BY Jessica Helinski
Oh, distractions. Even the best salespeople can get sidetracked by little things throughout the business day. Unfortunately, those little things can add up to big time sucks, which means lost money in the long run. Distractions come in many forms, and in an article for Grammarly, Shundalyn Allen breaks down common ones that you’ll likely encounter:
Cell phones. Allen believes that if distraction were a disease, then cell phones would be the “ the plague-spreading host organism.” Yikes! We all know how distracting our phones can be, and sometimes a quick check of a social media network or app can turn into a 30-minute binge. To avoid temptation, place your phone out of reach and only pick it up for job-specific use.
Emails. Yes, emails are a necessary part of the business day. But, if you’re not strategic, your inbox can bog you down. Prioritize emails, and read and respond to the most important quickly. Mark less important emails for later viewing.
Clients. You may not think of clients as a distraction, but they can be–and ridding yourself of their interruptions can be tricky. “Offend them or make them feel unvalued, and you’ve lost your bread and butter,” Allen writes. “The best way to handle it is to make the clients feel that you are busy managing their needs.” One way to do this is when the client calls, say that you are currently working on something for him or her. If it's nothing urgent, suggest that he or she leaves a voicemail that you will return as soon as you’re finished.
Noise. Is your workspace too noisy? Consider headphones that will help cancel out the noise. If your employer doesn't allow headphones, try the same trick with your phone headset. Or, use a white noise machine that can drown out some of the office ruckus.
“Whether you work remotely or in a bustling office, distractions abound,” Allen writes. “Fortunately, you can avoid, reduce, or even eliminate most distractions.”