I have developed a consulting care-giving service for the elderly. 1 would like to market my services to corporations to help employees on their staffs who are coping with die responsibilities of caring for their elderly relatives. 1 have been stymied by not really knowing how to market to corporations without personal contact. How can I go about marketing and selling my services? Are there any books you would recommend?
Marketing services is quite different from marketing products. Our economy is shifting to the service sector. Ninety percent of all new jobs and 67% of the gross national product are generated annually by the service sector. What complicates your problem is that there are many consultants selling similar services.
It is hard to figure out where you are going if you have not given serious thought to and developed a strategy on how to get there. Take the first step by developing a business plan that will help you focus your energies and build a strategy for launching your venture. I suggest that you get a copy of Program for Writing Winning Business Plans for a step-by-step method of producing a business plan.
Unfortunately, just having a good idea that you think will sell in the marketplace is not enough. Although you have already developed several brochures for your venture, a detailed marketing plan is needed. Ideas for Small Service Businesses covers how to advertise and publicize a service business successfully. It offers practical and innova¬tive suggestions on everything from how to cultivate the right business image to designing and producing effective brochures and ads, to the secrets of generating free publicity.
While preparing these plans and researching your industry, contact both for-profit and nonprofit agencies that are involved in serving the elderly. For instance, contact an association that provides information about elder care services in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and churches. Be mindful that virtually any service can be duplicated. Therefore, understanding your marketplace, staying on the leading edge, and growing your venture will depend on the soundness of your business plan and marketing tactics.
2009年5月5日 星期二
2009年5月4日 星期一
Business Plan
I have a great idea for starting a new business, but my banker is insisting that 1 have a business plan before proceeding with the loan request. Do I really need to write a business plan? Are there small-business consultants who would write a business plan for me?
Answer
Entrepreneurs constantly fight the battle of writing good and sound business plans that will attract financing for their new ventures. Most often they delay writing business plans because they are uncertain of how to write and prepare the planning documents essential to operating a successful venture. A business plan forces you to consider every facet of your proposed business and places funding decisions on paper, where they can be evaluated and considered by everyone involved.
There are companies or consultants who will prepare your business plan. However, most of the benefit of writing a business plan is lost if another person writes it. Sitting down and developing the plan, section by section, forces you to think critically, evaluate, and plan. Without exception, entrepreneurs who have written their own business plans report that they were compelled to rethink many aspects of their venture when it became apparent that there were some serious flaws in their thinking.
If you need assistance developing your business plan, ask your local college or university about courses on writing a business plan. Or call your local chamber of commerce, small-business development center, or FastTrac headquarters at 1-800-689-1740. The best news about developing and writing your own business plan is that once you have been through the process, additional plans take half the time to write. Also, you have learned valuable planning skills that will be critical to your success as an entrepreneur.
Answer
Entrepreneurs constantly fight the battle of writing good and sound business plans that will attract financing for their new ventures. Most often they delay writing business plans because they are uncertain of how to write and prepare the planning documents essential to operating a successful venture. A business plan forces you to consider every facet of your proposed business and places funding decisions on paper, where they can be evaluated and considered by everyone involved.
There are companies or consultants who will prepare your business plan. However, most of the benefit of writing a business plan is lost if another person writes it. Sitting down and developing the plan, section by section, forces you to think critically, evaluate, and plan. Without exception, entrepreneurs who have written their own business plans report that they were compelled to rethink many aspects of their venture when it became apparent that there were some serious flaws in their thinking.
If you need assistance developing your business plan, ask your local college or university about courses on writing a business plan. Or call your local chamber of commerce, small-business development center, or FastTrac headquarters at 1-800-689-1740. The best news about developing and writing your own business plan is that once you have been through the process, additional plans take half the time to write. Also, you have learned valuable planning skills that will be critical to your success as an entrepreneur.
2009年4月30日 星期四
How to look for a business with high success potential
I am looking for a business idea with high success potential. Where can an aspiring entrepreneur find a good business idea?
Answer
Examining some entrepreneurial myths can lead to discovering a good business idea.
The best product or service will be successful. This myth comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson's frequently quoted statement that if you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door. Ralph probably would not have made a successful entrepreneur. Thousands of potential entrepreneurs have been sidetracked, even ruined, by taking Emerson's advice to heart.
