Jeff Garrison

Honest Commitment to Sales Goals & Activity

Being consistently great at developing new business either as a sales person or a business owner requires that you HABITUALLY do the right things, the right way, at the right time, on a regular basis (which is usually daily or perhaps weekly). 

The Sales Habitues training program is about identifying those right things, learning to do them the right way, and consistently scheduling them at the right time.  This takes tremendous commitment because learning new sales skills and turning them into sales habits does not happen over night or in a two hour workshop.

Recently I met Brian Klemmer and I listened to him address a large audience regarding personal change and honest commitment.  Brian runs a $10 million company.  With his own staff, he emphasizes that when they make sales commitments in particular, he and other leaders will base their decisions based upon these commitments.  It doesn't work if people commit to what they think management wants to hear rather than what they are committing to doing without fail.

In fact, Brian will ask his staff what they are willing to lose or give up if they don't come through with what they have committed to doing.

This week, I was working with a sales professional on her planning.  She has a weekly objective to have a specific number of face-to-face appointments with prospects.  She confidently told me that she plans to meet with eight new prospects a week.

I asked her if she were willing to write her company's owner a $100 check that he could deposit and keep if she did not meet with eight new prospects next week.  There was an uncomfortable silence.

The point is, as sales professionals and business owners, we are often not honest, or at least not realistic, about our commitment to our goals and activity.  We can't hit our sales goals and our personal financial goals nor can we become great where we are if we are not fully and honestly committed to achieving what we say we are going to achieve.

Don't let falling short become a habit.  Don't let your company down.  Don't let yourself down.

Find a way to make honest commitments.  Find a way to put skin in the game to keep you honest.

Feel free to contact me for ideas as to how you can get more skin in the game.

Photo on flickr by eschipul

Speaking of Elevator Speeches

Perhaps the most beneficial thing about putting together a great "elevator" statement is that if done well, it will force you to really discover your relevance to your target audience.

During a Sales Habitudes workshop yesterday on personal business branding, a financial adviser shared his thoughts on the subject.  He stated that because there are many "financial advisers" around, when he is networking and states that he is a financial adviser ...

"It is like farting on an elevator."

No one wants to engage in conversation or even make eye contact.  They just want off the elevator.

In this case, we talked about two elements of a brand that has F.O.R.M., focus and relevancy. 

As it turns out, this financial adviser has a background in a small, family owned business.  He prefers to work with small business owners because he has a unique understanding regarding their needs

He also knows from his experience that small business owners by nature like a lot of control over their assets and,that non-liquidity is the same as being broke when growth opportunities come along or when business is slow.

Now, he works with small business owners (focus) to invest and grow their wealth while maintaining control and liquidity (relevance).

Of course, most people on an elevator won't care, but his target audience will be curious.  If you are a small business owner and want to know who this focused and relevant financial adviser is, contact me.

Where do you need to focus?  How can you be more relevant?

Photo on flickr by Susan NYC