For us salespeople, the New Year is a perfect time to hit reset. Everything is new! Potential clients have new budgets, current clients bring new opportunities, your own business has new goals. And you’ve got a clean slate. There’s only one “new year” per year…so let’s do this one right!
So we pledge to dial it up: more calls, more prospecting, more proposals. But is it really that mundane? Is that all there is? If so, why didn’t we just do it last year? Don’t kid yourself…you know how many people you should call on each day. You know how much prospecting you need to do, how many proposals you should make. Blah, blah, blah. You either do it or you don’t.
What you need to understand is “WHY”.
If you’re looking for a fresh start for a new day, here are three ways you can get it on purpose, and for a reason.
Know who you are working for.
Did you reach your goal last year? Crack your nut? Gonna hit numbers this quarter? Who cares? Well, the boss does, and that’s important. But do you? No. You don’t want numbers…you want what the numbers bring. You want real achievement, respect, opportunity. You want to impact your community, your family, maybe the world.
What does success look like to you? THAT is your goal. THAT is what you’re working for. THAT is why you swing your feet out of bed in the morning. Focus on THAT and put a picture of it on your desk to look at everyday.
Sign your name to each day.
I’m stealing a phrase from a Casting Crowns song…but it’s the best advice I can give.
God gives you each day, so make it count. Do the work. Of course, that includes prospecting, calls and proposals, but it’s more than that. Doing the work isn’t just done at work. Do the work at home, in your community, in your church. Keep your promises, honor your commitments, be who you profess to be.
That’s not easy when the boss wants numbers! But when you have to sign your name to your whole day, sales activity is the easy part!
Challenge yourself.
No….not to do more calls, more proposals, or more prospecting. That’s obvious. I mean push yourself in other ways, ways that fire your passion for life. Sign up for a chess or golf league, and play to win. Sign up to run a marathon and train to finish. Bust out of your comfort zone and commit to counseling, yoga, or something that requires real focus, and real effort, and real determination. Your focus will improve. Your drive will gear up. Your zest for success will skyrocket.
What you do to sell what you sell is important. Why you sell makes the difference.