Are you focused on the right activities, the right market, and the right opportunities?

As the President of my company, I often have to wear multiple hats to keep the business running smoothly and make sure our clients are getting results.

As a perfectionist, and someone who does not take failure well, I tend to want to have my hands in everything….it’s not always easy, nor is it a smart way to lead a company.

In today’s fast-paced business environment where work is not contained to 8a – 5p, and phone calls, text messages, emails, and tweets come at you seemingly 24/7, we’re all in the same boat. We’re pulled in a million directions all the time….We’re a busy, scattered, over-communicated society.

But we’re all given the same 24 hours in a day…so why are some people more productive, effective, and successful than others?

It’s all about FOCUS. It’s about where you choose (and choose is the operative word here) to spend your most limited, precious, and expensive resource — TIME.

As President of my company, I can choose to focus on the big things or all the little stuff that is seemingly urgent, but not important in the long-run.

One challenge that all sales organizations face is that their sales professionals are often pulled in too many different directions….and spreading yourself too thin will almost always make you less effective and efficient in all areas.

When I consult with new clients, I ask them to define the sales activities that contribute most to acquiring new clients, that are “revenue-producing“, and that create the most value. Those are the ones that their highly paid, highly skilled sales executives should be focused on. It’s a waste of their time (not to mention the company’s money) to be finding and qualifying prospects on their own. They should be laser-focused on developing opportunities with those companies most likely to become customers.

And that’s the true value of what we do for our clients. We not only do all the heavy-lifting required to fill the top of the sales pipeline with interested prospects, we allow sales professionals the time and focus needed to consult with prospects, guide them through the complex decision-making process, and ultimately close deals.

If you are not meeting your sales goals, take a look at where your sales executives (or you!) are focused and spending time.