Sales Planning - Frequently Asked Questions

What type of Sales Planning makes sense in Phase A, Recovery?

• Phase out marginal opportunities; repair margins
• Hire key sales reps and implement cross-training programs
• Give sales reps the ability to extend credit if needed
• Allocate additional resources to your sales staff

What type of Sales Planning makes sense in Phase B, Accelerating Growth?

• Avoid straight-line forecasting; identify your next cyclical peak to set realistic sales goals
• Invest in your sales team’s training and retention
• Ensure you have the right price escalator; space out price increases
• Expand credit to customers
• Ensure your sales reps know the company’s competitive advantages and are adequately using them in their sales processes

What type of Sales Planning makes sense in Phase C, Slowing Growth?

• Don’t blame your sales team; make sure they have the proper tools and mindset to adapt to the cyclical changes ahead
• Know if your markets are headed for a soft landing or a hard landing and set appropriate sales goals that are not unrealistic but also not easy to attain
• Be vigilant regarding customer credit amounts
• Identify which of your products are not profitable and stop incentivizing your team to sell them so as to focus their attention to the most profitable products you sell
• Don’t hire more sales reps; you can’t just simply “sell yourself” out of the situation; “you can’t make a rock bleed”

What type of Sales Planning makes sense in Phase D, Recession?

• Have your sales reps focus on selling alternative products with a lower cost basis; you’re looking for volume
• Be sure your sales reps are being very price conscious during their discovery and vetting processes
• Instruct your sales reps that it’s time to tighten up on your credit policies
• Start working with your sales leadership on training plans you can implement once the business has moved back into Phase A, Recovery