Tracking Your Sales Activities

Chances are, as a job requirement, you must submit a weekly sales report to your sales manager. Some sales representatives, normally those not at quota, perceive these sales reports as a policing action. "The boss is only checking up on me to ensure that I am doing my prospecting calls."



Believe me when I tell you that your sales manager already knows if you are making your calls or not, regardless of whether or not you are submitting a sales report. Your sales results, or lack thereof, are already showing your manager that information.



The most successful sales representatives look at sales reports differently. They see them as tools to monitor if they are on course to reach their goals. These sales representatives know that by tracking their activities, they can ensure they are completing the necessary daily tasks that will make them successful.



They also know that activity tracking can determine areas for improvement so they can be even more successful in the future. In other words, the most successful sales representatives, those that make the highest incomes, see sales reports and activity tracking as their GPS navigation system on the road to achieving their income and lifestyle goals.



I think everyone has heard at one time or another that it takes ten calls to make one sale. Really? Then why isn't every sale representative who does 10 calls at quota?



Every industry and every sales representative works on a different set of averages. I remember being told "just do ten calls and you'll get a sale." After being very frustrated at not achieving my goals, I started tracking my sales activities. Turns out, because buyers in my industry only purchased once every five years, I needed to do 50 calls to get one sale!



To start tracking your activities, first define the steps of your sales process. For example, your sales process could include prospecting, fact finding, and making presentations. Next, create a tracking sheet where you can enter and monitor your activities for each step of the sales process. You should also include your sales results on the sheet.



You can track by week, by month, or by year, whatever works best for you and your industry. The longer the tracking time frame, the more accurate the results. Some find it helpful to include activity and sales goals on the tracking sheet as well. This way, you will always know if you are on the right path to reach your goals



By using a sales activities tracking system like this, you will soon see what it is that you have to do to be successful. Knowing what it is you have to do makes doing it that much easier!



Aim Higher!



Susan A. Enns

B2B Sales Connections Inc.



Susan A. Enns is managing partner of B2B Sales Connections. She has a proven track record of success, with over 20 years of direct sales, management and executive level business to business experience. Currently, Susan provides revenue-generating consulting services to sales organizations and sales professionals in the business to business marketplace, including the operation of Canada's premier niche job board and career website for business to business sales professionals. As the B2B Sales Coach, she writes and edits the company's newsletter, AIM HIGHER. For more information, please visit www.b2bsalesconnections.com, or contact Susan directly at senns@b2bsalesconnections.com or LinkedIn.