Sales Career/Checklists/Reoccurring Tasks?

T

twunder

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This is my 3rd attempt to really apply the GTD system. I am very happy with the results so far, but I just have a couple of questions.

- First - the checklists that David talks about in his book. (As in higher altitude checklists.) What a great idea, but where do they really fit as far as how we file them - where do they fit in the system? For instance, I'm using the GTD for outlook. Should I just have checklists in my notes?

- Also - I wanted to see if there are any suggestions for handling reoccurring tasks.

- And last but not least - any suggestions for applying the system to a busy sales career vs. a CEO career? I've read several threads on this, but nothing really seemed to answer my question. I make follow up calls to my customer's regularly, and I'm trying to figure out how to apply the system without having hundreds of ticklers or call tasks.

Thanks!
 
Sales Career

I am a salesman and have been using a project of "Active Deals working" to keep track of all of my active sales. I'm not sure if this is the best way. I have toyed with the idea of making each prospect its own project, but that seems to be overkill. However, I have make some of my larger clients a subproject of the "active deal" project.

I use GTD Addin for outlook. I have a project of :Active Deals working" with appropriate context actions. e.g. in
@Calls: "Pratt Medical Center-555-1212-f/u on quote sent.
@todo: "fed ex catalog to st. mary's hospital"

I also use ACT for contact management. I've been thinking about upgrading to outlook with contact manager just so everything is in one software... but no purchase yet. Any users of outlook with BCM out there? Is it good enough CRM Software?

As far as recurring tasks, I do put calendar items with recurrences. I have a problem of where to put calls I need to date in the future. For example, if a customer tells me to follow up with them in March, I have been putting that note in the @deferred category, but I dont always see it and end up calling the customer sooner (sometimes putting my foot in my mouth: "oh, yeah, you did tell me it was going to be March before your new building was complete" !!!)
 
> checklists ... where do they really fit as far as how we file them

Make a list of ones for each desired time scope - daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, ... Store them wherever makes sense; in Outlook, Notes are a good place to put them.

> handling reoccurring tasks

I'd put the task in the calendar as a recurring appointment, set to repeat accordingly.

> applying the system to a busy sales career

I'm not in the field, but here are some ideas and resources:

o keep a checklist of all clients, which you review weekly and ask: Do I need to do anything to deepen the relationship?

o make each client a project, but rename the project based on the client state, as the sale goes through: qualifying, etc.

o related:
http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6731
http://www.davidco.com/forum/showpost.php?p=44358&postcount=2
http://www.davidco.com/forum/showpost.php?p=44380&postcount=5
http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?p=34741#post34741

Hope that helps.
 
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