30 60 90 day plan key account manager

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint: Your Path to Key Account Success

Milind Katti

COO & Co-Founder, DemandFarm

Powering Progress: The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint Plan for Key Account Excellence

Your Guide to Key Account Management Excellence. Learn how the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint powers progress, fostering sustainable business growth.

In the world of B2B sales, success is all about relationships. The most important of these relationships is with your key accounts. That is the customers who have the potential to generate the most revenue for your business. By building and managing long-term relationships with your key accounts , you can create a foundation for sustainable growth.

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is a time-bound, comprehensive approach to Key Account Management . It breaks down your first 90 days into three phases:

• The 30-day phase: You actively engage in learning and comprehending the intricacies of your key accounts . During this period, you diligently gather essential information about their businesses, goals, and challenges, establishing a strong foundation for your future interactions.
• The 60-day phase: The focus shifts towards building robust relationships and delivering exceptional value. To achieve this, you strategically devise and execute plans tailored to meet the specific needs of each key account, aiming not only to meet but also exceed their expectations.
• The 90-day phase: Your efforts are geared towards cementing and solidifying these newly formed relationships. It is crucial to continue delivering value consistently, ensuring that your key accounts remain content and satisfied. This stage sets the groundwork for long-term success and opens the doors to further growth and opportunities.

Through sustained dedication and customer-centricity, you position yourself as a trusted partner for your key accounts, fostering enduring relationships that propel mutual prosperity.

Understanding the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is your trusted roadmap in Key Account Management, guiding your journey with strategic precision. This game plan operates on understanding, delivering value, and building strong relationships, gradually leading to long-term success. By breaking down KAM into manageable stages, it eliminates guesswork and empowers you with a clear vision, focusing your efforts on specific goals while optimizing resource utilization.

As a catalyst for progress, each stage builds upon the previous, ensuring continuous growth. With a keen understanding of your key accounts , you can effectively cater to their needs, consistently deliver value, and forge powerful strategic relationships. Follow the proven path of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint to unlock the full potential of your key accounts, driving increased revenue, heightened customer satisfaction, and strengthened relationships.

The First 30 Days: Building a Strong Foundation

The first 30 days of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint are all about getting to know your key accounts. Knowledge is power, and in this phase, the spotlight is on in-depth research and analysis. Gather information about their businesses, their goals, their challenges, and their expectations. This information will help you understand your key accounts’ needs and how best you can meet them.

You’ll also start to build relationships with your key accounts . This means communicating with them regularly and listening to their needs. It also means being responsive to their requests and going the extra mile to help them succeed. Through effective communication, you understand the nuances of your clients’ needs – giving you an edge in offering them precisely what they need.

With a solid understanding and clear objectives, you can craft an actionable plan. This roadmap outlines the steps you’ll take to meet and exceed your clients’ expectations, making the first stride towards a mutually beneficial relationship.

By the end of the first 30 days, you’ll have a solid understanding of your key accounts and their needs. You’ll also have started to build strong relationships with them. This will put you in a great position to deliver value and achieve mutually beneficial results.

The Next 60 Days: Driving Growth and Value

The second stage of the blueprint, spanning the next 60 days, moves the lens from understanding to action. With deep insight into your key accounts’ needs and goals, you’re well-positioned to deliver value and drive growth.

The first step in this next phase is developing a customized account strategy . This plan, tailored to your key account’s needs, will outline how you will enhance engagement, identify growth avenues, and drive account expansion. Your strategy must be flexible, allowing for modifications based on evolving needs and market dynamics.

An important aspect of this phase involves exploring opportunities for upselling and cross-selling . By aligning these opportunities with your clients’ needs, you could find additional revenue streams, while simultaneously providing more value to your clients.

Collaboration is essential during this phase. Cross-functional teams within your organization can provide unique insights and skills. This ensures a holistic approach to Key Account Management. By pooling resources and harnessing internal expertise, you create a synergy that amplifies the value delivered to your key accounts.

Project monitoring should not be ignored. Regularly assess your strategy’s effectiveness, identify potential gaps and adjust as required. This cyclical process helps you stay in sync with your key accounts’ expectations. You can thus ensure that your efforts are on the right track.

By the end of the second phase, you’ll have implemented targeted strategies, driven significant growth, and created tangible value for your key accounts. This places you in a strong position to solidify your relationships and lay the foundation for long-term success.

The Final 90 Days: Solidifying Success and Expanding Relationships

The final phase of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is about consolidating your success and laying the groundwork for future growth. It’s in this phase that your efforts bear fruit.

You will concentrate on cementing the relationships you’ve built and continuously delivering value to your key accounts. Your primary task is to deliver on promises made and meet client expectations. The emphasis is on maintaining the high bar of performance you’ve set. But you also need to be consistent in the quality of service you provide.

Your ability to meet and surpass expectations will bolster your clients’ confidence in your partnership, and drive their loyalty and satisfaction.

However, it doesn’t stop there. This final phase calls for the provision of continuous value-added solutions. This involves anticipating your key accounts’ future needs and presenting innovative solutions. Through this, you demonstrate a commitment to their ongoing success. Your proactive approach will further reinforce your value as a trusted partner.

Towards the end of this 90-day period, the focus shifts to fostering long-term partnerships. All your work in understanding, strategizing, and delivering value results in a strong, trusting relationship. Your efforts should be directed towards maintaining these relationships. You must find ways to expand them further and promote sustainable growth.

It’s crucial to remember that the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint isn’t an end, but only just a beginning. It’s a cycle of continuous improvement and strengthening relationships. It sets the stage for ongoing growth and success.

By the end of this phase, you’ll have achieved Key Account Excellence, with robust partnerships driving your business to new heights.

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint: Your Pathway to Sustainable Success

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is a valuable business tool. It redefined the way businesses approach Key Account Management. Through its sequential stages – understanding key accounts, delivering value, and fortifying relationships – it creates a path to achieve sustainable growth and attain Key Account Excellence.

One of its greatest qualities is its versatility. This Blueprint isn’t a rigid structure but a dynamic guide that can adapt to the evolving needs of your key accounts. The focus remains on understanding clients, creating value and building relationships for lasting success.

It’s important to keep in mind that this Blueprint isn’t a one-off process. It’s a cyclical journey during which you should mark your continuous progress and growth. Each cycle of the Blueprint pushes your business further along the path of success.

In essence, the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is more than just a strategy – it’s an ongoing commitment to your key accounts. It’s a resolution to strive for excellence, to improve continually and to grow in your partnerships. It’s this commitment that will help propel your business and ensure that you achieve Key Account Excellence.

Ready to discuss your Account Management Needs?

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About The Author

Milind is the COO & Co-Founder of DemandFarm. He co-founded DemandFarm to build smart software technology to bring Account Planning and Relationship Intelligence into your CRM, making Key Account Management data-driven, predictable and scalable.Milind has close to 25 years of experience in sales & marketing. He is an Electronics & Communication Engineer with MBA in Marketing. He enjoys long-distance running, loves reading history, and above all else, he is a humanist.

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The best 90 day success plan every new account manager needs [+ template], why you need a 30 60 90 day plan.

Along with your resume and cover letters, you need a 90 day success plan ready before you even start your job search. Some hiring managers move fast and you may not have the time to do your plan justice if you haven’t at least got a draft completed.

A thoughtful 30 60 90 day plan will impress everyone you meet during the job interview process, and your new manager will breathe a huge sigh of relief, knowing you’re prepared and ready to take responsibility for your own onboarding.

And when you get the job, a 90 day success plan ensures you hit the ground running by focusing on the right priorities, tracking progress and measuring results so you stand on your own two feet as soon as possible.

Create two versions:

• 30 60 90 day plan presentation.  Summarise how you’ll get up to speed in the role over the course of your first 3 months. Present your plan over three slides – one for each month. I like to include a visual CV as well. This is great for job interviews.
• 30 60 90 day project plan.  A detailed list of all the activities you need to do to get settled into your new account management role, grouped into 30 day periods. The rest of this article will explain how, so read on.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Yes. People will judge you. Opinions (right or wrong) are formed about your effectiveness from day one.

First impressions stick, and if you shine, you’ll find yourself on the fast track to success. But if you fail to impress, then doubts about your abilities may follow you around like a dark cloud.

A 90 day plan will make sure you get the kind of results that leave no doubt in anyone’s mind they made the right decision to hire you.

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Things to remember when you start a new job

No matter how experienced you are, leaving the familiarity of your old job to take on a new role can lead to some butterflies. It’s normal.

Don’t worry

You’ve got this. Your new employer wouldn’t have hired you if they didn’t believe in you. But it’s important to acknowledge there may be some challenges and to take time to think about how you might handle them:

• Is the job in a new industry or one that you’re already familiar with?
• Are you moving to a new organisation or a new business unit in the same company?
• If it’s an internal move, will you have to juggle two jobs because you have to help out in your old role while starting the new one? Or will you make a clean break?
• If you’ve been promoted, how will your peers react? Did anyone apply for your job who will now report to you?
• Are you moving to account management from a different profession? Are there skills or competency gaps you need to close?
• Are you inheriting the account management role, or is it a new position? Will you need to define new processes and systems, or are they already established?

Remember, there is nothing you cannot overcome with preparation and perseverance.

Treat your boss like a client

Your manager hired you. They can help you get things done. They are your advocate to the wider business. And they approve the promotions, the pay rises and the bonuses.

So treat your manager like you would your very best client. What’s important to them is now your top priority. And to be honest, your life will be a lot easier if you keep following that advice well beyond your first 3 months.

On your first day, invite your boss to a recurring meeting to discuss your 90 day plan. It should be monthly at a minimum. While the focus is your performance, use the time to also learn more about your manager:

• How do they like to interact?
• What are their expectations of you?
• What are their roles and responsibilities?
• What are their most significant priorities right now?
• Is there anything you can help them with?

Keep an eye on who they have relationships with and get to know them too. People will talk about you when you first start, and you want the news to be good.

Importantly, continue to clarify. You’re expected to ask questions when you’re new, so don’t be shy about it.

If there’s anything you’re not comfortable with, speak up.

Review the job description

The first place to start is to review the job description and highlight the main responsibilities. That way you won’t miss any important requirements in your 90 day plan and ensure you use the right terminology rather than generic objectives and results. For example don’t say “meet with key stakeholders” when the job description has identified who those stakeholders are and you can say “meet with Product Management and Technical” instead.

Below is the job description for a Senior Key Account Manager at Amazon , advertised in July 2020. You can see the terms I’ve highlighted:

• Partner with Product Management and Tech.
• Create an account management strategy.
• Product adoption goals.
• Develop relationships across functional areas such as Business, Operations, Procurement, Finance and IT.
• Drive revenue, adoption and market share.
• Measure performance.
• Find opportunities to automate and scale processes in account management.
• Relay market needs and requirements to Product Management and Technical.
• Create program goals and related metrics.
• Drive best practices for using our product.
• Liaise with technical integration teams.
• Assess program risks.

See how easy that was?

The job description will do most of the work for you. Simply populate it with the responsibilities you think are important and tweak them as needed to reflect the fact that you’re new and learning. For example it’s unlikely you’ll be in a position to drive best practices until you understand what they are.

A 30 60 90 day plan for key account managers

Your 3 month success plan is grouped into 30 day periods. Each has very specific activities and outcomes that move you quickly from making a negative value contribution to a positive one.

• Week 1.  Set up your workspace, confirm roles, responsibilities and expectations.
• 1 to 30 days.  Get up to speed, take charge of your clients and establish credibility.
• 31 to 60 days.  Grow your influence, develop your strategy and secure small wins.
• 61 to 90 days.  Add value and build momentum that will sustain you for the next 3 months.

In addition,  every 30 days, you’ll commit to achieve five milestone goals – one for each of the following:

• Learning goals.  Actions you’ll take to address a skill or knowledge gap.
• People goals . Steps you’ll take to grow and engage your internal and external networks.
• Performance goals.  Short-term objectives related to your current duties and aligned with overall company goals.
• Client goals.  Activities that get your clients closer to their business goals.
• Personal goals.  Anything that will make you a better version of you.

Milestone goals represent a significant stage in your development so don’t take the easy route. The more challenging the goals are, the more satisfying it will be when you achieve them. And be sure they’re SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timebound).

This is an excellent habit to get into anyway because it’s so easy to be distracted by what’s urgent at the expense of what’s important. Setting milestone goals keeps you focused on your professional development, continuous improvement and ensures you’ll have an outstanding record of achievement to showcase to your leaders and recruiters!

Milestone goals represent a significant stage in your development so don't take the easy route. The more challenging the goals are, the more satisfying it will be when you achieve them.

1 to 30 days: meet, learn and understand

Your goal in the first 30 days is to become as independent as possible and prioritise stability for your clients and your internal teams. Meet critical stakeholders, learn as much as you can and understand the priorities of your organisation and your new clients.

Meet: Stakeholder relationships

Ask your boss, who you need to know. Schedule early introductory meetings with stakeholders – internal, external, vertical and lateral – to understand requirements.

Create a set of questions you’d like to know the answer to and ask the same set of questions of everyone. You’ll get a much better sense of what’s going on if you do.

• How the organisation has performed.
• Have goals been achieved? Why or why not?
• What changes have happened, why, and who was involved?
• What’s the company’s vision, and is it on track?
• Who has influence?
• What processes do you need to know?
• Are there any issues you should know about or things to avoid?
• What challenges is the organisation facing, and how is it preparing for them?
• If you could wave a wand and fix one thing – what would it be?
• What’s the best thing about the organisation?
• What’s something you think needs to change?
• What are your priorities right now?
• If you were me, where do you think I should focus?

Customise these depending on who you’re talking to (for example, sales will have more competitor insights than operations).

All you need to do is listen and reflect on what you’ve learned. Think about who has influence and which relationships you need to nurture to build alliances that will help you later.

Learn & understand: Transform information to knowledge

Find out everything you can about your organisation and your clients. Consider the implications of what you discover. How will it impact how you do your job or where you focus? Are there any missed opportunities or potential risks?

Your organisation:

• Review your company’s past performance, vision and strategy.
• Understand the value proposition, competitive landscape and operating environment.
• Focus on technical learning (systems, capabilities and processes).
• Understand how the organisation works and what it takes to get things done.

Your clients:

• Read the CRM. Pay special attention to critical contacts, meeting history, minutes and any handover notes.
• Review the current contract, especially terms and conditions, exit clauses and extensions.
• Take a look at the last 12 months of business reviews. What trends do you see?
• How well are you meeting key performance indicators and service level agreements?
• Are there any clients at significant risk due to contract expiry, technical or service issues?

30 Day Checklist

• I understand the company culture and how to get things done.
• I know my role and where I fit in.
• I have access to the relevant tools and systems to get things done.
• I’ve identified the challenges and any support I need.
• I understand who the people I need to know are.
• I have set my professional goals for the next 30 days.

30 to 60 days: strategy and planning

Each month begins with a review of the last 30 days and set your five professional goals. By now the training wheels are off – even if a little shaky. You should have enough information to assess customer risks, identify opportunities and create strategies to address them.

Diagnosis: time for a health check

Invest time in  client research . Not just their history with you, but their:

• competitors
• internal capabilities
• vision and values
• mission, vision, values and lots more.

Educate yourself to become an expert at that point where your industry and your clients industries intersect. Be crystal clear why your clients use came to you for a solution and why they should stay.

Review your core processes and if you don’t have them already, develop process maps to understand workflows.

The point of all this is to identify gaps, remove risks and bring stability to your clients and your internal teams.

Only then you can focus on opportunities to create value, optimise customer experience and grow revenue.

Strategy: Deciding what not to do

Now it’s time to distil everything you’ve learned into a plan that drives operational and organisational action.

First, follow this simple 5-step process to develop your strategy.

• Where are we?
• Where do we want to go?
• What changes have to be made?
• How should changes be made?
• How will progress be measured?

Save the infographic above as a handy reminder.

Then create a  simple one-page account plan  to define your objectives, set your goals and identify the actions you’ll take to achieve them.

Do that and there will literally be no stopping you.

