Driving Sales in 2016

As my sales team, and I, close out 2015 with the two remaining sales days - I've begun planning the road-map for 2016. The standard approach is to take your stated revenue goal, for example $8.7M, and break it down backwards - segment by product or service areas, quarter or month, consider 2015 sales "metrics" (closing percentages, conversion rates, etc.) and eventually laying out the specific 2016 expected weekly sales "cardio" (or activity).

However, there are additional considerations that should be looked upon that will not only provide more confidence in achieving your numbers but also provide additional pathways to success. 

1. Don't plan for the future without (truthfully) looking back. Look at your goals, strategies and activities you planned for 2015 and examine the successes and failures. What happened? Were the goals too aggressive,  resources not available, market fluctuate, new competitors, staff turnover, etc? How will things change in 2016?

2. Don't put down a single goal without including objectives, strategies, tactics, available resources (such as automation tools like CRM) and points of measuring. The last piece - points of measuring - is the key if you want to determine a re-direction during the first quarter, second quarter, etc. How else will you (and your team) know you are making progress or falling behind until its too late?! 

3. Treat individual and team development as high priority as hitting your revenue numbers. Continue to look at opportunities to sharpen or broaden their skill sets, expand their (lead) resources, strengthen their online brand (i.e. LinkedIn) and becoming more valuable (i.e. industry expert) to each client they will engage in 2016.  If these four areas are accomplished, your likelihood of achieving sales targets and retaining talent significantly increases.

4. The responsibility of professional development, 2016 game planning and sales quotas should be shared by the individual as well. Oftentimes, sales professionals (myself included) like to be viewed as entrepreneurs - completely responsible for their own success (or failure). Why not have them take this a step further and begin the first draft of how they will achieve next year's revenue targets by December 31, 2016?  Keep in mind that this should be a living and breathing document - susceptible to change throughout the year as new discoveries and experiences are made. Review this document on a monthly basis with the individual(s).

What recommendation or advice would you include for other sales professionals?