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Rule #42 - Create Smart Benchmarks

905 views · Published 31 January 2018 · 2:36 · Indexed 4 November 2026

Channel: Sandler · 2018 · Education

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Rule number 42. Create smart benchmarks. When it comes to a territory in account planning, make sure that the short game supports the long game. What this rule is basically saying is, account planning and territory planning is important and they are long range targets. But the fact of the matter is, if you just do an annual account plan, it's worthless. The exercise isn't worthless, thinking about the account, thinking about the territory and all the things that you should be doing. But when you put goals 12 months out, most people don't focus in on them. Because there's so much stuff going on day to day, "I'll worry about that in September, October, November." And we tend to lose all the magic that comes out of account plans. I love account plans. I love territory plans. But I love ones that are live documents, that are usable. So don't, don't say they're annual account plans, you and I both know intuitively, no one looks at those until it's next year. And then, sometimes sales leaders use that as a weapon, "Did you do what you said you would do, or did you not?" Now, ultimately is it the sales person's responsibility? Of course. But it's your responsibility.   

Here's some quick tips to make an account and territory plan more usable. Number one, break it down to 90 days. Have a 90 day plan for how you're going to improve the relationship, how you're gonna go deep and wide, how you're gonna sell more products and services. Once a sales person can create a 90 day plan, now it's actionable, because they have benchmarks, you can judge their progress every 90 days. You as a sales leader can help shape what they're thinking about, they can tack left or right if they're off track. If you break it down to 90 day increments, you'll find that you're so much further along, because it's on the top of mind. It also makes sure that their 90 day plan support the one year account plan. Everybody does one year account plans, that's not the issue. The issue is, do you have shorter plans to support that? That's what this rule is trying to say, break it down to 90 days, you're gonna be a lot better off.

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