60 Day Checklist

• I understand the needs of the business, priorities, and the scope of current initiatives.
• I know my strengths and how they will create value for my organisation and my clients.
• I have created account plans to secure revenue growth opportunities, reduce risk and improve client experience.

60 to 90 days: add value

You’re into the home stretch. For the final 30 days of the plan you need to deliver results and build momentum that will sustain you long into the future.

You will soon have your final meeting with your boss to decide if you’ve passed your probationary period. So don’t take the foot of the gas now. Seek opportunities for early wins that make a meaningful impact, encourage important behaviours and that are clearly linked to actions you have taken.

At the end of your first 90 days you want to present a list of accomplishments to your boss that demonstrate you have initiative, are aligned with organisational goals and results driven.

Of course you’ll have lots of plans in motion and not everything will be done. That’s OK. And expected.

All you need are a couple of small successes. It might be some inefficient process you’ve resolved. Or a long standing customer complaint that you’ve fixed. Or a meeting with a c-level executive that has been avoiding your company.

Showcase the results your proudest of.

Develop alliances

By now you should know who’s who in the zoo and have a point of view on who has power and influence (they’re the people who will help you get things done).

Don’t make the mistake (like I often have) of only hanging out with the people you like.

Map out the critical internal relationships based on qualities like expertise, control of information, networks, access to resources. Ask yourself how you might earn their support, and what resistance you might encounter?

How to Build Your Network  by Harvard Business Review is a great article to help you identify and nurture your internal networks.

Reflect and refine

Review and refresh plans to respond to surprises and new opportunities. Questions to ask yourself:

• How do you feel? Is the role of key account manager living up to your expectations?
• Is there anything troubling you? People you aren’t connecting with? Have any meetings raised alarm bells? Policies or strategies you’re not comfortable with?
• What’s gone well, what hasn’t gone well and are there any missed opportunities?

90 Day Checklist

• I understand the measures of success for my role and have clear expectations for the remainder of my performance for the year
• I know the competencies and resources I need to be successful in my job.

Common mistakes when starting a new job

• Doing what you’ve always done.  A new job brings new opportunities and challenges. Previous success doesn’t guarantee future results. Review the job description and decide what you need to stop doing and what you should start doing. This is an opportunity to shake off some of your bad habits or focus on developing new skills.
• Unrealistic expectations.  You may be full of enthusiasm and ambition, but don’t be too ambitious with your goals. Better to under promise and over deliver in your first 3 months otherwise you’ll be overwhelmed which leads to lack of focus, bad decisions and poor results.
• Knowing the answer before understanding the question . Avoid jumping in with solutions to problems without exploring the situation and gaining support for your ideas. You’ll come off as a know-it-all and may even offend some people whose views you’re unwittingly criticising. I’ve done this myself many times – quickly giving advice when no-one was asking – and some people never forgave me for it.
• Not putting people first. While it’s essential to learn the technical aspects of your new role, make your priority to understand the people, politics and culture of the organisation. Talk to colleagues, peers, leaders and other stakeholders to learn the information you won’t find written anywhere, and build relationships that will later (hopefully) become alliances.

Best tools to create your 30 60 90 day plan

The problem with pen and paper is that it’s not made for sharing or collaboration. Nor is it the ideal tool for complex, detailed plans with deadlines. So for your 30 60 90 day success plan I strongly urge you to consider a cloud-based project management tool or at the very least, and Excel document. Don’t take short cuts – there’s simply too much at stake – namely passing your probationary period.

Asana  is an app that helps you build project plans, coordinate tasks and hit deadlines. You can set strategic goals, track progress, connect to your calendar and report on progress – all within a beautiful and flexible workspace.

What I like:

• Easily move between list, board and calendar views.
• Create detailed tasks by using sub-tasks, notes, links, comments and attachments. This makes Asana a very powerful all-in-one tool where you can keep everything related to your onboarding in one place.
• Setting due dates and reminders so I don’t miss any tasks.
• The dedicated workspace just for files which makes it easy for you to locate any documents you’ve uploaded.
• The dedicated conversation workspace which makes it easy to collaborate. You could add your manager as collaborator and save a lot of emails by simply using the chat features of Asana.
• The ability to export your plan to a csv file. Which means you can easily import your project into other applications or circulate it as an attachment (note: you’ll need to do some minor formatting if you do).
• The price.  Asana  is FREE for teams of up to 15.

Excel is a great choice for less complex 30 60 90 day plans. The design elements are very flexible and you have complete control over the look and feel. It’s also easy. Which means you’ll be more likely to use it and half the battle of a 90 day plan is keeping it up to date.

What I love:

• Flexible design options. You can get as creative and as colourful as you like.  Conditional formatting takes your layout to the next level  and makes it a breeze to get a quick overview of your data and spot important cues (like due dates).
• Everyone has access. There isn’t an organisation in the world that doesn’t have Excel installed on every desktop and laptop.
• It’s easy to embed an excel worksheet across other Microsoft applications like Excel and Word. Copy+Paste works well too, which means it’s quick to create presentations.
• Simple to circulate a worksheet by email, either as an attachment or share a view only link.
• The price – £7.99 a month for   Microsoft 365 Personal . It includes Excel and other premium apps like Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Final Thoughts

A 30 60 90 day plan is the roadmap to a successful transition from your old job into your new one.

• Define your high level priorities.
• Set specific goals.
• Identify the actions you’ll take to achieve them.
• Keep track of your progress.

Stay focused. Plan the work and work the plan. That’s all you need to do to quickly maximise your value and earn the trust and respect of colleagues and clients.

I hope this guide to creating 90 day plans for maximum impact helps you survive and thrive in your new account management role. If you’d like assistance with job interview preparation, designing or writing your 30 60 90 day plan, you can book a  Career Power Hour  with me any time.

Best of luck in your new job. You got this!

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Hiring an Account Executive: 30-60-90 Plan + Template

03 february 2023 by arman pargar.

First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to starting a new job. 

Good hiring managers will all tell you that the onboarding process matters. It can literally make or break a new hire’s experience with the company. So how can you ensure you get it right and your new employees achieve their work and personal goals in the all-important first three months?

A 30-60-90 plan is the answer. This document gives new employees a clear roadmap showing what they should focus on during their first 90 days at work. It also helps managers track new hires' progress and check that they’re equipped to handle their new responsibilities.

In this blog post, I wanted to look at what goes into a 30-60-90 plan for an account executive and how the action plan supports your company's culture and goals. Even better, I’ll describe a 30-60-90 plan template that you can use right away to onboard your new AE.

Sounds good?

What is a 30-60-90 plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is a document that lists the specific tasks and performance goals new hires need to achieve in the first 90 days at a new job. Simply put, it’s a tool that allows them to communicate their goals while aligning them with company strategies.

Employees often create the plan during the first weeks, with a supervisor guiding them. New hires can then update the goals and tasks as they get more familiar with your company's culture and activities.

When is a plan like this used in a sales team?

Sales managers typically use a 30-60-90 plan when onboarding new account executives. The plan can also help if you’re onboarding SDRs and BDRs who’ve been promoted to account executives. 

Now let's look at the benefits of a 30-60-90 for both new hires and their managers in more detail.

Why do you need a 30-60-90 plan for an account executive?

Your account executives are key to retaining your existing customers and closing more deals. A bad or piecemeal executive onboarding process easily leads to poor sales performance — and, ultimately, high turnover. 

A 30-60-90 plan gives your new executive the best chance of success in their new role and will hopefully set you both up for a positive, long-term working relationship. Here's how it works.

A 30-60-90 plan helps to introduce new hires to your company's culture. Typically, you’ll communicate the values and top priorities of both your company and your customers.

The plan may also include meetings with other team members, departments, sales reps, mentors, and buddies. This shows newcomers your company's interest in their growth and stops your new hire from feeling lost or that they’re drowning in a sea of tasks (and eventually, burning out).

Practically speaking, a 30-60-90 plan outlines a clear course of action with specific tasks and deadlines for a new hire to meet. This gives your executive a sense of purpose and helps mentors keep them on track as they’re learning. Both mentors and the plan should encourage your hire to take initiative in decision-making so they’re less likely to distract managers or other stakeholders from their work.

If this onboarding model sounds attractive to you, keep reading.  

A typical 30-60-90-day plan template for account executives

Our 30-60-90 plan template is a great way to introduce your company culture and workflow to new account executives.

This 30-60-90 plan example covers the following aspects of the ramp-up period:

Company overview : An introduction to your company, its history, mission, vision, values, and corporate culture.

Sales skills : Evaluating current soft and hard skills and setting goals for skills development.

Industry knowledge : Assessing your new hire's understanding of the industry and market trends, your main competitors, and sales and marketing strategies . Establishing goals for closing gaps.

Product or service knowledge : Presenting the specifics of your company’s products or services.

Customer insight : Familiarize your hire with your target market, trends, customers, and their behavior. Developing strategies to tailor account executives’ performance to their needs.

Company sales processes and tools : Immersion in your company's sales processes and tools.

The actual details of your plan will depend on your company and the role of your account executive. Still, let’s look at some typical template elements.

Elements of a development plan

A 30-60-90 plan is like a mini development plan for your new hire. And just like any development plan, it should have a mission or purpose, attainable goals, and resources.

The primary role of your account manager is to build and maintain relationships with customers, meet or exceed sales figures, and capitalize on new business opportunities. 

You can break this role down into incremental learning goals using the S.M.A.R.T. framework. Within this framework, the best goals have five qualities:

Specific goals : Good goals are unambiguous and target a specific area. Account executives might have a specific goal of scheduling client meetings each week to check in on their needs and address any concerns.

Measurable goals : The goal should be quantified so that progress can be tracked and evaluated. For example, how many weekly client appointments will the executive need to have?

Achievable goals : A goal should be realistic in the sense that it can be accomplished with available resources and within existing constraints. For example, to schedule meetings with clients in Google Meet and send reminders on LinkedIn.

Relevant goals : A goal should align with your organization's mission and with the employee's job duties and personal objectives. Meeting with customers regularly, for example, helps a business maintain strong relationships. Additionally, regular meetings help account executives deal with objections effectively.

Time-bound goals : Time-bound goals have a specific deadline or timeframe for completion.

Setting smart goals ensures that your new executive is working on something that matters and keeps them accountable for their actions. 

Alongside goals, resources are key to the success of your plan. These could include books, courses, workshops, mentoring, coaching, and, most importantly, talent. A sales manager should never forget that it is people who set goals, take action, and make changes for the good of the company.

The following steps will help ensure your new hires fulfill their potential and make a positive impact on your company.

First 30 days of the plan

A new employee's first month is crucial to learning the ropes and adjusting to your company culture. In this stage, your account executive will learn their role, responsibilities, and expectations, start building relationships with their colleagues and supervisors and lay the groundwork for the next 60 days. 

Here are some examples of goals in the first 30 days of a 30-60-90 plan.

1. Getting acquainted with your company

Making a positive first impression on a new employee begins here. It's simple enough: start with your company’s mission, history, and values that guide everything you do — from the projects you work on to how you treat each other.

2. Product intro

Explain how your company's products solve customer problems, with key features and benefits. When an account executive truly believes in the benefits of your company's offerings, their enthusiasm and passion will spread. 

You should also communicate where a product falls shorthand exceeds the competition. That way in meetings, they’ll be prepared when hit with hard questions.

3. One-on-one meetings with different departments in the organization

Visiting different departments will help a new hire better understand your company's internal operations. Relationships with other team members will be key to supporting future negotiations, and when employees feel valued as part of a bigger whole, they’re more motivated and engaged.

4. Sales process overview

Now is the time to show your account executive the battlefield. Describe how your company engages customers and closes deals and what the AE role is at every step in the process. 

Explain the sales process using real-life examples and case studies. This can help clarify the process and make it easier to follow.

5. Understanding the ideal customer profile and buyer personas

Describe the ideal customer profile for your company, including industry, size, location, and budget. Don’t forget to add how this profile fits into your overall sales strategy. 

Give an overview of the needs, problems, and buying motivations for each customer persona. Provide examples of how each persona might contact the company and what the sales process would look like in each case.

6. Listening to and joining customer calls

Take it slowly, so your newbie doesn’t get swept away in a tide of challenges too soon. Listening to customer calls is a small rehearsal before the big swim. Experienced colleagues can serve as role models for new account executives, providing tips and best practices for dealing with customers.

7. Prospecting

During this phase, your account executive will make their own efforts to find potential clients. Encourage them to think outside the box and develop messages that resonate with your target market. 

Share your prospecting successes (and failures) to show how persistence and creativity can lead to successful acquisitions.

Don't forget to equip your hire with comprehensive lead generation tools and CRM integration . These are key to a successful sales enablement process and will make for an easier, more enjoyable journey to new customers, based on data-driven insights.

8. Mock-up calls with objection handling and negotiations

Consider setting up mock-up calls in a controlled environment, such as a training session, with a role player or coach acting as the customer. Done right, realistic mock-ups will prepare your executive to deal with objections and make effective sales presentations in real-world situations.

9. Making own calls and reaching out to new customers

Encourage your account executive to remain authentic and provide them with all the materials and resources they’ll need to meet the customer on their own ground. 

One deep breath, and your newbie will be calling their first account client for you.

10. Building a pipeline

With some practice in hand, you and your new hire can move on to strategic planning. Account executives must handle the entire customer journey, from qualifying to nurturing potential customers. 

Each step involves a specific set of actions, including resources. Demos and trials, for instance, are helpful in the nurturing phase. Give your newbie everything they need to survive and thrive as they develop their sales pipeline.

11. KPIs and reporting

The first 30 days were a wild ride. Your account executive has been hitting the phones and hustling to build their pipeline. Schedule a 1:1 meeting to recap this time and move them to the next level.

In your meeting, evaluate the first 30 days of work and set measurable goals. Create reports on account executive performance based on key sales metrics. To get started with KPIs, you can measure lead response time or the number of calls. If appropriate, you can also look ahead to target conversion rates.

First 60 days of the plan

With 30 days of experience, your account executive should be ready to face real challenges in the brave new sales world. The second month sets the tone for the rest of their time with your company. Below are some steps to help a new employee get off to a good start (and hit the ground running).

1. Having independent meetings with customers

That’s right: your exec should be on their own this time. Loosen the reins and let new employees learn from their mistakes. This is where they’ll learn to find the sweet spot between pushy and passive.

2. Having customers in different stages of a pipeline

Time management and attention to detail are essential here. Juggling multiple priorities, deadlines, and customer needs can be a challenge, especially when your account executive doesn't want to drop any.

3. Joining customer calls with peers

At this level, your new employee will deal with objections from multiple customers. Make sure they can control sales call agendas so they don’t end up discussing the latest football match instead of communicating product benefits.

4. Mentor program by senior colleagues

Now that your new employee has basic knowledge and skills, it's time to grow them. Start by looking at your new employee’s mistakes. Assign a more experienced account executive to teach them the fine skills of active listening, workload balancing, and creative thinking.

5. Understanding the competitive market

Throughout the training, your new hire should always have your competition in mind. They should also use online resources, industry reports, and publications to gather information about the competitive landscape and market trends and examine your competitors' strengths and weaknesses.

We’re almost at the finish line! Let’s see what your account executives should have achieved by the third month.

What you should have accomplished by day 90

The last 30 days of a 30-60-90 plan provide a reference point for evaluating your employee's performance and progress. This is where your new hire will take independent steps in sales for your company.

1. Closing first deals

Your account executive already knows your expectations and the specifics of your customer database. Therefore, they must now have all the necessary tools to impress your target audience, you — and even themselves. They’re the experts here, walking into meetings with their heads held high, and all that's left for you is to be proud.

Your pride doesn’t have to be silent. Don’t forget that you can offer incentives to your account executive, such as bonuses for reaching certain milestones, commission-based payouts, and opportunities for advancement.

2. Handling objections

By day 90, your account executive should be able to handle customer objections like a boss . They should already have mastered active listening, understanding customer concerns, finding common ground, and pinpointing and addressing key customer issues.

3. Carrying enough pipeline to forecast for the year

As your account executive successfully progresses through the first quarter, it’s time to consider the future. By this stage, they should already know every detail of their sales pipeline and be able to identify patterns and trends to build what-if scenarios, experiments, and forecasts. 

