Often my clients tell me they simply cannot get started on their business plan. Their minds go blank at the site of a new piece of paper. When you need to write or update your business plan a good technique to try is brainstorming. When you brainstorm, you record as many of your thoughts as possible without taking time to evaluate or judge each individual idea. Often the ideas are extremely creative, unusual, or even bizarre. And yes often a realistic solution or idea will emerge.
Everyone talks about brainstorming and how simple it is. In my experience though, very few people understand the environment in which to do it or the techniques of how to brainstorm.
So here’s the method and technique I’ve used over the years and I coach my clients in. You do need to follow some simple rules to make sure you get the best results.
Brainstorming is not difficult to do – it can be done in groups or by yourself. The approach I’m sharing here is brainstorming by yourself.
The Environment, Tools and the Clock
- Find a location conducive to you and your brain. It should a place free of distractions where you can focus and think. Eliminate EVERY possible interruption – YES that means mobile phones. If you need music and that’s on your mobile phone switch the phone side OFF. If you can’t then borrow a music player from somewhere else.
- Allow for a quiet environment. Sometimes music will help put you in a certain mood. Change the lighting in the room if that is helpful to you. Do whatever you can with your environment to allow you to feel relaxed and open to ideas.
- Get your tools together. You will need
- 1 Brain
- 13 3 x 5 Sticky Notes
- 1 Pencil
- 1 Clock
- Record your thoughts and ideas in any way that make sense to you. You may choose to make a list of ideas, or to draw pictures or symbols with your coloured pens. Connect ideas with coloured lines. Draw boxes around major themes. Anything goes as long as it makes sense to you.
- Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or style.
- You must follow the exact time limits.
- Speed is your friend. Work quickly to avoid the impulse to censor your ideas.
Okay let’s go!
The Storm
Time Limit: 45 minutes. Set your clock
On the first 10 post-it notes, write the following items!
- Sticky #1: Why are you doing this?
- Sticky #2: What are the top 3 market factors affecting your business? (economic conditions, new technology, location etc.)
- Sticky #3. Who are your top 3 competitors?
- Sticky #4: How are you going to beat them?
- Sticky #5: Why would anybody buy this?
- Sticky #6: Why would they buy it from you?
- Sticky #7: How are you going to sell it?
- Sticky #8: How are you going to get the word out?
- Sticky #9: What will success look like in a year?
- Sticky #10: What are your 3 goals for the next six months? (ONLY THREE)
When the clock reaches 45mins STOP! Don’t write a single ink drop more.
Take a 5 min break. Stand up. Walk around. Get a drink.
Try not to think about what just happened because you want a fresh perspective. Don’t think about budgets and allocations – that comes later. If you set the budget first, or analyse anything you will have already forced yourself into boxes and restrained your focus and thinking.
After your break look at each sticky note. Do they make sense individually AND collectively?
The Plan
Time Limit: 10 minutes. Set your clock.
Supplies Needed:
- 1 Same Brain
- 3 3 x 5 sticky notes
- 1 Pencil
- 1 Clock
Now on your last 3 post-it notes:-
- Sticky #11: List 3 (only 3) actions you will complete in 30 days towards your goals
- Sticky #12: List 3 actions you will complete in 60 days towards your goals
- Sticky #13. List 3 actions you will complete in 90 days towards your goals
If you have business partners or employees put one name on each of the actions.
Time is UP ! Pencils Down!
Do the action steps make sense?
Do the 13 post-it notes excite you? Can you do it? Will you do it?
Yes – great you’re done. Go Out and Conquer!
No ? – Walk away for at least two hours. Then get 13 new post-it notes and repeat the whole process.
If you are still stuck, you might try brainstorming with a trusted advisor or a business-coach. They are not emotionally tied to your business and therefore will have a different perspective to you and they will provide ideas that you cannot immediately see but you can build on.
Once you discover how easy and beneficial brainstorming is you will be on your way to new and creative ideas! You won’t be able to hold yourself back!