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I believe in goal setting and resolutions. Working towards growth in the workplace and at home is important, and something that is possible for everyone. 

If you’re in sales (or even if you’re not), this year, instead of listening to the naysayers execute my seven steps to turn your resolutions into reality.

Step 1: Accountability

First things first, put yourself on the hook.

Whether you want to lose weight or hit a sales goal, the first step is to create accountability for yourself. What’s your target number? What measures can you put in place right now to ensure success? What is your plan to follow up with yourself or your leads?

Accomplishing a resolution doesn’t happen in a day, so put a structure in place for long-term accountability. Make time for it on your calendar. Set reminders. Having measures in place will help you remain accountable to the goal. From fitness trackers to sales optimization, software can help you set your plan for ongoing accountability.

Step 2: Attitude

How you start your day is everything.

Find systems that deliver actionable insights and alert you to positive buying signs to help you stay on track.

From the moment you open your eyes, you are positioning yourself for success or failure. If you start the day with a negative attitude, you’ll spend a ton of energy undoing that momentum. Instead, start the day with an attitude of gratitude, appreciation, and positivity. This will provide you with the basis you need to create success.

Because abundance attracts abundance, find ways to reinforce your attitude with the positivity you need. To hit a health goal, visualize yourself as a stronger, healthier, happier version of yourself as opposed to criticizing yourself for not being farther along in your journey.

To hit a sales goal, believe you can accomplish that goal and have the attitude of a winner. To help create an empowered attitude, find systems that deliver actionable insights and alert you to positive signs to impact your attitude throughout the day.

Step 3: Approach

The “how” matters!

Take the time to look at your day in segments and define your approach for the interactions you expect. If you are trying to lose weight and have a mandatory happy hour, what’s the best possible outcome?  Plan for success ahead of time! Identify what healthy cocktails or food your can still enjoy without sabotaging your efforts!

If you want to hit a previously-impossible sales goal, who are the prospects you can engage with? How many appointments, calls, and emails should you plan to complete before the end of the day?

Defining your approach requires considering your daily opportunities. Use lists and plan your day to achieve the best possible outcome for every situation. If you struggle to organize yourself, start small. Define your top three goals for the day, or test out a software that automatically generates priorities or prospects each morning.

Step 4: Action

Take it! Activity breeds activity!

You’ve got yourself on the hook, the right attitude in place, and know your plan for day. So, pair it with action! Micro-actions will fuel your success. Prep that healthy lunch and dinner. Make that first sales call. Send that first email. Walk up to that first business. The more you do, the easier it will feel to keep going, moving you closer to success.

Step 5: Attention to Detail

Pair the right attitude and a clear plan with action to breed productivity!

The little things matter.

As you move through your plan, stay alert to the micro-elements. How do specific elements fuel your success? What helps you gain momentum? If you’re trying to lose weight, consider your food intake, exercise plan, or accountability partner.

Think about the cues you should be paying attention to and new ways to read situations. What are your buyers saying—or not saying? With so much information available online, today’s buyers are experts themselves. What tools are you using to improve your ability to recognize interests, deliver on what buyers want, and create confidence?  

Step 6: Awareness

Be realistic about your goals.

You need to be aware of yourself, others, and the world around you. What’s realistic? What can you reasonably accomplish?

In Step 1, you put yourself on the hook and established your goal. How are you pacing against that goal? How are—or aren’t you—showing up? What do you need to change? Listen to the cues yourself and others are giving off to refine the micro-elements with the right micro-actions of your plan. By keeping it real, you should be seeing early and continued results.

Step 7: Acknowledgment

Celebrate the wins!

Don’t focus on where you may have failed. And don’t wait to accomplish your resolution to celebrate. Celebrate your victories along the journey, both your own and those of your team. Celebrating the successes along the way will bolster your positive momentum and propel you to the win you’ve worked so hard for.  

Winning is fun, personally and professionally. I know for many people in sales these days, wins can feel few and far between. If you’re feeling stuck and want to learn more about technologies that can help you along this path, get in touch. The sales team at Foureyes gets it, and we want to help you be successful.