Posted by: theonepageplan on: June 9, 2009
Small Business Owners: Reach & Attract Pre-Qualified Prospects with Teleclasses
You are probably already using a variety of the tools in your marketing toolbox – a website with fresh content, regular emails campaigns, strategic media placements, quality networking. But have you considered the underutilized marketing goldmine of a teleseminar?
These education sessions are an inexpensive and easy option to reach large audiences right over the telephone. Only you will know for sure if this tactic has a place in your marketing plan. But as with every element of your plan, you must first determine the goal in measureable terms.
Do you want:
• more visibility for you or your business?
• more newsletter subscribers or twitter followers?
• quality and strategic joint ventures?
• more subscribers to a longer and paid series of classes?
• MORE EARNED OR PASSIVE INCOME?
Once your purpose is clear, you can then consider format and venue. Do you want full interaction with your participants, or would you prefer limited interruptions? Will the list of participants be available to all callers, or will they remain anonymous? Because your teleseminar will technically be held in cyberspace, venue refers more to delivery options. Teleseminars are hosted over the phone; the education leader has a main call-in number and participants each call from their respective location. To include multi-media, such as a PowerPoint presentation or streaming video, a wealth of web technology is available to convert your teleseminar into a webinar or webcast.
There are many service providers with different areas of expertise. Some quality and low/no-cost providers to check out are:
• Free Audio Conferencing
• Free Conference
• The Basement Ventures
With a clear end-goal in mind, next outline your key message and all supporting messages. Be careful about making your teleseminar too much of a sales pitch. You should certainly give your company name prominent mention throughout the call, but you risk alienating participants if there isn’t any perceived value they can immediately take away. You don’t want to “give away the farm”, but strike an appropriate balance to show you know the subject matter. It also never hurts to hint that you have lots of other good information up your sleeve, to entice attendees to join you again.
Aside from the pure educational value you will provide participants with your content, there are many other benefits inherent for participants to join a teleseminar. Be sure to mention these when marketing your session to participants:
• Convenience – participants can join in from anywhere, no travel time or commuting required. No need for meeting space or a conference room, attendees can join right from their desks.
• Cost effectiveness – a flat fee pays for unlimited attendees at one location
• Interaction – participants help create the class with their questions
• Recall – attendees can obtain a recorded version of the teleseminar to review information any time
• Sustainability – sessions are inherently “green”!
Attendees aren’t the only ones on the receiving end of a long list of benefits. Teleseminars may be an even bigger bang for the buck for hosts than attendees, given all these reasons:
• Visibility – unlimited geographic bounds means you can reach a wide audience, even go global
• Longevity – taped audio/video of your session will have an afterlife
• Outreach – use participant sign-in info to build your email list
• Credibility – as a host you get name recognition and can earn expert status
• Practice – if you get nervous in front of a “live” crowd, this can help ease the anxiety
• Compilation – edit together a series of seminars to write a book
• Sales – create products to sell online, create products or packages of products for back of the room sales
• Upselling – an initial free/low-cost intro session can be followed by a more substantial series
• Visibility – in addition to exposure to attendees, you can increase search engine rankings if you decide to post your teleseminars to your site
• Status – deliver a quality teleseminar and you become the subject matter expert
• Exposure – it’s a simple way for a prospects and potential joint-venture partners to get to know you better
• Affordable – no need to travel to reach a large group, there are no printing costs, the company gains “advertising” by having its name in a variety of promotional venues
Your topic doesn’t have to be rocket science (unless of course you are a rocket scientist!) Chances are you have skills you take for granted, but are invaluable to others. Think back to learning to drive a car. It seemed overwhelming and scary at first, but once you learned the basics and got behind the wheel with a trusted instructor by your side, it just became a matter of becoming proficient. As a teleseminar leader, you are imparting advice on a topic you already know very well with an audience who wants to hear it.
If you’re still undecided about whether to host a teleseminar, here are other reasons, courtesy of my long list of LinkedIn friends and small business owner clients using teleseminars with great results:
• Webcasts held build business and provides speaking confidence in the person giving them,
• You’ll attract your target market/build a targeted mailing list
• Increased retention of training received.
• Attendees learn about a firm’s expertise firsthand.
• A teleclass is a step on your marketing funnel.
• Teleclasses ranging from freebies to various costs are all a part of “getting to know you, like you, and trust you.”
• It helps others become more comfortable using technology, opening up a new world of possibilities.
