Comments on: Your Online Business Planning Session: Part One

By: Weekly favorites (Dec 12-18)

Weekly favorites (Dec 12-18) — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 18:12:02 +0000

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By: How to Start a Small Business

How to Start a Small Business — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:11:29 +0000

In addition to the corporate objectives that are ingrained in the marketing plan, it should also consist of the corporate mission which also lays down the guidelines for the company’s objectives in marketing activities.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:32:35 +0000

Good time to start fresh, Anne. :)

Good plan, Damaria. I like that you're seeing the increased business as a start on next year's raise. :)

By: Damaria Senne

Damaria Senne — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:24:52 +0000

I want to increase my earnings by 20%. The first half of 2011 was extremely slow, so the second half has been about financial recovery to meet my 2011 goals. I didn't make it, but my momentum has increased to help set me up well for 2012, and I need to take advantage of that.
I also want to improve on my income sources; increase income from my own projects. That will mean self-publishing more. I already have some starting material written; I just need to put in the time to polish it, get it edited and published.
I also noticed that I need to work smarter - I'm working too hard on some client projects, so the way I allocate time for a project and the income it eventually generates needs to be improved quite a lot. That also means letting go some clients who require a lot of work for a lower than my average fee. It also means doing more marketing to clients who have the capacity to pay me what I want to earn per hour.
As for keeping track, my bank offers a free online software linked to my business account which allows me to do my annual income plan and to invoice clients. I can then allocate incoming payments to specific invoices issued. It automatically generates a report for me based on my requested frequency ( weekly, fortnightly, monthly).

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:20:35 +0000

Just what I needed... my goals/calendar program blew up and I've finally picked a replacement so I'm getting started with this now.

Thanks

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:56:14 +0000

Spreadsheets were a mystery to me too, Paula, until I created my own.

Mine is more of a list. The reason I use Excel is because that list is easier to add columns to than a Word-generated list.

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:13:06 +0000

Here's where I meekishly admit I have no clue how spreadsheets really work. Anything involving lots of numbers is gibberish to me - and often he more someone tries to explain it the less sense it makes. For example, at yesterday's way-too-long neighborhood meeting (would have ended 30 minutes earlier if one woman had nattered on about unrelated things the entire time), the Community Policing Officer spent about 15 minutes explaining a page of spread sheets that explained four charts that were way easier (for me) to follow.

Despite a couple of great months earlier this year, the past couple of months haven't been up to my targets income wise, so I've been putting off adding it all up to see how I stand so far for the year. My guess is not-so-great, since the past month or so, instead of paying all monthly bills at once, I've had to pay the immediate ones first, and wait until more funds come in and pay the rest closer to their due dates. That might have more to do with the direct deposit snaffu, which was cleared up as of yesterday. (Apparently someone, not me, noted "pay by check only" on the forms I signed authorizing direct deposits. Go figure.)

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:53:39 +0000

Good thing to include, Devon. What you WANT. Amen.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:32:07 +0000

I need to make some huge changes. First, I have to identify what I WANT, and then I have to come up with the steps to get there. THEN, I'll look at it, see what my target number is, and how I have to modify the wants to fit the needs.

This year's plan was great, but I didn't have enough fall backs. I discovered a lot of great things about how I want to work moving forward -- now I have to apply them and make them a reality. It was the first year I didn't have to worry about fighting with landlords or commuting to B'way and all that, so it was the first time I had a stretch of time where I could really see cause-effect in my plan. Very helpful.

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:57:53 +0000

I have a similar method. Gee, Sharon, when have I ever said that before? :-)

I have a spreadsheet that shows what's been billed, what's pending and what's been paid. I run a monthly and quarterly total of the paid.

Your monthly accounting, Lori, is my kick in the rear reminder to do it. So, don't stop. :-)

At first, it was more about just improving. Now, it's more targeted.

Great series going here, Lori.