Share what you know with millions of people
Focus is the best place to turn what you know into remarkable content
0
Where does a sales plan take direction from?
Marketing? Finance? What other departments help shape a sales plan in your company?
Events
- Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Marketing May 29 @ 11 am PT
- Lead Nurturing 202: The Next Generation May 31 @ 11 am PT
- The Tricks to Paid Media June 6 @ 11 am PT
- Display Advertising for Brand Awareness June 20 @ 11 am PT
Related Activity
4 Answers
A good sales plan should be part of a larger, in-depth marketing plan. That way, it's goals aren't just about how much is sold, but adds a piece to an integrated marketing plan that can show the health of the business.
Often, the sales team, and it's plans, are over-looked by upper management's strategically focused goals. By making it a part of the marketing plan, sales are pulled into the light along with the rest of the marketing goals.
An excellent sales plan takes its direction first and foremost from the customer.
It’s based on numerous customer conversations involving good listening and effective questions. Even better if you’re conducting strategic account planning you should have the customer address your team and then vet the plan that you develop with the customer so that it’s truly a joint collaboration. This significantly increases the probability of a win-win relationship.
Overall a quality sales plan takes its direction from the customer, the extended sales team (don’t forget your SA’s/presales analysts/technicians; depending on your industry they know as much as if not more about the customer than some of your sales reps), marketing, product management, customer service and anyone else in your organization that touches the customer or might have significant customer knowledge. The drivers should be the customer and the sales team; everyone else should have a seat at the table.
The sales plan takes direction from the vision of the company leadership. Where do you want to go? What value do you bring to your clients? What problems do you solve and for whom?
Now, create the sales plan around those items.
The consolidated plan of the company.
The department plan, that incorporates the consolidated plan.
The sales plan has goals based on the department plan and goals set with the sales manager.
Answer This Question