Predictable Results in Unpredictable Times?

Is it possible to create predictable results in unpredictable times?

The short answer, of course, is it depends on your particular industry.

I’m not going to sit here and pretend that anything right now is largely predictable especially in industries like hospitality or tourism.

We’re approaching the very end of a year whose very theme has been unpredictability. In fact, there hasn’t been a time in recent memory where things have been so uncertain.

While many are celebrating the end of 2020, we can’t expect for the pandemic to be over on January 1st, 2021. The uncertainty will carry itself into the new year and beyond. And that’s, ironically, perhaps the most certainty we have right now.

The long answer to my original question? There are things you can be doing right now, even in unpredictable times, to add at least some degree of predictability to your processes. That is, while the following steps may not guarantee 2021 being a “predictable” year, without them it is likely things will be even more unpredictable than they are right now.

Here are some ideas to help build some degree of predictability in your results:

1. Ensure your team is using sales process and methodologies the same way. Make sure the members of your sales team are, at the very least, clear on the steps and processes your organization has set out.
2. Ensure your team is implementing CRM the same way. Trust me, your life gets harder as a sales leader if members of your team are using a variety of standards to track leads, prospects, and clients via a CRM. A standard should be established and adhered to.
3. Create a consistent sales coaching schedule. Coaching shouldn’t be done “when there’s time.” There’s a reason even the best athletes in the world are strict about receiving and implementing coaching. Your sales team needs to be consistently coached.

These might seem like basic ideas, but in a year of craziness, it’s easy to forget or neglect the fundamentals.

While the fate of many economies, industries, and businesses remains largely “up in the air,” your sales team should be doing everything possible to build some degree of certainty in your processes to best your chances of success in 2021—whatever your definition of success is for the next year.