"we must have a clear picture of the customers we're targeting"

"If we're committed to proactively going after new business, then we must have a clear picture of the customers we're targeting. It's challenging, to say the least, to pursue something if you do not know in which direction to head. Therefore, selecting targets is the first piece of the puzzle and first aspect of our new business framework.
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When attacking targets, it really helps when we're able to create and deploy the necessary weapons. There's an entire arsenal of weapons available to the salesperson. Not only must we be armed, but it's critical that we become proficient firing those weapons at selected targets.
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Finally, we come to planning and executing the attack. I like to say that it's all academic unless you actually take the field. Selecting the right targets and possessing the appropriate weapons are meaningless unless we get into action. Remember: SALES IS A VERB. Planning our sales attack forces us to have discipline and to take a hard look at our calendars. We need to declare what weapons we'll be shooting at which targets, and when. And then we must do it, monitoring and measuring our activity along the way.
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• Poor target selection or lack of focus on selected targets

• Lame sales weapons or lack of proficiency deploying weapons


• Inadequate planning or lack of execution of the plan 

Truth be told, most sales teams struggle with more than one of these three issues.
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However, there are a few critical assumptions that accompany my declaration. Yes, assuming can be dangerous, but in order to help fix a sales problem, we need be assured it's a sales problem. I guarantee that the sales problem lies in one or more of those New Sales Driver categories, assuming: 

• The business has a clear strategy, a defined place in the market, and there is demand for its offering. 

• The sales compensation plan is not working against the desired sales effort. 

• The sales talent would at least qualify as "average." 

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Those are not outlandish assumptions. Said simply: The business knows what it is and where it is going; the pricing model makes sense based on the value delivered; the compensation plan is not incenting salespeople not to sell; and the person or people in question would rate as a B- or better."

Trechos retirados de "New sale. Simplified" de Mike Weinberg.