The Missing Piece in Sales Training: Whatever Happened to Goal-Setting?

Sales [UN]Training

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly delves into the crucial role of goal setting in driving sales performance. He explains how setting high, specific goals that align with personal motivators can significantly outperform the traditional approach of simply assigning sales quotas. Drawing on his early experiences with iconic sales figures like Zig Ziglar and personal anecdotes, Kelly highlights the power of written goals and their ability to elevate performance. His unique approach to letting salespeople set their own goals not only encourages ownership but often leads to exceeding expectations.

Kelly also stresses the importance of breaking down long-term goals into short-term, manageable steps, comparing it to the incremental progress needed to train for a marathon. He shares insights on the value of short-term objectives and well-structured sales contests as effective tools to keep teams motivated and focused. If you’re seeking ways to engage your sales team more effectively, this episode provides actionable strategies on how personal goals and clear planning can transform sales outcomes.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to the problem of poor sales performance 01:23 - Why sales training often fails 02:20 - Kelly’s early sales influences: Zig Ziglar and Tom Hopkins on goal setting 04:00 - How modern sales teams have abandoned proper goal setting 06:00 - Why quotas aren’t true goals 09:10 - The importance of letting salespeople set their own goals 13:00 - Personal story about marathon goal setting as a metaphor for sales 15:45 - Smart goals: The formula for success 17:30 - The importance of a written goal and a plan 21:10 - Breaking annual goals into manageable chunks 22:44 - Why sales contests are still valuable in keeping salespeople engaged 24:00 - Conclusion and final thoughts on goal setting for sales success

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