Let Your Survey Write Your Business Plan

Most entrepreneurs first write their business plan and thendevelop their services or products. This causes them togenerate and fulfill a marketing plan that requires them toswim upstream using the backstroke. To save the stress,consider placing the business plan on hold until firstcompleting a few customer surveys. Okay, some of you aresaying, "Catherine, how can you do a survey before you knowwho your market is?" Yes, this is one challenging doubleedge sword, that is, if you're mindset is set there.

Over the years, I've found that everyone I've worked withgenerally knew what he or she wanted to sell. I don'tbelieve you are any different. This is the perfect place tostart. You have a clean slate to write on. You might be ata place of seeing it in nonspecific terms with measurabledoubts as well. That is okay, doubts will always be there,thus, allow them to be your friend instead of a foe. It'seasy to start with a gender preference -- choosing eitherwomen or men as having a higher purchasing balance for whatyou are selling. If you don't have a majority gender inmind, choose the one you feel most comfortable talking withor asking questions to.

Let's dive in a little deeper, its time to start thinkingabout your surveys and what to ask. Okay, don't fade out onme now. Generally, when people think of surveys, theyvisualize or experience the sensations of long drawn outprocesses that cost more money then they can afford or timethat they don't have the patience for. Boy, do I rememberthose days of thinking.

Let's play together on this concept of taking surveys beforewriting your business plan. At least, allow the oldperceptions to sit outside your door until you've finishedreading this article and learning of a new possiblealternative perspective. The perspective that surveys comefirst and don't need to be time-consuming, money-hungry,must be done by professionals, mongrels.

Take the area you want to focus on, combine with your genderpreference, and begin there. For instance, if your area islife coaching and you feel more comfortable with workingwith women you have a starting point. This doesn't mean youwill never coach men, set those thoughts aside; they willblock your progress and keep you stuck.

From knowing just this basic information, you can now createa few simple surveys in no time at all that don't requireany money. Even if you know more specifics about yourbuyers, you might want to back it up to this point if youare stuck in generating questions. To generate this surveyplan you don't need to know whether your focus is for aproduct or service, or even if its for electronic,telephone, or in-person delivery, at this time.

The first question you want to generate and ask is what yourgender wants to buy next. If asked in narrow terms, theywill answer. If asked too broadly, they will respond with"don't know." If the latter, rewrite the question morespecifically, then ask again. Whenever I start, I sometimeshave to revamp my questions five or six times. Just an FYI,to help you understand that even the experts refine as theygo. Surveying is an evolutionary process.

A second survey question is for people who have purchasedfrom you in the past. What are looking for next? What dothey want to accomplish in the next few months or whateverfuture terms they desire to talk about?

If you don't have any customer history, then substitute.Open the scope to what is the gender buying? What is thecross between what you offer and what they want? What dothey want to do next (short-term) that falls within yourscope?

Continuing with the life coach illustration, what type ofwomen, what age areas, what type of self-development orimprovement topics are they purchasing now? What is theregular step past this? What "new" hot topics in themarketplace that meshes with your area? If you attend aworkshop, conference or seminar, examine the topic, and takenotes on the type of women attending. Record or ask theirage group. Ask a few to complete a survey while they arethere.

Ask one way, then another, and create a list of no more thansix multiple choice, yes or no, questions to ask. Thencontinue to ask with whomever you meet, wherever you go.Talk with the workshop leader or conference marketing peopleand find out who they were targeting and why. If the eventis a match for you, collect copies of all their marketingmaterials for language learning.

Ask friends, family members, or colleagues. Even if theydon't think these groups fit within your current focus.Just remember not to stay off focus when doing so. If youattend a coaching school, ask other coaches that do what youwant to do. What are their clients into, what are theyselling them or what ideas have their clients told them thatthey are looking for?

Your survey method you use is up to you. To ease into it,you will want to ask in the form most comfortable for you atthe time. However, caution, most everyone chooses writtenform first in order to avoid any negative responses. In aB2B survey, negative responses never occur. Everyone knowswhy a survey is important. In B2C (business to consumers)be careful not to cross the line of interrogation or toopersonal. Ask politely, with respect, and share why youwant to know.

The number one rule of getting survey responses -- isKISSing the questions -- "keep them short, simple and asspecific as you can at the time." Special note: Don't usethe contraction and in your sentences. The contraction"and" creates a multiple question, stacks questions, whichconfuses readers and listeners on what you really asking.

As you go through the experience of completing your surveys,new clarity will flower. The gender equation gets morespecific, the age group narrows, and the rest unfold. Oneindustry category might begin to show you where there isgreater revenue generation. Allow the data to drive youtowards the right direction. Don't try to control or driveit yourself. That struggle will cost you dearly.

If you're survey request is in the form of writing, you canoffer something in return for an exchange of their time.Usually saved for longer surveys, you can create a rewardfor short surveys too. It's its too early in your surveyprocess to know what prospects want, offer somethinggeneric. Match the gift with the amount of time it takesthem to complete the survey. If this is the case, offersomething generic. Offer a $5 gift certificate fromAmazon.com. If local, ask you're favorite restaurant if youcan offer a discount coupon that they will honor. There issome fr*ee portion to the amount donated on the restaurant'spart because it increases their clientele list.

It's time to survey. Allow patience, time, and you willwant to schedule this as a regular routine in your business.Next, plan your services and products to meet those needsand then generate your business plan around them.

Catherine Franz, a Professional Marketing & Writing Coach,specializes in product development, Internet writing andmarketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters andarticles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.comblog: http://abundance.blogs.com