Part of the KEY to making the most of any new year is TIME MANAGEMENT. It is the one factor that sets apart top-
performing sales reps from all the rest. But did you know that most salespeople spend only 20% of their time actively selling?
It is imperative that every sales rep have an organized time management plan… That’s why this week’s tips are designed specifically for SALES professionals to get the most out of every work week to improve productivity and sales results!
Five Ways to Sell More in Less Time:
1.) Do first things first. One simple key to streamlining your sales process is to prioritize certain activities and schedule time to do those things first each day. Such activities may include: sending or following up on a proposal/quote; calling on warm prospects; and/or making outbound prospecting calls.
Always remember that the time you spend actively SELLING is considered value-added time for any sales rep. Make sure you MAKE TIME for such activities and make them a top priority each day!
2.) Group “like activities.” Many studies have been done on ways to improve efficiency when performing a variety of tasks. Findings show that “batching” like activities together produces the best result. Think of this as the opposite of multitasking. By combining related activities into batches of work, you will reduce distractions and significantly improve productivity. To achieve this result, simply group “like” tasks together and perform them for a concentrated, scheduled BLOCK of time. For example, schedule blocks of time dedicated to each of the following tasks: making cold calls; sending follow-up emails; performing account research; doing administrative work.
Reducing the amount of time spent switching back and forth between varied tasks will:
- Greatly improve your ability to stay focused, and
- Help you get through more work in less time
3.) Plan the next day. This is an oldie, but a goodie. At the end of each day, set aside 10 minutes to organize and plan out the following day. Write down the top five things you’d like to achieve the next day and schedule them into your calendar around any existing meetings. Next, identify which “blocks” of work (see #2) you will perform and add these to your schedule during any remaining time slots.
The result? Improved time management and increased productivity!
4.) Set aside time to make prospecting calls! THIS IS CRITICAL!! We all know that sales is a numbers game – this means professional sales reps must block out time every day or week to make prospecting calls. (Need more or better quality leads? Click here to contact MTG today!) Despite all the advancements in technology, social media, and email marketing, nothing replaces a phone call. Even if you don’t reach someone, it is important to leave a brief message so prospects will hear your voice and be reminded of you, your company, and your solution. Even better, provide a value-added offer in your voice message – invite them to attend a webinar, a breakfast forum, or to download a white paper. Follow up your voice message with a short email and that one-two punch will keep your brand name and solutions in front of the prospect. Then, if and when they’re ready to buy, they will think of you first!
5.) Leverage your CRM system. Use your CRM system to perform several functions to streamline your sales processes:
- Build reports to sort the wheat from the chaff
- Make use of email templates
- Identify target segments for special offers or value-added marketing campaigns.
There is power in your CRM system. Make use of that power! If you don’t know where to begin when prospecting, identify certain low-hanging fruit such as Former Customers who may need your services again. Dig into the system to understand what kind of segments and offerings you can create that will appeal to each subgroup. Then, enact # 1-4 above to sell more in less time!
***And, finally, DO THIS ONE THING to help your sales reps gain direct access to the exact Corporate Training and HR decision-makers they seek:
If you’re selling and marketing to corporate training and HR, give your reps direct access to the hand-built MTG Market Intelligence database. The Mentor Tech Group database contains more than 40,000 US decision maker contacts in Training, HR, e-learning, and talent management.
With MTG’s data, your sales reps will finally have exactly the exact information they need to sell and market to top Training and HR decision-maker contacts. Your MTG database information includes: Accurate phone/email info, title, sales notes, and other key Account and Contact information to speed along the sales process!
Remember, each MTG database contact record was entered as a result of an actual conversation with one of our Market Intelligence Consultants. Every contact MUST merit membership in our database by being responsible for making purchasing decisions or influencing such decisions.
The result? MTG has the best, most accurate database of Training and HR contacts available anywhere!
Your salespeople are one of your most valuable assets – give them exactly what they need to SUCCEED! It’s TIME to INVEST IN A TARGETED LIST OF HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING & HR DECISION-MAKER CONTACTS!
Contact info for more than 40,000+ Corporate Training & HR decision-makers at top US companies!
- Segmentation by job functions, called “Job Codes” (not by nebulous job titles)
- Interview-verified: Hand-built and maintained database to keep your database current
- FREE 4-month updates
Want to learn more? Please contact us at (651) 457-8600, Extension 1.
