I know the term “quota” does not always have the best connotations. Many of us left the world of “traditional” work because we didn’t want to have our work day and our efforts defined by quotas. However, in any sort of sales business or even other types of business—a bit of attention and focus on quotas can be helpful. Some would even say that if we don’t set our own quotas—someone else will set them for us!
Think of quotas as a way of making sure that your output matches your budgeted expenses and needs. I am not in a sales business, but I do have expenses that need to be met—after all, I am in business so that I can buy milk for my kids and cat litter and such! In order to meet those expectations and expenses, I have figured out what I need to produce in a month, week, and day—and these are my own self-set quotas.
I realize that while some of you are running your own home-based businesses, you are dealing with expectations and quotas that have been set “elsewhere.” If you are in direct sales or distributing merchandise and have an “up line” you may have to deal with these imposed quotas. My suggestion, however, is to set quotas of your own too—the more we are able to make our businesses are own and take the responsibility for our motivation and income away from outside sources, I believe the more successful entrepreneurs and home-business owners we will be.
Finally, one of the “pluses” of setting and keeping track of your own quotas is that it gives you a way to plan and evaluate your business efforts. If you set a goal of selling so many items, or making a certain income level each week or month and are able to achieve it with relative ease—you will have proof that your quotas are doable and can increase your efforts if that is what you want—you’ll have the data and facts to let you know where you’ve been, so that you can increase your output for the future.
Also: The Wonderful World of Quotas