Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal!
That is the key principle we live by at MBC and the mantra you should be chanting as a business owner powering into 2018.
Gone are the days when you could just put your head down and your back into the hard work to make a go of your business. Hard work always plays a huge role, but working smarter rather than harder is the key to true success.
We work with people every day who are struggling to take their business to the next level, and clients who have a great business idea, but just can’t seem to get it to work.
The reason is always the same. They have no blueprint or effective plan in place to build upon.
Making a Business Plan Gives You Focus
A lot of benefits come just from the process of writing a business plan down. It makes you think about all areas of the business, not just the ‘fun’ parts. Don’t rush your business planning, take your time and give it the effort it deserves.
You can do a business plan yourself. There are plenty of templates available which give you a starting point to work from.
A Business Plan Should Be a Living, Breathing Document
You should be continually reading, refocusing, and amending your business plan where appropriate. Too often a business plan sits in the corner of the room collecting dust.
There is so much emotional investment in having your own business, it can be overwhelming. This often means owners either never get around to writing one or, once they have, it is filed away never to be reviewed or seen again.
5 Reasons to Get Help with Your Business Plan
Getting assistance from experts such as MBC, can help overcome any apprehension or blocks to writing a plan. More importantly talking to a professional can:
- Give you a structured approach to achieve results and stay on track.
- Stop time wasting.
- Be a sounding board for your ideas.
- Offer direction when you get stuck.
- Provide comfort that they have the experience to know when you are on the right track.
Top 4 Most Overlooked Business Planning Issues
Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. It is only human that we can’t see things as clearly from the inside as someone who is looking on from outside with a fresh eye.
The key mistakes we most often see in business planning include:
- Not identifying your personal goals first.
- Not making sure your business and personal goals align.
- Not understanding the concept of “why” – this underpins everything else to follow in your business life and is a key to your success.
- Failing to identify your ideal client. Market to these directly rather than rely on the scattergun hope!
Break it Down and Get Started Today
When you think about a Business Plan – a huge dust gathering document with hundreds of pages probably comes to mind.
Most small businesses probably have enough door stops hanging around without adding to the office paper hoard that threatens to drown them each time they sit at their desk.
That is why we have developed a custom MBC Business Action Plan which is a quick jump-start into planning and can be used in conjunction with your more comprehensive business plan document.
This one-page document gives you clarity and direction providing the foundation for you to make proactive decisions that will move you where you want to go. It breaks your business plan down into key points, so you can stay on target without getting lost in the details.
The plan was designed to help you work out what’s important to your business and set some realistic goals to help move your business in a positive direction. It will keep you on track and enable you to address and overcome challenges that once would have been stumbling blocks.
There are no excuses for not getting started today!
You can download the Business Action Plan here from our website.
Just a heads up…this plan is the exact one we use when helping our clients. If you would like to talk to one of our advisers on how we can help you reach your business goals, email us at mbco@mbco.com.au or give us a call on (02) 6362 0988.
Remember…success occurs when opportunity meets preparation!
