Is this the Year You’ll Actually Do It?
Sales Pro Jeff Goldberg offers helpful tips on goal setting for 2009:
Okay…the holidays are upon us and it will be New Year’s in just a few short weeks. There are two topics I think are important at this time of year.
First – Don’t stop selling now! Many of you have heard me advise you to not do what the typical salesperson does. The reason is clear – if you do what the typical salesperson does you will be thought of as a typical salesperson by your prospects and customers and you will achieve typical results. This is the time of year the typical salesperson sits back and relaxes. They say things like, “Hey, it’s the holidays. No one wants to meet or do business now. I’ll start of the year with a bang.” While it’s true that some prospects might not want to meet with you from now until the end of the year it’s also true that there are some companies that will still meet with you and do business. In fact, historically, I’ve closed some of the largest deals of my career the week between Christmas and New Year’s. If you can’t close any business right now you can at least be setting appointments for the first week in January. If you don’t, you’ll be starting over January 2nd and it will take between two and four weeks to rebuild your pipeline. DO IT NOW!
Second – It’s time to set your goals for 2009. OMG, I can hear you groaning all the way from wherever you are to here in Long Beach, NY. Like it nor not, the most successful people know that one of the secrets to having what you want and achieving your desires is having clearly defined, written out goals.
So, here are my tips for goal setting 2009:
1) Goals MUST be attainable but should be a reach. We would all like to be able to say, “I did it!” You could set easily achievable goals, like “I’ll wake up each morning and brush my teeth,” and you’ll most likely achieve them. But it didn’t push you or cause you to do anything different than you already do. Your goals should make you push yourself. They should be strong enough that you’ll want to do whatever it takes to reach them but they must be possible. If one of your goals is to fly like a bird that’s all well and good but it’s unlikely you’ll achieve that without a quantum breakthrough in the technology of humans flying. I’ll use a monetary example since most of us can relate to wanting to have more money. Let’s say you earned $85,000.00 in 2008. Nice going! You might want to earn $2,000,000.00 in 2009 (and it’s POSSIBLE) but it’s unlikely if you earned 85k in 2008 and haven’t changed jobs or added an additional of earning money. Perhaps a good goal for you would be, “I will earn $110,000.00 by December 21, 2009.” It’s a reach but do-able. Remember, if your goal doesn’t get you excited to get out of bed each morning, it’s probably not a good goal for you.
2) Goals MUST be written down. If it’s not written down it isn’t real. I suggest you take several hours (not during prime selling time) to consider what your goals are for 2009 and write them down. I’ve posted a FREE worksheet on my website. Go to www.jgsalespro.com/resources.htm and at the bottom of the page is a link to a goal setting worksheet. It says Goals 2008 at the top of the page but you can change that to Goals 2009. (Sorry, my web guy is WAY too busy right now to make the change!) While you’re on my website, please go to the home page and sign up for my free monthly newsletter! After you finalize your goals you should condense them to one page and post it somewhere you’ll see them first thing in the morning (so you can focus your attention on them to get the day started) and last thing at night. (so you can focus on them subconsciously while sleeping) I recommend posting them next to your mirror where you brush your teeth. Read them AT LEAST twice a day.
3) Goals must be crystal-clear and colorful. When you are writing out your goals, the clearer and more colorful you can be in describing them the greater the likelihood of you achieving them. “I want to have a Porsche,” is a nice goal but a better example would be, “I’ll own a 2009 black, Lamborghini with saddle leather interior and premium sound system by June 15, 2009.” The second example is much more likely to be realized. The universe responds to specific requests and you can focus more readily on a clear picture of what you’re committed to.
4) You actually have to do it. I could give you many more suggestions on goal setting and how to achieve your goals (I’ve written a book on the subject) but all of them are useless unless you begin by doing the above. How many times have you heard the advice I’ve given you here? You know the above “rules” for goal setting are true but have you actually done it?
Will you do it this year? Will you say, “Jeff’s right, I should really write down my goals this year. I know I should.” But when December 31, 2009 rolls around will you be looking at your list of goals and checking off all those that you accomplished or will you be moaning and telling yourself, “I’ll do it next week.” (next month, next year)
Pull out your calendar right now and schedule an hour or two for yourself to set your goals for 2009. In reviewing my goals for 2008 I’ve achieved many, came close on some and not-so-close on others but I know that I wouldn’t have done nearly as well if I hadn’t written them out at the end of 2007 and focused on them each and every day.
I’m wishing you and all those you care about the Happiest of Holidays & a Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
Make It Happen,
Jeff
