When it comes to preparing for next year, regardless of the product or service we represent, we are all gated by three Universal Truths.
· We have a defined market that we sell into
· We have a quota or objective we need to hit or exceed
· We all have 24 hours a day
Just as a small-business owner must prepare for next year, a successful sales exec should also have a well-thought-out plan to achieve his or her sales quota.
How we use the hours of the day that we dedicate to business activities will ultimately determine how successful we are at achieving our annual objectives.
That is why it is critical to take the necessary time to PLAN your course of action for the upcoming year.
As you reflect on your success from this past year, or perhaps lack of success, ask yourself the following questions:
1) Which accounts would have generated more revenue if you had invested more quality time?
2) Which accounts did you spend too much time with, in light of the revenue they produced?
3) Did you lose business in certain accounts because you took your eye off the ball and a competitor ate your lunch?
4) Are there prospects in your territory that you dedicate little time to because you feel you have little chance of winning their business?
5) Think of a single thing you can do differently in the upcoming year that will improve your productivity.
6) What lessons did you learn last year that you might deploy this year to maximize your success?
7) What internal resources are available to you that will make your job easier and potentially improve your hit ratio?
8) Can you learn from other successful sales execs in your office, district or region?
These are only a few of the questions you can ask yourself as you plan for 2017. I’m sure you can come up with many others as you reflect on the year and prepare your plan.
The fact of the matter is, we all have a limited amount of time. How we make use of this time will ultimately determine our level of success.
I’ve always been a big believer in preparing an annual business plan. The plan will most likely be modified as the year progresses, but it is important to begin the year with a well-thought-out plan of attack.
In September 2012 I wrote a post on the topic of the annual business plan. You can read it here:
https://universalsalestruths.com/do-you-have-a-plan-or-are-you-hoping-to-make-your-annual-quota/
As this years winds down, take time to put a plan in place for 2017. If you have a solid plan in place, you can hit the road running in January. I guarantee you will be glad you did.
UNIVERSAL SALES TRUTH NUMBER # 4
Work your land
Proverbs 20:4
A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring
has nothing to harvest in the fall