Why your sales plan isn’t a sales plan (and how to write one that is)

scrabble blocks with the word planning on a pink and green background - sales plan

Most business leaders have a sales plan. Some are detailed forecasts. Others live “in my head”. And plenty are just targets dressed up as plans. This post sets out the six things that turn a growth number into a real sales plan, with side-by-side examples of the difference. Because the target is your destination. The plan is your route map.

Why do people think they need a “hungry” sales team?

“I need a hungry sales team.”
We hear it all the time. It’s never appeared in a single job description — and that’s the problem.
You can’t measure hungry. And in sales, you get what you measure.
Keep a dog hungry and you don’t get loyalty. You get an angry, aggressive dog. So why do it to your sales team?
In our latest blog we unpick the hungry sales team myth (also Sales Myth #6 in Untangle Your Sales)

Summers are getting longer. Your sales pipeline isn’t.

With summer in full swing, sales pipelines are quietly grinding to a halt — and this piece makes the case for not letting it happen. Between record heat, the World Cup, and school holidays, there’s every temptation to coast until September. But with half the year already gone and December offering little relief, that leaves a very narrow window to hit revenue targets.

The hidden risk of AI in business: Why faster pace limits learning

AI is accelerating business growth, but many founders are losing something critical: learning. Discover why speed without reflection leads to poor decisions and how to fix it.

Customer Success is your most underused commercial asset

In many SMEs, Customer Success holds the clearest, earliest view of where future revenue will actually come from. That insight is rarely used well.

Over-rescuing leadership: Why saving your team can actually hold back performance

Over-rescuing leadership feels helpful but erodes accountability, capability and sales performance. Learn how leaders can stop rescuing and build stronger teams.

AI in sales. Opportunity or threat?

Sales leaders are feeling the squeeze: deals are slowing, buyers are harder to reach, and the sales process is getting more complex by the day.

From cradle to grave. Supporting talented sales professionals at every stage of their career.

Climbing the sales professional career ladder can be both exciting and daunting. Read about the journey and potential obstacles.

What’s going to drive sales success in 2026?

After a long, hot summer, schools are finally back. B&Q is ripping out lawnmower displays to make space for Christmas lights. September means work is back, and for many it’s time to start planning for 2026. What are going to be the big sales trends that drive success in the coming year? Business Confidence With…

What’s it like to be part of a winning sales culture?

This is Sales Untangled Co-Founder, Martin’s story on sales cultures… “It was the early 90s and the afternoon sun was beating down as I floated on my back in the hotel pool. I vividly remember looking up at the neon hotel sign and thinking: Wow! How did a boy from East Hull end up here:…

Building a sales pipeline through referrals

“Do you help with lead gen?” This is a question that always makes us pause. The outcome of successful lead gen is more sales…but surely it’s a marketing activity isn’t it? Similarly, there’s often questions around whose job it is to gain referrals and introductions. If you read marketing textbooks they’ll tell you marketing is…

Untangling Sales Enablement

I spent many years in key account management for the UK’s biggest consumer goods companies. The first time I was asked to present recommendations for a major retailer’s range review I was completely stumped. How were you supposed to approach that? Asking my colleagues, I was advised to simply present each of my brands in…