1. What is a business plan?
At FOCUS31 we believe a business plan is IRRELEVANT!
WAIT, don’t turn away just yet. .
A single business plan is a useless task, if it is not EASY, FAST, SUSTAINABLE and therefore, entirely PRACTICAL for business owners to engage in. Most importantly it must be implemented, measured against, reviewed/updated and implemented and measured again and again and again. To do otherwise ensures it will sit on your computer or printed and in your credenza collecting dust accomplishing nothing for your business. In effect a single business plan is pointless.The GOAL is to create a business system or culture of business planning
Our “prescription for greatness” includes just 6-Steps:
- Step #1: Vision Statement
- Step #2: A Mission
- Step #3: Create a set of up to 9 Objectives or targets that will be accomplished during the year.
- Step #4: Create a set of up to 9 Strategies
- Step #5: Create a set of up to 9 Action Plans
- Step #6: Implement small pieces of work, working ON the business, every week.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
2. What is a Vision Statement?
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- By When is 3-years not 5…trust us it works better.
- How Much is the Revenue you want to earn in that 3rd year
- Doing What is the product or service you will be offering 3-years from now
- For Whom defines your PERFECT client not now but 3-years from now
- Geographic market place is; local, regional, provincial/state, national, continental (e.g. North America), global or international and finally intergalactic…hey the day will come let’s start planning for it now.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE.
3. What is a Mission Statement?
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- Collaboration towards practical solutions to business challenges
- Helping people see better 1-hour at a time
- Inspire every athlete in the world
- Relationship-based accelerated action with revolutionary results.
- Comprehensive packaging solutions, chipboard specialists
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE.
4. What are Objectives?
Now add another for Profit, # of New Clients, Average Revenue per Sale and # of Sales Meetings/Presentations to name a few to consider. Larger business will need more complex Objectives but they are just as easy to identify.
For more ideas on setting Objectives call us NOW to book a FREE Business Planning Consultation, your FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation at 905.895.2719, or email events@focus31.com or register right HERE
5. What are Strategies?
Create a set of up to9 Strategies using the format of a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and then the 3 – 4 ways we believe based on current knowledge we can begin to drive towards achieving the BHAG. E.g.
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- Perfect Business Planning; create and sustain the business plan quarterly, measure to the objectives, engage in Action Plan work weekly.
Other current day Strategies might be for; Customer Service, Client Problem Resolution (which would be a subset of the Customer Service Strategy), Technology, Social Media or other Marketing Strategies and Employee Satisfaction to name a few.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE.
6. What are Action Plans?
Create a set of up to 9 Action Plans using just a Verb/Project Name/Due Date like, Relaunch Website by November 30, 2017. Here is one other hint, don’t have more than 3 Action Plans mature in the same 3-month period. This isn’t a laundry list this is business critical work that enables the business to grow and achieve more.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE.
7. How Do I Implement the Business Plan?
Here at FOCUS31 we act as the business owner’s Virtual-CEO holding them accountable to tell us in their dedicated password protect workspace using our Weekly FOCUS Accountability Commitment Reports HOW and WHEN they will do that work. This ensures RADICAL Accountability to implement the business plan week over week.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE.
8. How long should the business plan take?
Remember you didn’t come out of the womb knowing how to add 2 + 2 it took years of parents and teachers until around Grade 1 you understood the answer was 4. So don’t expect to be a brilliant business planner at first effort nor expect to have all the ideas you need to grow the business. As you grow more idea on how to grow the business will come to you. So get it down fast and then over the course of time by reviewing it for 30min monthly and 45min quarterly and never spending more than 90min annually to update your business your skills will improve and the business plan will always be CURRENT and RELEVANT. Create a culture of business planning in your business and success is virtually assured.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE

9. Is Measurement really that important with a business plan?
MEASURE everything. Not knowing the outcome of your work doesn’t change that there is an outcome. It is better to know that outcome and make adjustments if they aren’t what you were hoping for then continue to operate in the dark.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
10. When should I start my business planning?
Have more questions? Check the rest of the 14 FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
11. Why do I need a business plan?
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
12. What are the different types of business plans?
- Start-up business plans
- Growth business plans
- Maturing business plans
- Operational business plans
- Department or internal business plans
- Strategic business plans
- Feasibility plans
For the most part FOCUS31’s 6-Step business plan process can be used for all of these. However, plans referred to as Strategic or Feasibility may require a significant proportion of research and evaluation. Some of these plans may require a variety of cash flow assessments as well. In the FOCUS31 6-Step business plan process we create the needed cash flows assessments as an Action Plan and attach them as an Appendix to the base plan document. A “Marketing Plan” is treated in the same fashion.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
13. Should I hire someone to write my business plan?
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14. I want to get a bank loan for my business what kind of business plan do I need?
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15. Do you have a business plan template?
Our clients work with us to build their business plans in their dedicated, password protected, business planning site that includes their Marketing Plans as well. The system we use is so powerful we can build out workspaces for any major project like; relaunching a web site, social media activities, employee performance reviews, and system workflows to name a few.
Have more questions? Check the rest of the FAQs or register now for a FREE Business Planning Consultation, a FREE FOCUS Discovery Consultation, HERE
16. What do I include in my business plan?
As describe in Q1 – Q7.
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17. Is a Marketing Plan part of a business plan or is it a separate plan
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18. Can I see a sample business plan?
19. I’ve heard that a business plan should be 10 – 50 pages long....really?
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20. Can’t I just use a fill in the blank kind of business plan template?
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21. How do I use a business plan?
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22. What will be the advantages if I have a business plan?
WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?

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