Thoughtful Thursdays - Managing your sales time?

As mentioned previously, a common subject of conversation with my clients is the matter of having too much to do and not enough time to get it all done. We all are subject to this in varying degrees and I have written several times on the topic.

Today's thought deals specifically with managing sales call time efficiently to maximize the return on your time investment.

You have targets in various stages of the sales cycle. Taking time to assess the following may help you determine where your time is best spent.

• Total potential sales volume
• Total available sales to you
• Probability of closing in the next 1, 2, or 3 months
• Value of the order you are working on

With this information you can determine a level of urgency for each your top targets. Obviously you want to spend the majority of your available time working on the potentials that will yield the highest sales in the shortest period of time.
By reviewing your targets and progress on a regular basis your process will become more efficient.

Good selling,
Richard

Thoughtful Thursdays - What is sales?

Today's thought comes from a higher level view of sales. Rather than talk about tactics let's consider what sales actually is.

We know that the goal is to make a sale, but what does the sales process do?

It is described by many as the process that converts prospects to customers. I can not disagree with this; a successful close accomplishes exactly that. Depending on the business, this can take minutes or months, but this does not really answer the question posed.

Doesn't the sales process in fact facilitate another process - the buying process?

To facilitate is defined by Merriam-Webster as verb meaning "to make easier", or "help bring about." It then follows that sales is a process that helps others make a buying decision easier.

A learned colleague of mine allows me to use his words: "Stop selling and start helping."

Never forget that you are there to help make it easy for your prospect to say "yes" and craft your sales approach accordingly.

Good selling,
Richard