Most salespeople would rather be with a prospect than doing paperwork. But….the Top 10%, the real high-earners….give attention to their planning as they do their execution.

Every business has a Business Plan. Every salesperson should have their own Sales Business Plan. Their plan is a complete roadmap to success, a blueprint that says ”here’s where I am,, here’s where I’m going, and here’s how I’ll get there”…step-by-step.”

Your own Sales Business Plan should start by answering these questions:

1) Which accounts will spend with me in 2010, how much will they spend, and what am I doing to assure that?

2) Who are my ‘target prospects’ for 2010, what is their potential, and what is my plan for getting in the door?

3) How will my time be spent…in the office, on the phone and in the field?

There’s more that goes into a good sales business plan, and we’ll cover those elements in the coming weeks because a detailed plan…executed with “massive action” …will have a dramatic, positive influence on the new year.

I’m on the optimistic side on 2010. I also know (and you do, too) that anything can happen. Salespeople who have a well-defined plan, and the personal discipline to execute it, will create more success, regardless of the obstacles.