Small Business Advisory to gather information
Preparing your business plan begins with the collection of information on which you base your decisions on strategy and goals.
This information comes, as you would expect, from both inside and outside the company. SWOT analysis can be a useful tool in this stage of business planning.
Do not lower the amount of information that are already within the economy, for example:
* Your sales records will be excellent data on purchasing behavior and desires of your existing customer base
* Your sales people are given information about the customers they currently - and the potential of customers exist in the market
What other sources of information, you can determine within your company. What is meant by “workshop” the workers and their ideas on product improvement and development? In some companies, the van driver has a much more contact with customers - What information he / she can you? With careful consideration, almost all parts of your existing enterprise can be a rich source of useful information.
It is often agreed that Pareto’s Law applies - that is 80% of the results derived from 20% of the effort. But do you know that 20% of your efforts produced results? The information you gather at this stage of preparing your business plan will be useful in identifying the most productive efforts you make.
The information you collect that are specific to your business, but are usually limited to such questions as:
Your markets
* Which markets or market segments are most profitable?
* What are your plans need to attack new markets?
* If existing markets are saturated?
* Who makes your markets?
Their products and services
* Did they meet customer requirements?
* What are the most profitable?
* What about price, service and quality issues?
* How can they compete on the market?
Your marketing efforts
* Are your existing marketing methods right?
* How much does it cost?
* How you target potential new customers?
Your competition
* Who are they?
* What are its strengths and weaknesses?
* How can customers compare you and your competitors?
* What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Your suppliers
* What are relations?
Working with them to improve their quality of bid for your business
*
– And so for your customers?
Financial and cash flow
* What is your forecast cash-flow system?
* Is it correct?
* What is your profit forecasts - Do you keep them on the latest status and performance?
* You get tight budgetary position control over the financial issues?
Premises and equipment
* If your premises dealing with your plans?
* Are they the best effect?
* Does your equipment up to date?
* How will you finance your suggestions for improvement?
People
* Do you have the right people to achieve your goals?
* Did they know what is expected of them in achieving these goals?
* Did you operate a training and development plan?
The management team
* Who are they?
* What are its strengths and weaknesses?
* Do they need training?
You
* Know your own strengths and weaknesses?
* Do you need training?
The right information
When asking for information, you will want to ensure that the data you receive is accurate and current. It should be based on objective facts, not as bad fantasies. And it should be in a form that is in tune with the information system used to the raw data in the plans for success.
Initial information is simple, always the right information at the right time is less. Once you have it, you want that money to him. Read on!
Tags: business plan marketing