Unfortunately, just the opposite is true. Regardless of the superiority of your product or service, customers do not beat a path to your door. Producing the best-quality item does not guarantee market share. It simply means you may have an edge over your competition. Successfully penetrating your market is the key. The entrepreneur who demonstrates this superior mousetrap to the world and convinces people to buy it is successful.
Myth 2
At the core of every successful new enterprise is a novel idea or invention. Granted, a completely original idea or new technology has a good chance of succeeding. The fact is that very few new business ideas are truly novel. Instead, they are modifications or improvements of already-existing products or services. Many aspiring entrepreneurs make the mistake of searching for a completely new idea and never find one. Focus on improving or enhancing proven venture ideas. Inventors design new products, but entrepreneurs seek out new opportunities anchored by customer needs, a competitive edge, and good timing.
Great ideas make successful ventures. There is an enormous difference between good ideas and doable ideas. Ideas that are feasible may have a potential market. Entrepreneurs observe new trends and market opportunities. They continually listen to customer concerns and complaints. Potential ideas come from customers who are willing to tell you about the deficiencies and inadequacies of the existing product or service. What do people want that they cannot find? What are they unhappy about? What new products or services are they excited about? Discovering customer dissatisfactions is a great way to find a new venture idea.
The real challenge for the entrepreneur is (1) to look for venture opportunities, (2) to identify doable ideas, and (3) to implement those ideas with a proven market and growth potential.
Answer
Examining some entrepreneurial myths can lead to discovering a good business idea.
The best product or service will be successful. This myth comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson's frequently quoted statement that if you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door. Ralph probably would not have made a successful entrepreneur. Thousands of potential entrepreneurs have been sidetracked, even ruined, by taking Emerson's advice to heart.
Unfortunately, just the opposite is true. Regardless of the superiority of your product or service, customers do not beat a path to your door. Producing the best-quality item does not guarantee market share. It simply means you may have an edge over your competition. Successfully penetrating your market is the key. The entrepreneur who demonstrates this superior mousetrap to the world and convinces people to buy it is successful.
Myth 2
At the core of every successful new enterprise is a novel idea or invention. Granted, a completely original idea or new technology has a good chance of succeeding. The fact is that very few new business ideas are truly novel. Instead, they are modifications or improvements of already-existing products or services. Many aspiring entrepreneurs make the mistake of searching for a completely new idea and never find one. Focus on improving or enhancing proven venture ideas. Inventors design new products, but entrepreneurs seek out new opportunities anchored by customer needs, a competitive edge, and good timing.
Great ideas make successful ventures. There is an enormous difference between good ideas and doable ideas. Ideas that are feasible may have a potential market. Entrepreneurs observe new trends and market opportunities. They continually listen to customer concerns and complaints. Potential ideas come from customers who are willing to tell you about the deficiencies and inadequacies of the existing product or service. What do people want that they cannot find? What are they unhappy about? What new products or services are they excited about? Discovering customer dissatisfactions is a great way to find a new venture idea.
The real challenge for the entrepreneur is (1) to look for venture opportunities, (2) to identify doable ideas, and (3) to implement those ideas with a proven market and growth potential.
2009年4月27日 星期一
Entrepreneur's Venture Checklist
1. What do you like to do?
2. What are your interests and hobbies?
3. What are your areas of expertise?
4. Do you have any special skills or talents?
5. What industry are you most interested in?
6. What are your financial needs?
7. How much financial risk are you willing to expose yourself to?
8. Would you be more comfortable with running a small business with few employees or a larger business with many employees?
9. How many years do you want to work?
10. Will your current physical condition withstand the pressures and stresses that come with starting a new business?
11. Where do you want to live and work?
12. How many hours per week are you willing to work?
2. What are your interests and hobbies?
3. What are your areas of expertise?
4. Do you have any special skills or talents?
5. What industry are you most interested in?
6. What are your financial needs?
7. How much financial risk are you willing to expose yourself to?
8. Would you be more comfortable with running a small business with few employees or a larger business with many employees?
9. How many years do you want to work?
10. Will your current physical condition withstand the pressures and stresses that come with starting a new business?
11. Where do you want to live and work?
12. How many hours per week are you willing to work?
2009年4月24日 星期五
Executive Entrepreneurs - Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Retirees
I am 64 years old and bored. I took advantage of an early retirement opportunity after working 30 years for an insurance company. I have always been interested in running my own business, but don't know what kind of business to start. What do you suggest?
