| |
| |
|
Strategic Planning Information |
|
|
|
Writing Your Business Plan is Actually Storytelling
Storytelling and writing a business plan actually go hand in hand. The same ingredients used in telling a story are also used in writing a business plan. Let's use the Executive Summary as an example. The usual advice give to write this part of a business plan is something along these lines: ? This is the most important part of your plan because it is where potential investors will focus their attention most on. ? Write this executive summary once your plan is at its very final draft stage. ? Highlights and key issues. ? Avoid detail. ? Address the needs and interest of the reader. ? Use bullet points. ? Keep the length of this Executive Summary to no more than three pages. If this is the most important part of your entire business plan, then it is even more important for you to get it right from the start. But really, how do you this? How much information do you give in this Executive Summary? How much do you leave out? What do you concentrate on? Is it the description of the product itself? But if you concentrate on the product, then how do you keep it to only three pages when there is so much more to say about the history of the company, the people who run it and the financial status of the company? What about the dreams and aspirations of the company? How really can it all be said in just three pages? Well, most successful business plans use the same formula that storytellers use to write their Executive Summary. Let's use a very simple example to illustrate the point. Assume that the business plan you are writing is for the launch of a new face cream called Madame Belle, by a company known as Acme Creams Inc.. Your Executive Summary could read like this: 1. To revive our ailing company and generate some revenue, we are proud to introduce our new product, Madame Belle. 2. Madame Belle is a new age-defying face. The ingredients of this product are derived mainly from the aloe vera plant. Using our secret formula, we have extracted the glue-like substance from the plant and combined it with some other materials to produce Madame Belle. 3. The research and development team for the product is headed by Professor Bloggs. The marketing and sales of this product will be carried out by a team headed by Mr. John Stone, our Director of Sales and Marketing. The entire project has been funded by our company, Acme Creams Inc. 4. The distribution of the product will, in the first two years of production, be focused mainly in the U.S. market. Thereafter, the plan is to expand production and sales to Europe. 5. The date for the launch of this product has been fixed for January 27th 2005 and Ms Gloria Vanderbilt has agreed to be our guest of honour. Where are the ingredients of a story in this? Well, in sentence 1, the ingredient of 'Why' was used. The product was created to generate revenue. In sentence 2, the ingredient 'What' was used to describe the product. In sentence 3, the ingredient of 'Who' was used to provide information about who was involved in the project. In sentence 4, it is the ingredient 'Where' that is used to show the geographical location of where this product will be sold. Then in sentence 5, it is the ingredients of 'When' and 'How' this product is going to be launched that are described. Now, let me state here that the ingredients listed above are not the only ingredients in telling a story but they are the core ones. Also, the description above is but a sample; so, in writing a proper Executive Summary, one would need to expand on each ingredient. Nevertheless, when writing each part of the business plan from the Executive Summary to the financial plan to the marketing plan, the same ingredients can be used to describe each and every aspect of this. ******************* Aneeta Sundararaj, a storyteller, is the creator of the bestselling program "How To Tell A Great Story". Aneeta's technique and famed "R.P.I. Principle"© has been used by many people and offers simple, cutting-edge strategies applicable universally. She is also the author of two 'traditional' books The Banana Leaf Men and Mad Heaven: the biography of Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. M. Mahadevan. Visit http://www.howtotellagreatstory.com to learn more.
