The quickest way to increase sales is to make things happen - not to let things happen. Let me explain.

You can speed up the selling process and decrease the selling cycle time when you have a written game plan. Your game plan should include three key elements. These elements are your objectives, the strategies, and your tactics.

Your objectives and for these priority accounts should include what you want to sell, how much you want to sell, and when you want to sell it by. The "what you want to sell" includes the mix of products that make the most sense for your prospects situation. The "how much you want to sell" is the dollar value of this product mix. The "when you want to sell it by" is your target date for asking for the prospects commitment to purchasing their products.

The strategies in detail "How" you're planning to achieve your objectives. The key to developing strategies is to have enough of them. Remember strategies and so the question "How."

How #1

How #2

How #3

How #4

How #5

As you develop your strategies keep asking this very important question. What's the probability of success if I only do How #1? What's the probability of success if I only do the How #1 and How #2? What's the probability of success if I only do How #1, How #2, and How #3? You get the picture. When the answer to your probability question equals 85 percent you're ready for action.

Tactics are the details. We all know how important details are an hour for not careful they can sabotage the best of plans. Each strategy has subordinate details. For example, if you have an entertainment strategy here are some of the details you would want to consider.

Who - who will go to the dinner?

Which - which restaurant will be selected?

When - when will we go to the restaurant?

How - how will we get there?

What - what are the priorities to be discussed at the dinner?

Think about how your selling process can be accelerated when you have a simple yet powerful game plan. Your game plan should be in writing. Your game plan doesn't have to be complicated and won't be time-consuming if you put it all on one-page.

Your one-page strategic account plan is your ticket to a faster sale. Naturally, a quicker sale takes less time.