MEMBERSHIP SELLING AND
SALES MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS

Work Smarter, Not Harder 

As membership sales professionals, we all end up feeling pressed for time. Maybe not every day, but far more often than we should.  Yet study after study has uncovered that most salespeople don’t employ a time management system. In fact, most of these studies purport that only 20 - 30% of sales professionals take advantage of a time management system. 

We get it.  As chamber professionals, we are naturally helpful.  There is always an event or meeting to prepare for or a fire that needs to be put out.  It’s just really easy to get dragged in different directions.

YOU ARE PAID TO PRODUCE RESULTS

But, as the old adage goes, time is money.  This is true for your income AND for your chamber’s revenue goals. You are paid to produce results.  So, every minute spent on non-recruiting activities leads to lost opportunities - and less revenue to support the important work your chamber performs. 

This isn’t to say membership reps shouldn’t pitch-in and help when necessary. We know all too well that there are times when it’s all-hands-on-deck and helping out is a must. But more often than not, the issue isn’t that we needed to help or a lack of time…It’s how we manage the time we have.

RECRUITING ACTIVITIES CAN'T BE IGNORED

Successful recruiting requires the ability to complete a multitude of recruiting activities each day. Each activity is critical because they build on the previous steps in your recruiting process. You have to be intentional with how you allocate your time, or you may find you are working harder but producing less.

For example, one very large new member investment can blow away quota and make it seem as though everything is running smoothly. However, if you aren’t devoting enough time to follow-up with prospective members, future results will suffer. Things break down quickly if you don’t allot the necessary time to perform all the critical components of your recruiting system.

MAKE TIME MANAGEMENT A PRIORITY

Time management for membership professionals comes down to how you prioritize and maximize your time each day to optimize recruiting effectiveness. Knowing exactly what you have to do and allotting time to do it is a great place to start. 

No need to overthink your revenue or new member goal, results are highly dependent on the basics. The key is to identify the fundamental recruiting activities that help you achieve your goals.

Be detailed in exactly what needs to be done. For example, you need to carry-out prospecting activities and make follow-up calls to make more sales. Calendar blocking is a great way to hold yourself accountable to make absolutely sure you focus on the fundamental activities that lead to more sales. Setting aside time to prioritize your work into these smaller targets helps you remain focused on what absolutely needs to get done. You’ll quickly realize that this level of transparency and self-accountability is critical because even the smallest improvements can drive significant results.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER

You don’t have to work more hours to be consistently successful. The key is to be very intentional with how you organize the time you have. When you understand exactly what needs to be accomplished and implement a strategic, focused approach, you’ll naturally spend the time you have to accomplish the key activities that help you achieve your recruiting goals.

LEARN PROVEN TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SPECIFIC TO MEMBERSHIP PROFESSIONALS

Want more? Join us for our upcoming virtual learning event Take Control: Time Management Strategies & Productivity Hacks For Membership Professionals, Thursday, February 18 at 11 a.m. PST.  In this fast-paced webinar, we will emphasize proven practices to help you successfully balance your day while staying motivated, organized, and sane.