Applying the Pareto rule and the best of 7 Habits for sales people

The 80/20 or Pareto rule states that there certain activities that you engage in are vital but that MOST of your daily tasks although they require your attention and need to get done have a limited impact on the big picture. The Pareto or 80/20 rule states that it is the vital 20% or critical few activities that have the largest impact. To understand the premise of the 80/20 rule visualize 10 people who are stacking boxes over a given time period. Pareto says that two people stack 8 boxes, while the other eight only stack 2 between them over the same time period! This may seem extreme but it should give you the visual of how the Pareto principle works. Stephen Covey Covey in his Book 7 Habits refers to the Q2 quadrant where activities are NOT urgent but important as sales people these activities often get overlooked in our eagerness to chase the sale. These same activities would typically fit into the Critical 20% as per the 80/20 rule.

Stephen Covey Time Management Matrix        

   

So how can you apply Pareto as a sales person? Some examples that could put you in the top 20% of your sales team may be:

- Educating yourself to a new higher level for your products

- Spending time to understand who your best customers are and how can you find more of them?

- Strive to have a deeper understanding of your market

- Know your your top customers (top 20%) and ensure you give them the time they deserve

- Talk to the top performers in your team, learn what they are doing right

- Improve your sales skills by going over some old training notes or listening to Audio Books at least once a week while in the car instead of the radio

- Take 20 minutes at the end of the day or even an hour at the end of every week to think "what could I have done better "?



If you decide to think about how to apply the Pareto rule, you will find what it is for you. Decide what the critical activities are for you and make sure that whatever else happens these activities get the attention they warrant. You will find that they will typically fit into the Not Urgent / Important quadrant but it is these activities that will separate you from the herd.