MORE RESOURCES:
Strategic-Planning - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Business Planning and the "Bozo" Factor "Bozo" - A clown with a forlorn look, always finding negative implications in every activity or event. A person who tries to find a way to prevent you from moving ahead, giving excuses such as "we've always done it this way, or this is not our culture" when presented a new opportunity or challenge. Business Plan Long Term Goals Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor is predicting the future. You will need to spent adequate time in preparing your long-term goals and objectives. 6 Steps To Laying Out Your Competitive Strategy Why do so many companies languish and watch as their business turns into a zero profit zone, while others seem to thrive?When you look at your business, whether it's a new venture or a company with a long history, can you answer the following questions?What does my company do better than anyone else?What unique value do I provide to my customers?How will I increase that value next year?Companies that fail to answer these questions, and don't believe they are of paramount importance, relegate themselves to marginal profitability at best and failure at worst. But companies that can answer these questions are able to raise the value bar for their customers and reap the benefits of success. 3 Ps of Planning - Prepare, Personalize, Pilot Here's a really simple way to make sure your plans always produce the results you expect."There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it. Executive Summary for Business Plans of Franchisees Writing a business plan for a franchised outlet of a larger company to get funding or find investors is difficult because the franchisor already has a plan which is working, but until you are privy to it upon purchase you actually know relatively few details. The franchisor must keep this information proprietary to insure competitors do not steal the information, but the franchise buyer needs the information to prepare a business plan to get a loan from a bank. Action Planning ACTION PLANNING: Action Planning is a process to develop strategies for changes in the organization based on an analysis of the problems which precipitate the need for change. It is a collaborative method of planning which involves the people working in the organization and permits the people who will be influenced by the decisions and change to have influence on the product or outcome. The Six Sigma Method and Design of Experiments Six Sigma is becoming a proven approach for businesses and organizations to improve their performance. The spectrum of companies actively engaging in Six Sigma today is wide from industrials like Celanese, Caterpillar, GE, Honeywell, and 3M to service/retail organizations like Starwood Hotels, Sears, and Home Depot. The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization Generating genuine accountability and functional alignment into your workplace cannot be left to vague ambitions and abstract statements. Well designed processes must be embedded into the heart of an organization to ensure that each employee's goals and expectations are clearly defined and that the resources to bring about specific measurable results are in place. The 7 Critical Steps to Formulating Your Annual Strategic Business Plan Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking that it is an arduous task that does not accomplish much. Formulating your annual plan is, however, critical to your business success and if done correctly should be quick, easy and generate bottom line results. I Always Play by the Rules and It Stinks! This week I coached a wonderfully lovely woman I'll call Jill. She's a bright woman, very compassionate and sweet. How Copying the HBO Schedule Can Boost Your Business I'm not talking about posting the HBO schedule on your website or sending a Xeroxed copy around to all your customers. When HBO came onto the scene they were innovative, fresh, and willing to do things other people were not. Six Key Areas For Evaluating A Strategic Alliance Strategic alliances are increasing at a rapid rate. It is good for business, good for the consumer. The Top Ten Rules of Effective Networking Many of us are discouraged by the networking events that we go to. We feel swamped by people just looking to get money from us, and we rarely feel as though the event was worth our time. Why Do a Business Plan? To Grow (Catapult) Your Business That's Why.When it's in your head it's not as likely to happen--too much missed. How to Start A Business Plan A business plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. The basic components include a current and pro forma balance sheet, an income statement, and a cash flow analysis. Business Plan: Planning the Operations Writing a business plan is no easy task, sure you can whip something together in a day or so, but without proper planning you are setting yourself up to fail. Many first time entrepreneurs have a bit of trouble writing a business plan, which will be acceptable to bankers and investors. 5 Strategies That Will Boost Your Business Productivity Today! - Part 1 Building a dynamic small business is a constantly evolving, increasingly demanding role.It is very easy to get so caught up in the day to day running of our business that we neglect to take the time to look from the outside in to see what we could do to improve our profitability!Well here are 5 Strategies that could boost your productivity overnight!They are not rocket science?and you may have even heard some of them before, but they are 5 proven principles that you can review today to help you stay on track regarding the real issues to grow your business from here. A Rough Cut on Feasibility A piano tuner recently moved to Buffalo, NY, and would like to assess the business possibilities for him in his new home. He plans to estimate how many piano tuners the greater Buffalo area can support, and compare that to the number listed in the phone book. Memo: Sustaining Growth in Your Business What gets measured gets done.How do you keep your business growing? How do you ensure the health of your business and your personal income against threats from competition, market cycles, commission payout changes, regulation of all kinds, and the human threat of complacency?The answer isn't to run faster on the same treadmill. Vendor Relations Strategies Sample Outline One of the quintessential parts to any business is your supply chain. To insure that the supplies are there when you need them; in this new day and age of "just in time" distribution where very little sits on warehouse shelves until you order it you will need excellent vendor relations.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |