Planning for Sales Cycles

SCORE ExpertAnswers
Planning for Sales Cycles

Mike Michalowicz, CEO
Provendus Group

Expert Advice for Small Business Owners

Managing the sales process and planning for sales cycles are critical skills for freelancers and small business owners.

This month serial entrepreneur, author and Wall Street Journal columnist Mike Michalowicz provides expert advice on making your sales process more effective.

What are the keys to successful sales cycle planning?

Recognize that there is a cycle. This applies to every business.

Identify the best customers you have. See what factors make them appealing, and prepare for them. Companies that assess the practices of their worst customers often end up attracting more of them.

Track buying trends for good customers. Find what times are busy, what times are slow, and prepare/act accordingly. When they’re ready to buy, you’ll be ready too.

Document your sales process. This will serve as valuable guidance for your sales staff, and yourself.

Reverse-engineer the process. Rather than starting with how to fill the sales funnel, determine the end-result of your sales process, then work backwards to find what it takes to get there.

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