I need a Plan (help)

montechristo

 Good day everyone,
 I am in the phase of business where i am using the internet and reference from my moving services to secure clients however i have no idea how to make a viable plan outside of my simple business methods. I know that I will do better to have a business plan and model so maybe anyone who can help me would advise me or do so based on the realities of how i run my business
I post up free ads online    - a client calls/emails me-I perform the service-he/she may or may not tell a friend-I post another free ad.
    I want a plan that will help me evolve past this phase but consider that I am not ready to incorporate or licence my activities. i am simply raising capital through the business activites to get the things i feel will jump start it eg my own truck and moving equipment
 

Nuevolution

here is a template if you need one for your business
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This is an old link but I hope it works out for you..

TrueGRITS

Have you read SUN`s 10 Steps yet?  That`s the best help you can find for an intro on how to do business plans and everything else.  Be forewarned - business plans are hard work.  http://www.startupnation.com/pages/start/10Steps.asp</A>
Your intention is to drive to more business, but you don`t want to incorporate?  I`m thinking you`ve put the cart before the horse, but other SUNnies will you have to tell you for sure.  If you`re earning a profit off this, you`re going to need to declare it on your taxes.  I`m thinking you`re going to want to make yourself a legal business sooner rather than later.
That said, I don`t think there`s anything wrong with the "basic" way you`re doing things.  Your location said Washington, DC.  Have you tried college campuses?  Movers at UNC always used to put up flyers with tear off strips around campus throughout the year and got TONS of business, more than they could handle.  I know it`s rudimentary, but $ is $ and the business generated from those tear-off strips more than covered the Kinko`s bill.  Consider hiring out movers for an hourly rate to lug the really heavy stuff up and down dorm stairs at the end and beginning of semesters.  Not everyone has a dad/brother to do that.  I would have paid $20 for an hour of someone to go up and down the stairs with my crap
I can also say that I have never looked for a mover online and I`ve moved 10 times in the past 6 years.  I look in the yellow pages for a mover - every time.  Take out a professional looking advertisement (something more than your phone number) in the yellow pages and business will go up.  By the way, are you insured?  That is something I always check for and I never hire a mover who isn`t, even for a cross-town move.  That needs to be in your advertisements.

TheMarketingStrategist

You need a business plan, a business model, a marketing strategy and someone you trust to help you pull it altogether.  You would also benefit from some basic business management instruction.  Like a lot of entrepreneurs, you have an idea, you know the concepts to make it work, but you don`t know how to make it work as a business.  StartUp Nation has taken a stand in the gap by providing basic start-up information to entrepreneurs.  There are many resources on this site and others that can help you get started.  Other posts have recommended SCORE (www.score.org</A>) - this is a good place to start.

rocknroll333

The best $100 I spent was buying Business Plan Pro. It has the software you need to create your business plan, and the books it came with are great in teaching you all about your plan, allowing you to successfully present your plan which is your roadmap to your business to your clients, investors or banks.
www.businessplanpro.com</A>
Be sure to check out todays show, I gave a killer elevator pitch! The archive will be available on July 24th
p.s. Vote for me "Rocknroll333" Im a finalist in the southwest airliines vacation contest

donnacarolchr

Wow !! really nice blog. It will be very useful for me. So, thanks for sharing this post.
____________
Donna.
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neleson

Hi,
Here are some tips for a creative business plan.
1. Plan continually, not just at the start 2. Know where you are going, otherwise you won't know when you get there 3. Plan to increase the value of your business, not just revenue and profit 4. Set milestones 5. Communicate your business plan
Printing Machines

PaulSerra

I assume you have a website right? If not that is where you start. Once you have a compelling website you need to market it locally. You do not need a business plan, but if you start making a lot of money you may need a business licence. Make sure you are straight with the IRS

Ritchie

Hi Montechristo,
There is another solution. Many of us find it hard to go from idea straight to business plan. Somehow the business plan whether its a template we are re-writing or a fresh idea, is just never quite right... and that is understandable because business plans were designed for bankers, not entrepreneurs. What you need is a strategic plan. Where you can fully define your own objectives, mission, strategies, programs, vision, metrics and final product. Once you have those defined, the rest of the business plan is easy.Historically, I have found that the BP is more for the bankers and strategic plan is what you can use to run your company.
Thanks,
Ritchie Blackmore

StartUpCoachFL

Don't focus so much on a business plan as much as a plan to make money. Everyone understands a plan that produces a profit.
Or follow my thread the Entrepreneur Mission Statement
Www.mist productions.net