Author: David Matney

Today I’m going to share with you the most important habit for merchant sales professionals. .  One common theme I found was the need to develop one important habit – that habit is PROSPECTING.

I know you are thinking, “Well, of course, David!”  Okay, so let me ask you a question.  In the last five working business days, did you walk into 20 businesses for the first time prospecting?  Or did you make enough calls to talk to 20 business owners on the phone every single day of the last five?  If not, keep reading.  

Why is prospecting the most important habit?  Because everything else almost takes care of itself.  If you find a prospect who says, “Yeah, I’m actually really interested.  I don’t have my statement here.  But if you come back tomorrow, I’ll get you my statement.”  You ARE going to find a way to get back there tomorrow.  No one needs to force you or remind you to get back tomorrow.  Rather, you WANT to go back because you found somebody who is interested; you want to make the sale.

When a prospect says, “Hey, we’re ready to move forward,” are you going to find time to get the paperwork done?  Of course you will; you want to make a sale.  Once the paperwork is done, are you going to find time to follow through with the submission process?  So, these things will take care of themselves.  Believe me.  You don’t need to schedule time to watch Netflix or Hulu.  You will find the time.  There’s no need to schedule time to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  You’re going to do those things.However, what is the only thing you won’t do if you can help it at all?  Prospecting.  One road-block which prevents prospecting is over-thinking.  Stop overthinking it.  Go prospecting.  These are questions I hear from sales people:

• “Well, David, should I target one specific business type?”  Or,
• “Should I target all the businesses on a street?”  Or
• “Should I call them?”  Or,
• “Should I walk in?”

My answer, “YES!  Any of those are fine.”  Go prospecting.  You must prospect every single day for two or three hours.  Whether you go after a specific vertical or go into the field doesn’t matter.  There are definitely advantages to certain strategies.  However, I’ve found those advantages really don’t matter for 90% of the merchant sales professionals with whom I talk.  The reason is they’re not even going prospecting AT ALL anyway.

Many sales people are prospecting perhaps one day a week for an hour but are asking, “What strategy should I use?”  That’s like sitting in a parking lot in a car out of gas while asking how to steer the car.  Yes, steering the car is important.  It’s just that steering doesn’t matter if you’re out of gas because you’re not going anywhere.  So, until you develop the habit of prospecting and put some gas in the tank, my great prospecting ideas won’t help you go anywhere!

Prospecting is one of those things that either you ARE doing or you’re NOT.  The people I know who are successfully prospecting, are doing it almost every day.  Some of them have a strategy where one day a week they just do closing and follow-up, which is fine.  But then four days a week they’re out prospecting.  If you really want to be successful as a sales professional, go prospecting.

Here’s another quick tip for you.  Whenever you’re trying to convince yourself to do something that maybe you don’t want to do, always have sticks and carrots.  Use the idea of trying to get a horse to move.  You can hold out a carrot, and the horse will come to you to get that treat.  Or you could give them a little whack on the behind.  Then they’ll move forward as well.

Do the same thing for yourself.  What are the sticks that you can use?  One is accountability.  Find people you know and respect and say, “Look, I really want to be successful.  In order to do that, I need to make sure I’m walking into my first business by 9:00 a.m.  And I need to make sure I’m still in the field prospecting by 11:00 a.m.  May I text you at 9:00 a.m. when I’m walking into my first prospect?  And then may I text again when I leave my last one?  That will give me a little accountability.”

What about treats?  People think this is so corny.  Although I say this all the time, nobody does it.  I’m really serious though.  Is there some ice cream shop that you love in your area?  Is there a candy bar that you love?  Do you love sitting in Barnes and Noble to read a magazine?   So what do you just love to do that takes maybe a half hour?  Every single day when you’re done prospecting, go do that.  That’s not very complicated.

  Sticks and carrots – give yourself what you want after you do the prospecting.    

Whose opinion do you value?  There are always people who we respect.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Be accountable to them.  Make sure you’re going to do the thing you need to do.The most important habit for a merchant sales professional is prospecting.  

The key is to go DO it, and do it every single day. 

