I still have detailed sales activity reports from when I was getting started at Valpak and Elegant Living. The reporting was created to self-monitor my own activity and results.

The “calls” sheet covers my first 4 months at Valpak, over 3,000 “touches” resulting in $123,298.50 worth of signed advertising agreements.

Recording all of my activity and results helped me learn what tactics worked for me and my market, and what did not. Sorting “touch” activity by prospect name yields a “trail to the sale” view for each account won.

The sales chart below my covers my bookings signed first year at Valpak / Elegant Living. It shows 2 years worth of mailing months, as bookings signed in the first year spilled into the next year’s mailings.

In 2011, after 5 years with the company, my personal combined sales in the Valpak envelopes and Elegant Living magazines, exceeded $950,000 annually. Six…