How To Wreck Your Business
Your Customer & Sales Planner
This is where we get serious about turnover, not just asking WHAT it is, but where it comes from. This Customer and Sales Calculator is going to challenge you on every element of the marketing and sales process.
It starts with "Marketing Reach" which leads on to "Initial Enquiries" which in turn leads to "Qualified Leads" which finally means quote and proposals are issued. What's your target for these areas?
Then we're going to look at conversion to "Customers Won" and the "Average Sale Value" which then provides you with your target turnover. Finally, your predicted margin shows the "Profit TARGET".
You'll do that for each month... for the full YEAR. You'll also be able to add some extra areas or divisions for your business and calculate them in the same way.
We're moving from GUESING to KNOWING.
How To Use The Customer and Sales Calculator
The Customer and Sales Calculator works backwards from the results you want to achieve and shows you the marketing and sales activity needed to get there.
Start by selecting your starting month, then work through each month of your 12-month forecast.
For each month:
Marketing Reach
Enter the estimated number of people your marketing will reach and how much you expect to spend. Reach means everyone exposed to your marketing, whether that comes from social media, email, direct mail, advertising, networking or any other activity.
Initial Enquiries
Estimate what percentage of your marketing reach will generate an initial enquiry. These are the early conversations, including the simple "do you do...?" enquiries that show whether your marketing is getting attention.
Qualified Leads
Estimate what percentage of those enquiries will become genuine qualified leads. These are prospects who are
ready, willing and able to buy.
Proposals and Quotes
Estimate what percentage of qualified leads will progress to a quotation, proposal or defined next step.
Sales Won
Enter the percentage of proposals you expect to convert into actual customers or sales.
Turnover and Profit
Add your average order value and projected profit margin. The calculator will then show the turnover and projected profit those sales should generate.
As you enter your figures, the calculator automatically works out your cost per enquiry, cost per qualified lead, cost per proposal and customer acquisition cost.
More Than One Part Of The Business?
If your business has different products, services, departments or divisions, you can create up to four separate forecasts and calculate each independently.
The calculator will then combine them to show the projected performance of the whole business.
The Important Bit
This is not simply about creating a forecast.
Once the year starts, compare what actually happens against what you predicted.
If the reach is there but the enquiries are not, investigate the marketing. If enquiries are coming in but they are not becoming qualified leads, investigate the audience and message. If qualified leads are requesting proposals but not buying, investigate the proposition, pricing, sales process and follow-up.
Knowing where the numbers break down tells you where to look for the problem.
Complete all 12 months, review your annual totals and save the finished calculator as a PDF to create your Customer and Sales Forecast for the year ahead.
Customer and Sales Calculator
Combined Business Totals
Totals shown below combine every visible division across the full 12-month forecast.
Forecast Notes and Assumptions
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Testimonials And Nice Things About My Book
I have been running my own business for over 10years now and I took away numerous nuggets that I will be implementing in my business.
Cost me £9.99 and 1 week of reading but I believe will add value of tens of thousands of pounds....actually scrap that..... some of the things in this book may just save MY business one day!
I cannot explain how refreshing I found this book. Often business books talk all about what you HAVE to do for a successful business - well this book flips that on its head. The author is so honest about ALL the mistakes made in his business that you cannot help but sit up and take notice. Lot's of humour and examples thrown in for good measure makes this a really readable book. Totally recommend to anyone on a business journey.
A business book that makes you smile and laugh out loud. Sound business advice delivered with honesty, humility and humour.
Stuart is refreshingly honest about the mistakes he made first time round and I think they are mistakes that any of us could/would make/are making. With this book Stuart gives us the opportunity to be "wiser" and learn from his experiences.
