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This weeks
Article....
How to get more in
2009
Setting goals in
the right areas is the
key
So
it's December and the year is almost
over. The manager and top brass are
talking about 2009 and the numbers that
have to be met. Add to that the economic
issues and the challenges that come with
them.
Yep, they want even
more from you than last year and you set
records!
How are you going to
continue exceeding your last year's
performance with all the
challenges?
Perhaps the answer can
be found with coaching advice for
managers and leaders!
What tools and focus can they be applying
to help the sales force exceed their current
levels. ….
So
what is different about the standard goal
setting and what this article is
about?
Having lunch with a new
sales manger we discussed how to get his
sales team to the next level. Yes they
had been setting sales goals and
discussed them on a regular basis. But
the results were pretty much the same as
last year.
Then I asked Shawn what
he would like to see, if he could, from
each individual salesperson that could
change their
performance.
The first had a
challenge in generating new business. He
tended to work with existing clients
well, but just never brought in brand new
business he had dug up
himself.
"If he could bring in 5 new potential
projects each week his sales would double,
maybe even triple. But it's an exception if he
has 2 in any given week. " stated
Shawn.
The next salesperson
was great with people and had lots of
connections. He generally had the most
new projects, sometimes more than the
rest of the entire
group.
Shawn continued, "The challenge is he
seems to have a challenge getting them closed
in a timely manner."
We
continued to go through each salesperson
on the team and isolate the one area that
would help them exceed their past
performance.
Now the issue is not to fix all their
faults, rather to have goals that maximize
their strengths. Yet there is usually one area
that can be critical to the salespersons
success that is going to take some effort to
address.
If
you have identified such an area that
could be very critical to your success,
what is your plan to address
it?
This is the same
question I ask Shawn. His response was,
"Please tell me how!"
"The first thing is not
to set the same goals for everyone or
focus on the same thing, such as sales
volume. Rather what is it that could
develop another area of ability for
them?
Too many times managers tend to focus on
the volume and profit areas only and end up the
similar results the next year." Was my
response.
"Let's take our first
salesman that is challenged in bringing
in new accounts. What if you had a good
heart to heart with him about that
issue?
Find out what causes him to avoid that
area and get specific. Then, together create a
plan to bring in 3 a week and build it up to 5
a week by midyear. " I
suggested.
"So what might be the
action plan for him?" asked
Shawn.
"What if he agreed to
make one new or cold call each day? No
expectations other than the action of
making the call each day. Each week you
review the calls with him and discuss the
success and challenges. If he does this,
what might happen the first quarter?" I
asked.
With an attitude of new
awareness, Shawn answered, "His
confidence would grow and he would have
to find some new business out of all the
calls. It would cause him to either get
out of sales or grow stronger in his
ability. Just exactly what I
want!"
For you reading this,
can you relate and what results would
such a goal and approach do for
you?
"As to the second
salesperson, I see him as a High I on the
DISC. One challenge for this profile is
also their strength. The relationship is
the most important issue for them. They
value the relationship so much they may
avoid "closing" or collecting because
they fear the loss or damaging the
relationship. It's more important than
their check!"
"I
would suggest a good discussion about
what makes strong relationships and that
"conflict" makes them stronger. Then set
a goal for them to always push themselves
past the comfort zone with each sales
call. Not a big push, but enough to
challenge them and discover it adds to
the relationship." I
suggested.
Reader, if this applies
to you or others in your sales team, what
might result if you made this your
goal?
Shawn was jotting down
notes and nodding with approval. "This is
what I needed. The owner says get more
sales, gives me the numbers but it is up
to me to make it happen though my team.
This is focusing on what causes the
sales, not the sales themselves. This is
different than what others have told
me."
"That's right; we are
focusing on the actions and behaviors
that create the sales, not just the
numbers. Now you're building your people
one at a time and being a leader. What
would happen if your salespeople started
setting these types of goals themselves?"
I asked.
"My job would be a lot
easier with the team being far more
productive!" exclaimed
Shawn.
Now for the readers,
why wait for your manager to bring this
up? What if you examined your performance
and determined one area that is
challenging yet could make a significant
difference in your results? What if you
set up an action plan and goal to address
it in 2009 and then got your manager to
help you?
Food for thought? It
really is up to you to determine your
success level. Others can help, support,
advise and direct, but most importantly
help hold you
accountable!
To
make 2009 the most effective and
productive year for you, be honest with
yourself and tackle one of your personal
barriers this year!
Till next
week!
Be all you can
be!
Harlan
Goerger
©
Harlan Goerger 12/2008
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