In part 2 of this multi-part series we will discuss the differences between those who sell on purpose (having an understanding of what they are doing), and those who sell on accident (merely show up for work and let things happen).
Let’s continue looking at a few of the differences between doing things on purpose and on accident.
3. Sales people with Purpose make exceptional use of available time. Sales people who sell on accident however, waste time engaging in useless activities.
Harvey Mackay says; “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”
Something I always share in my training classes is; “You show me what you do with your spare time in the RV business and I’ll show you what you’re going to make next year. No manager or owner expects a sales person to actually “work” 8 hours a day. It’s just not realistic. As I speak to sales people throughout the US and Canada the common thread coast to coast is the average RV sales person actually “works” 2-3 hours per day. That is per the salespeople, not my opinion or perception. Not a bad gig if you think about it! However, let’s look at the power of duplication. At every training session I stress to salespeople the benefits of actually “working” just one additional hour per day. Simply put its 5 hours a week, 20 hours a month, 240 hours per year. That is 6 weeks of productivity per year! (240 hrs. ÷ 40 hrs. per week). Not coming in early or leaving late, just a minor adjustment in activity; what you do with your day.
So where is this magic hour? If you are a salesperson you know yourself well enough. This is an easy thing to spot considering many times, most of our day in sales is down time. If you run or manage an RV dealership your time is active most of the day, but could still stand analysis. Find the time wasters and eliminate them, period. Write down what you do every day and determine which of your activities is not related to selling RV’s. This is a scary prospect for many, but a sure way to find your money making, and money losing, hours. You will be amazed at what happens to your sales, income and life with focused, additional effort.
Another great option is to determine when you are personally at your best. I recently had a sales person share with me who had a ritual when he came to work each morning. A list of things he automatically did each day. We easily determined what he wasn’t doing each day, that he needed to be doing, and placed that short activity in the morning hours when he was more proactive in his day. Sounds simple but the problem was solved. He just wouldn’t do the clerical stuff later in the day and knew it, so we just moved our new activity up earlier and made it part of his morning ritual. A new habit.
4. Sales people with Purpose plan and map their route to success. Sales people who sell on accident however, think plans belong to builders and maps belong in the glove-box.
Napoleon Hill said; “Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire.
It makes no sense to leave, or have left, a salaried position with another company or industry and entered into commission sales or management without a written plan. One major key to being a top producer in our industry is having a written plan of action. Why does it have to be written down? A few reasons. As stated by Napoleon Hill it makes it concrete, gives it substance. It is also easier to convey it to others who can help you execute and complete your plan.
The structure a written plan provides makes it more likely that you will consider all relevant factors and that nothing important slips through the cracks. What justifies the additional time and energy you’ll spend creating a written plan that presents a blueprint of your RV sales or management career? An increased chance for success. More specifically, a plan can be:
A reality check. A timetable for your operations. A modeling tool that helps you evaluate the variable factors that affect your career so you can better prepare to deal with situations that may arise as conditions change. A blueprint to help make adjustments when necessary.
There are many RV sales people and managers that will say “I have a plan.” However, in many cases, the plan they have is NOT written down and only in their heads. This imaginary plan doesn’t count as a qualified plan of action. The plan of action could be on a napkin or in a bound note book as long as it has multiple steps to follow and is written down. There is something magical about having a written plan of action you can follow that makes a difference. The important thing is to have a plan you can visualize and relate to on a regular basis.
Where do you think you can improve? Your comments are appreciated.
More on the differences between selling on purpose and selling on accident next time.
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Chuck Morgan
1-888-338-7355
Posted under rv sales, selling skills
This post was written by admin on October 13, 2009
