It’s a very natural thing at the end of a year to look forward to the next year. Unfortunately, it's a very unnatural thing to actually be successful at setting, let alone hitting goals. When I think about the difference between the years that have been great years for Sales Concepts and for me, personally, and all the rest, it always comes back to how clearly did we set our goals.
2013 is another year where we have essentially hit our stretch goal. We feel good about what we're doing. And the key is getting back to the basics, getting ready for 2014. We've had significant growth when we've shared our plan, gotten everyone's input and buy-in, and we've kept the ideas and concepts fresh enough to have a level of excitement.
In a perfect world, I'd have each individual come up with their own plan and goals. Then from the individual, I'd go to the department. From the department, I'd go to the entire organization. And at the end, we'd have a plan that from top to bottom was aligned -- really owned by each individual and the organization.
And have some fun attached to it. Fun in terms of maybe the theme or the idea behind the year or the quarter. Fun defined from an incentive program that might have some concepts or rewards -- or just cash based on performance. And then we'd look at it and measure it on a regular basis. At Sales Concepts, we have weekly meetings to determine where we are, compared to where we want to be from a goals perspective. We also tried to get everyone's buy-in to what are we working for and what are we going to get when we get there.
As you're coming in to the year end, remember to not forget to celebrate the goals that you have. Take a moment, look back, realize some lessons and learn how you can improve. Generally we don't celebrate as much as we should. If you need help with your goals, or if you're tired of having results that don't get you excited (or don't make you want to celebrate) give Sales Concepts a call!
Whether you’re celebrating a successful year or struggling to close out a tough one, we’re here for you.
Keith Strauss, President of Sales Concepts, Inc.
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