2 minute read
Sell Yourself on Time
Sell Yourself on Time Management Kelly Callahan
Time management is important in any walk of life but maybe none more so than that of a sales person. Their time is taken up with traveling and waiting for appointments so it is important to be able to achieve as much as possible in any given day. After all, most sales people work on commission as well of or instead of a salary and less sales means less money. So how can a sales person use time management skills to their benefit?
• Try to work a week ahead of yourself. Planning ahead means you can manage your time more effectively. If you have to have a team meeting at some point during the week make sure that is already scheduled into your planner so you can work around it.
• Be geographically aware. If you are out on the road all day attending face to face sales meetings try to plan your visits by area. This way you are spending the least amount of time possible traveling between appointments and more time doing your job – selling and making money.
• If you have to spend time in reception areas waiting for appointments, don’t just sit there twiddling your thumbs. Catch up on paperwork, write letters that have to be done, make calls and catch up on reports. This will save you a lot of time in the long run and also makes you look professional and busy.
• Always leave yourself some time free at the end of each day for planning, for dealing with unscheduled tasks and for writing your reports on the day’s work. That way, the next morning you are free to concentrate on that day’s work instead of worrying about paperwork falling behind and other tasks piling up in your absence.
• Schedule your most important work for the mornings and early afternoons. That’s when you will be at your best and so will your clients. Towards the end of the day you will not be at your best and trying to snag that important client will be far more difficult and stressful.
• Do not overbook yourself. By scheduling the most important first the least important can be put by for another day or for someone else to do if necessary.
• If you are having an office day make sure you have a to do list drawn up so that you can tackle each task in order of importance, one at a time. Sales time management is an important part of your working and daily life. If you are in the business of selling, whether it is working from an office, from home, whether you are out on the road all day or in the job of telephone sales, time management is vital to your well-being, your success and, to a certain extent your health and sanity. Learning the skills of time management will bring success to your life and the benefits are endless.— About the Author Kelly Callahan is a time management expert and writer.
