The Toothpaste Principle

Jeb Blount in his book Fanatical Prospecting says, “The one constant for every salesperson is time…every salesperson has exactly 24 hours each day”. As a result, efficiency plays a very important role in the success or failure of a salesperson’s day.

Efficiency to me means controlling what we can control – being accountable to ourselves each day. As a salesperson, you have ultimate control over how you manage your work day. Here are some questions to ask yourself, the answers to which are within your control to make:

·        What time do you arrive? When do you leave?

·        How many prospecting calls do you make today? What time do you make those calls?

·        Did you make a plan for the day? Do you have an priority order to those tasks?

·        When to socialize, take a break? Are you stealing time from yourself and those around you?

·        How do you structure your meetings, when do you have those meetings?

·        When and what do you say no to, aka delegate?

All these decisions, and more, are within an individual’s control and how you manage these types of activities dictates your daily efficiency.

Think of your day like a tube of toothpaste. We’ve all been there, where you wake up on Monday morning and realize you forgot to buy toothpaste over the weekend and you are on the verge of your last squeeze. So, you work that tube all week, squeezing every last bit of toothpaste out and miraculously it lasts the whole week. The Toothpaste Principle (I made that up), means making decisions and planning in such a way that you squeeze every last bit of efficiency out of your day. Each day brings some surprises and things you could not have planned for, but by controlling what is in your power to control every day, you will create efficiency even in your most hectic of days. Own your desk!