|
How To Run Stress-Free Events
Hi there, Some time ago I attended three major events, two were
well-run, the third was a shambles. All three had a number of
speakers and more than 200 hundred people present.
The Disorganised Event This is what happened at one of...
Image Does Matter
January is always a good time to grab bargains so when I noticed that two well-known blind companies were advertising 35% off their blinds, I decided to give them a call… and it was an interesting experience.
Company A
This person turned...
IRS Fails as a Tax Adviser
The Internal Revenue Service conducted a study of the quality of telephone advice it provides to taxpayers. It found that only 27% of callers actually received complete answers to their questions. Almost three quarters of callers were denied...
The End is the Beginning
People remember best what you say last. In a presentation, what people take with them to put into action or to connect with what they already know depends to a large degree on how you end the presentations. So in one sense, the end of your...
Virtual Offices - Profitable Alternative to Paying High Rent
A unique service that is being used by many professionals today is the virtual office. With so many business professionals working from their homes or on the go, the virtual office has evolved into a popular alternative to leasing a permanent...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seven Preparations for Writing a Business Plan
Writing a business plan is a daunting task. If you do not know that by now, you will discover that soon after you have read your first set of instructions for writing a plan. While each of these preparations will require much of your time and efforts, they will help to make the writing of your business plan easier.
Writing your own plan is best because you probably have superior knowledge of your product, your target market and your own capabilities. Eventually, when you are required to defend your plan, you will be better informed of its contents and its rationale. If you engage someone else to write your business plan, you will still have to supply much of the following information anyway.
1. Enter an outline in your wordprocessor. You can copy excerpts from books, online searches or pamphlets from government agencies. Finding appropriate content for your venture could take quite a bit of time. It's a good start for overcoming inertia, it provides places to record information as it is gathered and your outline can become your planning and control file.
2. Begin collecting contact details for all your references: data sources, business plan writing instructions, resource persons, online sites, libraries, bookstores, etc. The more -- the better. Exercise caution if you think your idea is hot for a local and limited market. Reveal your concept and your research only to a trusted few. Someone with similar attributes and skills with access to more money could beat you to an exclusive market share. In my business classes there was always, at least, one student accepting my offer to submit the weekly submissions in a plain kraft envelope.
3. Establish formats and content for appendices such as floor plans, schedules and product details that could be time consuming to gather into an appropriate presentation.
4. Gather industry data. Lenders and investors have access to
financial ratios. Ratios are difficult or costly to obtain for some types of businesses. Sample financial statements are more easily found. So, find several that have revenues and expenditures similar to your venture and calculate averages for your own ratios. Gathering extensive marketing information on your potential competitors and for your target market requires a lot of preparatory work. Your readers will expect your data to be cross-referenced and full explanations for any abnormal ranges. If your research requires you to have Standard Industrial Codes (SIC) get them at http://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html or http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.
5. Perform "what-if" experiments on spreadsheets to find the best presentations of tables and charts for cashflow projections, break-even estimates, product life cycle, market segmentation, implementation schedules, training programs and all the other ingredients ensuring the success of your venture. Accuracy and readability improve with each reiteration or rewrite.
6. Begin your networking by joining and attending appropriate associations and trade fairs. Ask about or just listen to the many problems being shared. Arrange meetings with as many people you know who are familiar with businesses similar to your venture.
7. Meet with a lender or investor for advice. Try to determine their expectations for your venture and for the content of your plan. Ask for any booklets and their networking suggestions. Do the same with experienced borrowers.
You will appreciate the benefits from your due diligence on these preparations. May the writing of your business plan be less daunting. I wish I could tell you it will be a "piece of cake."
About the Author
Gerry added practical wisdom to his college and univeristy courses by owning and operating small businesses. That wisdom is now online at http://www.UncleMaxSays.com
|
|
|
|
|
Oral Presentation Advice |
Your presentation should not replace your paper, but rather whet the ... Below I consider goals for academic interview talks and class presentations. ... |
www.cs.wisc.edu |
  |
Presentation Skills |
This site contains annotated links to resources concerned with presentation and communication skills. |
lorien.ncl.ac.uk |
  |
Presentation Helper - Free PowerPoint templates, help, advice and ... |
Resources on how to make effective presentations. Includes tips on PowerPoint and topic ideas. |
www.presentationhelper.co.uk |
  |
Neurobehavioral Systems, Inc. |
Neuroscience stimulus delivery software can be used for cognitive psychology, fMRI, erp and single unit research (Windows). |
nbs.neuro-bs.com |
  |
Why tables for layout is stupid: problems defined, solutions offered |
Why tables for layout is stupid:. problems defined, solutions offered. Tables existed in HTML for one reason: To display tabular data. ... |
www.hotdesign.com |
  |
The Gettysburg Powerpoint Presentation |
This presentation prepared with the help of Microsoft Powerpoint Autocontent Wizard. ... Permission is granted to use this presentation in any course or ... |
norvig.com |
  |
Presentation Zen |
I love the clear presentation of the ideas in the book and the fact that the ... In the context of presentations, moving info away can help you and the ... |
www.presentationzen.com |
  |
Presentation Tips for Public Speaking |
Better Public Speaking & Presentation - Ensure Your Words Are Always ... On the Job: Public Speaking Tips - Twelve Steps to Great Presentations by Elise ... |
www.aresearchguide.com |
  |
Presentation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Presentation is the process of presenting the content of a topic to an ... You should plan to rehearse your presentation out loud at least four times. ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
OSCON 2005 Keynote - Identity 2.0 |
“A barn-burner of a presentation. I loved this.” - Cory Doctorow. “I watched it twice, and greatly enjoyed it both times.” - Jon Udell ... |
www.identity20.com |
  |
Presentations - Effective Communication - Public Speaking |
Tips and tools for creating and delivering presentations: text, techniques and technology. |
www.presentations.com |
  |
Presentation Information Resources - Presentation Technology News ... |
Presentation Information Resources - Comprehensive presenter's resource providing instant access to up-to-date information on technology and techniques for ... |
199.249.170.231 |
  |
Effective Presentations homepage |
In addition, the skills needed to prepare an oral presentation can be used ... A spiffy presentation discussing Effective Teaching with Powerpoint from the ... |
www.kumc.edu |
  |
Impress |
Your presentations will stand out with 2D and 3D clip art, special effects, animation, ... Slide show Animation and Effects bring your presentation to life. ... |
www.openoffice.org |
  |
PRESENTATIONPRO - experts for Microsoft PowerPoint |
A series of products and services to help enhance PowerPoint presentations with templates and backgrounds. |
www.presentationpro.com |
  |
Leadership - Presentation Skills |
Presentation, PowerPoint, and Leadership. ... Presentations and reports are ways of communicating ideas and information to a group. But unlike a report, ... |
www.skagit.com |
  |
Presentation: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with presentation on Technorati. |
www.technorati.com |
  |
Secretary of State Addresses the U.N. Security Council |
My friends, this has been a long and a detailed presentation. And I thank you for your patience. But there is one more subject that I would like to touch on ... |
www.whitehouse.gov |
  |
Rubric |
Organization, Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information. Audience has difficulty following presentation because ... |
www.ncsu.edu |
  |
Presentation Skills |
Presentations are one of the first managerial skills which a junior engineer ... This article looks at the basics of Presentation Skills as they might apply ... |
www.see.ed.ac.uk |
  |