How to Consistently Hit Your Sales Goals with 3 Strategies Guaranteed

Last week, I was doing some research for a sales keynote I am delivering this year in San Antonio. I came across an article about sales goals, and the lack of sales professionals that consistently hit their sale goals on an annual basis.

Get ready – it’s shocking. The first report by SalesForce, shared that 67% of sales people will not hit their sales quota on an annual basis, and that number has actually increased in the last few years. So think about that for a minute. Even with all the technology and efficiency that selling virtually has created, sales professionals are not getting better at sales. In fact, most are getting worse.  

According to a study done by Objective Management Group, 74% of salespeople fail, only 20% do well, and just 6% are classified as elites. That is based on assessments of over 650,000 sales people.

So let’s face it, there is a problem out there. Okay, maybe there are a few problems out there. Something is broken in how we approach sales, and what we do to help our teams be successful.

So if you are wondering how you can consistently hit your sales goals then this article is for you.

Do Sales Goals Matter?

Yes, of course they do. Sales goals, when put together well, actually provide structure for your sales team. Goals provide clarity and help us understand where we need to focus to better serve our intended clientele.

Sales goals ensure the team is prioritizing the products and services that are of most value for the customer, and for the company from a revenue generating standpoint. Goals are also a great way to measure what is working in a sales professionals performance, and what’s not. This data helps them adjust their strategy consistently throughout the year based on the most up to date information.

So yes, sales goals matter and are very important for the overall success of the salesperson and the company. You should strive to consistently hit your sales goals!

Where Is Your Sales Process Breaking Down?

So why aren't you consistently hitting your sales goals? If sales goals matter, and they are important for everyone involved – the customer, the salesperson and the company – where exactly is the process breaking down? Why are so few sales professionals successful?

It all comes down to one thing, or one person rather – the sales leader. The sales leader has one responsibility – to help sales professionals be successful – period. When they invest in developing their sales people – their teams hit goals and the company achieves the results they set out to achieve.

If your sales team is not consistently hitting their sales goals then look to one person - your sales leader. The buck stops there.

So How Can Sales Leaders Get Their Sales Teams To Consistently Hit Their Sales Goals?

First, sales leaders need to break it down. A sales goal is so much more than a number. Goals must be clearly defined into behaviors and the right target. If you want to set your sales team up for success, you need to clearly define what success means in your organization.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Who is the right target and what qualifies that prospect?
• How many sales calls do you need your team making per day/week?
• How many of those calls are focused on existing customers and how many on new customers?
• What is your team’s follow-up strategy with existing customers and prospects?
• What marketing responsibilities do your salespeople have?
• What content or messaging is your team putting out in front of prospects on a regular basis?
• What is your well-defined, proven sales process?

Second, when you have the sales process broken down, you, as the sales leader, have what you need to determine if your team members are under performing because of a skill issue or a discipline issue. And if you want success for your team, you need to know the difference.

A skill issue means your sales team is doing their behaviors but something is off in their skill and ability. The good news is you can coach and train your team to improve their performance.

A discipline issue means the sales professional is not doing what you are asking them to do. That is an entirely different problem, and one that as a sales leader you can only fix one way.

Third, hold the team accountable. If your sales team is not performing, you need to ask yourself as the sales leader how good a job you are doing to hold your sales team accountable.

Coach those that need to improve on the skills in your proven sales process, and manage out those that refuse to do what you ask.

Sales professionals either need to be managed up or managed out.

The bottom line is to understand that an underperforming sales team is not acceptable in today’s highly competitive environment. As a sales leader, you need to address the issue head on, and help those on your team who want to be successful, and remove those that have no desire to learn, develop and improve. Here’s the good news – as a sales leader, you have what you need to help your team and your company achieve success.