A sales target is only as good as the plan behind it. Without a clear system for setting goals, reading data and allocating resources, even a talented sales team can drift — chasing the wrong accounts, missing forecasts, or burning out under pressure they didn't see coming. Sales and Operations Planning exists to close that gap.

This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy shows participants how to build that system: aligning sales processes with organisational goals, leading teams toward shared targets, and using the tools that keep performance improving over time — so results in the field stop depending on guesswork.

Who Should Attend?

• Sales managers, supervisors and teams looking to sharpen their planning, management and customer-interaction skills.
• Executive analysts responsible for shaping business strategy and improving commercial processes.
• Anyone looking to build a practical understanding of sales planning.

Course Objectives

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand sales planning and how it ties into wider business objectives.
• Design effective, innovative sales strategies and use data-analysis tools to support decisions.
• Improve the efficiency of sales processes and guide teams toward shared goals.
• Evaluate sales performance and keep it aligned with growth objectives.
• Build a strong foundation for competitive sales marketing using advanced techniques.

Module 1: Setting the Foundation — Planning Concepts and Types

• Why planning matters in business strategy, the common challenges in sales planning, and how to set sales goals effectively.
• Strategic versus operational planning, and short-term versus long-term horizons.
• Linking the plan back to actual results, and the environmental, market and technology factors that shape it.

Module 2: Building the Sales Strategy

• Market analysis and understanding customer needs as the starting point.
• Setting clear, realistic objectives and choosing the tools needed to execute the strategy.
• The role of teams in making sales planning succeed in practice.

Module 3: Forecasting and Targeting the Right Markets

• Forecasting techniques: using data and historical patterns, and relying on key performance indicators.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of sales performance.
• Market segmentation, identifying opportunities, setting expansion strategies, and reading the competitive landscape.

Module 4: Understanding and Improving the Sales Cycle

• The stages of the sales cycle from start to finish, and the critical points within it.
• Measuring effectiveness at each stage, and the tools used to analyse overall sales performance.
• Reviewing current processes to identify what needs improvement, and using technology to speed up and simplify procedures.

Module 5: People, Time and Communication

• Organising time and allocating resources by priority within sales teams.
• Managing pressure and crises in the day-to-day sales environment.
• Strengthening communication channels, motivating the team, and sharing knowledge through continuous training.
• Using customer feedback systematically to improve processes.

Module 6: Measuring Success and Sustaining It

• Identifying the right performance indicators and linking them to real business outcomes.
• Developing flexible action plans with clear timelines and assigned responsibilities.
• Periodic analysis of results, adjusting strategy accordingly, and ensuring sales operations stay sustainable long-term.