| What Are Goals? | | | | fifty thousand dollars per year. This becomes |
| They aren't your dreams or wants, the ultimate | | | | your intermediate goal. How many new accounts |
| rewards for your hard work. No, goals are where | | | | will you have to open in order to meet that |
| the rubber meets the road; they are the maps of | | | | figure? If you know, write it down. If you don't, |
| the terrain, the way to use your work to get to | | | | find someone who does, or make your best |
| the things you really want. They're a bridge | | | | estimate. Every industry and territory are a bit |
| between the present and the future. For that | | | | different, but the chances are good that you or |
| reason, I like to take a bit of a different approach | | | | your sales manager has calculated the average |
| to goals. Rather than think about what it is you | | | | value of each of your accounts (which is helpful |
| want to do, or are expected by your sales | | | | information for you to know anyway), so you |
| manager to do, I'd encourage you to work | | | | can use that to get pretty close to an exact |
| backwards. That is, start with those dreams you | | | | figure. From there, you just have to figure out |
| thought so much about, and are working so hard | | | | how many calls, letters, appointments, or other |
| to nurture. Whether it's a quiet place in the | | | | activities you're going to have to generate to find |
| country, a portfolio stuffed with blue chip | | | | those new clients. For instance, let's say that you |
| investments, or that luxury car, picture the thing | | | | sell industrial equipment and supplies, and that your |
| you've set your heart on having. What will it take | | | | average new client nets you $2,500 in |
| for you to reach your dream? More specifically, | | | | commissions. Certainly, you'll have bigger orders |
| how much money will you need to earn, and how | | | | and smaller ones, but you've calculated that most |
| soon? These figures, transformed into meaningful | | | | of them will come in somewhere around that |
| targets, are a big part of the process, so if you | | | | number. From that basis, you can infer that you'll |
| don't know, find out. Search online, talk to a | | | | need to find twenty new customers - about one |
| salesperson, visit a dealer - do whatever you | | | | every two and a half weeks - if you're going to |
| have to do to find out what you're really going to | | | | meet your goals. If you know that you need to |
| need. Once you have, write that number at the | | | | call on five prospects to get one appointment, |
| top of a piece of paper. This is going to be the | | | | and that for each five you meet, you'll typically |
| dollar amount that you need to raise in order to | | | | close one into new business, then you can say |
| reach your dream. Whether it's ten dollars, ten | | | | with confidence that you're going to have to |
| thousand, or ten million isn't the point; knowing | | | | make five hundred calls (since it takes |
| what you're aiming for is. It's important to point | | | | twenty-five to find a new client) in order to reach |
| out that right now isn't the time to be reasonable. | | | | your goal. Could you make ten calls a week to |
| If your ultimate dream is to buy Private Island | | | | achieve your greatest dream? Would you make |
| that costs fifteen million dollars, and that's what | | | | twenty, or even fifty? |
| you really want out of life, then write it down. | | | | Are They Truly Motivational Goals? |
| What Are Motivational Goals? | | | | If you wouldn't, then one of two things is |
| A good motivational goal is any one that drives | | | | probably happening. In the first case, you might |
| you forward, so now is no time to censor your | | | | just not be cut out for sales. This is a field where |
| wishes. Next, attach a time line to your goal. | | | | the truly self-driven succeed, and if the idea of |
| Decide how long you think it should take you to | | | | having what you want most in life won't compel |
| reach. This is an area where common sense | | | | you to find new business, then there probably isn't |
| should come into play. If you're deeply in debt, | | | | anything that will. That being said, it's more likely |
| then buying a Ferrari next week is probably going | | | | you just haven't found whatever it is that you |
| to be next to impossible. On the other hand, | | | | really want yet. For whatever reason, either |
| never set your dreams so far out that it feels | | | | because you haven't thought about it long enough, |
| like you're never going to reach them. A dream | | | | or you're afraid to admit to yourself what you |
| that's too far into the future isn't all that | | | | really desire, you've just failed to hit on your true |
| motivating; you need something that's going to | | | | motivator. Once people find their passion in life, |
| compel you to work today. This is where the | | | | and the way to get to it, they tend to be |
| working backwards part comes into play. Take | | | | relentless in their pursuit. So, if your dream |
| that dream, and the price tag you attached to it, | | | | doesn't give you the urge to sell, it's probably just |
| and divide by the number of years or months | | | | not the right one for you. Remember, your goals |
| you want to reach it in. As an example, your | | | | are just going to be daily, weekly, and quarterly |
| dream might be a beach house that costs half a | | | | targets that carry you to your dream - make |
| million dollars, and you'd like to buy it within ten | | | | sure they're leading you somewhere you actually |
| years. You now know that you need to save | | | | want to go. |