Why Sales Targets Are Missed
Most sales organizations miss targets not because of the economy or external forces, but because of internal gaps in the sales process.
Sales success isn’t luck. It’s a science. When you create a repeatable set of actions, the outcomes can be predicted with surprising accuracy. Missed sales goals usually mean the system is broken — not the market.
Here are the five main reasons you are not hitting sales targets, and how to fix them.
1. You Don’t Have a Clear Business Plan
Without a defined business plan, departments drift in different directions. Short-term goals often replace long-term vision, diluting resources and energy. A solid business plan ensures every part of the business is working toward the same outcome: growth.
2. You Lack a Proven Sales Process
A sales process is the backbone of predictable revenue. It allows you to measure inputs, test outcomes, and refine for better results. Without it, you’re guessing — and hope is not a strategy.
Ask yourself:
- Do you know the exact steps prospects move through?
- Can you test and optimize each stage?
- Do you have visibility into conversion rates and bottlenecks?
If not, your sales process needs redesigning.
3. Your Organization Isn’t Sales-Focused
Too many businesses treat sales as an afterthought. A sales-focused organization builds everything — accounting, operations, customer service — around supporting revenue growth.
- Customer service should reinforce the sales effort, not undermine it.
- Compensation plans should motivate, not discourage.
- Products and delivery should adapt to customer needs, not block deals.
If selling isn’t central to your business strategy, hitting sales targets will always be uphill work.
4. Your Activities Aren’t Aligned
Misalignment destroys momentum. A salesperson wins a deal, but production can’t deliver. Accounting rejects payment terms. Marketing doesn’t follow up on leads. The result? Lost sales and frustrated customers.
Every department must align around one mission: closing and retaining business. That means:
- Timely follow-ups on every lead.
- Clear communication between sales and operations.
- Processes that make closing deals seamless.
5. Your Salespeople Aren’t Trained
Selling is a skill, just like football or engineering. Natural talent helps, but ongoing sales training creates consistent top performers.
As Sir Alex Ferguson once said about David Beckham: “Beckham practiced with a discipline to achieve an accuracy that other players wouldn’t care about.” Salespeople need the same commitment.
Most salespeople haven’t read a sales book or taken a course in years. If you want elite performance, train your best relentlessly and only hire proven talent.
Final Takeaway
If you’re not hitting sales targets, the problem is likely inside your business: unclear plans, weak processes, poor alignment, or untrained salespeople. The fix?
- Build a strong business plan.
- Create a repeatable sales process.
- Align the organization around sales success.
- Invest in training your best people.
Turn every policy, process, and action into a way to support selling — and you’ll see your numbers change fast.
Want help? Recruit a Five Star Sales Team.