Why many annual printing sales plans fail

At the start of the year, sales targets are set

Revenue goals.
New account targets.
Growth targets for current clients.

They may be set by sales people or they may be set by management. But no matter who sets them, they are frequently doomed to fail.

Here are three reasons why:

1. The timeline is too long
Twelve months feels distant. It’s hard to connect what you do today with a result months away. And there is no motivation to get started. Before you know it you have lost two months of sales time.

2. The plan is too vague
“Win more business” isn’t a plan. It’s a hope. But many people set challenging targets with no other basis than optimism.

3. There’s no daily guidance
Annual sales targets plans usually don’t tell you what to say on a call, how to follow up, or how to move a conversation forward. There is no plan for the buyer journey.

Faced with these obstacles, sales people drift back into their comfort zones. That is often unfocussed activity. That can be no more than responding to current customer quote requests and hoping that new business enquiries somehow magically turn up,

If you want more consistent results, you need something shorter, clearer, and far more practical.

My advice is to create a 12-week sales plan

Learn how to create your own 12-week sales project with “How To Succeed At Print Sales”. Get your copy here