Now that you’re ready to lead your first teleseminar, be sure to read my companion article on Teleseminar Etiquette just to make sure you don’t inadvertently step on any toes during the session.
So what are you waiting for? Consider your end goal, craft a compelling session, deliver on your value proposition, and watch your business take off!
Special Mention:
Thanks to everyone at Linkedin.com who provided me with their suggestions on how teleclasses have helped them in their business.
About the Author:
Maria Marsala, Strategic Business Advisor, Author and Speaker at Elevating Your Business, conducts highly interactive, content-rich workshop where attendees learn to increase their sales, be more productive, maximize their company’s performance, and live a high-quality life. he has been a certified teleseminar leader since 2000 and has led more than 200 sessions in that time, reaching tens of thousands of participants. For a schedule of upcoming teleseminars and workshops visit www.ElevatingYourBusinessU.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: May 7, 2009
Do I need a business plan?
By Palo Alto Software, Inc.
Not everyone who starts and runs a business begins with a business plan, but it certainly helps to have one. If you are seeking funding from a venture capitalist, you will certainly need a comprehensive business plan that is well thought out and demonstrates sound business reasoning.
If you are approaching a banker for a loan for a start-up business, your loan officer may suggest a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, which will require a business plan. If you have an existing business and are approaching a bank for capital to expand the business, they often will not require a business plan, but they may look more favorably on your application if you have one.
Reasons for writing a business plan include:
What’s in a business plan?
A business plan should prove that your business will generate enough revenue to cover your expenses, but a business plan may vary depending upon whom your audience is. If you are writing a plan for your colleagues and partners, for example, to expand an existing business, then the focus of that plan may be more operational than financial. Yes, you are going to show your partners how this expansion will mean more revenues, but they are going to want to know the nuts and bolts of how this new venture is going to be implemented.
If you are writing a business plan for a bank, your bank manager will want to see that your ideas are well thought out, but the most important aspect to him or her will be your financials. Are your assumptions realistic? And will the cash flow of the business be enough to ensure that you can make the monthly payments for the loan that you have requested? If your business is making $1,000 a month and your payments are $1,200 a month, the bank is likely to turn you away.
When considering an investment opportunity, most venture capitalists look at the obvious trends and market niches. Transcending the business elements, however, the most important factor in a decision to invest in a company is the quality of the people. In real estate, the three biggest criteria are “location, location and location.” The venture capital axiom is “people, people and people.” VCs will ask, how experienced are the people that are going to run this business? Do they have knowledge of the industry? Have they started successful ventures in the past?
What makes a successful business plan?
Bringing it all together…
Your business plan is like your calling card, it will get you in the door where you’ll have to convince investors and loan officers that you can put your plan into action. You want your calling card to look impressive, so make sure your business plan is printed out on good quality paper, you have checked the spelling and grammar and that your numbers add up. Anyone who sees errors while reading your plan will wonder whether you are going to make similar errors in running your business.
A great business plan is the best way to show bankers, venture capitalists, and angel investors that you are worthy of financial support. Make sure that your plan is clear, focused and realistic. Then show them that you have the tools, talent and team to make it happen.
Source: bplans.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: March 11, 2009
Sarah Hughes, Gold Metal Skater, had hers at age six. Joseph Campbell, folklore author, found his after visiting the Museum of History in NYC. At age 4, Oprah Winfrey remembers watching her grandmother washing clothes by boiling them – Oprah “knew” then her life would be different. They all found something that raised their inner vibrations, their passion — and created a vision.
People who live their visions always seem to have time to do the things they want to do – we often call them “go getters!” They’re focused, make decisions easily and smile often. And they’re flexible – they don’t get “stuck” in their vision and miss better opportunities. As Joseph Campbell said, “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
_____
And you’re not limited to just one vision. People are living full lives into their 80s and 90s, something unheard of just a few generations ago. With continued opportunities to grow and evolve, we may create several visions over a lifetime. I can give you an example…I loved working on a trading desk on Wall Street and couldn’t see myself doing anything else. But 20 years later, I’ve found another passion – consulting and coaching – and perhaps in another 20 years, there’ll be another passion that calls to me – I can’t wait!
If you want to live in a way that empowers and motivates you, it’s time to create a vision. Make it simple but remember that the hallmark of a vision is that it promotes action. You must get it out of your head, onto paper, and into your life! Here are some ways to create a vision.
Create a theme for the year. Make it specific and based on what you want to accomplish during the next twelve months. Choose 1-4 words that will motivate you, for example: Simply Wealthy, Big Leaps of Faith, Be Present, Present Be. Write your words on index cards, or create a banner with your theme on it!
