There are two recent events that stick in my mind, one of which I am proud and one of which I am ashamed. The ashamed one is that my email Inbox has 3787 messages going back to 2006. Probably 2/3 are no longer necessary to keep for even the most paranoid of reasons while the others can be archived for that “just in case” day that seldom (if ever) comes.
We regularly clear the clutter from our desks and offices just to keep the workplace “workable” and we should do the same for our virtual workspace. Your email repository gives you the opportunity to file messages in discrete folders to keep the clutter in control. I learned this at a trade show education session and, until today, it changed my life. It will do so again, after I finish weeding out my Inbox.
I will file much of my correspondence (for those “just in case” days) into folders that will collect like minded messages in a drawer that I will label with a name that will stump me next month. For example, I will put the serial number emails from software purchases in either “Software” or “Registration” and will promptly forget which is which. That will give me the opportunity to look at both when I need to reenter a number in a reinstall, later this lifetime. Well, no system is perfect.
The “proud of” is that I have deleted my cutesy phone number references from my database. I received a name and address update from a company that spelled out the last four numbers because it is their name. Looking as hard as I could, I simply could not find the letter “P” on my cell phone dialing pad. Yes, I know that my wife has the letters listed on her cutesy little flip phone but my ‘berry doesn’t.
I am no longer printing cute little numbers (i.e. XXX-97W-ISCH) on my business cards and stationary, or in my email signatures. It is a sign of no longer being a dinosaur in the modern age. I am throwing a bone to the fact that 67% of business calls are done by cell phone and I want to be in contact with people who want to call me.
Gosh, I feel better! I have moved one step closer to “1984” when we are all known by our number. Soon I won’t be Wisch any longer… I’ll be “27641” and you will be able to call me on my cell phone!
Now go clean up your act!
Happy Selling!
(visit our Blog on how to sell TradeNet products: TradeNet Ideas! for practical uses of sales philosophy!