Top 5 End of Year for Managers

As the end of the year approaches, here are 5 things you can do to make sure next year is a great year.

1 Identify just one thing that each salesperson can do better, and help them improve by the end of the year. In the first chapter of his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear outlines the value of small incremental changes. Previous posts reviewed the proper way to coach so you know how to teach new skills. Assess your team (click here for free assessment trial) and find that one thing that will give you the biggest return possible. While the competition is slacking over the holidays, you can be ramping up your team.

2 Refine your sales process. 92% of the companies have ineffective, incomplete, non-existent sales processes, or sales processes that their people don't follow. Use this free Sales Process Grader to see how you're process stacks up. The questions will give you a hint of what to work on.

3 Build your recruitment Pipeline. As outlined in a previous post, a Sales Manager should spend about 5% of their time each week on recruiting new talent. A hiring pipeline is no different from a Sales Pipeline. It needs to be full of prospects who are Qualified and ready to go. Use this free Recruiting Process Grader. Again, the questions help you identify what to work on.

4 Fix your Sales Ghosts. It costs money to hire and train salespeople, only to have them leave. We continue to be affected by the salespeople of years past; those who once walked our halls, have left, and whose actions continue to haunt us and cost us dearly. How much have your ghosts cost your company? Take the free Ghosts Test.  Also, figure out how much poor salespeople in the past have cost your company with this free Sales Hiring Mistake Calculator. Put a plan in place to resolve your Top 5 most costly Ghosts and add that money to your Pipeline for next year!

5 Have everyone on your Sales Team reach out to every contact they have. EVERY SINGLE NAME AND NUMBER! Simply ask, "Could you use some help?" It's amazing how many people are willing to accept help as the year draws to an end. Some have left over budgets they need to spend. Some have goals for the next year that they have no idea how to achieve. Salespeople need to pick up the phone and BE THE TRUSTED ADVISOR their prospects need!