Happy Selling,

David

This blog is primarily for merchant services sales reps, but every so often I like to share a thought that is more philosophical that has helped me.

I know exactly what it is like to struggle in the field and then come home at 2 in the afternoon because you just can’t seem to “Make” yourself stay out any longer. Maintaining personal discipline as an independent sales rep is difficult and indeed some find it nearly impossible! I still have a very long way to go in building the type of personal discipline I want to have, but allow me to share a couple tips that may surprise you about building discipline.

Tip #1 – Embrace reality in all but a few areas at a time. When a sales person tells me that they are going to change their whole life and do a complete 180 degree turn around, I wish them the best and pray that they are able to pull off this transformation. The harsh reality though is that this strategy rarely works. The best way to develop personal discipline is to accept and embrace the reality of your flaws and weaknesses in all but a couple areas, and then work only on those chosen areas until you have developed strong, positive habits. Then you can move on to the next area of improvement. “If you try to fix everything about your life, you will probably fix nothing.”

Tip #2 – Discipline is about knowledge not effort. It is unfortunate that many people have decided they can “will” themselves into better living. They say things like, “If only I had a little more will power, I would spend more time in the field.” Here is a question for you, if you saw a red hot oven burner, how much discipline would you need to refrain from setting your hand on it? You know why this doesn’t take any discipline? Because you understand that not touching a red hot burner is in your interest and you understand exactly what will happen if you take that action.

If you want to develop discipline, increase your understanding. One of my favorite statements is this; “Great actions follow great convictions.” If you really want to increase your “discipline” about spending more time in the field, you need a deeper understanding. You need to take a couple hours and listen to a sales book so you will develop a strong conviction that if you did go out in the field, you could become successful. Or, you could use our income calculator to see the long term results of your prospecting efforts. Understanding the benefits of your efforts long term would be much more effective than just “willing” yourself to work harder. The first time I got a “buyout” offer on my residual portfolio and I realized how much each account was really worth, I spent a lot more time in the field because I had a new understanding about the value of my efforts.

Tip #3 – Most successful people are experts at tricking themselves into developing discipline. One very successful man I know used to hide three alarm clocks in his room in order to get up at 4:30am. He believed this one habit would have a dramatic effect on his performance, so he hid one alarm clock under his bed, another one in his closet and a third one under the dresser. He said that he hated getting up early but by the time he climbed all over the floor to turn off these alarm clocks, he was awake enough to make it into the shower and start his day. Years later, he now gets up at 4:30 am without an alarm clock because his body is so used to this habit and he has moved on to “tricking” himself into other good habits.

Another successful person I know wanted to have a stronger weekly devotions time. This particular friend was very health conscious and already had strong habits in this area. For him to have a candy bar was a big deal and there was one candy bar in particular that he really liked. So, every week for several months, he decided that he would conduct his weekly devotions in his car in a parking lot at a nearby store. Before starting the devotions time, he went in and purchased this candy bar and he would eat it while having his devotions. This developed strong positive feelings in his mind associated with his weekly devotions.

These “tricks” may sound childish to you, but both of these individuals were in their 40’s or 50’s when engaging in these activities and both men were already very successful in this field. It takes a certain amount of humility to admit that resorting to “tricks” will be effective to develop discipline but if you can pull it off, it will be incredibly effective. Start developing your skills at self-trickery and understanding now, and you will develop more discipline than you ever thought possible.

I hope these tips help you accomplish more of what you believe you should be doing!

Happy Selling,

David

There is greatness inside everyone of us, but we must first understand that we have to choose to be great.

Greatness comes from the determination to do incredible things. It all begins with having a dream and the willingness to be the best at what we do.

There is incredible potential for greatness within all of us. The decision is completely up to us to accomplish extraordinary things. It all starts with a burning desire to achieve great success.

The truth is, most people choose to be average. When you really think about average, it’s just as close to the bottom as it is to the top. You are capable of something better than mediocrity.

