Time Management in a BDR's Life

1:17Dominka: And that has its advantages, too.

Marijana: Definitely, yes.

Dominka: Does it help with time management?

1:27Marijana: I'd say yes.

Dominka: But also no?

1:31Marijana: It always depends on the context. So let me put it this way: when you're at home, you're alone, of course. That means one distraction, for a start … or "distraction" sounds so harsh now, doesn't it? Well, of course …

Dominka: By that you mean your colleagues?

Marijana: No, of course not.

Dominka: Very good. I'll pass that on, or rather, everyone's going to hear it anyway.

1:48Marijana: Let's just say: things that aren't part of work. Let's call it that. At the office you're always somehow … you have a quick chat. The ones who smoke go out for a smoke, and so on. And you don't have that at home, right? But at home the mailman can ring the doorbell and drop off a parcel instead. But those are minimal distractions that you have in your everyday working life.

2:14Dominka: You don't invite someone over for coffee, do you?

Marijana: No, of course not. I'm working.

Dominka: Okay. Just wanted to check.

2:20Dominka: I've got a proverb for you, because I'm the kind of person who places a lot of value on proverbs and language and poetry in general.

Marijana: Now I'm curious.

2:33Dominka: So, a proverb for you, and I'd actually be interested to know whether you see it and perceive it the same way. Here it is: Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Is that something where you'd say, whoever follows this proverb is the all-round master of time management? Or is that nonsense?

3:01Marijana: No, not necessarily. I mean, sure, first and foremost good time management means not putting things off. Still, you should definitely distinguish to what extent you do it. If I see that a day is packed with briefings, internal meetings and so on, and there's something I can push to the next day or to 2 days later, why shouldn't I? But what matters is that you then get it done in the near future. If I have someone who's told me: "You know what, please get back to me the day after tomorrow, then I can tell you when we can set up a meeting," I don't put that off. I do it right away. If he tells me in 2 days, then I get back to him in 2 days and don't do it next week. But if there's someone at reception who tells me: "Ah, you know what? I don't actually know who's responsible for that. I'll just have a look over the next few days, and then you can try again," I can push that to next week too. Because no matter how nice the lady or gentleman on the phone is, they certainly don't have just me on their mind, saying: "Oh, but we have to check now who's responsible for this and that topic so we can let the nice young lady know." That's nonsense. Things like that can definitely be postponed.

4:23Dominka: Okay. So you do think a bit about what you do.

Marijana: Yes, definitely. I'm selective, let's put it that way.

Dominka: Wonderful. Good, that was a nice introduction to today's topic.

4:33Dominka: Of course it would be quite handy if you briefly introduced yourself to everyone. It's your first time with us here on the podcast.

Marijana: Yes, that's true.

Dominka: Would you like to say a few words about yourself?

4:45Marijana: Yes, I've been at OB2B as a BDR for more than 2 years now. What are my tasks? Calling, emailing and, in the best case, setting up meetings. And as you said yourself at the start, I'm mostly working from home.

5:02Dominka: Good. Tell me, are there any things outside of work that you really, really enjoy doing, maybe related to today's setup that we're seeing here? I think I know what you might say, but I definitely want to let our viewers know again that we also listen to other podcasts now and then. Do you have a favorite podcast?

5:36Marijana: Yes, I actually do. Well, several. Of course I don't have that much time. But yes, the Kaulitz Twins, they've really won me over, I have to admit. I really have to confess, I was never a fan of the Kaulitz Twins. The whole Tokio Hotel era and so on, that wasn't really my kind of music. But honestly, what they released on Netflix, I thought it was great, I loved it, and then I also started listening to the podcast.

6:11Dominka: But they had a podcast first, right?

Marijana: Exactly, yes. They started with the podcast first, no idea how long it's been around. A long time, definitely, from what I've picked up. And then Netflix came along as the next stage.

