If you consider that the B2B sales plan sets the course for everything<\/em> that goes into a successful sales year, the initial section of the sales plan, “Goals and Targets,” establishes the course for the actual written plan. Let’s take a closer look at this critical section and consider the required outcome of each key point.<\/p>\n The 5-Step B2B Sales Planning Handbook<\/strong><\/p>\n Step 1: Sales Goals and Targets<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.\u00a0 Setting Sales Goals and Revenue Targets<\/strong><\/p>\n Although goals and targets are often used synonymously, they are in fact quite different.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Compare their definitions*<\/p>\n Goals<\/strong>: Destinations or where we want the business to be and feel, for example<\/em>:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Relationships<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reputation<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Image<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sustainability<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Culture<\/p>\n Targets<\/strong>: Specific results we want the business to achieve, progress markers to attaining goals; for example:<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Revenue<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Profit<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Market share<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Recognition<\/p>\n An example of how Goals and Targets work together in this opening section of your sales plan could look like this.<\/p>\n Goal: Establish two new relationships per quarter in the US Financial and Accounting Outsourcing practice.\u00a0 The targeted annual contract value of each new relationship is $2 million.<\/em><\/p>\n 2. Prioritizing Challenges and Creating Defensive Strategies<\/strong><\/p>\n Consider your last couple sales years and think about those things that kept you from achieving all your sales targets.\u00a0 Be as specific as possible while keeping it functionally focused – not personal.\u00a0\u00a0 For example: Need more qualified output from marketing’s lead generation programs (instead of actually naming<\/em> the VP of Marketing as the problem).<\/p>\n Here’s a simple but effective template for listing out challenges, their impact and priority, and assigning responsibility to minimizing them.<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/3forward.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Challenges.jpg\" "\\"Challenges\\"")
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