Most people look at those that have achieved greatness as either lucky or just gifted. While there may be some luck involved, and certainly everyone has gifts and talents, the truth is greatness requires hard and determination to achieve. If you truly want to be the best, you have to make that commitment to plant the seeds of greatness now and you will reap the harvest later.

It’s important to believe that you can be a top performer and accomplish great things. You must have the expectations of yourself first before you can do great things. Never limit yourself. You can go as far as you believe. In order to live a life of excellence, you must think thoughts of excellence.

Once you have chosen greatness in whatever you are doing, the next step is to take action. In order to be the best at something, it is going to take hard work over a long period of time. When you look at top performers in business, music, or sports, everyone will speak of the hours, days, weeks, months, and years of hard work. Every one of them experienced struggles, but they worked hard, and they never gave up. They may have had some moments of doubt and thoughts of giving up, but they stayed focused on their goals and never quit.

Consistency is the key when it comes to achieving greatness. Your success journey will be tough, challenging and difficult along the way. This is so true, especially in the beginning. Never give up! You are going to improve each and every day. Make the commitment to work hard, stay focused and hungry and you will see your dreams come to fruition. There may be a day that you feel like throwing in the towel. DO NOT QUIT! You are one step closer to achieving your dreams, and I promise you that you do not want to live with regret because you quit. Stay strong and I guarantee that your future self will thank you.

Most people want their big dreams to be accomplished right away. They’re thinking is like going through a drive-through window looking for instant success. You can have success out of the gates, but for your big dreams to really come true, you must work hard consistently over a period of time. There are no secret formulas. 

Remember, there is greatness within you. It is waiting to come out. Start right where you are and make that commitment today. Be patient and have faith. If you put in the effort and you never give up, you will achieve greatness. The time is going to go by anyway.

Greatness is waiting for you. Now go out there and get it! 

Happy Selling,

David

All salespeople want to close as many deals as possible. And usually, there is a process and rules that we as salespeople need to follow. Below is this Fridays top ten merchant services sales commandments that we all need to post and remember.

From the home office in  Money, Mississippi 

Here are the  The Top 10 Merchant Services Sales Commandments

X. Thou shalt listen more than thou speaketh

This commandment is essential for long-term sales success. Listening is the most important skill any salesperson can learn. Violate this commandment at your own peril.

IX. Thou shalt not let thy leads go uncalled

Research indicates that up to 50% of sales go to the sales person that responds first, which is why you should never let your leads linger. And if you’ve already called them once, obey this commandment and call them again….. and again……and again…  and again… and again.. .Follow Up!

VIII. Thou shalt not forget thy customer’s name

Sales people sometimes make the mistake of forgetting who they are talking to, which can be uncomfortable when you need to call the customer by their name. When you first talk to someone, write their name down or say it over and over in your head a few times to remember.

VII. Remember the CRM, to keep it updated

 Feeding the CRM beast has never been something that salespeople enjoy doing, but it’s a requirement of the job. Thankfully Clientvine, can keep track of your calls and actions for you, so you can spend your time selling.

VI. Honor thy promises to thy mechant

If you’ve quoted a price or made any type of promise to a prospect or merchant, or committed to delivering something by a certain date, you need to do everything in your power to get it done. Salespeople live or die by their word, and must earn the merchants trust every single day.

V. Thou shalt not kill thy processor

The processor wants to help you, and it’s their job to help you hit your sales goals. Yes, some of them can be tough, and some of them you might not get along with, but dealing with them is part of the job.

IV. Thou shalt overcome objections without losing thy step

Expert salespeople don’t see objections as roadblocks at all, they see them as stepping stones that get you closer to closing the deal. Overcome objections with confidence as this commandment instructs you to.

III. Thou shalt love thy product, service and industry

You’ve got to have an unshakable belief that your products, your services and your industry and provide great value to your merchants. that beyond features and benefits you help people experience some kind of positive emotional outcome from your efforts: more happiness, peace of mind, fun, joy, security, prestige, whatever. If you can’t wake up every morning and say, “I LOVE this game!” then quit what you’re doing and go be a greeter at Walmart.

II. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s comp plan

Complaining about the comp plan is almost a rite of passage for salespeople. But your processors commission structure is probably beyond your control, so you need to accept it or, if you’re truly underpaid, find a better processor.

… And the #1 The Top 10 Merchant Services Sales Commandment is

I. Thou shalt Always Be Closing

This commandment should be etched in stone on a tablet on your desk. All of the prospecting in the world won’t get you anywhere if you don’t close the prospects. There are many ways to do this, but if you violate this commandment, you won’t last long in merchant services sales.

Now go forth and sin no more!

Have a great weekend,

David

I believe there is one particular reason why people fail in the merchant services industry.  It’s not because they can’t sell or are inherently lazy or stupid.  Rather, it’s because they are not organized for success.

One misconception with which I battled for years seems to be common.  This concept that going to work and getting the job done is simple could not be further from the truth.  The greatest challenge in my own business career has not been mastering financial concepts or understanding profit and loss reports.  Rather, creating structure and discipline around myself to leverage abilities and make things happen has been the most difficult.

As a sales rep there are two levers to pull.  One which I address often is the closing percentage.  That’s a lever you can pull.  A higher closing percentage or doubling your closing rate will double the number of sales.  The second lever of equal importance is the number of contacts you make.  To pull that lever requires an increase in the number of contacts daily, weekly, and monthly.  The only hope for that increase is to be organized for success.

Here is one simple tip which will help you in that organization process.  Remove your priority levels.  In my opinion priorities – thinking about priorities – is the biggest enemy of efficiency and organization when performing simple tasks.  In making sales, for instance, don’t waste time pondering which of the prospects in your pipeline is the “best” or top priority.  You shouldn’t need to wonder whether going to your child’s soccer game is a more important priority than your work time.  The key to making these types of decisions is DON’T make them!  Have a structure and system in place which makes those decisions for you.

When you were a W-2 employee, there was no decision to make between working or other activities.  There were extra rules and set hours to work then.  That’s structure.  You learned how to game the system to do what you wanted and get your work done.  However, now you must recreate that structure for yourself.

As a sales professional, you should have only two priority levels:  (1)  Important enough to do.  (2)  Not important enough to do.  This morning I had about seventy-six emails in my box.  So, at 6:30 a.m. I began working on those and had an empty box by about 8:30 a.m.  Here’s the way I work through my emails.  For each email, I make the decision whether or not to take action.  There is no A, B, or C priority.  I don’t decide whether I should act now, next week, this evening, or tomorrow.  My question for each email is, “Am I ever going to do anything about this email?”  If the answer is “no,” I delete it!  There were perhaps eleven of those seventy-five emails to which I replied, “Hey, thanks so much for asking me about this.  I’m not going to do this right now.  Have a great day!”  Then I delete it.  This is preferable to leaving it in my box or months, thinking about it every day, and making that person wait and wonder.  Why waste time and mental energy?

There are emails to which I should act.  In that case, I have a crazy radical concept.  I DO IT!  I don’t put it in a folder.  If I need to make a phone call, text or email, I DO IT!  That is the most challenging thing you will do is force yourself to work.  When I realize there is a prospect who needs a phone call, I have a default instant reaction of dialing the number.  If an email reminds me of a needed visit in person, I grab my coat and go.  Don’t prioritize it; JUST DO IT!

If you follow that simple tip, you will be incredibly effective and efficient.  Leverage your abilities to get things done by eliminating unnecessary decision making.  

Happy Selling,

David

If I were to ask you to describe someone that truly believes in themselves, what would you say? 

I think immediately the description would be that when they enter a room, people notice them. 

When they speak, people listen to them.

They definitely have strong body language. 

Most people would say that these type of individuals have no insecurities at all. 

The truth is, everyone struggles with some sort of self doubt. The key is to learn how to overcome the self-doubt.

Not everyone feels confident all the time. What separates successful people and those that are not as successful is the way those feelings are dealt with. It’s OK to be afraid, but we must not allow that to stop us. 

Your philosophy should always be, “I may have fear but I’m going to do it anyway. Nothing is going to stop me.”

