decided on pricing, as well as
time spent delivering the prod-
uct or service? After all, time is
money. Does your pricing reflect
your operating costs? side business support personnel
may include accountants, mar-
keters, lawyers, service repair,
insurance agents, coaches, sup-
pliers, and so forth.
3. Sales and Marketing Strat-
egies. How are you acquiring
your clients? This section should
detail all forms of marketing,
including your website and social
media. The most important part
is the metrics of past strategies.
What worked and what did not.
Meaning which strategies netted
you clients. 5. Development. While every
other section is based on facts,
here is where you can dream.
What are planning to offer in the
future? This holds space for you
make those plans.
4. Day-To-Day Operations.
What does it take to run your
business? Overhead, start up
costs, employees, outside support
professionals, salary (yours), and
end game. Unless you plan on
working until the day you die,
you must plan for the end of your
business. That’s retirement and/
or sale of your business. Your
business will command a higher
price if you can demonstrate its
value through documentation,
such as yearly updated business
plans and tax returns. Your out-
My future plans for Spirited Dog
Productions will focus on intro-
ducing a consistent line of re-
corded and live online workshops
geared towards the pet profes-
sionals, as well as pet owners.
6. Financial summary. If you
have not started your business,
then income is projections based
on similar businesses. No detail
is too small. Account for every
penny. The health of your busi-
ness depends on your familiarity
with your financial summary.
Accounting software makes this
easier than you think. Income
should be separated divided by
every thing you sell or offered
service. When you track each
income stream individually, you
can see what is making money
and what is not. Are you allocat-
ing resources that are not adding
to your bottom line? You’ll know
that if you track your expenses.
7. Business Summary. Sums up
your business in easy to read
bullet points. Most financial
institutions, investors, or pro-
spective buyers will read this
first before making the decision
to read further.
A written (or typed) business
plan gives you the tools to make
intelligent decisions regarding
the future of your business based
on real time analysis rather than
conjecture and guesswork. It
adds measurable value to your
business.
About the Author
Mary’s been involved in the pet industry since 1999 and has owned
her own business since 2002. She grooms, she writes, she speaks
within the professional pet industry. Mary also is a Reiki Master, as
well as an Advanced Crystal Master. To get an appointment with her
helps if you have four legs or feathers. However, Mary networks with
the 2 legged variety.
maryoquendo.com
handsandpawsreiki.com
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