Speak to any sales or motivational speaker and you are certain to hear about the importance of setting goals. Sales revenue targets make great goals because they are specific, measurable, and time-bound. However, understanding why they are important and how to implement them will determine your career success. Whether you are a sales manager setting targets for your team or self-employed, this knowledge will propel you to new heights.
Why you must set goals
Humans need goals. We easily become wayward without them. Goals bring purpose and direction to our work, making us far more effective at selling. When you get into the car, you always have a destination in mind. The goal determines which roads to take, and which streets to turn into. It would be absurd to drive without a destination.
If you don’t have a sales revenue target, set one immediately. If you already have one, set your goal a little higher to stretch your abilities and grow. Having a sense of mastery will to breathe new life into your career.1
Your goals act like a thermostat
You will never achieve any more than you set out to. In the same way a thermostat regulates temperature, your goals will determine your level of success. If you set your sales revenue goal at $500,000, that is what you will sell. Your natural goal striving mechanisms will start imagining and creating solutions to move you towards that target.2
Make sure that your personal goal surpasses what you have ever achieved before. There is no satisfaction in achieving a goal that that comes easily. If it doesn’t scare you, you’re probably aiming too low!
Review your goals daily
While only a small percentage of people set goals, an even smaller number reviews their goals daily. Imagine that you want to build a house. Would you look at the blueprint on day one and never look at them again? It’s simply impossible to build a house without regularly reviewing the plan.
Once you have set your big goal, write it down daily. Doing this will make you twice as likely to achieve it.3 Break that goal down into monthly and daily activity targets, and review these daily as well. You can use this sales pipeline calculator to work out the numbers.
Take Action!
Setting ambitious goals is critical to your success, but you must act upon and write them daily. Remember that they are the thermostat of your success – so set the temperature high and work for the rewards!
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References
1 Drive; Daniel Pink 2009
2 Psycho-Cybernetics; Maxwell Maltz 1960
3 Dominican University; Dr. Matthews 2015
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