Doubting oneself is basically a learned behavior. Most of that comes from the opinion of others and life experiences. 

Self doubt is driven by fear and stops us from achieving great success. The key to learning how to get rid of self doubt is to figure out how to overcome those fears.

The first step is to find out what are some of the beliefs that you may have that are holding you back. 

It’s a good idea to break out a sheet of paper and write them out. Once you identify what is holding you back, you can then change your belief system. 

The power of the mind is an incredible thing. You can definitely change your mindset from unlimited beliefs to absolutely believing in yourself and your abilities.

It’s also imperative to make sure that the way you talk about yourself and the way you talk to yourself is nothing but positive going forward. Do not be self deprecating even if you think it is funny. Changing your self talk is a powerful way to turn self-doubt into self-confidence.

Take a look at the people you are surrounding yourself with. 

Are people bringing you down or are they lifting you up? 

Find the people who are in life where you want to be and simply do what they do. Of course, make sure they are living with integrity. 

Surround yourself with people that are positive and supportive.

Once again, everyone will deal with some sort of self-doubt every now and then. It’s important to recognize that. Once you’ve recognized that, quit wondering how to get rid of it. 

I can’t stress enough the importance of taking action immediately. 

You don’t need to keep getting advice from everyone. Do not delay. 

There are no more excuses. Start today, start small and just keep moving forward. As you see achievements, you are going to start building confidence. 

The goal is to put the self-doubt behind you.I’m going to make a guarantee with you right now.  On the road to success, you WILL have some roadblocks.During this time, the ones closest to you will probably start doubting you. In fact, you may start doubting yourself. You must get rid of that mindset immediately and not listen to any naysayers. It’s time to push even harder. This is what separates true success from mediocrity. Do not quit, do not ever give up and don’t look back. Keep marching forward.Learn the lessons in the failures and the setbacks. Get up and get going.

You were designed with a great purpose. Look in that mirror every morning and proclaim

”I believe in myself and my abilities.  I will not allow fear or self-doubt to get in my way.  I am taking action and building my confidence every single day.”

Happy Selling,

 David

Today let’s discuss the danger of setting goals in sales.  There are only two goals on which you should focus in sales.  Unfortunately, sales people focus on everything BUT these two goals!

1.  Developing a habit of hard work.  This should be your number one goal.  Some of you right now are literally deciding if you’re going to work in the field today.  One of the big differentiators I found for successful independent business or sales people is that they go to work every day without even thinking about it.

2. The second goal is to make money; get your commission.  Do whatever it takes to actually get the deal done and close the sale so you get paid.

Any other goal besides these two is very dangerous. 

Recently, I talked to a sales rep who was proud and excited that he had spent about an hour on the phone doing cold calls and set up two appointments for himself. 

There’s nothing wrong with that except he didn’t keep one of the appointments and didn’t get any sales!  His goal, I guess, was to set appointments for himself.  If you know how to sell and put in the work, you’re going to get the middle of the road goals such as the appointments, statements, and all that you need. 

If you’re working consistently but not getting contacts, appointments, or statements, then I question your sales ability.  Work harder at your training!

Today get out in the field and WORK! 

My question is how many sales did you make?;

how much money did you make? 

Stop hiding behind excuses by saying things like, “I didn’t make any sales this week, but I got some really good contacts.”  Did anybody pay you for those contacts?

MAKE A SALE!

Happy Selling,

David

Each day, we are all given the same amount of time. 

No matter who we are, we all have 24 hours in a day. 

I think we have all said at one point in our lives, “It seems that I don’t have enough time in the day to do the things that I need to do.”

This is why it is absolutely imperative that you take inventory of your day. My question for you is…. 

Are you spending your time or are you investing your time? 

There is a big difference between spending time and investing time. Spending actually means that you are using something up without getting a return.  When you invest in something, you have an expectation of getting a good return on your investment. 

Investing your time means that you are engaging in activities that are going to bring you rewards. I call them MMA’s (Money Making Activities)

Most of the time, when you hear the word ‘invest’, you think of money. It is just as important to start thinking of investing, when it comes to your TIME as well.

