Hello Ed Reps!
Happy 4th of July! You’re receiving this right before what I hope is a long and enjoyable holiday weekend. Take the time to relax and enjoy it. But when you get back, it’s time to get back to work.
July is a funny month. It is probably the slowest month on the calendar for ed reps. Nearly every school is closed. It’s hot outside. We’re trying to stay in the air conditioning, take a vacation, and mentally prepare for the upcoming school year.
At the same time, those very things can make July one of the most misused months of the year.
The best ed reps understand that this is when the real preparation happens.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about closing out accounts, confirming educator preferences, and getting organized for the fall. Now I want you to take that one step further and focus on fixing the things you won’t have time to fix once school starts.
Start with what gave you trouble last year.
What recurring problems seemed to come up over and over again? Make a list and tackle them one at a time.
Did you have issues with repairs getting in and out of the shop? Problems with billing? Trouble following up consistently? Identify the pain points and create an action plan now so you’re not fighting the same battles again this fall.
July is also the time to invest in preparation that will save you time later. Two areas deserve special attention: your schedule and your rental meetings.
Let’s start with your schedule.
Pull out last year’s route and take an honest look at it. What needs to change? What should be added? What should be removed?
Go through your accounts one by one and ask yourself: Does this school still belong on my schedule?
In more than 90% of cases, the answer is probably yes. But that other 10% deserves a closer look. Are there schools you’re spending time on that aren’t producing results? Are there schools asking for more attention that haven’t been getting it? Could you rearrange your route to spend less time driving and more time with educators?
Now is the perfect time to evaluate your schedule and even do a few dry runs while there is no pressure.
The second area is rental meeting preparation.
At a high level, start by making sure you have a calendar. That sounds simple, but every meeting date should be documented and visible to everyone who needs to know about it, including you, your staff, and your store leadership.
Next, think about staffing.
Two days before a rental meeting is not the time to start looking for help. Once your dates are on the calendar, determine who will be working those events. Will you use store staff? Part-time help? Outside hires?
Then think about training.
Renting instruments is easier today than it was a few years ago. Paper contracts have largely disappeared, and many processes are streamlined. Even so, the people working those meetings are representing you and your company. They need to know what they’re doing.
Take the time now to schedule training sessions and make sure your team is prepared before rental season begins.
The great thing about July is that it gives you the space to work on these things without constant interruptions from educators and schools.
Take advantage of it.
Enjoy your vacation. Recharge your batteries. But also use this month wisely, because the work you do in July will make August and September dramatically easier.
Have a great summer!