Most sales plans fail early. Not in November when you write them. Not in January when you present them. They fail in the first eight weeks of the year when assumptions collide with reality.
You can avoid that if you act now.
1. Re-check the numbers you’re betting on
Your targets rest on three variables:
- how many deals close
- how big those deals are
- how quickly they move
If one of these shifts, your plan breaks. Look at your pipeline today.
Are opportunities real or wishful thinking?
Are reps chasing the wrong size deals?
Are decision cycles slowing?
You fix this by getting ruthless about qualification. Every deal must have a clear next step and a buyer with authority. Anything else is noise.
2. Look at your people – not just your pipeline
A plan collapses when the wrong people carry it.
Ask yourself:
- Who hit target last year?
- Who missed by a wide margin?
- Who is on the edge but coachable?
Your team must be balanced with hunters, farmers and closers.
If someone is draining time and not producing, you already know the answer.
And if you’re missing a key player, waiting until Q2 is too late.
Senior sales hires take months to land and ramp. Start that search now.
3. Lock your ICP tighter than ever
Most sales teams spread themselves too thin.
Define exactly who you want and ignore everyone else.
Identify:
- top three industries
- deal sizes with the highest win rate
- problems you solve that competitors can’t touch
Everything else becomes distraction. When your ICP is sharp, your pipeline gets healthier fast.
4. Shorten your sales cycle early
If your average cycle is 90 days and you don’t tighten it now, Q2 output already suffers.
You shorten the cycle by doing three things:
- remove pointless steps
- close micro-commitments in every call
- involve decision-makers earlier
You win more when you simplify.
5. Fix your hiring strategy before it becomes a crisis
If your 2026 plan depends on new sales hires, you’re already behind.
It takes:
- 30 – 60 days to recruit
- 30 – days for notice periods
- 60 – 120 days to fully ramp
That means any hire you haven’t started in Q1 won’t deliver meaningful revenue until late Q3.
Most companies wait too long.
The ones who grow act early.
6. Review your forecast weekly – not monthly
Monthly reviews are too slow. A slipping deal in week two becomes a lost deal in week six.
A weekly snapshot helps you:
- catch stalled opportunities
- add missing activity
- correct deal strategy
- spot early signs of slippage
The goal is momentum. Weekly data keeps you honest.
7. Eliminate one major friction point
Every sales organisation has at least one bottleneck:
- pricing approvals
- slow proposals
- weak handovers
- poor product training
- chaotic marketing support
Pick the biggest blocker and remove it. Teams grow faster when you remove friction instead of shouting for more activity.
8. Build a talent pipeline now, not when you’re desperate
Top performers are always employed. They don’t respond to job ads.
You reach them through headhunting, consistent outreach and a compelling offer.
You should always have:
- a pool of potential hires
- a clear hiring scorecard
- interview questions that test capability and attitude
When you need someone, you won’t be starting from zero.
Closing question
Look at your sales plan today.
What’s the weakest link – your people, your pipeline, or your process?
Fix that now and your 2026 revenue becomes achievable, not hopeful.