| Every business needs a business plan and a business | | | | backlinks are not increasing your traffic and posting on |
| plan requires goals, objectives and strategies. Goals | | | | discussion lists is a major source of traffic, don't waste |
| are what you hope to accomplish in the upcoming | | | | time getting backlinks. |
| period of time. Goals can be set on a monthly basis, | | | | 3. The business plan keeps you on track. Think of it as |
| every three months or yearly. Some entrepreneurs | | | | a master plan. You know what you have to do every |
| set major goals for the year and then monthly goals. | | | | month to achieve your objectives. Focus is critical to |
| Think of goals as the end destination on a trip. If you | | | | achievement. Comparing your plan results to your |
| don't establish where you're going you won't know if | | | | actual results can increase productivity. |
| you got there. Objectives are the benchmarks along | | | | It may help to take your monthly objectives and |
| the way and strategies are the road map that will | | | | strategies and keep track of your activities by the |
| guide you to your goals. It may seem like extra work | | | | week. An old fashioned notebook is good. You can |
| to formalize your objectives and strategies but it has | | | | print out a spreadsheet with the strategies, three hole |
| three huge advantages. | | | | punch it and then jot down notes for the week. You'll |
| 1. Once you've finished the tasks for each product you | | | | have an easy way to track your progress. At the end |
| may realize that it's an impossibility to get everything | | | | of the week update the spreadsheet with your notes. |
| accomplished in the time frame you've assigned. You | | | | Once you've finished your goals, objectives, and |
| either have to stretch the time frame, eliminate some | | | | strategies you can incorporate them into a formal |
| of the tasks, or eliminate a revenue stream. The | | | | business plan. You've already established your |
| business plan forces you to be realistic. | | | | revenues, you have a good idea of what strategies |
| 2. With a business plan you know what you did and if | | | | and tasks need to be accomplished and the expenses |
| it worked. You can increase the activities that worked | | | | that will be necessary. |
| and start eliminating the efforts that don't. For example: | | | | Know where you want to go and how you're going to |
| if your business is web related, one of your objectives | | | | get there. A business plan can be your roadmap to |
| may be increasing traffic to those websites. If | | | | success. |