--- title: 5 Ways You Are Wasting Your Sales Time | The Sales Blog description: All but a very few of the emails you send in hopes of scheduling an appointment are a waste of your time. An email is a poor medium for a conversation in which you share the value proposition that might command a meeting. Email is ideal for nurturing (with no ask) and for following up […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_384301372.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! Learn more](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![Iannarino The Sales Blog](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/2021%20Website/Images/ai-logo-web.svg) ](https://www.thesalesblog.com) - WIN AT SALES - The Sales Environment - [ Sales is broken ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-is-broken) - [ Modern sales ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/revenue-growth-blueprint) - Sales Resources - [ Blog ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog) - [ Podcast ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/the-anthony-iannarino-show) - [ Live Training Events ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ Modern Sales Methodologies for Enterprises ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/modern-sales-metholodogies) [![View Events](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111) ###### Live Training Events ### Upcoming training events & workshops [![Sales Accelerator Training](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/cda2541c-e77c-44de-9752-0a68716d50e9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/cda2541c-e77c-44de-9752-0a68716d50e9) ###### Online Training Platform ### Sales Accelerator [![Revenue Growth Blueprint](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2913e6b-029b-4079-96bb-20e4ad251bc6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2913e6b-029b-4079-96bb-20e4ad251bc6) ###### #1 Resource ### Revenue Growth Blueprint - [ BLOG ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog) - [ SPEAKING ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/speaking) - SALES TRAINING - [ Sales Accelerator + Monthly Webinars Bundle ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-training-events-bundle) - [ For Individual Reps ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/individuals) - [ For Teams ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-accelerator) - [ Events & Other Programs ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ Hire Anthony to Speak ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/speaking) - [ Modern Sales Methodologies for Enterprises ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/modern-sales-metholodogies) - [ EVENTS ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ BOOKS ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/books) - [ ABOUT ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) - [ CONTACT ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/contact) - Hit Sales Targets [![View Events](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111) ###### LIVE TRAINING EVENTS ### Upcoming virtual training events & in-person workshops ###### Improve your win rates [![Speaking](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/2a02e2ae-517f-42dc-a8db-40ef42615279.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/2a02e2ae-517f-42dc-a8db-40ef42615279) ###### Keynotes & Workshops ### Hire Anthony to Speak @ Your Event # 5 Ways You Are Wasting Your Sales Time ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) March 11, 2016 1. All but a very few of the [emails](http://thesalesblog.com/2013/11/17/the-limited-value-of-an-email/) you send in hopes of scheduling an appointment are a waste of your time. An email is a poor medium for a conversation in which you share the value proposition that might command a meeting. Email is ideal for nurturing (with no ask) and for following up phone calls where you make an ask. 2. The time you spend with prospects that are unqualified or only buy the lowest price is time better spent nurturing your dream clients. No matter how much time you spend with someone who can’t or won’t buy what you sell, it is time wasted. The time you spend with prospects who only [perceive value](http://thesalesblog.com/2013/07/29/price-is-an-expression-of-value/) as the lowest price deprives you of the time you need to win prospects that value what you do. 3. The time you spend researching clients between phone calls slows your efforts and causes you to produce poor results, results that would have been better if you’d gotten into the groove. [Research isn’t prospecting.](http://thesalesblog.com/2011/02/28/on-research-and-prospecting-separating-tasks-by-outcome/) It’s something you do enough to be able to make a call, and it is something you shouldn’t do every day. When you make calls, make calls. 4. The wasted time trying to recover lost deals is time that is better invested in following your sales process and gaining the [commitments](http://thesalesblog.com/2014/02/15/10-commitments-you-must-gain-to-win-deals/) you need in the early stages of a deal. Once the body is dead, there is no bringing it back. The best thing you can do is understand the cause of death, so you don’t keep killing your deals. 5. The time you spend responding to [RFP](http://thesalesblog.com/2012/03/11/wait-before-you-respond-to-that-rfp/) where you don’t know the stakeholders, where you haven’t nurtured relationships, and where you haven’t created any value is time spent doing almost anything else. If you wanted to compete for this companies business and they are a good target for you, you should have spent the time necessary to position yourself to win long before the RFP was let. Some of the things that you do [feel like work](http://thesalesblog.com/2011/09/23/it-feels-like-work-but-it%e2%80%99s-not/) and provide you the false sense that you are pursuing deals. If you want better results, stop wasting time. [**Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=5+Ways+You+Are+Wasting+Your+Sales+Time&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&via=iannarino) **Pin [**Share433](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Dlinkedin%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Share47](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Email](mailto:?subject=5%20Ways%20You%20Are%20Wasting%20Your%20Sales%20Time&body=All%20but%20a%20very%20few%20of%20the%20emails%20you%20send%20in%20hopes%20of%20scheduling%20an%20appointment%20are%20a%20waste%20of%20your%20time.%20An%20email%20is%20a%20poor%20medium%20for%20a%20conversation%20in%20which%20you%20share%20the%20value%20proposition%20that%20might%20command%20a%20meeting.%20Email%20is%20ideal%20for%20nurturing%20%28with%20no%20ask%29%20and%20for%20following%20up%20phone%20calls%20where%20you%20make%20an%20ask.%20The%20time%20you%20spend%20with%20prospects%20that%20are%20unqualified%20or%20only%20buy%20the%20lowest%20price%20is%20time%20better%20spent%20nurturing%20your%20dream%20clients.%20No%20matter%20how%20much%20time%20you%20spend%20with%20someone%20who%20can%E2%80%99t%20or%20won%E2%80%99t%20buy%20what%0D%0A%0D%0ARead%20More%20Here:%20%20https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Pocket](https://getpocket.com/save?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpocket%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Buffer58](https://bufferapp.com/add?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F03%2F11%2Fstop-wasting-sales-time%2F%3Futm_source%3Dbuffer%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&text=5+Ways+You+Are+Wasting+Your+Sales+Time) 538 Shares ###### Tags: [Productivity](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/productivity) [2016](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2016) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on March 11, 2016 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover (2)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(2).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=maximize-productivity-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(2).jpg) ### Maximize Productivity Being productive means getting important things done. The big stuff. The stuff that moves you toward accomplishing your biggest, most important goals. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/faff89b7-a7a5-474e-9a53-68c41c02cd55) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-06-15T5:52:08 PM", "datePublished" : "2016-03-11 21:00:18", "description" : "All but a very few of the emails you send in hopes of scheduling an appointment are a waste of your time. An email is a poor medium for a conversation in which you share the value proposition that might command a meeting. Email is ideal for nurturing (with no ask) and for following up […]", "headline" : "5 Ways You Are Wasting Your Sales Time", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 16, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/Image/favicon.ico", "width" : 16 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/stop-wasting-sales-time", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "5 Ways You Are Wasting Your Sales Time", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 24, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/TSB/images/TSB%20Logo%20Dark.svg", "width" : 228 }, "name" : "The Sales Blog" } } ```