Welcome to our sales workshop
Writing a Sales Plan
Workshop led by:
Bob French & Dale Radcliff
Hosted by:
THE ALTERNATIVE BOARD
San Mateo County
October 26, 2010
650.652.9393
bob@TABsmc.com
Please fill out the top half of the Gold Sheet
in your package…
Today’s workshop structure
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Objectives
Interactive format w/ handouts
Sales challenges in today’s economy
Perspectives on sales / planning
Discuss & analyze sample sales plans
Complete gold sheet
Wrap up / take away’s?
Finally - What’s the ‘one thing’?
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Our objectives for today
 Provide a model - build & tailor to your
business
 Provide information tools and materials you
can use now
 Contribute to your thinking
 At least one good idea to put into action
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Today's business environment
 Things are different
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Customer mind sets have shifted
More caution in marketplace
Business is no longer coming in through the door
Decisions are slower
Competition is more intense
Significant pricing pressure
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Sales implications
Need more prospects to stay even
Takes longer to close a sale
More contacts involved in the decision
More deals lost to ‘no sale’
Expect last minute changes
More service / more communications
required
 Sales people working harder
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650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Changes & adjustments
 Strategy changes:
 Selling more to existing customers
 Larger companies going down market
 Smaller companies offering / doing ‘more’
 Number of suppliers being reduced
 Companies widening their service offerings
 Adding more services / packages
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Some observations / conclusions
 Those companies who are sales focused are
still winning
 Executing the fundamentals well is still key
 Sales are most frequently lost to lack of clarity
& insight
 Even more focus needed on relationships
 Companies reducing sales & marketing will
lose
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
A Sales Plan
 Is your customer acquisition process
 Defines:
- Who you’re going to sell
- How you will sell them
 Need a plan for the company and for each
sales person / key person
 The Business Plan provides the context and
comes first
 A sales plan is different than a marketing plan
 P.S. In sales, there is no substitute for activity
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Key elements of a Sales Plan
1. Sales objectives / forecast
2. Sales strategy(s)
3. Sales process / system
4. Action plan(s)
5. Tracking, measuring, reporting
6. Accountabilities, combined with
compensation and rewards
7. Budget
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
1. Define your sales objectives
 Where’s the potential?
 Clearly and specifically identify what revenue you expect
from, e.g.;
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650.652.9393
Each sales person / by territory
New customers
Existing customers
Products / services
Markets / niches
Selected accounts
Web based
Third party referral program
Alliances
Other?
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
2. Sales strategy / discussion
Strategy is the broad approach you will be taking to
achieve sustainable sales results over time
 Strategy first, then tactics
 Designed to overcome barriers
 Critical to long term success
 Usually long term and takes resources
 Should always be improving & refining
 Has to be implementable / simple
 What is your message? Ties to value proposition
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
3. Sales process / discussion
 The specific steps you take to achieve results;
1. A good sales process generates predictable
results
2. If it’s repeatable, it eventually will generate
momentum
3. A good sales process anticipates objections and
increases the probability of a close
4. Assign probability percentages to each stage of
your process / steps to close
5. Your sales process should be continuously refined
as circumstances change
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
3. A sample sales process / discussion
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Preparation
Initial contact
Secure appointment
Conduct sales call(s) / follow up
Proposal and/or demonstration
Finalize negotiations
Prepare contract
There are many variations of sales processes. Typically the more larger /
complex the sale, the longer the sales cycle.
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
4. Action plan
 For the company and by each sales rep
 An annual, quarterly, monthly plan
 Revenue
 Key activities / standards
 Major milestones
 Could be also be by region, division,
product, geography, etc
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
4. Action plan – con’t
 Can include; collateral materials, sales tools,
contests, promotions, trade shows, skills
training, website, client entertainment,
networking…
 Lead generation programs eg. telemarketing,
direct mail, e-mail marketing, webinars…
 One page is good
 Must have a monitoring process
 What is your focus / driver, your 80/20?
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
5. Tracking, measuring, reporting
 Develop your pipeline report of prospects
 Review progress monthly in writing
 Review and adjust quarterly
 Done for the company and by each sales rep
 Review activities weekly
 Weekly and/or monthly sales meetings
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
6. Compensation & rewards
1.
Commission based salespeople expect to be held
accountable
2.
Be very clear on your expectations
3.
Welcome and promote a sales person’s financial
success
4.
Recognition & appreciation are incredibly
motivating
5.
The compensation plan usually changes yearly
6.
Are you rewarding to support your focus?
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Finally…
What’s the one thing, if
done well, that will
make a difference?
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Please fill out your gold sheet
and turn it in………..
Your feedback is very
important to us :)
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com
Thank you for your participation
Contact information:
Bob French
Chief Executive, TABsmc
The Alternative Board
433 Airport Blvd, Suite 109
Burlingame, CA 94010
650.652.9393
bob@TABsmc.com
www.TABsmc.com
650.652.9393
The Alternative Board
www.TABsmc.com