What are the best time management techniques for IT sales account management?

Look out for ‘parasite clients’ in your account base. These are the ones that drain your time and energy. They complain about everything, demand huge discounts and they never pay on time. They insist you pay for their ordering errors, or they will take their business elsewhere. These clients will starve you of the time to develop your ‘good accounts’ leaving them vulnerable to being poached. Be prepared to have tough conversations with problem clients. If they conform then continue to work with them. If they won’t conform, refuse to work with them. You won’t have lost a client, you will have simply passed the parasite to a competitor!

Effective time management is crucial for IT sales account management. Firstly, prioritize tasks based on their urgency and impact on client relationships. Utilize tools like CRM software to organize leads and automate follow-ups. Embrace the Pomodoro Technique, breaking work into focused 25-minute intervals with short breaks, enhancing concentration. Set specific goals, and create a daily to-do list, ensuring alignment with overall sales objectives. Additionally, practice active listening during client interactions to comprehend needs swiftly, saving time on misunderstandings. Regularly analyze and optimize your approach to identify time-consuming tasks, finding ways to delegate or streamline processes.

In IT sales account management, optimal time management is achieved by prioritizing tasks, establishing SMART goals, and leveraging CRM systems for enhanced efficiency. Organizing daily activities through time blocking, keeping up-to-date with industry developments, and maintaining a work-life balance with self-care are key. These methods boost productivity and foster stronger client connections.

Remember, effective IT sales account management requires a customer-centric approach, continuous improvement, and building strong, long-term relationships with your clients.

Time Blocks: Have specific times of the day and days of the week for specific tasks. ie calling. I know if I need to get hold of a DM within a business, I'm more than likely to get hold of him/her between the hours of 8:30-10am or 16:30-18:00. Between these times are when they are more than likely be in meetings, promoting there own business or selling there own products and services. These are what I call the gold hours and nothing will distract me from those times.

Setting SMART goals gives you a clear target to go after, which is a great start. Then you will need to come up with the actionable steps to achieve this goal. Using the 1-3-1 technique, you'll decide on how to act. 1 - The SMART goal, what are you going after 3 - 3 viable options on how to execute this goal 1 - What is the 1 specific recommendation you will now act on Setting clear targets is great, now it's time to move!

5 best time mangement practice for it account mangers are: 1. Agree with the client how and when you will communicate. 2. Advance plan you to do list. 3. Don't look at your email constantly throughout the day 4. Think about time strategically. 5. Make a note of every meeting shared it across all attendees

Prioritize your goals within certain times of the day. Studies have shown that your peak performance begins when you wake up and ends around 11:30. You must also set boundaries to ensure that others do not get the best of your time. This will allow you to assist with others with tasks when you’re available. Finally, you must always show up every day with intention. By writing out a plan and then executing your plan, you can ensure that your tasks will get done.

Every week, my team and I set weekly SMART objectives. These are tied into the quarterly SMART objectives we set. It enables you to stay focused on your goals with tangible key results to get you there.

Set Clear Goals: Establish both short-term and long-term goals. Break them down into manageable tasks, making it easier to allocate time effectively.

80-20 Pareto principle still works for me and I use this both when planning my work at start of day/week/month/quarter and also during each day to remind myself where I should be focused and checking in each time I change to a new focus during the day. I also think that once you have prioritized this way, then time blocking to achieve FLOW is critical but also in between these time blocks for the priorities, then allow yourself time to process lower priority work such as being responsive to other lower priority tasks and mails. When it comes to FLOW, everyone is different so find your most productive times of day and keep going until you feel like FLOW is subsiding or you finish. Then take a break and focus on lower pty work.

Denken Sie an Ihren Kalender und Ihre To-Do-Liste nicht nur als Werkzeuge, sondern als Ihre pers?nlichen Kompass für den Erfolg. Mit ihnen k?nnen Sie Ihre Vision in greifbare Schritte verwandeln. Jeder Tag, den Sie effizient nutzen, bringt Sie n?her zu Ihren Vertriebszielen und ?ffnet Türen zu neuen Chancen. Seien Sie konsequent und diszipliniert bei ihrer Anwendung, und Sie werden beeindruckende Fortschritte in der Verwaltung Ihrer Vertriebskonten sehen. Glauben Sie an die Macht dieser Tools und an sich selbst, um Ihre Ziele zu erreichen.

