2024… I can't believe we're already here. We're back, we're ready to work, and we hope you are too! Without further ado, here we go.
Situation
Samuel tried to avoid thinking about the start of 2024 as much as possible. But despite his efforts, there was nothing that could quell the noise and anxiety the reality of a new year was causing him. Did Samuel's self inflict the pressure with a strong 2023? Or does every business development professional just learn to accept that management always wants more this year than you did last year? No matter what the right answer is, Samuel understood that every new year was going to be just like all the others before it. New year meant new quotas and whining never did anything to change it. Like everyone else on the team, Samuel had to go to work and nothing was going to happen to make this challenge go away.
Diagnosis
Often success is a double edged sword for producers on any kind of sales team. The rewards for having a good year tend to turn into pressure to do it again, but the expectation is for even more success and growth. Samuel felt like there had to be a magic solution or process that would make this new year less stressful. But for all his searching, nothing seemed to be available to him. Professionals in the Biz Dev Arena see bright lights and big winds out there. But the reality of time being limited tends to be the roadblock to freedom from the new year slash new quota conundrum. Samuel was exhibiting normal feelings as he tore through December 2023 and flipped over the calendar to 2024. His issue was figuring out how to get better results in the same amount of time.
Prescription
The most important requirement in addressing this common situation is to not try to outsmart yourself. In business development, the basics have been the same forever. And trying to deny that or reinvent the wheel is a waste of time. Success requires a total commitment to prospecting as the foundation to hitting any goal. If you are not looking for or creating opportunities, you are setting yourself up for failure and frustration.
Solution number one is simple. Prospect like your life depends on it.
Solution number two requires constant diagnosing of your process and your success and failure rates.
Be realistic. Do not lie to yourself here.
Where are you most effective in the decision collecting process? Are you setting the rules of the process or allowing yourself to be controlled by the prospect or suspect? Do you know where you're getting derailed or where you lose your efficiency and effectiveness? Are you planning or making yourself better or are you hoping things just change on their own? Is your self-talk supportive or destructive? Can you ride the waves of success or are you drowning while thinking of succeeding? There's a lot to digest right there, so take some time and think it over, but not too long because we don't accept think it over.
Critical thinking
This is an easy one this week. How are you going to do things differently to improve upon where you left in 2023? Did you finish where you wanted to be in 2023 or are you still striving to get there and now work even harder to have a better 2024? If you have that super successful 2023, don't think that was an anomaly. Challenge yourself to do it again and work hard. Let us know how you're gonna change things and what you want your 2024 to look like.
The Drill:
Final Thoughts for the Morning:
"Celebrate endings for they precede new beginnings.”
While it's a new beginning of the year, maybe you lost some clients last year, which means you now have space for new ones. Maybe you picked up new ones and now you have an opportunity to develop that relationship further. Either way, look for the good and celebrate the new beginnings. And now the drill.
LAST WEEK: Tell us how your three stated goals went last week or if you didn't turn them in because we didn't send one, that's okay. Update us on how things are going so far and what Growth Dynamics tactics you are using to accomplish your goals.
THIS WEEK: Send us in your three goals for the week. What Growth Dynamics tactics are you going to use to accomplish them? And perhaps even where can you use some coaching? Maybe you need a refresher on a few things.
Do not forget to reach out and schedule your one-on-one coaching with Charlie or myself. Set yourself up for a successful 2024. Do not wait until you're behind to try to catch up and be better. Let's start ahead and stay on top the whole year. Now go out there and make this year the best one yet.
