By Dr. Bob Wright, CEO-The Wright Leadership Institute

I’ve coached entrepreneurs for over 30 years. In that period of time, much has changed—technology, the economy, media. But one thing remains the same. Entrepreneurs forget their most important job: Sales.

Don’t get me wrong. Many entrepreneurs think that sales is an important function—one to be hired and staffed like any other position as they grow the organization. But the truth is that the moment you choose to launch your own company, you become a salesperson. Even CEO’s of Fortune 50 companies I know are aware that their first job is sales.

A company without a sales focus is like a car without an engine. You can spend a lot of time doing body work, flushing out the radiator, or cleaning the interior, but without an engine to propel it forward, everything else is irrelevant.

Entrepreneurial growth continues despite challenging economic times. According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas' job market index, in the second quarter of 2009, 8.6 percent of job seekers got jobs by starting their own businesses —up from a fourth quarter 2008 record low of 2.7 percent. But will these companies make it? If they remember that their first priority is to sell, then yes.

How do you go about prioritizing sales at your company? Here are three important steps.

1.      Establish a Sales Culture

Whether you are a 15-year-old organization or just launched last week, you can always choose to establish a sales culture. To do this, you need to not only communicate your sales vision to everyone, but also lead and inspire by example, whether you are the CEO or the receptionist.. All your staff have friends and do business around your area; help them help you by giving finder’s fees to staff.

2.      Establish Sales Activity Goals for Everyone

Everyone in your organization can sell, no matter what their personality profile. But they need do-able, concrete goals to orient to in order to support them to reach out and try something new. Set a daily dial goal for each of your people. That doesn’t mean a cold call. Any kind of outreach to generate business—a call or email to a friend or family member, a request for a referral, social media with the intent to grow business—is a potentially valuable dial.

3.      Incent Behavior to Reward Sales Success
Is the person who answers your phone rewarded if they bring in a hot lead or help to close a piece of business? If not, they should be. You don’t need to rework your entire compensation structure, but anything you can provide that rewards people for their efforts toward driving sales—whether gifts, tools, training, or days off—will make a difference.

No matter what your company’s size or focus, remember, you need to build the engine that will move your organization forward. You need to prioritize sales, not just for your salespeople, but for everyone. Focusing on sales will not only ensure you weather a down economy; it will be your secret to thriving in the years to come.

 www.drbobwright.com