I find task management in salesforce for specific activities for customers is very helpful and keeps me organized, you can set them up for specific dates.

Utilise the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks into: Urgent & Important, Important but Not Urgent, Urgent but Not Important, and Neither Urgent nor Important. I filter CC emails into a "not urgent, not important" folder to manage the influx. For digital task management, I prefer Microsoft ToDo due to its integration with Outlook, though Trello is a viable option too. During meetings, I stick to the classic pen and paper.

Organising your diary the Friday before by blocking out time will set you head and above others. It is essential for ensuring throughout the week you don't go off task and have focus on the right areas to cover all of your essential tasks.

Automation, delegation & remaining within your realm as a Sales & Account professional is important. Utilizing the tools at hand & learning how to set them up to serve you to achieve maximum advantage of your companies investment but also of your own time is key. For those tasks that you cannot delegate but are mundane, set appointments with yourself to complete during slots that are less likely to be requested by clients and/or obtain the appropriate level of your focus.

Durch Automatisierung und Delegation verschaffen Sie sich die Freiheit, sich auf das Wesentliche zu konzentrieren: den Aufbau starker Kundenbeziehungen und den Ausbau Ihres Gesch?fts. Befreien Sie sich von zeitraubenden Routinearbeiten und nutzen Sie Ihre Zeit sinnvoll, um Ihre Vertriebsziele zu erreichen und Innovationen voranzutreiben. Denken Sie daran, Zeit ist Ihre wertvollste Ressource – verwenden Sie sie klug!

Delegation and automation are vital for enhancing efficiency in IT sales account management. Identify routine or time-consuming tasks, such as administrative duties or basic follow-ups, and delegate them to capable team members. Use automation tools like HubSpot or Salesforce to handle repetitive processes, such as lead tracking and email follow-ups. This frees up your time to focus on high-value activities, such as building client relationships and closing deals, ultimately boosting productivity and sales performance.

Delegate Where Possible: Delegate routine or non-client-facing tasks to team members or support staff, allowing you to focus on strategic activities.

I wholeheartedly concur. In my recent roles, especially as VP of Sales, embracing automation and delegation has been pivotal. While I lean heavily on data to drive decisions, the efficient use of tools to handle mundane tasks ensures we maintain our rapid pace. Having recently been involved in revamping systems, I can attest to the transformative power of the right tools. As one of my mentors emphasized, it’s crucial to leverage modern tools and thoughts. But delegation isn’t just about offloading—it’s trust. Trust in your team’s abilities, reinforcing the idea that leadership is a team sport. This blend of technology and trust has been key to our consistent growth.

I worked with a performance coach who worked with the England Rugby team during their 2003 World Cup win. He taught me the concept of heavy lifts - 2 x 90 mins (max) windows in your day when you are most productive Schedule them religiously Only focus on the deep work that moves your boat forward - no distractions It’s an absolute game changer, give it a go!

Had a manager give me a digital knob timer as a gift. It has helped me to delineate focused work from busy work. When I set a timer, I work on nothing but what was planned for that segment of the day. No emails, voicemails or interruptions. They will be there when the timer hits zero. It has helped me to realize that tasks are far faster to accomplish when you don't accept the outside interference.

Setting boundaries with your colleagues (& yourself) by changing your status to "do not disturb" or "busy" when you really need to focus. Blocking calendar time so others understand you are not available for meetings. Switching your phone off or refusing to look at it for X time. Taking a break after X time to re-fuel & aid focus but also knowing when its time to close & return later. Gentle music to aid calm & concentration.

Limit Meetings: Schedule and attend only essential meetings. Ensure that meetings have a clear agenda and defined outcomes to make them more efficient.

