When business is booming and you don’t have much free time on your hands, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to plan ahead for the future. I can tell you with confidence that the most successful people in this world find a way to dig their well before they’re thirsty, even when they’re very preoccupied with the present.
So what kind of planning should you be doing to secure your future success? The two things that people often avoid when they’re too busy are prospecting and self-improvement.
Prospecting: “I’ve got too much work on my plate to be out networking and generating new leads.” Does this sound familiar? Even when you have more business than you can handle, it’s crucial that you set aside some time to seek out new prospects, especially if your sales cycle is long. Just because you’re having a successful month or year doesn’t mean the pattern will continue indefinitely.
Self-improvement: A lot of people think that they don’t have time to read sales information or improve their skills because they’re “too busy making their numbers.” Don’t fall into the trap of complacency. Schedule some time each day or each week for self-improvement. Read self-help sales training books and blogs, take a professional sales training course, find new ways to increase your productivity – there are dozens of ways to improve your skills; you just need to motivate yourself to continue growing and improving.
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