6:22Dominka: And I'd say our future looks brilliant then, doesn't it? We've also got a podcast first, and afterwards it'll become an Amazon Prime series.

Marijana: At least. At the very least.

6:35Dominka: Okay, good, wonderful. Let's stick to the topic. It's a very important topic, especially in a job where you're sometimes limited in the time you have to get something done. Unfortunately we can't really do our work after 4 p.m. or after 5 p.m. So we have a fixed time window in which we can do our activities. Is that something that keeps coming back to bite us? Or is it something where you can say: Hey, I've got a time slot, I have to make full and good use of it, and after that I don't really have to think about what I still have to do for the job? What would you say?

7:20Marijana: I've done various jobs in my career. And I have to admit that for me personally it's better when I have a fixed time slot. Why? Let me put it this way: I worked in event management. In season you sometimes work until midnight, if that's what it takes. And it's really important to know that when your workday is over, it's really over. And that you don't still have to check emails somehow, calls. Sure, in this job too it can always happen that you do something extra. But those are exceptions, minimal exceptions. And even then, I'd say, those are situations where I decide myself: You know what, I'll sit down at the laptop again and do something. But it's not expected of me. And I think that's enormously important, especially since you also have these 8 hours … personally, I only do 4 hours now, so part-time at OB2B. That's really important, because you can then organize this time slot, right? You just see: Okay, I've got 4 hours now, 8 hours, whatever, I organize them like this and like that. And then you know that, in the best case, you've ticked things off and you don't clock off, lie on the couch and then still go: "Ah no, but I still have to do something now," and "Oh, someone might get back to me now."

8:58Dominka: I know all that so well. I worked in events too, and it really is a bit harder there to fit time management into a slot.

9:08Dominka: But especially, and you just brought it up here, working part-time: is that something where you say, I always manage to get everything done in the 4 hours? Or do you go over?

Marijana: Actually: I manage it.

Dominka: Yes? Good, then you're the right guest for today, aren't you? What a coincidence.

9:33Marijana: Well, I have to admit, I'm also a bit of a freak when it comes to organization and management. With me everything really has to run like clockwork. With minimal time buffers. For example, if I say we're leaving at 3 p.m., then we're in the car by 10 past at the latest. So that's the kind of time buffer I allow myself. But it really is important.

Dominka: And if it doesn't happen, all hell breaks loose?

10:01Marijana: It doesn't happen. That option doesn't even exist. No, sure, it can always happen, but then there are reasons why it happens, right? Like me taking my time and saying: "Oh nah, I'll make myself a coffee first," and so on.

10:14Dominka: Okay, but that's an art in itself. Managing that, really getting everything done that you somehow want to get done, in 4 hours or in 8 hours. How do you master this art, right? Especially in our field, lead generation, cold calling. How do you do it? What's your recipe?

10:36Marijana: Well, at work, definitely: what really takes the load off my day is the CRM. Definitely. I'd actually name Clockify too, because that way I see what I've been busy with over the day and how much time I've invested in something.

10:59Dominka: Okay, Clockify. I think most people know what Clockify is. A very well-known time management tool. Exactly. Do you really always manage to keep Clockify properly up to date? Is it sometimes a problem for you: "Oh, now I didn't press the button, now I have to type it in manually"? Do you sometimes get lost in things like that?

Marijana: Yes.

Dominka: Okay.

11:20Marijana: It happens, especially when I have meetings at some point during the day, then I do forget it. Or when I'm done with work, I sometimes forget to stop it too. That happens.

Dominka: 72 hours in one go.

Marijana: Yes, and then the next day I get an email: "Clockify still running." Nah, it happens.

11:40Marijana: But I always make sure that my daily routine is basically always the same. I get up, make myself a coffee, get ready. Very, very important: I really get ready. Because a lot of people think … back when I used to tell people I work from home: "Oh, so are you in your pajamas or sweatpants all day?" Nope, I'm not. I do get dressed properly, brush my teeth, make myself a coffee, sit down at the laptop.

