If you want better sales performance, start with better goal setting.

Traditionally, sales goals are set by leadership and handed down to the sales team. On paper, it makes sense, since leadership sets the budget.

In reality, top-down approaches force compliance over commitment. Salespeople may nod yes — but do they really buy in when things get difficult?

Real performance comes from ownership and understanding. To shift from compliance to commitment, involve salespeople directly in building their goals.

This allows sales managers to shift into a coaching role, helping their salespeople pressure-test their plans.

• Undershoot: If goals are too low, challenge them using historical performance, earning expectations, compensation structure, and industry standards.
• Overshoot: If goals are unrealistically high, ground them in reality. Top performers may still set higher private targets.

Break Goals Down Into Bite-Size Chunks

Annual goals alone are not enough. They don’t support a weekly rhythm or the right day-to-day behaviors.

Better traction happens when you break goals down by:

• Month (based on historical buying/selling patterns)
• Department
• Type or source

Different types of sales require different strategies: maintenance renewals, new client sales, enhancements, design/build, and bid-build sales all behave differently. Treating them as one bucket creates bad forecasting and poor execution.

Monthly goals create accountability. Some team members may need weekly tracking. This allows managers to spot problems early, coach sooner, and adjust behavior before revenue drops.

Sales is a leading indicator to revenue. Better sales management produces better revenue flow.

Tie Goals to Activity

Once goals are set, define the activities each salesperson must complete to hit them.

• Calls made
• Meetings booked
• Proposals delivered (and closing ratios)
• Sites visited
• Opportunities created
• Follow-ups completed

Activity drives opportunity. Opportunity drives sales. Sales drives revenue.

When you connect activity to outcomes, coaching becomes easier and more effective in real time.

Build Baselines and Stretch Goals

Not every salesperson will hit their number. That’s reality. High performers often need to exceed targets to offset those who fall short.

Create two levels of goals:

• Baseline goals: Must-hit numbers that protect revenue stability
• Stretch goals: Growth targets that push performance

Strong systems build the resilience needed to achieve overall team targets.

Your Challenge as Sales Manager: Understand Your Total Role

You are not just the enforcer. You are the systems designer, team architect, and performance coach.

Your role is to:

• Confirm plans
• Coach behaviors
• Manage the top of the funnel
• Create accountability systems
• Decide who is on the team and who is off

When goals and plans are co-created, you get better results and faster pivots.

Ensuring the right team fit is critical. Address culture issues quickly, and make tough decisions when performance consistently falls short.

That’s the responsibility of leadership.

Regards,
Jeffrey

P.S. If you want help implementing these strategies, join our virtual Sales Symposium on March 10th (early bird ends February 26). We’ll provide structure, clarity, and practical tools to become a stronger sales leader.

Email Meredith for the 3-for-2 ticket option.

P.P.S. We will also benchmark five sales KPIs so you can measure your team’s performance and compare results with peers at the event.