On the last day of June, with six months officially behind us, I finally allowed myself to look back on 2024 so far.
I liked what I saw. A lot.
The Sales Vault, an idea I came up with 3 1/2 years ago, was seeing that classic hockey stick growth an entrepreneur dreams of.
As I pondered Q3 and the final six months of the year ahead, I cautioned myself not to look back at last year's numbers for July in the hopes they might help me predict the future. Instead, I chose to see the numbers differently.
I have long railed against the thinking that comparing one month against another is a good thing. If a procrastinating client who was going to order a job in January decides to order in February instead, both month's numbers falsely reflect what appears like success and failure when it was a fickle client’s delay that caused the difference. Instead, I recommend people look at three months’ worth of numbers, add them up and divide by three. Do that month after month and you'll have a better view of any trends.
Still, I can benefit from examining my results this time last year.
They could be the spark to my motivation.
A strong July 2023 slaps up against my competitive nature. If I added 10 new sales vault subscribers last July, I'm going to start working to find 11, 12, or 13 this year.
A weak July 2023 makes me wonder if my marketing approach was ineffective. It causes me to look back at my message 12 months ago and try something different.
The real value of monthly sales numbers is not their reflection on whether or not you did your job. Instead, they are the springboard for your future success.
Pull out your camera and look through that lens.
I invite you to be one of the 11, 12, or 13 new sales vault members. Go to SalesVault.pro or call me at 781-934-7036
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
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Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.