Episode 41 Time Changes Everything

Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Life Coach.  She wrote the book, "Three Word Meetings" for you.  A Simple Strategy to Engage, Inspire, and Empower Your Team.  Lisa helps provide fun and interesting 3-word sales topics for your next business meeting to get your sales team motivated and inspired. It is guaranteed to save you time and have your team more engaged during the sales meeting. Make an impact on those you lead by using three words!

This episode focuses on how moving the clocks forward is a reminder of how we spend our time each day. 

 

The fact is that we each have 1440 minutes each day. And if you are not independently wealthy, you have a job or career where you spend 40 plus hours doing something with your time.

 

So let's agree that now is the time to focus on how we spend our time!

 

In sales, you need to be as productive with your time; that's why they call it time management. You control how you will spend your time each day. 

First, it is helpful to take a took a look back at how you have been spending your time. This allows you to gain perspective and build a better idea of what you need to shift to maximize your time.

 

I want you to look back on your past month and then look at last week? Were you happy with how you spent your time? Can you identify areas on your calendar where time was not useful or time wasted?

 

Your time.  When you look at your day, have you schedule time just for you? I understand how busy your lives are. You have many demands on your time with your families, kids, and their busy schedules. You give so much of your time to others that you forgot about the most critical person, You. I am encouraging you to schedule time for you. Time for your health and wellness. Time to take a walk, time by yourself meditating, get a massage, escaping into a good book, or listen to a podcast that inspires you. Carve out time each day for you, even if its time at the end of the day.  

 

Work time.  How you spend your time at work can determine how successful you will be. It starts with how you schedule that time on your calendar. Your business is a mix of current clients and new prospects. Do you schedule time on your calendar to meet the demands of your clients? Most of us have blocked on our calendar the fixed times, sales meeting times, coaching, or one on one time with your manager. Time to make sure you have scheduled time to meet with your best clients—the 20% of your clients that create 80% of your income. Discover by asking your clients, do they prefer weekly or monthly calls. Do you need to meet in person to maintain that relationship, then schedule it. It is so important to review what is working for you and to let go of what is not.

 

Prospect time.  It would be best if you spent every day discovering new clients you can help. Who have you identified that your product or service could help? Remember, when prospecting, you need to be very clear on Why you are calling them. What research have you done to know it is worth your time to call them. If they are not a fit for your company, you are wasting valuable time. If they are a great fit, be persistent and consistent until you can schedule time on their calendar.

 

Practice Time.  Once you have secured that meeting with the prospect, you must practice the first meeting. You will have limited time with them, so you must use it wisely. Be prepared with thought-provoking questions, creative solutions you have discovered to help solve their business challenges. It's essential to schedule practice time. Practice does make it perfect. Practice your call with your manager or another co-worker, and then practice how the pitch or presentation. 

 

Referral time. When you reviewed your calendar the past month, did you see where you asked for a recommendation or referral? Talk about shortening the sales cycle and using time wisely. Try this for the next thirty days, look at your best customers Linkedin profile and identify someone they know that you see a great fit for your product or service can help. Ask for an introduction.

 

Let go time.  Time to let go of the clients that are stealing time from you. You know the ones that spend the least and take up more of your time. Time wasters! Review your list of current clients, identify what your return on investment is with them. If you find yourself giving more time with little return, it may be time to move on. You may find yourself investing more time then our spending your top clients. Time to let go and move on.

 

So I am asking you to consider how you spend your time? You get to decide where your time goes. And if you don't choose, others will decide for you!