Sales Training Article: 4 Steps to Kick Off Your 2012 Sales Strategy the Right Way

By Tony Albachiara, Sales Benchmark Index (SBI)

(Continued from Wednesday's post "4 Steps to Kickoff Your 2012 Sales Strategy the Right Way")

Take these 4 Easy Steps today to prevent what I like to call, "The Turtle Start":

1. What deals did you not win at the end of 2011? These are the opportunities that are potentially the easiest to win today. Did they choose a competitor or decide to wait? If they waited, what is your plan to re-engage them and create the same level of urgency to make a buying decision today? The urgency, focus and resource allocation should be similar to what it was prior to the end of 2011.
   
2. Does your Sales Team know what their goals are for January? If not, don't wait till SKO to tell them. Time is money, my friend, and you would be wasting a good deal of it. (That's generally not a good sales strategy) Communicate what expectations you have for them during the timeframe leading up to SKO. Put a fun recognition in place (public praise at SKO) for sales professionals that get a fast start to 2012.
   
3. Has the "buzz" of a new sales compensation plan created a distraction? If so, communicate and foreshadow all of the positive attributes and aspects of the plan. Every plan is about generating sales and revenue; encourage them that today is the best time to start - not the week after SKO.
   
4. Field Sales Leadership- your sense of energy, focus, and inspection will be directly correlated to how fast your sales team gets started. You go dark for the next few weeks and they'll do the same. As the Sales Leader, you set the tone. Your sales team responds to you, so make the most of that situation. Make today, tomorrow and the month of January have the same urgency as December. Inspect what you expect.

You invested heavily in the creation of your sales strategy and plans for 2012. It's been adjusted, tweaked and approved. Now implement that sales strategy so it can benefit your company to its fullest potential. The CEO and Executive team are counting on you to deliver a successful 2012 Sales Strategy. Getting out ahead of your sales plan will create the confidence your sales team needs, and put the wind in your sails. Make January the best ever- GET GOING NOW!