As an experienced sales professional in the hospitality industry, I've observed sales managers and directors lose valuable time spent on non-sales-related activities. This can happen when there are gaps in staffing at the hotel and the sales team is needed to assist with operational tasks. In order for the sales department to bring in new business, they must be laser-focused on future opportunities and find creative ways to be more efficient with their time. In this article, we will discuss 4 ways to combat these challenges and gain back more time for proactive sales campaigns.
Administrative Tasks Vs. Sales Tasks
Salespeople can spend a significant amount of time on administrative tasks like entering data, updating the CRM, creating weekly reports, and responding to RFPs. If you know, you know. While these tasks are important, they can be time-consuming and take away from intentional time spent researching a prospect or maintaining a relationship with a client. To be more efficient, salespeople need to consider automating and delegating administrative tasks as much as possible; freeing up more time for them to focus on future business. A salesperson should use technology to their advantage with programs like Zapier to automate mundane duties.
Tasks like creating folders, filing away documents, or importing CRM data into a proposal can be programmed and carried out by software. Spending a few minutes on automating the process today, may give you hours back in your week.
Better Prioritize Tasks
To be successful in sales, you will need to learn how to effectively manage your long to-do list and keep yourself on-track. Some people fail to prioritize tasks effectively, leading to time spent on low-value activities. A salesperson may spend too much time responding to non-urgent emails or attending meetings that are not relevant to their role.
To avoid this, it is a best practice to create a daily and weekly to-do list and prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. This can be a helpful tool when speaking with management about sales priorities and when setting sales goals for the department. Focusing on high-value tasks is the goal. You can maximize your productivity and use your limited time more efficiently on what matters. A tool to consider is the Eisenhower Matrix where tasks are classified based on their urgency and importance.
Time Blocking
Time management is essential in sales, yet many people struggle with it. For instance, salespeople may spend too much time on a single task, leading to unfinished work at the end of the day. It is also not uncommon for salespeople
to be involved in numerous meetings throughout the week, not all of them necessary for their role. To improve time management skills, salespeople should consider using techniques such as the Pomodoro technique or more commonly known as time blocking. Time blocking involves setting aside specific times during the day for certain tasks and protecting that time from creeping tasks.
Leverage Technology
Many fail to harness the power of technology at their fingertips. Salespeople should consider using marketing tools, social media platforms, and AI tools to streamline their sales process and reach more potential customers.
Most of us are familiar with the basics: using a good CRM for tracking, LinkedIn to connect with potential clients, and maintaining a good presence on social media to share information about our hotel. However, with the recent release of OpenAI's ChatGBT and other machine learning engines, there are thousands
of online tools available to us that are powered by these systems. If you want to learn more about how your sales team can use AI, check out this article by HubSpot: The Power of AI in Sales & 5 Ways You Can Use It. By using technology already available, salespeople can save time and be more efficient.
There are many time-wasting pitfalls that salespeople fall victim to: like spending too much time on administrative tasks or lacking a clear focus on their goals and objectives. To be the most efficient, a good sales manager or director of sales should prioritize their tasks, leverage technology, and focus on improving their communication and time management skills. By using these tips, salespeople can maximize their productivity and at the end of the day close more deals!
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