.

Perfectionism becomes a blocker when:
- Research encroaches on calling time
- "Getting ready" becomes indistinguishable from "not calling"
- The rep uses preparation as a shield against the possibility of rejection

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## Diagnostic Use

Use this case when coaching a rep with any of these patterns:
- Low call volume despite allocated time
- Detailed pre-call research as a default behavior during calling hours
- A call-to-research ratio where research time exceeds call time
- Self-description of "I don't want to go in blind"

The question to ask: "If you spent the next hour doing exactly what Valarie did — run your CRM list and dial in sequence — what is the worst realistic outcome? And what is the likely outcome for Jeremy in the same hour?"

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## The Research Budget Rule (Derived from This Case)

From this case, the practical intervention rule:

**3 minutes per prospect maximum during calling hours.**

If a prospect genuinely requires more research (complex sale, C-level), that research happens in Platinum Hours — before 8am or after 5pm. It is never done inside a calling block.

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*Source: Fanatical Prospecting, Jeb Blount (Wiley, 2015), Chapter 7: The Three Ps That Are Holding You Back, pp. 61–62.*