It's not uncommon for us to hear, “I don’t have buy-in from some of my salespeople to achieving the quota assigned to them.” It's usually an excuse later in the year when numbers aren't on track to meet goals. Getting buy in on goals should happen at the beginning of the goal setting process, not while progress is being reviewed.
Isn’t it interesting how we get mad at salespeople for not producing a number they had no involvement in setting, and therefore, have no emotional tie-in for achieving? Do you want your salespeople to hit quota this year? Let them sell you on why they believe the number should be “X.”
If it’s not high enough, tell them to come back with another number. Either way, you have total control of the final number, and they’re emotionally invested in that number because it’s their number, not something you forced on them.
And one last thing, let’s remember that quotas are far different than personal goals. Tying your people’s quotas into their personal goals is ideal sales management. But of course, for this to work, you must know their personal goals, which is a topic for another day.
- Jody Williamson