What about the computer systems you use and the information produced by them? Most sales people I know could spend eight to twelve hours a week just reviewing computer printouts if they choose to so. Add in memos from the boss, service bulletins, price increases,
government regulations, new product specifications, the details of ever more complicated applications, etc. and your job is awash in information.
The sheer volume of information coming at you is like an approaching tidal wave. If you don’t create some safe haven for yourself, you’re going to be rendered ineffective by the absolute mass of
information.
Imagine how many precious selling hours you could waste each week if you don’t harness that tidal wave of information. Or, imagine the time robbed from your family and personal life by the time it takes to handle more and more stuff.
It’s time to recognize the problem for what it is: A serious and malevolent new threat to your effectiveness.
So, what do you do? How do you overcome this threat? How do you get control over the flow of information and protect your valuable selling time?
Defend yourself!
One strategy is to become defensive. In other words, to develop ways to defend yourself from being overcome with useless information. The idea is to keep tempting but useless information from stealing your time.