Denken Sie daran, dass Ihre Zeit kostbar ist und dass Sie Ihre Ziele erreichen m?chten. Indem Sie Ablenkungen und Unterbrechungen minimieren, schaffen Sie die perfekte Umgebung, um sich auf Ihre wichtigsten Vertriebskonten zu konzentrieren und erfolgreich zu sein. Bleiben Sie fokussiert und behalten Sie Ihre Priorit?ten im Auge, um Ihre Zeit optimal zu nutzen.

Taking breaks in sales is essential for maintaining productivity and overall well-being. Sales Professionals often operate in high-pressure environments, making it crucial to step away periodically to recharge and refocus. Short breaks can provide a mental reset, reducing stress and preventing burnout. Moreover, stepping back allows individuals to gain perspective, Strategize more effectively, and approach challenges with renewed energy.

This is absolutely key to ensuring you can deliver the best possible experience to your customers and organization. Finding time to take a step back and recharge your mental focus is critical to avoid burning out over the course of your career. I have also found that setting Do Not Disturb times outside of your normal working hours is extremely helpful in being able to focus on your priorities outside of work.

Tomar descansos y recargar energías con ejercicios y meditación, es uno de los mejores consejos. Te ayuda a despejar la mente, aclarar ideas y resolver situaciones que con la mente llena muchas veces no lo logras. Otras de las cosas que me ha servido, es escribir mi planificacion semanal y planificacion diaria. De esta forma he podido visualizar en orden mis tareas pendientes y las metas que quiero alcanzar en esa semana.

This is something I think is causing a lot of damage to organisations in all parts of the business. Personally I prefer we use some data from studies that show you should be taking regular breaks throughout the year instead of a single long break. You should be taking a 1 week break every 2 or 3 months. You dont need a break for 3 or 4 weeks, there is no benefit. More shorter breaks will keep you at much higher performance.

This can’t be emphasized enough. In my journey, spanning roles from sales to leadership, I’ve firmly believed that true productivity isn’t about being ‘always on,’ but being at your best when it counts. My experience has shown that high performance is sustainable only when punctuated with rejuvenation. As I frequently advocate, leadership is about vision, but equally about ensuring the team’s well-being. My wife’s influence on me underscores the value of balance. Taking time out, whether it’s for a quick walk or celebrating team successes, is essential. It’s not just about maximizing time but maximizing the quality of time spent, both at work and outside.

?? Remember that in sales, time works against you. Everything you do between the time you start working with a lead and the time you get money from them is your investment in the deal, which you can lose at any time. Secondly, the further down the sales funnel you go, the more you've done for that deal, which means the more important it is to close it, and the higher the priority it is for you. Whatever time management technique you choose, it has to take these two circumstances into account. You don't know how many salespeople have missed out because they've relaxed at the end when they've "almost sold". Keep these 2 rules in mind and you will achieve consistently high results.

Work on the 80:20 rule 80% of your business coming from 20% of your database Then build upon those within the 20% and in particular those that don’t drain your time My focusing on these, you will find others just like them I know some people say all business is good business but it’s not The hardest thing is to say no to business, but if you work on the above it will prove worthwhile

Effective time management is the linchpin of success in IT sales account management. Prioritization, clear goals, CRM tools, delegation, and strategic planning are your allies. Embrace automation to streamline repetitive tasks, and follow the 80/20 rule to focus on high-value accounts. Use your time wisely, and remember that learning, self-care, and adaptability are also key ingredients for achieving sales excellence.

As a VP Sales, one of the most critical points for effective time management is "Prioritize Your Accounts." Prioritizing your accounts involves understanding which accounts have the highest potential for revenue and strategic importance. By allocating more of your time and resources to these high-potential accounts, you can maximize your sales efforts and ensure that you're focusing on the most impactful opportunities. This approach helps you deliver results and drive revenue growth, which is typically a top priority for a VP Sales.

I don't know why this is posed as specific to IT sales management vs. any biz dev motion, but, with that said, Inbox Zero and flexible calendar blocking has always been helpful to this seller.