Getting organised

Selling must be matched to very clear business purposes and planned to enable the realization of those aims. By organizing office documentation , and systems and by managing your time , your business aims will be met with greater ease and efficiency.

CUTTING OUT PAPERWORK

Selling departments breed paper in large quantities. Aim to counteract this tendency as much as possible for two reasons: paperwork is more demotivating to most salespeople; and much of its unnecessary. Call reporting , in particular , can take ten per cent of a salespeople's time , without making any contribution to higher or better sales. Suggest reducing the number of forms used by your company to a minimum and making the forms as simple as possible. One approach is to abolish them all and then reintroduse  only those that are missed. Remember that proper planning before selling is much more valuable than subjective accounts after a sales visit...

IMPROVING SYSTEMS

Use computers whenever possible  , rather than hard copies, to speed up reporting , to eliminate paper filing, and to make data easily transferable. Whether computerized or not, tailor forms to be built around the questions you want answered. You are only interested in in accurate data and information that helps you to improve your performance and optimize business result.....

 USING TIME-LOGS

A time-log is a means of improving your use of time . Record your activities and note how much time you spend on them every day for a fortnight or three weeks. You may be surprised by how many tasks appear unnecessary or superfluous on reflection. List those activities that only you could have done, those that could have been ordered by superiors, take the matter up with those concerned. Once the analysis is complete, replan your time around effective activities that you alone can do.......       

SETTING TARGETS

One super- salesman had a daily activity target of making four visits , writing four letters , and making four telephone calls. Similar discipline will pay off for anybody. Ask yourselves what you want to accomplish each day , week, month and year. Recording and revising these targets targets focuses your mind and enables you to ensure that enough time is available for each objective. If you find that each day is ending with targets unmet , reconsider how your time is spent. Almost certainly, non- essential activities are redusing the number of effective hours available to you..