Writing or developing an effective sales plan is essential if you want to deliver the right results in sales. However many people get confused and over complicate the matter. Having worked in Sales for 18 years, I have written my fair share of plans and certainly reviewed many (good and bad). What I have learnt over that time is that the steps for a good sales plan are essentially the same whatever business you may be in. As Nelson Mandela said
Vision without action is just a dream
Action without Vision is just wasting team
Action with vision can change the world
If you follow my 5 key steps to building a sales plan, then you may not change the world but you will definitely improve your chances of success.
1. Be specific about your objectives
When looking at an account it is critical for you to have a set a clear overall objective for that account. What is it that you are actually trying to achieve. Typically look at a timescale of a year but for a more holistic picture look over 3 years so that your actions don't become too short term. Keep this objective in mind throughout your activities to ensure that everything you do drives this objective.
2. Focus on decisions
The next step is to analyse the objective/s and break them down into the decisions required from your customers in order for your objective to be met. There will typically be several decisions to be made and you need to clearly understand what these are if you want to be successful in utilising the right time and resources to effect these decisions positively in your favour.
3. Analyse the Decision Making Unit
Once you know what decisions are critical to the success of your objective/s you need to understand which customers are involved in that process. The Decision making unit for that decision are the people you need to focus on in your sales process to ensure that those decisions are effected positively in your favour.
4. Vision into action
A promise is nothing until delivered and up until now it's all been theory and planning, it is now critical to act on the information you have gathered and develop a sound action plan from what we've learnt. For each of the decisions you now need to develop an action plan which will enable you to push that decision in your favour and hence get 1 step closer to achieving your objectives. E.g.
Objective: to increase market share in account by X% over the next year
Decision 1: Customer must agree to stock our product in the first instance
Decision 2: Customer must agree to start using the product in preference to product A
Action Plan (for Decision 1), will then be actions pertaining to understanding how to get your product stocked and then physically getting it stocked.
Remember the action plan must be
Make sure your actions are all Specific. Measurable. Achievable Realistic. Timed & Trackable (i.e. SMART)
5. Breathe life into the plan
Try and ensure this is a living breathing plan which drives your business, not something that just gets done for reviews. To help with this make sure you have a system, be that excel or online that supports your planning process and lets you update your plan as necessary.
For more info feel free to call on 0161 375 1766 or just email
I help businesses reach more of the customers that they need to reach. Ring me on 07786535550
In short I will help you connect more effectively to your customers so if you are looking for
