Planning for Success…It’s Not An Accident

A plan tells you what to do while a schedule merely tells you when to do it. And there is a big, big difference between the two. Here are some tips on planning:

Ask yourself these questions as you begin to plan:

• What must happen?
• What is the sequence in which each must be accomplished?
• How long will each take?

An example:

I) I need to open five new accounts in my territory.

II) #1 Identify likely prospects.
     #2 Conduct research on prospects.
     #3 Determine method for contacting them.
     #4 Execute contact plan.
     #5 Make appropriate sales calls on qualified prospect.
     #6 Execute sales process/close sales.
     #7 Invoice, service and vertically integrate new accounts.

III) #1 3 Days
      #2 4 Days
      #3 1 Day
      #4 3 Weeks+
      #5 1 Week
      #6 6-12 Months
      #7 1 Month Following Sale

Now, you are prepared to fill in your schedule as to exactly when you will implement each phase of your plan. The problem? Lots of people simply schedule a whole series of events – day-by-day, minute-by-minute, and unfortunately, the activities never tie into any longer range strategy. Learn to “invert” your thinking and you’ll be much better off for it.

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