Start Fast in 2008: Sales Advice from Zig Ziglar's ENewsletter

[raebates]

I subscribe to the Zig Ziglar ENewsletter. I love it. Here's one of the articles from this week's edition. I think it has great advice for all of us.


Salespeople, Start Fast in 2008!
By Bryan Flanagan

Here is a statistic you’ll find interesting. I know, I know: 23% of all statistics are made up on the spot. But follow me on this one.

According to statistical research conducted on the National Football League (NFL), what percentage of teams who score first, win the game?

My guess was 50%. We’ve all read about quarterbacks who have led their teams from behind to win the game. We’ve heard sportscasters discuss how many points are scored in the last two minutes of the half or at the end of the game. So, I thought about 50% was accurate.

Wrong! The statistics claim that 75% of the time a team scores first, they win the game! (No, of course not. I can’t verify this. I heard it while driving to Zig’s office one morning. But, the guys at ESPN Radio wouldn’t lie to me…) I’m thinking, if teams score early in the game, like say in the first quarter, then they are more likely to achieve their objectives.

So, if that stat is true, how can we as salespeople apply it to our profession? How can we apply it to the New Year? How can we use it to get off to a fast start in the first quarter? How can we get off to a fast start so that we, too, can achieve our objectives?

Here are a few ways.

1. Resolve NOT to set resolutions, but set GOALS! Goals. You know, goals…those things salespeople don’t want to set because it means we have to be accountable. Most of us are given our quota during January. You may call it budget, objectives, key result areas. But whatever you call it, it is your target for the coming sales year. Oftentimes, salespeople look at it as a distant target, something we have 12 months to achieve, so we can take our time attacking it. START NOW! If you get off to a fast start in the first quarter, perhaps the rest of the year becomes easier! Perhaps you increase your chances of winning the game! Zig has a great way to set goals. His 7-step Goals Formula is a winner and it will help you become a winner, also.

2. Check your BEHAVIOR against your GOALS. What a great way to give yourself a “check-up from the neck up!” Each and every day, check your behavior against the goals you have set. If your behavior is not contributing to your succeeding in reaching your goals, then you need to adjust your behavior. You don’t adjust the goal, you adjust your behavior. If you are spending too long at lunch, then adjust that behavior. If you are caught up in office talk (like, say, discussing that 75% of teams that score first in the NFL win the game), then remove yourself from that time waster by changing your behavior.

3. ACTIVITY drives accomplishment. Become a sales-activity driven professional. Of course, you must choose the right activities. You can’t confuse activity with productivity. The activities you choose must be contributing to the accomplishment of your goals. However, salespeople have a tendency to become less active after a sale is made. They tend to put their career on “cruise control.” Cruise control can make you comfortable, but it will never make you successful! Choose the right activities.
​

Well, there you have it: three ideas on contributing to a fast start in the first quarter. The challenge is to become a goal-directed, best behavior, and right-activity type sales professional.

May the best of your 2007 be the worst of your 2008!!!





Bryan Flanagan believes in the sales profession and he respects salespeople. He conducts sales education for a variety of sales organizations. Contact Bryan at [email protected].

 

[sfdavis918]

Thanks for posting that Rae. Do you by any chance have the 7-step Goals formula available to post also? I have already written up my goals for this year but I would love to look at it in a different way.

Thanks!

 

[amy07]

thanks - will be sharing it with my team!

 

[raebates]

Do you by any chance have the 7-step Goals formula available to post also? I have already written up my goals for this year but I would love to look at it in a different way.

Thanks!

I'm sorry, I don't. I also don't remember seeing it recently. It's possible that it's in one of his books. Your library probably has most of them.

 

[raebates]

Hey, Sarah, I did find this from Zig Ziglar:10 Steps to Goal Getting
by Zig Ziglar Here are ten steps to help you achieve your goals in the new year:1. Make the commitment to reach your goal. "One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest." -- Mary Crowley2. Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Record your progress toward your goals every night, and list the six most important things you need to do the next day. Daily discipline is the key to reaching your goals.3. Build your life on a solid foundation of honesty, character, integrity, trust, love and loyalty. This foundation will give you an honest show at reaching any goal you have set properly.4. Break your intermediate and long-range goals into increments.5. Be prepared to change. You can't control the weather, inflation, interest rates, Wall Street, etc. Change your decision to move toward a goal carefully, but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.6. Share your "give-up" goals, i.e., give up smoking, being rude, procrastinating, being late, eating too much, etc., with many people. Chances are excellent they're going to encourage you.7. Become a team player. Remember: You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.8. See the reaching. In your imagination see yourself receiving that diploma, getting that job or promotion, making that speech, moving into the home of your dreams, achieving that weight-loss goal, etc.9. Each time you reach a goal, your confidence will grow so that you can do bigger and better things. After accomplishing any goal, record it in your journal, weekly planner or PDA.10. Remember, what you get by reaching your destination isn't nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals -- what you will become is the winner you were born to be!