How do sales concept, sales strategy, and sales plan differ?
Before looking at our example and PowerPoint template, it helps to distinguish three terms that are often mixed up: sales concept, sales strategy, and sales plan. A sales concept is the overall commercial framework. It combines the strategic direction with the operational plan needed to achieve sales targets.
“Simply put, a sales strategy describes the commercial objective and the path to achieve it. Heinrich Ruhwasser”
The sales strategy defines target groups, positioning, core messages, and the sales objectives to be achieved. It also determines the channels, pricing logic, and customer approach used to reach those objectives. The sales plan then turns that strategy into action: concrete steps, timing, responsibilities, and budgets. Understanding the distinction between these elements is crucial when building a strong commercial setup.
Getting started: an example structure for a strong sales concept
Following this logic, we divide the sales concept into two main parts: **sales strategy** and **sales plan**.
**Part 1: Sales strategy** defines the market view, segmentation, competitive positioning, value proposition, product portfolio, sales goals, channels, organizational setup, pricing, incentives, and risk management.
**Part 2: Sales plan** translates these strategic choices into concrete actions. It includes responsibilities, timing, resource planning, budgets, specific sales activities, success measurement, and risk mitigation.
This structured approach ensures that sales activities are both strategically grounded and operationally effective.
Let us begin: creating the sales strategy
To make the topic tangible, we use a fictional example company called MT Softec. MT Softec is a provider of software solutions for mid-sized manufacturing businesses in Germany. The company focuses on improving production processes, automation, and real-time data analysis. In the strategy part of the sales concept, we describe its target markets, positioning, market segments, competitors, customer groups, and unique selling proposition.
| Chapter | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Introduces the purpose of the document and gives an overview of MT Softec’s sales strategy. |
| 2. Target market and positioning | Covers target market overview, market size, growth, and MT Softec’s positioning. |
| 3. Market segmentation | Describes segmentation by company size, industry, technological maturity, and geography. |
| 4. Competitive analysis | Identifies key competitors, evaluates strengths and weaknesses, and derives MT Softec’s advantages. |
| 5. Market trends | Looks at trends such as digitization, automation, cloud computing, cybersecurity, big data, and sustainability. |
| 6. Positioning and USP | Defines the focused segment, target groups, and the distinctiveness of MT Softec’s offering. |
| 7. Value proposition | Explains the commercial value proposition and the concrete customer benefits of the software solutions. |
| 8. Portfolio | Describes the main product and complementary products or services, including cross-sell and upsell opportunities. |
| 9. Sales goals | Defines short- and long-term sales goals and how progress is assessed. |
| 10. Sales channels | Explains channels such as lead generation, direct new business sales, key account management, and partner channels. |
| 11. Sales organization | Describes the team structure, leadership roles, and regional setup. |
| 12. Sales process | Explains the structure of the sales process and its channel-specific variants. |
| 13. Pricing and incentives | Describes pricing logic, service pricing, and incentive structures for sales teams and partners. |
| 14. Interfaces | Identifies interfaces to marketing, product management, professional services, and sales controlling. |
| 15. Risk management | Addresses relevant sales risks and mitigation strategies. |
Sales concept example as a PowerPoint template (part 1: sales strategy)
Using this structure, we built the first part of the MT Softec example in detail. The document is available as a PowerPoint template, and also in Word and PDF formats, as a free download. It is designed to help you create your own sales concept document more quickly and with clearer structure.
The second part of the sales concept: building the sales plan
The sales plan, as the second part of the concept, contains equally important content. We recommend a structure covering:
1. Introduction and purpose of the sales plan
2. Detailed action plan
3. Timeline with milestones and deadlines
4. Resource planning
5. Budget plan
6. Planned sales activities
7. Monitoring and controlling
8. Risk analysis and risk management
We are currently working on making this second part available as a PowerPoint template as well, again with practical content so it can serve as a clear example.
Summary and outlook
Creating a comprehensive sales concept is a crucial step toward long-term business success. A strong concept combines strategic clarity with an operationally realistic implementation plan. The templates in PowerPoint, PDF, and Word are meant to support you in building your own sales concept professionally and efficiently.
Mona Haas
Mona Haas is a dedicated sales strategist with a clear focus on mid-sized companies. Her passion lies in developing and implementing innovative sales concepts that drive growth and long-term success. With extensive experience in sales and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the Mittelstand, Mona has a proven track record of increasing revenue and strengthening customer loyalty. Her ability to design tailored solutions aligned with each company’s specific needs makes her a valuable partner for any mid-sized business looking to optimize its sales strategy.
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