A Key to Being a Successful Teleprospector
My favorite question that I typically field during an interview is "what is a common trait you see in the most successful reps at AG Salesworks?" I generally can list a variety of attributes that make up a successful BDR, from resiliency to delivering an elevator pitch with confidence- but the most common theme I see across the board with our best people is without question is their ability to appropriately manage their time.
The primary difference between an "A" player and others that struggle with a consistent output is that the "A" player manages their day much better and takes the time to think about each dial they are making. A common issue I have seen with the inconsistent reps is their tendency to procrastinate. They have the skills required to produce consistently, but at times allow the day to get away from them. As a result, the work they should have tended to in the AM needs to be made up for later on in the day. Think about how inefficient those dials are in the PM if all you are doing is jamming in dial after dial hoping no one picks up the phone in order to hit the expected daily call out-put. Essentially all they are doing is making dials so that it appears as if they have had a productive day rather than doing it the right way by doing the appropriate planning throughout the day.
Another good example I commonly see of effective time management is taking the time to do your research before you make that initial dial into a prospect. One of my reps pointed out to me the other day that he builds in 5 minutes of research-time into each new contact he pulls into his call rotation. Though he was anxious to just pick up the phone when he had a new name to call, doing a little research on the front end made a big difference. Once he did a little digging on the company website to track an email address and direct dial through the company directory, he found he was getting the prospect on the phone much faster. As a result, he was getting responses back within days rather than a couple of weeks.
Even the top producers at AG will admit that the biggest issue they all face is remaining methodical about their calling approach each day. Though I try to encourage their creativity, they are still expected to produce the same output daily. What I remind them of is that doesn't necessarily have to mean that you need to make a 100 more dials per day than your neighbor since that doesn't always guarantee success. The key is to remain consistent with your output throughout the day and make every dial a smart dial.