If you are a salesperson dedicated to high-profit selling, then your sales motivation is probably at the forefront of your mind on a regular basis.
You’re always on the look out for ways to accelerate it, like what we’ve covered in the 8 Ways to Increase Your Sales Motivation. In case you didn’t catch what we have covered to this point, here they are:
Eliminating negative people from your life
Celebrating your successes each day
Leveraging your best customers
Aligning with other motivated people
This brings us to number 8:
8. Be goal-oriented.
Motivated people know what it is they want and are focused on achieving their goals. Being goal oriented means being in control and this means using time effectively.
Motivated people couldn’t fathom not having goals. It’s part of their DNA. Problem is far too many people don’t have goals. This may explain why I encounter far too many people who are not motivated. You might say this is a chicken and egg question. Which comes first? The goals? Or the motivation?
Do you have goals?
Are they written using the SMART method? SMART stands for specific, measureable, achievable, related, and time-bound.
Let me explain each one. Is the goal specific? Having broad goals are nothing more than ideas. The more specific the goal, the more you can understand specifically what has to be done to achieve it.
Measurable is very self-explanatory. If you can’t measure it, then how will you know if you achieved it? You won’t!
Achievable is not an easy way out for coming up with easy goals. What it is designed to do is to prevent you from coming up with goals that are too far out of reach. Yes, I like having big goals that are tough to reach, but if it becomes virtually impossible to reach, then the goal can quickly become a de-motivator.
Relational means only that it has to fit into the even bigger picture of who you are or what you’re doing. An airplane manufacturer is not going to come with a goal to sell cars. Their goal is to sell airplanes.
Finally, the goal must be time-bound. If it is driven by a specific measure of time, then it is not a goal. Goals must have a defined start and stop point to allow people to stay focused and committed. Without a specific ending, the drive to achieve the goal will merely drag on and on and eventually you will lose momentum.
Take time to review your goals to see if they fit the SMART criteria.
If they don’t, modify them to ensure they do. If they do fit the SMART criteria, ask yourself how you’re doing in achieving them.
What do you need to be doing differently?
Is there part of the goal you need to break down further into smaller goals to allow you to achieve the bigger goal?
Your sales motivation is worth the effort, and applying the 8 Ways to Increase Your Sales Motivation is something you can begin digging into today!
Copyright 2011, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
