The gap between businesses that succeed and those that struggle is often the lack of an effective, actionable sales plan. Thinking about how you get clients and sell to them will help you strategize priorities and set realistic goals, but creating an actionable sales plan is what you need to get the revenue results you’re looking for. In fact, it is the first—and very critical—step in winning, monetizing, nurturing opportunities, and securing clients and customers. Developing a sustainable and actionable sales plan doesn’t need to be a long and painful process, but it does require thoughtfulness and intention.

An actionable sales plan doesn’t just describe what your goals are; rather, it details how you will achieve those goals. A well-prepared and actionable sales plan should include sales goals, prospective clients, and a detailed to-do list.

An actionable sales plan serves three key purposes:

• Provides a clear assessment of whether you are in the marketing or sales phase of the process

• Align your sales activities and team (if you have one) around a common purpose

• Provides a framework of actionable steps to take so you're never at a loss for how to move an opportunity forward

Conduct A Network Audit

The first step in creating an actionable sales plan is to conduct a network audit. A network audit is the process of identifying the people who make up your personal and professional network and then assessing each person’s status in the marketing-to-sales funnel.

If a network audit reveals that most of your contacts aren’t ripe for a potential sale just yet, then you are in the marketing phase. If, on the other hand, you have several contacts and relationships that are ripe for a possible sale, you are in the sales phase of the process. We find that when we work with clients, more than 90% of the time they have enough active prospects and opportunities to cultivate within their network, so marketing activities can take a back seat.

Download Prequal’s FREE Network Audit and start uncovering new sales opportunities

Build Authentic Relationships

Savvy clients and customers can sniff out an inauthentic sales pitch a mile away. Authenticity, on the other hand, is far more valuable.

We know that people often make decisions—including sales decisions—based on emotion. They then look for justifications to support their emotional decision. Therefore, your clients, potential clients, and contacts must consider you trustworthy and authentic enough to cultivate positive emotions. Not to mention that the most long-lasting and positive relationships of any kind, including business relationships, are built on trust.

The beauty of this step is that you can build authentic relationships with everyone in your network, regardless of whether the contact is in the sales phase. Building authentic relationships yields short-term rewards, creates a positive reputation within your network, and bolsters brand awareness.

Segment Your Sales Prospects: Win, Monetize, and Nurture

Sales prospects fall into one of three categories:

• Win: prospects that you’d like to transition into clients or customers

• Monetize: current clients and customers that are ripe for growth

• Nurture: current clients and customers whom you want to keep as clients or customers

By segmenting your sales prospects into these three categories, the WMN Method as we call it, you can tailor the specific actions taken in each particular opportunity to yield more productive results and continue building an authentic relationship with your clients and prospects.

Lead Qualification

Not every lead or prospect is going to be a viable sale. An actionable sales plan should include a lead qualification roadmap to avoid spending time, energy, and resources on trying to secure prospects that aren’t viable. It should also help you identify what additional information you need to gather in order to get your clients and prospects one step closer to closing a sale.

There are several variations on lead generation roadmaps, and we prefer to use a 6-factor that consists of the following:

• Needs and Wants: Does the prospect have an identifiable problem?

• Offerings: Do you have a solution to this problem?

• Timing: Is finding a solution to the problem a priority for the prospect?

• Decision Makers: who has the authority to make decisions regarding sales?

• Value: What are the expected outcomes and goals?

• Budget: Does the prospect have the resources (money, personnel, etc.) to invest in the sale?

Download Prequal’s FREE Lead Qualification Checklist to help you determine if your prospects are ready for a sale

Make More Sales

An actionable sales plan will tailor the above-mentioned factors based on your business, products, and services offered, and specific goals and objectives. While strategizing client acquisition and sales is essential, the concrete execution of a sales plan is paramount for achieving desired revenue outcomes. An actionable sales plan goes beyond setting goals, stressing the importance of detailing how those objectives will be accomplished, including sales goals, potential clients, and a comprehensive to-do list. Start with a network audit to evaluate contacts' readiness for potential sales and build authentic relationships as a valuable strategy. Lastly, lead qualification is a crucial component of an actionable sales plan, with a focus on six key factors to assess prospects' viability. Overall, do not underestimate the importance of a thoughtful and intentional approach to developing a sustainable sales plan tailored to specific business needs and objectives.