BY THE TIME JANUARY rolls around, most retailers should have already reviewed last year’s business and mapped out their strategy for 2026. The fourth quarter is behind us, the dust has settled, and the data is sitting right there, ready to tell its story. But if you haven’t completed that review or if your 2026 plan is still more aspiration than action, there is still time. The key is asking yourself the right questions, because sustainable growth doesn’t happen by accident, and it certainly doesn’t happen by entitlement.
There is no entitlement to sales growth. Yet every year, I see retailers set growth targets simply because they believe they should grow, or because they feel pressure to outperform last year’s numbers. But growth is not a birthright; it’s a byproduct of intentional decisions. If you’re still establishing your sales goals for 2026, the more important question is not “How much do I want to grow?” but rather “What am I prepared to do to earn that growth?”
Start by examining last year. with brutal honesty. Were your unit sales up or down? Did your average retail increase because of stronger merchandising and selling behaviors or because gold prices and tariffs artificially inflated ticket values? Did your inventory assortment support your goals, or did you end the year overbought, underbought, or misaligned with demand? Growth begins with understanding what actually happened, not what you hoped would happen.
If you’ve been trending down, setting a bigger number for 2026 won’t change your trajectory. Wishing is not a strategy. You must commit to doing something different to produce a different result. That might mean improving talent, shifting buying behaviors, adjusting vendor partnerships, revisiting training expectations, elevating your marketing, or strengthening your sales process. It might mean more active clienteling, deeper coaching conversations, or finally addressing accountability gaps that have quietly eroded performance.
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The most successful retailers I work with do not wait for change, they architect it. So instead of asking, “What should my growth target be?” ask:
- What did I learn from last year’s performance?
- Which behaviors contributed to our wins? Which ones held us back?
- What specific actions will drive the growth I expect?
- What am I willing to change in how I lead, coach, buy, plan, or communicate?
- What resources, people, tools, training, or time must I invest to hit the number?
Sales goals without a plan are nothing more than numbers on a page. But a goal backed by strategy, ownership, and measurable actions becomes a roadmap. As you step into 2026, be intentional. Let your data guide you, let your team support you, and let your plan drive you. Growth is possible, often more possible than you realize, but it must be earned.
