Managing Sales Objectives

This is the most underrated problem I've seen when trying to build or expand partnership GTM: Leadership is initially fully behind a new partnership, excited about its potential, but that enthusiasm never makes its way down to the sales teams who are expected to execute. Without alignment, even the best partnership can stall before it has a chance to succeed. Why does this happen? Sales teams are often focused on their core products, and if a partnership doesn’t clearly benefit them or fit into their day-to-day operations, it becomes an afterthought. To turn things around, you need to make sure your partnership incentives, compensation, and training are in lockstep with the teams that will be selling your product. Here’s how to align incentives and drive results: 1. Ensure your incentives are compelling enough for frontline teams. It’s not enough to excite leadership—sales teams need a clear, tangible reason to sell your product. - Introduce a financial incentive or bonus structure that’s competitive with what reps earn on their core products. This could be a one-time bonus for the first sale, or an ongoing commission that rewards consistent effort. -Tie the incentive to their existing sales goals. If your product helps them hit their targets more easily, they’ll naturally prioritize it. 2. Structure partner compensation to motivate co-selling. If your partner compensation doesn’t align with their core goals, they won’t push your product. - Design a compensation plan that aligns with both the partner’s and your business objectives. For instance, if your partner’s core offering is hardware, incentivize bundling your software as part of the sale to create a win-win situation. - Offer performance-based incentives that reward partners for hitting key milestones—whether that’s a certain number of units sold, a specific revenue target, or even customer engagement metrics. Keep it simple and measurable. 3. Provide consistent training and engagement so your product isn’t just another checkbox. Sales teams won’t advocate for your product if they don’t fully understand its value or how to sell it. - Develop ongoing, bite-sized training sessions that fit into their schedules. Instead of overwhelming them with lengthy sessions, focus on 15-minute, high-impact trainings that teach them how to identify the right opportunities. -Pair training with real-time support. Join sales calls, offer one-pagers, and provide direct assistance during key customer engagements. When they feel supported, they’re more likely to feel confident pushing your product. This kind of alignment can make the difference between a stalled partnership and a thriving one. When sales teams are motivated, equipped, and incentivized to sell your product, the partnership stops being just another checkbox—it becomes a key driver of growth.

Let’s talk about goals. Not just any goals but those that genuinely **ignite a fire** under your sales team and drive them to hit beyond their targets. You might think your team is underperforming because they're not feeling enough pressure, but hear me out: it's probably not about pressure at all. It's about setting the **right goals**. Ever set goals that were meant to inspire, only to watch them crumble instead? The mistake? Often, it’s in the way we set those goals. Goals that are too vague, too ambitious, or too irrelevant can **kill performance** faster than you can say 'missed target'. But there’s hope, and it begins with **clarity and buy-in**. I've found that the trick to effective goal setting isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about aligning those goals with your team’s **personal motivations** and making them crystal clear. Here are three ways to **revolutionize** your goal-setting approach: **Define Clear, Specific Objectives:** Generic goals like 'increase sales' are uninspiring. Get specific. Is it a 15% increase in new client acquisitions, or maybe a 20% upsell of existing contracts? The more specific the goal, the easier it is for your team to **visualize success**. **Link Goals to Personal and Professional Growth:** When goals align with personal and professional growth, they become more motivating. Show your team how hitting milestones not only benefits the company but also **furthers their career** or personal objectives. **Create an Ownership Culture:** Encourage your team to take ownership by involving them in the goal-setting process. When they have a hand in crafting their objectives, they’re more likely to feel **accountable and invested**. Remember, pressure doesn’t always motivate. Empower your sales team with goals that matter, and watch them **rise to the occasion**. And here’s the secret sauce: When your team cares, they **push boundaries** and redefine limits. So, what’s the most effective goal-setting strategy you’ve used to inspire your team? Drop your insights in the comments and let’s **elevate** our teams together!

