For so many sales reps this time of year is known as forecast season. Looking through the ugly numbers of the 2020 sales year (which I’m sure will be remembered for many years to come) and trying to make a prediction of what juicy nuggets might be in store for us in the new year. Not an enviable position, but let’s see if we can help push hard the last half of Q4 and build some momentum going into 2021.
Here are 10 things you can do right now, today, to create a better outlook for next year:
Call up your top 5 customers and ask them what their goals are for next year. Find ways to add value - this doesn’t have to be a direct sale. If you know of someone in your network that could help, offer an introduction.
Call up 5 customers that sit at or near the bottom of your top 20% and ask them the same question.
Review your goals for 2020. There may be a large discrepancy between what you wrote down at the beginning of the year and where you’re at now. Or maybe you changed your goals when Covid began to take shape. Either way, it’s important to understand what you’ve accomplished, and I really emphasise “accomplished”. This has been a challenging year to say the least and now more than ever we need to zero in on the good things we have done.
Re-imagine your goals for 2021 in light of the “new normal”. How we interact and connect has changed dramatically and there are many studies coming out now that show that the sales landscape has changed forever. We have discovered that not all meetings need to be held in person and that relationships can be created and nurtured over a Zoom call.
Connect with your team members and re-evaluate strengths. You’re only as strong as the least-trained and experienced person on your team. Work together to learn from each other and get stronger.
Think of the thing you like least about your job. Maybe it’s cold calls, follow-ups, or doing customer research. Whatever it is, make a point of doing it first thing in the morning once you’re settled. Go hard at it and feel good that you truly moved the sticks today. Now, do this for 21 days and create the habit to go along with it!
Consider the various industries your company serves, that is, look at your customer base and understand the space(s) they play in. Now go read whitepapers, industry articles, and anything else you can get your hands on to best understand the trends you will face in the new year.
Review your personal goals and integrate them with your professional ones - your career should be the financial vehicle that gets you where you want to go. Are you still on track?
Update your competitive analysis. Our competition is always changing to meet the needs of the market, as do we. Have a look at your top competitors and find out if their offerings have changed or if they’re still in business. Without sounding like an evil comic book villain, competitors that go under present a unique opportunity to gobble up some of their customer base and aggressively expand your market share.
Spend as much time with family as you can. Some may argue that this should be at the top of the list and they’re right. If you’ve read this far, then you’re more likely to have the right mindset for this last point. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic and regardless of your views, it’s an opportunity for you to reconnect. Re-investing in family pays massive dividends as these are the ones who support you when the going gets tough, personally and professionally. Who knows what the world has in store for us or what events will transpire. This time last year we all took many things in our lives for granted that have been taken away from us now. Remind those in your circle about how much you love them, how important they are to you, and how your professional success is helped by them.
These are my #ThursdayThoughts.
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