2009 will be upon us before we know it and if we don't "hit the ground running" we will quickly fall behind the competition. If you have a sales team, your best chance for a successful year will be a new and strategically sound sales plan. Many have never seen, let alone written, a sales plan. So, what does a sales plan look like?
A sales plan is composed of two primary sections:
For a detailed example of a sales plan, click here.
To properly exploit your opportunity, you must understand your potential. You need to analyze your competitive positioning, sales capabilities, promotional capabilities, distribution strategies, and the best ways to employ the Internet.
Describe the various departments within your organization, showing reporting relationships and explain the responsibilities of each department. Describe your philosophy of compensation, expected growth and turnover, employee education, your employee review process, your sales/expense projections and compensation of employees.
Address the facilities, equipment, and tools that your organization provides in support of the sales effort. Describe how your organization will involve publicity, advertising, a web site, direct mail, cold calling, sales literature, product/service demonstrations, and much more. Describe the various aspects involved in effectively selling your offerings. Address sales quotas and the method for making revenue & expense projections.
Plan your sales projections and review them regularly to assure you are on track and within budget, including:
Your sales plan will become a living document that you refer to on a regular basis to help you meet quota. You will have the confidence that you have thought through all of the tactical issues affecting a successful sales plan. Plus, your sales team will have a clear plan of action.
For step-by-step help documenting your sales plan, check out Plan Write for Sales. It's inexpensive, easy to use and you can get started immediately.
Click here to learn more about Plan Write for Sales.