Three years ago, I sat across from a brilliant entrepreneur who’d spent £50,000 developing an innovative fitness app. The product was exceptional, the team was talented, and the market timing seemed perfect. Yet after six months, they’d made fewer than 20 sales.
The problem wasn’t their product—it was the complete absence of a sales plan. They’d assumed customers would simply find them and make a purchase. When I asked about their sales process, target customers, and conversion strategy, I was met with blank stares.
In my 12 years of consulting with hundreds of businesses, I’ve seen this scenario countless times. Entrepreneurs invest heavily in product development but treat sales as an afterthought. What businesses succeed? They create a sales plan before they launch, not after they realise they need one.
A sales plan isn’t complex corporate documentation—it’s your roadmap to consistent revenue. Without it, you’re essentially hoping that customers will randomly stumble upon you and decide to make a purchase.
What Is a Sales Plan?
A sales plan is your strategic blueprint for turning prospects into paying customers. It defines who you’re selling to, how you’ll reach them, what you’ll say, and how you’ll measure success.
Think of it as your business’s revenue GPS. Just as you wouldn’t drive to an unfamiliar destination without directions, you shouldn’t try to generate revenue without a clear plan for how you’ll achieve it.
Your sales plan answers five fundamental questions:
- Who are your ideal customers?
- What specific problems do you solve for them?
- How will you reach and communicate with them?
- When will you follow up and close sales?
- Where will you track and measure your progress?
Unlike a business plan that covers your entire operation, a sales plan focuses specifically on revenue generation. It’s practical, actionable, and designed to be updated regularly as you learn what works.
Why Most Entrepreneurs Skip Sales Planning (And Why You Shouldn’t)
In my experience, entrepreneurs avoid sales planning for three main reasons:
1. They assume sales will “just happen” if their product is good enough
2. They find sales uncomfortable and hope to avoid thinking about it
3. They don’t know where to start and get overwhelmed by complexity
Here’s the reality: Even the best products need structured sales processes. I’ve worked with companies that had inferior products but superior sales plans, and they consistently outperformed technically better competitors.
Sales planning isn’t about becoming pushy or manipulative. It’s about systematically helping the right people discover how you can solve their problems.
Your 5-Step Sales Plan Creation Process
Step 1: Define Your Ideal Customer (30 minutes)
Before you can sell effectively, you need crystal clarity on who you’re selling to. This goes far beyond basic demographics to understand your customers’ specific situations, challenges, and decision-making processes.
Customer Profile Framework:
Demographics & Firmographics
- Age, income, location (for consumers)
- Company size, industry, revenue (for businesses)
- Decision-making authority and influence
Pain Points & Challenges
- What specific problems do they face?
- How are they currently addressing these problems?
- What’s the cost of not solving these problems?
Buying Behaviour
- How do they typically research solutions?
- What information do they need before purchasing?
- Who else influences their decision?
- What’s their typical buying timeline?
Practical Exercise: Write a one-page description of your ideal customer as if you’re describing a real person. Include their name, background, challenges, and what a typical day looks like for them.
Step 2: Map Your Sales Process (45 minutes)
Your sales process is the series of steps you’ll take to guide prospects from initial awareness to final purchase. Most new entrepreneurs skip this step, and as a result, their sales conversations often feel chaotic and unproductive.
The Simple 5-Stage Sales Process:
1. Lead Generation – How will potential customers discover you?
2. Initial Contact – How will you start conversations with prospects?
3. Needs Assessment – How will you understand their specific requirements?
4. Solution Presentation – How will you demonstrate your value?
5. Closing & Follow-up – How will you secure the sale and maintain relationships?
For each stage, define:
- What actions will you take?
- What tools or materials do you need?
- What outcomes move prospects to the next stage?
- How long should each stage typically take?
Step 3: Set Realistic Sales Goals (20 minutes)
Sales goals provide direction and enable you to measure progress. However, most entrepreneurs set goals that are either wildly optimistic or based on wishful thinking rather than realistic assessment.
Goal-Setting Framework:
Revenue Goals
- Monthly and quarterly revenue targets
- Average transaction value
- Number of sales needed to hit targets
Activity Goals
- Weekly prospecting targets
- Monthly sales conversations
- Quarterly follow-up activities
Conversion Goals
- Lead-to-prospect conversion rate
- Prospect-to-customer conversion rate
- Customer retention and repeat purchase rates
Practical Example: If you need a monthly revenue of £ 5,000 and your average sale is £500, you need 10 sales per month. If you convert 20% of qualified prospects, you need to have 50 prospects per month. If 10% of leads become qualified prospects, you need to generate 500 leads per month.
Work backwards from your revenue goal to determine the activity levels required.
Step 4: Choose Your Sales Channels and Tactics (30 minutes)
Sales channels are the methods you’ll use to reach and communicate with prospects. New entrepreneurs often try to be everywhere at once, diluting their efforts and reducing effectiveness.
Primary Sales Channels to Consider:
Direct Sales
- Face-to-face meetings
- Phone calls and video conferences
- Email outreach and follow-up
Digital Marketing
- Website and landing pages
- Social media engagement
- Content marketing and SEO
Networking and Referrals
- Industry events and meetups
- Professional associations
- Customer referral programs
Choose 2-3 channels maximum to start. You can always expand later, but it’s better to excel at fewer channels than to be mediocre at many.
Channel Selection Criteria:
- Where do your ideal customers spend time?
- Which channels align with your strengths and comfort level?