Bad goal setting can cripple your business (I know from firsthand experience). Here's how to set goals that propel your business forward. Step 1: Analyze last year’s performance. You can’t set the right goals without the correct information. So, take some time to gather data from the previous year to find areas of strength and weakness. Look at your: Revenue streams — what are your most profitable areas? Your biggest cost centers? Sales & marketing — can you spot trends in customer acquisition or marketing ROI? Operations — where is your business bottlenecked? Where might you be overstaffed? Employee performance — look at productivity and churn. Which direction are things going? — Step 2: Brainstorm areas for improvement. Write down all the possible things you could work on. This is a great group activity for your leadership team or even the whole company (depending on your size). The data you’ve collected in step 1 should give you some idea of opportunity areas. One tip: don’t discount an idea just because it’s hard. Often the biggest impact things are hard to do. But you should be realistic about the effort required to get something done, and its chances of success. — Step 3: Set SMART goals Specific: Define clear and precise goals. Instead of saying "increase sales," say "increase sales by 12% in the next 6 months." Measurable: Ensure each goal has quantifiable metrics. E.g. "Reduce customer acquisition costs by 15% by the end of the year." Achievable: Set realistic goals based on your resources, budget and other constraints. E.g. if you have limited cash, avoid goals that would severely impact your monthly cash flow. Relevant: Align goals with your overall business objectives. Ensure they address the key areas for improvement identified earlier. Time-bound: Set deadlines for each goal. E.g. "launch a new service by Q3." — Step 4: Develop an Action Plan For each goal, create an action plan that outlines: Steps and Milestones: Break down each goal into smaller, manageable tasks. Set milestones to track progress. Resources: Identify the resources needed (time, money, personnel) and ensure they are available. Responsibilities: Assign tasks to specific employees. Ensure everyone understands their role and what is expected of them. Timeline: Establish a timeline with deadlines for each task and milestone. Doubling down on one point there: always assign tasks to a single person. They can still bring in other people to contribute, but it’s one person’s responsibility to get it across the finish line. — Step 5: Monitor and Adjust Goals are not static. Regularly check your progress, and adjust based on new insights or changing circumstances. Schedule monthly and/or quarterly reviews to keep everything on track. Having a simple KPI tracker is a good way to keep tabs on things. Make sure you’re regularly checking in, and ask people to flag any roadblocks or necessary adjustments as soon as they identify them.

Two recent tragic events highlight a crucial issue in the sales profession: the extreme pressure to achieve targets can have severe consequences on the well-being of salespeople. As a Sales Head or Business Head, it is essential to create an environment where targets drive motivation, not distress. Here are some strategies to help salespeople manage pressure and perform better: 1. Set Realistic and Achievable Targets: • Data-Driven Goals: Use historical data and market analysis to set realistic sales targets. This ensures that goals are challenging but attainable. • Input-Based Targets: Focus on activities that drive results (calls made, meetings set) rather than just output (sales numbers). This allows salespeople to focus on what they can control. 2. Promote a Culture of Support and Transparency: • Regular One-on-One Check-ins: Encourage managers to hold regular check-ins with their team members to understand their struggles and offer support. • Open Communication: Foster a culture where salespeople feel comfortable discussing the pressure they face. This can help address issues before they escalate. 3. Offer Training and Skill Development: • Stress Management Training: Conduct workshops on managing stress, time management, and productivity. • Sales Skill Training: Improving their skills can make it easier for them to close deals, reducing the stress that comes from feeling unprepared. 4. Incentivize the Process, Not Just the Outcome: • Recognize Effort: Acknowledge and reward the efforts that salespeople put in, even if they fall short of targets. Celebrating progress boosts morale. • Non-Monetary Rewards: Recognize achievements with time off, public recognition, or career growth opportunities. 5. Ensure a Work-Life Balance: • Encourage Breaks: Ensure that salespeople take time off to recharge, especially after high-pressure periods. • Limit After-Hours Work: Discourage work outside of office hours unless absolutely necessary, allowing them to maintain personal time and reduce burnout. 6. Provide Mental Health Support: • Access to Counseling: Offer access to mental health support, such as counseling services or stress management resources. • Create a Safe Space: Make it clear that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and ensure that employees know how to access support. 7. Review and Adjust KPIs Regularly: • Dynamic Targets: Be open to adjusting targets when market conditions change significantly. This demonstrates empathy and a commitment to supporting your team through challenges. • Solicit Feedback: Regularly gather feedback from the sales team on the feasibility of targets and use this input to make adjustments. By focusing on these strategies, you can help create a healthier and more productive sales environment. The aim should be to transform pressure into a motivating challenge rather than a source of anxiety, ultimately leading to better performance and well-being for your team.

