Stop if you do not have a personal business plan. A personal business plan clarifies what you want the future to be and how you are going to get there.

This advice might feel overwhelming and just another item on your already full to-do list. A personal business plan creates a view of the future. It provides focus on critical activities needed for success. You can not start a business without a written picture of what success might look. When you launch a business you need to know your destination.

You might think that you don’t need money from bank or from a venture capital group so you don’t need a business plan. A personal business plan does not create a document that impresses the financial community and is never used again. A personal business plan is your vision of the future and a specific roadmap for how you want to step into your future. You use it to plan your day.

Spending time writing down your business dream on paper will make it “pop” for you as you recognize “Yes—that is what I want to do with my life.” Your pulse will quicken as you recognize the impact you can make. When you have a clear vision of the end results of your business, you’ll be inspired to press through to the finish line. When you’re at a family picnic, you’ll share in a way that relatives “get” what you’re doing vs. just act politely to another eccentric family member. When you’re falling asleep at night, you’ll notice that the panic in your thoughts won’t be there because you understand what you can do and can not do at this time.

Critical Elements of a Personal Business Plan.

Your will create your business vision. This is your desired future. You can create a business vision by writing down what you want the business to be. The vision must identify the customer, the geographic scope and your product or service.

You will clarify your business mission. This is the vision of the business that you share in your business communication on your website, and in your sales and marketing literature.

You will construct critical success factors. These are your business priorities that you need to focus on to create a powerful brand that customers love.

You will compose business results needed for profitability. These are your measurable outcomes. Business results are your goals and objectives.

You will complete project plans for critical activities. These are your plans to get the results you want.

Create a personal business plan to clarify for you and your customers what you want the future to be and how you are going to get there.

When it comes to delivering the best customer service and value for your customers, you always want to put your best foot forward. Every interaction you have with a customer gives them an impression of your company. Are your customers happy with their decision to give you their business? Are they having some regrets? Check in from time to time to see how clients are doing and gauge how satisfied they are with your agency.
At Johnson Pohlmann, we try to ensure that our customer service representatives know as much information as possible about the customers that are calling to ask about their policy. Many of our local Kentucky residents will call in with questions about their policy. We believe that our CSRs should be able to answer any questions our clients may have regarding their Kentucky auto insurance, home owners, boat, life or any other policy that a customer may have.
If you are not already, you should be using these tactics to improve the service you are offering your customers.
Take the Temperature of Your Customers:
Say Ahh! When you have established a relationship with your customers ask them to fill out a customer survey to give you direct feedback on how they perceive their individual level of customer service. Take the information and find out where you can improve. As an independent insurance agency, your customers do business with you because you can offer them a better customer service experience than large carriers. Make sure you are delivering what your customers are looking for on your end. A short survey with numerical values rating your performance is a simple way to get some informative feedback.
Use Metrics to Drive Your Service:
You are spending time gathering information from your customers so why not use it to improve your overall customer service strategies? Collecting data is an aimless task if you do not ultimately apply it to improving your business. Keep statistical data on everything from the average time spent with a customer on the phone, common questions and concerns, and the overall customer satisfaction numbers. How many customers gave you high service ratings?
Try Harder to Understand Your Customers:
Many times it can be easy to forget where a customer is coming from when they call you to ask a question regarding their policy. Typically when someone calls customer service they are looking for a brief to the point answer to their question. The last thing they want to do is sit on hold for 10 minutes to get a simple answer to their question. Ask yourself, how can you streamline this process? Do you notice any bottlenecks in the process? If several customers contact your CSRs with very similar questions, maybe you should add something to your Facebook page, or website answering the question on a Frequently Asked Questions page.

Many businesses have little or no resources focusing on identifying and assessing the risks facing them. Of those companies that do have a risk assessment program, or at least some emphasis on risk management, a significant number focus on a small number of the obvious risks including the typical insurable risks.

In reality, most businesses either are not aware of or are ignoring a wide range of risks that can significantly hurt their bottom line, reputation, and the health and well being of their employees, customers and community. A robust approach to identifying, assessing, managing and mitigating risk should include the ongoing assessment of a broad list of at least 50 – 75 potential types of risks. The approach should also include the assessment of both the potential impact and likelihood of occurrence of each risk type.