Design a dream board (or treasure map) — a collage of images of what you’d love to have and make of your life. Why not host a Dream Board Party and ask your friends to bring magazines from which everyone can cut pictures?
Fashion A Mind Map. Originated in the late 1960s by Tony Buzan, millions of people use Mind Maps for the purpose of visioning. Draw a circle the size of a quarter in the middle of a sheet of paper and write “YOU” in the middle. Then draw a line coming out of the circle for each area of your life — Relationships, Family, Romance, Friends, Professional, Personal/Spiritual, Finance & Money, Physical Environment, Health, Play & Recreation. These lines can be short or long, straight or squiggly, and you can use as many colors as you like!
Out of each of the primary lines, create more lines with ideas, or draw some pictures about the topic. A mind map’s purpose is to visualize what’s important to you, why it’s important, and to create a plan to help you reach your goals.
Construct A Vision Statement. In the late 1970’s, I learned about setting SMART goals and I think it’s a great system. SMART is an acronym for a goal-setting technique: S(pecific), M(easurable), A(chievable), R(ealistic), T(ime-frame).
Let’s say you want to create a vision for your business. Come up with one or two sentences that include the “time frame” for the vision, a company name, an adjective that best describes what you want to accomplish, what your business is about, who it’s for, where your clients are located, describe your products and, of course, include how much you want to make – net or gross, your choice.
Use your vision statement to stay focused. If an opportunity comes your way, look at it in light of your vision, decide if the opportunity is in line with – or better than – what you want, or if it’s really something to say “no” to.
Finally, update your vision or theme yearly – the beginning of the New Year is a great time to do it! Your vision can be much more powerful and last longer than a list of resolutions. Remember that vision statements are dreams with a well thought-out, deliberately created plan behind them. So take your vision and fly in 2004!
Excellent quotes on vision statements:
“Having a clear vision, especially during difficult times, will set your business — and your leadership — apart.” – Mike Lipton
“You cannot be successful if you have no vision or if you don’t feel worthy of success.” – Stedman Graham
“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”
- Ralph Lauren
“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” – Jonathan Swift, English satirist (b. 1667)
“When you follow your bliss… doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors, and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else.” – Joseph Campbell
Learn More About Visions:
Create A Yearly Theme http://www.coachmaria.com/articles/yearlytheme.html
How To Design A Dream Board http://www.coachmaria.com/articles/dreamboard.html
Mind Mapping http://www.mind-map.com/mindmaps_definition.htmVision Statement Form: http://www.coachmaria.com/documents/vision.doc
©2006 Maria Marsala, Strategic Coach, Speaker, Author and former Wall Street Trader. At Elevating Your Business, we work with high achieving professional service business owners committed to increasing their company profits, performance and value as they pursue their
desired lifestyle. Join our ezine and listen to your free business and marketing plan audio. Visit http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: March 11, 2009
Business good, but you want GREAT? You can Kick-start your business any time of the year!
Businesses can do well without planning, many do. However, to become a high performing organization, to grow rapidly, a company really needs a planning and monitoring process. Got yours? I sure do have mine!
Back in 2000, a major shift in my business occurred when I came across the One Page Business Plan® process. Now, don’t let the simplicity of the name fool you. While the process helps you create a business and marketing plan – your planning process should be much more. It should:
Help you diagnosis how every area of your business is doing.
Clarify your thinking and focus on the elements that are the most critical to your success.
Test your ideas without having to put large amounts of cash at risk.
Help you to boost the profits and performance of your small company or department.
Be ready to be used over and over again.
If you’re on a budget, as many new business owners are, you can purchase the workbook that includes the Entrepreneur Toolkit CD (for PC and MAC use) at your favorite bookstore, although it’s easier to find online. It includes systematic, practical, interactive exercises and templates, worksheets, powerful sales calculators, mini-sales budgets, one page performance scorecards, sample plans, and bonus tools! All created in programs you usually have on your computer — MS Excel and Word files.
If you’re a more seasoned business owner, department manager or executive, you can sit down at your PC to create your plan in courseware called Point, Click, Plan. Your solid draft will be complete in 1-2 hours.
Together with reading the E-myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber, creating a business plan are “mandatory to do’s” for all business owners. Why? because the E-myth shows you what happens when you don’t have a plan and systems and how much better off you’ll be with them. And the One-Page Business Plan process® helps you simply create your plans and systems to monitor your progress. Creating a plan now, will save you hours upon hours worth of your valuable time and will help you make fewer large and costly mistakes.
