A sales plan is a set of intended actions that features sales targets and methods or tactics for your business and also highlights the processes that will be needed or involved to meet those targets. Sales plans help companies to reach overall goals and targets. Sales plans are not just thoughts that you have in your head or those brilliant ideas that come to your mind when you are thinking of how to better your company's sales. Yes, those qualify as plans, but it is always best to put plans down into writing, that way they are more actionable. Consider a few reasons why you should put your sales plan into writing:

• A written sales plan is important because it helps you to see the feasibility of your plans. And as such, you can make adjustments and corrections.

• It also enables you to plan for unforeseen circumstances by having contingency and backup plans.

• Written plans give focus or direction.

• It also helps you to look at the whole picture at once and not just in bits.

How to write an effective sales plan

• Determine and critically analyse your current position. Ask yourself what kind of business are you into; is it seasonal, or an everyday business? Where do your sales come from; from your website, social media or physical walk-ins at your outlet? Is that where you want sales to come from? The answers to these questions are vital for you to be able to make a standard workable sales plan.

• Determine what your goals and targets are. Set smart goals. That is goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.

• Put your plan into writing. State all the tactics, methods and strategies you plan to use to achieve your sales plans. Your plan should contain the next 6 points:

• Highlight all the internal and external factors that pose a risk or challenge to your business at present and also the ones you anticipate in future. Identify your strengths and ensure nothing threatens those while working to make your weaknesses or threats reduced.

• The next thing to do is to list out ways by which you plan to overcome this challenge. Consider your current realities and determine if your plans would help to overcome these challenges. Be sure to have backup plans because you never really know.

• Identify your target in writing: what's your target demographic? Know your target market. Specify your buyer profile -income, age, location etc.

• Do a competitor comparison: compare products and pricing, and copy whatever seems workable from your competitors

• Construct a success metric: this is important so that you can know if your plan works well or not

• Assign tasks: the bulk of the work laws on the sales or marketing department but every employee contributes in one way or the other to the success of the sales plan. Let other departments know what needs to be done and assign specific tasks to individual members of the sales/marketing team.

• Next, begin to make plans about the resources you would need. Draw up a budget, and evaluate to see if your current facilities would meet the needs and plans stated in your sales plans. Make provisions to train your staff and source for necessary equipment. Do not fail to include plans on how you would motivate your employees or colleagues. Here are amazing ideas on how to motivate people without money. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/121-sms-marketing/business-communication/1654-motivating-employees-at-work-without-money

• Share your plan with the entire staff. After all, they are the ones who would make it a success. See how you can be a successful team leader. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/120-sms-marketing/personal-development/1655-tips-on-becoming-a-great-team-leader

Putting all the points mentioned above would lead to the execution of an effective sales plan. Be sure to carry your staff along by communicating with them every step of the way. They need to be aware of the goals, objectives and strategies involved in the sales plan. And they need to know all of these in detail so that they can see and understand that their roles, no matter how unrelated or insignificant it seems, are for the outworking of the sales plan. Internal communication goes a long way to boost employee engagement. https://smartsmssolutions.com/blog/121-sms-marketing/business-communication/1683-how-internal-communications-can-improve-employee-engagement

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