4. Finding new areas for improvement

Your new hire will already have learned a lot by the end of their 30-60-90 plan. But this is just the beginning. When the first quarter ends, what new heights should they aim for?

Take time to give honest feedback on your new employee's performance. This way, you’ll identify any areas for improvement. Then you can focus on increasing their knowledge of the products and the industry and show them how to better prioritize tasks and optimize collaboration with other teams. You can consolidate the outcomes of your onboarding plan with sales enablement tools and a training program for after the 90-day period.

Continuous improvement is a journey, not a destination. Likewise, your new account executive’s development shouldn’t end with their 30-60-90 plan.

The plan is an exciting starting point, as it gives a clear idea of what new employees need to accomplish and how they’ll get there. Why rush into things? Instead, allow your new employees to take small steps and become true professionals with a well-designed 30-60-90 plan for onboarding.

Arman Pargar is an Account Executive at Leadfeeder.

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The Best 30-60-90 Day Plan Templates + Examples Of 2024

Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? We all have a bit of Hannibal inside of us after all. We’re referring to the A-Team and not the Silence Of The Lambs of course. Don’t break out the cianti just yet!

All jokes aside 30-60-90 day plans are amazing performance management tools for large teams and individuals alike. Creating a 30-60-90 day plan ranks among the top best practices when onboarding new hires or promoting existing team members to new roles.

This week, we wanted to provide you with helpful tips on how to write 30-60-90 day plans, alongside helpful 30-60-90 day plan examples and effective 30-60-90 day plan templates! So what are we waiting for? Let’s get right to it!

A quick note before we start: If you are looking into these plans and templates, you might also be looking for a goal-setting template as well! Don’t worry, just fire this up on a separate tab:

9 Free Goal Setting Templates.

Table of Contents

What Is A 30-60-90 Day Plan?

A 30/60/90 plan is a strategy that outlines your goals and objectives for the first three months of a new job or a new role within your company.

It’s a game plan that helps you focus your efforts, prioritize your tasks, and track your progress as you navigate your new responsibilities.

The plan is typically divided into three phases, with each phase representing 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days respectively.

The First 30 Days

During the first 30 days of your new role, your primary focus is usually on getting settled in and learning the ropes.

While some could liken this section of the 30-60-90 day plan to the honeymoon phase, completely full of sunshine and rainbows, it does come with some getting used to.

You may find yourself spending time getting to know your team, understanding the company culture and values, and familiarizing yourself with the processes and procedures of your new job.

This period might also be the timeframe when you begin to identify potential challenges and opportunities for improvement, which you can address in the upcoming phases of your plan.

This also happens to be a great time to start exchanging positive feedback with your team and boost morale alongside employee engagement .

The First 60 Days

As you move into the 60-day phase of your plan, your focus may shift towards executing key projects and making meaningful contributions to the organization.

You should definitely begin to take ownership of specific initiatives, work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared goals, and implement new ideas and strategies that align with the company’s objectives.

Taking ownership at this phase displays an impressive amount of commitment on your part and shows you have a knack for leadership.

Start measuring your progress and track your results, refining your approach based on feedback from your team and your supervisor.

If you are looking for some fresh HR-related initiatives: Best HR Initiatives of 2024 .

The First 90 Days

By the time you reach the 90-day mark, your goal is to have established yourself as a valuable contributor to the company.

You should have a clear understanding of your job responsibilities, your team dynamics, and the organization’s priorities.

Having a complete grasp of how everything around you works brings with it a certain amount of confidence that should really impact your performance.

You should also be able to demonstrate your ability to achieve results, innovate, and adapt to changing circumstances by now. After all, you are now a full-fledged member of the team!

Reviews after each checkpoint

Conducting 30 60 90 day reviews after each checkpoint is the best practice when it comes to an effective onboarding process . If you want to automate these reviews, you can try using an integrated onboarding software such as Teamflect.

You can try using it for free, without signing up and with no time limits, inside Microsoft Teams. All you need to do is click the button below.

Wandering how you can conduct 30 60 90 day reviews inside Microsoft Teams? Here is a nifty little tutorial!

30-60-90 Day Plan Examples:

Example 1: 30-60-90 day plan for a sales manager:.

30 Day Plan:

• Clarify sales goals: Meet with the sales team and clarify sales goals for the quarter. Identify any gaps in the team’s understanding and develop a plan to fill those gaps.
• Develop relationships with team members: Meet with each team member individually to understand their strengths and areas of development. Develop a plan for how to work together to achieve individual and team goals.
• Conduct market research: Conduct research on the market and identify potential clients to target. Develop a list of prospects for the sales team to reach out to.

60 Day Plan:

• Develop sales strategies: Develop sales strategies for the next quarter, based on market research and feedback from the sales team. Develop strategies for both new business and account management.
• Develop sales training: Identify areas for sales team development and develop a sales training program to address these areas.
• Build relationships with clients: Schedule meetings with key clients and develop relationships with them. Gain a deep understanding of their needs and develop strategies for how to best serve them.

90 Day Plan:

• Implement new sales strategies: Roll out new sales strategies and track progress against sales goals. Identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as necessary.
• Implement sales training: Implement a sales training program and track team members’ progress against development goals.
• Measure success: Develop metrics to track the success of new strategies and training programs. Share progress with the team and celebrate successes.

Example 2: 30-60-90 Day Plan For a Marketing Manager:

30 Day Plan :

• Meet with team members and key stakeholders to understand the current state of the marketing department, the key challenges and opportunities, and the short and long-term goals.
• Conduct a thorough analysis of the company’s current marketing strategy, including customer segmentation, brand positioning, and market trends.
• Develop a deep understanding of the company’s products, target market, and competitors.
• Review the marketing budget and allocate resources according to the priorities of the business.
• Identify areas for improvement in the marketing plan, such as optimizing the company’s digital marketing campaigns, improving the customer journey, or streamlining the sales funnel.
• Begin to develop and implement new marketing initiatives that align with the company’s goals and objectives.

60 Day Plan :

• Build a strong relationship with the sales team to better understand their needs and how marketing can support them.
• Identify and prioritize key marketing projects that will have the most impact on the company’s growth.
• Analyze the company’s marketing metrics and use the insights to refine the marketing strategy and make data-driven decisions.
• Optimize the company’s website, social media channels, and other digital assets to improve lead generation and customer engagement.
• Develop and execute a content marketing plan that aligns with the company’s messaging and brand voice.
• Explore new marketing channels and tactics to expand the company’s reach and build brand awareness.

90 Day Plan :

• Evaluate the impact of the new marketing initiatives and adjust the strategy accordingly.
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment on messaging and branding.
• Develop a plan for ongoing measurement and analysis of marketing performance.
• Finalize the marketing budget for the upcoming year and ensure that it aligns with the company’s goals and priorities.
• Evaluate the marketing team’s performance and identify opportunities for professional development and growth.
• Present a summary of accomplishments and plans for the future to the leadership team.

Example 3: 30-60-90 Day Plan for a Human Resources Manager

• Get to know the company culture and values: Meet with key stakeholders, including the CEO, senior leadership, and department heads, to understand the company’s mission, vision, values, and culture.
• Evaluate existing HR policies and procedures: Review the current HR policies and procedures to identify areas for improvement or updating. Meet with HR staff and other department heads to get their feedback on what’s working and what’s not.
• Develop relationships with staff: Schedule one-on-one meetings with all HR team members to get to know them and understand their roles. Meet with other key staff to understand their needs and expectations of HR.
• Assess staffing needs: Work with department heads to identify staffing needs and develop a plan for recruiting and hiring new employees.
• Develop an HR strategy: Based on the information gathered, develop a comprehensive HR strategy that aligns with the company’s goals and objectives. Research current HR trends and create a strategy that is up to date.
• Implement HR strategy: Begin implementing the HR strategy, including changes to policies and procedures, and start recruiting new staff members.
• Develop and conduct training programs: Develop and conduct training programs for HR staff and other employees on topics such as performance management, diversity and inclusion, and employee relations.
• Improve employee engagement: Develop and implement initiatives to improve employee engagement, such as employee recognition programs, regular feedback sessions, and career development plans.
• Review compensation and benefits: Review the company’s compensation and benefits packages to ensure they are competitive and in line with industry standards.
• Conduct a compliance audit: Review HR analytics software and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Evaluate HR initiatives: Evaluate the effectiveness of HR initiatives implemented during the first 60 days and make any necessary adjustments.
• Develop long-term HR goals: Work with the senior leadership team to develop long-term HR goals and strategies.
• Improve communication channels: Develop and implement initiatives to improve communication channels between HR and other departments.
• Build external relationships: Build relationships with industry organizations and attend networking events to stay up-to-date on HR trends and best practices.
• Review recruitment process: Review the recruitment process and make any necessary changes to improve the quality of new hires.

30-60-90 Day Plan Templates

HR managers should use a 30-60-90 day plan because it is an effective tool for managing employee performance and ensuring that new hires are successfully integrated into the organization.

This particular 30-60 90-day plan template outlines specific goals and objectives for the employee to achieve during their first three months on the job.

This in turn lets the HR manager set expectations and provide clear direction, which can help the employee stay focused and motivated.

The 30-60-90 day plan can be used as a performance evaluation tool as well, allowing the HR manager to assess the employee’s progress and make any necessary adjustments to their training or development.

Using a 30-60-90 day plan is an excellent tool for account managers for several reasons. Why? Because it simply helps them hit the ground running and achieve success quickly in their new role.

The plan provides a roadmap of what they need to achieve in the first three months and keeps their focus on the most important activities and stay on track to meet their goals.

What Are The Benefits Of 30-60-90 Day Plans?

1. Clarifies priorities and goals

Having a 30-60-90 day plan helps you clarify your priorities and goals in the first few months of your new role. The first three months on the job can be intimidating. breaking down your objectives into manageable pieces helps make sure you are focusing on the most important tasks and making progress towards your goals. Taking advantage of OKR software definitely helps here.

2. Demonstrates initiative

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan shows your employer that you are proactive, invested in your role, and willing to take the initiative to succeed. Demonstrating how you are willing to map out the next three months can help you build trust with your employer and position yourself as a valuable asset to the organization.

3. Helps with time management

A 30-60-90 day plan can help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the amount of new information and responsibilities you need to absorb.

Dividing your initial three months at an organization into achievable milestones will help you manage all the difficulties of managing time and responsibilities in your first months.

4. Provides structure and direction

The plan provides a structure and direction to your work, helping you make steady progress toward your objectives. Having a plan in place keeps you focused, engaged, and most importantly, accountable.

5. Facilitates communication

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan can help you communicate with your supervisor and team about your goals, priorities, and progress. You will always have an answer to the question “What are you up to these days?”. That translates into an improved relationship with your management and colleagues.

What Are The Challenges Of 30-60-90 Day Plans?

1. time constraints.

Crafting a comprehensive plan within a short timeframe can be challenging, especially when considering the need for thorough research and analysis. Processes like gathering data, market research, and the evaluation of internal processes can be a tricky balance when you’re trying to meet business needs.

2. Ambiguity

Uncertainty about the role, expectations, and organizational dynamics can make it difficult to create a detailed plan that aligns with the company’s goals and objectives. Lack of clarity at any level in 30-60-90 day plans can lead to misalignments and unmet expectations.

3. Resource Limitations

Limited access to resources, such as data, tools, or personnel, may hinder the development and implementation of the plan. If you don’t possess the right software or other tools, it can be hard to keep the steps on your 30-60-90 day plan smooth sailing and meet objectives in the given time frames.

4. Alignment

Aligning the plan with the organization’s strategic priorities and gaining buy-in from key stakeholders can be challenging, especially in complex organizational structures. It’s not always easy to manage alignment due to competing agendas and schedules in such organizations and it is why effective stakeholder engagement is a must.

5. Measuring Progress

Establishing metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress and success can be challenging, particularly when dealing with qualitative objectives or outcomes. Identifying realistic and objective-related metrics need to come from certain benchmarks of your industry otherwise it can be hard to provide an insightful monitoring during your 30-60-90 plan.

9 Useful Tips For Creating A 30-60-90 Day Plan

To determine what you should focus on while creating a 30-60-90 day plan, you need to understand how you can help the new hire in the first 90 days. Below are nine ways of creating an impactful 30-60-90 day plan.

• Set SMART goals 
• Establish your employees’ priorities
• Promote career growth
• Encourage time to reflect on employee strengths and weaknesses
• Create goals for the first month, second month, and third month 
• Collect feedback from your peers and direct reports 
• Create opportunities for continuous learning about the company culture 
• Make adjustments when needed
• Follow up  

When To Use A 30-60-90 Day Plan

What situations will your 30 60 90 day plan be the most effective in? Let’s dive right in.

30-60-90 day plan for an interview 

You can consider creating a 30-60-90 day plan for your interviews if you want to impress your potential employer. For instance, an employee who is applying for a sales role can put together a 30-60-90 day plan which includes what they can focus on in their new position.

30-60-90 day plan for a new job

30 60 90 plans are more frequently used in the employee onboarding process because they help both hiring managers and new hires. It helps you set performance expectations for the next three months.

Performance Management Software

Creating 30-60-90 day plans is only half the battle. Keeping up with them and making the absolute most of them is an entirely different beast to overcome.

This is where taking advantage of a performance management solution can make all the difference. We’ve highlighted some of the best ones you can find right here:

That being said, if your organization uses Microsoft Teams on a daily basis, then the best option for you would be:

Teamflect is an official Microsoft partner and the best performance management software for Microsoft Teams. With complete Microsoft Teams integration , Teamflect lets users manage tasks, set goals, exchange recognition, and conduct highly effective meetings, without ever having to leave Microsoft Teams.

As a highly efficient task software , Teamflect lets users assign and track tasks from inside even inside team chat, providing the perfect tool to make sure your 30-60-90 day plans are executed to perfection!

Other Teamflect features include but aren’t limited to:

• Employee Engagement Surveys
• An extensive library of customizable performance review templates
• Customizable employee recognition badges
• A strong meeting module with comprehensive meeting agendas
• So much more!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 30-60-90 day plan.

A 30-60-90 day plan is a strategy that outlines your goals and objectives for the first three months of a new job or a new role within your current company. It’s a game plan that helps you focus your efforts, prioritize your tasks, and track your progress as you navigate your new responsibilities. The plan is typically divided into three phases, with each phase representing 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days respectively.

What are the benefits of 30-60-90 day plans?

• Clarifies priorities and goals
• Demonstrates initiative
• Helps with time management
• Provides structure and direction
• Facilitates communication

What are some mistakes to avoid with 30 60 90 day plans?

Setting Unrealistic Expectations : While it’s essential to be ambitious, setting unrealistic expectations is a common pitfall. We are after all, only talking about a one to three-month period. That isn’t very long now, is it?

Overloading a 30-60-90 day plan with too many objectives can overwhelm individuals and lead to burnout. Ensure that your goals are challenging but also attainable within the designated time frames.

Neglecting Prioritization : Setting tasks for the upcoming 30-60-90 days is great but your job as a leader doesn’t end with task assignments. A common mistake is failing to prioritize tasks and goals within the 30-60-90 day plans.

Without clear priorities, individuals may find themselves scattered, trying to accomplish everything at once. Establishing a clear order of importance for tasks can help individuals focus on what matters most.

Ignoring Flexibility : What is that old saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men? Circumstances change. Plans go down the drain and new ones need to be made. That is why rigidity can be detrimental to 30-60-90-day plans.

The unexpected can happen, and unforeseen challenges can arise. A mistake to avoid is not allowing room for adjustments and flexibility within the plan. Plans should be adaptable to accommodate changing circumstances.

Short-Term Focus Only : 30-60-90 day plans are designed to provide short-term structure, but another mistake is neglecting the long-term perspective. These plans should ideally align with broader career or organizational goals. It is imperative to ensure that short-term actions contribute to long-term success.

All in all, a well-structured 30-60-90 day plan is a highly powerful tool to use when striving for your goals and objectives. It provides you with a valuable roadmap that gives a clear direction of where you’re headed and how you can get to your envisioned future in your business.

