Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community,
Welcome back from the holiday and welcome to the New Year. I trust you all had a restful and happy holiday. 2009 is here, and we are jointly accountable for a fast and aggressive start. Later this morning, you will most likely see my January newsletter, and in it I speak about a “Call to Action” for the new year.
I have a question for you now: What is your “Call to Action” for your sales teams?
Quite literally, this is the week that we need to set the tone and direction for the entire year. How your team sees you behave this very week is how they will see the year. If you hit the week ready to roll and act they will do so. If there is any lethargy or slowness to act and hold people accountable, your teams will also be in low gear. The energy level you set will carry to the sales meeting and beyond, and that is critical. Please don’t underestimate the narrow window of opportunity you have this week to set a tone.
I share this with you because it is what I have observed and witnessed my entire sales career. I have had sales leaders in my career that hit the ground running hard on January 2nd, and I found that inspiring and motivating. Sales leaders who set the right tone by “walking the walk” as it were and do it early will be more successful.
So, as you contemplate your “Call to Action,” be ever mindful that 2009 is THE year to elevate your game as a coach and mentor to your sales teams. There is a very fine line between coaching and training people to be successful and stepping over the line and doing the work yourself. To that end here is the point: Your “Call to Action” must do more than drive activity and behavior change – it must inspire.
Good Selling!
-Todd