Successful sales people bring in lots of deals, no matter at what cost. Productive sales people bring in lots of high-profit deals, at manageable costs, retain more customers, and are happier at their jobs. Here are the Ten Golden Rules of Sales Force Productivity.
1. Know what your selling time is worth. It’s worth a whole lot more than your billable hours, your payroll, or your commission check. Selling time is Opportunity Value – and it’s probably worth $1,100 an hour or more.
2. Selling time is an investment. Don’t bet an $1100 hour on a $100 win.
3. Be selective with your prospects. Choose prospects that match your ideal customer; otherwise you’ll blow more of those expensive hours.
4. Time spent qualifying the right customer beats time spent flogging the wrong customer.
5. If you’re going to lose, lose early. With good qualifying skills, you can find out if the prospect is worth the effort, early in the relationship. Walk away before you invest in a demo, proposal, or negotiations.
6. Take NO for an answer. If the prospect’s not right for you, don’t pursue it.
7. It’s NOT all about the money. Money is the result of your effort, not the goal.
8. It IS all about the customer. If the customer wants what you’ve got, you’ll succeed – as long as you focus on delivering value.
9. Create metrics. Set targets for all aspects of the sales process. If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it. And if you can’t manage it, you can’t improve it.
10. Track performance. Once you set your targets and metrics, track performance relentlessly. Be honest with yourself.
And a bonus: Rule #11. Get some rest. Take time to recharge your batteries. Unplug the phone, laptop, pda; put your mind in neutral. Nonstop work lowers productivity.
Thanks to Jay Berkowitz for giving us permission to quote his company’s name in the title of our article. Jay is the CEO of TenGoldenRules.com, a nationally ranked SEO and Internet marketing firm based in Boca Raton, Florida.
