Do you have a sales plan? Entrepreneurs, sales executives, and sales managers all benefit from writing a sales plan—whether it's for their business, department, or team. Before you hit key targets, you have to know where you're going, and from there, you have to break down the strategies and tactics you'll use.
All of this information can be included in a sales plan. Read on to learn what a sales plan is.
What is a sales plan?
A sales plan lays out your goals, high-level tactics, target audience, and potential roadblocks. It's like a traditional business plan, but with a special focus on your sales strategy. A business plan lays out your goals, while a sales plan describes precisely how you will achieve those goals.
A sales plan typically includes information about the business's target customers, revenue goals, team structure, and the strategies and resources needed to achieve the goals.
What are the goals of an effective sales plan?
The purpose of your company sales plan is to:
- Communicate company goals and objectives.
- Provide strategic direction.
- Outline roles and responsibilities.
- Monitor the progress of the sales team.
Communicate company goals and objectives.
If your sales force doesn't know your company's goals and objectives, you can't expect them to do a good job. It is necessary to ensure that the goals are clear and realistic. Over time, you need to regularly communicate your strategy to the entire team.
Provide strategic direction.
A sales strategy is critical to selling your product or service. In order to execute your plan, your company needs to provide direction. Should your employees focus on email marketing conversions or social media conversions this quarter? Are you working hard on LinkedIn instead of Facebook? Your business needs effective guidance for your team.
Outline roles and responsibilities.
Your company's sales plan should outline the roles and responsibilities of your sales team and leadership. The benefits of doing so include efficient task delegation, improved collaboration, reduced overlap, and increased accountability.
Monitor the progress of the sales team.
Your sales team is the driving force behind your strategy. If they do well, the company will do well. Unfortunately, this choice is also correct. Monitoring your team's progress against organizational goals allows you to manage your goals. It ensures you have the people and tools you need to succeed.