The sales plan is defined as a roadmap that will outline in detail how you are going to achieve your profit goals, target market, activities necessary for success, and even the obstacles to overcome. Therefore, the sales plan serves as the nerve center around which the entire company's operations are configured.
In today’s landscape, companies are missing out on opportunities that cost them around 10% of annual sales, all due to a lack of planning – according to a Gartner report , published by Forbes. This means that, more than ever, we need to stop asking ourselves what a sales plan is for and instead work on creating and properly executing it.
Components and characteristics of a sales plan
What is a sales plan, if not the organization of the business around specific sales objectives, in order to achieve the company's mission and vision? Therefore, the components of a sales plan, although they differ from those of the business plan , are identified with them to a certain degree:
Ideal customer profile , which defines the set of characteristics that your target audience has, as well as their needs and desires.
Revenue goals , which are the revenue targets you want to achieve for the next sales cycle . These goals must be measurable and realistic, so that they can be achieved.
Strategies and tactics , which is the set of plans and actions that you can take to achieve the proposed objectives.
Responsibilities and positions, where the profiles within the team are studied and, based on their qualities, they are assigned responsibilities that are most consistent with them.
Resources and budgets , where all the tools and skills you have, as well as those needed, to work on the plan are recognized and established.
Regarding the characteristics of the sales plan, we could define it as:
Structured , since it takes into account a series of components and steps necessary to be built.
Precise , because it establishes everything that is available, as well as what is needed, clearly and straightforwardly.
Realistic , since the sales plan does not work with elements that are beyond the company's capabilities. Instead, it helps to bring actions and objectives into focus.
How to make a sales plan in 8 easy steps
Now that you know what a sales plan is for and what it entails, as well as its characteristics and components – ideal customer profile , revenue goals, strategies and tactics, responsibilities and positions, as well as resources and budgets – it is time to learn how to make a sales plan, following these steps:
This defines the essence of your company. Knowing your company's mission and vision, as well as its history, can inspire the members involved in the sales plan, as well as guide the strategies and actions to be implemented, so that they are consistent with the identity of the business.
Learn how to create your mission in: How to create a business mission and vision in 6 steps
Outline your team's roles and responsibilities
As already stated, this is india mobile numbers one of the most important elements of the sales plan. Remember to designate responsibilities and positions as it makes the most sense for each member's profile.
Establish your target market
It involves identifying the profile of the ideal customer. You need to know what the customer you are selling to is like if you want to do something valuable. What is the point of a sales plan if it is not anchored to the consumer?
Learn more about this in: What is the target market? 5 steps to define yours
Highlight your tools and resources
Everything you have, as well as what you need, should be described in the sales plan. It is important to know what you have in order to establish what you can achieve with it.