Are you about starting a lead generation company? If YES, here is a complete sample lead generation business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE. Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a lead generation business. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample lead generation business marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for lead generation businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.
Why Start a Lead Generation Business Plan?
If you are a marketing expert and you are looking for a marketing and sales related business to start, then one of your options is to start a lead generation business. The fact that everyone in business has a product or service to sell makes this line of business a viable and profitable business venture.
A business lead typically is the contact information and of course the demographic information of a customer who is likely going to be interested in a specific product or service.
If you are certain that starting a lead generation business is what you want to do after you must have conducted your market research and feasibility studies, then the next step to follow is to write a good business plan; a detailed blue print of how you intend raising your seed capital, setting up the business, managing the flow of the business, sorting out tax and marketing the business.
The truth is that it is one thing to have a fantastic idea cum business plan, but another thing for the business plan to translate to profits, that is why it is important to assemble a team of experts to work with if you want to be successful with your lead generation business.
Please find below a sample lead generation business plan template that will help you successfully write yours in record time.
A Sample Lead Generation Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
Lead generation is a marketing term that talks about deploying strategies that will help you identify potential customers that may likely be interested in your goods or services. To better put it, lead generation is the initiation of consumer interest or enquiry into the products or services of a business. Leads can be created for purposes such as list building, e-newsletter list acquisition or for sales leads.
There are quite some number of ways that an organization can generate leads and the method of advertising is one of the major means of generating leads for your products or services.
Lead generation Business model is a business model that helps corporate sales and marketing teams drive more revenue and better understand their market through database building, custom marketing campaigns and B2B appointment setting.
The scientific approach, proven methodologies and market intelligence drives revenue for clients in various industries including healthcare, manufacturing, retail, financial services, life sciences, and high-tech amongst others. Other means of generating leads are via non-paid sources such as organic search engine results and of course via referrals from existing customers.
Once a lead is generated, the ultimate goal of the organization is to convert such leads to clienteles and from clienteles to cash and in order to do this, the organization usually assign the leads to a member of the workforce of the organization, preferably a marketer, sales person or a customer care officer to follow up on them.
Once the staff (marketer, sales person or a customer care officer) reviews and qualifies it to have potential business, the lead is worked upon in order to get them converted to an opportunity for a business. Thereafter, the opportunity is subjected to numerous sales stages before the deal is finally sealed.
It might interest you to note that there are sources where you can generate leads and some of the obvious sources are digitally via the Internet, through personal referrals, through telephone calls either by the company or telemarketers, through advertisements, and events.
A research carried out in 2015 shows that 89 percent of respondents cited email as the most-used channel for generating leads, followed by content marketing, search engine, and finally events. Another research that was conducted in 2014 found that direct traffic, search engines, and web referrals were the three most popular online channels for lead generation, accounting for 93 percent of leads.
Lead generation is a subset of the Digital Marketing Agencies Industry and the industry is very large and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world especially in developed countries.
Statistics has it that in the united states of America alone, there are about 2,508 licensed and registered digital marketing agencies (lead generation companies inclusive) responsible for employing about 59,271 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $14 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at 0.6 percent.
It is important to state that the establishments with a lion share of the available market in this industry are The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. and WPP.
It is one thing to successfully generate leads for your business, but it is a different kettle of fish to be able to convert such leads into customers and ultimately into revenue for your organization. As a matter of fact, lead generation is usually paired with lead management so as to facilitate the movement of leads generated through the purchase funnel. The technical term for this combination of activities is referred to as pipeline marketing.
2. Executive Summary
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is a U.S based marketing and sales consulting firm. We have been able to secure a well – positioned office facility in a central business district in New York City – New York. We are a lead generation company that is set to compete in the highly competitive digital marketing industry not only in the United States market, but also in the global market because our clientele base will not be restricted to just businesses in the United States.
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. will offer robust lead generation cum digital marketing services to both corporate organizations and individuals. We will offer lead generation services such as telemarketing, database mining, content syndication, email and nurture campaigns and other related marketing and sales research, consulting and advisory services. Our business goal is to become one of the leading lead generation companies in the United States of America with high profile clients scattered all around the world.
Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of talented lead generators cum digital marketing experts in and around New York and also from any part of the world as the business grows. We will make sure that we take all our workforce through the required training that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete with leading lead generation cum digital marketing companies in the United States and throughout the globe.
At Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc., our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is founded by Jonathan Hilton – Jones and his friend. Jonathan Hilton – Jones has a degree in marketing and an MBA from Harvard. He has over 13 years experience working for some of the leading players in the Digital Marketing industry in the United States of America.
3. Our Products and Services
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the lead generation business. We want to compete favorably with the leading lead generation cum digital marketing companies in the United States of America and the world which is why we have but in place a competent team that will ensure that we meet and even surpass our customers’ expectations.
We will work hard to ensure that Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. do not just work for clients in the United States of America, but also for clients in other parts of the world. Our services are listed below;
- Lead generation services such as telemarketing, database mining, content syndication, email and nurture campaigns
- Other related marketing and sales research, consulting and advisory services.
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to establish a standard lead generation company whose services and brand will not only be accepted in the United States of America, but also in other parts of the world.
- Our mission is to provide professional lead generation services and other related marketing and sales research, advisory and consulting services that will assist businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations in making targeted, one-on-one contacts with prospects to measure purchase intent and status of decision-makers and converting sales leads. We want to build a lead generation company that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the industry.
Our Business Structure
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc., is a lead generation company that intends starting small in New York City, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading lead generation companies in the industry.
We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of world class business we want to own, which is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operation.
At Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc., we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.
As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;
- Chief Executive Officer
- Creative Director
- Lead Generation / Digital Marketing Specialist
- Human Resources and Admin Manager
- Sales and Marketing Executive
- Accountant
- Client Service Executive
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Officer – CEO:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
Creative Director:
- Serve as project manager of the organization; works directly with employees
- Responsible for designing concepts and winning business proposals for the organization
- In charge of copy writing and laying out chronological advertisement plans
- Accomplishes subsidiary objectives by establishing plans, budgets, and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress; making mid-course corrections.
- Coordinates efforts by establishing procurement, production, marketing, field, and technical services policies and practices; coordinating actions with corporate staff.
- Builds company image by collaborating with customers, government, community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices.
- Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
- Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops
- Makes certain that operations and marketing department perform efficiently
- Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices.
Lead Generator cum Digital Marketing Specialist
- Responsible for handling core lead generation services such as telemarketing, database mining, content syndication, email and nurture campaigns
- Handle other related marketing and sales research, consulting and advisory services.
Human Resources and Admin Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carrying out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Oversee the smooth running of the daily office.
Sales and Marketing Manager
- Manage external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
- Model demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customers
- Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
- Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
- Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
- Create new markets cum businesses for the organization
- Empower and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets
Accountant/Cashier:
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting report
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc.
- Serves as internal auditor for Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc..
Client Service Executive
- Welcomes clients by greeting them in person, online or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
- Manages administrative duties assigned by the creative director in an effective and timely manner
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries.
6. SWOT Analysis
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured lead generation business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive digital marketing industry in the United States.
Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc.;
- Strength:
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is coming into the industry with robust workforce that has proven themselves over and over in the industry. In essence, our carefully selected team is our business’ strength coupled with the choice location where we will be operating from.
- Weakness:
As a new lead generation company in New York City – New York, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated and highly competitive lead generation cum digital marketing industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.
Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to pump into promoting our business especially via main stream media (TV, Radio and Newspapers et al) the way we would want to.
- Opportunities:
No doubt, the opportunities available to lead generation companies is massive considering the number of individuals and corporate organizations who are leveraging on the leading generation business model to reach out to their target market. As a standard and world class lead generation company, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.
- Threat:
The business model that we are running will definitely expose our business to threats and some of the threats will likely come from hackers cum cybercrime syndicates who might want to hack into our server.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
One of the major sources of lead generation is via social media platforms. The truth is that with growth of social networking websites, social media is used by organizations and individuals to generate leads or gain business opportunities.
As a matter of fact, several companies now make it mandatory to have active presence on social networks. Some of the social media platforms that you are likely going to find corporate organizations and businesses are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Lead generation business model is a model that has several means of attracting prospects. The most reliable and expensive tactics involve making targeted, one-on-one contacts with prospects to measure purchase intent and status of decision-makers.
In as much as digital marketing is dependent on technology which is ever-evolving and fast-changing, the same features should be expected from digital marketing developments and strategies. This portion is an attempt to qualify or segregate the notable highlights existing and being used as of press time.
