2026 planning: let’s go…get with it!

With less than 90 calendar days until the start of Q1, it’s time to review and revise your 2026 strategic account plans. If you’ve already put in some time into your ’26 plan, great. If not, that’s okay. But get going because you’re in prime planning time for next year.

Build your plan by following the G.A.P. protocol:

Goals: revenue and skills

Accounts: target accounts that can get you to your number

People: KDMs and Champions

Focus your planning activities on Q1 before you move on to build out your entire ’26 plan.

1. Goals: What is your Q126 revenue goal for each target account? Included skill goals too…what are the top three skills you need to improve in ’26?

2. Accounts: where’s the upside with your target accounts…and why? What’s your plan to get the upside number per account?

3. People: who are the KDMs and Champs that will deliver the upside against your target accounts? Compile that list and obsessively focus your attention on getting meetings with those people. Don’t waste time with those who ”can’t say yes.”

If you think planning your ’26 strategy takes time and thought, what until you see how hard it is for Dwight and Jim to plan Kelly’s birthday party in The Office.

Watch part of this funny five-minute clip only when you’ve crated a head of steam against your ’26 plan.