Are You Spending Enough Time Selling?

Selling is a complex business. In addition to speaking with customers, you must work with sales technology, learn about products and services, keep track of email and other correspondence, keep your firm apprised of your activities, perform research into prospects and customers, travel from place to place, etc. All of these "non-sales" activities are, of course, part of your sales job.

So here's your question:

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The correct answer is around 35%.

According to a white paper provided to me by Sibson Consulting, high-performing reps spend approximately 65 percent of their time selling and 35 percent in non-sales activities.

By contrast, "average-performing" sales reps spend about 35% of their time in direct selling but devote around 65% of their time to non-sales tasks.

Interestingly, the Sibson study also revealed that top performers spend about as much formal meeting time with customers as average performers do, but devote double the time to entertainment and telephone contact.

Top performers also allocate their non-sales time differently than the average performers do. They spend the bulk of their non-sales time on 1) account planning and 2) awareness activities that stimulate interest in their offerings. They spend spend very little time (less than 20%) on administrative tasks like CRM.

Heres' the good news: Despite the fact that the top performers sell WAY more than their average brethren, they DO NOT work longer hours! They just use their time more wisely. Cool, eh?

READERS: How do these figures square with your own experience?