Three Ways to Set Realistic Sales Targets for the Year Ahead
Many sales plans fail
It’s a common problem. It is generally not the fault of the salesperson. The issue often lies with the plan itself:
- Many plans are too optimistic
- They rely on lag targets
- They don’t explain how the target will be achieved
- They cover too long a period
If you want your sales plans to work, here are three important issues to bear in mind:
1. Set short timeframes
Many sales plans are set for a 12-month period. This is just too long. Most people start these plans too late and find it hard to focus on them. It is much more productive to set a three-month sales plan (or set four of these over a year).
2. Plan for decline
Assume that you will lose some customers. Assume that some customers will spend less on print or will fail to grow as you hoped. Your growth strategy must allow for the fact that you will need to replace a good chunk of work over the year as well as increase overall sales. I have written more about this here.
3. Set yourself activities not just figures
How are you going to achieve your revenue targets? What sales activities are you going to do. How much activity do you need to carry out every week? A good sales target is about the “how” as much as the “what.”
Learn my complete system for creating successful sales targets
“How To Succeed At Print Sales” teaches you how to create sales targets that work. You learn how to create a 12-week sales project, step-by-step. By the end of the book, you will also be an expert in setting the right activities, tracking your progress and staying accountable. Here’s the link: https://profitableprintrelationships.com/online-training-resources/how-to-succeed-at-print-sales/
Find out more ideas on how to engage with today’s buyers
Download my free e-book “Ten Common Print Selling Errors and What To Do About Them” right now at https://profitableprintrelationships.com/e-book/ You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to sell print effectively
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Many printing companies are frustrated how hard it is to engage buyers in today’s world. That’s where Matthew Parker can help. He is a gamekeeper turned poacher. Parker has bought print for more than 20 years and received over 1,400 print sales pitches. He now uses his buyer’s point of view to give practical advice to printers. He helps them engage with prospects and customers to create profitable relationships.
Download his free e-book, "Ten Common Print Selling Errors And What To Do About Them" and check out his recently launched book, "How To Succeed At Print Sales: Setting targets, planning the right activities and making sure goals are met."
