“If you don’t have a plan for yourself,
you’ll be part of someone else’s.”
-Unknown

We are now three weeks into 2010, which means your sales plan should be in full swing. If you haven’t made one yet, let’s give you some tips to makes sure you are on the right track. In order to make your plan work, you need two components. The first is a Strategic Objective that includes the larger goals you want to accomplish. Those goals might include becoming your company’s top sales performer. Another might be to grow your business by 20%. Whatever those Strategic Objectives are, it is important that you match them up with a very specific Tactical Plan. These are the smaller milestones that will help you get to your larger objectives. If you are in sales, you need to do the following:

1.    Determine exactly how much product you need to sell each week
2.    Determine how many live sales presentations you need to deliver each week to reach that sales goal.
3.    Determine exactly how many prospecting calls each day it will take to reach the sales presentation goal

For example, if you need to sell 5 of your focus products each week to reach your yearly goal, you may have to present to 10 prospects each week. To get those 10 presentations, you may need to prospect with 20 new potential clients. Which means you need to make 4 prospecting calls each day. Once you have that number in your plan each day, let it HAUNT you! Don’t end the day until you reach that Tactical Objective.  By breaking down your plan to a measurable daily number, you will have created a plan that sets the course to making you your company’s top sales performer. See you at the TOP!

Think of the greatest leaders in history and how they handled “worrisome” things. Our friend Sir Winston said the above words just before a madman from Germany began dropping bombs all over his country. But Churchill was famous for approaching a “challenge” with confidence and calmness and it was those two qualities that fueled his thinking and planning. By planning for all that “could” happen well in advance, he was better prepared to lead once it did.

What might happen in your sales territory, your business, your marketplace and your industry in 2009? Have you thought about it and effectively planned for the “maybes?” What will you say if your largest customer calls next week and tells you they are cutting their budget in half because of a down economy? Have you planned your response to help them understand that they NEED you to help them through the tough times? If not, it’s time to get to work.

Now let me warn you in advance. The following exercise just might make you worry a bit. But by thinking and planning now, you should have nothing to worry about. So take time this week to do the following:

-Think of five things in your business that, if they happened, would scare the heck out of you and your bottom line.

-Write those five things down on a sheet of paper or in your computer.

-Take 30 minutes or more to develop your action plan should those things occur.

-Then be proactive NOW by doing what is necessary to prevent those things from happening.

By turning WORRYING into PLANNING, and then PLANNING into ACTION, you will find that this worrisome economy just may produce your finest year ever. And THAT should worry your competition.

This week, Brian interviewed the key Planner of Operation Iraqi Freedom on his weekly radio show. Col. Kevin Benson’s battle plan was used by American Forces in the initial phases of the war. To get a perspective on planning and leadership rarely heard, go to www.preciseselling.com/Radioaccess.htm to listen to the interview.  To find out more about Brian’s sales and leadership programs, visit him at www.preciseselling.com or email Brian at bsullivan@preciseselling.com.