Isn’t that what you need as a business owner? Systems that work and more time to do what you’re passionate about? Below are 10 key elements of any process. Most are taken from the One-Page Business Plan® workbook, by Jim Horan.
It helps you choose opportunities more wisely and waste less time because you have a plan in place.
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.
The most important reason to have a business plan is to clarify your thinking, regardless of the size of your company.
Knowing where you’re going creates hope and enthusiasm about the future.
It facilitates creating and analytical thinking, problem solving, communication, and teamwork.
It also brings out procrastination, frustration, differences of opinions and possibly anger.
Somehow writing initiates the transformation from idea to reality.
Writing allows others to participate in your dream and give you feedback.
You review it each day to create the day’s priorities and make decisions about your business.
You’ll be able to create balanced scorecards, templates, budgets, and use lots of bonus tools to help keep you on track!
©2006 Maria Marsala, Strategic Coach, Speaker, Author and former Wall Street Trader. At Elevating Your Business, we work with high achieving professional service business owners committed to increasing their company profits, performance and value as they pursue their
desired lifestyle. Join our ezine and listen to your free business and marketing plan audio. Visit http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: February 16, 2009
A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. – Proverb
A perfect plan won’t ever happen. What you need instead is a “working plan” that is focused, concise, and easy to change!
Planning is very important. My unscientific research leads me to believe that for every hour I plan, I save 10 hours in the long run (and make fewer mistakes). And even though I taught business plan classes for people looking for funding for their business, I did not create my own plan for a long time and used every excuse in the book to justify my actions.
But after graduating from a life-training coaching program, my business was failing. Then I attended a workshop on the simplest business-plan format around, called, “The One Page Business Plan®. I left with pieces of my plan on paper and realized that now that I had written things down, drastic changes were on the horizon. So with the help of my coach I reinvented my business around the things I love doing most. Each year my plan is updated and I create lots of other types of plans using the same 5 questions I’ve learned and teach others how to use, too!
Here’s a simple look at five key strategic questions*:
• Vision: What career or business are you growing?
• Mission: What’s the end result of this career or business?
• Goals: What results will you measure that define career or business success?
• Strategies: How will you grow your career or business?
• Plans: What is the work you have to do to reach your goals?
*The questions are from the One Page Business Plan® by Jim Horan.
© 2009 Maria Marsala is a Business Remodeler, informational speaker, author, and former Wall Street trader. She works high achieving professional service businesses increase their companies’ profitability, performance, and value. Ask her about her NAFE special at www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: February 16, 2009
It takes as much energy to wish as it takes to plan. — Eleanor Roosevelt.
So where do you start all planning processes? What steps should you take to turn your dreams of a life, career or business and make it happen? When do you know when to change what you’ve dreamed up to something better? Start here.
1. ASSESS WHERE YOU ARE & WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
You’ve heard it said many times, if you don’t know where you are or where you want to go, you may end up living someone else’s life. There are many free assessments on the web that you can complete that will help you assess your career or business. And if you want, create a Dream or Vision board to help you see into the future.
2. SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Create a performance management process, dashboard, “whatever” to monitor your objectives and action plans. Make it work for you by creating it on paper, or in Excel, or use an online system or a mixture of those. Whatever will help you accomplish this task, do it. That’s about 3 more hours or work to set yourself up for success.
3. GET YOUR REAR IN GEAR
Take what you created and start doing it. Then write down what you’re doing to create a process you’ll follow and tweak as you go along.
4. MONITOR YOUR RESULTS
Before you close down for the weekend, update your monitoring system. This is where you can relate your successes to your actions, and monitoring is usually motivating. For those times when you realize that something you’re doing isn’t working right, you go back to what you created and tweak it so that it is motivating the next time around.
5. GET YOURSELF ACCOUNTABILITY
There are many ways you can get monthly accountability, which really comes in handy. You can get it by means of attending a team meeting, meeting with your board of advisors, being part of a mastermind team or hiring a coach, to name a few, but whatever you decide to do, this is a very important step..
Maria Marsala is a strategic business coach/consultant, informational speaker, author, and former Wall Street trader. Since 1998, her company, Elevating Your Business, has helped thousands of CEOs/presidents, professionals, and management teams to achieve the business results they desire in the most efficient, cost-effective way possible. Will you be next? Get your free business tips at www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: February 16, 2009
Businesses can do well without planning, many do. However, to become a high performing organization, to grow rapidly, a company really needs a planning and monitoring process. Got yours? I sure do have mine!
