2015 Sales Performance & Sales QuotaFollowing the turn of the new year, it’s crucial to reflect on the trials, triumphs, and failures of the past in taking measures towards a more successful year for your company. Though the path ahead may not be as straightforward as you’d like, these suggestions will aid you and your team in maximizing your efforts, and meeting or exceeding your sales quota this year.

Closely examine your metrics

It’s an effort in vain to try improving what you haven’t measured, so before anything else, take a critical look at your current metrics and see if they provide the insight and coaching intelligence you need to better your team. Blemishes in your team’s strategy will become more obvious as the year goes on. Make improvements now to have your best year yet.

Automate as much of your sales process as possible

Save time and create efficiency. Modern technology offers a wide basket of options for streamlining and automating your processes. Besides saving you precious time, processes that can be automated are typically the tedious chores that you and your sales reps begrudgingly labor over. Automation will likely allow you to focus more of your time and attention on the aspects of your job that bring you the most revenue.

Know more about what your sales reps are doing during the day

Maximize performance by gathering more knowledge on your reps’ typical days, schedules, territories, and time. Take the time now to find out if your reps have the most efficient territories and are making good investments with their time.

Make smaller, shorter term goals that will lead up to meeting- or exceeding- your sales quota

Smaller goals are more likely to be achieved because they seem more attainable. Like the high school crush who you thought was way out of your league, your team might be intimidated and demotivated by a goal set too high. Take improvement one step at a time for the best results.

Go Darwinian (Survival of the Fittest)

Support, praise, and reward your top performers so that they are motivated to do even better, helping both you and your team prosper. Don’t waste valuable time, effort, and resources on poor performers who are dragging down your results and your company. Shedding dead weight will be appreciated by your stronger performers, serve your ultimate benefit, and be returned by the appreciation of your team.

Use PIPs sooner than later

If a salesperson is not meeting their quota, put them on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) now. For every day you put it aside, it is another day of lost revenue. PIPs afford employees the opportunity to improve their performance while still holding them accountable for past mistakes.

Try something new

Especially if your results last year were not up to par, or if this year you have bigger challenges and fewer resources. New apps, further training, updated technology, reworked comp plans, fresh territories, new teams – mix it up and try something different! Trying something new can illuminate better ways of doing things, pique the interest of your team, and bring colleagues together in the excitement of change.

Drink more beer!

It fixes everything! Designated time for camaraderie and relaxation will improve the compatibility of your team both socially and professionally. Set aside time for drinks with the team. Cheers!

Analyze your weaknesses

This is not an earth-shattering tip, but rather, just a reminder to do that thing most of us hate doing – facing ourselves. Take time this year to fix those areas and improve performance.

Go mobile

If you haven’t already gone digital, it’s time to get up with the times! Gone are the days of handwritten sales reports, my friends.The next step is going mobile. Make the workday more expedient for your and your sales reps by making it possible to add and access important data on the go. Establishing and becoming accustomed to the technology is time well invested.