As a salesperson, preparing for the week ahead is crucial to success. Research shows that 80% of the week should be planned prior to Monday, leaving room for only 20% to react to new things during the week. The goal is to be so proactive in your daily or weekly high value activities that you simply react to the week once it has started.
In this week’s podcast, we’ll share some tips and strategies to help you plan and attack the week with confidence.
Alleviate Pressure from the “Sunday Scaries”
The “Sunday scaries” is a feeling of anxiety and stress that often creeps up on us on Sunday evenings, as we think about the week ahead. To alleviate this pressure, it’s important to take the weekend to rejuvenate and stay in “somewhat” of a rhythm. This will help you feel refreshed and ready to tackle the week ahead.
Weekly Vision Board
Creating a weekly vision board is a great way to set your benchmarks for the week. Our vision board is a bit different than most. It’s not about the external rewards such as the house, money, or cars you want but rather the people who can help you reach your goals. Write down your weekly database targets, such as “50 people per week” and stick to it. This will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the week. Sales is a contact sport. How are you proactively building and maintaining your network through database management?
How to Plan for the Week in 3 Easy Steps:
Step 1: New Leads from Previous Week (Weekly Success Tracker) Start by reviewing the new leads from the previous week. This will help you see what worked and what didn’t, so you can make necessary adjustments.
Step 2: Previous Week’s Follow-Up(s) That Got Pushed Did you have any follow-ups that got pushed to the next week? Make sure to prioritize these, so you don’t fall behind.
Step 3: Existing Meetings for the Upcoming Week Review any existing meetings you have scheduled for the upcoming week and make sure you’re prepared for each one.
How to Attack the Week in 3 Easy Steps:
Once you’ve planned for the week, it’s time to attack! Here are some steps to help you get started:
Step 1: Events to Leverage Try to attend at least one event per week. This will help you network and find new leads.
Step 2: New Targets Set a goal to prospect 3-5 new targets per week. This will help you continuously grow your pipeline.
Step 3: Record Activities and Follow-Ups in Real Time Take 15 minutes each day to record your activities and follow-ups. This will help you stay organized and on track.
Productivity Tips: Professional Development Theme Days
Timeblock 60-minutes each day for “themed” professional development activities tied to our selling system. We have 3 types of days to follow: Off Days, Backstage Days, and Performance Days. Whichever way you decide to look at these days choose from the following groups of people to batch your prospecting to.
Themed Day Types:
- New Business (Help List or Fight Club)
- Favorite People (Promoters & Advocates)
- Current Business (New Clients)
- Referral Partners (Connectors)
- Other People of Influence (Someday, Climbers, Aspirational)
In conclusion, planning is essential for successful salespeople. By creating a vision board, consistently prospecting new leads, and following up with existing customers, you can set yourself up for success each week. With these strategies in place, there’s nothing stopping you from crushing your quota this quarter!
