Have you ever been there? I'm talking about one of those sales meetings where your manager is hot under the collar because everyone's sales numbers are below target. You all get challenged, maybe even threatened that things had better turn around. You leave the meeting knowing your job is on the line and you have an enormous knot in your stomach.

The anxiety is from the uncertainty of sales itself. Sales is one of those positions where a lot of things are beyond your control. Unless you have learned the art of mind control, the final sale is someone else's decision, not yours.

I am not saying that your efforts make no difference, far from it, but much of sales is about increasing the odds that they will buy. If you do not learn how to become a better sales person then chances are your odds will remain low to ever close a sale. But if you learn the art of selling and stick to your most important activities, you increase your odds. Remember, no one can close 100% of the time.

One of the most powerful tools you can have in your sales kit is Goal Setting. When done properly, goal setting can make the difference between you being an average salesperson and the top of the class. Here is how you use the power of goal setting to make more sales.

Goal setting tips for a sales professional:

As a sales professional try and avoid setting goals for how many sales you want to make. This sounds counter to everything you hear but stick with me. Many sales professionals will start the goal setting process with something like this, "Make 4 sales this month" and that's it. While it is fine to have a number in your head and we all need something to aim at, we have to make sure our goal setting goes a few steps further.

What activities are you going to have to do to give yourself the best chances of making 4 sales this month? Best practices abound in every sales industry. The sad reality is only a minority actually stick to them. In your industry what are the daily things you must do to make sales? If you do not know you had better find out. Your sales manager should know, because he or she was probably promoted because they made a lot of sales. Who in your office right now is making a lot of sales? Success leaves clues, go and find out what they are doing. Once you have this information it is time to do a little goal setting.

I want to give you an example of a three pronged attack for goal setting by focusing on sales activities, personal development, and motivation.

Goal Setting in Sales Activities

Let's say you find out that to give yourself the best chances of filling your pipeline and making sales you need to:

Make 30 cold calls a day to try and set up meetings

Call all of your past clients and ask for referrals

Send out an email newsletter to keep in touch with prospective clients.

Goal Setting in Personal Development

You also know that you need to work on some of your closing techniques. Others have told you that you are not aggressive enough in your sales cycle so you need to figure out a way to change that. Not leaving anything to chance you decide to do a little goal setting in this area:

Ask the most aggressive salesperson in your office if you can shadow them for a morning.

Read a book that just came out on closing the sale.

Ask 5 of your colleagues that are good at closing to glean information from them.

Goal Setting to keep your Motivation

You also know that in the past you have set some lofty goals but then you run out of steam and get discouraged. As a sales professional you can use goal setting to help you keep your motivation strong. Maybe for you it is:

Every morning read over you mission statement.

Once a week go for lunch with one of the more inspiring salespeople from the office.

Watch the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" once this month.

So now you have a list of specific and measurable goals for you to focus on this month. Now your goal setting has been taken to the next level. In review, your goals for the next month are:

Sales Activities

o Make 30 cold calls a day to try and set up meetings

o Call all of your past clients and ask for referrals

o Send out an email newsletter to keep in touch with prospective clients.

Personal Growth

o Ask the most aggressive salesperson in your office if you can shadow them for a morning.

o Read a book that just came out on closing the sale.

o Ask 5 of your colleagues that are good at closing to glean information from them.

Motivation

o Every morning read over my mission statement.

o Once a week go for lunch with one of the more inspiring salespeople from the office.

The last step you need to take in this goal setting process is to create a system to keep track of your progress. Make a spreadsheet, or write it out on paper. Place it where you can see it everyday. Goal setting is more effective when you keep your goals constantly in front of you.

Another good idea is to share the plan with your manager for input. They will be able to give you some excellent feedback and maybe add a goal or two to your goal setting list list. This will also show your manager that you are motivated and really working hard at making those sales. While your manager wonders what everyone else is doing with their time, he or she will know exactly what you are doing.

By engaging in proper goal setting for the activities that are going to bring you closer and closer to those 4 sales, you take a lot of the stress and anxiety out of your day. Goal setting in this fashion, gives you a sense of control over your life, your success and your future as a sales professional.