Jill Konrath

I want to get you thinking today, so here’s my question:

If research showed that sales was 100% a learned skill, how would that impact your perception of your own success – or lack of it – today?

I know that sounds strange to ask, but bear with me. If it was true, how would it impact how you reacted to a competitive loss or when your prospect decided to not do anything?

• Would you be more curious in terms of where you blew it or what went wrong?
• Would you look at your own culpability in losing the deal?
• Would you have tried to figure out a better way to help your prospects see the value of changing from the status quo?

With the year-end push behind him, Matt wasn’t looking forward to rebuilding his pipeline. Yet he knew that his boss would be on him to “pound the phones” as soon as he got into the office.

More, more. Faster, faster. Close, close. It was an endless cycle that sometimes made him question why he stayed in this profession.

At least the traffic was light as he drove into work. Perhaps it was a positive omen, something he desperately needed after that weird dream that had been haunting him for days.

He decided to treat himself to a latte at Starbucks before starting his prospecting marathon. On entering, he saw Danielle, the team’s perennial superstar, tucked away in a corner table. She made selling look easy.

And, he realized with a start, she’d been a key player in that dream. Maybe she’d have some insights into it’s meaning.

It‘s time for more straight talk today on goal setting. So let me ask you this: What IS your quota this year? How about your revenue goal? I‘ll bet it hasn‘t gone down.

Performance-Based Goals

Can be motivating – if you have the skills to achieve them.

In sales we‘re usually dealing with performance-based goals like, achieving 120% of quota or earning $200,000. Sometimes these types of goals can be extraordinarily motivating – especially if you‘re confident that you have the knowledge and skills to achieve them.

You know, everyone wants to achieve their goals, and everyone expects that they will.

But let’s be honest here: Typically about 50 % of salespeople fail to meet their sales quota. And as for you entrepreneurs, I’d suspect that an equal percentage aren’t bringing in the revenue you’d like.

So why do we so often fall short of reaching our sales goals and what can we do to change this?

It’s that time of year again when we all have a fresh start. And, everyone’s talking about goal setting – which is why I thought I’d chip in with a series of videos about what it takes to achieve them.

Right now, you might be thinking about how much money you’d like to earn. Or, you may even be staring at a comp plan that looks incredibly challenging to achieve.

But what no one talks about is one factor that can be a total game changer.

At the end of each year, I always take a look back to see what content really resonated with my readers.

Here's a summary of the most viewed and commented on blog posts in 2014. Enjoy!

I first met Mary, my husband's youngest sister, shortly after we started dating. She was the first person I'd ever known with Down Syndrome. To me, she looked funny, she talked funny and she chewed with her mouth open. It made me uncomfortable.

Back then, kids like her weren't mainstreamed. They didn't exist. And I had no experience dealing with this human imperfection. So I kept my distance, not wanting to interact with this flawed individual. But Mary wouldn't let me do that. She refused to give up on me. And her charm worked as she wormed her way into my heart.

Recently, while speaking at the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals, I had a chance to chat with Andy Paul, author of the new book, Amp Up Your Sales.

We spent a lot of time talking about what salespeople need to do to succeed with today's busy, savvy buyers. Keep on reading to find out what we talked about. Also, click here to download a preview chapter.

Enjoy the conversation ....

This is one topic I never thought I'd write about. For many years, I wasn't at all grateful. I was too busy busting my butt, trying to make my own success at the same time I was raising an active, growing family.

I never gave even one little thought to the people who made it possible. Nor did I stop to appreciate the beauty of nature, the fortuitous life I was born into or how good a cup of coffee could really taste.

Then, a few years back, I had a couple of terrible years. Both personally and professionally. You might say it was a disaster.

Have you ever tried to figure out what might go wrong before a meeting? That might be one of the smartest things you could do to win more sales.

Rather than waiting till the end to find out that you lost – and why – you can think about it way ahead of time when you can still make a difference.

When I think about all the business I've lost over the years, 3 main themes come to mind.