Building a Sales Plan That Works: Aligning Vision with Execution

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales

Join Kevin Lawson and Sean O'Shaughnessy, your hosts on Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, as they delve into the crucial topic of building a comprehensive corporate sales plan. Fresh off last week’s enlightening episode with Richard Cogswell, Kevin and Sean are back to share actionable strategies for creating a robust sales plan that aligns with corporate goals, ensures sales team success, and drives growth. Whether you’re a VP of Sales or a business owner looking to scale, this episode is packed with insights to help you reach your sales targets effectively.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Importance of Sales Plan Alignment (Approx. 01:32) Kevin explains why sales reps and leaders must understand and align with the company's long-term vision, ensuring goals cascade from top-level leadership to every sales team member.

• Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Sales Planning (Approx. 03:17) Sean and Kevin outline the tactical approaches to sales planning, with bottom-up focusing on individual sales potential and top-down focusing on company-wide aspirations and limitations.

• Risk-Adjusted Goal Setting (Approx. 02:55) Kevin highlights how to factor in both realistic and aspirational targets while accounting for potential risks, offering a pragmatic approach to sales planning.

• Understanding Limiting Factors in Sales Growth (Approx. 06:30) Sean shares an example of a client that couldn’t scale due to manufacturing constraints, emphasizing the need to account for operational bottlenecks in the sales plan.

• The Value of Discovery Questions (Approx. 08:45) Sean underscores the importance of including tailored discovery questions for different buyer personas, ensuring salespeople are prepared to ask the right questions during prospecting.

Key Quotes:

• Kevin Lawson: "As a VP of Sales, my compensation was directly tied to helping the board, the leader, the owner achieve their vision. What we’re doing is creating alignment between the company’s big picture and the sales team's tactical execution." (Approx. 01:32)

• Sean O'Shaughnessy: "When you're thinking top-down, think about what your limitations are for delivering on those goals. It's not just about setting lofty sales targets; it's about asking, ‘How are we going to deliver on this?’" (Approx. 05:10)

Additional Resources:

• Previous Episode: If you missed last week's discussion with Richard Cogswell on culture and developing sales plans, be sure to catch up for more insights that build upon today’s conversation. https://sites.libsyn.com/458454/site/building-a-mission-led-sales-culture-insights-from-richard-cogswell

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast:

Write down the top 10 companies that fit your ideal client profile but aren’t currently customers. Challenge your sales team to convert at least one of these prospects into a paying customer by year-end. The simple act of documenting these targets can dramatically improve your chances of success by keeping everyone focused and accountable.

Summary:

In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin and Sean lay out the blueprint for developing a high-impact sales plan that aligns with your company’s goals and sales targets. With practical examples and actionable advice, they explain how to approach sales planning from both the bottom-up and top-down perspectives, highlighting the importance of understanding your business’s limitations and opportunities for growth. If you’re looking to elevate your sales strategy, this episode is a must-listen!

Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that could help you transform your sales results—download the episode now! Happy selling! To understand if your company is doing a great job in sales, take this quick and easy 10-question assessment:

https://salesxceleration.com/sales-agility-assessment/?locationid=26671639

You can reach out to Sean at New Sales Expert, LLC & Sales Xceleration - [e-mail] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

You can reach out to Kevin at Lighthouse Sales Advisors & Sales Xceleration - [e-mail] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwlawson/