The Secret to a Productive Day

Complete Story

06/24/2026

The Secret to a Productive Day

Source: Bill Farquharson, June 24, 2026

Good morning!

On any given day, Salespeople show up in the morning with a plan in mind and immediately do the most important thing on that list.

Actually no. That’s the dream.

More likely, they do the thing on the list that interests them.

Actually no. Having a list? That’s a dream, too.

Well, at least they do their have-to’s before getting to their want-to’s…no, that one is false, too.

Let’s get real:

Productivity is not an accident. It is the result of a simple but disciplined habit.

Preparation for a productive sales day begins the day before.

If you can get into the habit of planning the day ahead, you will have solved 75% of your time management issues.

For new salespeople in print, signs, or promotional products, the temptation is to show up and see what the day brings. Resist that. If you arrive at your desk with no plan, you’re already behind.

You can test this sales tip immediately by setting an alarm on your cell phone for, say, 4pm. When it goes off, plan the next sales day. Tomorrow when you arrive at your desk, I am guessing you instantly see the difference.

Being productive comes from being prepared.

THAT is the dream!

Watch Bill present this week's sales tip

The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.

The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant.

Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.

Other Vault resources:

Check out the Sales Vault!

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