As we approach the 4th quarter, your clients are finalizing expense budgets, allocating funds across different aspects of their business, and forecasting income—from sales as well as non-traditional sources like branded product sales.
For you, the 4th quarter is the perfect time to develop your Sales Action Plan (SAP) for the year ahead. You don’t have to own your company to create one—planning is a best practice for every sales professional.
Let’s face it: the overwhelming majority of salespeople move from year to year without a true plan. It’s like a New Year’s resolution—strong for a few weeks, then forgotten.
A solid Sales Action Plan starts with clear goals.
Here’s a hypothetical example for my own promotional products business in 2026:
- 2025 Sales: $500,000
- Gross Margin: 40%
- Net Profit (2025): $200,000
- Repeat Business: 50% of total sales
- Advertising: None (limited social media activity)
- Team: Two office staff
2026 Goals:
- Increase sales by 50%, from $500,000 to $750,000.
- Increase repeat sales from 50% to 75% of total business.
- Grow the client base by “X” percent.
- Maintain at least a 40% gross margin on all sales.
Once you set your goals, you must define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress and keep yourself accountable.
Possible Plan Elements for 2026:
- Upselling & Cross-Selling to existing clients
- Targeting New Markets/Segments
- Implementing or Enhancing a CRM System
- Leveraging Existing Clients for Referrals
- Expanding Digital Presence and testing targeted advertising
- Operational Improvements for efficiency and cost savings
- Pricing Strategies to stay competitive and address tariffs
- Product/Service Diversification to broaden offerings
- Strengthening Supplier Relationships for better pricing and service
- Customer Retention Programs (thank-you notes, loyalty incentives, quarterly check-ins, promo mailings)
- Increased Use of Technology & Tools (AI, graphic design, content creation)
- Financial Budgeting & Quarterly Plan Reviews
Too few sales professionals actually plan ahead—instead, they run their business by the seat of their pants. But in today’s uncertain economy with intense global competition, that’s risky.
Think about it: you wouldn’t take a road trip without GPS or a map. Why run your business without one? If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there. For 2026, make it your mission to embrace planning—not just as a task, but as the way you operate.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS is CEO and Founder of Soundline, LLC, the pioneering supplier to the promotional products industry of audio products. Joel has 48 years of promotional product industry experience and proudly heralds “I was a distributor.” He has been on the advisory panel of the business and marketing department of St. John’s University in New York and is a frequent speaker at Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He is an industry Advocate and has appeared before the American Bankers Association, American Marketing Association, National Premium Sales Executives, American Booksellers Association and several other major groups. He has been a management consultant to organizations such as The College Board and helped many suppliers enter this industry. He is a frequent contributor to PPB and Counselor magazines. He has facilitated over 200 classes sharing his industry knowledge nationwide. He is known for his cutting humor and enthusiasm in presenting provocative and motivating programs. He is the only person to have received both the Marvin Spike Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) and PPAI’s Distinguished Service Award (2011). He is a past director of PPAI and has chaired several PPAI committees and task forces. He is a past Chair of the SAAGNY Foundation, Past President of SAAGNY and a SAAGNY Hall of Fame member. He was cited by ASI as one of the 50 most influential people in the industry.