The best approach is to gather information from managers and other key employees at all levels of the organization. Some companies also gather input about risk from their Board members. An online risk management survey is the fastest and best way to gather information, insight and suggestions about risks from many people. To that end, each question should include a comments fields. Comments enable responders to say why they believe specific types of risks are or are not likely to occur and why their impact is potentially high or low. Responders can also make suggestions about what can be done to mitigate risks.

Unlike many other types of employee surveys which should guarantee that responses are anonymous, responders to an online risk survey should not be anonymous. It is important to be able to follow up with responders to get additional information and to clarify their answers where needed.

The starting point is to design a comprehensive online risk mitigation survey. It is beneficial to use a survey company with significant knowledge and experience in this area. They will save you time and provide useful reports without the need to spend days using Excel to create your own useful reports.

Give people enough time to send in their responses. Three to four weeks is typically an appropriate response period. Make sure to include enough of the right people as participants in the survey. Include all managers and supervisors in your organization and other employees that are in key positions with the knowledge about customers, suppliers, business processes, contracts and regulations, and other risk-related points.

It is important to thoroughly and objectively analyze the responses, including the ratings and comments. This is another area in which an experienced survey company can add significant value.

The final steps include to creating an action plan to manage and mitigate the key risks, communicating the assessment and implementation plan with all appropriate people and then focusing on effective implementation. Implementation may require financial and other resources, and it will definitely require strong visible support from your company’s senior management.

Given the fast-changing pace of most businesses, it is useful to conduct online risk reduction surveys annually to track progress and trends, and to identify new risks that surfaced in the past year.

If you have made up your mind for going with bankruptcy process, you should be very careful to monitor each and every activity of the creditor. The main reason behind counseling being mandatory for the customers is to make sure that the customers do not fall into such situations in future. According to experts and financial advisers, it is very essential that all credit card users take these counseling and find their ways to deal with the situation. In these counseling sessions, you will be given a brief idea of the process and other methods available to deal with the situation.

Apart from this, you will also learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each of the methods. It is very important that you know the implications of such methods since you will have to select any one among them. Unless you are well aware of the methods and the back end process, you will not be confident of the outcome. Added to this, in these sessions, you will also learn about different ways to handle such plastic money and use them effectively. Being a customer, you should always be open to such sessions since it will be life time learning experience for you. Once you know the concepts and the implications of the different methods and the best practices in handling such cards, it will be rare for you to end up in troubles like these. So, take up these sessions and try to make the best of it so that you can not only save the current situation, but also be prepared for future.

Just because this is something other companies stumble over doesn’t mean that you have to suffer the same fate through your company. You just need to make sure that you get the right tools and resources on your side. Not sure what to get first? Well, contracting the services of an order fulfillment center is definitely a step in the right direction.

You see, instead of having your best people worrying about order fulfillment, you are essentially contracting that task to a company that does nothing else except handle this facet of the sales process for its customers. This can let your best people focus their strengths elsewhere, which could drive sales even higher. Some small to medium businesses have some of their top talent handling both sales and fulfillment, which might not be the most effective way to use that talent. It’s a lot easier for a top salesperson to focus on sales than it would be for them to try to divide time between sales and order fulfillment.

An order fulfillment center can not only prepare your product for shipment, but make sure that your brand is in place as well. So, if you’re really looking for ways to maximize every sale, you will definitely want to think about turning over this key part of your business to a trusted outsourcer!

