Keep it simple, Keep it organized
As a new member of the sales team, I have learned the importance of keeping organized and up to date with each and every aspect of the job. As Account Managers (AMs) must build, maintain, and foster a continuing relationship with every client, they must likewise manage every lead, opportunity, and sale.
Although every AM has his or her own system of organization to manage these tasks, they do adhere to a common set of guidelines so that they remember their deadlines, easily access information with a keystroke or mouse click, and properly update team members and clients.
However, it’s important to not perform more than one thing at a time. In fact, research shows that the human brain is a sequential processor, meaning that we are unable to pay attention to two tasks at the same time. Hence, we can only perform tasks sequentially.
So how do you properly manage your tasks without overloading your brain? The answer is one of the most fundamental organizational principles: time management.
Plan and allocate your time effectively, so that you maximize the one hour you dedicate to answering emails or updating the status of a project on the CRM. In your to-do list, decide what is your most important task of the day and do it first, not last.
Don’t revisit a task that you began previously. When checking your email every hour or so, don’t open an email and then abandon it for later. Read it immediately and decide how you will respond. Throw it away if you no longer need it. Keep your inbox as clean as possible, so that you are not wasting storage on superfluous emails and the most important ones are clearly visible and accessible.