Productivity in a nutshell, is
getting things done. In your role as a merchandising rep it seems pretty
straightforward. You receive an assignment. You collect your supplies. You go
to the site, gather up the merchandise, and set up a display. You send in
verifications. You get paid. It’s an easy-peasy side gig, but what if there is
a way to be even more productive? What if it was your ticket to success?
Productivity
takes place when you eliminate the redundant. Have a designated tote with
all your supplies, and don’t rob from it. I know, it’s tempting to snatch some
paper towels from the tote when your home stash runs low…but it’s also easy to
forget to replace them. Keeping your tote supplied and ready to go eliminates
wasted trips, scrambling to make do without required supplies, or asking for
help from a site when you should be working independently. What image do you want
to project? How do you want our company to be remembered? You are being trusted
to be competent and professional…so keep your tote ready to go.
Productivity
takes place when you know your product. You will know before you ever walk
into a store what product you are given responsibility for stocking…and how to
make it a top-selling item. Be prepared to do your best by knowing your
product. Look it up online, and see how it is displayed in other settings. Know
what the company considers its most valuable feature. If you know that the
company considers a first glance as what draws buyers, you want to be sure that
there is a direct line of sight for shoppers. If the company believes its
diversity is what makes it valuable, you want to demonstrate that in showing
the wide array of styles. These may seem like nuances to you, but in the world
of competitive selling, they are the reasons some companies succeed and others
don’t—and you’ve been entrusted with that first look, the ground floor of
success. Be the rep that ensures the success of the company indirectly paying
you.
Productivity
takes place when you plan on being productive. A recent article in Inc
included steps like scheduling your work and organizing your daily life around
work responsibilities. Handling correspondence in a timely way, communicating
with the company, and the importance of doing it now rather than later were
also included in their top 10 ways to increase productivity. Click on the link
to learn more—it’s what’s included in that elusive trait of productivity.
You are
given a lot of latitude in how and when you do your job, and with minimal
oversight. Don’t take advantage of that freedom. Rather, be an emissary of high
standards. Others will notice and comment. It will carry over to other aspects
of your life. Your productivity will become your ticket to success. And who
doesn’t love success?
