Business Plans- What Consultants Don’t tell You!

Written by Greg Chapman


Continued from page 1

Business Planning is a real soul searching exercise forrepparttar business owner. You have to be brutally honest with yourself. Even if you prepare your plan yourself (without a coach), get someone else involved to keep you honest! Looking at examples of what others have done can help, but your business will have different strengths and weaknesses and will operate in a different marketplace. And lastly, make sure any off-the-shelf product you choose will show you how to implement your plan into your business.

When you use a consultant, insist that they show you howrepparttar 140652 plan should be implemented into your business process. And haverepparttar 140653 consultant give you at least one review of your performance against your plan six months afterrepparttar 140654 plan has been delivered. While this will cost you extra, this will ensure that your plan does not end up onrepparttar 140655 bottom shelf- because you know you will be held to account!

Business Planning is not an easy process. It takes time and commitment. You don’t just do it once. This is not what business owners want to hear, and what most consultants won’t tell you, because it might cost them a sale. Butrepparttar 140656 rewards from a well implemented business plan are worth many times your investment.

Dr Greg Chapman assists small to medium sized businesses with business planning, business systems and marketing strategy. To find out how you can Multiply Your Profits & Make Your Business Run without You, and to find out How Good Your Business Really Is with a Free Online Business Medical, go to Empower Business Solutions website at: http://www.empowersolutions.com.au


Defense Wins in Baseball- Not Business

Written by Bart Latimer


Continued from page 1

Printers were fiercely battling non-print media such asrepparttar Internet. Later, they were dealing with an anthrax scare which all but snuffed out direct mail programs, which are usually a large portion of their revenues. The mill that decided they were tired of playing atrepparttar 140634 industry’s pace, and that they were tired of letting mere circumstance run their business did something about it. They went to media buyers (their customer’s customers) and made presentations on why print media is still superior in many applications. They educatedrepparttar 140635 public onrepparttar 140636 relatively insignificant risk of anthrax due to heightened postal security. The industry as a whole was, and still is shifting immensely, but that same mill still stays ahead ofrepparttar 140637 curve, and you can rest assured they haverepparttar 140638 ear and loyalty ofrepparttar 140639 printing community.

How to Play Offense Again in Your Industry

*Always stay aware of your pace. Are you playing at your own pace, or atrepparttar 140640 pace of others? Berepparttar 140641 pacesetter- that is what effective offenses do. Defense reacts to situations while offense creates situations.

*Consistently ask yourself what you can do to better your customer’s business. This mindset puts you in more control of factors you have previously had little control over. Don’t be satisfied by simply selling to them… sell with them also. Pull a new piece of business through with them that your defense-minded competitor will never know about. Become an extension of their company,repparttar 140642 mental impact alone is immeasurable.

*Remember,repparttar 140643 only difference between a great Sales Professional and a great consultant isrepparttar 140644 quota. Focus on delivering ideas to your customer. Follow up on them and help implement when necessary. Again, their success is your success if you help build it.

*No matter whatrepparttar 140645 element of change, whether it is internal, external, industry-wide, etc, do not become victim- minded. Define problems and solve them. Victims play defense, and they usually aren’t even any good at that.

*Lastly, and possibly most importantly,repparttar 140646 best way to play offense is by coaching offense. Your organization will mirror your actions. The more offense-mindedrepparttar 140647 coaching staff is,repparttar 140648 more offenserepparttar 140649 team will play.

I can’t tell you who will winrepparttar 140650 World Series this season. However, I can assure you that any winning team in business plays more offense than his competitor. If you want a more printable and concise version of this story…

Proactive beats reactive every time.



Bart Latimer is a management consultant in Atlanta, Georgia. After 11 years with a Fortune 100 company, he now uses his sales, sales management, and managerial finance experience to help other businesses improve their bottom lines. www.bartlatimer.com


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