Business Planning

Many of my clients are two types: those who are in startup phase working towards establishing a solid base to launch from, and those who are established and looking to reach the next level. My startup clients seek to establish a business plan, and my established clients are looking to revise their current business plan in order to align their goals with their business logistics. Business plans apply to all fields, this includes businesses in the industrial, office, and home-based businesses; whether small or large.

Simply WOW Agency uses the illustration of building a home. Before you build a home, the first step is the dreaming phase. Once you dream about your ideal home, the next step is to hire an architect to design it. From there you take the blueprints and hire a contractor to move ahead and build the home.

The same principle applies to your business. You have a dream; a vision of where you want to go. You hire an expert to build the plan. From there you may implement the action steps yourself or hire a team to take you quicker on where you want to go.

A business plan is defined by Entreprenuer.com as a written description of your business’s future, and that is all there is to it — a document that describes what you plan to do and how you plan to do it. A business plan is also one of the most essential and fundamental parts of establishing a business. If done correctly, a business plan will ensure starting off on the right path. Benjamin Franklin once quoted that, “…by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

These are great quotes because if you dove into building a home without any plans or not knowing how to do so, how do you think your house would look? The same goes for developing a business plan. It is vital and often times overlooked.

I like to see my clients excel and succeed, so let’s plan it out. If you haven’t yet developed a solid business plan, or don’t know where to start, read our top 3 secrets to establishing a good business plan.

Planning Secrets:

Dream phase

To take the first steps to establish your business plan, you will need the basics: an idea you are passionate about, and an end goal. Grab a pen and paper, and sketch out all your thoughts and ideas without worrying about how neat your handwriting is. It is important to write your goals out in pen rather than to type simply because the ideas you write down will leave more of a lasting impression on your mind. After you have everything down you can think of in relation to your business plan, take a moment to celebrate. Simply WOW Agency is big on celebrating small and big steps.

Maybe you are already in business? This is a good time to re-engage your original or new dreams for your business.

Edit Your Work

After you have initially written down your thoughts and ideas with pen and paper, and taken a moment to reward yourself (this step is important), pick up your business plan and start to edit. You will be surprised of how much more you will add, edit out, or perhaps change strategy on. The editing and revising can take place on a regular basis. It’s always good to review your plan to see that it still meets your wants and desires.

Revise with Established and Experienced Counsel

Although it may be convenient to have your best friend review your business plan, it may be well advised to have a professional expert with business experience and an established plan to help you review your business plan. Reviewing and revising your business plan with a professional will give you a second set of eyes to point out fundamental steps you may have missed, or details you may need in order to have your current business plan to perform more effectively, and with more efficiency. You will bypass a lot of time and error, and avoid foreseeable mistakes if you pair up with a professional. Professionals have expertise and will speed up your process from 0 to 100. Take the leap!

Tied into all the processes of developing a good business plan is to read a book on a person or company who currently does what you are going to do. Read all the details about strategy, steps to success, and milestone goals your ideal person or company has taken to be at the established level you desire to be at. The purpose is not to take concepts or ideas, but to be inspired.

Your new business plan will have two fundamental purposes. The first principal part is to envision what your company will look like. The second essential part is to detail out each step you will take to achieve your envisioned company goals. Some vital pieces for your plan may include detailed goals for your marketing, sales, manufacturing, website design, company logistics, and more.

With the elements of a great business plan, you immensely improve your odds for success in the business realm. Now it is your turn, so grab a pen and paper and start today to plan for success.

Next, connect with Simply WOW Agency to develop the plan so you have a clear vision of where to go next!