Dominka: Even brushing your teeth is part of it.

Marijana: Yes, yes, it is.

12:17Marijana: I sit down at the laptop, and then off we go: first I check my internal emails, and as soon as I start working, Clockify goes on, and then it runs. And then I really do sit there for the 4 hours. Sure, I get up now and then, make myself another coffee or a tea or eat a little something. But I do make sure that everything is tightly scheduled, because, let me put it this way, 4 hours are very short when you apply that to the working day. That's why you really have to make sure you use this time effectively and don't let yourself get too distracted by other things.

12:56Dominka: Tell me, are there time blocks that you set aside for this or that activity? Or do you have one big mishmash of a time block in the 4 hours? Are the 4 hours your time block, or are there little segments you split the work into?

13:13Marijana: I've actually tried different methods. I started out working all over the place. For example, I'd start calling, then notice: Okay, I've got an email, come on, I'll quickly do emails. I've got a message in Teams, come on, I'll quickly reply in Teams. Unfortunately that meant I was really slower. I'd actually call that a kind of multitasking phenomenon. And then I tried to find a completely different approach, by having these time blocks.

13:53Dominka: Yes, but that's also something that really becomes a habit, isn't it? When you jump back and forth like that from one tool to another, from email to a call, and then maybe type another email at the same time. How do you break that habit? I don't think I've completely managed it yet.

14:15Marijana: As I said, it's a matter of organization. I always try to start my calls at around quarter to 9, because most people just … well, of course it also always depends on which topic I'm working on. For example … all the marketing people will probably judge me for this, but actually they mostly always start at 9, from what reception tells me. And I always try to use the time before 9: answering emails, checking what's on for today. Which possible meetings are coming up for me, meetings that I could potentially also set up, and so on. I rethink my pitch, whether I can carry on like that with some contacts or maybe choose a completely different approach. Maybe look up my contact person on websites again. So I use this time in the morning in all sorts of ways, and then off I go with the calls. And at the end of the day it's emails again.

15:30Dominka: Does that actually mean you manage to call straight through for 4 hours or three and a half hours in one block? Without taking any kind of break, without stopping to reflect or anything like that? Is that your time management, that you use this time as one block across the board?

15:49Marijana: Broadly speaking, I'd say yes.

Dominka: Yes, okay.

15:55Marijana: But you can't always do it like … Sometimes I also call in the afternoon. Sometimes I don't just use the morning but midday too. Because if someone is only available in the afternoon, or I notice that after 5 calls I can't get anyone on the phone, then it's likely that the person might only be there in the afternoon. That means I really have to make sure I don't always pick the same time block, that I maybe try calling at midday sometimes too. Emails are … with emails you either get an answer or you don't. The timing isn't that important there. But with calls you really should find a good moment when you try to get through to people.

16:41Dominka: You mentioned prioritization earlier. How do you do that? What's the key? Not just what people tell you on the phone. There are other things too, like an email that came in 10 minutes ago, and an email that came in, I don't know, the day before. Maybe a colleague needs something from you, right? Do you have Teams muted then, or are you always …

17:10Marijana: Nah, that's just not in my nature somehow. That means if colleagues have something I can help with, of course I'm always there for them. And I think that's important too. Just as I count on my colleagues to support me, help me out and so on. But it's also important to always be understanding when someone doesn't reply right at that moment. Then I send the message in Teams, for example, wait, and that's that. When the answer comes, it comes. Mostly it's nothing urgent where I absolutely have to get an answer right away. As for emails, I think I mentioned this earlier: because I always deal with emails in the morning, I reply to the emails from the previous day or the previous evening, whatever.

17:58Dominka: Emails can wait, you'd say, right? That's written form, which is a bit …

18:04Marijana: … more patient, definitely. But if someone suggests a meeting to me or wants a meeting, that doesn't wait. That gets picked up right away, right? But sure, first and foremost it is more patient. If someone says to me: "Could you please send me some information?", then it doesn't matter so much whether I send it right away or in an hour.

