It's getting close to the end of the year. Time to start planning for next year. Sitting down with your salesman now produces a much better result than waiting until Jan 5th. Here are some thoughts about coaching around the 2009 sales plan.
Things to ask in any Sales Plan review
1. Are major trends and changes in our business environment affecting your sales plan? Specifically, what potential developments in customer demand, competition, disruptive technology, or the regulatory environment could have enough impact on the industry to change the game and the rules?
2. How and why is this sales plan different from previous plans?
3. What were your forecasts for market growth, and sales last year, two years ago, and three years ago? Where you right? What did you learn?
4. What would it take to double your sales and increase your margin by 25% (deal quality)? Where will growth come from: expansion (bigger pie) or gains in market share (take-a-ways), other?
5. If your plan is to take market share from competitors, how will you do it, and how will they respond? Are you counting on a clear product advantage, new value levers, better account management or superior sales execution?
6. What are your distinctive competitive strengths, and how does the plan build on them? How do you communicate your value story?
7. How different is the sales plan and strategy from your competitor’s? Why?
8. What are you going to do to hone your skills and strengthen your team’s skills?
Good selling!
Things to ask in any Sales Plan review
1. Are major trends and changes in our business environment affecting your sales plan? Specifically, what potential developments in customer demand, competition, disruptive technology, or the regulatory environment could have enough impact on the industry to change the game and the rules?
2. How and why is this sales plan different from previous plans?
3. What were your forecasts for market growth, and sales last year, two years ago, and three years ago? Where you right? What did you learn?
4. What would it take to double your sales and increase your margin by 25% (deal quality)? Where will growth come from: expansion (bigger pie) or gains in market share (take-a-ways), other?
5. If your plan is to take market share from competitors, how will you do it, and how will they respond? Are you counting on a clear product advantage, new value levers, better account management or superior sales execution?
6. What are your distinctive competitive strengths, and how does the plan build on them? How do you communicate your value story?
7. How different is the sales plan and strategy from your competitor’s? Why?
8. What are you going to do to hone your skills and strengthen your team’s skills?
Good selling!
