Numbers….big data….the cloud….yada yada yada. Business cliches and jargon are everywhere, and sometimes it gets a bit silly, but the fact is, facts matter.

Numbers are facts. And CRM data can be your friend or a tangled mess of what-the-heck-does-it-all-mean?

The number that you need to be constantly monitoring is how many customer interactions you are having. This is defined as a meeting when real business is discussed (not a ballgame); it is a pitch meeting, a "sales call," or a "proposal presentation." It’s an event when business is being conducted face to face. (In every other communication mode, you don’t possess comparable selling leverage, so you need to be strict about how you define "customer interactions.")

While other numbers like close-rate, pipeline size, opportunity size, and close rate cross-indexed against opportunity size – – while all those numbers are helpful, you must stringently monitor your sales call volume. Taking it one step further means dividing your list of prospects amongst these categories:
1. KDMs (Key Decision Makers),
2. Influencers, and,
3. Quiet Observers who can’t do crap for ya (yes, it’s a client profile).

If you can calculate how many interactions you have against each customer type, then your layered analysis, including opportunity size, win rate (closed-won), etc., means something that can help you strategically.

Don’t let December be a total washout of parties and coasting; pay attention to your Q1 today by reviewing the numbers that matter. Start with your sales call volume.