Interpersonal Business

The single most effective formula relating to sales time management is orders per week. Tighten your schedule enough to add one additional appointment per day. Successful sales people have a high sense of value, expectation, and urgency for each appointment. Always schedule appointments in advance; suggest more frequent and “smaller” orders.

What is a key account? What are their “special needs?” Why should they be managed differently from the traditional customer? Use to success stories from other accounts to overcome objectives. Prepare for key account appointments by learning about their operation. Have both a formal and an informal presentation planned. Be prepared to be flexible. Understand the needs of the buyer; get into their head.

Natural ability and previous experience should not be expected to replace solid training. Training should focus on developing relationships, establishing priorities, and organization. Avoid conclusions in your first ninety days; it’s a trap. Look for truth beyond the surface in what may seem to be “facts.” Accept there will be problems nd the challenge ahead. New business is the lifeline for all sales people. Time management is your single greatest challenge. Patience breeds confidence. Managers have a responsibility to create an environment for success.

Prospecting for new customers takes us out of our comfort zones and interrupts our routine. To take the dread out of “the dreaded cold call,” your sole objective should be making an introduction, not making the sale. Approach rejection as an initial response to a positive outcome still under consideration. For a variety of reasons, nearly twenty percent of a territory’s account base is lost every year. Devote twenty percent of your schedule – a full day each week – to opening new accounts.