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As we head into the second half of the year, now is the time to review the sales or marketing goals you set at the start of 2006 to determine whether or not you are achieving them.

"The experts say that 30 percent of the people who make New Year's resolutions have given up by February. 1, and over half will concede defeat by July," according to Regina Barr, president, Red Ladder, Inc., a leadership consultant and executive coach.

Why It Happens

"This can happen because a resolution is very vague and is not a goal. For example, you might say, 'This year, I resolve to get a better job.' However, you can't expect to achieve a resolution without having goals and an action plan to support it," explains Barr. "The action plan is your road map for achieving goal success."

What Can You Do?

How can you determine if you're meeting established goals?

"Good sales goals should be clear and objective, so knowing whether you're meeting them should not be difficult," says Kevin Fratzke, vice president, MSI Systems Integrators, iSeries Solutions Practice, Bloomington. "It's critical to maintain regular contact with your manager to ensure that your goals are in alignment with any recent changes. In our business, we do this by having weekly 'pipeline review' calls and quarterly 'deep dive' territory reviews."

Assess The Situation Honestly

"If you aren't meeting those goals, evaluate the conditions that may be interfering with success, so you can determine what steps to take," advises Fratzke. "Be honest in your evaluation. It's easy to blame it on the economy, the industry, the competition or your management, but unless you are honest and accurate in your assessment, you will not succeed in correcting your goals.

"A significant change, however, may require a new set of goals. It's important to avoid letting 'new goals' take you off the hook for your own failure to deliver the results for which you originally accepted responsibility."

Tips For Success

So, what's the best way to beat the odds and achieve your goals in 2006?

"Hard work, effective communication, creativity, integrity and a belief in the product/service you sell," says Fratzke.

Here is a five-step process from Barr to help you achieve your goals:

1. Analyze what you wish to accomplish: Think about what is important to you. Look at where you are today, and determine where you want to go.

2. Identify and rank key objectives: Limit the list to three to five goals.

3. Create an action plan: Use SMART goals, which are "specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely." (Example resolution: I will lose weight this year. Example goal: I will walk for 30 minutes three times a week beginning on February 1.)

4. Prioritize your tasks: Use the 20/80 rule and focus on the 20 percent of tasks that will produce 80 percent of the results.