Automate

We can’t manufacture more time. But we can do more with the time we have. We’ve all heard that. One way we can do more with the time we have is by automating many of our administrative tasks and projects.

When you look at it, so many things can be automated and streamlined:

1. How you do your administrative work.
2. How you respond to emails.
3. How you prepare proposals.
4. How you position your company (what you say).
5. How you respond and handle legitimate concerns.

Many sales professionals, despite all the tools and training available today, have no real system in place for automating and streamlining. They live day to day. They re-invent the wheel and recreate emails and proposals from scratch. They wake up and figure out what to do in a rush; they finish the day by leaving their last prospect or customer and starting in immediately on home or personal projects, with no daily recap or “download” time.

As a result, the actual completion of tasks and projects is measured in days, instead of hours or even minutes — and not because of the sales rep’s talent, but simply his failure to plan and get into an automatic routine.

Here are a few tips to be more effective through automation:

Proposal templates. Create personalized, customized templates for your proposals and emails. Change these for specific types of customers as necessary, but give them a completely “you” look and feel.

Standardized letters and emails. Purchase a software program such as Active Words to help you punch in text for email responses and sales letters. You won’t appreciate how helpful this type of automation is until you use it about five or ten times.

Daily, weekly, and monthly ongoing routines. Organize your ongoing (routine, regular) tasks so they are done the same day and time every day, week or month. Whether it’s reviewing orders placed, analyzing year-over-year sales on accounts, sending out marketing letters, sticking to a phone prospecting time block, or whatever else you need to do regularly, set aside established, focused time.

Knowing your competitive advantages cold. You should be able to tell your personal and company story without a hitch. This includes being able to share a compelling story of what it is you do and how it helps others.

Knowing why others who hesitated ultimately chose you. Obviously, this is how you overcome genuine hesitations. (Notice I didn’t say, “why others who objected ultimately chose you.” An objection is different from a hesitation in my book. More on this later). Know very well why companies would be hesitant initially, and be able to share in an interesting, engaging way, why others eventually were able to make the yes decision.

Automating routine and ongoing tasks in your job — those things you run across every day or every week — can be a major stress relief and time-saver for the sales professional.