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Inspiration

Payments, a retrospectiv
Payments, a retrospective
e

It's never too late to get back in touch

n sales it's essential to master time management. Direct benefits that come to my mind are recalling shared
This was true when Paul H. Green started The Green memories, jokes and milestones; reducing feelings of lone-
Sheet as an email newsletter in 1985, and it remains liness and enhancing a sense of being cared about; and be-
I true today. Each action in a merchant level salesper- ing inspired by what the people you're reconnecting with
son's workday should have a purpose—whether it's sales have done lately and gaining new perspectives from their
outreach to generate new business; follow-up actions to experiences. Another possibility is your old contacts may
close deals, up-sell and maintain relationships; adminis- also introduce you to new people who have new opportu-
trative, educational and logistical tasks to keep track of nities to offer.
all of these activities; or breaks to promote mental and
physical health. Social media has enabled millions of people to reconnect
with friends, family and former colleagues they'd lost
With a schedule weighted toward demanding interactions touch with. And this has afforded people the benefits I
and looming quotas, successful salespeople typically map just mentioned, particularly during the worst of the CO-
out certain times in the day to focus on each of the requisite VID-19 pandemic. Writing for Psychology Today's July 30,
functions. This helps ensure that nothing falls through the 2021, issue, Joe LaBianca, PhD, stated, "We’re often hesitant
cracks. And research indicates the more time you devote to contact these 'dormant ties' because we are often embar-
to outreach and follow up, the more deals you'll close. The rassed with not having contacted them in a long time, and
Center for Sales Strategy, for example, found that sales- we might be concerned that the other person will reject
people who spent 20 hours per week prospecting closed our attempts to reactivate the tie. However, the response
1.5 times more deals than those who spent 10 hours per from them is often exactly the opposite—everybody is ex-
week prospecting. cited to hear from each other and people report jumping
back into the old relationship in a way that makes people
Using a CRM system designed specifically for payments happier and relieves stress."
professionals is helpful. So is learning to delegate routine
types of tasks to support staff. Still, juggling responsibili- So if someone has come to mind as you've read this article,
ties is a constant challenge. it's not too late. Reach out. You're more likely to receive
a warm response than a chilly one. Who knows? Details
Benefits of reconnecting about your first industry tradeshow or first deal closed
That's why what I'm about to propose may seem counter- may surface and give you a valuable new perspective.
intuitive. I believe that despite the intense pressure in to- Give it a try, and let me know how it goes.
day's busy, competitive world, setting aside time regularly
to reconnect with friends and colleagues you've lost touch
with provides a unique kind of uplift that enriches and
nourishes you, as well as ultimately enhances your cre-
ativity and productivity.
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
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