Planning to Realize Your Goals

Recently, I wrote about about creating specific, compelling goals that pull you towards what you want in your business, career and life.

It is important to have a goal written down, and it is equally as important to the write down the reasons why you want that specific goal. The drive to accomplish your goal is in the reasons why you want it.

With a specific goal in mind you have your target, and by being conscious of your reasons, you will maintain the drive to accomplish it. The final thing you need is a plan.

Some people are natural planners. They are able to look out over time into the future and visualize the actions and events that need to happen in order to get what they want.

For some of us though, this doesn't come as easily. We like to fly by the seat of our pants, or "wing it" as they say.

Generally, people who like to wing it are not as comfortable dealing in the realm of details and specifics. They are classic "big picture" people. They like concepts and ideas, and are good at creating vision and setting strategy, which makes for a good leadership.

While big picture thinking will direct us toward our target, the achievement of a goal actually happens in the details. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Think about that tire for a moment. The goal of a tire is the purpose for which it will be used. Does the tire handle best on snow and ice, or would it be better used as a formula one racing slick? Stating that you are going to create the best snow and ice tire is not enough to make it happen. The design of a tire starts as a big picture strategy decision, and ends with the specific details of the precise rubber compounds to mix and the depth and design of the tread mold.

To be good in sales, you have to have both big picture and detail management skills. You must create a vision, set the strategy, and lead people to the goal. You must also create a specific and realistic plan for yourself and others so that all involved know what it takes to accomplish the objective.

A good account plan will have both a goal and a specific plan. Sales account plans are often something salespeople just create because their management asks them for it. The process of planning though, actually begins to create the desired result in advance.

By being more specific in your account and territory planning, you will find that you are better able to spot the resources you need and potential problems and pitfalls far in advance. This will result in more wins and in cutting your losses sooner on weak opportunities. Also, you will have a bargaining chip with your management, in that you can show what you need in terms of time, money and resources to accomplish the sales objectives that are asked of you.

In making your sales and business plans, you start with the goal and the reasons. Then you create a plan. You take it down to a level of detail so that anyone could follow your instructions. This way, you are assured of getting the results you want because you planned them out in advance.

When people fail to reach their goals, it is usually due to one or two reasons: 1) They forgot why they were doing it and lost their drive, 2) They didn't know precisely how to reach their goal.

Without a specific plan, you can get easily derailed along the way because you didn't know how much time, money, skill, or other resources it would take to get what you want.

Plan out your sales activities. Plan out your quarter. Plan out your week - yes your week - in advance. Plan out your day. Plan out your sales calls. Plan out the questions you are going to ask, just as you would plan out an important presentation. Remember to have a goal and the reasons in mind for each plan. Build plans - you will be more successful.

Finally, don't be concerned as to whether planning will make you an "anally retentive" individual. Successful people set goals and plan for what they want - they don't concern themselves with such labels.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


60 Ways to Increase Your Mail Order Catalog Sales

This article is meant to inform. Please don't construe this... Read More

Going the Extra Mile and Getting Referrals

Successful salespeople have the ability to turn the customers they... Read More

Sales Letters - How to Write Them

You could just send out your brochure to potential customers... Read More

Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Direct Sales Company

Direct sales can be your ticket to a profitable home-based... Read More

The Problem With Technology At The Point Of Sale In Financial Services

BackgroundThere's a conundrum that currently exists between the customer and... Read More

Customer Service Revival

Value is in the Eye of the BeholderSales today is... Read More

Understanding The Corporate Buyer

Selling your services to corporations is an attractive proposition. The... Read More

Open Your Introduction With A Firecracker Moment

The number one requirement, whether you are a business owner... Read More

A Brief History of the Sales Profession

The formula for defining a "profession" is similar throughout many... Read More

How To Improve Your Voice

VOICEThe Image the customer has of the Salesperson is vital.... Read More

Sorry, But Im Not Buying From You!

Former General Electric CEO and legendary manager, Jack Welch, nailed... Read More

Sell More: How to Get Motivated Buyers To Call You First

How many sales opportunities have you lost to competitors who... Read More

Selling Against Goliath

Selling Against Goliath?How to Take on the Big Guys and... Read More

The Top 10 Myths About the Sales Profession

Myth 1: Sales People are all Shady!In the Broadway play... Read More

Five Keys to Make Your Cold Calls Sizzle

Do you clam up on the telephone? An advertising rep... Read More

The Most Important Word in a Business Letter

What do you think it is? Many experts insist it's... Read More

My Competitor Has a Better Product

The topic of this issue's article is a response to... Read More

Selling ? Remember These Ten Rules and Succeed

There are thousands of books and seminars on how to... Read More

Use Bundling To Increase Your Profits And Sales

Use Bundling To Increase Your Profits And Sales An effective... Read More

Selling the Dr. Seuss Way

"I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green... Read More

How To Write A Riveting Sales Letter That Closes Sales

How do you get people's attention and build their interest... Read More

Now Is A Great Time To Sell!

Its official. The news just came out. Yes, we are... Read More

How to Make Sure You Sell More!

Make sure you target women. It's true for almost anything... Read More

6 Ways To Get More From Your Promotions

1. Settle On The Right Way ForwardThe purpose of your... Read More

17 Tips for Bringing Your Event to Life

Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with the... Read More

Peak Performance ? What You See Is What You Get!

Would you like an easy way to track the performance... Read More

Sell With KISS, As In Keep It Simple, Stupid

One of the most useful and fundamental communications lessons that... Read More

Business Lessons Learned At The Mall

Normally in this column I dispense highly-intelligent small business advice... Read More

Marketing Conversations, And Conversation Stoppers

Where many marketing conversations get off-track are the ones you... Read More

Do Your Words Betray You?

What do the words that you use say about you?... Read More

Three Big Ol Tips for Better Sales Letters

Growing up in the South, I used the phrase "big... Read More

Powerful Words

Hi, I'd like to discuss the most powerful words you... Read More

Sales People have an advantage as entrepreneurs

Zig Ziglar use to say in seminars and on tapes... Read More