How to Hit Your Sales Goals—Even in a Post-COVID-19 World

Now that we’re more than halfway through 2020, you are probably reflecting on the original sales goals you set at the beginning of the year and are assessing how the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected them.

Even if, due to the extenuating circumstances, you’re convinced there’s no way you can meet your goals, you can still take steps to make up for lost ground and get back on track. Tomato Mountain Farm, in Wisconsin, has managed to quadruple their customer base during the pandemic just by reacting with agility to their new circumstances.

In this article, we’ll share some tips for hitting your sales goals—or getting close to them. With planning, motivation, and the right strategies, you can transform 2020 into a winning year that will make you and your team members feel proud.

Reflect on your customers’ needs

Your customers’ needs may have changed greatly since the beginning of 2020. Has your business also adapted to meet your customers where they are? Are you equipped to provide your customers with a useful solution or service? Is there an element of your business that helps online communication, learning, training, or connectivity in any way?

If you can’t answer yes to any of these questions, then you may need to work on adjusting your approach,and then communicating your value proposition effectively and with compassion.

Keep in mind that people’s financial and emotional states have changed. Though they may not be able to engage with your business now, if you offer a personal touch and follow up on how you can meet their needs in the future, that will be appreciated. Customers are likely to remember you and the company you represent in a positive light.

In times when people feel an abundance of worry and insecurity, it is best to be there for them and listen instead of pushing or being heavy-handed.

Strategically approaching new and existing customers can build loyalty during this time, even if it doesn’t lead to direct sales just yet.

Plan this years’ sales goals tentatively

You may feel tempted to throw in the towel, as they say. But now’s not the time to retreat from 2020 and cut your losses.

Instead, you’ll want to make an aggressive plan that will guide you through the rest of the year and set you up for a supercharged 2021. If you’ve heard the acronym SMART, you know it refers to Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-based goals.

What are some SMART goals that you can achieve by the end of the year?

Goals can help keep you motivated and focused. And completing goals and having a sense of accomplishment is important. Do keep in mind when setting your goals and making your plans that, when it comes to 2020, there may be circumstances beyond your control.

Everyone has had to become flexible and learn to adapt. Make the plan that motivates you, but understand that it may have to change, and that’s okay. Adaptability is key.

Prepare a workplace culture strategy

If your team members are switching from remote work back to in-office work, then you’ll indeed need to endure a period of transition.

If you prepare a workplace culture strategy beforehand, then everyone will know what to expect and will feel comfortable resuming their normal work responsibilities sooner rather than later. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to empower and protect your employees, and take the time to infuse that sentiment into your workplace culture strategy.

In 2020, the first priority for workplace culture is that employees feel safe. Ensure that your workplace is adhering to your area’s health guidelines for returning to work. It is also a good time to have individual discussions with employees about their future in the company. Many employees are experiencing job insecurity, so conversations about promotions in the future will help put people at ease.

Also, implementing a wellness program (even consulting an outside wellness expert) can be valuable and appreciated during these stressful, anxiety-inducing times.

When employees feel that their employer values them over the bottom line, they consistently perform at their best.

If management makes employees feel that profits are more important than people, employees will be less productive because they don’t feel that their efforts are noticed and rewarded. In times of high stress and anxiety, it is all the more important that employees feel valued and appreciated.

Try holding a weekly meeting, during which you give recognition (awards, props, small material rewards) for a job well done, or create an anonymous suggestion survey so employees can communicate concerns or observations about their workplace.

Weather the storm or dance in the rain?

Even if 2020 doesn’t end up being your best year ever, it can still be an impressive year—one where you learn techniques and maybe even prove to yourself how adaptable you can be.

When you prove to yourself and your colleagues that you can overcome some of the most difficult and unprecedented challenges, you will feel more confident tackling any obstacle that stands in your way.