What are the elements of a good sales plan?

Of course the questions that are seemingly the most simple always have the most complex of answers. Here are the most basic elements that Zebra Jeff and I strongly feel are most critical to a good sales plan, stated as briefly as we possibly could.

1. Start with perfect prospects – Zebras where you have provided unique quantifiable value in the past. Be sure, as part of the Zebra creation process that you speak with Power in your existing customers to find out the Power-level issues your solutions solves for them and the resulting value created
2. Research each prospect to find evidence they have the same business issues
3. Contact Power and confirm they have the issues you solve and a desire to solve them
4. Schedule your first appointment with Power. Position the value you would create by solving these same issues. Value claims must be backed by actual customer success that is repeatable.
5. Ask Power to partner with you. Partnering involves identification of process owners they would trust to verify your value claim.
6. Verify your value claim with Power’s people and co-author a presentation back to Power.
7. Present back to Power including a proposal that includes EVERYTHING needed to virtually guarantee you they will achieve the desired results. This proposal should be robust so you can look Power in the eye and know you have everything you need to insure they will be successful.
8. Close the business and immediately schedule a “force success” meeting.
9. Conduct a “force success” meeting every ninety days to ensure the project is on target to fulfill the promises Power made that got the project approved.