This structured approach of a strategic plan you will craft is not only a key part of your road to success but also a very important asset in your real growth as a person and a business. 30-60-90 day plans promise short-term success and the enablement of continued improvement and sustained success.

Whether you apply it in a personal or professional setting, as an employee or a leader, 30-60-90-day plans prove to be effective in turning aspirations into tangible, measurable outcomes. Use this guide and craft one of your own to start succeeding!

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Written by Emre Ok

Emre is a content writer at Teamflect who aims to share fun and unique insight into the world of performance management.

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The Ultimate Guide on 30-60-90-Day Plan For Managers

Taking up a new manager role in an organization is exciting. The new opportunity comes with a lot of perks and a zeal to prove yourself. But it also comes with anxiety and uncertainty. Are you going to be an effective leader and deliver superior results for your business? Most importantly, do you know everything you need to be able to deliver effectively in your new role? The most effective way for a leader to create results and build culture is to adopt a rolling focus, 30 60 90 day plan for managers.

This plan is designed to help new managers focus on the 3 elements: people, process, and product, and help them prioritize areas of emphasis in the first 90 days. One of the key ingredients for a successful plan is the ability to define clear and realistic goals . Our first section clearly guides you through developing clear, relevant, and measurable smart goals.

Art Of Goal Setting

While the plan’s main objective is to help you transition smoothly to your new role, it should also push you to perform better and raise the bar for yourself. Hence the plan should consist of practical, measurable, and focused goals for you and your team.

To write challenging and realistic goals for each of the 30 60 90 day periods, follow the approach below:

Identify the key objectives of the business. What are the targets, milestones, and strategies needed to accomplish those objectives? How would these targets translate into objectives and timelines for your team? It helps you to align yourself with your management and business objectives , and also understand the strategic initiatives of the organization. Find the quantifiable parameters, that allow you to gauge your success. For eg, for a sales team, the number of sales made in a month is a definite and quantifiable target.

Classify the above goals into four categories

• Learning Goals Learning goals help you absorb information about your organization: its culture, people, policies, competition, strengths, and weaknesses. These goals list the various facets you need to be aware of regarding your role, organization, team, etc. Being informed is critical for your success, as it allows you to make better and more informed decisions. Not to mention that getting familiar with the company’s culture and people, helps you create better work relationships. Hence the more you know, the better you are!
• Initiative Goals These goals are the various leadership decisions you plan to take in the early days of your role. Based on your understanding of the business objectives, the company’s competencies, and competition; you need to identify a few important strategic initiatives which will help drive the objectives and performance of your business. This can be as big as suggesting a different strategy, or as small as changing your team’s work process to make it more efficient. These initiatives are what make you stand out in your organization.
• Personal Goals It is important to develop good professional relationships with team members and senior management. So, ensuring that you know your team members and other important stakeholders in the business is important. Choosing a mentor and ensuring you understand success factors for yourself in the company are equally important.
• Performance Goals These are the most important quantifiable goals . They describe the targets you wish to achieve regarding the basic responsibilities of your job. Based on your overall understanding of your organization’s vision, and how your role impacts the business, you need to set goals that increase your efficiency and contribution to the organization.

Once you have listed and classified all your goals, they must be arranged in the order of their priority. For each of the 30,60 and 90 day periods, the listed goals must be prioritized, based on the business objectives, time constraints, and feasibility Now that you know how to define and quantify realistic goals for 30 60 90 day plans, let us see what kind of goals go into different periods of the plan.

The 30 Day Plan

Be A Sponge, And Absorb As Much Information As Possible!

The 30-day period of your 30 60 90 plans is all about familiarizing oneself with as many aspects of your role and the organization as possible. Many managers are eager to get started and get into execution mode too soon. The first 30 days period requires a little bit of patience. The focus of the first 30 days should be all about absorbing and learning about the business, environment, and team as much as possible.

Spend time understanding your team’s existing strategy, and past triumphs. Understand their dynamics and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your company’s vision the work ethic and the environment in the organization. The aim is to learn the exact purpose of your role, how it fits in the entire machinery of the organization, and how to perform it optimally.

Some examples of the different goals that can be a part of the 30 day plan are,

• Study the organization’s vision, mission, and strategy.
• Learn about the company hierarchy , culture, and code of conduct.
• Meet with the senior executives of the company.
• Understand the company’s target audience and the product/service it provides.
• Learn about the existing team and their expectations.
• Meet your manager and learn about their expectations.
• Read up on the company’s existing strategy, past triumphs, and past failures.
• Learn about all the different departments of the organization, and how they contribute to the organization.
• Research on the competition of your organization, and how your department can help the company to get ahead.
• Run an initial stage experimental strategy, in consultation with your manager.
• Maintain the team’s current performance output.
• Interact with each team member, and senior management, and get to know them better.
• Identify a mentor from senior management to take advice on a periodic basis to ensure you are on the right track and in alignment with company objectives

The 60 Day Plan

Become A Contributor And Let The Team And Management Get Confidence That You Are Ready To Get Actively Started On the Execution

At the end of 60 days of your 30 60 90 day plan, you should have already established a positive image for yourself. People must know you as a contributor, team player, and good listener. You should be able to share your ideas freely, speak more at meetings, contribute to the overall progress, and help improve the team’s functioning. You should increase your workload, and ramp up your personal progress.

The following goals can be a part of your 60 day plan,

• Learn about how to optimize the processes of your team and business.
• Understand the entire product roadmap, and identify key strategic areas where you can contribute.
• Devise a strategy or define a roadmap based on the business objectives and get consensus from Senior Management and team members.
• Based on the approved strategy, spearhead the execution strategy by initiating many projects from scratch.
• Take more responsibility in current initiatives
• Increase the team’s productivity.
• Smooth out the kinks in the team’s workflow.
• Take at least one existing project to successful completion.
• Develop relationships outside of your team.
• Actively organize team bonding events like team lunches or Fun Fridays, to increase team bonding.

The 90 Day Plan

Become A Leader Who Is Well Trusted And Respected

By the end of 90 days, you should really be feeling one with the organization. You should have a firm grasp of your role and the work culture around you. Personally, you should be familiar with everyone on your team and all the stakeholders that are related to your business. You must build on what you have learned in the first 60 days and work more towards execution. People must view you as a leader, and be comfortable with sharing ideas and experiences with you. Also by this time, you can take up projects outside of your roles, and collaborate more with the other teams.

The following targets can go in the 90 day plan,

• Take note of the key learnings that come from an analysis of the major successes and failures of the execution from the last 60 days.
• Initiate a collaboration between cross-functional teams of the organization, and spearhead various initiatives
• Define new KPIs for the team.
• Now that you know the current policies adequately, you can propose changes to them for more effective business practices
• Deliver superior results on the projects that you head.
• Ramp up the output of your team by 10 percent.
• Perform better on the business’s feedback.
• Hire all the vacant positions on the team
• Join an activity club or group in the organization.

Notice how with each period, the number of learning goals decreases, and the number of performance and initiative goals increases. Hence a 30-60 90-day action plan helps you to smoothly transition from a new manager to an integral part of the organization, with the greatest efficiency.

30 60 90 Day Plan Template Examples

Below you can find some 30 60 90 Day Plan Examples in PowerPoint Templates and Google Slides Templates to effectively articulate your plan to senior management.

1. This is a 30 60 90 day sample plan for new managers who have just been onboarded in the organization.

2. With this template you can highlight the first 90 day priorities to the senior management.

3. This is a visually appealing example to showcase your 30 60 90 day plan in an effective manner.

4. This is a sample 30 60 90 day plan for a newly onboarded sales manager.

5. We have compiled an extensive collection of different ways of showing your 30 60 90 day plan.  

The 30 60 90 Day Plan Templates allow you to decide on the key priorities and the action plan for the quarter. Using a 30-60-90-day plan for manager’s examples, you can effectively showcase your understanding of business and goals to senior management.

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What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

6 benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, when to use a 30-60-90 day plan, what to include in a 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan template for managers, 9 tips for creating a 30-60-90 day plan.

"The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade." Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and BetterUp Science Board Advisor 

When it comes to setting your people up for success, a little help goes a long way. How are you setting up your workforce to reach its full potential ? 

Well, if you ask any leader, a lot of it comes down to helping your employees think strategically from the start. It’s beyond finishing a project, solving a problem, or completing the menial, day-to-day tasks.

Of course, the day-to-day duties help to get work done. But it’s also helping your employees connect their day-to-day to the larger purpose of work . Why does that purpose matter? How does their work connect to the organization’s goals, mission, or purpose? 

When I first started at BetterUp, my manager shared a fully fleshed-out spreadsheet and Google document as part of my 30-60-90 day plan. In these resources, there were targets to hit, milestones to reach, and tasks to complete. 

But more importantly than the line items was the sentiment: the strategy behind the 30-60-90 day plan helped to set me up for success. It was that extra mile to help out a new hire that allowed me to onboard successfully to my new role. And it was the help I needed to see the larger vision of how my work connected to organizational success , even if I didn’t fully know it yet. 

When we think about helping others around us be successful, having a plan is critical. In fact, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they had a good onboarding experience.

Having a roadmap for the first three months can help your employees acclimate to the company culture. It'll also help them ramp up to the role and meaningfully connect with others — and ultimately lead to better performance.  

Sure, the plan might change. After all, we’re in a rapidly changing world where plans are often etched in pencil instead of stamped in pen. But if you’re hiring new employees or onboarding teammates, it’s important to give your workforce a sense of where you want to see them go. 

In this post, we’ll walk through what makes a good 30-60-90 day plan. We’ll also talk about the benefits of a good plan — and even give a template example to help you help your employees. 

First, let’s understand what defines a 30-60-90 day plan. The 30-60-90 plan is a key part of a robust onboarding process . And in remote and hybrid work environments, the onboarding process is more important than ever. It’s critical that in these early days of onboarding, you’re building culture and connection with your new employees. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a document or resource that outlines the goals and strategies for a new employee within the first 90 days. It serves as a guide, a resource, and a checklist for your new hires.

When a new employee joins your organization, there’s likely a stage of information overload. In the onboarding process, the employee absorbs a lot of information. They might be networking and setting up coffee chats with other employees. They’re probably in a good chunk of training sessions and other sorts of new hire workshops. 

Depending on how your organization runs the onboarding process, your employees are likely trying to ramp up in their new roles. At the same time, they're also soaking in everything they can about the organization. All while your employees are acclimating to the new role, they’re also making connections. Or, at least, they should be.

In short: it’s a lot. It can feel overwhelming to retain all the information a new hire receives. Sometimes, it can lead to confusion or misalignment on overall goals. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline the expectations you have for your employee. As a manager, it’s a useful resource and tool to help keep the onboarding process on track. It can also serve as an accountability tool, one where you can ensure your employees are meeting your expectations. 

Let’s talk more about what benefits come with a clearly outlined 30-60-90 day plan. 

There are plenty of benefits to a 30-60-90 day plan, for both the employer and the employee. Here are six of our favorite benefits to consider. 

• It helps optimize productivity  

It sets clear expectations 

• It helps with goal setting  

It can help alleviate the new job jitters 

It empowers employees to self-manage their work , it serves as a reminder of priorities , it helps optimize productivity .

Ashley Ballard, social media manager, BetterUp, shared why a 30-60-90 day helped their productivity in the first three months of work. 

“I'm someone who benefits from an itemized list of expectations so that I’m not hindering my productivity by feeling anxious about my work product. It also keeps everyone on the same page about the meaning behind your role and how you will directly support team goals.” Ashley Ballard, social media manager  

As you’ll notice in some of these benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, there’s a lot of overlap in what makes an employee productive. For Ashley, it’s clear expectations, alignment on the role, and clear communication about the priorities at hand. One could argue that all the benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan can contribute to overall increased productivity . 

It doesn’t get much clearer than getting a document of expectations in written form. At BetterUp, our 30-60-90 day plans come with a “checkbox” field to notch once you’ve completed the task at hand. 

Clear expectations can be hard to set, especially at the nebulous start of someone’s employment in a new role. But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline your expectations as a manager. 

It helps with goal setting 

On my 30-60-90 day plan, I had a list of more administrative or mundane tasks. For example, I needed to upload my information into our HR management system. I needed to review the necessary policies and documents. I needed to set my email signature with the appropriate information. 

But it also outlined higher-level objectives. As a marketer and writer, I needed to learn the BetterUp voice, tone, and perspective. My manager clearly outlined blogs and resources that I could read, practice assignments that I could take on, and even some videos to watch. In fact, one of my goals was to write a blog within 30 days. 

Many of the new hire checklist items served as foundational tasks to get to me my goal. And by providing me with all the information at once, I could more easily connect the dots to the “why” behind some of the work I was receiving, too. 

Have you ever started a new job and not really know what you’re supposed to do with yourself? 

In my last job, I attended a half-day new hire orientation . I still remember going back to my desk upstairs, meeting my new manager, sitting down, and logging into my computer. I played around with my systems and got myself set up on my laptop. But after about an hour, I found myself spinning my chair around to my new boss and asking if I could help with anything. 

Frankly, I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing with myself. I felt that instant anxiety of not contributing anything meaningful, even though it was just my first day. 

There’s a lot of inherent pressure, stress, and anxiety that comes with starting a new job. New job anxiety is totally normal. It happens to all of us.

No matter how great we felt through the hiring process , on top of the world with our offer letter, as the new kid you can feel at loose ends pretty quickly. You waste time in self-doubt or doing unimportant tasks to look busy and loose confidence and momentum. But one way to help alleviate the jitters your employees are feeling is by giving them a plan. 

Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager, BetterUp, shared why she finds having set milestones in place can help reduce anxiety . 

“I’ve come to experience onboarding as a time where folks are the most hungry, curious, enthusiastic, and eager to please. Having a plan with milestones from the outset means that none of the initial emotions that come with starting a new job overwhelm or cause scattered or inefficient outreach — and anxiety about performance."  Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager

Without a 30-60-90 day plan, you couldn’t possibly have made the connections or digested the right resources to help quell those productivity nerves. And without it, you risk a big loss. Those early days are when new hires have the freshest eyes. It’s the best and most optimal opportunity to ask your new hires to observe and provide feedback. 

I’ve never heard of a manager that wants to hold their employees’ hands through every project. Sure, there are micromanagers who like to stay close to their employees’ work. 

But at BetterUp, we’re big believers in giving employees autonomy to self-manage their work. We talk about this in the context of some of our high-impact behaviors: extreme ownership, bias toward action, craftspersonship, and work to learn. 

Managers also need their time to focus on high-impact work and priorities. So when it comes to onboarding a new employee, it’s not plausible to walk your new hire through everything they need to know. And if you were to do so, it certainly wouldn't set them up for success. 

A 30-60-90 day plan empowers your employees to self-manage their work. By leveraging a 30-60-90 day plan as part of your onboarding strategy, you’re giving your employees autonomy to build their own schedules. It helps give them the roadmap but how they get to the final destination is up to them. 

Hand-in-hand with self-management comes managing priorities. We all know that work is busy. As your employees become more acclimated to the role, it’s likely their workload is gradually increasing. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, your employees are reminded of their priorities. And it’s on your employees to manage their priorities effectively, which is a good life and work muscle to flex. 

So, you might be wondering when to use a 30-60-90 day plan. When is it most effective? What situations will it have the most impact? Let’s dig in. 

30-60-90 day plan for an interview 

Job seekers, this is for you. If you want to knock the socks off a potential employer, consider putting together a 30-60-90 day plan for your interview. Even if it’s just an informational interview , you can show how you’d approach your first 90 days on the job. 

For example, let’s say you’re interviewing for a sales position. From the job description and from your informational interview, you know what markets you’ll be focused on. You also know about some target accounts and have a good sense of the industry.

While you might not know exactly what you are going to be doing, you have a good idea. You’ve worked in software sales for a while, enough to know how to approach breaking into a new market. 

So, you decide to come up with a proposed 30-60-90 day plan. You put together a rough sketch in a Google sheet about what you would focus on in your new role . 

30-60-90 day plan for a new job

More commonly, 30-60-90 day plans are used in the onboarding process. This is useful for both hiring managers and employees. For example, at BetterUp, I received my 30-60-90 day plan on my first day of employment. It helped to set expectations about what I would be focused on for the next three months. 

