Mike and James had a big plan to sell more of their widgets. The widgets that they had built were wonderful. In fact they had numerous testimonials that these
widgets changed peoples lives. Mike wanted to grow this aspect of their business and James agreed. They came up with a plan, built the brochures and sales materials, started down the road of contacting the ideal customers for their
widgets and then things fell flat! What was once a promising campaign melted away like an ice-cream cone on a hot summer’s day.
This is not uncommon in business where we get an idea to grow our company or sell more of a certain product or service but after all the planning, the reality sets in that this is going to be more effort than we first imagined and people become distracted. Our dreams of selling more widgets become another failure in the pile of good ideas and great intentions. So, what do we need to do to have a successful campaign?
1. Treat it like a construction project. When people build out projects they have a timeline, measurables and a firm start and finish. There are aspects of the project that need to happen in sequence, like building the foundation, the floor, and then the walls. We don’t put the roof on first, that happens after the trusses are up and they need to sit on the walls. The same needs to happen with our sales campaign. We need to build the foundation, and have a plan we are following along the way.
2. Set Time Aside to do the work. Just like building a house, once we have a plan, we need to put time and energy into doing the work necessary for each step of the process. Often in business, we draft up a plan for our campaign but forget to allocate time and energy into when and how we are going to get that plan done. Setting specific times aside each week to work on the campaign is going to get you further than just trying to do it off the side of your desk during the free time. We all know that there are so many interruptions in our schedules that unless we plan specifically for growth it happens more by chance than by plan.
3. Be consistent. Often organizations have a great plan but the work doesn’t get done because plans are fun to make but harder to implement. Being consistent and working each and every week during the timeline set aside for the campaign will make all the difference.
4. Track and be accountable. What gets measured gets managed is the familiar saying that means that when we tell our teams they are going to be measured according to their performance in a specific area, they will focus on that area. When we have a sales campaign, we need everyone to keep measuring the success and discussing their specific results each and every week. Having a chart, setting individual goals, measuring specific activities that will contribute to the success of the campaign are going to be important.
5. Celebrate: When we celebrate our successes, we are more likely to achieve great things. Teams want to celebrate together. However unless we have a measurable target and rewards, the celebration aspect gets forgotten and the campaign is just another rock that needs to be climbed over on the way to retirement.
When we can make our sales campaigns fun, accountable, measurable and there is a plan we are going to follow, we are more likely to be successful. Working to achieve these goals each and every week and holding the team accountable to making things work, will ensure your success. When we fail to treat our campaign like a project, we position ourselves to stumble on the road to success.
Dave Fuller, MBA, is a business coach in Prince George B.C. His book Profit Yourself Healthy has helped thousands of business owners reduce their stress and earn more money. Selling yourself short? Email dave@pivotleader.com
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