Failing to focus your activity reduces efficiency and consequently reduces results, because there is not a salesperson alive that believes they have enough time in their working week to complete all the activities they want to achieve! Time is a huge constraint on their activities so that when their manager asks them for more, it is no wonder that they are overwhelmed.

Secondly, but equally important, salespeople often are not clear about how to identify the prospects most likely to have a genuine need for their product or service. Without an objective way to priorities which prospects to contact first and/or an efficient strategy for contacting them, salespeople are doomed to waste a large percentage of their time. Another huge dilemma for many salespeople is how to divide their time between servicing existing clients and generating new business from new prospects.

A common approach among salespeople can be summarized in the saying “If you throw enough mud against the wall, some of it is bound to stick”. This approach is exhausting, demoralizing, extremely unproductive and very expensive in the long term.

In his book “Fundamentals of Selling”, Charles Futrell identifies careful use of selling time as perhaps the distinguishing characteristic of the successful salesperson – and he is right.

● Recommended reading:
“You  Cannot  Control  External  Events  If  You  Do  Not  Have  Control Internally”

Today’s News:

Tomorrow you will be able to register for the Top Sales Experts Christmas party, which takes place on December 22nd. Of course the highlight will be the announcement of the Top Sales Article of 2009, but we will have lots of VIP guests, loads of prizes, and a great deal of laughter – my co-host Nancy D. Solomon and I will see to that! We are limited to just 1000 guests, so be sure to book your place early.

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