Hit Your End-of-Year Target

Here are some great ways to hit those targets as you push for EOY.

1. Be clear on the actual target.

As a financial advisor, can you quantify the exact number of accounts, managed money, policies, clients, referrals, recruits (or maybe it’s pounds or calories) in a way that makes sense to others? Do you have an idea of what you need to do every single workday of the month to hit that number?

2. Communicate.

I remember a scene in the movie “Up in the Air” when George Clooney’s character had a targeted number of miles he wished to earn in air travel. When Anna Kendrick’s character asked what the target is, he responded with “I’d rather not say.” Her response was, “Is it a secret target?” If your target is a secret, it makes it that much more difficult to hit it.

3. Make a list.

This is where the not-so-secret target comes into play. Who are the best people to speak with about your target? Probably your centers of influence. Make your list of Top 20 or so COIs and spend time meeting with them about your respective targets and how you might help one another achieve them.

4. Ask for introductions.

Be specific about your request. If you have a target market (selected industry, profession, market segment, niche, dynamic, demographic, company name, geography) it makes it easier to request a specific introduction. That said, be choosy about the introductions you’re interested in. The more specific you are the easier it will be. Remember, make sure you return the favor when it comes to introducing your COIs to others in your network.

5. Schedule the time.

Post in your calendar the timeframes that you plan on sending emails and making phone calls to schedule meeting with your COIs and other key people. Often what gets scheduled gets done.

6. Plan your tomorrow today.

Let the last thing you do in your workday be your plan for tomorrow. This way there are no surprises. What didn’t you get to today? Who do you need to follow up with? What meetings do you need to prepare for? How can tomorrow be better than today?

Having targets and measures in place is a great way to get motivated and stay focused. Imagine what would happen if you brought a more targeted approach into next year with a January target, February target, and so on.

Just imagine.

Michael Goldberg is a speaker, consultant, and the founder of Knock Out Networking. He’s also the author of “Knock-Out Networking!”

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