Many retirees are starting new enterprises, since they still want to work but cannot find suitable employment opportunities. They have several advantages over other entrepreneurs, such as retirement dollars to invest in a business. Another advantage is having already established a long-term banking relationship with a personal credit history, demonstrating credit-worthiness and some available assets to use as collateral.
You have many options to consider as to what kind of venture to start. First, examine the skills, expertise, and hobbies you have that are transferable to a business venture. What have you done in the past that either satisfies a current market need or solves a problem for a poten?tial customer? Taking advantage of your skills and interests is the starting point.
Are there contracting opportunities with your previous employers that you could explore? Is there some type of project or new product or service that they might be interested in starting? If so, maybe you should establish a joint venture with them.
Consider the following questions:
Could you start this venture on a part-time basis to test the need and feasibility of your idea? Could it be started as a home-based business, thus reducing start-up costs?
Are there existing businesses for sale that you might be interested in buying?
Would you be interested in starting a franchise, for which the success rate is much higher than for a new start-up venture?
Are there any agreements available through which you could—for a small fee—be licensed to represent an existing product or product line?
Once you have identified a definite need in the marketplace, consider your competitive advantage. Avoid becoming a "me-too" business that just duplicates a successful concept. Determine how you could differentiate your venture, carve a niche, and capitalize on your competition's weaknesses.
Interview owners of existing businesses you might be interested in starting. Ask them questions about the problems they encounter as well as growth opportunities. Contact the national trade association in your industry and ask for information on starting a business in that industry. Or go to work full- or part-time for a business you are interested in starting.
Many retirees are starting new enterprises, since they still want to work but cannot find suitable employment opportunities. They have several advantages over other entrepreneurs, such as retirement dollars to invest in a business. Another advantage is having already established a long-term banking relationship with a personal credit history, demonstrating credit-worthiness and some available assets to use as collateral.
You have many options to consider as to what kind of venture to start. First, examine the skills, expertise, and hobbies you have that are transferable to a business venture. What have you done in the past that either satisfies a current market need or solves a problem for a poten?tial customer? Taking advantage of your skills and interests is the starting point.
Are there contracting opportunities with your previous employers that you could explore? Is there some type of project or new product or service that they might be interested in starting? If so, maybe you should establish a joint venture with them.
Consider the following questions:
Could you start this venture on a part-time basis to test the need and feasibility of your idea? Could it be started as a home-based business, thus reducing start-up costs?
Are there existing businesses for sale that you might be interested in buying?
Would you be interested in starting a franchise, for which the success rate is much higher than for a new start-up venture?
Are there any agreements available through which you could—for a small fee—be licensed to represent an existing product or product line?
Once you have identified a definite need in the marketplace, consider your competitive advantage. Avoid becoming a "me-too" business that just duplicates a successful concept. Determine how you could differentiate your venture, carve a niche, and capitalize on your competition's weaknesses.
Interview owners of existing businesses you might be interested in starting. Ask them questions about the problems they encounter as well as growth opportunities. Contact the national trade association in your industry and ask for information on starting a business in that industry. Or go to work full- or part-time for a business you are interested in starting.
2009年4月21日 星期二
Negotiations Tips - What concessions can I make?
Negotiating is about trading. If you are going to negotiate rather than dictate, you will need to be prepared to give something in order to get a settlement. You have already identified what you want to achieve. Now is the time to think about what you might be prepared to concede in order to achieve your outcome. This means going back to your list of priorities. Ask yourself:
(a) What must I have?
What is so important that I am not prepared to give way about it, even slightly?
(b) What is less important to me?
What do I have which I would prefer to keep intact but might be prepared to trade if I had to?
(c) What have I got to barter?
What do I have that isn't very important to me, or that I have a lot of, which I would be prepared to give away, in order to achieve what I want?
Think about negotiating bedtime with children. It might be important to you that they go to bed at 7.00, with their faces washed and their teeth cleaned. Assume they don't want to do that. They usually go to bed at 7.30. So you negotiate. If it's important to you that they get more sleep, but you have plenty of time to read them a story, you may negotiate with the offer of an extra bedtime story. If your priority is getting them out of the way because you have an important client coming to dinner, then you may offer the options of staying up later tomorrow or watching a cartoon on the video before going to bed. Your priorities will govern the things you are prepared to give way on and those which are non-negotiable.
(a) What must I have?
What is so important that I am not prepared to give way about it, even slightly?
(b) What is less important to me?
What do I have which I would prefer to keep intact but might be prepared to trade if I had to?
(c) What have I got to barter?