But some companies also use 30-60-90 day plans for things like performance reviews or even lateral moves within the organization. You can also use 30-60-90 day plans for project-based initiatives. 

First, it’s important to understand that 30-60-90 day plans should be personalized based on the employee. For example, a new employee in an entry-level position will probably have a radically different plan than that of a new executive. 

And 30-60-90 day plans for managers are going to look different than plans for individual contributors. There are nuances to these sorts of plans because of job responsibilities, work goals , expectations, and experience. 

But generally speaking, we can outline four key components of a 30-60-90 day plan. 

Expectations and concrete goals 

Go-to resources and information .

• New hire checklist or to-do list  
• Company mission, culture, the purpose of work  

Every 30-60-90 day plan should have clear expectations and concrete goals. As a manager, it’s important to clearly communicate the expectations you have for your employees. For example, my manager has created a couple of documents that very clearly outline the expectations of her employees. 

Oftentimes, expectations serve as the foundation for your working relationships. As part of my 30-60-90 day plan, my manager also asked about my expectations. In a lot of ways, it’s a two-way street.

I filled out a document that outlined my preferred working style, my communication style, and how I  resolve conflict . It helped both parties to essentially get a good sense of how the other works. 

Along the same vein of expectations are goals. My manager expressed some clear goals that she wanted me to reach within my first 90 days. But I also had the opportunity to think about my own personal goals and what I wanted to accomplish.

Together, we iterated on the plan to come up with an action plan. Some of these goals can ladder up to other big milestones that you’d like to have your employees reach along the way. 

The world of work is a complex one. Especially in today’s day and age, there’s a lot of information that’s probably changing rapidly. 

For example, is your workforce hybrid or remote? What sort of COVID-19 guidelines are in place? How do you submit your expense reports or ask for time off? What systems does your organization use for benefits ? What employee resource groups or culture programs does your organization have? 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a good one-stop-shop for all the resources your new hire will need. It’s a great reference and resources with a wealth of information (and can help your employee become more self-sufficient, too). 

New hire checklist or to-do list 

When an employee joins a company, there are a lot of “tasks” that need to be done. For example, I needed to enroll in my benefits and 401K. I needed to upload my personal contact information into our human resources management system. I needed to upload my Slack photo and put my preferred pronouns on my email signature and Slack profile. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a great place for all of the one-off tasks that every new hire needs to complete. It also helps keep your employees on track with all the administrative and HR tasks needed within the first couple of months of employment. 

Company mission, culture, and purpose of work 

Last but certainly not least, your employees need to understand the purpose of work. This likely won’t “click” fully in the first 30 (or even 90) days. But it’s important to start drawing connections between their work and the company’s vision early on. 

In a recent Forbes article, Great Place to Work® released new data around employee retention . One of the top drivers? Purpose. In fact, employees at top-rated workplaces in the US reported that if they feel their work has a purpose , their intent to stay at said companies triples.

Don’t dismiss the role that purpose plays in your organization. At BetterUp, we’re on a mission to help everyone everywhere live with greater purpose, clarity, and passion . This can only happen if employees understand their purpose and the role of their work in the company’s mission. 

We’ve created a free draft 30-60-90 day plan template to use for managers. Access the draft template and start using it today. 

30-60-90 day plan for interviews

As mentioned earlier, there are some situations where an employee may prepare a 30-60-90 day plan as part of an interview. Or, perhaps as part of your company’s hiring process, you ask job applicants to put together their plans. 

With these elements, you’ll be sure the candidate is ready to hit the ground running. Here are some key components you should look for in a job applicant’s 30-60-90 day plan: 

• Short-term goals (generally achievable, time-bound goals)
• Long-term goals (that are also measurable goals)   
• Establishing metrics for success 
• Outlined priorities (especially for the first week) 
• Learning new processes 
• Meeting the new team and team members 
• Any learning goals (or professional development goals ) 

Of course, your 30-60-90 day play is going to be catered to each individual. We’re all human with different responsibilities needed. Keep these nine tips in mind as you put together your 30-60-90 day plans. 

• Set SMART goals  
• Consider what you want your employee to prioritize 
• Encourage professional development  
• Encourage reflection time 
• Outline goals into months: first month, second month, third month 
• Ask for input from your employees and direct reports 
• Promote ongoing learning about the company culture and purpose 
• Adjust (and readjust) as needed 
• Follow-up on the progress 

You can always work with a coach to help outline what might be needed in your 30-60-90 day plan. A coach will have a wealth of experience in the field and an objective, third-party perspective. With guidance from BetterUp, you can ensure you’re setting up your people for success.

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Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

How to create a work plan (with template)

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The Best 30-60-90 Day Plan for Your New Job [Template + Example]

Published: December 06, 2023

I remember my first day at HubSpot. I was so nervous and had a million concerns swimming around in my head.

Will I adapt to my new job? How long will it take for me to get the hang of things? Can I manage the workload and maintain a good rapport with my coworkers?

Fortunately, my outstanding manager at the time prepared a comprehensive checklist to be completed over a few months, and it helped me slowly but steadily adapt to HubSpot. Fast forward a few years, and I'm a rockstar at my job.

The checklist was called a 100-day checklist, but it followed the rhythm of a typical 30-60-90 Day Plan.

A 30-60-90 Day Plan, or something similar, is imperative to the success of a new employee as it helps them set and reach attainable goals and acclimate to their new position.

To help set your new employee, or yourself, up for success, here's what you need to know about crafting the best 30-60-90 Day Plan.

30-60-90 Day Plan

A 30-60-90 day plan lays out a clear course of action for a new employee during the first 30, 60, and 90 days of their new job. By setting concrete goals and a vision for one's abilities at each stage of the plan, you can make the transition into a new organization smooth and empowering.

Learning the nuances of your new role in less than three months won't be easy. But crafting a strong 30-60-90 day plan is your best bet for accelerating your development and adapting to your new work environment as quickly as possible.

You‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan in two situations: during the final stages of an interview and the first week of the job. Here’s how each type can be executed:

Free Sales Training Template

Use this template to set up a 30/60/90 day sales training and onboarding plan.

• 30/60/90 Day Goals
• People to Meet
• Feedback/Review Process

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

30-60-90 Day Plan for Interview

Some hiring managers ask candidates to think about and explain their potential 30-60-90 day plan as a new hire.

As a candidate, this would sometimes confuse me in the past, but I now understand they just want to see if a potential hire can organize their time, prioritize the tasks they likely take, and strategize an approach to the job description.

For a new hire, a well-thought-out 30-60-90 day plan is a great way to help the hiring manager visualize you in the role and differentiate yourself from all other candidates.

But how can you outline your goals before accepting a new job? How are you supposed to know what those goals are? I've found that starting with the job description is an excellent stepping stone.

Typically, open job listings have separate sections for a job‘s responsibilities and a job’s qualifications. Work to find commonalities in these two sections and how you might turn them into goals for yourself.

Then, stagger those goals over three months.

For example, let‘s say a job requires three years of experience in Google Analytics, and the responsibilities include tracking the company’s website performance every month.

I would use these points to develop an action plan explaining how:

• I‘ll learn the company’s key performance metrics (first 30 days)
• Strengthen the company's performance in these metrics (next 30 days)
• Lead the team toward a better Google Analytics strategy (last 30 days)

30-60-90 Day Plan for New Job

The second situation where you‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan is during the first week of a new job, which I highly recommend whether you’re a new employee or a manager working with a new hire.

If you're the hiring manager, this plan will allow you to learn how the new employee operates, address their concerns or preconceived notions about the role, and ultimately help them succeed.

If you‘re starting a new job and are not asked to craft a 30-60-90 day plan during the first week of that job, it’s still a good idea to write one for yourself.

A new position can feel like a completely foreign environment during the first few months, and having a plan in place can make it feel more like home.

Even though 90 days is the standard grace period for new employees to learn the ropes, it's also the best time to make a great first impression.

How long should a 30-60-90 day plan be?

While there's no set length for a 30-60-90 day plan, it should include information about onboarding and training, set goals that you're expected to hit by the end of each phase, and all the people to meet and resources to review in support of those goals. This can result in a document that's 3-8 pages long, depending on formatting.

The purpose of your plan is to help you transition into your new role, but it should also be a catalyst for your career development.

Instead of just guiding you over your job's learning curve, the goals outlined in your plan should push you to perform up to your potential and raise the bar for success at every stage.

HubSpot's Senior Manager of Content (and my former manager) Meg Prater suggests having a solid template for your plan that allows it to evolve.

“Anytime I onboard someone, I review all training docs and ensure they're up to date,” she says. “I also ask for feedback from the folks on the team who have most recently been onboarded. What did they like? What didn't work for them?”

She also says moving the plan to a more interactive platform proved to be helpful to new employees.

“One of the most helpful shifts we've made recently is moving our 30-60-90 plan (or 100-Days Plan) from a static Google Doc to Asana,” she says. “The plan is organized by week, and each task contains relevant readings and links. It's much easier for folks to move through, and it gives me better insight into where folks are in the plan.”

Meg onboarded me when I started at HubSpot, and I can confirm that my checklist in Asana was a game-changer because it helped me stay on task and visually track my progress.

The checklist below isn‘t mine, but it’s one she set up and follows the same format as the one she created for me.

Free 30/60/90 Day Onboarding Template

Fill out the form to get the template., parts of a 30-60-90 day plan.

An effective 30-60-90 day plan consists of three extensive phases — one for days 1-30, one for days 31-60, and one for days 61-90.

Each phase has its own goal. For example, the goal in the first 30 days is to learn as much as possible about your new job.

The following 30 focus on using learned skills to contribute, and the last 30 are about demonstrating skill mastery with metrics and taking the lead on new challenges.

Each phase also contains components that help define goals and describe desired outcomes. These parts include:

The primer is a general overview of what you hope to achieve during the current 30-day period.

I prefer sitting down with my manager to pinpoint a primer that aligns with my goals and desired company outcomes, and I encourage you to do the same.

This ensures you and your manager are on the same page about expectations early on in your journey with the company.

The theme is a quick-hitter sentence or statement summarizing your goals for the period. For example, your theme might be “find new opportunities”, “take initiative,” or “be a sponge.”

Learning Goals

Learning goals focus on skills you want to learn or improve to drive better outcomes at your job. For example, if you're responsible for creating website content at your company, you should learn new HTML or CSS skills .

At the start of my career with HubSpot, some marketing trends and jargon were unfamiliar, and I wasn‘t used to the company’s writing style.

As a result, my learning goals as a new blogger were to become more well-versed in marketing and to adapt to HubSpot's writing style.

Performance Goals

Performance goals speak to specific metrics that demonstrate improvement. These include making one more weekly content post or reducing the revisions management requires.

For example, I was only writing one article per week when I started HubSpot, but it was my performance goal to be able to write multiple articles by the end of 30 days.

Initiative Goals

Initiative goals are about thinking outside the box to discover other ways you can contribute. This might mean asking your manager about taking ownership of new website changes or upgrades with a specific deadline in mind.

Personal Goals

Personal goals focus on company culture — are there ways you can improve relationships with your team members or demonstrate your willingness to contribute?

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The Ultimate 30-60-90 Day Plan (Free Template, Examples & Generator)

So, you've started a new job or are about onboarding a new team member. What's next?

Starting a new job can be exciting and daunting at the same time.

How can you or they ensure a good impression and get the most out of your first few months?

Having a plan with clear goals and strategies can really make a difference.

A 30-60-90 Day Plan is a great way to start. It gives you a clear guide for your new responsibilities and helps you show your value to the team and company.

In this article, I'll show you how to create a winning 30-60-90 Day Plan: what it is, why you need one, what to include, and how to quickly assemble it.

And, of course, I include examples, free templates, and even an AI-powered plan generator.

Let’s dive in!

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

30 60 90 Day Plan is a detailed schedule that spans over 30 days and includes specific goals and an action plan . Each phase builds upon the previous one, resulting in a clear guide to maximize efficiency and achieve clear results in those precious 90 days.

During job interviews, being asked for a 30-60-90 day plan is common as a test of whether you'd be a good fit for the role, your commitment, and your ability to be an asset to the company.

A 30-60-90 day plan is also a powerful tool for managers and employees during transition, such as starting a new job, taking on a new role in a company, or embarking on a new project.

• ‍ 30 Days - This is focused on getting up to speed quickly in the new role. Key goals are building relationships, learning the organization's goals/strategy, understanding the job's responsibilities, and identifying early wins. ‍
• ‍ 60 Days - This phase is about analyzing, learning, and further integrating into the organization. Goals include gaining a deeper knowledge of systems and processes, identifying issues/challenges and solutions, and establishing credibility. ‍
• 90 Days - By this point, an employee should fully function and contribute to their role. Goals are to finalize goals/metrics, deliver on initial objectives, and determine longer-term goals and areas for professional development.
• Beyond 90 Days - This extends the timeline for full integration and performance. Goals may involve executing larger projects, achieving key metrics, and cementing status as a highly contributing team member.

The structured timeline helps focus efforts during onboarding and transition periods. It helps align manager and employee expectations and establish clear goals.

The benefits and use cases of a 30-60-90 day plan

As mentioned, a 30-60-90 day plan can be helpful for many different purposes. To be specific, it makes your life easier in these ways:

30-60-90 day plan benefits

The 30-60-90 Day Plan is useful for showing off your skills and dedication.

It's definitely a blueprint for your first days that can help you make a great impression. Some benefits of having a concrete 30-60-90 day plan to mention:

• Show off your preparedness to be a top candidate
• Connect the company's goals and objectives to your work
• Stay focused on your goals by laying them out in advance
• Smoothly transition to your new role by setting smart goals for learning and contributing
• Prove your potential for growth and leadership by achieving your goals
• Think of it like a GPS for your career - it'll help you stay on the right path and reach your destination. It's not just a plan; it's your roadmap to success.

30-60-90 day plan use cases

1. in a job interview.

Go into battle with a secret weapon. A comprehensive plan can showcase your understanding and preparedness for the position you're applying for.

If the hiring manager requests a 30-60-90 day plan, seize the opportunity to exhibit your strategic thinking skills .

And even if they don't, proactively present one to make a significant impression and set yourself apart from other candidates.

2. When onboarding new hires

Starting a new job can be tough, especially if it's remote. New employees can feel lost and unsure of what's expected of them.

A 30-60-90 Day Plan can be really helpful in setting clear goals for the first three months so that a new hire can get off to a strong start. It doesn't have to be fancy. An onboarding plan in a simple Word document still works well, if you can make sure it covers everything they need to know, what they need to do, and when for all of that to help your new team member gradually integrate into the team and get familiar with their new job.

Getting new hires up to speed quickly benefits everyone, so plan ahead! ‍

3. From an individual contributor to a team manager

As a new manager, transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership role comes with increased responsibilities and expectations.

"The skills and methods required for success as an individual contributor and those required for success as a manager are starkly different—and that there is a gap between their current capabilities and the requirements of the new position." -  HBR

For those who start managing a team, a 30-60-90 day plan is essential because they’re converting their independent working process to a team-oriented approach.  There are many things for a manager to learn to maintain contribution and coordinate a team. It's really a big shift!

The plan will outline many not-as-usual works to build relationships with your team, streamline working process, meet your stakeholders, and whatever to establish your management role in the first important months.

5. When you get a new project

Project managers can't live without planning tools , or project management system. I agree! But before you start getting bogged down in all the details, it's more important to have a clear direction in mind. That's where a 30-60-90 day plan comes in handy.

The plan will sketch out what success looks like to you and help you prioritize your objectives and strategies when you're dealing with big projects. Then, you can stay organized, plan ahead, and lead your projects with clear goals and a solid monitoring process. Plus, the set milestones and timeline ensure that you don't take on too much at once, while still driving urgency and progress.

How to create a 30-60-90 day plan

As you get an idea of a 30-60-90 day plan, we will delve into the necessary components of a good plan. From there, you can structure your own plan and quickly adapt it for any purpose, either for work or personal use.

1. Goals and Objectives

Setting the right goals and objectives is the most important. As John Doerr shares in his  TED talk :

It almost does not matter how much you know; what matters most is how well you execute. It all comes down to excellent execution when it comes to setting the right goals.

