| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
The 3rd Plan Missing from your Business
If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful ideas of fulfilling your dreams, to be successful and to take charge of your own destiny. I hope you have achieved those or are well on your way. You wouldn't think of starting your business without a business plan and you shouldn't even consider marketing your product or services without a marketing plan. A solid business plan and marketing plan are your roadmaps to help you to know where your going, how to get there and to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. Nobody likes to think about what would happen if those accomplishments were suddenly pulled out from under you, yet unfortunately it does happen. As of this writing, we have seen this directly with the recent rash of hurricanes that have devastated the Caribbean, Cuba, Florida and our Gulf Coast. Thousands of lives have been temporarily or permanently disrupted. Do you have a plan if this should happen to you? Can your home business survive in the event of an emergency? If not, then it's time to start thinking about adding a business continuity plan to your list of things to do. What is a business continuity plan? Very simply, a business continuity plan is a complete set of well-planned and documented procedures that will help your business get back on track in the event of an emergency. If your business is managed from your home, both your residence and your livelihood are at risk due to unexpected loss. Natural disasters are not the only risk factors. As devastating as it is to think someone else was in your home, robberies can happen anywhere. Something as basic as a hard drive crash can cripple your home business indefinitely. I recently spoke with two people in the last month that with this very distrupting experience. When you think of how much time, money & effort you have invested in your home businesses, it only makes sense to make sure it is protected and can survive an emergency. A solid business plan, a strategic marketing and a complete continuity plan are essential elements to your long-term success and peace of mind. About The Author © 2004 Patty Gale - All rights reserved Cornerstones Consulting, LLC Patty Gale is a business continuity and disaster recovery specialist serving the home & small business community. She is co-author of the "Home Office Recovery Plan" and manages her company, Cornerstones Consulting, LLC from her home office near Milwaukee, WI. Visit her site to receive your complimentary info-pak containing sample chapters from the book. http://www.HomeOfficeRecoveryPlan.com
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Maximizing Sales through the Ultimate Tracking Software Every small to mid-sized business owner would love to know how to effectively keep a pulse on their marketing and customer service efforts. The common barrier that all companies run into is how to cost effectively measure and control this process. Paretos Law- Your Formula For Success A 'dirt-world' retail business I used to manage had a large turnover, a very high profit, and less than 100 lines. Early in 2001, I was contracted to manage another business. The Top 5 Signals That Your Business Is Running You Starting your own business is a great undertaking but running the day-to-day aspects of your business is the true challenge you will face as an entrepreneur. Do you find that the business you started to suit your lifestyle somehow taken over your life and home? If this sounds familiar, then your business is running you. Budgets! Budgets! There I've said it. For some the most hated and feared word in business. Performance Management - Getting The Most Out of Your Employees Managing for Best PerformanceIn it's simplest form, performance management is a common sense set of discussions that make sure people are clear about what they need to do, have the support to do it and get open and honest feedback on their performance.Any performance management process should answer 4 important questions for your employees:· Direction: What do I need to do and how well?· Feedback: How am I doing? · Rewards: What happens when I do well? · Support/Development: What happens when I need/want help?Lets look more closely at each of these:DirectionEmployees are not mind readers. Technology & Communication A study a couple of years ago found that 63% of executives were making fewer business trips because of technology.Instead of a plane trip, face-to-face meetings and a plane trip back, they used email, videoconferencing, or online meetings, according to the Accountemps study. What Every Manager Should Know About How to Overcome Boredom Do you find yourself easily becoming bored or tired at work for no apparent reason? If that's the case, then pay close attention. Research has shown that fatigue and a worn-out feeling are often caused by unproductive mental attitudes. The Seven Cs: Partnership Danger Signs - Conflict Becoming the Norm - Part 1 A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.Conflict Becoming the Norm - Part 1Dr. Five Defining Characteristics of Great CEOs 1. Personal insight. Manage Your Time - Save Your Business. If you work from home, chances are you already know that you're really pulling "double duty". You probably work on your business while doing the laundry, corralling the kids, or fixing dinner. How to Make a Difference Every Day Every day, everyone can make the world a better place. It's simple; it's quick and it is free. Look Good on Voice Mail Your use of voice mail tells others a lot about you. Here's how to make a good impression. Learning To Let Go If you have the entrepreneurial spirit (which clearly you have!), you probably have a tendency toward being a control freak. I know the feeling well -- "No one can do it as well as me, so I'll just do it all!" While this may seem to be more efficient than trying to bring someone else in to help out, it's actually more time-consuming in the long run. Appraisal Interviews: What To Say & How To Say It STEPS TOWARDS A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW:Don't say: "You just don't seem to care about doing a good job." "You seem to be more interested in scoring points against Charlie than in working with him. Give Yourself a Boss Day Gift, Part 2: Are You the Position or the Person? Are you the position or the person?Bosses can lose their own identity sometimes. It's easy. How To Own A Business... Instead Of A Job Every business is run by someone who took on a risk with their time and money. So I believe that person should be rewarded. Why Free Agent Thinking Is Good For Your Company It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled with companies who are moving operations to other countries or completely closing their doors. Those who remain must transform themselves to lean, mean, businesses with a constant eye on reducing costs. Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving project is, "How will you know when the problem is solved?" Answer this question in measurable terms before you start trying to solve the problem. Keep The Faith - Transform The Fear FEAR! To what extent does fear rule your life? How is fear controlling or motivating you? Bring up the topic and watch people react. Our lives incorporate so many beliefs about fear- reinforced by what we tell ourselves and what we hear from others. Better Manager Skills - How to Learn When you first take over a department, expectations are usually high but operations are sometimes in disarray. The staff is disorganized, goals aren't being met, and hours are spent on unproductive tasks.
|
| home | site map | contact us |