Over the last number of years, I have worked with many lumber and building material dealers in the USA and Canada, and besides prospecting (which was my article in the January / February issue of The Hardware Journal ), one of the other popular topics they want me to present on is ‘Time Management for Salespeople’. Time management is a challenge for many people, whether they are in North America or in Ireland.
With over 40 years’ experience working for independent lumberyards in Northeast USA and with the last 12 years as Senior VP of Sales for a large regional dealer (14 locations; 4 states; 45 outside salespeople; 750+ employees; truss plants; custom millwork shop; and more), I found too many employees lack good time management skills. As a result, they feel they are too busy to do any more business.
However, if they could learn some time management skills, along with some organisational skills, they would realise they do indeed have time to do more.
Back to basics
Let’s start with the basic understanding that we all have a “left side” and “right-side” of our brains. People whose left-side of the brain is more dominant are usually detailed-oriented, organised and have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. People whose right-side of the brain is more dominant are usually creative, imaginative, and have strong emotional intelligence. Ideally, if one can learn to have a balance, they will maximise productivity. Using both sides of the brain to manage time not only enhances productivity, but also motivation and satisfaction, as you create a time-management style that is both practical and personally fulfilling.
Next, let’s list some “time-wasters”.
– Social media and personal browsing: These are often tempting and can spiral into long distractions throughout the day.
– Procrastination: The delaying or avoiding of tasks leads to more stress and less productivity.
– Excessive socialising & unnecessary small talk: While team bonding is important, excessive socialising interrupts focus.
– Lack of prioritisation: Jumping into work without prioritising tasks leads to disorganisation and wasted time.
Is “multi-tasking” a positive or a negative?
We’ve heard of “multi-tasking” and in the 1990’s and 2000’s, it was the buzz term in businesses all over the world. However, in the last decade or so, some researchers have determined that some human brains are not good at handling multiple tasks simultaneously. In my opinion multi-tasking can reduce comprehension, attention, and overall performance. It increases the chances of making mistakes. Multi-tasking lowers productivity and quality. It also causes stress. I have found that focusing on one task at a time is more efficient.
If something is pulling your attention elsewhere, write it down and give yourself a time later on to tend to that task. This way, it’s out of your mind, and you can remain focused on the task at hand.
Next, be aware of what I call “time-suckers”, which can be fellow employees or even customers. Here are some of the traits of “time-suckers”.
– Can’t get them to stop talking (overly social)
– One type will call, text, or email constantly
– They take forever to reply/respond to you
– Over-thinking: They ask for endless options/revisions
– Require excessive handholding
By recognising these traits early and implementing strategies to manage them, you can protect your time and maintain a healthier, more productive customer or employee relationship.
Here are some general time management tips.
– Stop procrastinating.
– Reduce distractions.
– Don’t talk just to hear yourself talk (limit unnecessary conversations).
– Most of us are unaware of our own habits that kill time. Try to be conscious of time-wasting things you do without even thinking.
– For Road Salespeople, batch appointments by region – save windshield time.
– You control your effort, energy and attitude. You do not control outcomes, so don’t get all worked up.
Another way to improve your time-management skills is to improve your organisational skills.
– Prioritise tasks
– Utilise Technology:
1. Manage emails – use ‘Flags’ or ‘Unread’.
2. Electronic folders/files – use ‘Drag & Drop’.
3. Use electronic calendar & reminders with alerts.
4. Put ALL contacts in your phone.
– Regularly clean out your inbox by archiving, deleting, or filing emails to maintain a focused inbox.
– Use “To-Do-Lists” These can be written or on apps.
– Two Minute Rule, if task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately to clear it off your list.
– Keep work area clutter-free to minimise distractions.
I realise I put a lot of things to focus on in this article. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Focus on one or two areas and once mastered, move onto the next area. If you give some serious thought to how much time is wasted in a day or week, you’ll realise you can do better for yourself and your company.
Mike McDole has 40+ years’ experience in the Lumber & Building Materials Industry in the USA and is the principal of Firing-Line LBM Advisors (outside of Boston, Massachusetts). He helps LBM dealers of all sizes with management strategies, sales strategies, salespeople, gross margin improvement, profit improvement, and more. He can also help Hardware and LBM Dealers in Ireland.
Mike can be reached at Mike@FiringLineLBM.com
