The top features of mutual action plan software

What's the problem with modern B2B sales cycles? According to Gartner, the sales cycle is getting longer and longer as buyers spend more time independently researching companies rather than relying on expert guidance. 

Imagine if you could cut through the noise, working alongside a buyer, answering their questions, and forging a deal together. What a dream! You could know the close date of a deal months in advance, allocating certain responsibilities to each party and building a strong partnership before the client even signs on the dotted line.

That's a mutual action plan (MAP), in a nutshell. 

But some companies are going one step further. Through mutual action plan software, you can create an interactive plan that updates as you progress, allowing buyers and sellers to upload documents and keep everyone in the loop. 

Features of mutual action plan software

Here at trumpet, we integrate our mutual action plan software into the digital sales rooms (DSRs). Alongside personalised content hubs, eSignatures, and client tracking, mutual action plans help speed up the sales cycle, providing a framework for the rest of the DSR. 

Our mutual action plans have specific features to assist with streamlining the process and fostering a collaborative environment. These include:

1. Adding Due Dates. Every task within the MAP is given a due date to help create accountability between the parties and enable deal forecasting. Clients know when information will be available, ensuring there's a sense of urgency and reducing the risk of non-responses, which delay the sales cycle. 
2. Interactive Interface. With drop-down boxes and tick options, trumpet's MAPs are highly interactive. Moreover, buyers can work with your team to devise the next step in live mode, further fostering a strong business relationship.
3. Assigning Tasks. Buyers aren't always the most responsive. By assigning specific tasks to a buyer (or a particular individual), you can hold them to account, letting everyone know what they need to do and by when. 
4. Upload Documents. Share files, such as proposals or contracts, as part of the MAP, completing everything within the DSR. This centralises the process, reduces confusion, and ensures everyone is aligned. You can also upload educational content to help support a client's understanding of the industry and potential solutions.

Not sure how to get started? Take inspiration from our existing MAP-related digital sales rooms. Hack the Box's DSR includes a comprehensive MAP covering everything from onboarding to the final deal. Meanwhile, the Acme example demonstrates how you can break up the MAP into manageable chunks. 

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With trumpet, you can create a mutual action plan in minutes, take a look.

Benefits of mutual action plan software

Mutual action plans solve numerous problems inherent in the digital sales cycle. By reinjecting the human element, you can work alongside potential clients to streamline the sales cycle and build a long-lasting client relationship. Other benefits include:

• Enhanced Collaboration and Transparency: MAP software fosters collaboration and transparency, aligning all stakeholders on goals, responsibilities, and progress, enhancing trust and shared understanding.
• Streamlined Sales Process: It systematically organises each phase of the sales journey, identifies potential delays, and ensures efficiency, contributing to a more effective sales cycle.
• Improved Accountability and Communication: The software assigns clear tasks and deadlines, enhancing accountability while facilitating continuous communication among all parties involved.
• Data-Driven Insights and Scalability: Provides valuable analytics for better forecasting and strategic planning while also scaling with the business to manage increasing complexity in sales processes.
• Increased Customer Engagement: By actively involving customers in the planning process, the software boosts engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, driving better sales outcomes.

Final thoughts

Poor response levels. Lengthy sales cycles. No clear direction. These are just some of the common complaints sales teams raise when discussing modern sales cycles. Mutual action plan software helps teams take charge of the process, providing a structured framework through which both parties can work.

With mutual action plan software, companies can transform the sales experience, making it more interactive, responsive, and, importantly, successful. By integrating this innovative tool into your sales strategy, you're not just selling a product or service—you're building a partnership that lasts long after the deal is signed.