Drive more traffic to your website and hotline by offering a Personal Action Plan, a convenient online tool that connects business owners and prospective entrepreneurs to network resources.

See Powerpoint Presentation or watch video from SourceLink Affiliate Quarterly Conversation, Sept. 25, 2019

A Personal Action Plan is a customized checklist of next steps and people to meet to move a business forward. The plan is free of charge and emailed within 24 hours from the request. 
  1. An introduction to your organization’s network navigator and/or staff members and establishes a personal connection for continued follow-up and communication
  2. Customized referrals to three or four organizations based on geography and by type of assistance requested.

Plus, by adding a Personal Action Plan web form to your website, new client data will automatically be sent to your SourceLink database as a Pending Task! 


How to get started:


SAMPLE WEB FORM





  • Create a dedicated web page and embed web form. 

Sample Personal Action Plan web pages:


  • Develop an email template for responding to requests for a Personal Action Plan (see samples below).
      a. Include recommendations and links to your website for next steps, i.e. evaluating your business idea or how to writing a business plan.

      b. Refer client to three to four resources in your network include a description of the organization with a contact name, email, phone number and web address. (Use the Resource Navigator for your search)

      c. Include information about receiving a follow-up survey to check in on progress.

Additional ways SourceLink can help: 

  • Capture client interactions and referrals while sending emails.
      a. Use Email to Interaction feature to send email to record interaction in your SourceLink CRM.
  • Use Surveys to capture additional information like overall satisfaction and referral ratings
      a. Start by using the provided 1-Month Satisfaction Survey and Survey Invitation template to send surveys to new clients at the end of the month.
  • Use reports to track increases in hotline calls, emails and number of searches:
      a. Google Analytics to track website traffic

      b. BA408 Annual Report Toolkit on SourceLink® to track number of entrepreneurs seeking assistance thorough Hotline and/or Email, number of searches through The Resource Navigator®,  types of assistance requested and counseling hours provided and level of  satisfaction with your services

      c. SU470 Resource Partner Search Hit Analysis shows the number of times each resource partner was displayed to a user as a result of a search within a specified date range.

      d. EX623 Extraction of Referral Information produces a spreadsheet listing all incoming and outgoing referrals.


Sample Email Templates

Sample from KCSourceLink:

Hello {{Client Name}},

Thank you for reaching out to KCSourceLink. I hope you find the below resources helpful as you move forward to start your business. 

Ideas are everywhere. How do you know if your idea is a good business opportunity? If people are willing to buy it. Before you bet the ranch on your idea, take the time to research who will buy your product or service and what competition you will face.  A great place to start your research is with Square One Small Business Services by Mid-continent Public Library. Square One has a number of databases that you can tap to help you figure out who your target market would be and who your competition is.  I encourage you to make an appointment with them to learn how to use the databases they have on hand and which databases will work best for you.

Square One
15616 E Hwy 24
Independence, MO 64050
(816) 521-7215

The information you are able to pull from your research will go in to helping you write a solid business plan.  A business plan serves as a blueprint to guide your business’ policies and strategies.  A well written business plan will help you understand the financial impacts and implications as well as marketing for your business. Here are some templates and outlines that can be used to achieve that: 

It is always wise to seek out those individuals and organizations who have gone down your path before you that can speak with you and help you focus your thoughts to help you determine if your business concept is strong.  A mentor will also be happy to review your business plan once you have it written.   
One organization that can provide you with 1-on-1 mentoring is SCORE.  The Kansas City SCORE volunteers are real-world professionals with time-tested knowledge who donate thousands of hours to help small businesses succeed.  I strongly recommend you go to the SCORE website and sign up to find a mentor.  When you are filling out the online request for a meeting, make sure to be as detailed as you possibly can so they can pair you up with a mentor that will have had similar experiences to share with you.  

SCORE
4747 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64110
(816) 235-6675

There are many organizations that provide classes or seminars at little to no cost that can help you in your business journey. 

