Does Sydney Crosby track his numbers? Count on it! His scoreboard is there for all to see on the NHL website. Why is it important to Sid? It’s a reflection of his current performance, where he’s doing well, areas that could be improved and how he compares to others. It justifies his value to the team and his hefty paycheques.
Do you know your stats? How many times you’ve passed, (opened a new opportunity) assisted, (advanced a potential sale) shot on net, (asked someone to buy something) and scored goals (got someone to say “yes”)? Top salespeople know because it’s their scoreboard. It shows exactly how they are doing at all times. Even more important, it measures the activities that lead to results. And when you measure activities in a meaningful way, performance improves.
Most companies ask their salespeople to track this information, yet many fail to explain why these numbers are so important to the salesperson. The employer may track them out of habit or because they want to know what their employees are doing with their time. They should also describe the many benefits for the employee:
- For a new salesperson, it records their activity. It’s an opportunity for the company to correct unproductive behaviour before it becomes a habit or before they pass their probationary period with few results.
- Most sales jobs today take time before the new person turns activity into sales. Often sales only materialize 6-12 months after the initial introduction. In the absence of results, only the individual’s tracking of activities tells their manager if they are doing what it takes to become successful.
- For all salespeople, their stats tell a story. What do they do before they get a sale? How many times do they have to do it in order to earn the income they’d like or meet their quota? What specific improvements would provide the highest pay off?
Want to score more goals? Do more activities that lead to scoring and get better at each step. The only way to know if you’re improving is to keep track.