Next Step - Blogs

7 Things to do to Achieve your Sales Targets in 2012 by Joan Wallner

posted: 01/18/2012

I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard. Quoted by Estée Lauder

It is the beginning of the year and a time of resolution and goal setting. We typically place a special significance to the beginning of the year, a clean slate to work on improving our future. However, these tips are useful throughout the entire year-perhaps as a checklist to use quarterly as you plot your course and actions towards a successful selling cycle.

Having been engaged in helping companies take the Next Step-we know that without a plan of action, we won't be leading anyone, anywhere. Being proactive is perhaps one of the best attributes towards propelling companies and individuals towards success.

The tips below can help to set a proactive tone for your organization. They apply equally well for a sales person or employee needing to sell themselves, leader or not, regardless of role. When you take these actions you will gain a new perspective, a new focus, and will move towards your sales goals with greater conviction and energy.

1) Character
Great professionals are ethical and honest. They don't tell a client or colleague what he or she wants to hear, it's what they need to hear. Leaders with character tend to hire employees with character, who in turn work with customers of the same caliber. If you do this, you will build rapport, which leads to a relationship, which leads to the most sacred attributes of sales and marketing: TRUST.

2) Have a Plan
Set aside time, every year, to create an annual plan. Begin by creating a series of annual sales or other area goals. What specifically do you want to accomplish this year in your job? Come up with no more the five specific goals for sales people. These typically would include total sales volume in dollars, how many new customers you want to acquire and which existing customers are key to your success. These sales goals will be the foundation of your PLAN.

Next Step: Create a monthly plan that would include more details on how you will achieve those specific goals. For instance, if you said you wanted to sell $1million worth of product this year, how much do you have to sell each month to achieve this goal? Each of your annual goals should have a monthly component. Another example, rank your customers and prospects according to priority based on potential. Create a plan on when to contact these high priority customers.

Next Step: Schedule your time by laying out a plan for each DAY of the next 30 days. Where will you plan to be, and who will you plan to see? For example, prioritize based on your highest potential customers and prospects, fill in the non priority calls around that. Make adjustments to your plan based on what actually happened. Each week, spend time preparing for the upcoming one. Lastly, plan for each sales call and what you need to accomplish. Narrow your outcomes and work towards closing in on that outcome.

Creating a PLAN is not a simple task-but requires commitment and deep thought. It is suggested that you spend a day or two working to create this and once it is completed, you will have a powerful tool that can assist in making good decisions consistently-which builds on your success.

3) Persistence and Focus
"If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will." Bob Hooey

Everyone has competition in sales, career and for resources, so being smart at how you contact customers and prospects is important. Don't give them a reason to look around by asking them for information you should already know. Spend the majority of your time, energy and resources preparing for these daily contacts. If you feel like you're spinning your wheels, ask yourself, "Am I doing what is truly important?"

4) Build Authentic Relationships Through Humor
Humor has been scientifically proven to relieve stress, motivate, and improve relationships. The use of GOOD humor relaxes people; in that state, they become more open. A tense or uncomfortable person is far less able or willing to have a good discussion with you that leads to progress. Authentically making someone feel less stressed, especially when in tight negotiations, most often will lead to closing a sale. Try not to take yourself and selling too seriously.

Of course common sense is a prerequisite for using humor successfully. Avoid any attempt at political, sexual, or religious humor. Refrain from making off -color or derogatory remarks about others.

5) Manage Your Stress
The field of sales can be stressful and if you don't manage stress it can negatively affect your results and prevent you from increasing your sales, even growing your business. In your annual plan, remember to incorporate time off for yourself to recharge-whether it be through exercise, downtime or vacations. Surround yourself with positive people, limit your exposure to negative stories and be proactive in balancing your life.

6) Honor the Perspectives of your Team, Customers and Prospects
"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect." William Clement Stone

Let's face it-we all like to be acknowledged for who we are and what we know. Although not everyone will always agree with us-we still value being able to contribute. Sales are about relationship building and that is done through listening. Be cognizant of your words and actions at all times. Consider the perspectives of others and explain, with respect, how an idea another person has might not be the best for the situation. Take the time to 'spend time' --the pay off will be tremendous.

7) Decide What you Need TO Learn
As a leader who wants to improve and grow to help others create better results, you must be on a path of learning. More specifically, you must be intentional about your learning path. Investing the time to determine what you need and/or want to learn is an important step. Once you have taken this important step of deciding, then you can build a plan to help you achieve those learning objectives.