The SMART framework is a critical one to apply for a 30-60-90 day plan, which questions you until your goals are truly smart.

• Is your goal specific enough?  Instead of setting a general goal like "increase sales," a specific goal would be "increase sales leads by 10% within the next 30 days."
• How do you measure progress?  Establish measurable criteria to track your progress. This involves identifying quantifiable indicators that will help you determine if you are meeting your goals. For instance, if your goal is to improve customer satisfaction, you can measure it by tracking the number of positive customer feedback or the increase in customer ratings.
• Is your goal realistic?  It's good to set the bar high. But it's even better if you can see yourself hit the finish line. Unattainable goals only lead to frustration and demotivation. Consider your available resources, capabilities, and constraints when setting your goals.
• Does your goal align with overall objectives and priorities?  They should contribute to the success of your plan and be relevant to your role and responsibilities. This helps you stay focused on what truly matters and avoid wasting time on irrelevant tasks.
• By when do you want to achieve this goal?  This creates a sense of urgency and helps you prioritize your tasks effectively. Can you recall how long open-ended statements like "I will host a bonding activity with my team." stay on your to-do list? Instead, "I will arrange weekly team lunch from next week to enhance connection." or "I will organize a get-to-know-each-other activity for my team in the next company meeting." increase the likelihood of your action.

Goals will be different from person to person, depending on your role and your job. However, there are several types of goals you should consider to put into your plan.

Performance goals  

Performance goals are centered around improving your performance in specific areas related to your role or job function. For example:

• Achieve sales targets by increasing revenue by 10% in the next quarter.
• Improve customer retention rates by implementing a customer loyalty program.
• Enhance employee productivity by reducing project turnaround time by 20%.

Learning goals

‍ These goals involve acquiring new skills or knowledge that will contribute to your professional growth. For example:

• Attend remote work training sessions or workshops to enhance leadership skills.
• Complete industry certifications to expand your expertise.
• Master a new software tool to streamline workflow processes.

Innovative goals

‍ These goals focus on identifying and implementing innovative ideas or processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, or customer experience. For example:

• Introduce new technologies to automate repetitive tasks and increase productivity.
• Streamline workflows by implementing project management software such as planning tools or task tracker tool.
• Develop creative marketing strategies by using AI marketing tools to reach a wider audience.

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Personal goals

‍ These goals prioritize your personal development, well-being, and finding a cultural fit in the workplace. They can vary from enhancing communication skills, building relationships, practicing self-care and stress management, and more. For example:

• Join company yoga sessions to relax after work and connect with other like-minded colleagues.
• Enhance communication skills by attending public speaking workshops.
• Practicing stress management techniques like mindfulness meditation or regular exercise.

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2. Action Items and Action Plan

Small yet mighty, action items are the superheroes of productivity. How can you transform big goals into concrete achievements? What do you plan to that pave the way for set objectives?

Keep breaking them down into actionable steps and create a list of specific actions that precisely outline what needs to be done – your detailed action plan and action items . By diligently implementing this detailed list, you can streamline your efforts and focus solely on executing each task, ensuring efficient progress toward your desired outcomes.

AI tools, like our AI  Action Plan Generator, can help you automatically generate action items in seconds:

3. Deliverables & Measures of Success 

In any winning 30-60-90 day plan, success is measured through deliverables and key performance indicators (KPIs). Deliverables are like fruits of your labor, proving your achievements and success. They entail:

• Deliverables:  Tangible outcomes include a comprehensive project report, a successful team collaboration initiative, or an innovative solution to a longstanding challenge.
• Measures of Success:  Establish quantifiable benchmarks or indicators to demonstrate your progress. These measures objectively evaluate your performance and help determine if you have achieved your targets or milestones. 

For example, if your goal is to improve customer satisfaction, a measure of success could be an increase in customer satisfaction ratings or scores. You can set specific targets for achieving a 10% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings within the first 30 days, 20% within 60 days, and 30% within 90 days. 

If your objective is to enhance productivity, a measure of success could be the percentage increase in productivity metrics, such as units produced per hour or tasks completed per day. 

4. Additional Elements

Additional elements can be incorporated into a 30-60-90 day plan to enhance its effectiveness. These elements act as supporting pillars, providing a pool of unblockers to finish your work.

• Resources:  Identify and secure the resources needed, whether budget allocation, specialized software, or additional team members, to achieve the desired goals.
• Stakeholders:  Engage and involve key stakeholders, such as team members, mentors, or senior leaders, to foster collaboration, gather feedback, and build a support network.

How to write a 30-60-90 day plan?

Briefly, here are steps for you to start crafting your 30-60-90 day plan: 

• Begin with your purpose. If you write it for a particular job, comprehensively understand the position and its expectations. 
• Next, define clear and specific goals for each timeframe, outlining what you aim to achieve within the first 30, 60, and 90 days. 
• Break them into actionable tasks and projects that will contribute to your goals. 
• Add ways to track progress and measure your success.
• Regularly review and revise your plan as needed, seeking feedback and alignment from relevant stakeholders. 

We gather a list of prompting questions to help guide you along the way. Going through each question thoughtfully, enhance your plan, and then craft a template to present it. 

Need more help? Talk to Lexi, share insights about your role and objectives, and let her suggest a personalized 30-60-90 day plan for you.

Free 30-60-90 day plan templates to present your boss.

The core of a 30-60-90 day plan lies in its essence –goals to be accomplished during your first three months. And how you present your plan tells your style, preferences, and purpose.

Think about how you want to communicate your ideas effectively, whether through a detailed document using the Word template, a visually engaging PowerPoint presentation, or a structured table in Excel. It's all about finding the format that best suits you and allows you to present your plan with clarity, confidence, and impact. 

These free 30-60-90 day plan templates may be just what you need.

1. Comprehensive Document - Word / Google Docs Template

The Word template is the most straightforward format for creating your 30-60-90 day plan. It provides a simple and flexible structure that allows you to delve into detailed explanations, narratives, and context for in-depth information.

It is highly recommended for personal use, as it allows you to customize and personalize your plan according to individual specific needs and aspirations. 

2. Dynamic Presentation - PowerPoint / Google Slide Template

The PowerPoint template offers a slide-by-slide structure that allows you to present your plan in a visually appealing and organized manner. You can include goals and key points on each slide by month, along with supporting visuals or graphics, or even a Gantt chart to enhance understanding and engagement. 

This template is ideal for presenting your plan to stakeholders, managers, or colleagues.

3. Structured Table - Excel / Google Sheet Template

This Table template is designed to provide a concise and organized presentation of information in a structured format. It is handy for monitoring deadlines, tracking progress, and navigating your work with a straightforward layout and additional formula.

30-60-90 Day Plan For Your Interview 

For those who are preparing a plan for your interview, some questions might still float in your head.  How can I know what is expected of me when I do not even work there yet? 

Let's review your job description and the standard requirements of your position. You can also ask for specific projects or initiatives the company has in the pipeline. 

Let's take an example, imagine you are in the final phase of a job interview for a marketing specialist position.

The interviewer inquires about your approach to promoting a new product, indicating that they seek a candidate who can develop innovative marketing campaigns, with a couple of new products in the pipeline.

To demonstrate your suitability for the role, you could prepare a 30-60-90 day plan that focuses on this particular responsibility.

30-Day Plan

Objective: 

During the first 30 days, I will familiarize myself with the company process and protocol, with products, and with our target market.

Key Actions:

• Schedule introductory meetings with key stakeholders and team members.
• Deep dive into product details through meetings with product managers and the development team.
• Conduct market research to understand the target audience and competitors.
• Review previous marketing campaigns to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for tracking marketing efforts.

After the first month, I will: 

• Successfully build relationships with project stakeholders and other team members
• Have a thorough understanding of the product, and present my market research findings
• Propose at least three ideas to improve previous campaigns, and establish new KPI tracking.

60-Day Plan

During the next 30 days, I will develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for the new product.

• Conduct a detailed analysis of the target market, competitors, and internal capabilities.
• Create a master marketing strategy and identify targeted campaigns across various channels.
• Find potential partnership opportunities for co-marketing.
• Identify key stakeholders and/or team members that should collaborate on the project. 
• Enhance brand visibility through PR initiatives and participation in industry events.

After the second month, I will develop a marketing strategy for a new product and collaborate with other team members to successfully execute it. 

90-Day Plan

During the next 30 days, I will optimize marketing efforts, expand market reach, and improve customer acquisition and retention.

• Track marketing ROI and provide actionable insights.
• Stay informed about industry trends and competitor activities.
• Identify and target new customer segments or markets.
• Work with sales and customer success team to finalize acquisition and retention initiatives.
• Propose new initiatives based on lessons learned and updating trends.

After the third month, I will present the results of active campaigns and my timely adjustments to improve their performance by 20%. I will be able to plan and propose a quarter plan based on my probation experience and research, including a smooth cross-functional collaboration.

30-60-90 Day Onboarding Plan For New Employees

When bringing new people to the team, having a solid plan saves much of your time.

The plan for the first three months at work with guidelines, goals, and resources results in two things. First, new hires have appropriate time to digest information and new responsibilities. Second, they have clear directions on what and how to perform, and where they can go for FAQs or support.

This plan should be tailored to the specific job they're taking on.

In the first month , the main goal is to get them up to speed on the company and their role. That means completing onboarding sessions, reading up on essential docs, and meeting everyone they'll work with.

The following 30 days should shift towards actively contributing to projects and taking ownership of tasks. Collaborating with team members, seeking additional responsibilities, and participating in cross-functional initiatives will help develop a deeper understanding of the organization's processes and systems.

And by the end of the first 90 days , they should be able to handle projects independently and be a real asset to the team. It's key to customize the plan and offer training or mentorship opportunities too. That way, new hires can get settled in and succeed in their new gig!

30-60-90 Day Plan For a New Manager

During the first 30 days of your manager position, step back to learn about your team and practice observing everything through an overall lens.

Schedule effective team meetings with your team to learn more about their work and backgrounds. Establish effective team communication channels and review existing team processes. To expand your knowledge and skills, consider enrolling in managerial courses and identify your way of management. 

Moving into the 60-day plan, the focus shifts towards leading and empowering the team, driving projects to completion, and encouraging collaboration. In this phase, you should be able to delegate tasks, create a team culture and improve team alignment on every project. 

By the 90-day mark, the new manager should aim to drive continuous improvement, develop team members' skills, and contribute to strategic goals. Listening to the team and regularly asking for feedback will help you to assess your success when transforming into a higher role. 

30-60-90 day plan for Executives

Executives are expected to have a broad and forward-thinking perspective regarding planning. Instead of focusing too much on day-to-day operations, they should prioritize the company's vision and mission, and develop strategies that will lead to long-term success and prosperity.

Here are a few things you shouldn't miss in your first three months:

• Quick wins.  Identify low-hanging fruit and immediate opportunities for improvement that can be implemented within the first 30 days. These early wins will help establish credibility and build momentum. However, don't make a sweeping change. You might not want to disrupt the current systems and hurt the relationship that you're trying to establish.
• Be a friendly observer.  Try to understand the organization's structure, culture, and existing processes as much as possible in the first month. By approaching with a sense of curiosity and attentiveness, executives can gather essential information and lay the groundwork for informed decision-making and effective leadership in the future.
• Plan a great first impression.  It sets the tone for how people perceive your leadership abilities and builds trust. You might need a well-prepared speech to show your genuine interest in understanding the organization and its people, and how you will become their reliable leader onwards. As they said, good things come to those who plan.
• Strengthen the talent pool.  Identify high-potential employees and invest in them. Great leaders create more leaders. A solid management team by your side will help you lead more effectively and enhance company culture. Creating a development plan to cultivate the growth of exceptional performers and provide support for those who have room for improvement.

Wrapping it up

To sum it up, making a great 30-60-90 day plan is all about connecting your personal goals with what the company wants to achieve.

By carefully breaking down the important tasks and goals, you can smoothly move into your new role and have a successful journey. It's important to stay flexible, adaptable, and proactive throughout the process, so you can make changes and improve as you go.

A well-crafted 30-60-90 day plan not only shows your commitment and drive, but also sets the stage for long-term success and growth within the company.

30-60-90 is not the only approach to show your drive in the new role, but showing your best self at work with productivity and effectiveness during the onboarding period are also very important.

Here are our tips for you to work smarter, not harder:

• Productivity: Task Tracker , Time Management App , Time Management Tools , Planning Tools , How to Use AI , AI Websites , Free AI Tools , AI Productivity Tools , AI Recruiting , AI Accounting , and AI Marketing Tools
• Engagement: Employee Management Software , Employee Engagement Tools , Employee Engagement Survey Providers , Employee Surveys , Employee Survey Tools ‍
• Collaboration: Virtual Meeting Platforms , Virtual Workspace , Remote Collaboration Tools , Remote Communication Tools
• Workplace: Desk Booking Software, Room Scheduling Software

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How To Create A 30-60-90 Day Plan for Managers

• Sara London
• February 17, 2023

While it sounds like it needs some decoding, a 30-60-90 day plan is a simple tool for managers to use when they’re getting on board with a new team, taking on a new project, or trying to get in a groove when new leadership comes into the picture. The plan is essentially broken down into three stages: from the beginning to the 30-day mark, from the 30-day mark to the 60-day mark, and from the 60-day mark to the 90-day mark.

All in all, this plan is a kind of checklist or playbook that outlines how each segment of your time is going to look. Each month (or 30 days) within the plan has a different purpose, goals, and priorities. Primarily, 30-60-90 day plans are used for onboarding. But they’re a versatile option for managers who need to set any type of priorities for an undertaking so big that it shifts team culture.

How to make a 30-60-90-day plan

Making a 30-60-90 day plan is obviously not easy – there are many moving parts and many decisions to be made. But keep reading, and you’ll get a step-by-step guide for how your 30-60-90 plan could look.

Days 0 through 30

Keywords: discovery, culture, rhythm

In the first 30 days of your plan, you’re not trying to break any barriers or plunge head-first into difficult work. You’ll be working on connecting with coworkers and establishing a rhythm here. For those using a 30-60-90 plan to onboard themselves onto a team, this time should be used for building rapport and establishing a team culture. Ask your coworkers about who they are both inside and outside of work, and try to study up on your company’s values, strategies, and goals . And for those who are using their 30-60-90 day plan for a project or to understand new leadership, your first thirty days should be able to gather intel, establish a workflow with your team, and amalgamate data to fuel your venture.

30-day strategies

Be a sponge. Soak up everything you can – attend voluntary meetings, study documents, 

Make connections. Schedule one-on-ones with management and team members, meet with strategic partners and embrace skip-level meetings . Find a mentor on a higher level of management and create consistent check-ins.

Create a frame. Learn about expectations for team members and what your manager expects of you. 

Days 30 through 60

Keywords: amalgamating, analyzing, actionizing

Now that your first 30 days are over and you’ve collected the requisite amount of data about your project, team, or new leadership, you’re ready to analyze that data. Think about what you saw, how you could improve it, what were the gaps in knowledge, and how processes could be simplified. Begin to make plans for improvement and test out hypotheses. This is the time when you try to get creative and put your own spin on how things function within your team. Your roadmap should also measure team impact, and gathering data about strategies shouldn’t stop just because the first 30 days are over. 

60-day strategies

Production goals. Create weekly, monthly, or quarterly production goals that reflect your team’s workflow and satisfy management requirements.

Communicate consistently. Hold all team members accountable for their work. Get everyone on board with upgrading outdated tools and documenting best practices for future employees or internal reviews.

Build a strategy. Based on the data you collected in the first 30 days, create an improvement strategy and a roadmap to get there. Clear your ideas with senior management.

Days 60 through 90

Keywords: momentum, consistency, finish line

In the last 30 days, your team will function like a well-oiled machine – but don’t lose focus or rest on your laurels. Now that you’re an expert in team dynamics and you have a team-wide definition of success, you can find more specific areas to grow within. Culture and process should run independently, but check-ins and exemplary communication are always necessary. If you have a project-oriented 30-60-90 day plan, you can celebrate knowing that the end is in sight and you’ll soon be ready for a cool-down period. 

