Finding success in sales isn’t easy. Convincing clients to purchase your company’s products and services takes a very special finesse. If you’re new to the game or have recently hit a wall, you’re probably feeling very discouraged.
Failing to meet your targets doesn’t feel great, but the good news is, you can turn things around. If you’re willing to put in the extra effort, you can get to the level you want to be at — and beyond.
How to Coach Yourself Out of a Sales Rut
No one enjoys rejection, but it’s part of life as a sales rep. If you want to succeed, you need to toughen up and fine-tune your approach.
Assess your performance: When under-performing, the truth hurts, but you can’t achieve your goals unless you know where you stand. Evaluate your results relative to both your own goals and the work of your peers. Numbers don’t lie, so this gives you an honest look at how much you’re lagging behind.
- Sit down with your boss: You may think your boss hasn’t noticed your poor sales numbers, but this isn’t the case. There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need guidance — in fact, it will probably help your case. Take responsibility for your weak performance and find out what you can do to turn it around.
- Create a plan for improvement: Work with your boss to create a defined plan to boost your sales numbers. This should include specific targets and a date to achieve them by. For example, challenge yourself to increase your number of weekly prospect meetings by 10%. Also clearly state what will happen if you fail to meet your goals.
- Put regular check-ins on the calendar: Show your boss you’re really trying to boost your numbers by scheduling regular progress meetings. Prepare a performance report and bring it to each session to show the impact of your efforts. This will help the two of you make any necessary adjustments to your plan, because you’ll clearly see what’s working and what isn’t.
Are you looking for actionable strategies to lead your sales team to success this year? The expert sales recruiters at CSS are here to help. Whether you need to attract and retain top sales talent, or you are looking for advice on how to manage them for success, contact CSS ProSearch today.