SMART Goals: Your Mid-Year Reality Check

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SMART Goals: Your Mid-Year Reality Check

By Desiree Grace

You don’t need to be Einstein or Stephen Hawking to succeed in sales. What you do need is planning, discipline, and a little vigilance. Is this some scientific breakthrough? A new AI tool? Nope, it’s as basic as 1+1=2. Creating SMART goals and tracking your progress is the tried-and-true formula for breakthrough results.

As we hit the mid-point of the year, it’s time for a little self-inventory. Are your goals still on track? Is your team performing as expected?

Let’s start with the foundation, the goals themselves. They must be SMART:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound

If your goals are missing any of these five elements, it’s time for a rewrite. Consider this example:

Vague goal: “Increase cross-selling.” Not bad, but not necessarily SMART.

 

SMART goal: “Increase product categories sold by at least two categories with your top 10 customers by the end of fiscal year 2025. Each new product category should contribute at least $5,000 in annual purchases.”

See the difference? You’ve gone from fuzzy ambition to clear, actionable direction.

But SMART goals don’t work without tracking. You need both progress indicators and leading indicators:
✔️ Sales calls made
✔️ Conversion opportunities identified
✔️ Cross-references completed
✔️ Quotations provided
✔️ Purchases in new product categories

By mid-year, you should have data, both qualitative and quantitative, that shows where you stand. Ideally, you’ve already generated $2,500+ in new product category sales to those top 10 customers. If so, give yourself a well-deserved high five. Your boss will probably thank you, too.

But what if you’re not on track? That’s not failure, that’s feedback. Remember what Thomas Edison said: “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” Your mid-year review is your chance to brainstorm, adjust, and experiment with new tactics.

Could you try joint sales calls with that sharp-witted rep agent? Maybe your favorite supplier can provide samples to spark new conversations. Whatever you do, don’t keep repeating what isn’t working. Phone a friend. Get help. Try something new. You’ve still got six months to meet and exceed your goals.

Bonus Tip: Got a new salesperson who’s struggling? Gift them The New Sales Guy Project by Frank Hurtte. Better yet, set them up with coaching from Frank himself. Even Einstein had help. Hawking had mentors. Edison? Mentored by Henry Ford. Sometimes, success is simply about knowing when to ask for help.

If you or your team need help crafting SMART goals or building better sales habits, RiverHeights Consulting is here to help. Let’s get your team back on track—focused, intentional, and ready to win.




Desiree Grace helps sales teams turn fuzzy ambitions into clear, actionable plans. With decades in distribution and leadership, she’s passionate about transforming SMART goals into real sales wins. Find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desireecgrace



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