Time to Stop Looking for “Love” in All the Wrong Places By Floyd Wickman

As we leave this year behind and tie up loose ends it’s natural to put some energy and thought into what it is we want to accomplish in the new year.  Namely:  GOAL SETTING.

For goals to work – they have to have a few rules of thumb to follow.  Namely they must be specific, attainable, visualized and something we want (not something someone else wants us to want.)  We then make a list, spell them out, commit to the date at which time we will achieve them and, maybe even tack pictures of our goals on the wall or paste them to a page and carry them with us.

“All right!” we loudly exclaim to those close to us, “I’m going to accomplish a lot during this year!”  Now it’s time to start doing those things that get us the results we expect.  First of all let’s agree that it isn’t a matter of just working hard.  I have met too many over the years who are hard working, honest and sincere people who never seem to hit their goals.   Of course, there are some who just plain don’t work at it so let’s just admit that their goals are nothing more than fantasy.

My dear friend and colleague, Danielle Kennedy, once asked an audience of several hundred salespeople this question:   “How many of you set a goal at the beginning of this year?”  Almost the whole audience raised their hands.  “Now”, she then asked, “how many of you are on track toward hitting that goal?”  Amazingly just three months into the new year, almost every hand came down!   Is that normal?  Sadly, it is.

Before we go on, let’s establish a premise.  For every achievement there are usually a few “facts” and “success formulas” which we know for a fact, if adhered to – will almost always guarantee results.  Some examples:

1. Lose Weight:  Fact:  Lessen the calorie intake.  Formula:  Eat smarter and do aerobic exercises each day.
2. Get Rich:  Fact:  It’s not what you earn it’s what you keep.  Formula:  shop smart and save more.
3. Sales:  More presentations = more sales.  Formula:  Get face to face and close for a decision.
4. Succeed in Real Estate Sales:  Inventory level determines income level.  Formula:  Stay booked for listing appointments, separate lookers from buyers & sell in-house listings.

Pretty simple right?  So why don’t more people achieve their goals?  Let’s take a look at what they’re NOT doing and what you CAN be doing to get on track and stay there.

When the economy negatively affects one’s business it is human nature to want to find the ‘easier’ way to succeed.  So we begin the journey to find the ‘new’ way to achieve or as I like to say, we start looking for love in all the wrong places.

STOP IT!  I have made that mistake too many times only to find out that what made me successful to begin with is what will keep me successful.  I found that the formula never changes but the ratio does.  We might have to work longer, harder and smarter.  We might need 12 or more listings now to hit our goals where in the past – we may have only needed four.

Here are some wise words from some of the best of the best…

I was at a speaker’s hall of fame forum with about twelve other hall of famers and we were talking about change.   The great Tom Winneger said it this way:  “I’ve learned that every time I’ve gotten out from ‘under my umbrella’ I find I go backward and find myself having to try twice as hard to catch up and often never do.  It cost me time and money to find out I should’ve just kept doing what I do.”

Tom Hopkins and I had a conversation once about what makes the great ones great.  He said it’s because “they continue to do what got them to good”.

My friend Zig Ziglar reminds me now and again to “never change my message” (only my examples and terms) because it’s why people bring me back again and again…not to hear something new.

One of my mentors, Hall of Famer Bill Gove, said to me if I want to go to the top in my profession, “don’t forget what brung-ya.”

I could go on and on with examples to help convince you not to try to reinvent the wheel but let me give you some proof that the formula works.

Two years ago my company implemented a program call R-Squared Coaching.  Here are the results of having them work the formula.  Over 80% of the participants achieve their annual goal and they are averaging this year 1.4 transactions per person per week.

No matter what you do in the sales industry and if you’re serious about your success in 2012 let me leave you with these facts:

1.  You can’t control THE economy…but you can control YOUR economy.
2.  Nothing wrong with the economy that SELLING won’t cure.
3. Success is based not on WHO you are but rather by WHAT you do.
4. RATIOS may change but FORMULAS always remain the same.

Wishing you a prosperous year ahead!  Let’s go make it EXTRAORDINARY together!