“It doesn’t take many years of experience to come up with a business plan.” – the biggest truth about business plans for lead generation.
We’ve all heard it, tall tales from TEDx speakers and business “gurus” who covet experience as if it is the only key to creating a business plan worth implementing.
The reality, however, is different – and it is all open to all to see. Look at young entrepreneurs – they have acquired success before entering their mid-20s. How much industry experience do you think they carry? Do they come prepared with marketing techniques just as they enter this world?
The reason I am taking this hyperbolic route is to make you realize that creating a successful business plan only requires two things:
- Planning
- Discipline
Now before you roll your eyes and bumble to yourself that you’ve heard all of this before, wait a while. What I am about to tell you will not only help you create a business plan from scratch, it will help you formulate a plan that can help you generate quality leads.
Don’t just put everything on the final business plan
Developing a business plan is an iterative process. Just like a writer doesn’t submit the first draft, your plans must be filtered first. Don’t just put everything in the final document.
Put it all in a rough draft first. Use short-hand to be as concise as possible. The goal here is to put an idea on a paper first. If you straight up put those plans on the final document, you’ll get lost in the formalities of the format of the plan, and your ideas will get side-tracked.
Let your ideas out first; the final presentation comes afterwards.
Don’t get too attached to your initial idea
Many are too attached to the ideas they’ve formulated. That infatuation is sometimes so intense that they try to make room for it in the final draft of the business plan – regardless of whether it fits or not.
Don’t be one of them. We’re talking about business plans worth generating leads here, and there is no room for residual ideas that can’t fit the final draft.
The more detached you are, the clearer you’ll be able to see.
Be prepared to make changes to your initial plan
Always make room to allow some changes to your initial business plan. Some of your ideas might not pan out in real-world use cases, and you must accept that. Furthermore, keeping your business plan flexible will help you deal with any unfortunate events that can cause your business to fail.
Be acceptable to change, rearrange and then re-re-arrange your ideas.
Update the old ideas, and add new ones
Put together those ideas that are working for you right now, and separate those still in the experimental stage. Remember, you must update your business plan with your client’s demands. Creating a business plan can sometimes take months and even years (sorry, it is not a one-day process). During that time, the market can alter drastically.
But how can you segregate such ideas together? Do a test run. Implement the strategies you have accumulated on social media or via the website. Take your customer’s reactions into account to determine which ones are working right now and which one can grow with time.
Doing a test run can be difficult. Because when your business is just a plan inside a file, it can’t fully get involved to get tested. Therefore, once you’ve put together the business ideas that are working, lay down the foundation of your business.
We’re not telling you to rush, but lay the groundwork for some experiment.
Renew the old, add the new, and never let your ideas grow cold.
Popular your business plan with buyer personas
Your business is not to cater to everyone but to those interested in your offerings – they will be your leads. Populate your business plan with several buyer personas. Laying down the demographics of people you want to turn into leads and customers will help you give your business the right direction.
Consult with business professionals about buyer persona creation services. They will scour the internet and find those who might be interested in your offerings when your business finally takes off.
To start a business, first, define who to serve.
Get help when you need it
Many entrepreneurs let their ideas rest inside their minds. Since they’re not even on a document, these ideas get lost in the ether. The reason: these entrepreneurs are doubtful about the applicability of those ideas.
Getting help will not only help you filter those ideas but will also help you make them work towards lead generation. Getting consultants involved will allow you to assess the applicability of your ideas in the real world – allowing you to put those ideas to work to generate leads for your business.
Ideas need realization to become valid, and if that realization comes at the cost of telling someone – so be it.
Conclusion
Creating a business plan is more than putting your ideas on paper; it is also not rocket science that requires years of experience. You have to dissociate yourself from your plans and be receptive to change. Be patient about creating a plan, but don’t wait too long either.
Once you understand all these aspects and can entertain the possibility of bringing others into the fold, you’ll have a business plan that can yield results.