Spade
Are you truly able to vacation? While having deals in process, emails, etc?
15
I was taught a few tips I am happy to share...
My favorite is #2 because it works and people comment on receiving it all the time.
Remember, it's ok to not let other people's questions become your burden when you are on vacation. Sometimes they need reminders.
1. Its ok to allow 30 minutes/ day to review emails (if you are disciplined to stop at 30 minutes)
2. The OOO message is CRITICAL! Here's one I use...
Subject Line: OOO - Is this an emergency?
Hey ____,
Thanks for the email. I am on vacation and unplugging completely. Here's what that means for you.
1. If you are a customer please ___________.
2. If you need X, please contact _____.
3. If you need A, please contact _____.
4. I will be back on ____ and if you need me on that date, please let me know so I can bring you to the top of the email stack. If not let me know when you need an answer.
5. If it's a true emergency please text me at 415.596.9149 and then call me so I know to pick up.
My favorite is #2 because it works and people comment on receiving it all the time.
Remember, it's ok to not let other people's questions become your burden when you are on vacation. Sometimes they need reminders.
1. Its ok to allow 30 minutes/ day to review emails (if you are disciplined to stop at 30 minutes)
2. The OOO message is CRITICAL! Here's one I use...
Subject Line: OOO - Is this an emergency?
Hey ____,
Thanks for the email. I am on vacation and unplugging completely. Here's what that means for you.
1. If you are a customer please ___________.
2. If you need X, please contact _____.
3. If you need A, please contact _____.
4. I will be back on ____ and if you need me on that date, please let me know so I can bring you to the top of the email stack. If not let me know when you need an answer.
5. If it's a true emergency please text me at 415.596.9149 and then call me so I know to pick up.
Oh, and I am an Inbox 0 person. It's easier to maintain Inbox0 than it is to get there, but its worth it.
This is great!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, @Spade
LOVE your OOO - thank you for sharing!
Does this mean I get a beer? My pleasure
+1 for this👍
Thanks for sharing this.. It can work like a template for sure
great this is - thanks for sharing!!!!
I came back from PTO yesterday. Took almost a 2 week PTO, and 💯recommend to take at least 2 weeks to truly relax. It took me a whole week to NOT think about work.. and when I came back I realized everything was fine.. everyone was fine 😂.
The anxiety 🤣
Can’t even imagine a 2 week block of time off? So smart bc it takes 3 days for me to settle the d down and rid my body of the sales anxiety 100%!!
So take it! 😀 the more people do it the more it becomes normality! My colleagues are also considering it now after I took it 🤪 setting a healthy trend for my coworkers
No, but it is something I have been trying to get better at. I have a very hard time completely detaching from work. I could be on PTO on a beach, and if I get an email I have been waiting for or something related to a deal, I will always respond. I am curious how others deal with it.
I am exactly the same way. I always respond if it's something I have been waiting for or can push the deal. I can't help it, I wish I could detach from work but can't see myself doing it mentally. If the deal is lost, I won't enjoy my vacation 🤷🏼
I totally did not answer my phone or respond to emails for 10 days. Got back to work yesterday. I also didn't look at social media. If you can't decompress completely, you're wasting time on vacation.
Also we're all in sales. No customer needs to talk to us that badly, just managers desperate to BS their forecast to senior leadership lol.
Also we're all in sales. No customer needs to talk to us that badly, just managers desperate to BS their forecast to senior leadership lol.
Wow, hats off to you wish I could do that.
It's definitely the managers 🤣
It's definitely the managers 🤣
Yup.
My boss can handle my stuff. If it's an emergency he has my personal cell. My work cell stays off.
My boss can handle my stuff. If it's an emergency he has my personal cell. My work cell stays off.
Good on you 🥃🥃
It’s tough, but if you have a good manager who has your back and do some good planning/coordination with him/her to cover anything major, you can get it done. I’m not very good at taking PTO myself. I need to get better at it.
I start setting the expectation with my prospects a week or two out that I won’t be available. I trust my backup but I want him to do as little as possible, we both share this philosophy. I do a quick glance through emails once or twice a day to see if there are things I can delete or if it’s something urgent. I don’t answer my phone unless prearranged. I have an out of office set with my backups contact info on it. All that being said I am strategic when I take time off. Normally significant vacations are at the beginning of the quarter or month, I rarely take time off the last month of the quarter, rarely around month end, and never after thanksgiving.
That was refreshing to read
Nope. I've never set an OOO and never will.
Sure I'll try to disconnect as much as I can. But I'm not going to lose progress on deals.
Sure I'll try to disconnect as much as I can. But I'm not going to lose progress on deals.
🦈
I think it’s all changed during the pandemic. I was very much a “out the door at 5” type of person. In Europe we are still pretty locked down so there seems to be a mix of boredom that allows the work life balance to get off centre. Stakeholders booking meetings and unapologetic calls on the mobile. Now I take liberal coffee breaks when and if I can as I feel formal PTO is a myth right now.
Haven't had a shut down vacation in a decade sadly.
Harsh
For realz
It’s hard to not look at email after hours god forbid time off. Really need to work on shutting down and letting customers know it can wait.
For sure
One day (maybe) people will realize that email isn't as important as they think it is. The world is not going to stop if you don't check your email.
It’s so hard. I honestly find dealing with current deals is fine because I’m chasing most people. What I find more difficult to manage are new inbound leads. If someone wants a demo it’s hard to be like “ok cool, can it wait 2 weeks?”
Solid point 🦾
I'm an always on person, but I'd really like to retrain my brain to take a real vacation. Props to people who unplug. I mean it. I think that's such a special skill to be able to compartmentalize your life and leave work behind for a time period.
Completely!
Yes I’m going to Mexico In 2 weeks. You just have to stay organized and set goals/hit quota early if you are nervous.
Sorry, can't relate..even my actual vacations are not vacations..!!
short answer, nope!
🙅🏻♂️
I can usually vacation but have definitely had some deals flare up as I've been on PTO which fucking sucks. I'd say it's probably 80% carefree.
Yes - and no. I look at it like my own mini business running inside of a bigger machine. When I’m on vacation I typically check in once a day - I have an out of office but also a back up rep to cover anything urgent (that was pre pandemic bc where am I really going now anyway?) when money calls, I’ll answer.
Work is just that, work. Your employer wants you to disconnect. So many benefits from coming back recharged and refreshed. You are seeing a change for sure in all industries!
No, but it is something I have been trying to get better at. I have a very hard time completely detaching from work. I could be on PTO on a beach, and if I get an email I have been waiting for or something related to a deal, I will always respond. I am curious how others deal with it.
I read the 4 hour work week and it really helped remind me if I were to quit I’d be replaced so enjoy your vacay because that goes for almost every job
If you can't take a vacation as a salesperson then you are a shitty sales person.
nopeeee - i'm a loan officer and the second i leave for vacation, my phone starts ringing like the dickens. lol
There is always a reason, otherwise the path of least resistance would win and every company would skip it.
I am not sure if skipping steps make sense. but bringing up the topic early on in the conversation could help make sure that the process is started sooner so it has less impact on the overall closing cycle
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