Another important factor worthy of mentioning in this industry is that the target market keeps expanding, people and organizations are now seeing the need for them to engage the services of professional lead generation companies.
Another common trend in the lead generation cum digital marketing industry is that, most lead generation and digital marketing firms no longer settle for clients within the location where their physical office is located but also from any part of the world.
With the advent of the internet, it is now easier for a lead generation company to work for clients in any part of the world. A lead generation company can be located in the United States of America and have their biggest client in United Arab Emirates or in China, many thanks to the power of the internet which has brought the world closer to us.
Lastly, the lead generation business model will continue to evolve due to the advancement of computer technology and software application designs et al.
8. Our Target Market
Before starting our lead generation company, we were certain that there is a wide range of clients who cannot successfully run their businesses without the services and support of a standard lead generation company. In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations, non – profits, government agencies and individuals who we know can’t afford to do without our services.
We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that we meet and surpass the expectations of our clients. Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically market our services to;
- Banks, Insurance Companies and other related Financial Institutions
- Blue Chips Companies
- Corporate Organizations
- Manufacturers and Distributors
- Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
- Research and Development Companies
- The Government (Public Sector)
- Schools (High Schools, Colleges and Universities)
- Hotels
- Sport Organizations
- Television Stations
- Printing Press (Publishing Houses) and Authors
- Entrepreneurs and Startups
Our competitive advantage
Surviving in the business world as a lead generation company requires more than your expertise, knowing how to conduct your business but also how to network with key people that matters; decision makers that can decide who will get a contract or a business deal.
We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the lead generation cum digital marketing industry means that you are not only expected to deliver consistent and excellent services, but you must be result driven and able to meet set targets. No one would want to retain your services if don’t always meet up with the target sales the organization intends to generate when they hired you.
Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of creative, result driven and highly proficient lead generators cum digital marketing experts, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the industry. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected lead generator cum digital marketing experts, our services will be measurable, result driven and guided by best practices in the industry.
Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the digital marketing agencies industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to meet and surpass the expectations of all our clients.
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. will generate income by offering the following services;
- Lead generation services such as telemarketing, database mining, content syndication, email and nurture campaigns
- Other related marketing and sales research, consulting and advisory services.
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organizations, small and medium scale businesses and individuals who would need the services of lead generation companies to help them increase sales or promote their brands.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in the industry and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income from the first six months of operation. We have been able to examine the lead generation cum digital marketing space, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.
Below are the sales projection for Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc., it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of our services and target market;
- First Fiscal Year: $200,000
- Second Fiscal Year: $500,000
- Third Fiscal Year: $750,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering the same services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
We have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing. Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the lead generation industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets.
Our corporate goal is to grow Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. to become one of the leading lead generation brands in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the United States of America but also in other parts of the world.
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our lead generation company by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to individuals, corporate organizations, small and medium scale businesses, government agencies, non – profits, religious organizations and other key stake holders.
- Promptness in bidding for lead generation contracts from cooperate organizations
- Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver excellent design and services
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our in – house brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and individual clients in the whole of the United States and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our company.
Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc.;
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community – based events / programs
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + and LinkedIn et al to promote our services
- Install our Bill Boards in strategic locations all around New York City – New York.
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
- List our lead generation company in local directories / yellow pages
- Advertise our lead generation company in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
- Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company logo et al.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
At Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. we will keep the prices of our services a little below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals.
We are aware that there are some one – off jobs or contracts which are always lucrative, we will ensure that we abide by the pricing model that is expected from contractors or organizations that bid for such contracts.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.
Here are the payment options that Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for the purchase of our services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
This is what it would cost us to setup Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. in the United of America;
- Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
- The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
- Acquiring an office space that will accommodate the number of employees for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $150,000.
- Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, servers / internet facility, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $30,000
- The amount required to purchase the needed software applications – $3,500
- Launching an official Website will cost – $500
- The amount needed to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
- Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
- Miscellaneous – $5000
Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a medium scale but standard lead generation company in the United States of America.
Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc.
Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is owned, financed and managed by Jonathan Hilton – Jones and his immediate family members. They decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources. These are the areas we intend generating our startup capital;
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
- Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
- Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).
N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $85,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $150,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.
One of our major goals of starting Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.
We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while. Jonathan Hilton – Jones® Lead Generators, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of.
Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check: Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Securing a standard office facility in a good location: Completed
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of Logo for the business: Completed
- Secure trademark for our products: In Progress
- Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress