Balancing new leads and existing deals for sales success: Are you optimizing your time effectively?

In my experience, prioritizing high-impact tasks, like focusing on near-closing deals, boosted my sales. Using a CRM streamlined this process, helping me manage time effectively without neglecting lead generation.

Mastering task prioritization is an absolute game-changer. Prioritizing tasks based on their potential impact has made all the difference. To keep it simple, I like to break down tasks into A, B, or C tasks: -A = Urgent and makes you $$$ (closing deals, negotiating, booking prospect meetings, etc.) -B = Urgent but does not make $$$ (Client non-selling requests) -C = Everything else (CRM Logging calls ((don't kill me managers :) and/or other busy work)

Task prioritisation cannot be overemphasized as the most feasible way to get work done but in practice joggling both old and new leads can be demanding and so a sales person should have mastered the art of understanding what is urgent , important and the timelines attached in other to maximise potential available per time.

One process that helps a sales team is to have a feeder team that qualifies leads appropriately using BANT so that while optimising leads on the crm you can make a quick decision on where their priority level fall and follow through.A sales person should also be able to funnel through using BANT as quickly as possible if you do not have a lead retention or qualifying team at the moment.

In my sales process, I used BANT criteria to qualify leads, focusing on those with the highest conversion potential. This approach ensured my time was spent effectively, boosting overall sales performance

Qualifying leads is very crucial for maximizing efficiency. Implementing a structured approach like BANT can improve your ability to prioritize high-potential prospects. By focusing on those who meet our criteria, I've seen a marked increase in conversion rates and overall sales productivity. B= Budget: Does the prospect have the financial resources to buy your product or service? A= Authority: Is the prospect the decision-maker, or do they need approval from others? N= Need: Does the prospect have a genuine need for your product or service? T= Timeline: What is the prospect’s timeframe for making a decision or purchase?

I applied time blocking by dedicating specific hours to prospecting and follow-ups, which balanced my focus on new leads and existing deals. This method enhanced my productivity and ensured consistent sales growth.

Time blocking is a powerful technique where you allocate specific blocks of time to different tasks or types of work. It's essential to set these time blocks to your priorities (see my A, B, and C comments above under Prioritizing). I like to use a combination of Task Batching and Energy Mapping. Task Batching is when you group and schedule similar tasks into specific time blocks. This reduces context switching and increases productivity by allowing you to focus on one type of work at a time. Energy mapping, a personalized approach, is when you schedule tasks based on your energy levels throughout the day. Identify when you are most productive and alert, and block those times for high-priority or challenging tasks.

I used automation tools to handle repetitive tasks like email scheduling and record updates. This freed up my time for high-touch sales activities, improving efficiency and allowing me to focus on closing deals.

In my experience, leveraging automation tools has been a game-changer. By automating repetitive tasks, I've focused more on strategic sales activities, ultimately driving better results. I use templates in Outlook to save and send repetitive emails, such as instructions or step-by-step directions. Automation tools have also revolutionized the way I manage my sales pipeline. Salesforce works very well and quickly when the proper reporting structure is set up to quickly pull a list of your top leads in order from the close date, revenue, or % of chance to close based on specific parameters. I also use many AI tools to help move quicker throughout my day and minimize C, non-selling tasks such as Grammarly, Beautiful.ai, and Typeset.

I've learned the immense importance of dedicating time and effort to nurturing client relationships. By taking the time to understand and cater to their evolving needs, we not only enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty but also benefit from their referrals, which are a vital source of new business opportunities. This approach results in higher customer retention rates and creates opportunities for upselling and gaining those valuable referrals, ultimately contributing to organic business growth while you find new business customers.

I've found that regularly checking in with clients strengthens relationships and uncovers new opportunities. This proactive engagement has led to upsells and referrals, effectively expanding my customer base with minimal extra effort.

I regularly reflect on my sales strategies, identifying what works and what doesn't. By adapting based on real-world results, I've stayed agile and effectively balanced new leads with existing deals, driving consistent growth