18:26Dominka: But what helps with prioritizing the calls, the phone calls you have to make on a given day? How do you handle that?

Marijana: The CRM is …

18:36Dominka: Okay, can you be really specific … Say I'm someone who's never seen a CRM, never made calls, and I've got 50 calls to make today and don't even know where to start.

18:47Marijana: It's always important that the CRM is kept up to date. That means we have different stages. For example, the first contact with reception is a stage. One stage is when, for brand awareness, you've simply sent an email to reception, to the front desk, whatever. Then there's telephone DM reach, where you've actually sent an email to the person responsible. Then we have opportunity, very important. That means potential clients, or rather potential meetings we can set up, and of course also when you've spoken to the person responsible on the phone, right? And thanks to these different stages, I can actually see who's important. But even there I'd say it matters how you organize it time-wise. Because sure, if I have someone in opportunity, I'd love to contact them right away at 8 in the morning. Because the sooner you …

19:58Dominka: Then you make your meeting for the day and then you clock off.

20:01Marijana: Not really. Sure, that would be great, but no. You do want to make lots of meetings that day. But before each call you simply always have to check: Okay, what have I communicated so far? Did the person maybe tell me to get back to them in the afternoon? Did the person maybe tell me to get back to them in a month? If it's "get back to me the day after tomorrow," then I get back to them the day after tomorrow, but at a time when there aren't necessarily meetings, right? Because you can generally always imagine when meetings tend to be. Monday at 10 is always one of those times when you can't really get anyone on the phone. But that also always depends on the department, as I said.

20:47Dominka: Yes, but then you can definitely conclude from that: it's very important to have a tool you can use to …

Marijana: Definitely.

Dominka: You shouldn't just write it on a sheet of paper and then go by that. It should at least be an Excel file with a priority list in it, phone numbers with dates and so on.

21:12Marijana: As I said, the CRM is definitely the be-all and end-all in sales. You really have to keep an eye on everything.

21:20Dominka: Good. It helps with structure, it definitely helps with time management, because it actually tells you what you have to do. Still, it can happen now and then that you simply have too many tasks, because you've, I'd say, kept pushing them onto the same day. Does that happen to you too?

21:46Marijana: Yes, it happens. But I actually always look at what kind of lead it is, whether it could really be a potential customer. That's one thing. For another, I make sure it doesn't drag on for longer than, I'd say, a week at most, but really at most. So on average it's about 2 days that I put things off. Because you mustn't forget, the task comes back to you one way or another. So you don't really gain anything from putting it off. I have to keep my pipeline maintained and make sure I tick off all the tasks. So whether it's in 2 days, a week or a month, at some point it'll have to be dealt with.

22:38Dominka: So, in your working life there are a few things like these tools. Then your own judgment, which you should simply use to prioritize, to know: Okay, when is what due, and is it really that important or not? A few weeks ago you held a really interesting sales meeting for us, on exactly this topic, and presented a few methods, right? There's one method, I think, that you try to use yourself, actively or also subconsciously, I'd say. If it's already in your subconscious, then I think you've already mastered it, right? Would you like to tell us a bit more about that? I mean how it could really be applied by anyone in their working life. Not just for us as people who actually already have a schedule they should work through and have all their tasks. There are sometimes people who have a really mixed-up plan. I, for example, am not even a BDR myself and have different tasks now and then. What I do the evening before: I look at my calendar and prepare myself a bit for the next day. And then I go to sleep, right? And then you already have a little plan for tomorrow somehow. But so much can still happen, and so many tasks can still come in, where you then don't even know: What should I do? Or, what I find even worse: when I don't have any meetings that day, and then all the tasks I once had, that I once wrote down somewhere, they just ambush me, right? What do I do in that moment?

