ALR Business Coach2008-12-05T11:39:06Zhttp://blog.alrcoach.com/atom.aspxQuick BlogcastWhy is a Business Plan important?tag:blog.alrcoach.com,2008-05-09:14814cbb-918d-4b05-850a-6c6d3a854ed7ALRCoach2008-05-09T10:53:45Z2008-05-09T10:15:00Z A business plan should have at least:
Vision Statement -
What you are building and what is the focus of your company? Remember, you get what you focus on! Everyone in the company, whether it is a one person company or a one hundred thousand employee company, everyone needs to fucus on a common vision.
Your Vision Statement should be a short, concise statement of your organization's future state. This could be 1 year, 5 years, 20 years, or even 100 years in the future.
Microsofts vision was: "A computer on every desk and in every home using great software as an empowering tool." When Microsoft first made this Vision Statement, it appeared to many a very lofty goal, people thought they were crazy! It doesn't seem so crazy now, does it?
A good Vision Statement should incorporate many elements. Here are a few that I believe are important and have been in many books. (There are hundreds, if not thousands of books on the subject)
Audacious: Shoot for the Top! It may be a dream that many and maybe even you, believe is impossible. Over the years I have read many books and have heard many speakers who talked about those people that accomplished amazing feats because they had a dream or a VISION, of what they wanted or though could be achieved. Remember the Microsoft statement? President John F. Kennedy had this Vision and made this statement, "We will put a man on the moon before the end of the decade and bring him back!" Wow, what a Vision! And, we did it!
Capitalizes on core competencies: If you are starting a new company, do you know what these are? If you are an established company, think of your company history, customer base, strenghts, and unique capabilities, resources, and assets.