Posts Tagged ‘2010’

OK, it’s the end of 2009 and time to develop your 2010 Strategy Plan. I know that it can be overwhelming to think about what you are going to do next year when this year hasn’t finished yet and it’s the holiday season. Don’t fear, I have some tips for you that will help you develop your 2010 Strategy Plan.

I have found that when it is time to develop a strategy plan for the next year, it is best to look at the pros and cons of the current one to see what worked and didn’t work for your business. As you create your list, look at ways that you can “fix” the cons to make them turn out to be pros or work for your business.

When developing your 2010 Strategy Plan, do you sometimes feel like you are on a road to nowhere or that is seems endless? Then don’t fear, I have a few business associates who have decided to share some tips to help you develop your 2010 Strategy Plan.

Below are some of the tips that I received to help you develop your 2010 Strategy Plan:

Burke Franklin

The process of developing a comprehensive strategic business plan assures that you cover all the bases. I say ‘strategic’ because you must develop a business plan that is actually a blue print for what you intend to do — more than just a “document to get money” — this will enable you to answer any questions thrown at you. Your financial model had better make sense and demonstrate a clear path to profitability and a high future business valuation. Also, from here you can develop the Executive Summary highlighting the key features of your business and why it is a great investment. (Remember investors don’t want to buy your product, they want to invest in your business. So it is is crucial that you focus on why yours will be a success business.)

Jennifer Davey

The most important tip I can offer is to stop pushing to get clients and start pulling them to you. It’s a lot of work to push your marketing message in front of potential clients. There is so much information coming at your clients screaming: “buy this!” or “make time for me!”, that you don’t want to be part of the noise. The most effective way to get clients is to get in front of them when they are ACTIVELY SEEKING your products and services. This strategy is called “Pull Marketing”. Pull marketing has a high return on investment. It’s very targeted so it creates a high conversion rate. To start pulling clients to you, you need to get REALLY clear on your niche (what you do) and your target market (who has the problem that you solve). Once you know that, finding ways to get your message out to that group becomes much easier.

Andy Hayes

If I had three simple tips for start-up entrepreneurs planning on starting their own business, they’d be:

1. Write a detailed description of your ideal customer, as if they were a specific person you knew.  Likes, dislikes, interests, background, personality.
2. Make a list of the products and services you will/could offer.  Try to prioritize them according to your interest, the speed in which you could launch them and the profit potential.  For each, write down:  ”Why does my ideal customer want this?”
3. Finally, to prepare your marketing and sales materials and collateral, write down in as FEW words as possible the answer to this question:  ”What makes this business either better or different than my competition?”  (If you have no competition, then you didn’t look hard enough.  And it is important to note that it is ok to be *different*, you don’t always have to be better.)

Karen Southall-Watts

Do a realistic assessment of where you are right now. The 2008-2009 years were really rough.  Many people will be launching businesses as a direct result of being pushed out of the traditional job market. This can be hard but there’s no reason to start your enterprise with a defeated feeling. Take inventory. What are your skills and talents? How much money can you devote to your fledgling business? How much support will you get from friends and family? It’s important to have a positive but firmly rooted in reality picture of your starting point.

Consider your online persona. It is highly unlikely that a business started in 2010 will not use the Internet in some way. How much of a presence you have online depends in part on the type of business you start. Whether it is as simple as designing the signature on your email or a full blown social media strategy, you must have an idea about how you will interact with people on the World Wide Web.

Maria Ross

Partner with a Few to Create More Value: Don’t just buy one ad here or do one webcast there. Partner deeply with 2 or 3 media properties or associations where you can have an integrated, multi-touch campaign to a consistent audience throughout the quarter or year. For example, I used to partner with an online tech portal when I worked B2B because my investment got me ad banners, dedicated emails, a few sponsored webcasts and event presence for one packaged price. I went deep with this audience to get in front of the same group multiple times. This helps you leverage your investment, do more effective marketing and get a real presence among the same group of prospects over and over again. Most associations or online entities have multiple platforms and are open to negotiate a unique package to fit your needs and budget, so talk to the ad sales rep and get creative.

Lauren Perkins

Being a small business in a recession is tough, but while most large companies are scaling back and continue to downsize, small businesses have the opportunity to keep growing into the New Year. By using your size and agility, your risk taking demeanor and bravado to your advantage. Small businesses can creatively leverage the resources at hand and make 2010 a year of stimulating expansion.