Looking Ahead to 2012 and Wishing and Hoping that it Will Be Better

December 13, 2011 at 8:28 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: sales conversion, sales plans for 2012, Sales Training

As befits this time of year I am working with several clients that are interested in putting together their sales plans for 2012.  This includes taking a close look at 2011 and seeing what worked, what didn’t, understanding why, looking at the financial ramifications of it all and then devising a comprehensive plan to address the shortfalls and maximize the positives. We look at where they can be better, faster or even newer and understand how they can be an improvement over the competition.

It’s an in-depth activity and requires an ability to honestly face the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s not always pretty and it’s never easy.

But there are some clients that refuse to engage in this effort. They’re “busy” and can’t get to doing it just yet, better to wait till after the holiday season.

And so we schedule a date for sometime in January when I know they’ll put it off again.

Might I even be speaking about you?

Nope, it isn’t necessarily a fun task especially after this rather disquieting year when most everyone experienced some sort of business downturn.  It’s definitely easier to just close the pages and move on to the next year.

But frankly, that’s not smart and in the long run, will simply cost you time and money.

You need to stop and take stock of your business development initiatives and assess what you need to do more of and less of in the coming year. Where do you add value and how can you convey that to your prospects? And who are those prospects…do you need more of the same or should you be looking at different markets?  How do you fare in the face of competition? What changes are indicated and what sales processes must be initiated or changed?  And on…and on!

Wishing and hoping that 2012 will be better is just plain wrong. It might be a groovy song from the 60’s but it certainly won’t make you successful in the coming year.

Start today.

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