According to the Small Business Administration many businesses start without a business plan.  I’m not convinced that information is entirely accurate.  I believe most business owners start their business with a clear vision for how their business will operate even if they don’t have that vision recorded in a formal written business plan.

As long as you don’t need funding you won’t be required to have a written business plan either.  So is a written business plan all you need to ensure your business succeeds when others fail?  Well, it isn’t quite that simple.

The Small Business Administration also states 2/3 of new businesses will survive at least 2 years and 44% of new businesses will survive at least 4 years.

Stated another way, 33% of new businesses fail within 2 years and 56% fail within 4 years.  Like all statistics those statistics only matter when you happen to be one of the business owners who find yourself in the failing group.

When you need funding you are required to present a written business plan to the institution or individual providing the funding in nearly all cases.  The problem is the people reviewing your business plan are primarily interested in your financial projections even though those projections are nothing more than hopeful thinking.  Plus the loan officer reviewing your business plan is no more qualified to review the most important elements of your business plan… your marketing and sales plans, than you are.

Did you know a lot of small business owners live off their savings for the first 3 years of operation?  Many have to tap into those savings to provide operating cash for their business when their initial funding runs out too.

A big reason many new business owners and existing business owners get into financial trouble and risk failure is because they don’t have an effective sales and marketing plan for their business.  When you don’t have an effective marketing and sales plan to begin with it’s nearly impossible for you to make the mandatory course corrections you will need to make to thrive in an ever changing business environment.  Many of the situations that cause the greatest threat in your business are outside your scope of control yet you have to effectively deal with those threats if you are going to survive.

The 2 Most Important Elements of Your Marketing & Sales Plans

Whether you are thinking about starting a business, preparing your business plan for funding, or looking to increase existing sales you must make sure your plan:

• Positions your business to sell the right things, meaning the things your ideal clients are already looking to buy
• Builds on a marketing message that triggers the motivation within your ideal clients to take an action

Your marketing and sales plans should not be complicated.  Instead focus on keeping your plans simple.  Start simple, track everything, expand on what works and eliminate what doesn’t.  Finally, never expect the plans you have today to work forever.  Keep your ear to the ground, watch your numbers, and anticipate changes in the business climate.

Coach Cheryl

Do it Yourself

Do it with a Little Help

Do it with Guidance

photo credit: Jason McHuff

Happy fourth of July everyone!  In just a couple days you’ll be enjoying the fireworks.  Do you need a spark to get your business back on track?

Even though I like the 4th of July it always makes me a little sad too because for some reason I always think about it marking off half the summer.  It also means over half the year is over too.  But that also means you have half the year to turn things around and inject a power boost into your business.

Have you already registered for the “How to Double Your Business in 90 Days” webinar?  What are you waiting for?  You only have until Tuesday July 8.  It might be too late, but just in case there are still a couple spots left hurry over and get registered for this business doubling webinar.

I look forward to having you join in:-)

photo credit: MShades

Your expenses are going through the roof.  Your revenues are dwindling because everyone is cutting back.  What are you to do?

What can you do to stop the blood-letting and regain some level of security?  What if you could double your business in spite of these external factors?  Would you be interested in learning how?

Could you invest one hour of your time and a few coins to discover just what it takes?

Hurry and register for the “How to Double Your Business in 90 Days” webinar I’ll be holding Tuesday July 8 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.  Here’s the link… “How to Double Your Business in 90 Days”   Make sure you reserve your spot and don’t miss out.

July 8 webinar to Double Your Business

photo credit: Marcin Wichary

Join in Tuesday July 8 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.

A one hour webinar that will get you locked and loaded for success.  How long has it been since you felt like your business was on fire?  Since you had money streaming in and clients attached to that money.

Do you feel a little stuck?  Maybe even stagnant?  Are things moving backward rather than forward?

Now you can discover the secrets to reigniting the fire in your business.  Open the throttle and put your business engine in supercharge and never look back.  If you’ll set aside one hour and invest in yourself to join this webinar you’ll discover:

• at least 5 ways to double your business
• the gaps between what you’re doing now and the results you want
• the 5 key proficiencies that make you almost automatically successful
• your opportunities to multiply your prospects and convert more into clients
• how to get what you want when you want it

Proven business principles that have worked in all successful businesses and they will work for you too.  Imagine a future where you enjoy continuous growth and financial security.  The future is yours.

All you have to do is go now and register for this business doubling webinar.   Here’s the link to reserve your spot…  How to Double Your Business in 90 Days

I encourage you to get registered now.  Several people missed out on last months webinar because the webinar was closed by the time they went to register.  Don’t let that happen to you.  Go now…

July 8 Webinar to Double Your Business

photo credit: Shkumbin

Are you prepared for todays business environment?

Yes, you got off to a good start.  You blew the competition out of the water.  You were recognized and admired by your peers for your unbelievable success.  Yes, it felt good.

Your future success depends on your ability to keep the momentum going.  You don’t want the start and stop feast and famine roller coaster you see others around you suffering.  You want to continue on a path to success like a freight train rolling down a mountain.

Please join me Thursday May 22 at 2:30 eastern time when I’ll share with you “How to Outlast & Out Perform the Competition” via a webinar.  This power packed hour will help you to:

• discover how to change what you see
• uncover the formula for success making you literally unstoppable
• identify the underlying obstacles keeping you from having even greater success now
• reveal a performance formula guaranteed to produce results
• discover how to use proven techniques to get results now

You’re a savvy business person who knows the success that got you where you are now won’t get you the success you want in the future.  Listen in and uncover exactly how to keep moving where you want to go.  Keep the competition at your back and the wind in your face.

Make sure you secure your spot for the webinar by clicking on this link and registering today.

“How to Outlast & Out Perform the Competition” Webinar

photo credit: Pablo H

My friend Lee Salz has put a lot of work into setting up a service where you can learn directly from the Guru’s.

Business Expert Webinars (BEW), an international community of business experts, comprising best-selling authors, award-winning speakers, and business gurus, launched  with more than 100 speakers and 700 live business education webinars that begin airing in May 2008.

“We are using webinar technology to deliver business eLearning,” said Lee B. Salz, President and CEO of Business Expert Webinars. Topics include all genres of business – sales , networking, public relations, marketing, real estate, human resources, entrepreneurship, management and many others.  Visitors interested in participating can view the extensive schedule and sign up for webinars at BusinessExpertWebinars.com  Each webinar is taught by a live presenter on the phone and is supported by a presentation delivered over the Internet.

“People are frustrated with the free webinar offerings where the price of admission is a sales and marketing pitch. Either the entire webinar is an infomercial or the content is delivered at a high-level in the session and concludes with, ‘if you really want to know how to do this, buy my CD, DVD, book, etc.’ Thus, they aren’t really free,” said Salz.

Business expert and author of “Selling to Big Companies,” Jill Konrath, said, “What attracted me to deliver content with Business Expert Webinars was that the experts pick very specific topics and go deep into the subject matter. This is strictly business education. Participants come away from BEW webinars with actionable information they can implement immediately. It is a great way for adults to learn valuable information inexpensively, without leaving the office.”

This is a fantastic opportunity.  With so many topics there simply has to be at least one topic that will be of value to you.  Go to Business Webinar Experts and get registered today:-)