Sales Targets Are Not Achieved by Chance . They Are Achieved by Daily Discipline: In the FMCG industry, hitting sales targets is rarely about luck. It is the result of consistent execution, strong customer relationships, product knowledge, and smart market coverage. Successful salespeople understand that targets are achieved through small daily actions that compound into big results. 1️⃣ Start Every Day with a Clear Plan: Top performers don't enter the market without direction. They know: • Which customers to visit • Which products to focus on • Which outlets require follow-up • What sales objectives must be achieved A well-planned day leads to higher productivity and better results. 2️⃣ Build Relationships, Not Just Sales: Customers may buy a product once, but they continue buying because of trust. Strong salespeople: • Listen to customers • Respond quickly to issues • Follow up consistently • Deliver on their promises Trust creates loyalty, and loyalty creates repeat business. 3️⃣ Know Your Products Better Than Anyone Else: Customers expect sales representatives to be product experts. You should confidently explain: • Product benefits • Pricing and promotions • Competitive advantages • Consumer value The more confidence you have in your products, the easier it becomes to convince customers. 4️⃣ Increase Value During Every Customer Visit: Each outlet visit is an opportunity to sell more than one product. Instead of focusing on a single item, introduce complementary products that add value to the customer. More product lines per call often translate into higher sales volumes and improved outlet performance. 5️⃣ Keep Products Available at All Times: No matter how strong your sales effort is, you cannot sell what is not on the shelf. Monitor stock levels regularly, replenish quickly, and avoid stock-outs. A simple FMCG truth: When your product is unavailable, the customer buys the competitor's product. 6️⃣ Stay Consistent Every Day: Sales success is built through repeated actions: • Market visits • Customer follow-ups • Relationship building • Order collection • Merchandising support Consistency beats occasional bursts of effort. 7️⃣ Manage Time Like a Professional: Effective salespeople maximize market coverage by: • Planning efficient routes • Reducing downtime • Prioritizing high-potential customers • Maintaining visit discipline Better time management means more selling opportunities. 8️⃣ Maintain a Winning Mindset Rejection is part of sales. The best salespeople: • Learn from setbacks • Remain positive • Stay motivated • Keep moving forward Attitude often determines performance. The Sales Success Cycle: Prospecting → Customer Visit → Product Presentation → Negotiation → Order Collection → Follow-Up → Repeat Sales → Target Achievement Final Thought: Meeting sales targets in FMCG is not about working harder for a few days. It is about executing the right activities consistently over time.

Your sales targets could be hurting your business. There’s a difference between pushing for growth and pushing your team to breaking point. I’m all for ambition and high standards, but recruiting for medical sales, I’ve seen companies set targets so aggressive that they: - Drive top performers to burnout - Create unrealistic expectations for new hires - Turn good employees into flight risks And what’s the outcome? Staff morale plummets. Turnover rises. Sales teams underperform. It’s great to be ambitious - but if your targets are impossible to hit, you’re driving talent away. Here’s what works better: - Setting challenging but achievable goals - Recognizing wins, not just chasing the next one - Supporting your team with the right resources and training Aggressive targets don’t create success - they create stress! If your sales team is under pressure and turnover is rising, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Early in my career, I thought my meetings went great. They didn't.   Back then I was confusing activity with objective. And I’m not alone. Most sellers know what they want to talk about. Very few know what they need to walk out with. That's the difference between activity and objective. An objective answers one question: "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?" And it's the difference between a meeting that moves the deal forward and one that just fills the calendar.   Here's what that looks like in practice. "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩." ➔ Activity. "𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘘3." ➔ Objective. "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘭." ➔ Activity. "𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥." ➔ Objective. "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴." ➔ Activity. "𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦." ➔ Objective. See the difference? Activities describe what you do in the meeting. Objectives define what you walk out with. Best-in-class salespeople write a SMART objective before every single meeting. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰: What exactly needs to happen? 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: What metric defines success? 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: Can I make progress on this today? 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁: Does this move the deal forward for the customer — and for me? 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: By when? After every meeting they ask themselves one question: 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦? Yes? Great. Move to the next step. No? Don't sugarcoat it. Figure out why. Most sellers leave a meeting thinking "that went well." The best ones leave knowing exactly what they accomplished. One objective. One honest answer. Every time. → Forward this to a seller who's still confusing activity with objective.  

