Strategic Planning Information

Top Ten Reasons To Create A One Page Business Plan

There is a story, about a business owner who wasn't doing very well. She had no business plan, but had heard, quite a bit, how creating one would help.

So she moved 3000 miles from "home" and three months later, came across an all day business plan seminar that had a profound effect on her life and business. It was taught by Jim Horan. Three years later, she taught the class in same exact place. This is a very true "story".

So never start with a blank page. Create your One Page Plan soon to help your business. And once you've created it, it's simple to update!

1. Choose opportunities more wisely and waste less time because I have my plan in place (P 6)

2. A single page can contain all the elements you need to tell your employees, board of directors, potential partners or banker where you are taking your business and how you are going to get there. (P 17)

3. The most important reason to have a business plan is to clarify your thinking, regardless of the size of your company (P 18)

4. It facilitates creating and analytical thinking, problem solving, communication, and teamwork. (P 18)

5. It creates hope and enthusiasm about the future. (P 18)

6. It also brings out procrastination, frustration, differences of opinions and possibly anger. (P 18)

7. Somehow writing initiates the transformation from idea to reality. (P 21)

8. The written word produces a contract with yourself that results in immediate action. (P 21)

9. Writing allows others to participate in your dream and give you feedback (P 21)

10. Because your coach, consultant, business builder strategist, friend, relative tells you that one of the top reasons businesses fail is a lack of planning! That's why!

Quotes 1-9 are from the One Page Business Plan Book, by Jim Horan. http://tinyurl.com/4woy2

© 2005 Elevating Your Business. The One Page Business changed the way I did business and it will help you, too. Learn more and download a sample Vision Statement template at http://www.coachmaria.com/events/onepage.html

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Strategic Planning Information:

Water Conservation and Water Issues for Mobile Car Washers and Auto Detailers

Obviously, there will never be an actual water shortage since two-thirds of our earth's surface is water. The problem is distribution.

Succession Planning: Problems Getting Started

A survey released by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in the spring of 2005 illustrates a widespread problem on the lack of succession planning [deciding who will take over running the firm when the current managers die or retire]. The survey found that 60% of responding certified public accountant (CPA) firms have owners who are in the 55-to-62-year-old age bracket, and more than half (56%) have at least one partner who will retire in the next five years.

Art of Succession Planning

Succession planning, like any business acumen, is both an art and a science. That is to say, there are many proven strategies that can and must be followed so that successful transition can occur.

Becoming Wise - Wild & Free - Writing A Successful Business Plan - Part 2 - Do It In Steps

So you've decided to write your own business plan because you know the value that the experience will give you. With the books and software that are out there today you can probably sit down and complete the plan in a day or so, right? Plug in the numbers, add the notes, write the whole narrative (story), print it and get it out to the banks or investors.

Sales Planning and Business Plans

Writing a business plan can be tricky when all the books on the subject fail to keep updating their editions. One significant factor is the sales planning in business plans, yet few books show examples of how to explain online sales which will contribute to your over all stores sales in your retail outlet.

Sony's PSI Project

In 1989, Sony founded its Institute of Wisdom at the request of its founder Masaharu Ibuka and former chairman Akio Morita.What the Institute did was something only whispered for a time.

Strategy Without Tactics is Futile

From time to time there seems to be a flurry of studies and surveys on effective communication in the workplace. As a communication specialist, I'm always eager to read these studies, but am often disappointed with what I see.

Parking Business, the Details on Increasing Lot Revenue

If you are in the parking business and own or manage parking lots you may want to think on some additional concepts to increase lot revenues. Whether you are looking to add value for your customers, expand your customer base, or simply increase your revenue, the addition of a car wash and/or detailing service to your parking facility may be the answer.

Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map

With the help of balanced scorecard strategy map, it is very easy to design the organization goals and build business strategies. Balance scorecard and strategy map are interrelated with each other.

The Top Five Reasons Strategic Plans Fail

"Most great plans aren't. They are just nice, high-level ideas.

SWOT Analysis Is No Magic 8 Ball

Q: A key investor in my business has suggested that I hire a consultant to do a SWOT Analysis to help plan for the future. I try not to argue with my investors, but I'm not so sure I need to have this done.

10 Critical Facts to Put On the Cover of Your Business Plan...

In most business plans, no matter how striking the idea, the covers are critically important. The majority of investors may flip to the executive summary, if they get past the cover, when deciding whether or not they are interested.

Family and Friends Referrals Make the Best Franchisees

As a franchisor it is imperative that you seek, find and recruit the best franchisees to maintain a strong franchise system. Your current Franchisees are your very best sales people, sometimes without even knowing it.

Business Plan Descriptions of Computer System

Entrepreneurs often give little if any consideration to their computer system needs in their original business plans. It is a necessity to have mention of your computer system as bankers and/or investors will want to know how you will keep track of your future endeavor.

Building a Better Brick-and-Mortar with the Billion-Dollar Web

More than $117 billion passed hands from Internet shoppers to Internet vendors in 2004, according to the statistical research firm comScore. That's billion, with a B.

Akron OH; A great place to do business

When looking at Akron carefully one cannot help but notice it's brilliant location to rivers, water, large cities and middle class consumer spending populations. With Canton to the South, high-end and growing Fairlawn to the North, Kent State and University of Ohio both a stones throw; the potential for any business is quite apparent.

The Tables Have Turned - Its Officially a Sellers Market

Private equity firms have raised so much capital over the last 12 months that they are vigorously competing with one another for opportunities to put their money to work. Business owners, who previously would have had to go hat-in-hand to investors, instead find themselves inundated with unsolicited offers for their companies.

Business Planning and the "Bozo" Factor

"Bozo" - A clown with a forlorn look, always finding negative implications in every activity or event. A person who tries to find a way to prevent you from moving ahead, giving excuses such as "we've always done it this way, or this is not our culture" when presented a new opportunity or challenge.

Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - The Economy

Note to Rite Aid and CVS: It's not about the economyWhen Bill Clinton successfully unset the first President Bush, he focused on a sign in his Little Rock office: "It's the Economy, Stupid". His point was to focus his campaign on economical issues.

Business Plan Long Term Goals

Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor is predicting the future. You will need to spent adequate time in preparing your long-term goals and objectives.

The Top 10 Priorities That Guard Your Five-Star Reputation

Making money doesn't make your reputation..

Business Plan: Planning the Operations

Writing a business plan is no easy task, sure you can whip something together in a day or so, but without proper planning you are setting yourself up to fail. Many first time entrepreneurs have a bit of trouble writing a business plan, which will be acceptable to bankers and investors.

Idaho Market for Automotive Businesses; Doing it Right

Anyone who has been watching the Idaho Market Carefully for auto services, knows that the market is ripe, ready and growing. I visited Southern Idaho after establishing franchises in Northern Idaho three years ago for our auto aftermarket franchise company.