A new year brings new opportunities and a chance to set the foundation for sales success in 2024. With fresh perspectives and renewed motivation, sales teams have the potential to accomplish great things.
By learning from the wisdom of experienced professionals, managers and salespeople can map out a plan to thrive in the months ahead. This year, let's challenge ourselves to implement impactful sales strategies and adopt empowering mindsets. If we start motivated and intentional, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
1. Take Time for a Think Day
Dani Buckley, VP/General Manager at LeadG2 suggests taking a "Think Day" – a day dedicated to big-picture, strategic thinking. This involves stepping back from the daily grind, refraining from meetings and constant email checks. Embrace the freedom to explore and problem-solve, allowing creativity to flow. This dedicated time to focus on significant goals can lead to breakthroughs that are often overlooked in the hustle of daily tasks.
2. Time Blocking and Building Your Bench
Kate Rehling, Talent Analyst, says that research proves that multitasking doesn’t exist. It is impossible for your brain to perform multiple tasks efficiently. When you think you’re “multitasking,” your brain is actually switch-tasking. This means you are rapidly shifting attention and focus between tasks. For example, you may be checking emails while you’re in a meeting, hopping back and forth between projects, or texting while having a conversation. In any of these cases, you are not giving your full attention to both of the tasks at hand.
Even though it seems like switch-tasking allows you to simultaneously juggle your responsibilities, it costs you more time in the end. Switch-tasking reduces efficiency, increases errors, impairs your memory, and leads to quicker cognitive fatigue. Instead of switch-tasking in 2024, commit to time blocking. Dedicate specific periods of time to focus on working on one task. You’ll find yourself with increased productivity levels and more time on your hands.
3. Reflect, Coach, and Prioritize Well-being
For managers, Kelly George, Talent Analyst, provides a three-step approach:
- Reflect on the previous year, identifying areas for improvement and learning.
- Understand the unique talents of your team members and implement coaching strategies.
- Prioritize well-being by initiating initiatives that promote work-life balance. A balanced team is a productive team.
4. Knowing Your Numbers
Alina McComas, VP/Senior Consultant, emphasizes the importance of knowing where you stand and what it takes to be successful. Start by determining your gap to goal, i.e. the difference between what is confirmed for the quarter and your goal.
Calculate your average deal size and how many accounts you will need to cover your gap. Use your CRM to determine how many meetings with new prospects you need to close one account, then create your plan and get to work. Dedicate time every day in your schedule for your new business efforts.
5. Use The Benjamin Franklin Approach
Stephanie Stoll, Director of Learning and Development, channels Benjamin Franklin's wisdom, stressing the significance of planning. Reflect on the past year, gather feedback, and set specific goals with milestones. Prioritize and create a detailed plan that allows for reflection, assessment, and recalibration when necessary.
6. Have a Comprehensive Approach to Account List Management
Greg Giersch, SVP/Client Experience, breaks down account list management into four key areas.
- Key Accounts that have already laid in an annual. It’s easy to put these on autopilot. Map out on your calendar when to contact them throughout the year with recaps or new ideas for growth. Conduct or review your Key Account Growth Plan.
- Last year’s Key Accounts are not at Key level yet. What will it take to get these accounts back to a key spending level this year? Conduct or review your Key Account Growth Plan.
- 10 New Target Accounts. What 10 prospects have the greatest potential to spend at the Key Account level with you this year? What will it take? What is the next step in the sales process with them? Set appointments. Write out a Don’t Give Up plan of action.
- Secondary Accounts with Key spending potential. Don’t overlook your active accounts from last year, where there may be new opportunities to invest more with you and your company. Get an appointment for a discovery meeting and conduct a 4As Needs Analysis.
7. Know Your Targets
Dean Moothart, Director, Client Solutions, emphasizes the importance of precision in knowing your targets. Move beyond a general Ideal Customer Profile and delve into specific companies, names, titles, emails, and phone numbers. This targeted approach enhances your engagement and increases the likelihood of success.
8. Set Audacious Goals and Prioritize New Business
Trey Morris, VP/Senior Consultant, encourages setting bold, audacious goals and reverse-engineering a plan to achieve them. 2024 will be what you make it. Set BIG, AUDACIOUS Goals then work backward to create the plan to achieve those BHAR Goals! Do not be influenced by negative predictions, talk of recessions, or the “feelings” of your co-workers.
Set time aside EVERY SINGLE DAY to focus on NEW BUSINESS. 30-minutes, an hour, or even several hours EVERY day focused on getting new business appointments will be the difference between a decent year and a great year!! If you want to hit your budget and make more money, then new business is the difference maker!
Use AI in every step of your sales process! AI can make you better, more efficient, and more effective. AI won’t take your job anytime soon, but someone who knows how to use it will.
9. Set SMART Goals: Clarity for Success
Emily Hartzell, Senior Inbound Marketing and Sales Consultant at LeadG2, advocates for setting clear goals using the SMART criteria – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This clarity ensures a focused and strategic approach to the year ahead.
10. Empower Your Sales Team
Susan McCullin, Senior Consultant, urges sales managers to empower their Account Executives by having them take ownership of their revenue goals. Collaborate on plans to achieve these goals, fostering a sense of accountability and dedication to success.
11. Focus on Recruitment and Recognition
Tirzah Thornburg, Senior Talent Analyst, emphasizes the importance of knowing your team inside out. Regular team reviews can uncover best practices and areas for improvement. Always be recruiting and depositing into your talent bank consistently. Don't forget the power of positive feedback – give a "raise of praise" daily.
As Matt Sunshine, CEO, says, “A small Talent Bank is a handcuff to mediocrity.”
12. Build a Solid Talent Bank
Mindy Murphy, Senior Talent Analyst, rounds off the advice with a focus on recruitment. Set goals for adding candidates to your Talent Bank regularly, allocating time for recruitment activities each week. Whether through referrals, LinkedIn searches, or interviews, actively build a pool of talent for future needs.
Conclusion
As we step into a new year, incorporating these insights can make a significant impact on your success as a sales manager or salesperson. From strategic thinking to precise planning and team empowerment, these strategies form a comprehensive guide to starting the year off strong.
Embrace the challenge, set audacious goals, and make 2024 a year of unparalleled achievement.
