Many people make resolutions about getting in shape for the New Year, but what are they doing about sales? 2009 is over – done – past – it is time to think about the future – 2010 and beyond. What are your plans to get your sales back on track, to turn them around?

Hopefully you created a sales plan – similar to your exercise plan – with goals of dates and sales figures (instead of pounds). If you haven’t – there is still time. Did you remember to include changes in the sales climate from last year?

• Competition
• Products/Services
• Pricing
• Support
• Marketing Avenues

Has your competition changed? Unfortunately some companies did not make it through 2009, others have streamlined their businesses. Some of your competitors may not be there or they may not be offering what they were before. Some may have taken advantage of the economic climate and diversified by expanding their offerings. Research – get the picture of what is going on with them.

Has your company expanded or modified products/services? If this has changed – it is important to find out if there is new competition. Do your current customers know about the changes? How are you going to relay information about any expansions?

Has your pricing changed? Many companies changed their pricing to keep customers, to become more competitive or to keep profits the same. What did your competition do? If you made changes are they remaining or are there more changes on the horizon?

How has your company support changed? If there were cuts in personnel – this may have made a difference in ordering or customer service. What are you going to do to make sure clients feel that they are getting the same quality of service/product from you?

What are the new avenues for marketing? It should be safe to say that 2009 was the year of social media or an electronic form of guerilla marketing. What is the buzz for 2010? Print media still seems to be on the decline. Events such as seminars and trade shows may be picking up – they don’t create business unless there is follow-up. SEO is very important – but what do you do with the leads that come in? You can tweet, email, call and mail. Marketing dollars should be spent where you are going to get the best returns.

These pieces are important for your plan. But, if you are in sales – you strength is in selling. Will you be the one gathering this information? Is marketing doing it for you? You can outsource a firm to do this for you as well as marketing your product or service to prospects and making appointments for you to meet with them. This would put you in the field instead of gathering information. Choosing a firm that can do all of this will enable you to stay in the field and sell to the new prospects that are now in your sales pipeline.

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