- What can you realistically manage with your current resources?
Step 5: Create Your Tracking System (25 minutes)
What gets measured gets managed. Without tracking your sales activities and results, you’ll never know what’s working or how to improve.
Metrics To Track
Activity Metrics
- Number of prospects contacted weekly
- Number of sales conversations held
- Number of follow-up actions completed
Conversion Metrics
- Lead-to-prospect conversion rate
- Prospect-to-customer conversion rate
- Average time from first contact to sale
Revenue Metrics
- Monthly and quarterly sales totals
- Average transaction value
- Customer lifetime value
Simple Tracking Tools:
- Spreadsheet with prospect pipeline
- CRM system (start with free options like HubSpot)
- Calendar system for follow-up reminders
Simple Sales Plan Template for New Entrepreneurs
Target Customer Profile
Primary Customer: [Detailed description]
Key Pain Points: [3-5 specific problems you solve]
Buying Process: [How they typically make purchasing decisions]
Sales Process Overview
Lead Generation [Your methods] [Resources required] [What qualifies as a lead]
Initial Contact [Your approach] [Scripts/templates] [Successful first conversation]
Needs Assessment [Your process] [Questions/tools] [Clear understanding of needs]
Solution Presentation [Your method] [Materials/demos] [Prospect sees value]
Closing [Your approach] [Contracts/systems] [Signed agreement]
Sales Goals (Next 3 Months)
Revenue Target: £[amount]
Number of Sales: [quantity]
Average Sale Value: £[amount]
Required Prospects: [number based on conversion rates]
Key Performance Indicators
- Weekly prospecting activities: [number]
- Monthly sales conversations: [number]
- Conversion rate targets: [percentages]
Common Sales Planning Mistakes to Avoid
After reviewing hundreds of sales strategies, I’ve identified several recurring mistakes that sabotage new entrepreneurs:
Mistake 1: Trying to Sell to Everyone
The problem: Believing that anyone could be a customer
The solution: Define your ideal customer specifically. It’s better to be perfect for some than average for many.
Mistake 2: Skipping the Qualification Process
The problem: Spending time with prospects who can’t or won’t buy
The solution: Develop qualifying questions to identify serious prospects early.
Mistake 3: No Follow-Up System
The problem: Losing potential sales because you forget to follow up
The solution: Create a structured follow-up schedule and stick to it religiously.
Mistake 4: Focusing Only on Features
The problem: Talking about what your product does instead of the problems it solves
The solution: Lead with benefits and outcomes, support with features.
Mistake 5: Not Tracking the Right Metrics
The problem: Measuring vanity metrics instead of revenue-driving activities
The solution: Focus on metrics that directly correlate with sales results.
Connecting Sales Planning to Business Success
Your sales plan doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s a crucial component of your overall business strategy. At SGI Consultants, we integrate sales planning into our Business Success Formula:
Market Validation: Your sales plan tests whether your target market will pay for your solution
Business Model Design: Sales processes directly impact your revenue model and profitability
Engine Optimisation: Effective sales systems are essential for business growth and sustainability
Competitive Advantage: Superior sales processes can differentiate you from competitors
Making Your Sales Plan Work in Practice
Creating a sales plan is only the beginning. The real value comes from consistent implementation and regular refinement:
Weekly Sales Activities
- Conduct planned prospecting activities
- Follow up with existing prospects
- Track and record all sales activities
- Review and update the prospect pipeline
Monthly Reviews
- Analyse conversion rates and identify bottlenecks
- Review and update prospect qualification criteria
- Assess progress toward revenue goals
- Adjust tactics based on what you’re learning
Quarterly Planning
- Update ideal customer profiles based on successful sales
- Refine the sales process based on experience
- Set new goals and targets
- Consider expanding successful sales channels
Beyond Your First Sales Plan
As your business grows, your sales planning will become more sophisticated:
Team Development: Eventually, you’ll need to train others to follow your sales process
Technology Integration: CRM systems and sales automation become more valuable as you scale
Channel Expansion: Success in initial channels enables expansion to new markets
Process Optimisation: Data reveals opportunities to improve conversion rates and efficiency
Remember, your first sales plan doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to be practical and implemented. I’ve seen simple, consistently executed sales plans outperform sophisticated strategies that gather dust on shelves.
Your Next Steps
- Block 2.5 hours this week to create your first sales plan using the framework above
- Define your ideal customer with specific detail—avoid generic descriptions
- Map your sales process with clear steps and success criteria
- Set realistic goals based on your capacity and market reality
- Choose 2-3 sales channels you can execute consistently
- Create a simple tracking system to measure your progress
- Schedule weekly reviews to assess and adjust your approach
The entrepreneurs who succeed aren’t necessarily those with the best products—they’re the ones who systematically and consistently help the right customers discover how they can solve their problems.
Your sales plan is your roadmap to sustainable revenue. Without it, you’re leaving your business success to chance.
Ready to develop a comprehensive sales strategy that integrates with your overall business plan?
Our Business Success Formula encompasses sales planning, market validation, financial projections, and operational systems. Book a complimentary consultation to explore how we can help you develop a comprehensive strategy for sustained revenue growth.
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Kurt Graver is the founder and CEO of SGI Consultants, a business consultancy that has helped over 2,000 entrepreneurs establish successful startups using systematic business development methodologies. An accountant with an MBA and 25 years of commerce and consultancy experience, Kurt specialises in strategic planning, market analysis, and sustainable business growth