What can I do in 2019 to get better sales results in 2019 than last year? A prospective client recently
asked me. This is a common question that I deal with every quite often at this time of the year. Any
business owner, sales manager or sales person who truly values seeing a future better than the past
must ask. Given that he brought this question at the tail end of our meeting I had to give a simple but
not simplistic response – one that was practical and could put his business on a path to better
performance.

Costly Investments, Low Returns
“What did you do in 2018 to drive your sales results? “I defaulted my probing habit. I need to
understand the basis and meaning of any question so that I can give a clear answer.
He gave a long answer but I picked what his sales improvement initiatives. He tried to get better sales
people, introduced various forms of incentives, fired some sales people, adopted tracking tools for
supervision and adopted a new CRM system.
That was impressive.
But he was unhappy. His results never improved. His profitability shrank and the costs of sales went up.
“What was your plan? “I nudged.
He talked about a business plan crafted in 2016.

Show me your Sales Plan
“What was your sales plan? “I politely interjected.

“Do you mean a marketing plan? “He wondered.
My time was running out. I quickly took him through what a sales plan is and how different it is from
business, strategic and marketing plan. I demonstrated to him what it would have done to his sales if all
those great initiatives were guided by a sales blue print – the likely results, lower costs and better
morale in the team.
From my 10+ years helping businesses improve their sales I can’t point anything that makes a bigger
impact to business than having a well thought out, crafted and executed sales plan.
The sales plan captures, among others, sales approaches and techniques, resources and performance
targets and the competencies needed to achieve the sales goals in a given period.

It is not the Sales Plan Template
The mention of a sales plan will send many people to google for sales plan templates. The good news is
that the templates are many.
The bad news is that the quality of the plan is not determined by the template but by the thought
process and information input that gives birth to the plan. You know trash in, trash out!
There are no two businesses are the same. Even competitors in the same industry focusing on the same
target market cannot have similar sales plan.

It is the Process
Therefore, every business needs to devote some quality time to sales planning process with the goal not
being a document but a plan. What do you think is the difference?
My client, like many other business owners, have a tendency to develop a plan and not execute it. They
don’t have time or energy to do it. Once in a while they may turn to it but, with time it will disappear in

a hard drive, desktop screen or cabinet never to see the light of day. That is defeatist. A plan defines
everyday sales action. It defines the reports you ask of your people. It determines the kind of sales
people you will recruit. It informs the compensation plan. It guides the type of training and content to
be delivered.

No Sales Leader, Useless Sales Plan
A good plan not executed is useless.
That means that once you have a plan you must commit time, effort and resources to execute the plan.
It is the role of the ultimate sales leader to ensure the plan is being executed. They need to monitor how
it is working and the results that are being generated. That ultimate sales leader cannot hold this
responsibility on part time basis. It has to be full time. It cannot be secondary responsibility but primary.
I asked my friend who was the ultimate sales leader in his business. He was the one. He complained that
he has too many other roles in the business and found himself engaged in sales management only when
in crisis. I shared a few tips on how he could be more productive as a sales leader.

Yes, you can change it but……………………….
Can a plan change?
Of course. It is not cast in stone. The business weather may vary calling for a change of plan. However,
you cannot change it just because you or someone else doesn’t like it.
My friend asked me to help him guide his business in the process of developing a sales plan. He is our

client in 2019 and we look forward to support him achieve his targets.

Sam Kariuki is a Sales Strategist and Trainer with Growth Partners which is a leading Sales Performance
Improvement Consultancy Firm based in Nairobi with clients in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

We had one on one coaching sessions with individual sales people where we helped each of them
define an individualized plan to achieve their sales targets. We hired two new sales people,
onboarded them into the role and had a number of sales training sessions with whole group. We had
monthly appraisal sessions with each team member.
The Results: 94% is Excellence
On December 22 nd , 2020 the company had an end of year activity where we celebrated achieving
94% of its target for the year. Not a single person was laid down because of COVID. There were no
salary cuts. Every salary was paid on time and all suppliers paid.
Above that we had built an inspired team that knew exactly what to do.
Yes, We Can Work with You- But Only if
We don’t take all credit for this success. The business leaders believed it could be done. The staff
were willing to play part. This is critical because we are not magicians. Our approach is a
collaborative one.
We work to ensure that there is buy-in by every person who will play a role in achieving the goals we
want to achieve. That is why in our sales planning workshops we ask for representation from
delivery drivers, machine operators, senior managers, sales people, directors and sometimes even
customers so that everyone’s ideas are taken account of. They say a chain is as strong as the
weakest link. This is also true in sales plans. The weakest link determines how much you can
succeed.
In 2021 we are seeking to work with other businesses that have great products/services and high
market potential but have yet to perform at their highest levels. We can happily discuss your sales
situation.
Reach us on kendi@growthpartners.co.ke or call us on +254711671843.
You can also enjoy our free Selling During Covid Course on this link
https://growthpartnersacademy.thinkific.com/courses/selling-in-the-covid-19-period  .
Growth Partners is a sales performance improvement firm helping businesses and sales people sell
more and better in an ever-changing market. Growth Partners offers sales training, sales recruitment
and sales strategy development and execution support services. Growth Partners id SNDBX Sales

Expert.

CMS Africa House, Chania Ave, Nairobi
+254 20 8012627/+254780149415/ +254711671843

www.growthpartners.co.ke
info@growthpartners.co.ke