Back in 2000 a major shift in my business occurred when I came across the One Page Business Plan® process. Now, don’t let the simplicity of the name fool you. While the process helps you create a business and marketing plan – its much more.
Help you diagnosis how every area of your business is doing.
Clarify your thinking and focus on the elements that are the most critical to your success.
Test your ideas without having to put large amounts of cash at risk.
Help you to boost the profits and performance of your small company or department.
Be ready to be used over and over again.
If you’re on a budget, as many new business owners are, you can purchase the workbook that includes the Entrepreneur Toolkit CD (for PC and MAC use) at your favorite bookstore, although it’s easier to find online. It includes systematic, practical, interactive exercises and templates, worksheets, powerful sales calculators, mini-sales budgets, one page performance scorecards, sample plans, and bonus tools! All created in programs you usually have on your computer — MS Excel and Word files.
If you’re a more seasoned business owner, department manager or executive, you can sit down at your PC to create your plan in courseware called Point, Click, Plan. Your solid draft will be complete in 1-2 hours.
Together with reading the E-myth Revisited, by Michael Gerber, creating a business plan are “mandatory to do’s” for all business owners. Why? because the E-myth shows you what happens when you don’t have a plan and systems and how much better off you’ll be with them. And the One-Page Business Plan processR helps you simply create your plans and systems to monitor your progress. Creating a plan now, will save you hours upon hours worth of your valuable time and will help you make fewer large and costly mistakes.
Isn’t that what you need as a business owner? Systems that work and more time to do what you’re passionate about? Below are 10 key elements of any process. Most are taken from the One-Page Business Plan® workbook, by Jim Horan.
It helps you choose opportunities more wisely and waste less time because you have a plan in place.
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.
The most important reason to have a business plan is to clarify your thinking, regardless of the size of your company.
Knowing where you’re going creates hope and enthusiasm about the future.
It facilitates creating and analytical thinking, problem solving, communication, and teamwork.
It also brings out procrastination, frustration, differences of opinions and possibly anger.
Somehow writing initiates the transformation from idea to reality.
Writing allows others to participate in your dream and give you feedback.
You review it each day to create the day’s priorities and make decisions about your business.
The Entrepreneur CD, which comes with the book, including scorecards, templates, budgets, and bonus tools to help keep you on track!
©2006 A former Wall Street trader, Maria Marsala is a nationally known business and marketing strategist, trainer, author and owner of Elevating Your Business. Maria helps women involved in financial services, as business owners, independent agents, branch managers and executive to boost profits, productivity and have more playtime – faster! Subscribe to Powerful Business Strategies Ezine to receive your free one-page business and marketing plan audio in your Welcome Note Visit http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: February 16, 2009
If your company, business or practice is expanding or just starting, this planning article is for you.
Know that you already have a plan. It’s in a place where it’s causing you more overwhelm and mistakes then it’s helping you. It’s time to take your plan from your head and put it in writing and I have the process for you to do just that.
This business plan process is strategic and tactical. IT NOT complete unless you take the plan you’ve created and turn your actions into results that can be monitored.
Know that the results of this simple planning system isn’t used to go after funding – if that’s what your practice really needs. However, if you are seeking funding to start or expand your business and the thought of creating a 30-page plan is overwhelming, this plan is for you. AND prospective investors don’t read longer plans when you meet them; they want you to tell them something in 2-5 minutes and require something shorter and to the point, and this is a great short tool.
When you create a plan for the first time, what you’re really doing is taking what’s in your head and putting it down on paper for you to see. A very good thing, but not the whole story if you’re looking to grow your business.
Using the book, you’ll update your plan 3-4 times after meeting with those business owners who are supporting your business with their input. Done this way, the process should take you 20 or so hours to complete your plan. Then a couple of hours to create a scorecard fro your objectives and a project management system for your action plans.
Just creating a first draft will help you, no doubt about it, but it’s not the optimal. Seeing what’s in your head is important. You’ll be able to do what I did the first time I created a plan. I saw that I had great strategies and objectives – but they weren’t working for me.
