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Inspiration

Journaling for the MLS

e all know that debriefing after a sales call is Help your team
essential. It is highly informative and edu-
cational to analyze the way the appointment In "Journaling and Sales?" published in May 2016 on
W unfolded, what went well, what didn't work the Sandler Training sales blog, business-development
and what can be done more effectively on the next call. expert John Rosso pointed out that journaling can be
of tremendous help when a sales manager asks how
Another aspect of learning on the job as merchant things are going and expects more than generalities in
level salesperson (MLS) is documentation. Customer response. "Journaling means writing down your daily
relationship management (CRM) systems, some of which self-evaluations of your sales efforts," he wrote. "It takes
are specifically geared for the payments business, can be about five minutes a day. If you journal, you'll have all the
useful in this regard, because they provide fields for notes pertinent answers you need at your fingertips. Once you
about calls. Depending on how flexible your CRM tool is, get started, you'll be glad you did. Guaranteed."
and how much room it allows for your notes, you may also
want to keep a journal, either digital or written. And if you manage a sales team, it can help you with
staff development. "The most effective development
Paul H. Green, industry pioneer and founder of The Green plans are those used every day, especially daily journals,"
Sheet, endorsed this method. "Record what you do prior wrote Jenn Wagstaff in an April 2018 post on the Sales
to the sales call: how you locate a prospect; what happens & Marketing Management blog. "The right journal will
at the sales call; the time it took to accomplish each task; [help team members] create a personal development plan
and the goals you achieved as well as the ones you need tailored to their development areas. And once they have
to work on," he wrote in Good Selling! SM: The Basics. "Include the right plan, it will help them embed the right habits
objections heard, closes used, results yielded, and your of success into their daily routine and help them progress
state of mind. Try to be as specific as possible." towards their ultimate sales goal."
Do it for yourself So, don't fret over what format you use or whether your
journal would be a good read; just remember it will help
Some people believe that journaling is only for people who improve your performance, as well as your profits.
have a love of writing, and feel they can't do it because
they cannot measure up to what they perceive to be the
requisite standards of grammar and style. Nothing could
be further from the truth (even for professional writers).
This type of journaling won't be graded on literary merit,
grammar or punctuation—or even clarity as long as you
can read your notes later and understand them.
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
Journaling is one small thing you can do for yourself that
has the potential to provide big benefits.

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