Specific Time Management Tactics Required for Sales Success

What sets successful salespeople apart from the unsuccessful one?
Successful salespeople do exactly the same things as unsuccessful ones. The difference is that they do them more effectively and efficiently. Peter Drucker defined effectiveness as doing the right things and efficiency as doing things right. Both aspects are needed to succeed.

Doing the Right Things: What do salespeople have to do? The sales process includes:

• Prospecting - Generating leads
• Qualifying - Validating the leads
• Contacting - Getting in touch with the prospect
• Closing - Making the sale

Obviously, this is a very abbreviated list. Your sales process may have more - many more - steps. This list serves to illustrate a very significant point - in order to be able to accomplish these things, you must set aside definite time for these actions. Prospecting and qualifying are tasks that things that you can do on your own time. Contacting and closing are things that you can only do when your prospect is accessible, i.e. on the prospect's time. Set aside some time daily or weekly for activities that you can do on your own time. I know people who reserve their mornings or late evenings for such tasks, and others who dedicate one or two days of the week (e.g. all day Friday) for such tasks. Obviously, if you deal with a prospect who can only give you an appointment during the time you have set aside for "own time" activities, you must be flexible. When you make appointments with prospects, make sure you can keep them. You must give ample time between appointments to account for any commute needed. It does not make sense to schedule back-to-back appointments miles apart.

Doing Things Right: How should salespeople perform their tasks?

• Punctual - Punctuality gives an impression of professionalism and reliability
• Cheerful - An upbeat attitude (without overdoing it) sends a positive message to the prospect and helps the sale along
• Disciplined - The discipline to be able to diligently handle mundane and even distasteful tasks is a very critical element of sales success
• Efficiency - Be patient if the prospect rambles on, but get through the sales process as soon as possible as the prospect's time is very valuable

Time Management Tactics - Ensuring efficiency

To ensure punctuality, give yourself reminders through alarms and messages. Online calendars can be programmed to send you emails or text messages on your phone at certain time(s) before the appointment. Allow for traffic and distance.

To ensure cheerfulness, practice your best smile before a mirror.

To ensure discipline, have an accountability partner who can make it painful for you if you do not meet your stated level of performance.

To ensure efficiency, rehearse your spiel and pace yourself through each stage of the presentation.
Good time management is not the solution to poor sales. It is an essential and worthy skill to have but no substitute for ability. Time management skill helps set the stage for a successful sales career.

Prakash Rao is a time management coach with a very unique approach: Control time within tasks as much as you control which tasks you perform. This approach allows Prakash's clients to be effective, efficient and error-free in management of their tasks and their lives. For more information about Prakash's techniques please visit http://www.bankyourtime.com To avail Prakash's coaching services, contact him at prakash@bankyourtime.com.

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