– Objective & Audience
– Know what your leaflet is for. List your goals and check them throughout the design to make sure you’re on track. Understand your audience to make sure you’re speaking clearly to them – in both copy and pictures. If it’s useful, write a short paragraph explaining who they are. Headline
– Your brochure is competing with other brochures so make sure your headline draws attention to what you’re selling. Keep in mind that in some distribution racks, only the top third can be seen. Keep your headline short and to the point. Reinforcing Pictures
– Understand that copy carries your sales message but pictures reinforce it. Make sure they’re right for your target audience and remember that when your customer scans a rack of leaflets, there’s a lot of information competing for their eye so keep your images simple and uncluttered as this will help them understand your leaflet. Also, make sure you include a map if you’re wanting your customers to visit you. Concise Copy
– A leaflet can’t contain everything you probably want to say – so be selective. Make sure your copy is easy to read and is ‘skimmable’. Keep sentences short and break up blocks of copy by using small paragraphs. Use headings to help they eye find what it’s looking for more easily. Use a serif typeface as it’s easier to read. Full Colour
– There’s a reason most leaflets are full colour – research shows a 50-70% increase in retention of full colour leaflets over black and white. Perceived value is higher in your customer’s minds so they tend to keep hold of them longer. Get the Correct Size
– It depends on what you’re using your leaflet for and where it’s going to be displayed, but conventionally, most leaflets tend to be A5 (folded down from A4 or A3 size) or DL size (1/3 A4 folded). Producing leaflets this size should make them fit in nicely with most distribution racks and are a convenient size for most readers. Paper
– Floppy leaflets hide your message, slip from racks and might even get removed if they interfere with other leaflets. Make sure you print your leaflet on the right paper weight and cutting is done down, not across the grain. Don’t make your leaflets too tall and fold them down the left hand side. Vouchers
– Incentivise customers to pick up your leaflet by adding in offers or vouchers. Make sure you advertise them prominently on the front cover and it might be an idea to use the whole leaflet as the voucher as that keeps it lying around at home, reminding customers you’re there! Track response rates of your leaflet (to calculate a basic ROI) by adding in voucher codes and leaflet codes. Clear Call-To-Action
– Check over your leaflet, make sure you’re clearly asking readers to take an action – then run through everything that they’ll want to see to take that action. Phone numbers, addresses, maps, opening times, email addresses, website addresses – can all be easily missed off. Checking before Printing
Check your copy again and again – and get someone else to have a look too. Spelling mistakes and bad sentence structure can put off readers and reduce comprehension of your sales message. If you’re self-checking, leave a good night’s sleep before you re-check; It’s amazing what a fresh pair of eyes will spot that you missed before. Similarly, before you print, make sure you see at least a pdf proof before you push the button – mistakes are cheap to rectify before they’re printed, but costly afterward.

Alternative is usually a safe and easy business, but on the other hand, expensive.

Among the advantages are the ability to skip some stages in the creation of a business, to save time and energy to have an established customer base, and to have a name or trademark and recognized.

The disadvantages include the high cost involved, the possibility that business may have hidden financial or legal problems or the possibility that the previous owner started a competition.

Generally, a transfer involving small businesses that are constituted as an individual, so you do not need to make the change of ownership on the public record, but merely the transfer can be affected through the signing of a contract between the private business owner and who is going to acquire.

Let’s look at what are the steps necessary to acquire leasehold:

1. Decide the type of business that we acquire

We must first determine what type of business or company you want to buy.

For this we rely on our experience, our skills, knowledge or our tastes. But we must also consider if it is a profitable business, taking into account the current situation and trends that are taking place in the market.

2. Find the business

Secondly we pick the business or businesses of the type we want, which are for sale.

For this we can search the newspaper classifieds, in the Internet, ask friends or acquaintances, to seek counseling or professional assistance of a specialist agent in the subject, or simply contact us with any business, and announce our intention to purchase.

3. Determine how the business really worth

Once you have found the business potential to buy, we see its price, and evaluated by our own means if business really worth what the owner asks.

To find the true value of the business, we investigate the average market price of similar businesses, or seek advice from a specialist.

Another way to determine how much a business is to divide the amount of net income we expect to obtain, between the rates of return we expect for our investment.

4. Investigate the business

Before deciding to acquire the transfer, it must investigate everything related to business or business to buy, we should investigate the legal, and accounting and finance.

For example, we analyze the financial statements of the business (which the seller is obliged to show us); we investigate whether it is current with tax payments, if you have a license to operate, etc…

To be safer with this investigation, it is advisable to hire the services of an audit.

