It’s not uncommon to hear people say “If only, every day came with an extra hour or two!” If you happen to be a Sales representative, you may resonate well with the above sentiment. The solution to the issues faced by a lot of people, including those dedicated to the function of Sales, lies not in every day getting longer but every day getting managed smarter. Here are 5 time management hacks that will help you get more done on the job by mastering time, and not the other way round.
1. Do One Task at a Time
With responsibilities, targets and daily to-dos piling up, you may find yourself splitting your effort on several things at once. For example, you may start writing an email and pause to make a phone call, while also checking up on the status of a recent client. While it may seem that you’re getting more done, in actuality, multi-tasking will eventually drain your mental energy leading you to be up to 40% less productive. Practice blocking time for specific tasks so that you focus exclusively on what’s beforehand at that moment. It’s not just business time management but also a great way to ensure that you start and complete significant tasks instead of starting several things at once but accomplishing precious little by the end of your day.
2. Avoid Getting Stuck in Unproductive Pursuits
Sales reps are known for their resilient mindset when it comes to the arduous task of transforming opportunities into outcomes. The risk however, with being persistent is not being able to distinguish opportunities that will eventually convert from those that won’t, no matter how hard you push. A lead qualifying framework is a great way to know how long you need to stay invested with an opportunity and also when you need to pull out.
3. Automate the Daily Grind
Do you spend a good part of your productive time writing emails, researching leads, following up with prospects as well as existing clients or checking sales records? Admin tasks can not only steal away your precious time but also lower your motivation and drive when you finally get down to the things that matter. Thankfully, time management for small business owners is easier with a choice of sales-focused apps and tools that help you to handle everything from letters to CRM to prospecting to sales pipeline management and more, in a way that’s easier, smoother and faster.
4. End Things Quicker
As a Sales professional, a snapshot of a normal work day would typically have you liaising with prospects and clients over phone calls, making presentations in meeting rooms, holding discussions with subordinates, tabling reports to seniors and so on. Interactions via phone, video calls or in-person account for a significant volume of your daily schedule and therefore, need to be regulated by time constraints. Be focused and prepared before you initiate any of the above activities and most importantly, avoid straying from the objective behind each of these interactions. Keep things sharp and short.
Read more 5 Hard Earned Lessons from Highly Successful Sales People
5. Channel Your Efforts Towards the Highest Potential Areas
One of the reasons why sales development representatives have this feeling that they haven’t done enough, is because they spend a large part of their effort on leads that don’t carry significant value vis-à-vis their overall success goal. This is where the 80/20 Rule or the Pareto Principle could change the game in time management and business. Focus your energy and resources on efforts that will bring you 80% of your results. Rather than spend endless time on leads that won’t make a dent in your sales performance, go for high-dollar leads that will take you far ahead on the curve well ahead of your success deadline.
Hire an expert who specializes in time management for salespeople
If you desire to maintain your momentum on the path to success, learning how to optimally manage your time is something you need to look into. If you want to get started on improving your time handling skills right away by hiring coaching services in sales time management, visit polarisone.com to book an appointment. Founded by Bob Arzt – a seasoned expert with 35+ years of experience in coaching business professionals in areas including Goal Achievement, Success Principles, Sales Management, Practice Management and Time and Organization, Polaris One is an established coaching service that you can rely on for a practical, customized and effective way to make the highest and best use of your time. You could also download your free copy of ‘What Every Great Salesperson Knows - A No-nonsense Guide For Sales Success’ by Robert Arzt for insights, tactics and strategies that can help make the difference between chasing your sales goals and crushing them.
