Starting off on the right foot….

According to speaker and sales guru Mark Hunter, it’s the first half-hour that sets the tone for the entire business day. That’s why he advocates that salespeople make the most of those first 30 minutes.

“For most people, the first half-hour of the day consists of settling into the office routine by grabbing a cup of coffee, checking the Internet, and, of course, chatting with others. Now, I will never be one to say we have to avoid coffee and/or socializing, but I will be the first to say it is advantageous to put these activities aside until later.

“One of the ways that top-performing salespeople separate themselves from others is by effectively using the first 30 minutes of the day. It is highly beneficial to your productivity to know exactly what you are going to accomplish during this period. Therefore, you must determine the day before what you intend to do when you first arrive in the morning. For anyone in sales, this means one thing: start the day by making a minimum of three sales calls before you do anything else.

“To begin using this strategy, your objective today (and every day in the future) should be to identify three people you want to call first thing tomorrow morning. There is no better way to start the day than by calling customers. If you are the type of person who arrives in the office early, your phone calls will wind up going straight to voice mail. Great! In fact, using voice mail is an effective way to demonstrate to others that you are a hard-working individual and you take your relationships seriously. For those of you who have a large number of clients, this also is a perfect way to personally reach out to them, while not having to wind up in a long, drawn-out telephone conversation.

“In addition to beginning the workday more productively, you will also find yourself warmed up to make additional phone calls throughout the day. This will help you overcome a very common problem among anyone in sales: the initial reluctance to make the first call of the day. Many studies have shown that people waste on average 15 minutes each day just getting ready to make that first call. It is ironic to think that you will have made three phone calls in the time it takes the average salesperson to even start making theirs.

“An additional benefit of this plan will come when you begin applying this same principle to the first 15 minutes after returning from lunch. Use that time to make three prospecting calls. Again, you will find yourself becoming productive faster and you will be less likely to find yourself at the end of the day looking back to realize that you did not make the phone calls you needed to.

“By establishing these habits, you will increase the number of phone calls you make every day from utilizing time that, in the past, was unproductive. Make it part of your routine at the end of each day to identify both the three people you intend to contact the next morning and the three you’ll contact after lunch. Do not fall into the trap of thinking you’ll come up with the names the next day because the chances of you actually contacting those people will fall dramatically.”

For more information about Hunter or to receive a free weekly sales tip via e-mail, contact “The Sales Hunter” at www.thesaleshunter.com.

No clock watching here….

In line with the thoughts related by Hunter are the words of a rep who recently wrote to us with the following: “My goal is to serve the customer and provide solutions to his problems. In order to accomplish that goal, I’ve found that the job to be performed in the field can’t be done by the clock. It’s not a nine-to-five business anymore — if it ever was. I’ve always made it a point to make my first call by 8:30 a.m. or earlier if possible. At the other end of the day, I try to have my last call made by 5:50 p.m. When all things are considered, I’ve got to do whatever it takes to anticipate and meet the needs of the customer. It will never be sufficient to dwell on how much time it takes to meet that challenge.”

Keeping tabs on a developing market….

The U.S. Commercial Service offers a reminder that “Mexico, a key neighbor and partner of the United States, presents tremendous opportunities for American firms looking to make sales abroad. Whether a company has an active international business development program or is looking to make its first overseas sale, Mexico is a great place to do business. With the new government of President Felipe Calderón, a long history of close commercial ties to the United States, and major plans for infrastructure development from 2007–2012, the time is right to focus on the expanding Mexican market. Best prospects for U.S. companies include automotive parts and accessories, energy, building and construction materials, environmental products and many more.” To learn more about opportunities in Mexico visit: www.export.gov/articles/Mexico_MoM.asp

Tips for serving on rep councils….

When one rep told another of his reluctance to serve on any of the rep councils he had been invited to, another offered his experience based on his successful service on several councils. “If it’s a good principal, or even one that shows real promise, don’t hesitate to get involved — but with a few bits of advice.

• “Keep in mind that the job of a rep council is to deal with the issues of all of its members. As a result, don’t bring any personal issues to the table.
• “If you’re a member, be sure that you are an active member. Don’t sit there and offer little or nothing. Take part in the process — that’s the only way you’ll get something out of it.
• “Do more than is expected of you. If there’s an opportunity to volunteer for a specific task or the manufacturer is looking for some additional information, don’t be afraid to offer it.”

Nothing wrong with working at home….

Just as so many before him, one rep who recently opened his business began with an office in his home. At the beginning he was a little apprehensive about letting principals know where he operated from. He was concerned with being labeled as unprofessional. To counter that, however, he’s come up with convincing arguments why this is the best approach for him and for the manufacturers and customers he works with. “I let them know that if I have unfinished work, I can easily get it done at home after dinner. If I have to go back to an office to complete evening work, I probably wouldn’t do it. This leaves me a lot more time for what I do best during the day — and that is selling.”

He added, “Most of my principals prefer that I work from home because they know that they can reach me at odd hours. I have a separate phone in the home office, but I can hear it ring from anywhere in the house. I may not answer the call, but I do pick up the messages left almost immediately. If something needs my immediate attention, I’ll take care of it.”

There’s no such thing as too much selling time….

At least that appears to be one of the messages communicated by author Joe DiMisa in his book The Fisherman’s Guide to Selling. According to DiMisa, senior vice president and principal of Sibson Consulting, “A recent productivity study my firm conducted shows that average-performing sales reps spend only about 35% of their time in direct selling but devote a whopping 65% to non-selling activities. In contrast, high-performing reps allocate their time much differently — 55% selling and 45% in non-sales activities. Top reps don’t wait for leads to fall into their lap; they make sales happen. They spend time creating awareness, which in turn will generate sales.”