24:20Marijana: There are different techniques for that, which I was able to present to the team 2 weeks ago. One technique I'd really recommend to everyone, so feel free to read up on it if you need to, is the Eisenhower method. That means you distinguish between tasks, or you try to sort them: What's important and urgent, so that you really get it done right away? What's important but actually isn't in a hurry to be dealt with right now? And then there are 2 more aspects: where you say, okay, it's not that important, but it's actually urgent, I actually have to get it done. And the last stage is actually: it's not important and not urgent either. And in that case you can actually just cancel it. It doesn't need to be done. With things like "it's not important, but it's urgent," you're also welcome to bring someone in to help, right? Or if you yourself are rushed with other tasks that are important and urgent too, then, as I said, you can quickly ping a colleague and say: "Can you help me out, I can't manage this right now." I always like to think of examples where I'm a backup, and that's a weekly briefing that always takes place every week. I don't necessarily have to be there. The main BDR can do it with the other people involved, I don't necessarily have to be there. That's just one meeting fewer for me in the week. And that's important: that you then use the time differently, for tasks that are more important.

26:03Dominka: That's a great example, because I'm just thinking … I don't think I can even classify the last phase, can I? If I already have a task somewhere that I set myself at some point, and now suddenly decide it's not important and not urgent, then I never should have set it in the first place, right? I somehow have the feeling that I do set myself tasks that should get done at some point, you know?

26:28Marijana: Yes, I'm also thinking now whether I can come up with an example off the top of my head for things that aren't important and aren't urgent. I think what's always important there is: What's the starting situation? So why did I actually set this task, and what do I actually want to achieve with it? It can be something I set myself a month ago, but which maybe isn't that important at all anymore a month on. You know?

26:57Dominka: But that catches me off guard all over again, doesn't it? And then I think to myself: Where was I a month ago? Why was that even important? Why isn't it important now? Then I start thinking it over again. Maybe you shouldn't do that. And just … leave it, right?

27:14Marijana: Leave it, or you write it down somewhere. Excel spreadsheet, a note or something. I think you can also come up with different methods for yourself. I don't know, you have Post-its in different colors. Yellow means not that important, and then you just note down little things like that which, at this point, as of today's date, you don't consider important. And then in 2 weeks you can have a look: Okay, are these important to me now? And if over time they're no longer important, then they go. It's like with clothes, right? You put clothes on, they somehow don't fit. And you think: "Yeah, but it'd be such a shame to throw them out or give them away. Nah, I'll keep them." But in the end you never wear them again.

Dominka: That's true.

28:05Marijana: So it's similar with tasks like that, which were important to you at some moment, but just aren't anymore later on.

28:14Dominka: That thing with the clothes is a brilliant example, and now I actually get it. Okay. Great, wonderful.

28:24Dominka: Something I very often find disruptive, something I sometimes have a problem with, is my phone. How can you get that under control? It's like that working from home too, right? I've got my phone on here too, and then I look at WhatsApp three times in 3 minutes. Switching it off isn't an option either, is it?

28:52Marijana: Nah, not really, because there really could be something, someone texting you or getting in touch or whatever. So the phone thing is definitely a hurdle. And as I said at the start, I used the word distraction: phones are definitely a distraction at work. But you can't do without them either. What makes the whole thing easier for me, not picking up the phone, is really these time blocks. Because when I take these time blocks, I don't have any time to look at my phone at all. That's the very first thing. The second thing is: treat yourself to a break. Take a 5-minute break in which you deal with your phone, and that's it. Then you put it aside and carry on. The only catch with the whole thing is: a lot of people then just can't make that switch back, right? Actually putting the phone away and saying: "Okay, I'm carrying on now." Because some online shop is more exciting after all.

Dominka: Yes, okay.

