From new sales people to seasoned executives, without a plan, you are destined for failure. Really, how are you going to accomplish a goal if you don’t know how you are going to do it? Some might think that luck plays a part, but rarely it does. You need to know what has to be done [that goal] and have an outline as detailed as possible of how you are going to do it [the plan].

I wrote a post a while back called OPORD. That explained how you can develop a plan easily that give you clarity of the objectives needed to execute successfully. I have used this tool and explained it to others over the years and it has ever failed me. But as I move along in sales and experience different companies, it amazes me that executives have no plan. They know what they want, but have a hard time giving the direction needed to complete the task. If there is no plan to execute on, you are really expecting to get lucky. If sales people learn that plans are not necessary, they are less likely to hone such a valuable skill for their careers.

As discusses by Wendy Wise of Business Know How having a plan is absolutly needed for every person in business as much as the business itself.

I began to see the planning process as a road map. You know your ultimate goal. You figure out the best way to get there. Your plan needs to include contingencies and have enough space that you can deal with fires and still move forward.

The blog SalesItch has a post that emphasis this more. If you are working for a company or starting a new one, the plan you put together is the most important step.

“Sales is one of the most active disciplines in the modern business. As IBM’s Thomas Watson said, “Nothing happens until someone sells something”.