9 steps to double your sales target in February

What if there was a straight forward and direct way you could double your sales target for the month ahead?

On top of this, imagine achieving this without having to do anything substantially new and instead, doubling down on components which already exist within your business but usually get overlooked (by the way, read the last sentence again because it’s so key).

For example, as opposed to building a new sales funnel or automating your Facebook messenger, you decide to get tighter on your numbers and become the master of follow up (to be discussed in this article).

So, if you’re not too interested in becoming a #influencer but definitely want to be known for the problem you solve, then let’s read on.

Yep, it’s that simple, set a target which stretches you for the month, but also gets you excited!

I’ve asked on a number of small business owners on live trainings I’ve hosted already this year:

“Do you set a monthly target?”

Incredibly, less than 20% of people said “yes.”

We can save the deeper psychology for another time, but the bottom line is that if you don’t set a destination, it becomes almost impossible to know which direction to head in.

This is where, at least in my observation, far too many of us get stuck in overwhelm and ‘sales and marketing’ anxiety.

• What should I be doing to promote my business right now?
• How can I find the right client?
• Where do I even get started?

Sure, there’s a thousand and one time management tools which can supposedly help, but personally I’ve never seen anything more motivating and focusing than writing down a clear number to achieve by month end.

And yes, you can write down the numbers and still be purpose driven and help a lot of people, in fact the two go hand in hand.

I’ll have to admit, I’m super old school when it comes to this. There’s nothing more valuable than a whiteboard and a weekly and daily target to achieve.

*Note, whiteboards rule the world, when you ink it CLEARLY, it makes it real.

There’s no right or wrong for the amount you set weekly or daily, just put something down on paper… Or a whiteboard.

I started by committing to £50 per day.

The first month, I missed every single day.

The second month, I sold a course for £99 and doubled it in one day.

Later that month, I sold X 3 places on a course for £99 and did £396 in one afternoon!!!

Still to this day, the small sales excite me probably more than the big ones.

The big sales are meant to happen when you’re running a business with a team of x 5 to pay, offices and real bills.

The small sales give me the same buzz as the day I made £396 and it finally felt possible.

Even reading this now, how are you feeling about the excitement of setting a weekly and daily target? It feels good right? At least it should, because hitting that target is your customers saying they value your work enough to pay you for it!

That’s the best validation of all.

By the way, if you’ve set a £500 target for the day and you’re £150 short at 4.30 P.M, I’m pretty sure you’ll do what it takes to get over the line.

I used to think I would get to a certain level in my business and everything would change, maybe I would feel ultra spiritual or become a different person.

I’m not saying I’ve made my first 20 million yet, but currently we’re tracking for a seven figure year in 2021 and the year is only just getting started.

But guess what?

My happiest place when it comes to work, is not on a beach retired in Barbados.

It’s being in my shoebox sales office with my whiteboard and a plan of action for the day.

I literally LOVE it.

There’s something pure about having an engine room (sales room) and showing up for work each day.

Realising that I’m the sales person for my business (and marketing guy too) was a total game changer.

Previously, it was me trying to spin a thousand plates, dropping most of them in the process and investing 6 out of 8 hours in systemising another system.

Today, I write my sales target every morning and play the video game of sales and marketing.

Oh yeah, being the sales person for your business isn’t being the 1995 second hand big collar, briefcase car salesperson.

Quite the opposite.

It’s about showing up for your market and being passionate about helping them in the specific problem you solve.

Simples.

If only our products were so good, everybody wanted to buy them!

Well, if Apple needs a launch for every new Ipad and Rolex has to invest hundreds of millions in marketing, I’m pretty sure we need to market our latest online life coaching course. (Said with kindness).

The great thing about big businesses is they understand the power of marketing and they’re not afraid to campaign their hottest products.

The downfall of most small businesses, coaches and consultants is that they have great belief in their product, but little belief in the marketing of their product.

Showing up and saying we have an amazing product certainly isn’t a strong reason for a market to buy.

Putting on a show for our market through a strong campaign can be the catalyst for dozens, if not hundreds of your market to buy like crazy!

Yes, the stories are true, there is such a thing as six figure launches or generating an entire year salary in one evening.

But none of this happens without a catalyst or, in other words… A strong campaign.

What show can you put on for your market throughout this month?

Did you know couples who workout together are 52% more likely to hit their health and fitness goals?

At least this was the statistic when I was a personal trainer way back in 2008.

*By the way, this really helped to only do consultations for couples and ultimately doubling my client base + sales.

Anyway.

Entrepreneurship is lonely and the chances are your sister doesn’t even understand what you do.

You tried convincing your dog, but even he’s starting to have doubts, especially when he’s looking at his rationed pedigree chum.

So, what’s the answer?

Have someone who’s going to celebrate your wins with you and kick your backside when you’re not keeping to your promises.

I had a great sales manager once who said “commit to your commitments.”