29:57Marijana: That's why, in the end, it really is better to set yourself time blocks in which you work straight through once, but really leave the phone aside. I mean, if you only work 4 hours, okay, you can hold out without your phone for 4 hours somehow, right? But if you work 8 hours, not so much. That's why I'd make a distinction there too: if you work 8 hours, then better have short breaks like that. You also have the lunch break, then you can quickly check your phone again too. But those are things … why do you even sit down with your phone? Why do you pick up your phone?

30:36Dominka: It has happened to me now and then that I worked 8, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 hours almost without a break, and then I'm sometimes tempted to check on my laundry a bit, do a bit of dusting and so on. You shouldn't really do that, but when there's a little break, I like doing that now and then when working from home too. How is it for you? How do you manage to be at home and still be productive, especially since you sometimes don't have a babysitter?

31:21Marijana: Yes, exactly, that's actually the reason why I'm part-time at OB2B. I've been a mom for a year and a half now, actually a bit longer. There I'd actually say: organization, again. Let me put it this way, my daily routine, as I mentioned at the start, was like that before and still is: I make myself a coffee in the morning, get ready and go to the laptop.

Dominka: And the little one too, right?

31:48Marijana: Exactly, that's the only difference now, right? That I get the little one ready too, leave her with grandma, and then I'm off to work. But before that I quickly put the washing machine on, because when the washing machine is done, I take my 5-minute break, do the laundry, and then carry on. But as I said, time blocks there too, right? Because I know exactly, if I have a meeting that day, then I know: Okay, you put the washing machine on now, it takes an hour, for example. The meeting might also take an hour. Okay, then I'm done, then I can quickly do the laundry in 5 minutes and then carry on with my calls. It's all organization. As for life with a child: sure, it's enormously important that you get outside support. That was a hurdle for me too, when I started working again. I mean, I could hardly wait to work. Not just goo-goo ga-ga all day long, diapers and baby food and who knows what. But for me the real hurdle was: Okay, will my child be well looked after while I'm working? And luckily we had support from both grandmas, aunts and so on, who said: We're there for you, until we get a daycare place, of course. I think in a lot of countries daycare places are rather scarce these days, and it's similar where we are. And yes, that's why it's important to have that support, and it really takes a lot of the load off.

33:37Dominka: Are you tempted to just go and check on the little one?

33:44Marijana: No. Actually not, because I figure if she's at grandma's, she can't be doing that badly.

Dominka: So you're not a freak who thinks: "Yeah, I have to go and check again, maybe they're doing something really exciting without me."

Marijana: No.

34:03Marijana: Because for the child itself it's also important to have a fixed routine. And I actually established that right from the start: Mommy's going to work now, and at 12 or whenever, I'll be back. And then it's fine.

34:19Dominka: And with 4 hours you can do that. Otherwise it might be like: "Hey, is my child somehow sad now because I'm not there?" and so on. In those 4 hours, I think, nothing big can happen. She probably also sleeps 2 of the 4 hours, right?

34:33Marijana: She sleeps for an hour. So at 8 I leave her with grandma, and she waves too. Then everything's cool. But at 12, when I come back …

Dominka: Then she doesn't want to leave, right?

34:46Marijana: Nah, nah, then it's not like: "Mommy's just popping to the post office" or "Mommy's just popping to the supermarket," instead she already waves and goes something like: "My shift's over now, I'm leaving you now," right? But of course that also depends on what the child is like. I did try to train her a bit there. Because, as I said, I'm an organization freak, and so I've somehow passed that on to her too …

35:11Dominka: Okay, that was a practical example for mothers with children, wasn't it? What about other things? Are you convinced that it's okay if you can still do something in the afternoon or evening, and that you should do that too? Or do you think you really shouldn't do that, because it just totally ruins your work-life balance?

35:42Marijana: No, it has to be okay. For everyone, really, but especially for working mothers, because, let's face it: Being a mom is a 24/7 job. I mean, honestly, if the child doesn't sleep at night because it's teething or whatever, nobody cares. You still have to function the next day. That's why it's all the more important to somehow take time for yourself. I, for example, go and work out.

