A reader writes, "A few of my reps started off strong this year. But their effort and sales tapered off in July and August. Each has a good chance of achieving their annual quota. What can I say/do to get them reinvigorated for the fall?" Most people head into September with a good attitude. They've enjoyed the warm weather and maybe a fun vacation with family or friends. The downside - customers have been on vacation too. For many businesses this means slower bookings. September through December represents such a strong selling period for many companies that these months make the difference between a good and bad year for business. Capitalize on this and come up with a plan for these reps to finish the year above quota. Goals Change When assigning sales quotas at the beginning of the year, you probably broke the overall number into quarterly and/or monthly goals. A quota of $1.5 million dollars became a quarterly goal of $375,000 and a monthly goal of $125,000. With 4 months left in the year, it's a new ballgame. Their quota doesn't change, but their new goal becomes $1.5 million less their sales made January through August. Run the Numbers Before you meet with these salespeople, find out exactly where they stand versus quota. For instance, January through August (8 months x $125,000) one rep's performance was as follows: $1,000,000 - $930,000 = $70,000. That $70,000 shortfall gets added to their September through December quota (4 months x $125,000): $500,000 + $70,000 = $570,000. Going forward, $570,000 represents their new goal and the only number they need to concern themselves with. For discussions with them you can refer to the $570,000 as a "long quarter" (4 months) or a new monthly goal of $142,500 (compared to the original goal of $125,000). Think about what motivates them and what works best for your company. Lay of the Land Before sharing any numbers, meet with each rep and ask where they think they stand year to date. Get a feel for how well they know their performance versus quota. If they seem unsure, assign them the task of putting the figures together and set up another time to talk. Set New Metrics Once you've agreed upon the numbers, start a discussion about their plans for closing enough business to achieve the new goal. Remember that whatever they've done in the past hasn't been adequate. They're behind YTD. If, for example, previous weekly goals of 10 appointments with decision makers, 3 presentations and 1 sale weren't getting the job done, then those numbers need to be revisited. Work together with the reps to set new minimum performance standards that will help them not only reach but exceed the new goal of $570,000. Motivate Motivate Motivate Create a report showing their progress towards the newly established $570,000 goal. Sponsor several sales contests, short in duration, that play to their strengths. Show the rep what they'll earn if they reach their annual goal. Review the financial scenarios if they were to exceed it. Follow any sales reports closely. Look for any and every excuse to pay compliments. Spot Problems Early If one of the reps misses their number for the month or turns in a forecast that falls short of expected revenue production, meet with them right away. Hold them accountable if they drop below the agreed upon new set of minimum performance standards. They have less than four months to achieve their sales goal. Don't hope for the best. Take action as soon immediately. Longer Sales Cycles For companies with longer sales cycles, sales managers need to focus their efforts on assisting the reps with all closeable deals in the pipeline. If a rep has six potential sales, both parties need to figure out all combinations and revenue amounts possible to achieve the annual goal. In a case where the reps lack enough late stage deals to hit their annual target, managers need to work with them to offer incentives such as higher volume or longer term deals. It all comes down to planning and execution. Be a Coach Use this whole exercise as a teachable moment for your salespeople. Top performing reps know their revenue numbers cold. Mid- or lower- level performers often have a murkier idea of where they stand. These reps should come away from this experience vowing to have a greater awareness of their sales numbers all year long - not just in the waning months of the year. | 
