New Year - New Plan
Well unbelievably, the New Year is already one month old; it just amazes me how fast time goes by these days. A number of people took the opportunity to make New Year’s Resolutions when the year began and, whether you want to call them resolutions or not, it is a good idea for all of us to examine what went well in the past year and what may need a little work.
This is a good time for salespeople to evaluate the past year and make changes where needed. However, the average salesperson will just go into the New Year without even thinking about the past year and, most likely, make the same mistakes that they made the previous year.
Likewise, they may not remember the things they did well. We have all heard the saying; do not re-invent the wheel. The same applies in the sales field, if something works, keep doing it, if something is not working, then change it.
That is where examining the past year comes into play. Take football coaches for example, they spend hours and hours going over game films and notes of what plays have worked in the past and which ones did not. They take the information they gather and apply it in future games and, the hope is, that it leads to victories.
The professional salesperson will take the time to review the past year and decide what worked and what did not. For example, if a particular closing technique worked for you almost every time, then it’s probably a good idea to continue using that same technique. However, if you struggled handling objections, then you will want to take the necessary steps to improve in that area. The key is to examine each aspect of your job as a professional salesperson.
Do not limit your evaluation to just the “big stuff”, take the time to review the little things as well. Remember that little things can make a huge difference, for instance, how was your time management? Do you feel like you made the most of your time or do you believe your time management could have been better? Did you take the necessary time to prepare for everyday that you worked?
It may not sound like a big deal but the ten minutes you spend learning about a new product in your store could very well lead to five additional sales. If you take the time to review the past year, then the New Year can be even better.
Here is to increased sales in 2004!
FINAO - Brad Huisken - President, IAS Training