Dominka: And it shows, hey.

36:18Marijana: Yes, yes. I've put quite a bit of work into it, too. I work out at least twice a week. And that's a kind of outlet, too. I can just let off steam there, right?

36:29Dominka: Good. So how do you really set clear boundaries between private life and work? Just switch the laptop off, or what do you do?

Marijana: Personally, yes.

Dominka: Okay.

36:40Marijana: When the laptop's off, it's off. If there's something important, then even beyond the 4 hours. Because I still want to always be there. I mean, it doesn't mean that if I only work 4 hours, I'm not there. That means, if we have a sales meeting at 3 p.m., then I'm happy to say: "Nah, that's something for me too," because for one thing I'm developing myself that way. For another, it's also important for team spirit, that I'm simply always part of the team. It's not just a job, after all. It's also about togetherness. Yes, then I make sure the little one goes to sleep, headset in, done. But what's also really important is the understanding of colleagues, the employer and so on. That's really important.

37:30Dominka: Okay. As a conclusion I could take away that the BDR job is actually a pretty good job if you just want to divide up your time well, right? And you actually have all the conditions for being able to get a lot done even in 4 hours, in 8 hours anyway, and that you should just stick to prioritizing things, sitting down, really switching off all distractions and setting time blocks, right? You could actually apply that to other office jobs too, I'd say. But if you divide it up really well, you can actually keep juggling child, dog, family, neighbors and sport really successfully, can't you?

38:26Marijana: With the BDR job it's clear, of course: we keep mentioning fixed time blocks and so on, but within these time blocks you're still flexible. So if I work from 8 to 12, for example, I'm still flexible within those 4 hours, right? It's my personal decision to set myself time blocks so that I simply work more effectively. Whether I start making my calls in the morning before 9 and then do emails at 10, that's actually up to me, right? I weigh up what's best for me at that point and what helps me move forward at work.

39:11Dominka: Very nice. You give everyone the courage to really pull this off well, despite distractions and despite kids. But in any case I'd say: the Eisenhower method is something you can grasp really quickly.

39:33Dominka: I think we've already reached the end of our podcast for today. But it wouldn't be an OB2B podcast without a little game, which we're going to play now.

Marijana: The Kaulitz Twins could take a leaf out of our book, right?

39:48Dominka: I'd say so too. I'd be really happy if they listened in sometime and maybe learned something about sales, right? I think the two of them would be pretty good at it.

Marijana: Or maybe as new guests?

39:59Dominka: As guests, oh dear. That would be chaos. Good, here's what we have: Kim has prepared something for us, and I'm just trying to find it. 2 Myths and 1 Truth, Sales Edition. Rules: Dominka, yours truly, reads out 3 statements. 2 of them are myths, so false, and one is true. Marijana, that's you, has to guess which of the 3 statements is the truth. After the answer, Dominka explains why the truth is true and the other statements are false. And the aim is to give valuable tips or clarification on topics around time management, sales and BDR roles. Did you understand everything?

Marijana: Yes, I did.

Dominka: Do I need to read it out again?

Marijana: Oh, no.

40:52Dominka: So: one statement or claim is true, 2 are false. And round 1, the topic is sales calls. Listen carefully, I'm not repeating anything. Statement 1: The best time for a sales call is always in the morning between 8 and 10 a.m. Statement 2: Multitasking during a call improves your efficiency. Statement 3: You should contact leads at least seven times before you give up. Oh dear, that's a hard one. What do you rule out straight away?

41:34Marijana: The first claim. That one straight away.

41:36Dominka: The best time for the sales call is always in the morning between 8 and 10 a.m. Oh, come on. Okay. What would you say?

41:46Marijana: It always depends.

Dominka: On the season?

41:51Marijana: Yes, not just that, but also, as I said, on the department. I mentioned the marketing department earlier. What kind of companies they are is always important to consider, too. But you can just as well make great calls after the lunch break, from 2 p.m. So it really varies. It's very individual.

