The following is a list of things I believe you need to do in order to be successful in the new year:
1. Try to improve your sales effectiveness by 1% each week. This might be something as simple as sending a follow-up note to an old customer. Look for and seize the opportunites. In just one year, you will have made a 50% improvement if you continue to do each successive opportunity in the weeks the follow.
2. Throw out your bad leads and get focused. Too much time is spent by salespeople chasing leads that won’t go anywhere. Don’t fall for the latest shiny object. If the lead isn’t responding to you, then they’re just a suspect and move them to your marketing list. Don’t waste your valuable time on them.
3. Wake-up 15 minutes earlier each day. By adding 15 minutes to your work day, over the course of a year, you’ll add more than 50 extra hours. By the way, for the majority of people, the morning hours are the most productive time of the day. (My alarm goes off at 5:00 AM and I start work at 6:00 AM.)
4. Don’t accept excuses. It doesn’t matter if your sales materials aren’t the best or if your product mix isn’t quite perfect. The key to your success in 2008 lies in you truly believing in what you’re doing and having passion to serve your customers.
5. Read 15 minutes a day on the topic of sales and sales motivation. If you expect to become great, you’ve got to learn. Fill your mind with the information and ideas that will enable you to succeed.
6. Go out and do it! Don’t wait, don’t make up excuses, don’t say you’ll get to it tomorrow. In the end, it’s you!
7. Don’t associate with people who aren’t winners and have big ideas. Too much life gets sucked out of people because they hang out with negative people or those who want to pull others around them down. If you want to fly, you’re not going to hang out at the train station. Find at least one big thinker you can develop a deep relationship with this year.
8. Fire at least one of your current customers. Take a hard look at your current customers and you’ll find at least one that is taking far more of your time than they are worth. Get rid of them! Every minute you spend with costs you money. By dumping them, you will free up more time to spend on those customers and prospects which will return you greater financial rewards for each minute you spend with them.
9. Bonus tip: Subscribe to this blog and also be sure to read every article and every tip on my website. It’s full of great information to help you win in 2008.
Finally, call me or shoot me an e-mail. I want to help you achieve the level of success you’re capable of in 2008.