90-day strategies

Look to expansion. If the business is expanding, you might want or need to add more team or department members. If your team can make a hiring plan, do so. Identify budget recommendations and price out if a new hire is feasible or if shifting responsibilities would be a better move.

Engage with the broader strategy. You’re just one piece of the company’s puzzle, but you don’t have to feel like a small fry. Celebrate your successes with other sectors and collaborate with other key contributors from other departments. 

Always move forward. Continue to follow up on the best facets of your 30-60-90 day plan and rethink the less effective parts. Continue to perpetually emphasize team culture.

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30-60-90 day plan for new hires (template and examples)

A 30-60-90 day plan outlines the first 90 days of a new team member’s employment and familiarizes them with company policies, teamwork, and goals. This action plan helps your team members check off essential items as they adjust to their new work environment. In this piece, we’ll outline the key components of a 30-60-90 day plan and explain why having one is beneficial.

It’s universally acknowledged that the first 90 days at any company can be intimidating. This isn’t any one person's or program’s fault, either. There’s a lot for your new team members to learn—including using different tools, navigating team norms, and adjusting their own expectations. But when you provide new hires with guidance and expectations, you empower them to hit the ground running from day one.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is an outline of a new hire’s first 90 days on your team. It lays out exactly what your new employee should accomplish, from their first week to the end of their third month in a new job. The goal of a 30-60-90 day plan is to give team members a concrete plan for getting up to speed and accomplishing their learning goals. It helps ensure every new hire feels welcomed into the company and understands the responsibilities of their role.

30-60-90 day plans often include the following milestones for each month of onboarding: 

1–30 days: The first month involves intensive training for the employee’s new position. This is when the new hire learns as much as possible about company policies, your company’s products, team structure, and job responsibilities. 

31–60 days: The second month of employment is the new hire’s opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice by taking on new tasks. This is a key learning period, so it’s ok if your direct reports make mistakes as they get familiar with how things are done. 

61–90 days: The third month of employment is when the new hire starts mastering the skills of their job. This means your employee can now fully meet job expectations and start achieving long-term performance goals .

A 30-60-90 day plan may have similar sections for all new hires, such as company policies and resources. That said, you should also tailor many parts of the plan to fit each individual’s specific role and responsibilities .

Benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan helps improve your onboarding process and set new employees up for success. Onboarding can make or break someone’s experience at a new company, so it’s worth investing in. In fact, research shows that a strong onboarding process can improve employee retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

With a 30-60-90 day plan, you can: 

Set goals and create clear expectations for an employee’s first three months on the job.

Space out training sessions and introductions so new hires don’t feel overwhelmed. 

Ensure new team members have the knowledge, resources, and skills they need to be successful in their new role. 

Take time to communicate your core company values . 

Build trust with effective feedback throughout the onboarding process. 

Proactively creating a 30-60-90 day plan can also benefit your hiring process and interview process. Candidates often want to know what their first few months on the job will look like. Having a plan already in place helps hiring managers and recruiters paint a concrete picture for applicants during job interviews. 

What should new hires accomplish in their first 90 days?

Your new hire’s focus in the first 90 days should be to integrate into company culture and master their job description. While there’s time during this initial period for new hires to help with tasks outside of onboarding, your new team members’ initial objectives should revolve around basic acclimation.

Some accomplishments you may ask your new hire to achieve in their first 90 days include:

Learn the company’s mission

Know the organizational structure , including management roles and fellow team members

Understand the responsibilities outlined in the job description

Understand the project roadmap from start to finish

Set short-term objectives toward long-term goals

You should hold a performance review at the end of a new hire’s first 90 days to assess their progress. During this time, you can offer constructive feedback about what they’ve accomplished and how they can continue to improve in their role.

How to write a 30-60-90 day plan

Typically, you’ll write a 30-60-90 day plan before your new hire's onboarding or immediately after they begin their job. As a result, you probably don’t know a lot about your new hire’s personality or strengths. Instead of making your 30-60-90 day plan personal to the team member’s abilities, use your expectations for what you want them to become in their new role to customize each plan.

Step 1: Ask questions

Once you’ve hired someone new, start your 30-60-90 day plan by looking at the big picture and assessing how your new hire fits into that picture. Ask yourself any questions that come to mind about the job role, the onboarding process, and the team. Some questions to begin brainstorming include:

What need do you hope this person will fill? 

What specific problem are you bringing this person in to solve?

What should this person know in order to be successful?

What will the new hire’s daily responsibilities be?

How will the new hire take part in project development?

Ultimately, your 30-60-90 day plan will give your new hire a clear idea of what the first three months will look like. Answering these questions early sets them up for success and helps them build their skills for the role.

Step 2: Set realistic goals

Your 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a day-to-day list of activities your new hire will be working on. Rather, your goal is to give your new hire an overview of their purpose within the company. 

You should also keep in mind when you create your 30-60-90 day plan that a new team member can only do and learn so much in their first few months of employment. While you may have some dire needs to address, try not to throw too much on your new hire’s plate too fast. 

Consider what a reasonable workload should be and minimize that workload for at least the first 30 days. Expect there to be a learning curve. Then, if you find that the team member catches up quickly, you can add work to their plate as appropriate.

Step 3: Create SMART goals

According to a 2014 study by BambooHR, the average company loses one-sixth of their new hires each month for the first three months. Setting concrete goals during onboarding can boost retention, especially if those goals are SMART—specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMART goals help clarify expectations and give team members clear stepping stones to follow. That way, new hires are less likely to feel overwhelmed or unengaged. 

The specific goal and success metrics you set for your new hire will depend on their particular role and level within the company. Check out some examples of 90-day SMART goals for different employee positions:

Writer: Successfully publish three articles for one of our clients, which includes taking each article through the entire publishing process from QA to internal edits, client edits, and final edits. 

Customer support: Work with team members to close 30 tickets, which includes learning the internal computer system and solving an array of unexpected tech issues. 

Agency: Collaborate with stakeholders to write one promotional piece. Then promote the piece to bloggers and successfully get it published on at least three websites relevant to the client.

While the new hire’s first 90 days should focus on helping them get comfortable in their new role, adding measurable goals to their action plan can give them a project to work on so they don’t feel like their only purpose is to shadow others. 

Step 4: Give them a mentor

A 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a document you’ll hand over to your new hire and then simply send them on their way to complete their duties. This document should be a reference for your new hire while they collaborate with you and other team members to accomplish tasks. 

When writing your plan, assign the new hire a mentor to give them any advice or guidance they might need. This person will be their go-to guide during the first few weeks for any questions. A good mentor can help orient your new hire so they don’t feel overwhelmed by their new work environment.

Make sure to set your new hire up with a mentor who isn’t their manager. That way, they have someone they can turn to with questions about team synergy and team norms . As their manager, you can focus on providing bigger picture guidance about long-term goals and team collaboration best practices.

Step 5: Set up regular check-ins

An important thing to remember when creating a 30-60-90 day plan is to stay flexible. Even if you feel like your plan outlines exactly what you hope for your new hire to accomplish, there’s no guarantee that the first 90 days will go as expected. 

For example, another team may need help from your new hire a week into their employment, which can derail the SMART goals you initially set for them. It’s also possible that your new hire will learn at a slower or faster pace than you expected. When you understand that the plan is an outline and not a schedule, you’ll feel better about the work you’ve put into it.

Elements of a 30-60-90 day plan

The elements of a 30-60-90 day plan are unique to the team member joining your organization, but the framework of the plan should look similar.

The essential components of a 30-60-90 day plan include:

Company mission: Briefly state your company’s mission at the top of the 30-60-90 day plan to give your new hire an idea of what your company stands for. 

Guiding points: Guiding points may include information about your company culture and elaborate on your business’ core values . For example, these points may include things like: “Ask questions… Value relationships… Have a team mindset… Put your health first…”

Meet the team: In this section, include pictures and blurbs of the people your new hire will work with closely. This can be a good reference for the new hire as they try to learn names and team roles. 

First day overview: The first day overview is the only section of the 30-60-90 day plan that lists out a detailed schedule for the new hire. While this schedule may change, do your best to let your new hire know what to expect on their first day of work , including log-in information or how to set up their email and phone voicemail. That way, they don’t come in feeling lost and unsure about what to do or where to go. 

Top priorities: In the top priorities section of the plan, include an overview of the new hire’s job responsibilities and any needs you hope for them to fill in their new role. 

SMART goals: As mentioned above, the SMART goals you list in the 30-60-90 day plan should be measurable, job-related goals you hope the new hire will achieve within their first 90 days. 

Resources: In the resources section, list links to the company handbook, job description, team directory, and other relevant resources. You can add any resources to this section that you think the team member will find useful as they familiarize themselves with the company and the job.

30-60-90 day plan example

Your new hire will use their 30-60-90 day plan as a roadmap for success as they navigate the challenges in their first months of onboarding. Break down SMART goals and objectives into manageable chunks and include a mix of personal goals and company goals to help new team members settle in.

You should further develop these objectives by including success metrics and KPIs when applicable. This will help people stay motivated and track progress effectively.

Here’s a 30-60-90 day plan example to get you started.

Goal 1: Complete all required onboarding and compliance training modules.

Metric: Completion of all training modules confirmed by human resources.

Example: A new manager at a tech company uses the first 30 days to complete all human resource-led compliance training sessions to ensure they understand the legal and ethical standards required by their new role.

Goal 2: Build relationships with at least 10 new colleagues across different teams and departments.

Metric: Number of introductory meetings or coffee chats held.

Example: A new contributor in a marketing department sets up coffee chats to connect and make a positive first impression with peers in other departments, such as sales and product development.

Goal 3: Develop a solid understanding of the company's products, services, and key processes.

KPI: Score at least 85% on a knowledge assessment test to measure understanding of key information.

Example: A sales manager spends their first month attending product demonstrations and shadowing senior sales calls to observe the nuances of the company's offerings and sales techniques.

Goal 4: Establish a consistent morning routine to improve punctuality and productivity.

Metric: Days arriving at least 15 minutes early tracked over the first month.

Example: A new hire decides to start each day by reading industry news for 15 minutes to stay informed and arrive early to prepare for the day ahead.

Goal 5: Identify and document at least three areas for process improvement or inefficiencies.

KPI: Submission of a detailed report with actionable recommendations for optimization.

Example: A new project manager uses workflow analysis tools to track the time spent on various project stages, identify bottlenecks, and propose solutions to improve efficiency.

Goal 6: Join company-sponsored clubs, sports teams, or volunteer initiatives.

Metric: Participation in at least two different company-sponsored activities.

Example: A new sales manager joins the company's soccer team and the volunteer committee, which allows them to build relationships outside of formal work settings and demonstrate team spirit.

Goal 7: Complete an online course or certification relevant to your role or industry.

KPI: Acquisition of a new certification within the 60-day period.

Example: A new contributor in data analytics enrolls in a certified online course on advanced data visualization techniques to improve their skill set and contribute more effectively to ongoing and new projects.

Goal 8: Establish a healthy work-life balance by scheduling regular exercise or self-care activities.

Metric: Number of weeks adhering to the twice-weekly exercise or self-care schedule.

Example: A human resources manager starts attending yoga classes three times a week after work and using a wellness app to schedule and track sessions.

Goal 9: Propose and implement at least one process improvement or cost-saving measure.

KPI: Documented percentage improvement in efficiency or reduction in costs.

Example: After reviewing existing procurement processes, a new manager proposes a new vendor management system that reduces order times and costs by 15%. They then highlight the direct impact of their initiative on the company's bottom line.

Goal 10: Seek out a mentor within the company who can provide guidance and support.

Metric: Successful identification and commencement of mentorship sessions.

Example: An e-commerce contributor uses LinkedIn to identify and approach a senior leader within the company known for their expertise in developing sales plans and sets up bi-monthly mentorship sessions.

Goal 11: Deliver a training session or knowledge transfer to team members on a specific topic.

KPI: Percentage of attendees who can successfully pass a follow-up knowledge test.

Example: A new manager organizes a workshop on effective sales techniques, using real-world examples from recent successful deals to boost the team's skills and confidence.

Goal 12: Identify and pursue a professional development opportunity outside of work.

Metric: Registration for a relevant professional development activity.

Example: A new hire attends a regional conference on digital marketing trends to network with industry leaders and bring back valuable insights to inform the company's new online marketing strategies.

Not sure where to start? Check out our example 30-60-90 day plan template below for inspiration on how to optimize your onboarding process.

Use this 30-60-90 day outline as a framework to build and customize a plan that works for each new hire that you onboard.

Streamline the onboarding process with work management tools

Printouts and documents quickly become out of date. Keep your onboarding process flexible by creating your 30-60-90 day plan with project management software . Once you share the plan, you can easily monitor your new hire’s progress—plus assign day-to-day action items to keep things on track.

FAQ: 30-60-90 day plan

Why have a 30-60-90 day plan?

Having a 30-60-90 day plan sets clear objectives and benchmarks for personal and professional development over a 90-day period. This type of plan helps individuals organize their priorities, measure their progress, and establish a structured approach to achieving their goals. Whether you're starting a new position, launching a project, or trying to implement a change, having a 30-60-90 day plan can ensure you are focused and hit the ground running.

When should I use a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is particularly useful when starting a new job, taking on a significant project, or undergoing a transition in a professional role. It helps hiring managers integrate new team members more effectively by facilitating quick acclimatization and productivity. These plans also work well for promoting internal changes or strategies within an organization by acting as a roadmap to align measurable objectives with practical action steps.

What should be included in a 30-60-90 day plan?

A well-crafted 30-60-90 day plan should include specific, measurable goals for each of the three periods. 

The first 30 days are typically focused on learning and integration, where you should include objectives related to understanding company goals, procedures, and tools. 

The next 30 days (the 60-day mark) often shift towards more active involvement, which can include starting new projects and building relationships. 

By the final 30 days, the plan should focus on implementing changes and taking on more significant responsibilities, such as long-term goal setting.

How can a 30-60-90 day plan help you succeed in a new job?

A 30-60-90 day plan can help your success in a new job by providing a clear outline of what to accomplish and when. This strategic plan encourages a proactive approach to learning, relationship-building, and skill development. 

Initially, it helps you quickly absorb the necessary information and company culture. As the plan progresses, it assists in demonstrating your value through early contributions while establishing your presence and impact within the team.

Related resources

How to accomplish big things with long-term goals

Fix these common onboarding challenges to boost productivity

15 types of employee performance reviews

What is self-management? (7 skills to improve it)

30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Starting a new role as a Sales Account Manager can be both exciting and overwhelming. With ClickUp's 30-60-90 Day Plan Template, you can hit the ground running and set yourself up for success from day one. This template serves as a roadmap for your first three months in the role, guiding you through key goals, strategies, and action steps to impress your new team.

For the hiring manager:

• Monitor progress and align expectations seamlessly
• Provide support and guidance based on the outlined plan
• Evaluate performance against set milestones for continuous improvement

For the employee:

• Set clear objectives and priorities for each phase
• Track progress and achievements for a successful transition
• Maximize productivity and performance with a structured approach

Get started today and pave the way for a successful journey ahead!

Sales Account Manager 30-60-90 Day Plan Benefits

Elevate your sales game with the 30-60-90 day plan for sales account managers.

Embarking on a new sales account manager role? This template equips you with a roadmap for success from day one, while also impressing your hiring manager. Here's how this plan benefits both of you:

For the Employee:

• Establishes clear goals and objectives for the crucial first months
• Guides your actions with well-defined strategies and tasks
• Helps track progress and achievements to stay on course
• Sets a strong foundation for long-term success in the role

For the Hiring Manager:

• Provides transparency on the employee's objectives and plans
• Ensures alignment with company goals and expectations
• Facilitates tracking and evaluating the employee's performance
• Enhances communication and collaboration between manager and employee

Main Elements of 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers

Welcome to ClickUp’s 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers template designed to streamline your onboarding process and ensure a successful transition into your new role.