42:14Dominka: Good. Then multitasking or 7 calls?

42:21Marijana: Statement 2 is false too. I'd call the last statement true.

42:26Dominka: That's right. The explanation follows. Studies show … oh, "studies show", that's always very, very dicey when it's listed like that. Which studies, Kim, which studies? Studies show that it takes an average of 7 contacts to convert a lead. The other statements are common myths: calls work well in the afternoon too, and multitasking is distracting. I think we already touched on that today, too.

Marijana: Exactly.

43:00Dominka: 7 calls actually seems to me … well, okay, could be. Contacts. Yes, okay. Too many?

Marijana: But it's actually not that many. It's an average.

43:11Dominka: Apparently. It's often the case that we have to stop after 2 times because we somehow notice it's not going anywhere. And then sometimes there are like 15 calls to some contacts that you find super exciting. They just somehow don't get back to you. But I think with 7 they maybe mean points where you've actually reached them. Maybe an email too, if an email counts as a contact again, and so on, right?

43:35Marijana: Yes, 2 is usually when really nobody picks up the phone at all.

Dominka: Or someone really does pick up, with an attitude you'd never want to listen to twice.

43:46Marijana: Yes, yes, okay. If someone says: "No, please don't get back to me," then it can be just one call.

43:56Dominka: Okay, good. Round 2: time management. Statement 1: Time blocking helps you structure your day efficiently. Statement 2: The best method for time management is to do everything in real time. Statement 3: Breaks are a waste of time and reduce your productivity.

44:31Marijana: That's clear. False, false, I'd say.

Dominka: True, false, false? Yes. Correct.

44:37Dominka: Truth: statement 1. Explanation: Time blocking is a proven method for prioritizing tasks and working in a focused way. Working in real time often leads to chaos. You don't say. And breaks are important for concentration, I'd say so too, right? And for other things as well.

44:55Dominka: Exactly, and round 3, which is also the last round. The topic here: working remotely with a child. Statement 1: You can get everything done if you just plan enough time. Statement 2: Flexible working hours are the key to combining family and work. Statement 3: It's impossible to be successful in sales part-time. There. Oh, tough.

45:29Marijana: Oh, I've forgotten the first statement.

Dominka: I told you that you have to listen carefully, because I don't repeat anything, but now I'll do it again anyway. Statement 1: You can get everything done if you just plan enough time.

45:44Marijana: I'd actually say: false, true, false.

Dominka: False, true, false?

Marijana: Nah, the first one false. True, false.

45:55Dominka: False, true, false. That was right again. Statement 2 is the correct one. And the explanation: Flexible working hours make it possible to coordinate work better with a child's needs. The other statements are outdated: nobody can get everything done, and success is possible part-time too. And you're the living proof of that.

46:22Dominka: Yes, and with that we're sadly, sadly already done with our eighth episode. You're welcome to come back.

Marijana: Yes, I was just about to say that.

Dominka: Yes, you're welcome to come back, and next time, when you come back, we'll have a completely different topic.

46:42Marijana: Okay, then maybe some kind of Summer Edition or something.

Dominka: Summer Edition on your balcony or on your beach, right in front of your house. Okay. Maybe with a bartender, too. Could be your husband, he can do that, can't he?

Marijana: That's great.

Dominka: He makes cocktails for us, and then we see how far we get, right?

Marijana: I love it.

Dominka: I don't think we'll manage an episode with …

47:05Marijana: How can you go on vacation as a BDR?

Dominka: At Marijana's? Let's do it. Very good. I accept the invitation. Thank you so, so much for your detailed, great answers. I hope it helps someone to organize themselves a bit the way you manage to every day. And yes, I can hardly wait for you to be back full-time.

Marijana: Yes, me too. Thanks for the invitation.

Dominka: That's it.