Five Questions

You’ve been here for a while, right? I’ve seen you here before. You’ve read a few posts; maybe even more than a few posts. Perhaps you’ve said something to yourself like, “Hey! That’s a really good idea. I could apply that to my own sales, improve my results, help more clients, and make some more money in the bargain.”

If you didn’t find the ideas that you needed here, you have surely found them on another sales blog, haven’t you?

Maybe you have applied some ideas. And maybe you just need a little motivation.

Checking In

1. 1. What new action (or actions) have you taken since you started reading this blog and what were the results of taking that action? Was there a single post that you read and knew you needed to implement an idea you took from that post? Have you implemented that idea?Grab a pen and piece of paper. Write down two actions you need to take now to improve your sales results?

1. 1. You know I am big on prospecting and nurturing, right? What are you going to do over the next four weeks to improve your prospecting and nurturing efforts? What are you going to do to put yourself in front of more opportunities, to help more of your dream clients succeed, and to improve your sales results?
      More paper. Write down the three dream clients that you need to nurture in 2011 and then write your plan for doing so.

1. 1. What have you done to align yourself and your sales process with the iron laws of sales? What have you done to more closely follow your sales process? If your sales process needed work, what have you done to improve it?
      Paper! Write it down. Write out your process on paper. Now circle the two big areas where you are weakest, where your deals stall or where that are lost. Don’t make it complicated; you know what they are. Now write down what you are going to do to improve there.

1. 1. What beliefs have you had challenged by reading this blog or another sales blog? Have you willingly explored those beliefs to verify that they are still serving you? What beliefs have you abandoned and cast off to make room for healthier beliefs?
      Write down the one belief that holds you back that, if abandoned, would improve your sales results. Now draw a line through that belief. Fold the paper in half. Then fold it in half again. And again. One more time. Stick that piece of paper in your wallet or purse. Take it out and read it each morning.

1. What do you have to do to be the “you” that you know you should be? Who do you have to become? What are you doing to develop the attributes that success requires? What are you doing to develop the attributes that succeeding in sales requires?
   Read this list and pick the post that you know you need to read and take action on. Then read this list and do the same. What you need isn’t here? Make your own list in the comments; then tell us all what you intend to do about it.

For more on increasing your sales effectiveness, subscribe to the RSS Feed for The Sales Blog and my Email Newsletter. Follow me on Twitter, connect to me on LinkedIn, or friend me on Facebook. If I can help you or your sales organization, check out my coaching and consulting firm, B2B Sales Coach & Consultancy, email me, or call me at (614) 212-4729.

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