Create sales goals that lead to bigger success
So it’s the 1 of January and you probably spent yesterday reflecting on the previous 365 days since you set your 2018 goals. However, I want to ask:
- Are you happy with what you achieved?
- Do you think you could have done a lot better?
- Did you set the right goals during the year?
Now whether you achieved your goals for the year or not is pretty much irrelevant as today is the day when you you need to set your goals for the New Year. The goals you set today will define the year to come so creating the right goals is probably THE most important thing you will do all year.
But why should you create great goals?
Well if you don’t know your destination then it will be pretty difficult to work out how to get there. It’s a bit like 
handing someone an invitation to an event, but not telling them the date, time, location and most importantly what’s in it for them when they get there.
The other really important point to make is around time. Goals focus the mind on the end result and therefore helps you concentrate on the tasks you need to do in order to achieve the goal. If your goal is not real and clearly defined then you will waste a lot of time doing stuff that will never get you any nearer your goal and the success you crave.
Simply put, if you don’t create even one tiny goal, then succeeding in anyway will just not happen.
“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline” Harvey Mackay”
My Five Golden Rules for Successful Goal Setting
Now a goal to increase sales is no different to a goal to get fit. The only difference is the end result. So the process to create the goal is exactly the same whether you want to lose weight or make money.
Rule 1 – Ensure they are motivational
If you want to increase your sales this year then think about the why. Think about what is motivating you to generate increase revenues and profits. Whether it is more time with family, new car/home, holiday in the sun, or even just an increased level of personal satisfaction, defining why you want to set a goal is incredibly important to achieving it.
Rule 2 – Make them SMART
- S = Specific
- M = Measurable
- A = Achievable
- R = Relevant
- T = Timely
Rule 3 – Have more than one
One big goal can be a very scary prospect to achieve, so a variety of goals is always a good idea. Breaking them down into bite sized chunks helps too, but must always be part of the bigger goal. From a sales perspective, creating goals with different timelines is a great way of working your way towards the big picture, whilst keeping you motivated.
Rule 4 – Visualize your goals
Whether it is a picture on the wall of your dream holiday destination, or a fully documented sales and marketing plan, making your goals highly visible will really help to achieve them.
Rule 5 – Take action
It is good to plan and prepare what your goals are and how you will achieve them, but unless you actually take action then you will never move even a millimeter towards achieving it. Be the person who plays a good game as well as the one that talks it.
When you follow these 5 simple rules, you will vastly increase your chances of achieving the goals you set at the beginning of the year. However, don’t panic if you fail to hit the occasional goal on the way. Just go back to your plan and tweak it.
Sometimes life will hit us with a curve ball, and if it does don’t rush to change the goal. You might only need to change the route you are taking to get to your goal, not the goal itself.
If you are struggling to hit your targets, then contact me for a FREE sales accelerator call. I’ve helped a lot of sales people create better sales goals to help them achieve greater sales success. I know I can do the same for you.
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Meh. Definitely. Probably not. (in that order)
I’m pretty good at ‘planning’, breaking big plans down into smaller and smaller chunks. My follow-through needs work, though.
I think we can all be a little guilty of that LuAnn. To keep on top of the follow through, just make sure you have an end date and review them on a regular basis. Just remember to think SMART. Do let me know how you get on!
Susan, I love this post. It’s perfect for the new year:-) I do all of these things. The other thing I do is create affirmations for each goal and review them daily.
Thank you Tandy. That is a great idea to combine your affirmations with reviewing your goals on a daily basis, which I will use myself going forward. Good luck with your goals for the year! 🙂
Susan, this is a great system. As a stress management expert, I teach from a somewhat different angle. So you may find my New Year’s articles somewhat rebellious. However, I do teach that goals need to be specific, measurable, and believable to the backbrain. Also, having daily reminders/affirmations is really important. Thanks for a wonderful New Year post.
Thank you for your kind words Kebba. It’s simply a part of sales process that we just need to implement and sustain. I look forward to your take on it in your blog!
Thank you for this post. I definitely need to bookmark this and reflect more on this as I evaluate my two separate businesses and my goals for them this year.
Thanks K. I do hope you continue to find it useful through out the year as your businesses develop! Good Luck!
hi Susan,
Its meaning ful to break then into bit and pieces of dream goals as like set small target will reach big life time dream goals.
Exactly. Thanks Ram!
It really does help stay motivated to have goals. I especially liked the tip on breaking them down. I check on them once every 2 weeks to make sure I’m still on track. Thank you so much for the post.
Richard Benchimol
Leeds Indeed-www.leadsindeed.com
Thanks Richard. I am so glad you liked the post. You have made an excellent point about checking where you are against your goals. Very important and something all the top sales people do regularly.
I like the idea of breaking your goals down into smaller goals. I often find that I create huge goals, then become completely overwhelmed and intimidated by them. Smaller goals that add up to the bigger goal enables you to achieve lots of wins along the way, and prevents fear and overwhelm getting in the way
Yes you are so right about smaller goals reducing the feeling of overwhelm. Also it is great knowing you have achieved your smaller goals as you get nearer and nearer your bigger one.