• March 20, 2018

10 Small (But Important) Sales Tasks To Do Every Day

In sales, you have to juggle all the various components of sales (e.g.; prospecting, presenting, closing, etc.) to be successful. Good salespeople not only know how to multitask, they also understand how to delegate tasks in order to increase productivity. Many sales managers know the pressure to perform is ever-present and with so many different tasks to complete, it can be overwhelming for many salespeople. The idea is to “work smarter, not harder”.

(Which is why the best sales managers utilize an AI-Powered CRM, like Spiro to help their reps work smarter, not harder.)

Now if the thought of all your sales tasks makes you cringe in horror, you’ll be excited to learn how to manage these 10 small (but important) sales tasks that you to do everyday. It’ll make your life easier. (You can thank us later.)

1. Get Motivated

Even the most successful people need inspiration. Whether it’s a motivational quote or an inspirational mantra, try starting each day with something that helps you find the motivation you need to succeed. Be creative when thinking about what inspires you and you just might discover something new that lights that fire under you. This motivation comes in many different formats, too. You could find inspiration in a film, a book, a song, anything. Once you find what inspires you, consume it on a daily basis (or as often as you feel you need to feel inspired or motivated).

2. Sales Role-playing

Who doesn’t enjoy some good old-fashioned role-playing? We’re not talking about playing Dungeons & Dragons here, we mean role-playing sales scenarios to improve those important moments spent with prospects or customers. It only takes 20-30 minutes of your day, and what can be learned from these sales role-playing sessions is invaluable. For the exercise, you and the other sale people will devise a scenario. Each person takes on the role of salesperson and client, then you get to run through scenarios to see how to interact with various client personas and learn from any mistakes you make. It’s better to screw up with your fellow sales reps than it is to screw up in front of a roomful of customers.

3. Get on the Phone (or Email or Social Media)!

This is one area that cannot be stressed enough. Everyday you should be prospecting for the first one to two hours of your day (unless you have a prior sales engagement). This includes responding to inquiries as well as following up with other prospects. Answer and return any calls or messages. Take notes and prioritize whom you need to get back to most urgently. When it comes to how you approach your prospecting, that is up to you. (Perhaps you could use a little motivation before making your calls, writing your emails, or engaging on social media.) Once you’ve got the prospect on the phone, remember what you learned from your role-playing sessions and apply it here.

4. Track the Pulse of Your Industry

If you really want to be ahead of the game, set aside 20 minutes each day to read your favorite industry publications. You should also pepper your reading time with easily digestible articles regarding business, finance, and other relevant periodicals. This is to ensure that you always stay on the cusp of cutting-edge business news, technology, and the slew of other information that can help your business thrive. Be wise about your time management with this task or you could go overboard fast.

5. Share Content on Social Media

Every business now realizes the power of social media. When it comes to sales, social media is a very powerful tool that can easily reach hundreds, thousands, even millions of eyeballs, and the branded content you share on social media is like the bringing of fish to the surface before casting a net. You can also connect directly with your company’s audience, creating rapport and building trust. How you represent yourself online is important because it reflects on your company whether you want it to or not, so be thoughtful with what you share on social media with regard to your company’s brand and its audience.

6. Set SMART Goals

What are SMART goals, you ask? Simply put, they are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. A good sales manager will help you create and achieve your SMART goals. Let’s say, for instance, you want to reach at least 10 prospects out of a list of 100. It is specific because you have a definitive number in mind. It is measurable because you can go through your list and see 100 prospects to contact until you get 10. It is attainable because 10% is doable. (If you’re not able to do that, there may be other issues to address with your sales manager.) It is relevant because prospecting is a huge part of sales. And finally, it is timely because you need prospects in order to have any potential sales.

7. Get to Know Your Product/Service

Do you remember the commercial on Saturday mornings that told us “the more you know” and revealed some cool tidbit of information? Well, it’s true. As it turns out, the more you know about something, the more likely others are going to listen. Such is an expert in their field. Now, to build authority in your area of sales, you need to know the product or service that you’re selling inside-and-out. When you present to prospective customers, they need to know that they’re dealing with a pro, an expert that knows their stuff and can answer any questions thrown at them. Take 20-30 minutes each day to stay updated on your company, perhaps an email you saw earlier or a company newsletter. Check out competitors online. Stay informed so the client can see your passion for what you’re peddling.

8. Update Your CRM Activity

These days, Customer Resource Management (CRM) is a priceless tool that helps salespeople manage their interactions with customers, compiling data that can drive decisions on company policy and protocols for the sales department. CRM systems are useful because you can manage your schedule easily and see which customers you will be meeting with, what you’ll need to present with, and other options that can be customized based on the system used and the needs of the sales team. Keeping your CRM activity updated makes it less cluttered when you or other salespeople login and have to weed through older entries that are no longer needed. The best way to have your CRM up to date is to use an AI-Powered CRM, like Spiro, that does the data entry for you, taking the headache out of CRM and making it something you and your sales reps will actually use.

9. Sit Back and Listen to a Pro At Work

If you’ve never been on a shadow call, it’s highly recommended. Shadow calls are where you listen in on a sales call with a senior sales exec or sales manager with incredible numbers, so you can learn from the best. Shadow calls are interesting because you can learn so much different sales styles and approaches, and most importantly, their closing abilities. Experienced sales reps, managers, and executives know the secrets and they’re often more than happy to share their tricks-of-the-trade because when you make money, they make money. Spend no more 30-60 minutes on shadow calls.

10. Develop Your Sales Templates

You know as a salesperson how crazy the sales industry can get. Something you can do without expending much energy is to develop sales templates that will help you on the phone, with emails, and more. Spend 30 minutes each day developing customer responses, cold-call intros, email templates, presentation templates, and others that will make your sales life infinitely more manageable.