Are There Shortcuts to Creating a Business Plan?

During a recent 30-minute Business Vision Statements class taught by Maria, a student asked:

“I spent some time scrolling through your site and was intrigued by the One Page Business Plan® for Women. But I was disappointed to discover that it’s a book and CD set – I was hoping for one of your templates. In keeping with your own advice to cut through the clutter, I don’t want to wade through text explaining what a good idea it is to have a business plan. I already know that I need a business plan, and want to ‘git-r-dun’. Isn’t a template enough?”

Coach Maria Answered:

If only life were as simple as filling in a template and following it. Everyone would be happy and successful, and service professionals wouldn’t be in business. In fact, the entire coaching profession would never have been created.

But life doesn’t work that way, and neither does business.

Templates are useful, but guidance during the planning process can provide benefits beyond measure. People don’t fit into cookie cutter molds, and neither do businesses. To be successful, a business needs a clear, concise, and customized plan. In my experience, planning that is truly worthwhile and rewarding takes time. It isn’t always easy, and there can be bumps along the road. The good news is, for every 1 hour you spend planning, you’re bound to realize 10 hours of benefits!

“How you do anything is how you do everything.”
-T. Harv Ecker

When teaching the Vision Statement process in a 30-minute quick-class, I give instruction, provide a template, answer questions, and deliver feedback. When I work one-on-one with a client, I provide an additional 30-60 minutes of instruction, brainstorming, and critiquing. I then assign the client with the “homework” of creating three vision statements. Visions need time to percolate and develop the clarity that will help you reach your goals. Reaching your goals and making long lasting positive changes takes time, patience, and a good plan.

Most business plans are 30-50 pages and take 100+ hours to create, only to spend their lives collecting dust on a shelf. That’s a waste of time that no business person can afford. In contrast, the One Page Business Plan (OPBP) guidebook takes a first timer under 20 hours. As you can see, it cuts through wasted hours and clutter big time. The OPBP can be used daily or weekly to actively propel your business forward. Updating your OPBP takes just 1 to 3 hours per year. Your plan will grow with your business effortlessly, to improve your business future.

As an even easier alternative to the OPBP book, we offer Point, Click, Plan! software. You can create a draft of your plan in less than 120 minutes with a little reading and filling in the blanks. I offer Point, Click, Plan! software with a majority of my business plan and coaching programs.

The OPBP is a methodology that can be used in a variety of situations: from creating a career plan, to a department plan, or even a life plan. The latest versions of the OPBP books also include a very limited Ideal Client Profile. I have found that if you don’t create an Ideal Client Profile before creating a plan, you will end up with the wrong kind of marketing, networking, PR, or advertising. Whether you utilize the book or software to create your plan, the process is simple, straightforward, and effective. It would be a disservice to my fellow business owners if I were to propose any more of a shortcut on such a fundamental foundation of business.

One of the many things I like about the OPBP process is that it’s user friendly. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find out just how versatile it really is. Your plan can be used for a number of different projects: program development, job descriptions, and more!

Business Plan Resources

www.TheResourceQueen.com/businessplans.html

Programs I offer, go to:

http://www.MillionaireBusinessMastermind.com and
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