We hired a sales manager at Decipher who looked perfect on paper. The pipeline filled up fast, which felt like proof it was working. Big logos, real conversations, deals that looked impressive on a board. Sadly, what I didn't see was pipeline progression. The opps were aspirational. The pipeline was a list of things we hoped would happen, dressed up as things that were happening. Nine months in, I shut the whole division down. Not one closed-won deal. For years I told that story like he failed. He didn't. I did. I handed a capable person an objective and no system to hit it. No leading indicators, no shared definition of what a real opportunity even was, nothing to tell either of us we were off course until the one number that's hard to argue with, revenue, came in at zero. I treated the hire like a vending machine. Put in an objective, expect results to fall out the bottom. Here's what I missed, and it took me too long. Revenue is a lagging number. By the time it tells you something is wrong, it has been wrong for two quarters. What I should have been watching was upstream: how many real opportunities each rep was creating a month, and the rate those converted from one stage to the next. That's the leading edge of the same number. Pipeline volume hid it, because volume counts hope. Opportunities created and conversion rate count reality. An objective is not a system. A weekly pipeline review is not management. I think about that line a lot now, and not only about sales hires. It's true of the exec you just promoted and stopped checking on. It's true of the AI you point at a task and expect to manage itself. Hand anyone, or anything, an outcome with no scaffolding under it, and you don't get results. You get drift, and you find out late. I'd like to say I knew all that at the time. I didn't. I learned it by writing a check for it. I ended up building the diagnostic (attached) I wish I'd had in year one, the set of questions that would have told me the system was missing before revenue did.

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to speak with about 100 marketers on Sales & Marketing alignment through Exit Five. We talked about a lot of things you CAN do, but also the ONE thing most marketers can't impact when it comes to alignment. Compensation. I have often heard from ABMers that to get the buy-in from Sales, you should say something like, "By working together, we will help you make more money!" Which is true in theory. But when I asked who knew how their sellers made their commissions... Most marketers didn't know. So it's disingenuous for us to say confidently that we can make them more money when we don't know how they make money. And I get it. You would think that if marketing builds a program that delivers truly ICP-fit accounts to Sales, Sales would go the extra mile to close those deals. But we have a client where Sales is currently incentivized to close lower LTV customers since they are comped on the initial sales. Sales in this organization are primarily focused on closing a larger number of deals than deals with a higher value. So, for marketing to come with a plan to close higher-value accounts doesn't incentivize Sales. Because the comp plan is now broken with the shift in market focus. And trust me. I understand that money can be a touchy topic. But someone needs to be able to show sellers that the Marketing program can make them more money. And if in the process of showing Sales how the marketing program that's bringing in high-value accounts aligned with where the business is going to make them more money... You realize they aren't going to make more money. Somethings broken. Because a comp plan that's aligned to business objectives. And a Marketing program that's aligned to business objectives Should align with one another. If they don't... It doesn't matter how incredible the marketing plan is. If Sales is going to make more money doing something else They are going to do something else. Because why would they work on things that make them less money? Would you? I wouldn't. So CEOs, CROs, CMOs, & CFOs: If you are planning to shift where your organization focuses it's market, please ensure your comp plan incentivizes Sales to pursue that market.

“Our objective is to hit $50 million.” That’s not an objective. That’s a scoreboard number pretending to be a strategy. And it’s exactly why execution falls apart — because people can’t play toward a number without knowing what game they’re in. The Problem -------------- Financial targets tell you what you want, but not what you must become or improve to get there. So every team does what makes sense in their lane: One discounts One raises prices One adds promos One cuts costs Everyone’s rowing, but not in the same direction. The Fix ---------- Start with a real objective — one that describes the capability you want to build: “Strengthen our customer growth engine so revenue becomes repeatable and resilient.” Then layer in the structure: Key Results ↳ $500M revenue ↳ +15% retention ↳ +20% AOV ↳ +10pts satisfaction Initiatives ↳ Referral program ↳ Mid-market pricing ↳ Better onboarding That’s how you link intent → proof → action. Objective = what you’re becoming Key Results = how you’ll know Initiatives = how you’ll get there Why It Matters ---------------- When objectives describe what you’re building — not just what you’re chasing — three good things happen: ✔️ You clarify what to focus on ✔️ You connect effort to impact ✔️ You make success repeatable Because execution isn’t about hitting a number once. It’s about becoming the kind of company that always can. — Q: What’s one objective you’ve seen that actually moved the needle? #execution #objectives #OKRs #strategy