When you work with a certified one-page business planning consultant, they’ll be much better able to help you take your plan to even higher levels – they’re training in the methodology. Through brainstorming, questioning and bringing in new ideas. Then they’ll provide you with accountability each month as you execute your plan. (Yes, I’m a certified consultant)
Use software called Point, Click, Plan! and your draft is completed in between 90 and 120 minutes. Your one-page consultant will provide you with the software. The software provides you with templates as well as 40 objectives and strategies to consider as you create your plan. The software helps you to think differently. Many times, those changes are necessary because you’re creating your plan go do business differently. Using the software and a consultant, you can create your first draft in less than 2 hours and perfect it in less than 10 hours.
As you see, when time is tight, using the software and a certified consultant to create your plan will cut the time it takes to create a plan in half.
Home based or micro businesses, create this type of plan “bring the boss back into the business” since most solo-business owners end up being employees more than the boss.
Small to large companies and corporations use this type of plan in a variety of ways, and I’ve created a list of ways below.
Executive Teams use it to take the level of communication up many notches when these plans are shared because everyone has a real clear picture of what each member is doing. And when a company uses the online system for performance management (to monitor their objectives and action plans), no longer will meetings start with “where are you at” instead they’ll start with “how can we help you get to ….” or “what do you need to help you”. Why does it change? Because each member has access to each members plans.
10 Ways to Use the One-Page Methodology
1. Create a company or practice plan
2. Create department/unit/division plan.
3. CEO creates a plan for their positions within the company.
3. Employer creates a new position within the company.
4. Problem employee creates a plan for their position with sign off of their manager.
5. Employees to create their job descriptions and responsibilities.
6. Create a plan for big projects. 7. Future business owner to determine the viability of creating a business.
8. Create a company or practice exit strategy.
9. Create plans for the short term – 1 year
10. Create a plan for a new service or product.
As you can see, there are many ways that business planning can help you grow your practice today.
©2008 Maria Marsala collaborates with USA-based B2B service industry CEOs, presidents, and executives. She helps them to “fast trac” with greater ease and efficiency as they build better and more profitable businesses. http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Posted by: theonepageplan on: February 16, 2009
Ok. We all know how planning is helpful to the growth of businesses. So let’s put all the excuses on the table.
Let me know if I missed any excuse you’ve told yourself!
Plans are ONLY for companies that need financing.
My plan is going to change.
My business is too small.
I don’t want to create a monster business.
I don’t have time to create a 50-page plan.
I make up my business as I go along!
I don’t want to make much money anyway.
I’ll never use it again anyway.
I don’t think ahead.
I don’t want to be a big company.
Write it? It’s all in my head where it belongs.
You can’t create a plan written on one-page. I need more.
I’ll pay a consultant to write one (and of course it’s not written).
On the West Coast I hear this excuse that I never heard back at home in New York… It’s Not Spiritual to Plan!
And the number one reason business owners don’t have a plan… Who wants systems? We became entrepreneurs to do what we want! Systems? We want to do what we want, when we want. So, you’ve got to be kidding?
You know, my unscientific survey has watched business owners tell me how much time they save by creating a plan. It’s a savings of 10 hours for each hour planned! I know the organizers reading this will agree on the increased productivity.
So get all the excuses on why you don’t have one out of the way and invest in your company. Clarify your focus, stay in complete alignment, and achieve better results! It takes a one-page plan®.
© 2008 Maria Marsala, Chief Business Strategist, Author, Informational Speaker and former Wall Street Trader. We collaborate with with USA-based B2B service sector CEOs, presidents, and teams to clarify focus, stay in complete alignment, and achieve better results! Providing performance improvement and change management coaching, consulting, and training. Learn how your business stacks up. Take our Business Checkup at http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com/free
Posted by: theonepageplan on: January 5, 2009
The above question was asked on Linked in by Donna Amos of http://www.donnaamos.com/ and my answered it below, with some revisions. Thanks Donna for asking the question and for voting my answer as the best!
So, how would you answer Donna’s question?
I told them that by having those items, they’re setting themselves up to continue to succeed. However, once they get those things “ready” — I want them to look at them again and “tighten” everything. Get more specific. See what things are available that will help them get a bigger bang for their time and bucks.
And have them remember one of the most important marketing question they can ask themselves “what will help them get in front of the most amount of people, who will pay them the big bucks, for doing the least amount of work, and value all they do to boot!”
I’ve done that myself. One of the things I came up with is to make a “major” push to speak at conferences, do group work, etc. That has meant (so far) getting in touch with all the Chambers within a few hours of me to see about speaking, getting in touch with a bunch of web radio show, contact all organizations I’ve spoke to for additional testimonials (which will make it easier for me to speak at their regional/national conferences) etc.
– Maria Marsala http://www.MariaMarsala.com
