If you want to improve your company's results but have no idea how to develop an effective sales plan , you've come to the right place.
Developing a sales plan will allow you to have clear short, medium and long-term objectives, as well as which techniques, tactics and strategies you will apply in the different means of contact with the end customer.
According to Gartner , companies will lose up to 10% of annual sales as a result of poor sales planning.
Furthermore, a study by RD Station revealed that more than 60% of agencies do not have defined goals, and of the 40% that do, only 20% achieve them. It is not just about setting random numbers, but knowing exactly how to create a useful and effective sales plan.
Next, we will review how to create a winning sales plan through the following topics:
Mapping the current situation;
Know your user;
The structure of a sales plan
Define your goals;
Define your sales method;
Define your sales tactics;
Measuring results.
How to create a winning sales plan
A sales plan is based on a thorough analysis of the current situation and the correct application of previously obtained quantitative and qualitative data. Here is how to create a sales plan in 7 steps.
1. Mapping the current situation
First things first! Before we even delve into the structure of a sales plan, it's necessary to start with the basics. Ask yourself the following questions:
What is the current situation of your business?
what is your reach?
how much are you selling per month?
This series of initial quantitative data will be essential for projecting sales for the coming months.
There are a number of data points that you cannot lose sight of. Look at the example of “Company C”, which we will return to later.
Number of current clients – 55
Average new customers per month – 2
Current average ticket – 8 USD
Current retention rate – 65%
Conversion cost -100 USD
Number of touches required to make a conversion – 8.
Gathering all this information can be more or less complex, depending on the tools you use in your company. It is advisable to use a strategic CRM that brings together all the efforts of the sales team so as not to lose sight of this data.
If you think you already know india email list everything about how to create a sales plan, stop right there! It's not time to start planning yet. One of the ingredients of a successful sales plan is that absolutely all team members know and clearly understand what they are selling, why, to whom and why.
“Changing buyer behavior and expectations, and how to connect with customers is a critical point in today’s sales environment. Knowing how to sell, who to sell to, and when to sell are the three main questions every sales rep must address. And by answering these questions, we’ve done 50% of the work.” (Arbaz Jawed, Manager – Inside Sales, Lead Squared)
An effective sales plan is not only made up of quantitative data, but also of the qualitative characteristics of the target audience or buyer persona , such as age range, profession, interests, media consulted, main pain points, motivators, etc.
Once the entire team understands both the current situation in numbers, as well as the needs of their customers and how they can solve them, it's time to delve into the structure of a sales plan.
The structure of a sales plan