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Sales and GTD
- Thread starter Borisoff
- Start date
R
ReBuild
Guest
I would not place potential sales onto a someday/maybe (SM) list. In my mind SM lists are for dreams or if I have the time.
Your question is a good reminder that GTD needs to be modified to meet your own specific needs. DA only provides a outline; allows and expects that we the users will take it from there.
Given that potential sales are potential revenue to the firm they should be on their own list ... and you should manage that list on a regular basis. If you don't the pipe will dry up and that is a real bad place to be if you're in sales.
Your question is a good reminder that GTD needs to be modified to meet your own specific needs. DA only provides a outline; allows and expects that we the users will take it from there.
Given that potential sales are potential revenue to the firm they should be on their own list ... and you should manage that list on a regular basis. If you don't the pipe will dry up and that is a real bad place to be if you're in sales.
I am in sales too... This is ow my system works...
Current Sales Projects are in the project lists. Everything else go to my tickler file.
If I have a potential sale for a prospect/custumer and I want to contact him in 2 months I just drop the name of the company in the Tickler file.
I use an index card for each opportunity, so it is easy for my to activate or deactivate (to the tickler file) opportunities and sales...
I do not put them in someday maybe, becasue usually I can define the date I need to get back and work in the issue, so it is better for me the tickler file, than see something everyweek that I am not going to act in the next 3 months...
My 2 cents...
Current Sales Projects are in the project lists. Everything else go to my tickler file.
If I have a potential sale for a prospect/custumer and I want to contact him in 2 months I just drop the name of the company in the Tickler file.
I use an index card for each opportunity, so it is easy for my to activate or deactivate (to the tickler file) opportunities and sales...
I do not put them in someday maybe, becasue usually I can define the date I need to get back and work in the issue, so it is better for me the tickler file, than see something everyweek that I am not going to act in the next 3 months...
My 2 cents...
apinaud said:I am in sales too... This is ow my system works...
Current Sales Projects are in the project lists. Everything else go to my tickler file.
If I have a potential sale for a prospect/custumer and I want to contact him in 2 months I just drop the name of the company in the Tickler file.
I use an index card for each opportunity, so it is easy for my to activate or deactivate (to the tickler file) opportunities and sales...
I do not put them in someday maybe, becasue usually I can define the date I need to get back and work in the issue, so it is better for me the tickler file, than see something everyweek that I am not going to act in the next 3 months...
My 2 cents...
Thanks! I see only one problem with using Tickler for potential sales. Tickler doesn't allow to track all the potential sales because they are hidden and Someday/Maybe list does. I need to see at my Weekly Review all potential projects I can start or continue. Any ideas how to do that with i.e. Tickler?
Regards,
Eugene.
R
ReBuild
Guest
The tickler folder is not designed to track "potential sales", to me it's a place to park stuff for future action.
As you need to track potential sales leads on a weekly basis, I again suggest a separate list as the way forward. It's great advantage is it only contains one type of information (i.e. potential sales leads) and they should not get lost amongst your other SM items.
As you need to track potential sales leads on a weekly basis, I again suggest a separate list as the way forward. It's great advantage is it only contains one type of information (i.e. potential sales leads) and they should not get lost amongst your other SM items.
Borisoff said:Thanks! I see only one problem with using Tickler for potential sales. Tickler doesn't allow to track all the potential sales because they are hidden and Someday/Maybe list does. I need to see at my Weekly Review all potential projects I can start or continue. Any ideas how to do that with i.e. Tickler?
Regards,
Eugene.
Dear Eugene,
This is how my system works.
I have all my projects (Sales) in index cards. This index card contains Custumer info (name of the company and main contact, the rest of the info is in the CRM) also contains the definition of the project with this costumer.
When they are active they are in my active project folder, and relevant action in the appropiate context.
If I talk to the custumer today and he tell me call me in 3 days, the project card is kept in my active project folder and list.
If the custumer ask me to call him in 2 weeks, the card goes into my tickler file the day I am suppose to call him...
I accomplish in this way 2 things... If the project it is active (call in 3 days) I will review in my Weekly review and just have a note that said call X the right day in my tickler file.
If the call or the next contact it will not happen in the next weeks, I do not have that opporunity in my system, since there is no action in 2 or more weeks.
I hope this clarify a little better...
P
pageta
Guest
I'm a big fan of index cards as well. Each potential customer has an index card. If I find out that I should follow up on a certain date (they say "later" for instance), I use my tickler. I also divide my customers according to ones I am working with at the moment (I have a set number that I keep in this category so I don't get overwhelmed and yet have enough new leads that I keep the ball rolling, so to say) and ones I intend to work with soon. I sell a consumable product so regular contact is important but I don't need to be contacting my entire customer base in one week. On each index card, I list the customer name, phone number, and general reason for contact. Then I track my contact attempts and the results.
Other things I find helpful are separating contexts. There are things I do in my office that are direct preparation for doing business and there are things I do in my office that help my business run better but aren't urgent. I have three general categories - planning, preparation and action. Planning includes setting goals and determining the overall direction of my business as well as deciding which customers to contact and the general purpose of the contact. Preparation involves keeping up with things that are part of running by business but do not involve customer contact such as preparing for appointments and maintaining my inventory. Action includes customer contacts - both phone calls and holding appointments. All three general areas need attention, but on different levels and at different times.
Knowing my next action for each customer - whether it involves preparation or action - is key. I find that I don't get much done if I don't know or have a specific plan for what to do next. So next actions are revolutionary in my experience.
That's in a nutshell how I apply GTD to sales. Good luck finding what works best for you!
Other things I find helpful are separating contexts. There are things I do in my office that are direct preparation for doing business and there are things I do in my office that help my business run better but aren't urgent. I have three general categories - planning, preparation and action. Planning includes setting goals and determining the overall direction of my business as well as deciding which customers to contact and the general purpose of the contact. Preparation involves keeping up with things that are part of running by business but do not involve customer contact such as preparing for appointments and maintaining my inventory. Action includes customer contacts - both phone calls and holding appointments. All three general areas need attention, but on different levels and at different times.
Knowing my next action for each customer - whether it involves preparation or action - is key. I find that I don't get much done if I don't know or have a specific plan for what to do next. So next actions are revolutionary in my experience.
That's in a nutshell how I apply GTD to sales. Good luck finding what works best for you!