Drive Your Sales Productivity
I’m going to lie to you and tell you the following conversation between a sales manager and sales professional never happened.
Sales Manager: “So, let’s talk about your goals. What are you hoping to accomplish today? And remember my policy—be totally honest. Just tell me what you’re actually planning.”
Salesperson: “Okay. In that case, I’m planning on a strategy of hope against hope that an all-cash buyer walks through my door in the next 30 minutes.”
Sales Manager: “Perhaps my ‘be totally honest’ policy needs some clarification.”
Salesperson: “And what are you hoping to accomplish today?”
Sales Manager: “Spending time in the field as an excuse to hide from the boss.”
Salesperson: “Gotta hand it to you—that’s totally honest!”
Truth be told, this is a conversation I’ve heard far too often. Perhaps you even remember a similar discussion you had in your career.
A solid commitment will be required to get the most out of your new perspective on the market. It’s up to you to drive YOUR sales productivity.
I can think of no more important aspect of success in a tougher market than a dedication to a strong sense of goal clarity. Clear achievement goals are critical to success in any market, to be sure, but challenging times have a way of sucking you into the negative atmosphere surrounding the sales office.
If you don’t have a high degree of goal clarity in a tougher market, you will likely be unwittingly playing the victim role.
Goal clarity gives you purpose and direction every day. It provides a positive counterbalance to the negative influences that often take hold in a challenging market.
Goal clarity focuses you. It reminds you that there is a bigger picture and that you have more control over your own success than you’re often led to believe. Goals anchor you by providing a compass direction— you know where you’re headed despite the blowing of the sales office winds.
And yet, goal setting remains a mystery to so many sales professionals. In my career, I’ve met relatively few new home sales professionals who can show me their written goals or even describe their goals in abstract terms.
A tougher market might provide further motivation to rethink your goal-setting approach.
In my new book Tougher Market New Home Sales, I share ideas about “playing perfect” from the great John Wooden.
He reminds us we can’t always control the scoreboard, but we can always control our efforts. You can always choose to play perfectly! You can’t always land a sale, but you can always do the things you need to do to land a sale.
In changing people’s worlds, we must be clear on our goals to help others gain clarity on theirs!
