It's About Time

While you may have found that munching on energy bars or jogging three miles every morning can help pack a punch in your sales day, a few time-management techniques could give you or your employees that extra sales power you've been yearning for. Talking extensively with co-workers, filling out paperwork during peak selling hours and engaging in small talk with sales prospects are just a few of the most common time-wasters, according to Ted Tate, president of Cleveland-based sales training and consulting firm Tate & Associates and author of the forthcoming book The Small Business Owners Guide to Selling (John Wiley & Sons).

Salespeople have a limited number of hours during the day where they can actually be face to face with customers, says Tate, and they need to learn how to use those hours wisely.

To get started on good time management, refrain from doing paperwork during prime selling time. Setting daily, weekly and monthly goals; creating to-do lists of the day's priorities; and using a formal daily planner or calendar can help you more effectively meet deadlines.

When it comes to sales meetings, only those people who absolutely need to attend should be invited, says Tate. Meeting agendas and objectives should be set beforehand, and the facilitator should quickly bring the meeting to an end once everything has been accomplished.

Finally, keep up with the latest technology. Investing in time-saving tools such as a cellular phone, computer and fax machine can help you stay ahead in the sales game.

--Heather Page