To be fair, it used to annoy me because I didn’t really understand the statement. Only later did it become clear, even when we do commit to a goal, most of the time we don’t commit to the requirement needed for the goal.

So, instead of being in the endless hamster wheel and forgetting what you actually said you were going to do, instead have an accountability partner (or even a team).

Meet on a Monday morning over Zoom at 7.30 A.M and share in 20 mins your big X 3 commitments for the week ahead in terms of sales and marketing, not how you’re going to improve your logo.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, drop a WhatsApp message giving an update.

On Friday, meet again for 30 minutes and review the week. Did you both do what you said you were going to do?

By the way, it’s not a chance to berate each other when you haven’t hit your targets, but it’s a huge opportunity to coach and keep each other on point.

After all, if you have a 52% chance of hitting your goal, is it worth it?

This one hits hardest for most of us, when we know we barely follow up.

It’s like knowing there’s opportunity under your nose, but constantly thinking it’s out there somewhere.

I personally feel we’re addicted to the chase.

It’s totally irrational, but the chase makes us feel safe, because it gives us certainty.

We’re familiar with the search for new clients = certainty

We’re not sure if the enquires we already have will say yes which may mean rejection = uncertainty

It’s this irrational feedback loop which keeps us from doing the basics.

Following up with those prospects who we’ve already had conversations and meetings with.

Once again, I can only speak from my own personal experience, but follow up has been one of the massive game changers in my own business.

It’s great to see if someone is ready to move forward with a solution.

If not, great… At least I get an affirmative “no” and I can move on.

If “yes,” perfect… Let’s get to work.

I’m not sure how accurate this statistic is, but it’s estimated less than 20% of businesses do any kind of real follow up, which is just outright insanity.

Follow up with the people you’ve already got, it’s free and will very likely help you hit the revenue you were searching for by looking for greener pastures.

Imagine if you started every month with x 3 hours of masterminding and strategising with your team!

How would that positively impact your sales for the rest of the month?

Personally, I recommend this strategy meeting is done on the 1st or 2nd each month and yes, if you have a team bring them in, get them involved in the whole process. There’s something special about empowering your team when it comes to the sales and marketing within you business!

The long and short is use the first 40 to 60 minutes to do a full review of the previous month. Ask the hard questions:

• What worked well last month, which we can repeat and amplify this month?
• What didn’t work last month and needs to be addressed, changed or removed?
• What was the most successful lead generation activity? Why was it the most successful?

These types of questions help you dig deep into the process of sales within your business.

Sure enough, everybody wants the perfect sales recipe, but without realising there’s no one size fits all solution.

You have to be in the trenches, get a few bruises and broken bones (not literally), then come back stronger than ever!

Most business owners want to avoid this depth of work, but it’s where the real magic and breakthroughs truly happen.

Side note: For many years, I consulted for medium to large companies and found that even companies turning over tens of millions, would avoid this kind of deep dive into their sales and marketing.

So, whether you work alone or in an established team, use the 1st or 2nd of the month to dive deep into your sales and marketing strategy.

*I appreciate it’s a little late for February, but not too late ;).

I’m not meant to have a favourite step, but this is my favourite step.

Quite simply put, in sales you don’t get what you want, you get what you practise.

The best sales consultations and meetings happen with the most ready professionals.

Imagine knowing the exact questions to ask, which enable the right answers from your client.

Think about your next consultation being able to provide powerful insights which get your client thinking on a far deeper level than they’ve ever considered before.

It all comes with practise, not chance.

I host a weekly sales practise session for my Academy members, all of which are small business owners and I’ll safely say it’s this practise which has helped them create the biggest transformations.

I’m talking beauty therapists going from selling at £50, to £5000 and coaches who couldn’t get a single client, to comfortably on boarding clients at an extremely high level.

It’s not that I’m so amazing at teaching sales, far from it.

It’s all down to the practise.

By the way, sales practise needs be in the diary and not removed for any client or ‘other’ priority.

Sales practise, is the priority.

Finally, know that all days in the month aren’t built equally.

Your customers will have different buyer behaviours at different stages in the month.

They’ll buy one way on the 3rd of the month and a completely different way on the 24th.

It’s up to you to know HOW and WHY your clients buy throughout.

Or, it’s random guesswork and a ‘hopefully they’ll buy’ strategy.

Last I checked, the hopefully strategy doesn’t have a high success rate for sales?

Double down on your performance management, what days are best for lead generation? Nurturing? Opening doors to your offer?

Be the buyer behaviour genius, for your chosen market.

In conclusion…

Sure enough we’re always one sales funnel away from a million pound launch, but for me I’m just a little more old school.

I like to know what’s proven to work for years, is still relevant today and will be in 20 years from now.

For the many businesses and individuals I’ve worked with over the years, I’ve never seen more proven results than the steps (and similar steps) to the one’s shared today.