As we approach the end of the year it’s time to do some goal setting. For most salespeople it’s writing a list of things they would like to accomplish. That’s a very loose form of goal setting. Loose because it doesn’t have an accomplish by date, it doesn’t detail how it will be accomplished or even if it can be accomplished, and doesn’t have provisions for following through or accountability.

As we start the New Year we think about what we can accomplish this year that we didn’t accomplish last year. We think about earning more money, closing more sales and being more effective and efficient. How would you like to easily increase your earnings by 25% – 50% this year? It’s not difficult and you don’t have to change.

Last August I wrote this article on Urgency. It’s probably a good idea to review it if you read it then and you’ll definitely want to start there if you haven’t read it. I’d like to expand on Urgency and give you an exercise to measure your own level of urgency.

Continuing with our series on Urgency, today I’d like to talk about Urgency and your emotions. Jim Sasena, my director of operations at Objective Management Group, called my attention to the following matrix:

Every once in a while an unusual case of urgency will overcome a salesperson, often brought on by a need for sales, money or recognition. Whatever the reason, this urgency to sell usually creates a change in behavior. What would you do if you absolutely had to sell something – soon?