Great generals are famous for producing results – namely winning. Great salespeople do the same, but instead of conquering countries, they conquer market share. Despite that small difference, the strategies used by the most successful generals of all time will also work for your sales plan. Here are the principles used in war that will help you dominate your industry.

"Luck favors those in motion." -- General George Patton

Those who are continually learning and improving will find information faster than their opponents, and information is the key to winning battles (and making sales). By staying active in seeking out new processes and tactics, your opponents will be left off-balance and playing catch up to your strategy. Keep moving forward every single day and you will improve over time.

“It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time." -- Winston Churchill

Trying to imagine how you are going to meet sales goals for the entire year is exhausting and discouraging, but meeting the quota for one day is not so bad. Stay focused on the immediate difficulties and check off each day’s tasks before moving on to the next. This doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a long-term plan; just don’t worry about it every day.

“Those who are victorious plan effectively and change decisively.” -- Sun Tzu

Have a plan and stick to it – unless the plan is no good, then change it with authority. The information you’ve picked up by being focused and active in your strategy will help formulate a better plan of attack. Set up a vision of where you are going and then piece together how to get there.

“Start with the end in mind.” – General Covey

Setting clear goals is essential to a strong plan. If we don’t know where we’re going, any road will do, and most roads lead to wasted time and effort. At any point in time, you must know what the long-term vision is, what you are doing today, and what you’ve already accomplished.

“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” – Dwight Eisenhower

Having good tactics without a strategy for how to use them will leave you hoping for success. Being prepared and taking advantage of every situation creates your own luck and eliminates the need for hope. Be prepared for possible scenarios and “luck” will come to you.

“We will either find a way or we will make one.” – Hannibal

Often the first sales pitch doesn’t work, and the second one fails as well. There are many strategies that might work, and wasting precious time debating which one to try only throws away money. Pick one, give it your all, and assess the results – then repeat if it didn’t work.

You might not be fighting a war anytime soon, but there is competition out there battling for your customers. Operate your sales strategy like a general and be proactive in your approach to win every sale with authority.