SmallBusinessNewz Video Blog » Business Plan

Three Tips for Creating Value Propositions

Videos — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:32:44 +0000

In the marketing world, there are many aspects to properly communicate a marketing message with customers. However, targeting your customer with psychographics and demographics isn’t enough. In order to accurately speak to your target, you must connect the unique benefits of your product or service with the needs of the customer. If the customer doesn’t recognize your value proposition, then your marketing message is lost on them.

Fortunately, there are a few methods to correctly convey your unique selling proposition to the customer. In this SBN segment, Abby Johnson lists the following useful tips on how to do just that:

1. Considering the customer’s context
2. Showing contrast of the customer’s situation with and without your offering
3. Showing a confirmation of your true value

Check out the details on creating value propositions in this video report right here on SmallBusinessNewz.

Becoming an Effective Leader

Videos — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:56:07 +0000

What does it take to be a leader? Although it can be defined in many different ways, a true leader takes his personal characteristics and puts them toward a specific goal or cause. Interestingly enough, being a business owner does not instantly make a person a leader.

The good news is that anyone can be a leader if he works at it. There are some qualities that a leader simply needs to possess. A leader needs to:

1. Have a plan
2. Have a vision
3. Share vision
4. Take charge
5. Inspire through example
6. Ask for help

Because leadership is an important ingredient to success, it is critical that small business owners strive for it. Check out more information about becoming a leader, right here on SmallBusinessNewz with Abby Johnson.

Turning a Great Idea into a Business Model

Videos — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:48:31 +0000

So many people have great ideas, but most of those ideas do not begin as successful businesses. In many cases, these ideas are put into motion even before they are fully formulated and can stand-alone as a business. With funding getting scarcer and scarcer, it is best to have a solid business model in place before you start operating a business. In this report, Abby Johnson discusses the process of actually turning these ideas into business models. The three steps are:

1. Know your market
2. Build a team
3. Create a business plan and stick with it

Check out this video report on SmallBusinessNewz for all the details.

Part 9: Business Plan – Projections

Videos — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:11:23 +0000

Today marks the end of our series on Business Plans as we look at the last section: Projections. Just as we mentioned in the beginning, this section could be included in the Financial Plan section since it discusses sources and uses of funding, sales/revenue expectations, and total expenses needed; or, it could stand-alone. Entrepreneurs are often intimidated when making their first-time predictions. They do not want to undercut their business, but they also don’t want to appear overly confident either. Understand that projections are produced through the research from the other sections of the Business Plan as well as through educated guesses. Find out more in the SmallBusinessNewz report on Projections.

Part 8: Business Plan – Financial Plan

Videos — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:46:39 +0000

Continuing in our Business Plan series, today’s segment covers the Financial Plan section. This section comes second to the last because it uses data from the other sections. It is critical that the other Business Plan sections contain correct information because if they don’t, then your estimations and projections will be inaccurate in your Financial Plan. Learn more about the Financial Plan section in this video on SmallBusinessNewz.

Part 7: Business Plan – Management Team

Videos — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:21:25 +0000

We’ve come a long way in our Business Plan series, but we have a few more sections left. Today’s segment looks at the Management Team. One of the biggest mistakes people make is simply including their management’s resumes into this section. While their resumes should be referenced, this section should be more detailed and focused on their relevant abilities. The 4 main sections within the Management Team section include: Ownership Structure, Internal Management Team, External Management Team, and Human Resources Needs. Check out all the details from Reporter Abby Johnson right here on SmallBusinessNewz.

Part 6: Business Plan – Competitive Analysis

Videos — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:10:43 +0000

As we continue our series on Business Plans, today we’re looking at the Competitive Analysis. This is the section in which you must explain what benefits your business will provide to your customers that your competition can’t or won’t supply. Before you write your Competitive Analysis, you have to thoroughly research your competitors. Take a look at this report from Abby Johnson and learn how you can investigate your competition and then compile it together for your written Competitive Analysis.

Parts 4 and 5: Business Plan – Products/Services and Sales and Marketing

Videos — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:55:46 +0000

We’re picking up our Business Plan series with two sections: Products and Services and Sales and Marketing. The Products and Services section is not very long and is rather self-explanatory. The Sales and Marketing section on the contrary, is longer and explains your sales strategies, advertising tactics, and a comprehensive marketing campaign. Find out detailed instructions for what each section should contain, in the SmallBusinessNewz report from Abby Johnson.

Part 3: Business Plan – Market Analysis

Videos — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:58:42 +0000

So far in our Business Plans series, we’ve looked at the Executive Summary, the Business Overview, and today, we take a look at the Market Analysis. This section, in summary, is proof that you know your entire market, your customer, company, and competition. For more information, check out Abby Johnson’s video report.

Part 2: Business Plan – Business Overview

Videos — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:10:08 +0000

Continuing our series on Business Plans, today we take a closer look at section 2, the Business Overview. The Executive Summary was focused on briefly highlighting the business, but the Business Overview is just the opposite. As Abby Johnson explains, the more you tell about your business, the better your chances are for making a good impression on potential investors. To catch all the tips, watch the SmallBusinessNewz video.