Sales is really simple. It's a contact sport — being in the presence of the prospect or client either by phone or face-to-face. Sometimes when we get away from the basics and fundamentals we find ourselves full of fear, worry and anxiety. I heard a wise man once say, "Work, don't worry."
I remember what Tom Vanyo said to me at a sales meeting in May of 1984, "If you don't make a major change today, you will be doing exactly the same thing next month or next year." I had been putting off keeping track of the number of calls I made each day and how many new prospects I talked to. I personally thought that keeping track of my numbers was a waste of time and paper.
At first it was depressing. The numbers were so revealing. I thought I was so productive. I couldn't believe how much time I was wasting each day. The numbers told me how few new prospects I was actually talking to each week. After all, prospecting is the foundation of all successful salespeople. After disciplining myself to keep track of each dial, contact, prospect, and sale, I was able to determine how many dials it took to reach a qualified prospect which turned into a sale. By keeping track of my numbers it began to motivate me. Each day I could see real progress.
I know that sales is more than a numbers game. But how will you ever know what's working and what's not unless you keep track? You see, it's too easy to get faked out by being busy as I learned by keeping track of my numbers. By keeping track of my numbers each day it revealed how productive I was and how much time I was wasting with prospects who would never say yes.
There are two major reasons for keeping track of your numbers each day:
- Number one, you want to know what's working and what's not. Most salespeople avoid keeping track of their numbers because it reveals too much about what they really don't want to know.
- The second major reason for keeping track is the discipline of doing it. The discipline of keeping track each day will affect all other disciplines. In my search for the secrets to success in sales I have found there are no secrets. Sales is a highly disciplined activity repeated every day.
Happy Prospecting!