While you are taking inventory of your days, write out how much of your time is just being spent without getting any reward from it. You will be stunned by how much time is being wasted. 

How much time in your day is being wasted watching meaningless television or being on social media? Ask yourself if you are really getting anything out of doing that. 

The truth is, this applies to many categories. So many people waste time when it comes to spending time doing things with no rewards. Are you just spending time in a relationship or are you investing in that relationship? 

Are you spending time talking to negative people and gossiping, or are you investing your time with people that are going to help you grow? 

Are you spending time sleeping too much or are you investing in your body to create better health? 

I could go on and on. I know you get the picture.

After you have taken inventory, you will be very pleased to know that you have a lot of time now to invest in making a better life for yourself. It all starts with setting some goals. Once you have put your short and long-term goals together, write out a plan on what it’s going to take to achieve these goals. Once you have the goal and the plan, it is now time to invest every second of your life to achieve your dreams. 
It’s all going to begin with how you spend your mornings. When you win in the mornings, you win the day. It’s time to begin your day with investments. Rise early. Have a gratitude journal. Start each day with good exercise. Have some good quiet time focusing on positive thoughts. Make that commitment to invest your time wisely.

When it comes to business, it’s important to understand that time is your capital. You must make every second count. Make sure you are investing your time wisely and make sure you are investing your time with the right people. You have a choice! You can either choose to be just plain busy wasting time or you can choose to invest your time wisely, and be productive.

Starting today, adopt the philosophy that life is an investment. You must figure out how to invest your time. Do not just spend time and waste it with no rewards. Invest your time wisely and make your dreams come true.

Happy Selling, 

David

No Top 10 list today. Let’s finish out our series on the 8 Habits of a successful salesperson.

It’s hard to believe we are already at habit # 8. I hope over the weekend you can take some time and look back over the last nine articles and can start incorporating each one into your daily routine, I know I will. 

OK, let’s dive into habit # 8 perhaps the most important of all the habits, having a Passion for what we do.

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR PASSION

On the surface, credit card processing and merchant services seem like an obscure thing to be passionate about. Especially considering there are so many other products and services that one could sell. 

Yet, the most successful sales professionals understand and believe in the value of the services and solutions they’re offering.

Ask a handful of top-performing sales professionals why they do what they do and each will have a different answer. 

Sure, they all “want to make money,” but it’s not the real source of their passion. The most successful sales professionals will cite a higher purpose or mission statement for their life.

Don’t know what your higher purpose in life is? That’s OK. Just trust that it exists whether you can articulate it or not.

Popular author and speaker Simon Sinek provides a great model for identifying our “why.” He calls it The Golden Circle (pictured below) and explains it in  his famous TED Talk.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”

-Simon Sinek

TIPS TO ARTICULATE YOUR “WHY”

We all have a “why” even if we can’t put our finger on it and find the right words to describe it. Sinek says, “For a person, your WHY is formed when you are young. It is the sum total of who you are, how your parents raised you and the experiences you had. Once formed, your life offers opportunities for you to live your WHY or not.”

• What excites you?
• What makes you feel most fulfilled?
• What jobs have you really loved throughout your career?
• What are you most proud of?
• What are you most proud of during your career as a sales professional?
• What special experiences in your life have made an impression on you?

There is likely a common thread among your answers. To help you with this exercise, think about the sales pitch you use on a daily basis. Consider removing the phrase “overcome your pain or solve your problem.”

Instead, think about what you’re really solving for a merchant. Freeing up their time so that they can go home to their family sooner? 

Providing peace of mind so that they can focus their attention on more important aspects of their business?

Don’t worry about making your Why Statement sound eloquent.

It is meant to 

evolve over time as you narrow your focus on what really brings you joy in life. So, start simple.

Here are some example Why Statements to get your creative juices flowing:

• To live life on my own terms and help others do the same
• What drives me is to be an agent of change and help people reach their full potential
• I believe in being honest and making sure that people aren’t being taken advantage of
• What drives me is learning new things and constantly challenging myself and others to reach new heights.

