Sales planning for a manufacturing or commercial organization through sales representatives is usually formed on the basis of many indicators, including a quota, which must be achievable, understandable, complete and timely.
Instructions
Step 1
Set quotas for sales volumes below their potential potential, but approximately equal to the forecast results (or slightly exceeding them). If you set them in order to stimulate sales growth at too high a level, then such a policy can only be used for a short time.
Step 2
Set quotas in such a way that they are understandable to workers who will have to carry out new tasks in accordance with them. Consider the following criteria when setting quotas:
- experience of employees and their qualifications;
- the results of the fulfillment of the quota for the previous period;
- demand for products;
- the general situation on the market.
Without considering all these criteria, you will not be able to arouse the staff's interest in the sale of goods and explain to them the need to introduce new quotas. Outline the scheme for forming a quota for each specific employee.
Step 3
Consider the completeness of the quota, which should unite all the criteria according to which you will subsequently evaluate the performance of each of the sales staff. So if sales representatives are tasked with finding customers, then it is necessary to indicate in the quota not only the approximate number of new customers, but also the percentage with those with whom work is already underway. If this is not done, then the employee will only strive to increase sales, working on the beaten track. It is better to reduce the quotas for fulfilling the sales volume so that the employee's schedule has time to attract potential customers.
Step 4
Set quotas in monetary terms, in the number of products, or rating points. For the sale of a new product, quotas should be higher than for the sale of an old one, in order to stimulate employees to promote a new product or attract new customers.
Step 5
Distribute quotas and in accordance with the assessment of the potential of the territories. When doing this, consider not only the indicators of potential in numerical terms, but also the characteristics of the market. Consider the psychological factor when hiring sales representatives. So, knowing about the peculiarities of sales in a particular territory, employees can deliberately underestimate the sales potential in order to ensure themselves in the future low quotas.
Step 6
Timely inform all sales representatives about changes in the system of calculating quotas and about the results of the performance assessment of each employee.
