Let’s not overcomplicate this. In sales, there are only two ways to get better results. The first is to make more sales calls. The second is to perform better on each call.  So how many prospecting calls do you make each week? And as an FYI, “It depends,” is NOT an acceptable answer. Because those that say, “It depends,” or “I am not really sure,” have lost control over their sales territory and as a result, are at the mercy of whatever voicemail and email are telling them to do. The top performer, on the other hand, sets a call objective number and let’s that number drive the workweek. If he or she wants to increase their sales by 15% or more, they realize it means they may have to make 15 more calls. They then let that number haunt them. They don’t start the weekend until they made the last call.

Another way 15% more effort can create 15% greater performance is by investing in improving your sales, communication and leadership skills. Buy a sales book, attend a seminar, seek out top performers in your company and grill them! By increasing your knowledge and skill by 15% or more, you will become 15% more valuable to your customers, your company and your future.

“If you don’t have a plan for yourself,
you’ll be part of someone else’s.”
-Unknown

We are now three weeks into 2010, which means your sales plan should be in full swing. If you haven’t made one yet, let’s give you some tips to makes sure you are on the right track. In order to make your plan work, you need two components. The first is a Strategic Objective that includes the larger goals you want to accomplish. Those goals might include becoming your company’s top sales performer. Another might be to grow your business by 20%. Whatever those Strategic Objectives are, it is important that you match them up with a very specific Tactical Plan. These are the smaller milestones that will help you get to your larger objectives. If you are in sales, you need to do the following:

1.    Determine exactly how much product you need to sell each week
2.    Determine how many live sales presentations you need to deliver each week to reach that sales goal.
3.    Determine exactly how many prospecting calls each day it will take to reach the sales presentation goal

For example, if you need to sell 5 of your focus products each week to reach your yearly goal, you may have to present to 10 prospects each week. To get those 10 presentations, you may need to prospect with 20 new potential clients. Which means you need to make 4 prospecting calls each day. Once you have that number in your plan each day, let it HAUNT you! Don’t end the day until you reach that Tactical Objective.  By breaking down your plan to a measurable daily number, you will have created a plan that sets the course to making you your company’s top sales performer. See you at the TOP!

Several years ago after delivering a sales seminar, an attendee approached me with a stoic look on his face. He said he enjoyed the session but he felt I was a bit too “animated” in my delivery of the content. He said he felt like the humorous anecdotes, video clips and interactive exercises were a bit “over-the-top.” As I sat at my office desk the next day, preparing for my next seminar, I began thinking about what the man had said. I thought, “Maybe he was right. Maybe I should ‘tone it down’ a bit. Maybe I should be more “professional.” I immediately began pulling stories, video and audio clips from my presentation and retooled my delivery.

The next week as I delivered the more “professional” and watered down version of the same presentation, something was different. The audience didn’t seem as engaged. I couldn’t connect and as a result, they weren’t learning. Then I realized why…because that wasn’t me up there talking. In trying to be something I wasn’t, the audience couldn’t get to know me. I wasn’t having fun so they weren’t having fun. My “soul’s desire” was to help these people sell more product than at any point in their career but they couldn’t see that because they couldn’t see “my nature.” They were seeing some guy faking somebody else’s nature. After being saved by a coffee break, I quickly gave that lame presentation the extreme makeover it needed. By injecting “me” back into it, I began having a blast again. My posture changed, the audience engaged, and we went on to have a great day.

So what’s the message? Be authentic! Be You! Don’t be what you think other people want you to be. Are there imperfections in being YOU? Absolutely! But who cares? Because by giving everybody around you more access to those imperfections, you will also give them access to the “perfections” that make you so amazing.