Sales plans – where do they go wrong? There are typically two “misses” to most sales plans right off the bat. I’ve already touched on one “miss” in a previous post – aligning the sales plan with the business plan. These two strategies are unequivocally linked to each other – a change in one will almost always require a corresponding change to the other.
However, there’s another “miss” that is actually more impactful to your business – addressable market! This is typically the result of two problems. The first potential cause can happen in a business of any size – simply overstating the size of your addressable market. The big mistake most people make is focusing on what they sell, instead of focusing on what the customer is buying! By focusing on what the customer is purchasing, you will almost always reduce the size of your addressable market (and NO, you do not want to cast as wide of net as possible).
The second cause is more of a small business problem, as small businesses typically attempt to cover a larger area (whether geographic, industry or otherwise) than they are realistically capable of. The result is a dilution of sales efforts that will not only cause you to grow slower than you can and should, but can actually be damaging. Remember, there is only one chance to make a first impression – and with an overstretched sales organization, the likelihood of something “falling between the cracks” increases.
Feel free to contact us to discuss any issues you may be having in a 1-on-1 environment – initial consultations are always free. You can contact Rick directly at +1 (847) 648-6018.
