People who want to start, run, and/or operate a business are always advised to have a business plan. It’s no different for maximum performing sales people, who know what is needed, and what has to happen for their efforts to result in success.
Great salespeople create successful strategic business models, which are supported by the resources required to succeed. In my many years of experience, I’ve experimented with tactics, built numerous strategies, tested my plans, and evaluated how my execution has contributed to my continuously-changing “Business Plan” skill set.
Let’s walk through some key areas of business model components that have helped me create my plans.
You want to develop a plan that can be built to respond to your target customers and current customers’ interests. To build a smart plan your goals need to be realistic and allow continual positive change to occur. What we need, then, is a smart plan that works for you and your targets.
My plans are structured from seeing the end goal first and working backward to build process drivers that are easy to modify as changes occur. I always try to work in a straight line, even though at any time the unexpected can force me to flex in order to achieve my goal.
While visualizing my desired results, I focus on customer receptivity. We all know each customer is different, has different needs, buying tactics, and priorities. Therefore, during the visualization process in building my plan, I include the following six areas while considering customer receptivity:
- What is important to them, their company, and the goals of their organization?
- What present objectives that can be measurably judged, especially in new business development where there are incumbents, and mature relationships?
- In order to influence, I illustrate other meaningful measurable opportunities not currently available to the target to gain actionable interest?
- Always focus on confidence without arrogance.
- Maintain logic and emotional balance.
- Buyers will be more inclined to acknowledge credibility, and will buy on preparation, and not ego. Customers do not usually like change or have the time to change, and if held accountable would prefer not to be bothered. Don’t let an opportunity go and not ask direct questions: for example, where is the company going, and how are you going to be part of getting there?
The goal is to develop a good plan that is flexible when needed, and one that can be tested and executed with preparation. As a recap, the three primary steps to build such a business model are:
1. Thinking backwards.
You can challenge yourself to do so two different ways: Detail to Concept – Decide what tactics are needed and what has to happen to reach your goal. Concept to Detail – Define the “Big Picture” structure.
My business plans always include my vision, the mission, and what values can be illustrated that will produce actionable interest.
2. Know your industry.
It’s important to have current knowledge of your industry and understand the external environment. Examples of key areas include but are not limited to key trends, industry, market, and economic forces which can be used to create new opportunities.
If my plan includes summarizing or illustrating my company’s competitive advantages, I have to know these things.
3. Last, consider what the business books call Risk Analysis.
While visualizing a plan, undoubtedly you will be thinking about limiting factors, known and unknown obstacles, critical success factors, specific risk factors, and which countermeasures can be throw down when confronted with an obstacle.
If you take all of the information out there related to building a business model, a business, or a strategy, you can boil it down to four primary areas. For me those four areas are:
- Strategy
- Structure
- Process
- Reward
The last of these is undoubtedly the most important.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you and your organization are looking for more from a supplier. I will be happy to exchange ideas and collaborate in way to meet or exceed your needs.
