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Do you have a quota? Most sales people do. But I’m going to tell you something today that would probably cause your sales manager – if you have one – want to shoot me. If you have a quota – forget about it. Why do that? Well, a quota is a goal that belongs to someone else – not you. And when you are working for someone else’s goals you will find it difficult, un-motivating and eventually leading to burn out. Your goals have to be your own or you will find it difficult to reach them. Period. So here’s what I want you to do: after you completely purge your mind of all the dollar targets, call numbers, appointment counts and anything else that some well meaning – or some not-so-well-meaning – manager or boss (or spouse) has bestowed or otherwise perpetrated on you, get out a blank sheet of paper and write down the categories of things that you think are important that build to success in your sales process. Then set your own goal for each of those things. What do you believe in? What do you think you can achieve between now and the end of the month or the quarter or the year? What do you think will produce the money you want to make so you can have the house and the car and the vacation that you want to have? Make it all your own and don’t let anyone else’s expectations influence what you believe you can achieve. Now after you’ve done that you will either be above or below the quotas and expectations that you think determine your job security. Well if you end up setting goals above those expectations – I won’t be surprised. Good job and get after it. But if your numbers come out below somebody else’s – then think about this: First, I bet that if you make significant and visible progress toward those ideals that you’ve been saddled with – you won’t have anything to worry about. What I have seen in most organizations is that call numbers, quota dollars, clubs and all of that are mostly intended to get the sales force moving and they aren’t really do or die numbers…no matter what they say. They are unlikely to invest all that is invested in you and just when you are moving, pull the rug out from under you and start all over with a rookie that doesn’t know half of what you do about the company and the market and the product. But let’s say you don’t believe me or you really do work for a tyrant that enjoys chopping heads off. Well, set your own goals anyway and even if they are below the standards I promise you this: you are more likely to make and believe in accomplishing someone else’s standards if you are moving toward them on the way to your own goals and standards than if you are desperately operating from fear and uncertainty as you fumble toward theirs. Set your own goals. It’s your career, your effort, your money and your life. Own it.
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