What If All Small Companies Did Strategic Planning

Writen by Lance Winslow

What if all businesses even small companies did better strategic planning? What if they had better tax advice? What if the tax laws were simplified enough that they could figure them out without paying an accountant or an attorney? What if they could save the money and do it themselves and use that capital to better serving the clientele, new customers and expanding to meet more demand? What if City Hall, code enforcement and all the array of inspectors were simplified on one form with one inspector? What if the small business person knew what they were getting into before they were hammered with incessant rules and regulation and stuff they never heard of, things which end up costing them thousands and thousands of dollars? What if all businesses even the small ones had business plans of all aspects of their future business before it started? What if small businesses could see into the future and know of law changes, which could threaten their very livelihood? What if small businesses knew in advance what type of lawsuits might be filed against them by the parasite scoundrels of the law; lawyers? What if all small companies did strategic planning? Do you know where you are going and how you will get there? Think on this.

Lance Winslow

How To Get More Business During The Winter Months

Writen by John Satterfield

Business seems to drop, slow or even stop during the winter months. As tourist traffic slows or stops during the winter months so does the incomes of many local business owners. The first step in overcoming this problem begins in your brain (don't they all?)

To begin with, don't see these slow months as a dead time. See them for what they are , a time to build customer relationships and prepare for the busy season to come. There are a few things that you might try to cushion the slow season. Below you'll find a list of strategies that just might work for your business.

1. Hold a class or Informational seminar-- Invite all your customers to come in for an educational session. Make sure that you have some nice deals for them on related items so that they can spend some money with you. It may well be worth considering doing the class for free. (gasp!) Some of the types of things that come to mind are Fishing, crafts, investments, flower arranging, interior decorating, travel tips, Information about certain surgerys, back pain relief, parenting, writing workshops and on and on……

2. Work up package deals that will be available during the "on" season but sell them now=get money now. Remember that money now is always worth more than money later! Here's a great idea for a resort. Pay us $250 now and we'll give you a two night stay and a boat rental (with 4 hours guided) and a picnic lunch. Just make your reservation any time in the year 2004. I've seen this exact package sell over 20%! If you offered this to 1000 prospects and sold 200 You would gross $50,000! Could $50,000 now tide you over for a few weeks?

3. Tune up your advertising. Start using benefits and offers to get up to 500% more return on investment from your advertising. I'll show you how for free if you call me. 870 213-7032

4. Learn to use word of mouth to up your sales. Call me.

5. Send press releases

6. Run a contest

7. Distribute Coupons

8. Use give aways to generate traffic and be prepared to sell. (give aways could consist of informational materials)

9. Pre-promote an "On" season special or event (ok this one is not going to get you winter dollars but it will be a productive use of your time

10. Don't forget the locals! Find something they'd like to invest in. This is the Thursday before Valentine's Day and I have not seen any resorts or hotels doing the "Romantic Getaway" deal

There are dozens of tips and strategies that will increase your winter dollars. You just have to implement some of them to profit. OH! Want to know an awesome secret? You can do the above all year long! Cool. Very cool.

Any Questions?

John M. Satterfield
870-213-7032
www.hypnosisucanuse.com
Marketing Coordinator Long Term Care White River Health System and Small Business Consultant

About The Author

John M. Satterfield C.Ht is a certified hypnotherapist and a corporate marketing director. He lives in Mountain View Arkansas wife is Mary Gale, Cocker Spaniel is Sir Lancelot

Hypnosispower@yahoo.com

How To Prepare A Business Plan

Writen by Bill Darken

Firstly, let's define a small business plan. A small business plan is a summary of how a business owner, manager, or entrepreneur intends to organize an entrepreneurial endeavor and implement activities necessary and sufficient for the business to succeed. It is a written explanation of its business model.

Business plans are used internally by management and are also used to convince outsiders such as banks or venture capitalists to invest money into a small business.

Business plans often quickly become out of date. One common belief within business circles is that the actual plan may have little value, but what is more important is the process of planning, through which the manager gains a greater understanding of the business and of the options available.

Here's An Example Of A Business Plan

Most business plans can be seen as a collection of 'sub plans' including a marketing plan, financial plan, production plan, and human resource plan.

The business plan has many forms. There is a format that is typical:

* Executive summary

- explains the basic business model

- gives rationale for the strategy

* Background

- gives short history of company (unless it is a new company)

- provides background details such as:

age of company

number of employees

annual sales figures

location of facilities

form of ownership including

- sole proprietor

- partnership

- entrepreneurial startup

- private corporate startup

- publicly traded corporation

- limited liability company

- public utility

- Non Profit Organization

- background of key personnel including

owners

senior managers

head scientists and researchers

* Marketing & Sales

- the macro environment

- the competitive environment

- the industry

- the customers priorities

- product strategy

- pricing strategy

- promotion strategy

- distribution strategy

* Production and Manufacturing/Operations

- describe all processes

- production facility requirements - size, layout, capacity, location

- inventory requirements - raw materials inventory, finished goods inventory, warehouse space requirements

- equipment requirements

- supply chain requirements

- fixed cost allocation

* Finance

- source of funds

- existing loans and liabilities

- projected sales and costs

- break even analysis

- expected return

- monthly pro-forma cash flow statement

* Human Resources

- assign responsibilities

- training required

- skills required

- union issues

- compensation

- skills availability

- new hiring

Other specialized sections such as product research and development, legal strategies, marketing research, or inter-company collaborations, are added to deal with unique features or characteristics of the business or its markets.

This article has been supplied courtesy of Bill Darken. Bill often writes and works closely with Small Business Answers who can help with more information on small business plans. If the link is not active, you can paste this one into your browser - small-business-answers.com/ This site is dedicated to supplying the latest news and articles on small business to assist people progressing and to help with information and news. You can also look for small business loans information at small business finance. If this previous link is not working you can paste this link into your browser, loans-only.com/

What Is Your Value Proposition

Writen by Peter Wright

Value proposition is what an organization does, that will cause their clients to realize tangible benefits through the use of their product or service. Value proposition is more than just the service you provide; or how you sell, service, or distribute it. It's how you string all those components together, to best serve your clients and deliver them real value. Value proposition can be both a description of how your organization adds value today, and also a concrete statement of your vision for the future.

Without a clearly articulated, well understood, statement of value proposition, it's impossible for you to describe a compelling vision and strategy for your company, or create effective segmentation, or distribution strategies. And, if you can't tell your employees how your company adds value for clients, how can employees be expected to add value in everything they do?

Understanding value proposition is not just an exercise for profit oriented companies. Many health care organizations for example have the burden of regulation, and complex value chains that are more difficult to describe. It's here that many organizations struggle, because managers often perceive that anything they are doing now, falls squarely within their value proposition.

Value proposition is much more than an elevator pitch or a slogan, but it is important that you can boil your value proposition down to a concise and compelling statement. It's often when companies try to articulate their statement of value proposition in a way that others can understand it, that the tough questions begin to surface. www.planningbootcamp.com

During years of developing business plans with North America's largest companies, Peter Wright has created many tools, models, and practices that are highly applicable to strategic planning and business planning that professionals can offer clients, and employers. Peter used his experience to develop The Business Planning Boot Camp series.