SALES 108 – Got a minute?

“Do you have a minute?”

How many times have you heard that question and said yes? 

Did it take a minute?  No.  There is nothing that can be done in a minute except a cell phone call to tell someone you are there waiting in the car for them downstairs and you are double parked.

But these are the time wasters in our lives and the reason we don’t get done what needs to be done now.  Unless you boss is the one asking for your time, you have to learn to say no – sorry – not right now.

We all have our lists.  Good.  That’s a start.  But what we are inclined to do is allow ourselves to be interrupted by these “minutes” that take an hour.

And they get interrupted at the wrong time of the day.  What’s your most productive time?  It has been proven that there are morning types and evening types.  Look at yourself and evaluate which you are.  When are you most efficient?

When this has been defined, go back to your list and decide what has to be done in your prime time.  Pick the hardest on the list. Get a red pen and mark all the most important tasks with a big “A.”

Then mark the “B” things.  You may do these in the afternoon if you are a morning person.  They do not require as much concentration.  These could include the dentist to have your teeth cleaned.  Renewing your drivers license. Meeting a contractor at your house for some repairs.  Never use up your “A” time for routine chores.

That means you don’t take time out to have your car washed  in your prime time.  It can stay dirty another day.  It will probably rain later anyway.  You don’t fill your tank up in your car if it is still half full.

You don’t take a trip to the cleaners.   Mark all of the above a “C.”

You work.  And you work your list carefully.  You don’t do the easy things first.  That is our inclination.  It is such a pleasure to cross things off that list.  I have a friend who puts things on her list that she has already done so it gives her the impetus to do other things.  Gets her started to cross them off!

If you are a salesman, an order that has already been sold has to be placed.  Now.  Don’t call a prospective client.  That’s a “B” in most cases.  The order is what is important to your company and reflects your productivity.   Do it when you are most alert so you don’t leave out any of the details.

Calling a new client might then be elevated to an “A.”  If you have done all the other important tasks.  You might even be able to transfer that task to tomorrow’s list.

There are also “D’s” on your list.  Ignore them.  If you do they might not have to be done at all.  These include straightening your office.  You might be able to do a little tidying up when you are on the phone and make the place orderly enough so you can find your files. 

The “C’s” could also disappear.  Your wife might take the car to be washed and get gas.  Or, someone in your office who is running some errands for you.  Ask them to use your car.  You might even convince someone to stop at the cleaners on the way.  On the other hand, your Visa credit card might be a “C” when it arrives but it can quickly turn into an “A” a week later.  Those people have the slowest postal delivery system in the country!

If you are really smart, setting priorities on your list could result in some free time.  Time you could use for your own pleasure and touching base with an old friend or making a date for a lunch together.  Preferably a late lunch if you are a morning person.  Or breakfast if you are an evening person.

So, if someone asks if “you have a minute,” it might sink to a “D” task.  They may have solved it for themselves and they don’t need you after all.

And the minute that you have left over can be all yours.