As sales professionals, we understand goals and targets better than most people. Each year or quarter, your quota is set for you by your Sales Manager, VP of Sales, or in some cases the CFO. So, this week’s task for the January Jump-Start should be easy right?

Here’s the twist: your goals shouldn’t be the usual sales metrics like deals closed, customers retained, or calls made. It’s important to differentiate between the goals set by your company or manager and the overarching goals you set for yourself.

Your goals should be with your life’s aspirations — and sales will be how you get there.

What do you want to accomplish this year?

Hitting company sales targets is important. But they don’t tell the whole story of what you want out of your career and life.

Think beyond these metrics. What do you want to accomplish for yourself this year?

I strongly believe that salespeople aren’t motivated by money — they’re motivated by what money can do for them.

Are you aiming to pay off student loan debt or buy a new car? Are you thinking about putting down a payment on a house or needing to start saving for your kids’ college education?

Maybe you want to take a trip you’ve been putting off. Spend more quality time with your family. Finally start your own business.

These are the real goals that matter, the ones that truly motivate and drive you.

What’s yours?

Have a goal to get a new sales job this year? Find it on RepVue.

This Week’s Task: Figure Out What It Will Take to Achieve Your Goals

To turn these personal aspirations into reality, you need a practical sales plan. Your task this week is to figure that out.

Start with the dollar amount you need to achieve what you hope to accomplish personally this year.
Then, you’ll work backward. How many deals you need to close to hit that target? Based on your close rate from last year, how many opportunities will you need to work to close that many deals? How many calls or leads will you need to have enough opportunities?
Last, strategize on how you’ll create new opportunities if your current pipeline won’t be enough. This should be easy if you completed last week’s task. (And if there are enough opportunities in your pipeline already, you’re all set.)

Example Planning

Let’s use buying a new house as an example.

You want to make a down payment, which will cost about $60,000. After considering taxes, you realize you need to earn $90,000 in commission. This means you’ll have to hit 125% of your sales target.

With our goal of $90,000 or 125% of target in mind, we can break down what that will take in terms of prospects engaged and number of deals closed. How many calls do you need to make each day? From where will these new opportunities come?

This level of planning turns a daunting goal into manageable, actionable steps.

(Note: With this example, if you are going to commit all your variable compensation to the down payment, you might have to cut back on other expenses that have previously come out of your commissions.)

Live to Sell? Or Sell to Live?

Why are you in sales in the first place? Is it just to sell, or is it to support a certain lifestyle and achieve specific life goals? This is an important question because it puts your career into perspective.

Selling is not just about hitting targets. It’s about fulfilling your personal aspirations. It’s about aiming high and working diligently towards not just your professional objectives but also your personal dreams.

Every call you make, every deal you close, every customer you retain — all of these should contribute to achieving what truly matters to you.

So, I encourage you to think big. Start with your ultimate personal goals and work backward to figure out what it means for your sales targets. Set those goals, track your progress monthly, and make adjustments as needed.

January Jump-Start: Next Week

For week four, we’ll cover what you should discuss and questions you should ask your manager.