Your 6 step sales plan

If sales and marketing have been underperforming, here’s how to take a New Year review of your basic processes.

Step 1 – Set your direction

The first step is to take an honest look at where you are now with your business and get clear about what you have and how it is working for you. You need to be clear about what you are selling, what is producing revenue and profit and what your actual current capacity is to deliver your products and services.

So where do you want to be? It is equally important to be able to project into the future and create a vivid picture and description of exactly what you want. Here are some useful questions to help you start that process.

  • What is your longer term vision for your business?
  • What is the purpose of your business?
  • Which revenue streams would you like to grow?
  • What are your specific business goals?

Next, you need to know what the potential demand is for what you are offering.

Step 2 – Understand your marketplace and your competition

To create the plan that is going to have the best chance of working for you, you need to be absolutely clear about what is happening in your marketplace and with your competition. So here are some useful questions to help you to start to focus on what is actually happening – as opposed to what you think might be!

  • What is the size of the market you are in or entering?
  • What are the trends, hot issues and gaps that need filling?

Your competition is also a source of information for you. You can learn from what they are doing and evaluate your own proposition against that which is already being offered and sold successfully.

  • Who is your competition?
  • What are their strengths and weaknesses?
  • What is your competition not offering that the market needs?
  • What benefits do you offer that your competition doesn’t?
  • What can you learn from your competition?

Now you need to identify the ‘right’ potential customers to focus on.

Step 3 – Understanding your customer

This is perhaps the most important step of all. If you can clearly identify the ideal customer to target, in a niche where there is high demand and not much competition then you will be on to a winner!

  • What are your ideal client criteria?
  • Who are the best, most enjoyable and profitable clients to work with?
  • What do your target customers most want?
  • Is there a good strong niche group of people with problems you could focus on?
  • Where can you find these customers?
  • How do your potential customers buy what you are selling?

Now you need to find the main problems and needs your target client has.

Step 4 – Creating your solution

You need to consider exactly how your solution will answer the demands, solve the problems and address the issues that your target customers have.

  • What is the solution you are proposing?
  • What are the key elements of your service?
  • How does this solution solve your clients’ problems?
  • What are the biggest benefits you offer your customers?
  • What is really unique about it?
  • How are you going to package and price it?
  • What can you guarantee?

Next, find and attract those with an interest and need for your services.

Step 5 – Creating a path to your business

Having thought through your solution, the next step is to cleverly design a pathway that will take your potential customers from where they are in terms of not knowing anything about you to taking that step to making their first purchase with you.

You can start with an easy first step such as a low value free offer to kick off a relationship. Your path leads up to the highest value offer at the top level (there may be any number of options in between).

  • What would attract your potential customers to take the first step with you and register their interest?
  • What could be the steps from initial interest to long term customer?
  • What could be the path of step-by-step offerings to your business?
  • Now the final step – how to build your list of potential customers with an interest.

Step 6 – Getting your sales systems in place

Once you have the right list of potential prospects in place you will be in a position to communicate with them and continue to build the relationship you have established.

  • What systems do you need to have in place to list-build?
  • How can you capture and record potential customers’ details?
  • What do you need set up to communicate with your list?

Ready to go

Now you have cut out a clear path for your potential customers to follow – from prospect to regular customer or a key client – you are ready to start attracting them with your marketing messages and materials!

Source: Business Link Southeast : Jackie Jarvis, ‘85 Inspiring Ways to Market Your Business’ (Marketingco)