Another important aspect in the event that we are not buying ownership of the premises where the business works (but only the business), is the need to analyze if the contract will be signed lease with the owner of real property.

5. Negotiate the price and financing

If we consider that the seller’s asking price (business owner) is very high, we can talk to him, and attempting to negotiate the price.

To do this, we should not hesitate to show the information we have gathered, our projection of profits, the rate of return that we expect to obtain, and the amount we have concluded that the business is worth.

We must also negotiate funding, usually the seller will provide some funding, allowing us to pay a portion of the cash transfer, and pay the rest over a period of time, but may in some cases, request a guarantee of this.

We talk with the seller to negotiate agreements that are beneficial both for him and for us.

6. Signing of contract

Once we have reached some agreement on price and financing, and agreed the transfer, it’s time to sign the contract. You do not need to have the physical presence of a notary public, but if we’re safer, we can take the contract to one, to legalize the signatures.

An important aspect in the contract for deed, is that it should be noted in detail all equipment, furnishings, accessories and other physical elements that belonged to the former owner of the business, and now become our property.

7. Update business information

And finally, once acquired the transfer, we must update all the information necessary to account for the completion of the transfer.

We, for example, report the transfer to the official duty to update our data as a taxpayer, and communicate with the municipality to ask them to change the name of the licensee’s operation.

Skills and characteristics depending on the position

At the time of incorporating new staff, we must first define the competencies and personal characteristics that a person must meet so that you can apply for the post we are offering. And thus, call screening tests, only individuals who meet these competencies and characteristics.

We should note that each post will require people with different skills, different knowledge, information, skills, abilities, personality, values, and attitudes.

For example, if we are offering a position related to sales or customer service, the profile must meet the candidate might be: experience in customer service, ability to relate to others, openness, ease of speech, friendly with others, good communication, honesty, love of work, pressure tolerance, etc.

Attitudes rather than knowledge

Today, when hiring new staff, preference is given to the person’s attitudes rather than knowledge or experience you may have.

For example, a worker is of little use to know much or have much experience, but has the attitude to serve customers, to interact with peers, to work as a team, or to communicate with others.

We must not ignore the knowledge or experience that may have a candidate, but we should give a higher value on personality, attitudes and values, it may have.

Corroborate information

An important task in the evaluation process is to verify and ensure that data or documentation that the applicant has given us, to be truthful.

To do this we may call the telephone company where the applicant says he has worked before, and ask if the information he has given us is true.

And while we can also consult them on what their performance in the company, taking into account that the best indicator of future performance is past performance, if a person has been a leader in a company, it is very likely to again be in ours.

Staff indicated

What we need to hire staff, are qualified to fill the vacancy, i.e., that meets all requirements in terms of knowledge, experience, skills and abilities, but also, we must ensure that not overqualified, i.e. their knowledge , experience and skills are not so far above the needed to fill the position.

For example, we should not recruit staff in other company has had a senior position of greater responsibilities, where he has had a much higher salary, etc.

When hiring overqualified, we risk not feel motivated or satisfied in our company, and that at any time could find a better deal, generating the waste of time and money involved hiring and training new staff.

Examples of marketing objectives include: to attract more customers, boost sales, to highlight new products, better coverage and display of products, etc.

The design of marketing strategies is a function of marketing. To design strategies, first, we analyze our target for that based on this analysis, we can devise strategies that take care of their needs or wishes, or take advantage of its characteristics or customs.

But in designing marketing strategies, we must also take into account competition (for example, develop strategies that capitalize on their weaknesses, or based on strategies that are working well), and other factors such as our ability and our investment.

For better management of marketing strategies, they are often divided or classified into strategies to 4 aspects or elements of a business: strategies for product for the price, the place (or distribution) and promotion strategies (or communication). Set of elements known as the 4 Ps or the mixture (or Mix) marketing (or marketing).

