Are You Having a Bad Sales Month? Why You Shouldn't Worry
Pondering a career in sales is a lot like looking at a roller coaster from afar. Neither looks all that terrifying. In both cases, going up is the easy part. It's the plummeting that causes the stomach to flip-flop.
One bad month is all it takes to throw some salespeople into a tizzy. Finishing up short — well short, in fact — can result in a Six Flags-level screaming session. But relax! I'm here to tell you why you shouldn't worry and when you should.
Thirty days is not a truly accurate amount of time to measure sales, and yet we all count on this unit of measure to determine our success or failure. As hard as it is, you need to look past the calendar in order to find a more accurate reading. What if a customer who was going to place an order in March gave to you in February instead? And a second client who'd promised you a job in March dragged her feet and did not issue a PO until April? March would probably end up being a "bad" month. Naturally, you would fret and freak out until April's numbers came in and suddenly things are all better.
The only time that you should really worry about a bad month is when you have not been performing the kinds of sales activities that result in sales volume. If you are consistently making sales calls — especially new business calls — you have got nothing to worry about. That's the key, to focus on sales activity.
The answer to the question, "Are you doing your job?" is wrongly based on monthly sales volume. Instead, learn to find your answer in the number and amount of sales calls being made.
Roller coasters and careers in sales are not for everyone. In either case, you need to endure a little terror.
Bill Farquharson is the president of Aspire For. Contact Bill: 781-934-7036 or bill@aspirefor.com. Bill’s book, Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing … and How? will teach you how to be profitable, rebuild a loyal customer base, and get your sales reps selling. More information on that and his other book, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever!, can be found on his website, AspireFor.com
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Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.
