Restore business momentum with a sales performance improvement plan.
When sales fall behind target, a sales performance improvement plan becomes imperative. Don't wait until you need one.
No matter how good your offering, sales pipeline, and capabilities, sooner or later circumstances will conspire against you and sales will fall behind.
If you ensure that every salesperson, territory, and key account has a current, credible sales performance contingency plan, you will be ready to respond when things go awry.
Forethought, planning, and preparation precede success.
What is a sales performance improvement plan?
A sales improvement plan details how to recover from a sales shortfall. Having contingency sales recovery plans increases confidence in sales performance expectations and saves time in a crisis.
How do you prepare contingency plans?
First, list all of the scenarios that would adversely affect sales performance.
For example, salespeople becoming sick or leaving; a shortage of products or the ability to deliver services; aggressive competitive pricing; new competitors entering the market with a superior solution; the economy entering a recession, and so on.
How can the impact of each risk scenario be assessed?
“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Winston Churchill.
Estimating the likely impact of any scenario depends on knowledge of what has happened before. How have the various potential situations impacted others in a similar situation to your own? How have similar situations affected your organisation's sales performance in the past? If you don't know, most of the past scenarios you are considering will be a matter of record. Some research should provide the supporting evidence you need.
Contingency Planning Guide
"No plan survives first contact with the enemy." Helmuth von Moltke
In a modern business context, no plan survives application in the field. Yet this is not an argument for abandoning the planning process, Indeed it is an argument for redoubling efforts.
"In preparing for battle I have found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable." Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. Commander of the Allied forces for Operation Overlord (D-Day).
Planning must involve anticipating the things that could go wrong and incorporating contingency plans for at least the most likely scenarios.
So for the list of potential obstacles and crises already listed, in each case, what could be done about them?
For each situation, brainstorm solutions. As you may know, brainstorming is an ideation process. If you are unfamiliar with the process, look it up. Once you have some ideas for dealing with each potential problem, decide which are likely to be both effective and practical, then add them to your planning document.
Strategies and tactics.
Now you have generated strategies for dealing with a sales crisis, test each strategy or plan. For each intention ask, "Does this strategy make it obvious what I and others should do to make it happen?" If so, prepare a list of tactics for executing the strategy. If not, change or revise the approach until the necessary actions are obvious.
Keep Sales Improvement Plans Current
Conduct plan reviews by convening a meeting with a small group of experts. This usually includes the sales manager and sales director. It might also include other sales experts from inside or outside the organisation. Review contingency plans as often as considered necessary but at least once a year.
Do you need to learn about sales improvement plans?
If you have a sales goal or target you should invest some time in planning how to achieve it. If you manage a sales team and team members don't maintain credible sales target achievement plans that include improvement contingencies, have them create plans. Review each plan monthly or at least once a quarter. These actions are certain to increase individual and team sales performance.
Arrange training: Have us lead a training session in a virtual classroom for a sales team. Participants receive a plan template in advance to explore creating and maintaining their sales performance plans. Learn More
Have us facilitate plan reviews: Facing a plan review can be daunting. It is uncomfortable to hear criticism. Professional facilitation makes the process much more productive. Learn More
Schedule a call for an informal conversation.
DIY Resources
The Truth about Plans and the Remarkable Value of Planning
Test any Plan with this Free Assessment
Eight Practical Actions to Quickly Fix a Sales Crisis
If you need a sales performance improvement plan, we can help. Schedule a sales consultation or call +44 (0)1392 851500. Alternatively, use the contact form here or send an email to jimm@salessense.co.uk.