TAKE ACTION Get Organized, Energized.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Cord Cooper

3 One reason salespeople miss revenue targets? They lack effective action plans. To do the job, plans should turn on:

** Priorities. Don't react to events of the day -- create them, says sales trainer Jack Perry. "By choosing your priorities and staying on course, you're clearing a path for objectives and building a brick wall to defend against interruptions."

Start your day the night before. Write a to-do list "and prioritize events by letter: A, B, C. Then rank them numerically: A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2. During the day, stick to that list," said Perry, author of "Jack, You're Fired" and chief executive of Respect Factor Inc.

** Organization. Perry recommends a PDA and client relationship management system, "but those things won't organize your life for you," he said.

"Get into a routine before going to bed each night: Your clothes are laid out, your car and briefcase are clean and organized, your day is planned in terms of specific geographic locations," he said in a phone interview. "You know where you're going that day and week, with whom you're meeting, and what your target goals are. And at the end of each day, you're organized for tomorrow."

** Time. Often, salespeople think they spend more time in front of prospects than they really do, Perry says. "Part of it is denial and lack of organization."