Salesopedia - 40 Ways to Manage Your Time Tips

40 Ways to Manage Your Time Tips

Written by Josiane Feigon

1.    Turn off the email alert and instant message functions on your computer when you are making calls during peak hours.
2.    Don’t check your personal email during work hours.
3.    Refuse to do the unimportant. Keep eliminating dead-end tasks.
4.    Learn to say "no" tactfully to requests that get you off-track.
5.    Don’t waste your valuable work time on social chat – stay focused on your work goals.
6.    Associate with time-conscious, organized and motivated sales people. The feeling is contagious. They will spur you on to make the most out of your time.
7.    Rearrange your work space. Use the “near-far” rule.
8.    To discourage interruptions, set a non-negotiable calling time.
9.    Make your voice mail messages more specific, concise and action-oriented. Create urgency in your tone.

10.    Set deadlines for yourself and others, and keep them.
11.    Use your commute time efficiently.
12.    Reward yourself after, not before, completing work; stop procrastinating.
13.    Get organized, make a to-do list and use it.
14.    Always prioritize! Schedule more important work before less important work.
15.    Balance your plan…allow for the unexpected.
16.    Clean up your email inbox.
17.    Learn to qualify your prospects and don't waste time pursuing bad leads.
18.    Update your contact management program and keep it current.
19.    Ask for the first appointment of the day. It’s the one most likely to start on time.
20.    Don’t offer to send literature, research, quotes without a commitment.
21.    Ditch low-potential prospects, or low-performing customers. Cut your losses.
22.    Don't do what's easy or trivial first – do what's most important first! Learn to prioritize tasks.
23.    Don't rush into things – assess their importance, prioritize, and plan.
24.    Read quickly…learn to skim and speed read, when appropriate.
25.    Batch tasks based on skill requirements; practice skill-shifting.
26.    Think positive and stop worrying about things you cannot control.
27.    Make a commitment to try something new every day to improve the use of your time.
28.    Set goals and create an action plan; this will increase your motivation.
29.    Use the 15-minute cycles as a period of time to start and finish activities.
30.    Don’t over-prepare for your calls, learn quick research techniques.
31.    Don’t limit yourself on the best time to prospect for new business.
32.    Improve your memory.
33.    Practice stronger rebound tactics after tough calls.
34.    Build lists, refine and refocus on quality only.
35.    Align your selling cycle with your customer’s buying cycle.
36.    Learn to sell faster.
37.    Sell at the highest level.
38.    Don’t get tangled in information overload.
39.    Create a success formula.
40.    Determine your qualification criteria- use it on all calls.

Josiane Feigon
		About the author:
		Josiane Feigon is a pioneer, maverick and visionary in the Sales 2.0 community. As President and Founder of TeleSmart, Josiane is a 20-year veteran and one of the world’s leading experts on developing sales teams and management talent. She provides consulting, coaching, and training solutions for hundreds of Fortune 500 companies whose global Sales organizations range from 20-800 salespeople. Clients such as Agilent, Apple, Cisco, EMC, Genesys, Harte-Hanks, HP, Mercury, Microsoft, Oracle and Verisign consider her an invaluable part of their sales strategies. Visit her website at www.tele-smart.com or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Be sure to check out her Life in the Telebusiness Trenches blog .
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