Every now and again we need an out of body experience, rise up above it all and look at what we do. As a sales professional we can slip into day to day firefighting. Last month I wrote about the importance of a Sales Plan. You should have one.
Today, let’s do some self-reflection. It’s easy to look at the numbers. Are we ahead or behind of goals? Are we maintaining a strong customer base? Have we added new customers? When was the last time you looked at how your go about your work?
It’s time to ask yourself:
- What do I do really well (my strength, or differentiators)? Keep in mind being responsive, quality, on time delivery, know my product are table stakes. Everyone claims those.
- Where do I need improvement (my weaknesses)? Ask your peers or your boss; where do I need improvement?
- What opportunities am I missing? Are there perfect fit prospects that I can’t seem to find the time to pursue?
- We are coming out of a very strange period with COVID. Some call it a Black Swan event. Pandemic, labor shortages, material shortages…all at the same time. What if that happens again? What’s your contingency plan?
Sooner than later, set aside an hour and give some thoughts to these four questions. You’ve heard of companies “pivoting” in response to all that’s going on. YOU should be prepared to “pivot” at any time. Knowing your Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (yup, it’s a S.W.O.T.) will help you long term.
