Sales & Sales Management Brew

 Sales success relies on many factors.  Some of which you control, some of which you cannot. What you do control are the goals you set.  As I discussed in our September newsletter - "You Are Tomorrow What You Plan For Today", you have to have an outcome in mind, you must have goals that lead you to that outcome, and you must identify metrics that help you determine your success in your pursuit of your goals.  

Lt. General Hal Moore was born in Bardstown, Kentucky.  As a young man, he  knew that he wanted to go to the U.S  Military Academy at West Point and that that dream would be difficult to achieve  based on the demographics of his hometown.  He moved to Washington DC  where he finished high school, and upon  graduation, attended Georgetown  University. As he recently told the story  while attending a dedication ceremony at  West Point, he managed to develop a  relationship with the senator from Kentucky and discovered that the senator had an appointment available to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis and would appoint Hal if he wanted to attend.  Hal somehow managed to convince the Kentucky senator to trade his appointment with the senator from Georgia who had one available for West Point.  They agreed to trade and the now Lt. General Hal Moore gained an appointment from the senator from Georgia, a state where he had never lived!

 What does this have to do with sales success?  Everything!  It doesn't matter what age you are, where you are from, or what you have chosen as your profession.  If you want to achieve something with your whole head and heart, then you will find a way over, around, under or through any obstacle that stands in your way to achieve that objective.  My point here is to help you understand that your success starts with you conceiving your success, seeing your success, believing in your success and then pursuing your success without reservation or excuses when you face obstacles.

 The practical application of this is this:

1. Imagine a time horizon more than 3 years away and complete the statement:  "My business is..."  Take time to fully describe your business.  This should be at least one page long.
2. Imagine your business a year from now and complete the statement:  "My business is..."  Take time to fully describe your business. This should be a least one page long.
3. Describe your business today.  This should be one page long.
4. Identify the gaps between where your business is and where you want it to be.  If there isn't a significant difference then this step, or any other steps for developing a sales business plan, will not apply to you.
5. Determine if the gap between where you are and where you want to be is compelling enough for you to:
   • Take action now
   • Overcome obstacles
   • Eliminate excuses
   • Invest the amount of time required 'to get there'

 Take time this week.  Away from the office, noise and interferences and work on this.  If you procrastinate now, you are 'procrastinating' the future you want your business to have.  Don't worry about getting it perfect, just get started and take action. For an awesome road-map to begin building your business plan, go to http://www.gazelles.com/ and download Verne Harnish's one page business plan.

Other Resources:

Brian Tracey on goal setting:  http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/success-through-goal-setting-part-1-of-3/

Personal Goal setting worksheet from Anthony Cole Training Group: http://www.anthonycoletraining.com/media/USB/Sales%20Tool%20Files/Your%20100%20Personal%20Goals%20Worksheet.pdf

Evan Charmichael:  5 Steps For Effective Goal Setting