The year 2020 was a year in which the planning of most of the companies deviated from what was expected. With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic in March, many managers were forced to adapt to a new business context, which had never been experienced before.
So, with the end of the year, the question remains: how to make efficient sales planning for 2021?
Having an action plan helps you to implement strategies that are truly focused on your goals, as it will also assist in more assertive and well-oriented decision-making. In this blogpost, we'll show you how to organize efficient planning for 2021.
Where should I start my planning?
Consider the new scenario that we will live
First, the main point that all managers must take into account when drawing up a plan for 2021 is that this will be a completely new plan.
If before, online sales were in the process of consolidation, now they are present in most companies. This trend, even after the vaccine, has everything to keep up. As such, online sales have been incorporated into companies as part of the digital transformation that many businesses have been forced to adopt. Thus, it is expected that this practice will continue for the next year.
In 2020, the customer's purchase journey was completely modified. Many companies went into debt, laid off employees. In this way, they had to change their entire operational framework to keep working. In the case of B2B companies, for example, it is important to consider that there is a whole scenario of financial recovery, where businesses are containing expenses and adopting new ways of functioning.
Set long-term goals
However, before making any plans, your company must have the answer to the following question: what do we want to achieve this year?
The long-term objectives of companies generally focus on optimizing the sectors present within it, such as: increasing sales, increasing the number of customers, strengthening the sales team, better qualifying leads, among others.
But how do I define my company's goals?
In summary, the first step is to assess your company's performance in the year 2020. What can be improved? Which processes can bring better results if done differently? What can we keep? Is my work method being productive? Is my team well coordinated?
With a clearer sense of what went right and what went wrong in the last year, you begin to have better direction on how to act in the future. It is a task that can be done in a simple way and avoids the repetition of the same mistakes.
Set short-term goals
To achieve your long-term goals, it is necessary to define steps to be followed that will lead to the final result. The way of operating, the methods used, the team's disposition and training are some examples of what you need to make clear.
The SMART goals
SMART goals is a methodology used to set goals, based on 5 criteria:
- S - Specific - Count on more focused goals, with no space for subjectivities;
- M - Measurable - Draw a goal that you can follow with numbers and data;
- A - Attainable - Set goals that fit the context of your company;
- R - Relevant - Choose goals that will really have an impact;
- T - Temporal - Work with a goal that fits within deadlines.
These 5 concepts can assist you in choosing goals that really connect to the reality of your company.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis is a strategic project planning tool, used to analyze scenarios and support the definition of an action plan with the best chance of success.
The acronym is formed by the initials of the words Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In Portuguese, the analysis is also known as FOFA (Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats).
This analysis and gathering of the company's characteristics can facilitate managers in identifying the strategic position of the business. By knowing how your company behaves within the market, as well as its weaknesses and strengths in relation to its competitors, a panorama of the company is defined, which can act as an excellent guide in your planning.
What should it contain in my planning?
Now that you have studied, analyzed and defined what your business expects for the next year, it is much easier to define an action plan. Check out some tips that can help you:
The KPI's
If your company is not yet working with performance indicators, perhaps this is the time to start. As already mentioned, it is extremely important to know what has worked and what has gone wrong.
One of the most used indicators are KPIs.
KPI comes from the acronym in English, Key Performance Indicator. KPIs must be intrinsically linked to their objectives, serving as a monitoring tool.
An example of a KPI is the conversion rate. By calculating this rate, you can identify whether your results are within the expected range or if you need to take steps to reverse the situation.
The choice of adopted KPIs should, mainly, help you to make more assertive decisions based on clear and palpable data. We recommend that within your planning, you adopt from 5 to 6 KPIs to monitor during your year.
Analyze your market trends
Not only has the public's behavior been modified; many companies in the most diverse segments have changed the way they do business. Therefore, seek to know how your competitors have been acting, looking for both positive and negative elements.
The objective here is to improve your planning based on contextualization with what the market has been doing.
Define which business strategy will be adopted
With the objectives outlined and a study of trends done, the time has come to outline a strategy to achieve the desired results. What does my company need to do to achieve a certain goal?
At this stage, it is important to make sure that the chosen strategies are in accordance with the values and reality of the business, and not just the stipulated objectives. Opt for broad and integrated actions, something that includes partners, employees and customers.
Good planning is defined, basically, by a good allocation of resources; be they financial, budgetary, time, people, tools, among others. Making sure these aspects are in order will certainly help you to design a good business strategy. Think that you will be able to predict what resources will be needed to perform certain tasks. With a clear view of the availability of resources, its actions are more cautious and well-guided.
Define which marketing strategy to use
It is essential that your business plan is aligned with your marketing plan.
These two fronts within a company work side by side and that is why it is necessary that your objectives, goals and reach strategies are in line. There is no point in fully enabling your sales team if there are gaps in the marketing sector, which is where the first contact with the customer comes from.
What tools will my company use?
There are several tools on the market that are able to make your processes more dynamic. The use of manual resources such as documents and spreadsheets may even work if your workflow is not very intense, however, digital transformation is increasingly necessary.
In addition to CRM, which is an almost fundamental solution, you can still count on the help of ERPs, marketing automation tools, Google Analytics itself, with Business Intelligence structures, among several other platforms that can make the dynamics your business's most efficient working environment.
Count on the participation of your team
For good results, it is essential to listen to the opinion of those who work with the company's operations day after day.
After doing a good structuring of your sales team, set up a meeting so that they can discuss what measures are interesting to be adopted, what habits can be dispensed with, among several other issues that can give you a more productive team in the next year.
Conclusion:
Planning is thinking about the growth of the company. It leaves you prepared for both predicted and adverse situations. This attitude is extremely necessary in times of uncertainty.
Anyway, if you have not yet prepared your sales planning for 2021, there is still time. And remember: it is always possible to modify your strategy throughout the year, adapting to the different scenarios that may arise.
I hope this article has helped you!
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