Last August I wrote this article on Urgency.  It’s probably a good idea to review it if you read it then and you’ll definitely want to start there if you haven’t read it.  I’d like to expand on Urgency and give you an exercise to measure your own level of urgency.

In the table below, rank (not rate) your level (1 through 10) of urgency for each topic.

If you completed the exercise correctly, all of the numbers from 1 through 10 should be accounted for.  Answer these questions:

1. Which of these most impacts your success?
2. How did you rank your urgency for that one?
3. What do you have the most urgency to do?
4. What do you have the least urgency to do?
5. How does this change your approach to selling?
6. What surprised you the most?

In the end it’s your urgency to start, follow up and close that will help you achieve.  They should be driven by your urgency to do #5,6,7,8 or 9. For most successful people, #4 and #10 play a part but would be ranked at #9 and #10.

Here’s the same list, ranked by how many successful salespeople rank them.

The feeling is that if the urgency to get that next house or car or vacation is strong enough it will fuel the urgency to get started, follow up and close.

Here’s that list ranked by how the rest of the successful salespeople rank them.

The feeling is that if the urgency to get started, follow up and close is strong enough, the home, car, vacation and retirement will come.

You can learn more about how to achieve success in sales by reading Baseline Selling.  If you have the book, reread the chapter on Goal Setting.