Why are so many sales goals not achieved? The sales skills to write goals using the goal setting criteria of S.M.A.R.T. have been around for a long time and yet these goals still languish on the side of the road to business success for small business owners (SBO) to Fortune 1,000 C-Level executives.
Recently, in working through one of my own sales goals, I realized that the goal statement had evolved over time. As I worked through each obstacle, I continued to refine the sales goal statement to make it even more specific.
For example, many in sales will write a sales goal such as to earn $100,000 in sales this year. For some, this appears to be a well-constructed goal statement. When reading this statement, the goal appears to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistically set high and time driven. Yet, this goal is truly lacking specificity.
With research suggesting that 80% of all new sales comes from referrals, what would happen if you wrote your goal statement to reflect that $80,000 of your sales income will originate from referrals? Would your sales skills and the respective actions be far more focused on working with existing customers than seeking new ones?
Depending upon your industry and your business, the sales goal can be broken down into far more specific areas. Possibly, your business has not only new products, replacement parts along with some service contracts. What might happen to your sales results if you indicated that of $80,000 in new sales coming from referrals, 40% of that will be new products, 30% will be replacement parts and 30% will be service contracts?
By now, you should be getting the picture. Write your sales goals to be as specific and detailed as possible. Then use your sales skills to achieve those goals.
Read that goal each morning and make a commitment to direct your behaviors to achieving that goal. Before you leave the office or retire for the evening, revisit the sales goal and reflect upon the daily's activities. You will know very quickly whether you are on track or not on track.
Adjust your behaviors including your sales skills for the next day. By taking such actions, you will increase sales and realize those often unachieved sales goals.
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Is your business facing inconsistent or insufficient cash flow, lackluster sales to poor productivity? Maybe some exercise at the sales coaching training gym will get you to where you want to go?
