If you feel your world has been turned upside down, you’re not alone. But the things that made you a top performer still work. So, focus on what you can do to create value.
“Do what you can, with what you
have, where you are.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
- Structure Your Time Effectively.
Step 1. Every morning write a list of the top six most important things you need to get done that day.
Step 2. Plan how much time you will need to complete the task.
Realistically determine how long you need to dedicate to complete each task, this is an important step to ensure the six items can be completed that day. If one or more is too big to complete decide how much time you can dedicate to it each day.
Step 3. Plan the Day.
Be specific have a time slot for each item on your daily calendar.
Step 4. Prioritise. Put the most important task first, early in the day when you have the time, focus and energy. Often people sacrifice major productivity by putting off the tough items till latter and get messed up in ‘busywork’ that is not result-producing activity.
Step 5. Build in flex. Your day will get interrupted so build in some flexibility. Especially, if you’re working from home with kids, so don’t stress take an hour or two to deal with the detour and then get back to your schedule. - Reach out to Existing Clients.
Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder…it makes people forget you.
So, contact all your existing clients preferably by phone and find out how they’re doing. What can you do to support them during this difficult period? Could you share ideas, or approaches that have helped other clients? Are there other services or arrangements you could implement to make life easier for them? - Create Quality Content.
We will get through this and then it will be time not just to ‘re-start’ your business but to relaunch it! So, invest this valuable time to create new offerings, services and marketing content. Update your case studies or White papers that enable you to share valuable insights and expertise with potential clients. - Proactive Prospecting.
Your ability to meet prospects face to face will be severely restricted over the next few months. However, this is not the time to slack off in your prospecting efforts. Actually, it provides you with a unique opportunity to engage with new prospects. Why not share some of the insights and expertise that have helped your best clients get results. In your email suggest a specific time you will call them to follow up to see if the information was useful and relevant. Most people will also be working remotely now and may have a bit more time to do a brief video call. By building in a couple of hours of good prospecting work each day you will start lots of new relationships and create a bank of warm potential clients that are ready for a visit later in the year. - Improve Your Sales Process – CRM
Let’s face it most salespeople don’t relish the task of adding information into CRM. But use this extra time you have now to become more fluent with your system. The better you get a using a CRM system the faster and more productive you’ll become.
Improving this sales process is the quickest way to increase the speed of sales passing through your pipeline, resulting in time for additional sales opportunities. - Develop Yourself & Industry Expertise.
Working from home is challenging, you need to break up your day to include some exercise, fun and humour.
Also include other areas of personal development and achievement.
Ask yourself: What will make me more valuable to clients in 90 days?
What areas of sales do you want to get better at?
What articles could you read, or videos could you watch to increase your industry and sector expertise?
Investing this time now will enable you to differentiate yourself and become even more valuable to people. - Remember We are the Catalyst.
Ultimately, nothing in business moves without a sale.
That means as sales professionals we have the responsibility and duty to support and encourage our clients as they face these challenges.
Our positive attitude and creative approach can make the difference in how they see their situation now and in the near future.
Keep well, stay positive and take care of yourself and others.
Best Regards
Peter