Here's what both the hiring manager and employee can expect from this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track progress efficiently with statuses like Complete, In Progress, To Do, and Waiting On Client to stay on top of tasks and timelines
• Custom Fields: Utilize fields like Who's in charge and Onboarding Stage to assign responsibilities and track progress during the onboarding process
• Custom Views: Access various views such as References, Onboarding Board, Chat, Calendar, Start here, Onboarding Plan, and Onboarding Progress to streamline communication, plan effectively, and monitor progress seamlessly

With this template, both the hiring manager and employee can collaborate effectively, set clear expectations, and achieve sales goals efficiently.

How To Use This 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers

Starting a new role as a Sales Account Manager can be exciting yet daunting. With the 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers template in ClickUp, both the hiring manager and the new employee can align on expectations and set a clear path for success. Here are six steps to effectively utilize this template:

1. Define Expectations and Goals

For hiring managers: Clearly outline the key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals you expect the Sales Account Manager to achieve in their first 30, 60, and 90 days. This will help set a benchmark for success.

For new employees: Review and understand the outlined expectations and goals. Ensure alignment with the hiring manager on what success looks like at the end of each phase.

Utilize Goals in ClickUp to set clear objectives and track progress for each phase of the plan.

2. Plan Activities and Strategies

For hiring managers: Provide guidance on the activities, strategies, and tasks the Sales Account Manager should focus on in each phase to meet the defined goals. Offer support and resources if needed.

For new employees: Create a detailed plan with specific actions, timelines, and strategies to achieve the outlined goals within the specified timeframes. Seek clarification from the hiring manager on any ambiguous tasks.

Utilize tasks in ClickUp to break down activities into manageable steps and track progress effectively.

3. Establish Key Relationships

For hiring managers: Introduce the new Sales Account Manager to key stakeholders, team members, and clients. Provide insights into existing relationships and how to nurture them effectively.

For new employees: Actively engage with key stakeholders, team members, and clients to build relationships and understand their needs and preferences. Seek guidance from the hiring manager on relationship-building strategies.

Use the Board view in ClickUp to visualize and manage key relationships with clients and team members.

4. Monitor Progress and Seek Feedback

For hiring managers: Regularly review the Sales Account Manager's progress against the 30-60-90 day plan. Provide constructive feedback, guidance, and support to ensure success.

For new employees: Keep track of your progress, achievements, and challenges in each phase. Proactively seek feedback from the hiring manager and team members to make necessary adjustments.

Utilize Automations in ClickUp to set up reminders for progress check-ins and feedback sessions.

5. Adapt and Pivot

For hiring managers: Be open to adjustments in the plan based on the Sales Account Manager's progress, feedback, and changing business needs. Encourage innovation and flexibility.

For new employees: Stay agile and adaptable. Be prepared to pivot strategies, tasks, or goals based on feedback, results, and evolving priorities.

Use the Gantt chart view in ClickUp to visualize timelines and make adjustments as needed to stay on track.

6. Celebrate Achievements and Set New Goals

For hiring managers: Acknowledge and celebrate the Sales Account Manager's achievements at the end of each phase. Set new goals and expectations for the upcoming phase based on performance and growth.

For new employees: Reflect on your accomplishments at the end of each phase. Celebrate milestones and successes. Collaborate with the hiring manager to set new challenging yet achievable goals for the next phase.

Utilize Dashboards in ClickUp to showcase achievements and progress visually and track new goals for the upcoming phases.

By following these six steps using the 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers template in ClickUp, both the hiring manager and the new employee can foster a successful onboarding experience, drive performance, and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Sales Account Manager 30-60-90 Day Plan

Sales account managers and hiring managers can utilize the ClickUp 30-60-90 Day Plan For Sales Account Managers template to streamline onboarding and set clear expectations for the first three months in a new role.

To get started, follow these steps:

Add the template to your Workspace and specify the location for implementation.

Invite relevant team members to collaborate on the plan.

Utilize the template's features to optimize the onboarding process:

• Use the References view to access important resources and materials.
• The Onboarding Board view helps visualize progress and tasks.
• Engage in real-time discussions in the Chat view for seamless communication.
• Utilize the Calendar view to track important dates and deadlines.
• Start with the Start here view for a comprehensive overview.
• Create a detailed Onboarding Plan using the respective view.
• Monitor progress with the Onboarding Progress view.

Organize tasks into four statuses: Complete, In Progress, To Do, Waiting On Client, to track progress effectively.

Customize the template by adding custom fields: Who's in charge and Onboarding Stage, to assign responsibilities and track onboarding progress efficiently.

Update statuses and custom fields as tasks progress to keep all stakeholders informed.

Analyze progress regularly to ensure a successful onboarding experience and maximize productivity.

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The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint: Your Path to Key Account Success

Milind Katti

COO & Co-Founder, DemandFarm

Powering Progress: The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint Plan for Key Account Excellence

Your Guide to Key Account Management Excellence. Learn how the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint powers progress, fostering sustainable business growth.

In the world of B2B sales, success is all about relationships. The most important of these relationships is with your key accounts. That is the customers who have the potential to generate the most revenue for your business. By building and managing long-term relationships with your key accounts , you can create a foundation for sustainable growth.

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is a time-bound, comprehensive approach to Key Account Management . It breaks down your first 90 days into three phases:

• The 30-day phase: You actively engage in learning and comprehending the intricacies of your key accounts. During this period, you diligently gather essential information about their businesses, goals, and challenges, establishing a strong foundation for your future interactions.
• The 60-day phase: The focus shifts towards building robust relationships and delivering exceptional value. To achieve this, you strategically devise and execute plans tailored to meet the specific needs of each key account, aiming not only to meet but also exceed their expectations.
• The 90-day phase: Your efforts are geared towards cementing and solidifying these newly formed relationships. It is crucial to continue delivering value consistently, ensuring that your key accounts remain content and satisfied. This stage sets the groundwork for long-term success and opens the doors to further growth and opportunities.

Through sustained dedication and customer-centricity, you position yourself as a trusted partner for your key accounts, fostering enduring relationships that propel mutual prosperity.

Understanding the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is your trusted roadmap in Key Account Management, guiding your journey with strategic precision. This game plan operates on understanding, delivering value, and building strong relationships, gradually leading to long-term success. By breaking down KAM into manageable stages, it eliminates guesswork and empowers you with a clear vision, focusing your efforts on specific goals while optimizing resource utilization.

As a catalyst for progress, each stage builds upon the previous, ensuring continuous growth. With a keen understanding of your key accounts , you can effectively cater to their needs, consistently deliver value, and forge powerful strategic relationships. Follow the proven path of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint to unlock the full potential of your key accounts, driving increased revenue, heightened customer satisfaction, and strengthened relationships.

The First 30 Days: Building a Strong Foundation

The first 30 days of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint are all about getting to know your key accounts. Knowledge is power, and in this phase, the spotlight is on in-depth research and analysis. Gather information about their businesses, their goals, their challenges, and their expectations. This information will help you understand your key accounts’ needs and how best you can meet them.

You’ll also start to build relationships with your key accounts. This means communicating with them regularly and listening to their needs. It also means being responsive to their requests and going the extra mile to help them succeed. Through effective communication, you understand the nuances of your clients’ needs – giving you an edge in offering them precisely what they need.

With a solid understanding and clear objectives, you can craft an actionable plan. This roadmap outlines the steps you’ll take to meet and exceed your clients’ expectations, making the first stride towards a mutually beneficial relationship.

By the end of the first 30 days, you’ll have a solid understanding of your key accounts and their needs. You’ll also have started to build strong relationships with them. This will put you in a great position to deliver value and achieve mutually beneficial results.

The Next 60 Days: Driving Growth and Value

The second stage of the blueprint, spanning the next 60 days, moves the lens from understanding to action. With deep insight into your key accounts’ needs and goals, you’re well-positioned to deliver value and drive growth.

The first step in this next phase is developing a customized account strategy. This plan, tailored to your key account’s needs, will outline how you will enhance engagement, identify growth avenues, and drive account expansion. Your strategy must be flexible, allowing for modifications based on evolving needs and market dynamics.

An important aspect of this phase involves exploring opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. By aligning these opportunities with your clients’ needs, you could find additional revenue streams, while simultaneously providing more value to your clients.

Collaboration is essential during this phase. Cross-functional teams within your organization can provide unique insights and skills. This ensures a holistic approach to Key Account Management. By pooling resources and harnessing internal expertise, you create a synergy that amplifies the value delivered to your key accounts.

Project monitoring should not be ignored. Regularly assess your strategy’s effectiveness, identify potential gaps and adjust as required. This cyclical process helps you stay in sync with your key accounts’ expectations. You can thus ensure that your efforts are on the right track.

By the end of the second phase, you’ll have implemented targeted strategies, driven significant growth, and created tangible value for your key accounts. This places you in a strong position to solidify your relationships and lay the foundation for long-term success.

The Final 90 Days: Solidifying Success and Expanding Relationships

The final phase of the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is about consolidating your success and laying the groundwork for future growth. It’s in this phase that your efforts bear fruit.

You will concentrate on cementing the relationships you’ve built and continuously delivering value to your key accounts. Your primary task is to deliver on promises made and meet client expectations. The emphasis is on maintaining the high bar of performance you’ve set. But you also need to be consistent in the quality of service you provide.

Your ability to meet and surpass expectations will bolster your clients’ confidence in your partnership, and drive their loyalty and satisfaction.

However, it doesn’t stop there. This final phase calls for the provision of continuous value-added solutions. This involves anticipating your key accounts’ future needs and presenting innovative solutions. Through this, you demonstrate a commitment to their ongoing success. Your proactive approach will further reinforce your value as a trusted partner.

Towards the end of this 90-day period, the focus shifts to fostering long-term partnerships. All your work in understanding, strategizing, and delivering value results in a strong, trusting relationship. Your efforts should be directed towards maintaining these relationships. You must find ways to expand them further and promote sustainable growth.

It’s crucial to remember that the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint isn’t an end, but only just a beginning. It’s a cycle of continuous improvement and strengthening relationships. It sets the stage for ongoing growth and success.

By the end of this phase, you’ll have achieved Key Account Excellence, with robust partnerships driving your business to new heights.

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint: Your Pathway to Sustainable Success

The 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is a valuable business tool. It redefined the way businesses approach Key Account Management. Through its sequential stages – understanding key accounts, delivering value, and fortifying relationships – it creates a path to achieve sustainable growth and attain Key Account Excellence.

One of its greatest qualities is its versatility. This Blueprint isn’t a rigid structure but a dynamic guide that can adapt to the evolving needs of your key accounts. The focus remains on understanding clients, creating value and building relationships for lasting success.

It’s important to keep in mind that this Blueprint isn’t a one-off process. It’s a cyclical journey during which you should mark your continuous progress and growth. Each cycle of the Blueprint pushes your business further along the path of success.

In essence, the 30-60-90-Day Blueprint is more than just a strategy – it’s an ongoing commitment to your key accounts. It’s a resolution to strive for excellence, to improve continually and to grow in your partnerships. It’s this commitment that will help propel your business and ensure that you achieve Key Account Excellence.

Ready to discuss your Account Management Needs?

Talk to our product expert, related posts.

11 Crucial Account Management KPIs that Dictate Success

Account Manager Skills 101

Account Management 101 – A Complete Guide for Key Account Managers

About The Author

Milind is the COO & Co-Founder of DemandFarm. He co-founded DemandFarm to build smart software technology to bring Account Planning and Relationship Intelligence into your CRM, making Key Account Management data-driven, predictable and scalable.Milind has close to 25 years of experience in sales & marketing. He is an Electronics & Communication Engineer with MBA in Marketing. He enjoys long-distance running, loves reading history, and above all else, he is a humanist.

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Your 30-60-90-day plan as a new manager

Landed a new manager position? Congratulations! Here's how to plan for your first days in the role.

Starting a new job as an engineering manager can be overwhelming. In between onboarding and getting to know your direct reports, you need to familiarize yourself with the tech stack, tooling, operations, and rhythm of the business. A 30-60-90-day plan can set you up for success in your new job. Here’s how to write one for a smooth transition.

What is a 30-60-90-day plan?

A 30-60-90-day plan is a tool for new managers or managers new to their role to gain clarity of what’s expected from them. It allows you to identify the largest challenges, and set goals. It serves as a guide, a resource, and a checklist. It’s a key part of a robust onboarding process. It’s a reminder of priorities, and defines what you plan to accomplish in the time frame.

When I moved from managing the JavaScript Cloud Advocacy team at Microsoft to managing multiple teams, drafting a 30-60-90-day plan helped me think about priorities, set realistic time-bound expectations, and identify the highest priorities for myself and my teams. I used it as a checklist for my goals, as well as who to meet with.

Six tips for making a 30-60-90-day plan

1. think big picture.

Start by identifying your big goals for the first three months, then break it down into manageable tasks for each month. Reflect on your overall priorities and identify why the company hired you. Does your team have specific long-term goals? Is there anything particularly important that senior leadership wants to see?

Start with what’s important for you. Think about the steps it’ll take to set yourself on track to be successful in the role long-term. Identify how short-term goals feed into the bigger picture.

2. Set smart goals

In each stage of your strategy plan, your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Try to be concise with your plan. Instead of, “Meet many product stakeholders”, try, “Schedule 5 initial 1:1s with product stakeholders in the first 30 days”, and “Set up 3 regular 1:1s with stakeholders outside of my organization within 60 days”. This way, you can measure your progress.

3. Be a sponge

Ask your manager and stakeholders what you can tackle in the first 90 days that will allow you to hit the ground running, as well as make a significant impact in the organization. Ask many questions about the company, culture, goals, and challenges. Soak up as much information as you can. Read existing strategy documents like annual road maps or objectives and key results (OKRs). Understanding existing OKRs is a great way to get a better sense of the current status of direction of different teams. Try to get your hands on ORKs for your team, your larger org, and cross-functional partner teams.

4. Meet, meet, meet

Relationships are crucial for leaders. Meet with your peers (the direct reports of your manager), coworkers with a similar role to you, anybody you’ll work with regularly outside your organization, and, if possible, the previous manager of your team. Ask many questions to understand the big picture. In each meeting, learn about the other person’s role in the company and get to know them as a person. Look them up on LinkedIn before the meeting. Maybe you have a shared interest to connect on a more personal level. I recommend listening as much as possible when you’re new, but also having a light agenda prepared, so these first meetings go more smoothly.

5. Be flexible

Remember, the 30-60-90 plan is less of a strict plan and more a general direction. The thinking and reflecting that goes into the creation of the plan is valuable in itself. Regularly check into your plan and be flexible to adjust it.

6. Level set expectations with your manager

It’s important to discuss your 30-60-90-day plan with your direct manager. Ask them to point out gaps and tasks that should be deprioritized. This helps to establish a shared understanding of expectations for your role, and clarifies short- and long-term goals.

An example 30-60-90 plan

Here’s a sample plan that you can adapt to your own position. Every role and company is unique, so don’t expect to use this plan exactly as it is, but it should make it easier than starting with a blank piece of paper.

Highest priority goals

• Establish a rapport with each direct report
• Build relationships with peers and partners
• Deliver on project X

Biggest challenges

• Lack of clarity for team priorities
• Recent attrition of key players

Dates: July 1–July 31, 2022 Highest-priority goal(s): Understand current challenges of the team Actions:

• Establish weekly 1:1 with each report
• Set up 1:1s with peers
• Learn about goals and challenges of Y
• Get familiar with Z

Dates: August 1–August 31, 2022 Highest priority goal(s): Establish professional connections with the team Actions:

• Career discussions with reports
• Schedule a meeting with skip manager
• Learn team members' strengths and weaknesses.
• Evaluate team members' recent work performance.
• Prioritize which projects need my attention
• Coordinate with the team to optimize existing processes
• Identify goals and identify whether the current resources are enough to achieve them

Dates: September 1–September 30, 2022 Highest priority goal(s): Build cross-team collaboration Actions:

• Plan the roadmap for the next quarter
• Eliminate processes that don't work and replace them with optimized ones
• Improve communication tools and processes

Reflections

While an exact 30-60-90-day plan is almost never possible for an engineering manager, it’s important to begin a new job with goals. You might not check off everything on your plan, and you might complete some items earlier than expected. But the plan will be a useful tool for developing a strategy and aligning with your manager. Good luck!

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