For a long time, I adopted the philsophy that doing something was better than doing nothing. After all, I thought, some activity was better than none.
However, during a recent move, I adopted a new strategy. I watched the movers carry bulky furniture and big boxes, and pack them in trucks.
They’d generally plan each truck load, spending time figuring out where each item would go so they could maximize each trip. The time they spent planning didn’t “look” like traditional “activity.” In fact, during the planning time, they “appeared” to be defying my philosophy that doing something was better than doing nothing.
From a distance, it looked like they were standing around. But really, they were investing time!
In truth, the time they spent planning was far better than the mindless, frenetic activity of just throwing boxes into a truck for the sake of getting it done.
Smart sales professionals follow the movers’ approach. For every minute you spend planning for a sales call, you’ll get it back in spades!
What information can you gather about your prospect before you meet with them? Get it! Use google, your own industry knowledge, and your detective-like skills to sleuth out everything you can about how, when, and under what conditions they’ll buy. A lot of salespeople think they don’t need to plan. They believe they can win by winging the call; they’ll be okay if they rely on their “gift of the gab.” Planning, however, is always better.
