November 2010

The Sales Games We Play! By Michael Estrich

Michael Estrich

Strategically based companies run their sales operations similarly to how pool players shoot, each move is precisely calculated and nothing is left to chance. These companies consistently perform market research and industry research so they can predict future trends in order to stay ahead of their customer’s needs. If their competition puts them behind the eight-ball, they know how and where to make an effective move to get around it. They’re focused and they don’t let an occasional scratch take them off of their game.

Non-strategically based companies have sales departments that act like dart players. They prefer to continuously line up at the same point and hope to one day hit a bulls-eye with a big customer, rather than come up with an effective strategy for growth. Yes, they have targets, goals and market niches, but they lack the necessary planning to make an impactful market presence. They may see themselves as being diverse in sales because of the variety of clients they’ve hit, but in reality it’s based more on luck than anything else. Often these companies will find their diversity hindering them from real growth because their customer base causes more issues than it’s worth. 

Why point this out? Isn’t it obvious which game companies are playing in? Not always. Like my friends and I at the sports bar, many companies like to play both games. Successful companies always have a formal sales plan laid out. They use this plan to not only guide them in their daily sales routine, but to also mitigate risks when entering a new industry or attracting new customers. Their sales plans provide them with the ability to:

• Identify their company’s preferred customer profile or market niche
• Define sales goals based on profitability, history, seasonality and strategic value
• Accurately forecast sales projections
• Create the proper sales model(s)

Last and most importantly, it has the ability to be adaptable. Business is always changing and your company will find itself deviating from its original sales plan more times than not to accommodate customers or react to an unforeseen obstacles. If a solid sales plan is not in place to deviate from, then you’re more likely to try to correct your course by throwing darts instead of chalking up your cue stick.

If you need help revising your sales plan, contact Mike at 814-528-9409 or mike.estrich@decisionassociates.net