Class options:
  •  If this event does not work for you, I encourage you to take a look at the KCSourceLink events calendar page on our website.  Here you will find the most extensive business calendar in KC full of events to help the small business owner. 
Once you have accomplished these steps, give us a call.  We will be happy provide you with what you need to do next to accomplish your small business goals. 

We will touch base next month to see how things are going. If you have questions in the meantime, let us know – we are happy to help.

Good Luck! 

{{Navigator Name}}
 


Sample from MOSourceLink:
Dear {{Client Name}},

Starting a business can be a daunting task. That’s why MOSourceLink is here to help you every step of the journey - aspiring or established, rural or urban, lifestyle businesses or innovation-led startup. MOSourceLink connects you to the resources you need to start and grow businesses in the state of Missouri, for free.

Here is your step-by-step plan to start a business in La Monte.

1.       Evaluate your business idea and develop a strategic plan.

Ideas are everywhere. Successful entrepreneurs know that not every idea is a good business opportunity. A strategic business plan is key for a profitable business and will help you identify your roadmap for exactly how you want to start, run and grow your business. Before you bet the ranch on your idea, take the time to research who will buy your product or service and what competition you will face. Below are some online resources to get you started.

To help with this step of the process, check out to the Trails Regional Library. The library has access to resource materials and online databases used by business owners to access information such as; what are typical revenues for this type of business, who should I target for customers, how do I reach them, where should I spend my marketing dollars, how much money does it take to start this type of business in La Monte? Talk to Laura Parent at the Trails Regional Library – Knob Noster Branchvia phone (660) 563-2997 or just stop by.

2.       Build your business skills by attending a workshop.

There are tons of classes available to help you succeed as a business owner, ranging from a full “how to start a business” class to a basic “writing a business plan” workshop. The Small Business & Technology Development Center – State Fair Community College hosts a great program called LaunchU that would be helpful for you. If this class does not work for your schedule, take a look at the wide variety of others available on the MOSourceLink calendar. 

3.       Meet with a business counselor.

Once you get the basics down, reach out for one-on-one help. The Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) provides free counseling to help with the analysis, training and guidance in marketing, finance, management and technology development. Kelly Asbury is located in Sedalia at the Small Business & Technology Development Center – State Fair Community College. Contact Kelly Asbury by phone (660) 596-7350 or by email kasbury1@sfccmo.edu.

4.       Make your business legal.

Decide what kind of business entity (legal structure) is best for you. For a description of the pros and cons of legal structures, go to forms of business organization. You can also look at forms of business comparison chart. The UMKC School of Law has a helpful video on Initial Legal Considerations of Starting a New Business. Then, register with the MO Secretary of State:

All filings can be done online. For questions, reach out to the Missouri Secretary of State, Jefferson City by calling (866) 223-6535.

Then, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Employers with employees, business partnerships and corporations must obtain an EIN. We recommend ALL businesses get an EIN – it is free and helps reduce identify theft.

Next, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue to complete tax forms based on your business activity including products sold and used in your business. You can register online with the Missouri Department of Revenue as well as the Department of Labor (if you will have employees). If you have questions, there is a tax assistance center in Kansas City as well as Jefferson City (they don’t take appointments but are open 8 – 4). If you still have questions and can’t make it to either of these locations, give MOSourceLink another call at (866) 870-6500.

You will also need to contact the Pettis County Clerk’s office to see if you need any specific licenses and permits. Nick La Strada is the current County Clerk and can be reached by calling (660) 826-5000 ex: 4.

We will reach out next month to see how you are progressing and check in to see if you need additional resources. Feel free to reach out between now and then – we’re happy to help!  

Yours in entrepreneurship,

{{Navigator Name}}  

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View this Personal Action Plan: https://www.kcsourcelink.com/myplan



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View this Personal Action Plan: https://www.colmena66.com/es/miplan