It is amazing how much momentum can drive a salesperson’s success or lack of success.
Setting small goals you can achieve in November or December can help build your confidence.
I know there are many of you reading this right now and you say, ” Sorry, can’t do it, because I’ve still got a huge goal I need to make this year.”
If you’re in this position, go for it. But still continue to read my strategy for helping you achieve your 2012 goals.
Many of you are starting now to get a sense for what your 2012 goals are going to be. You’re seeing preliminary numbers from corporate — or you’ve been having conversations with your boss. For some of you, it looks like 2012 is going to be a tough year. Others may be saying it won’t be that difficult.
Regardless of how you feel, you need to get the year off to a fast start.
I’ve always been a firm believer in sales momentum. It’s amazing how a little bit of success can quickly snowball into even more success.
Unfortunately, the opposite can be just as true and that is exactly why I like the “4th quarter little goal strategy.”
What this entails is you decide now some small goals you know you can accomplish between now and the end of the year. Keep your other goals — don’t change any of them. But still come up with 2-3 smaller goals you know you can accomplish.
Once you’ve come up with those smaller goals, keep them in the forefront of your brain between now and the end of the year. Your objective is to not just beat these goals, but to nail them big time!
When you nail these goals, what you’re doing is creating some positive momentum in your mind. You may still be in a position of missing your annual number by a significant amount, but the key is to give you something to celebrate at year-end. If you go into year-end “down in the dumps” about your current year performance, there’s a good chance you’re going to start out the new year down in the dumps.
If, on the other hand, you finish the year having achieved some smaller goals (even if you missed your bigger number), you will start the new year with some positive momentum.
Some of you might be accusing me of playing mind-games.
Go ahead. You’re right. I am and I make no excuses for it. Sales is as much mental as it is anything else. If you’re going to make your 2012 sales goals, then don’t you think you should go into the year with as positive of an attitude as possible?
Your project for this week is to come up with 3 small goals you know you can achieve between now and the end of the year. Nail them, and nail them big.
Then take that momentum with you into the new year.
Copyright 2011, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