IDENTIFY YOUR “HOW” AND START SHOWING YOUR PASSION

How does one communicate their Why Statement when passion is inferred? You want your merchant to think to themselves, “wow, that guy is really passionate about what he does” rather than you directly telling them how passionate you are. You’ve likely heard people talk about how awesome they are. It rarely ever leads to anyone thinking they’re awesome. Same goes for talking about passion.

So, how do you communicate your passion? Through a combination of actions, body language, tone of voice and what you actually say. The most successful  sales professionals communicate their “why” through these 5 ways.

• Ask great questions AND listen carefully
• Be diligent in researching prospects on social media
• Prepare well
• Focus on building relationships rather than just earning sales
• Make a good impression
• …Do any of these sound familiar?

THE RISK OF FAKING PASSION

Do we really need to know our “why?” Can’t we just pretend to be passionate about what we do? Especially if we’re passionate about making money?

The short answer is yes.

We all know someone who is financially successful but obviously miserable and detached from their work. We can choose to be this person and we might achieve the money we’re after.  But most of us want to be wealthy AND fulfilled. am I right? Yes

Knowing your “why” and letting it fuel your merchant services business will deliver long term wealth and satisfaction. Share with me your WHY for selling merchant services.

Happy Selling,

David

It’s the 16th day of the month.

What is your sales goal this month?

How many told you to come back next week? have you?
It’s not surprising that top-performing sales professionals always have an answer to this question. What’s surprising is that their answer is linked to something they do every single day. Intrigued?
In this post, I will provide a simple framework for setting sales goals that will help you achieve big results by making a small shift to your daily routine. Let’s dive into and unpack habit # 7 of the 8 habits of successful Sales Professionals.

HOW TO FIND YOUR UPPER LIMIT
To reach your full potential, you have to push yourself far beyond what you ever thought was possible. How you ask?
Imagine that the finish line has been removed from a race. How much farther can you go when there’s no line on the ground telling you to stop?
Now, think back to the initial question: what is your sales goal this month? Whatever it is, start thinking about it as the bare minimum of what you can achieve instead of the upper limit.

Figuring out what your upper limit actually is takes some testing. Here’s a simple framework to get started:

1. Commit to daily action that exploits that strength.
   If your strength is cold calling and you enjoy doing it, commit to making 25 cold calls a day instead of the 7-8 that you typically do. Here are some other examples of daily actions you can adopt depending on your strengths:
2. Pick one single strength.
3. Make a list of things you’re really good at and actually enjoy doing as part of the sales process.
   This could be cold calling, giving a presentation or demo, building solid relationships or even writing compelling emails or text messages to your customers or prospects.
   Send a follow-up email to each prospect you meet with or speak to over the phone, no matter the prospect’s perceived interest. You never know who might refer your services, or contact you later.
   Connect with everyone you meet in person or over the phone on LinkedIn or other social media networking site and send a quick message.
   Send one lead to a referral partner.
   Ask each of the merchants you visit if they know of any other business owners who need help with payments processing, offer them a referral fee
   Set up one networking call or meeting.
4. Record and measure your results.
   Whether you choose to use a Word document, a CRM, your calendar, or even a sticky note on your car’s dashboard, keep track of the daily actions you’re taking. Reflect on your overall performance after two weeks, then after 30 days. Have your new daily actions paid off?

SETTING SALES GOALS FOR YOURSELF
After you’ve measured how exploiting your strengths in your daily routine have paid off, you should be able to forecast their impact on next month’s sales. Continuing with the example of increasing cold calls from 6-8 a day to 25 a day. Say that after a month, you exceeded your original sales goal by 5 merchant applications, nice right?
It would be safe to expect the same increase next month if you take the same approach. Add that to your typical monthly sales target and there you’ve set a new sales goal for yourself.

The good thing about this framework is that once you’ve successfully added one habit to your daily routine, it’s easy to add more using the same steps. It’s amazing how much more you can accomplish by making a small measurable change to your daily routine.

What habit has yielded the biggest results for your sales career?

Happy Selling,

David