Author: Sismai Vazquez

Sismai R Vazquez understands there’s only one opportunity to make a solid first impression. Many professional salespeople will change companies throughout their careers to better position themselves for success. The first few days in a new position are critical to future success. Today, Sismai Roman Vazquez will provide advice to help anyone in a new sales position hit the ground running.

Sismai R Vazquez on The Importance of Organization

A lot of information is going to be provided during the onboarding process. The sales rep must take diligent notes and retain critical information. Harvard Business Review reported that it typically takes new hires eight months to reach their total work capacity. Sales reps who earn most of their income from a sales commission don’t have time to wait.

Sismai Roman Vazquez recommends storing information in adequately labeled files and returning to them as often as necessary. When the emails start to come in, ensure a system of organization is in place. Maintaining a clean inbox can cut down on clutter and maximize productivity. From the start, an email inbox should serve as a to-do list, and messages should be prioritized based on importance and relevance to one’s success. Each day, start the morning by listing what needs to be done and stick to the plan. When people feel properly prepared, they feel more confident, which will help in all aspects of their job.

Sismai R Vazquez on Setting the Standard

Sismai Roman Vazquez believes strongly in accountability. Every job will come with a certain level of expectations from management. Sismai Vazquez believes every sales rep should set personal goals that hold them to a higher standard than management puts in place. Holding oneself accountable for personal goals is a surefire way to have complete confidence that one is growing as a sales rep. Anyone willing to hold themselves accountable can also self-reflect on the most significant weaknesses in their arsenal. Having a strong sense of self is a great way to set goals that provide the most benefits.

Sismai Roman Vazquez on Networking

After starting a new sales position, it’s common to shadow some top performers. Sismai Roman Vazquez recommends befriending the most successful salespeople quickly. Learn what makes them tick and how they find success. Taking someone out to lunch or for a quick coffee is a great way to get them talking and find potential tips that can be added to one’s personal sales arsenal.

Sismai Roman Vazquez on Positivity and Hustle

It is common for the first few days to be complicated. No one should compound their problem with a negative attitude. New sales reps should trust that they were hired because of their talent. Few things worth achieving are easy. Maintaining a positive outlook is pivotal in reaching one’s goals. Sismai Roman Vazquez recommends celebrating the small wins at the start. Whether properly organizing one’s calendar or remembering every new team member’s name, the small wins will add up and lead to greater successes. It’s also not uncommon for specific tasks to take a new person longer than a seasoned vet. Successful people are willing to hustle. If it means working longer hours or spending free time studying industry trends, those who put in the work will always be rewarded.

Sismai Roman Vazquez stresses that there is a major difference between setting sales objectives and setting successful sales objectives. Successful sales objectives are both achievable and effective in aiding a company’s growth. A lot of sales objectives fail because they do not consider the direction of the company, or they are not realistic. Many professional sales reps blur the lines between sales quotas and sale objectives. Quotas simply provide a target number of sales or revenue whereas objectives are typically broader in scope.  Instead of hitting a certain number of sales, a sales objective may be to increase their average deal size by 15 percent over the next three months.

Sismai Roman Vazquez on The Necessity of Sales Objectives

Setting up effective sales objectives is important for a few different reasons. For starters, a sales objective can provide a sales rep with a clear idea of where their manager wants to see them improve. Providing honest feedback is critical to any rep’s growth. As a sales rep starts to improve and reaches their sales objective, a new objective can be set that helps strengthen another weakness in their sales arsenal. Because direction is clearly provided in an objective, a sales rep can’t help but be held accountable. Quotas often stunt growth because a sales rep will just do whatever amount of work it takes them to reach their goal. A sales objective that tracks how many meetings they schedule or how many phone calls are made can do a better job of tracking effort. If realistic objectives are set and the sales rep fails to meet them, it is much easier to have a disciplinary discussion. A strong sales rep will be motivated by their objective, and it will help them reach their full potential.

Sismai Roman Vazquez on Different Types of Sales Objectives

As alluded to previously, not all sales objectives are focused on sales. However, sometimes a sales focused objective is what a rep needs. For instance, if it is taking a rep much longer than their peers to close a deal, a strong objective would be to shorten their sales cycle by a certain percentage. Another great form of sales objective is the objective that focuses on productivity.  Productivity objectives can cover everything from the number of cold calls made to number of continuing education classes attended. The most difficult type of sales objective, according to Sismai Roman Vazquez, is the buyer-focused objectives. These objectives require the actions of a third party, so it is not as easily judged. Examples of buyer-focused objectives include increasing the average customer’s lifetime value or lowering customer acquisition cost.

Now that sales objectives are understood, Sismai Roman Vazquez believes all sales managers should understand how important it is to make sales objectives a part of the routine of their sales team. Providing constant reminders about a rep’s objectives and providing a clear timeframe is vital. There can be incentives for hitting a goal, but almost all sales objectives will lead to greater sales numbers, which ultimately helps overall commission rates.