Wherever you are in business today, remember: your best thinking got you here. But is that enough to take you where you want to go?
At its core, business looks simple:
- Create a product or service.
- Define your customer.
- Set a price.
- Close the sale.
- Deliver and collect payment.
- Realize a profit.
Sometimes, it really is that straightforward. Most of the time, however, the reality is more complex.
Why Your Sales Strategy Matters
I’ve written hundreds of business plans, and the most difficult—but most critical—part isn’t the financials, operations, or sourcing. It’s the sales strategy.
Your sales strategy is where the rubber meets the road. Get it right, and you have a scalable business model. Get it wrong, and you’ll struggle until you fix it.
A sales strategy is more than hoping your product will sell itself. It defines:
- Who will buy,
- Why they’ll buy,
- How much they’ll pay, and
- How to deliver a compelling message that drives action.
12 Essential Questions to Define Your Sales Strategy
Ask yourself these questions to test whether you truly have a sales strategy in place:
- What business are you really in?
- Where does your business make the most profit?
- What unique value do you deliver—and to whom?
- Who exactly are your prospects? (Hint: “everyone in the phone book” is not the answer.)
- How will you consistently reach those prospects?
- What benefits do your prospects care about most?
- What are they willing to pay for those benefits?
- Is there enough profit margin to sustain growth?
- What sales message will persuade them to buy now?
- Does your message align with your brand across all touchpoints?
- What level of service do prospects expect?
- What payment terms will they demand, and can your cash flow handle it?
If you can’t answer these clearly, you don’t yet have a complete sales strategy.
Why Businesses Fail Without a Clear Sales Strategy
Without clarity, sales results remain random and inconsistent. Even worse, your team won’t have the focus or direction they need. Culture drifts. Growth stalls.
On the other hand, defining your sales strategy framework unlocks:
- A clear roadmap for revenue growth.
- Alignment across your entire organization.
- Consistent messaging that builds trust and conversions.
- A scalable system for repeatable results.
The Next Step
Your current thinking brought you here. But to move forward, you may need a fresh perspective. Step outside your own experience, answer the questions above, and you’ll have the foundation of a winning sales strategy.
Define it. Document it. Execute it.
That’s how businesses thrive.