12 Ways To Change Up Your Sales Routine!

By Paul Castain
Castain Training Systems

1. Take a look at the activities you have planned and make sure the bulk of your time is about to be spent on “Money Activities” (Getting New Business, Wowing Existing Business and Growing Existing Business) and not an over abundance of administrative “stuff”. If you’re about to begin your week with a lack of “money activities” you need to adjust BEFORE game time on Monday!

2. Make sure your “getting new business” activities represent a well balanced mix like phone, email, snail mail, creative things, referrals, conventional networking, social networking etc. This is extremely important for several reasons a) everyone has their preferred communication venue and you limit your results when you only cling to one of the many possibilities b) It changes it up for you so you don’t sound mechanical or “scripted” and c) It keeps you from becoming boring and predictable to your prospects.

3. Ask yourself this question: “In what ways can I be more creative this week? Is there a tastefully funny card you could send? Is there something you could send along or hand deliver that could help solidify a point or show your prospect how you think differently?

How about that email or voicemail you have used since the beginning of time? Is there room for a little creativity there?

Businesses desperately need creative answers to some very serious challenges. Demonstrating your creativity during the “courtship” will increase the probability of your prospect marrying you!

4. Carve out time to think this week with one catch . . . don’t do it during “game time”!

You need time, daily to think about your business. You need time to think about how you will get better at your craft. How you can be more strategic and how you can deploy better tactics.

How about some time thinking devoted to how you’re going to outwork your competitors?

5. Think of one idea you will present to a client, your entire client list, prospects etc. It can be one idea that you will present across the board or just one customized idea for a specific client.

When you do it, be sure to tell them you were thinking of them and wanted to give them an idea they can use.

By the way, how often do you think people unconditionally give ideas? Nice way to stand out and sounds so much better than “I was calling to ‘check in’”.

6. Send along a free, no strings attached resource to your entire network once a month.

”Clients and prospects don’t have us on the brain! We need to continually do things like this to stay on the radar screen. What could you pass along , this week,  to let your clients know “I’m still here looking out for ya dude”?

7. Plan your drive time! As sales professionals we spend lots of time in the car and in the air. What will you use that time for this week?

How about using it for some thinking time or catching up on calls (safely of course) or to get smarter by listening to podcasts and cds?

Did you know that the University of Southern California did a study where they found that if you drive 300+ miles each week and listen to self development content, at the end of 3 years, you will have received the equivalent of a two year degree!

8. Think about who you will ask for a referral this week. Sometimes we get so caught up that we forget about the low hanging fruit. As my old boss used to say “If you don’t ask, you don’t get”.

9. Be on the hunt for testimonial letter opportunities! The next time someone tells you that you rock or that you saved the day, ask them if they could (right then and there) send you a quick email with what they just told you! Tell them that it will help you to get more cool clients like them!

10. Think about the businesses you avoid. Some you avoid because you think they are too big for you. Some you avoid because you the assistant was nasty one time, like 20 years ago or someone told you “NO” way back when you were a youngin . . . things change! People come and go and you never know when you might be accused of having impeccable timing!

11. Make sure you have at least one good laugh each day. Sometimes we’re wound way too tight and those around us (clients, prospects and teammates) have a way of responding in kind! Bonus points if you help others to smile as well!

12. Think about 5 people in your virtual network (Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc) that you will transition to real time this week. I define “real time” as a phone call, coffee, lunch etc and if you can’t identify 5, then start with 2, start with 1 . . . but start!

So there you have it, 12 ways for you to change up your sales routine.

Before you go, just for the heck of it . . . when was the last time you took a good, hard look at your sales routine and seriously considered changing something?

Somehow, it makes me think of that old “If you always do, what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get, what you’ve always gotten” thing!

Paul Castain is the Vice President of Rock Star Development for Castain Training Systems where he helps individuals and organizations sell more.