8/1/2023-Quota Negotiation

Plan now to make your case for quota relief in ’24…if it’s deserved. What and how you present your case to your manager makes a difference and can help your case immeasurably.

Sure, there’s a lot of meat on the bone remaining this quarter and next, but your company has already started ’24 planning. That planning includes your manager throwing a few revenue numbers against the wall, your quota among them.

So…how negotiable do you think your quota is?

More than you think.

And that means this is the perfect time to build your business case to appeal for an advantageous ’24 quota. That takes planning, data packaging, and an appointment on your manager’s calendar. The sooner you present your case to your manager, the better your chances of getting a number you like.

Kudos if you’ve begun building your case for a kind ’24 quota. If you’re still in summer Friday mode, that’s okay, but get a meeting on the books with your manager to be first in line.

You’ll need to have your quota and actuals for ’21 and ’22; your estimate for ’23 will also help.

Your so-called negotiation will be collaborative and friendly because you’ll need your manager to share company actuals and goals for the last few years.

How your numbers and company numbers relate represents the leverage you have in getting a fair number.

Your manager has leeway with where the quota gets apportioned amongst the team, so getting relief is actually more reasonable than you may think. If your company is financially healthy, you might have a shot at affecting your number. Of course, if your company is struggling, ya may want to pick another battle.

When the TOP 10% make a play for quota relief, they lead with numbers and facts; they never lead with extenuating circumstances (aka dog ate homework stories about why that account didn’t spend or why this account canceled the contract.).

If you’ve watched the same folks on your team hit their numbers year over year – and you’ve struggled – you may have a good case to plead. But maybe they are that good, so be careful comparing yourself to them. Compare your numbers to the whole sales org. Bring the facts about your territory so there’s no emotion when you and your manager chat.

Your manager doesn’t care about your hard work and hard luck ("…this account went dark", etc), your manager cares about how you strategically understand and appraise your territory.

A quota negotiation with your manager over quotas should not be something you sweat. And while it may feel like you need to put on your negotiation armor, you won’t have to go to the extent that Iron Man does in this fun 2-minute clip.

Your chat with your manager will not require superhero stunts, but it will require a calm and intelligent discussion of the numbers to see what opportunities exist for you to get a nice number.

Good luck.