A Mutual Action Plan (MAP) should be in every sales team’s arsenal. These tools are the best way to align with the long, convoluted modern B2B buying process.
We all know how messy and complicated sales is. Buyers are self-directed, multiple influencers and decision-makers are involved, and the sales process isn’t linear.
Effective mutual action plans solve these problems.
What is a Mutual Action Plan?
A mutual action plan (MAP) brings the buyer and seller together for a collaborative sales process. MAPs are sometimes referred to as joint execution plans, close plans, or mutual success plans.
Mutual action plans are essentially a non-binding sales cycle project management tool used by relevant parties in both the sales team and buying team.
Why use a Mutual Action Plan?
Does your current sales process involve wrangling multiple decision-makers on the buying team? Joint execution plans are used to loop all the decision-makers into the sales process, retain control, and guide everyone through every stage of the sales cycle.
Close plans are great ways to keep track of decision-makers, stay on schedule, and retain momentum. Plus, they give you valuable inside information about the buying team.
A mutual action plan includes details on who decision-makers are, when decision-makers get involved, and what their specific roles are. It shows upcoming roadblocks, obstacles, and potential hurdles. It details their exact pain points, buying process, needs, and what it takes to close.
This level of insight and close buyer and seller collaboration allows better support of customer success and buyer enablement – leading to an accelerated sales cycle.
So, the real question might be, why wouldn’t you use want to use one?
Creating Effective Mutual Action Plans
A mutual actional plan includes a value statement, timeline, stakeholders, and deliverables.
That’s a basic framework. Close maps can be very detailed as buyers and sellers build them out to reflect the sale’s objectives, goals, and greater purpose.
Joint execution plans are living documents and must be kept updated to reflect what’s happening in real time.
Here’s a little more on what goes into each section.
Value summary
Mutual success plans begin with a summary of the value buyers will get from the sale. Write the benefits, transformation, and impact your solution will deliver.
Remember that close plans are shared throughout the buying team. It will be seen by high-level decision-makers and other influencers, many of whom won’t be involved in the entire sales cycle.
Timeline of key dates
A mutual action plan includes a joint sales and buying process timeline with key dates and milestones for both the buyer and seller.
It begins where you are now and ends with a customer success close date. The close date should be tied to a value milestone, such as when the buyer is onboarded or experiences ROI.
Milestones should include time estimates for better project management.
Remember to write this with input from the buying team. It needs to include key dates on their end, like running things by their legal department or checking with IT.
Stakeholders
A close plan lists every decision-maker, influencer, and stakeholder involved in the deal. Make sure that everyone involved is included in the MAP.
If there are uncertainties around who is participating, simply write down the roles that are involved and fill in their details later on.
The buying team usually handles this.
Deliverables
A joint execution plan details the specific deliverables included in the sale. Frame these deliverables around the value they bring. Use it as another opportunity to sell.
Link milestones and deliverables to the decision-makers and team members responsible for them. Assigning ownership and making people accountable for getting things done, keeps things moving.
Help your sales crew stay in the loop and seal the deal faster.
Ready to bring close plans into your sales process? trumpet can help you do that. trumpet is an interactive sales tool that’s perfect for collaborative processes.
You can ramp up customer success activities and support buyers in every stage of the sales cycle.
Explore how mutual action plans work with a free trial. (And yes, plenty of mutual action plan templates are included to help you get started.)