Let’s see some examples of marketing strategies we can apply to each element that makes up the Marketing Mix:

Strategies for product

The product is good or service we offer or sell to consumers. Some strategies that we can design, related to the product are:

* Add new features to the product, for example, giving further improvements, new utilities, new features, new uses.
* Include new features to the product; for example, give a new package, a new design, new colors, and new logo.
* Launch a new product line, for example, if our products are jeans for women, we can choose to launch a line of shoes for women.
* Expanding our product line, for example, increasing the menu of our restaurant, or take a new kind of shampoo for other types of hair.
* Launch a new brand (no need to remove from the market we already have), for example, a new brand dedicated to other markets, for example, a higher purchasing power.
* Include new customer services that they provide customers with greater enjoyment of the product, for example, include delivery, installation service, new securities, new credit facilities, further advice on the purchase.

Strategies for Price

The price is the monetary value we place upon our products offer to consumers. Some strategies that we can design, related to price are:

* To launch a new product with a low price, so that, thus we can achieve rapid penetration, fast host, or we can do it quickly known.
* To launch a new product with a high price for that, thus we can take advantage of purchases made as a result of novelty.
* To launch a new product with a high price for that, thus we can create a feeling of quality.
* Reduce the price of a product, so that, thus we can attract a larger clientele.
* Reduce prices below the competition, so that, thus we can block it and beat the market.

Strategies for the position or distribution

The Square or distribution is the selection of sites or outlets where they sell or offer our products to consumers, and to determine how the products will be transported to these locations or outlets. Some strategies that we can apply, related to the square or distribution are:

* Offer our products via Internet, phone calls, mailings, view home.
* Make use of intermediaries and thus greater coverage of our product, or increase our points of sales.
* Find our products in all retail outlets and have gotten (intensive distribution strategy).
* Only place our products in retail outlets that are convenient for the type of product we sell (selective distribution strategy).
* Find our products only at a single point of sale that is exclusive (exclusive distribution strategy).

Strategies for the promotion or communication

The promotion is to communicate, inform, raise awareness or recall the existence of a product to consumers and persuades encourage or induce the purchase or acquisition. Some strategies that we can apply, related to the promotion are:

* Create new offerings such as 2 x1, or you can purchase a second product at half price for the purchase of the former.
* Offer coupons or discounts.
* Give gifts on the purchase of certain products.
* Offer quantity discounts or seasonal discounts.
* Create drawings or contests among our customers.
* Placing advertisements in newspapers, magazines or the Internet.
* Create traditional or electronic newsletters.
* Participate in fairs.
* Create jobs for tasting.
* Create activities and events.
* Sponsor someone, some institution or another company.
* Place advertisements on company vehicles, or vehicles of public transport.
* Create posters, billboards, leaflets, panels, brochures and advertising calendars.

To learn more about the concept of distribution of a product, we invite you to read the article the distribution.

Meanwhile, here are some tips or recommendations related to product distribution:

Using intermediaries

A distribution strategy to achieve greater coverage of our products or increase our selling points is the use of intermediaries, which they sell or let our products, so that then they sell or offer the end consumer.

Examples of intermediaries are the agents (travel insurance), wholesalers (distributors), retailers (shops, bazaars), retailers (supermarkets, department stores).

We can make use of intermediaries as well, when we have a large number of retailers or customers, or when they are dispersed geographically and, therefore, the direct selling becomes unwieldy and costly.

Efficient distribution

Whenever we choose a new channel or outlet where it will offer or sell our products, we must ensure that we are able to supply this outlet, efficiently and in a timely manner.

We must ensure that we have or will have sufficient staff with the ability to supply and transportation means necessary to bring our products to the channel or outlet in the right amounts, in the best condition and at a time appropriate.

Tracking products

Make use of intermediary’s means less control over our products, however, since we use them, we must try to follow you to our products.

We have staff (may be our same vendors) to be responsible for making periodic visits where our intermediaries, not only to supply them (being careful to replace the units sold), but also in order to ensure that our products are receiving appropriate treatment by the intermediary.

Internet as a medium or distribution channel

A good choice as a channel or point of sale to offer or sell our products, the Internet. We create our website where we promote our products, an online store where we promote and sell, or place our products in a responsible website offer (Marketplace).

Internet is a cost; we can reach many consumers, and has good potential. However, the downside is that there is still some lack of education, training and confidence by consumers to make use of this medium.