What do I have that isn't very important to me, or that I have a lot of, which I would be prepared to give away, in order to achieve what I want?
Think about negotiating bedtime with children. It might be important to you that they go to bed at 7.00, with their faces washed and their teeth cleaned. Assume they don't want to do that. They usually go to bed at 7.30. So you negotiate. If it's important to you that they get more sleep, but you have plenty of time to read them a story, you may negotiate with the offer of an extra bedtime story. If your priority is getting them out of the way because you have an important client coming to dinner, then you may offer the options of staying up later tomorrow or watching a cartoon on the video before going to bed. Your priorities will govern the things you are prepared to give way on and those which are non-negotiable.
2009年4月19日 星期日
Negotiations tactic - Adjournments
Adjournments are perhaps the only tactic which it is possible unconditionally to label useful and helpful. You may not always need an adjournment as part of your negotiation, but when you are negotiating, do bear in mind that you can adjourn. Adjournments are used or even pre-set in some formal negotiations but are severely under-used in most day-to-day negotiations.
What are they?
An adjournment is a break in negotiations, agreed between both parties. It can last for a long or a short period. Often, we think of adjournments as belonging only to formal negotiations such as union-management meetings, but they can also be useful and appropriate even on the most informal occasions.
When to use them
If you are negotiating as part of a team it is probable that you will need to adjourn at least once during the course of the negotiating meeting in order to consider the various offers and counter offers which have been made. If you have come to a tentative or suggested agreement, you will probably need to discuss how well it fits with the outcome you had agreed before starting.
If you are negotiating on your own, and you need a little thinking time, ask for a short break for a coffee etc, while you think about what has been suggested so far. Thinking on your feet is partly about thinking quickly as you go along, but also being prepared to state your need for a little thinking time, to allow you to check the quality of your speed thinking.
How to use them
- state your need for an adjournment and the reason for it. You don't have to have any better reason than wanting some breathing space or a cup of tea
- suggest and agree the duration of it
- re-open the negotiation with a summary of where you left off
- avoid bringing fresh issues into the meeting straight after the adjournment. If it is unavoidable to do so, leave it until you have got back into the swing of the negoti¬ation.
What to use them for
Use adjournments to:
- check that you have covered all that you need to cover
- assess the offers which have been made against your needs
- assess the offers which you have made - are you getting a fair deal?
- use the opportunity to bring the extra information you now have into your wider picture of how you might achieve your outcome. Does this information give you any other routes to follow?
- cool down or allow the other negotiator to cool down
- surreptitiously contact a boss/colleague/friend to ask advice.
Deadlines
It can be a helpful tactic to set a deadline for completing the negotiation. This should not be a time or date cast in stone, but having a deadline means that issues are more likely to be resolved.
What are they?
An adjournment is a break in negotiations, agreed between both parties. It can last for a long or a short period. Often, we think of adjournments as belonging only to formal negotiations such as union-management meetings, but they can also be useful and appropriate even on the most informal occasions.
When to use them
If you are negotiating as part of a team it is probable that you will need to adjourn at least once during the course of the negotiating meeting in order to consider the various offers and counter offers which have been made. If you have come to a tentative or suggested agreement, you will probably need to discuss how well it fits with the outcome you had agreed before starting.
If you are negotiating on your own, and you need a little thinking time, ask for a short break for a coffee etc, while you think about what has been suggested so far. Thinking on your feet is partly about thinking quickly as you go along, but also being prepared to state your need for a little thinking time, to allow you to check the quality of your speed thinking.
How to use them
- state your need for an adjournment and the reason for it. You don't have to have any better reason than wanting some breathing space or a cup of tea
- suggest and agree the duration of it
- re-open the negotiation with a summary of where you left off
- avoid bringing fresh issues into the meeting straight after the adjournment. If it is unavoidable to do so, leave it until you have got back into the swing of the negoti¬ation.
What to use them for
Use adjournments to:
- check that you have covered all that you need to cover
- assess the offers which have been made against your needs
- assess the offers which you have made - are you getting a fair deal?
- use the opportunity to bring the extra information you now have into your wider picture of how you might achieve your outcome. Does this information give you any other routes to follow?
- cool down or allow the other negotiator to cool down
- surreptitiously contact a boss/colleague/friend to ask advice.
Deadlines
It can be a helpful tactic to set a deadline for completing the negotiation. This should not be a time or date cast in stone, but having a deadline means that issues are more likely to be resolved.
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