Business plan – Gabriel Catalano®

How to Accurately Measure Your Site’s Metrics – Part 1 | thnxz to @SiteProNews

According to a recent presentation on web metrics by Google, the world’s digital habits have dramatically changed in the past 3 years. In 2009, the internet boasted a healthy 1.5 billion users, and just last year, this figure topped out at over 2.3 billion. That’s a 53% increase in just a few short years. Buying habits have also continued to shift. In 2009, when a customer arrived at a brick and mortar store, 70% of their purchasing decisions were already made. Last year, that figure bumped up to 90%.

We live in a multi-channel, multi-screen world, and the sheer variety and volume of paths and choices a customer has to make results in a complicated challenge for marketers. Deciphering how and where your audience is making key decisions continues to be a gigantic hurdle for businesses hoping to understand the true meaning of their metrics.

(+INFO? read full article here 🙂

The 3 Top Reasons to Study Your Site’s Metrics

1) Know Your Customers
2) See What’s Working (and What’s Not)
3) Improve Your Results

Take a Holistic Approach to Reading Metrics
Develop a Comprehensive Measurement Plan

+INFO? read full article here 🙂

What is a Mission Statement? | businessnewsdaily.com

Vía businessnewsdaily.com

A mission statement is a statement declaring the purpose of an organization or company — the reason for this company’s existence. A mission statement provides framework and context to help guide the company’s strategies and actions by spelling out the company’s overall goal. Ultimately, a mission statement helps guide decision-making internally while also articulating the company’s mission to customers, suppliers, and the community.

It’s important to note the distinction between a mission statement and a slogan. A mission statement is not a marketing tool designed to grab attention quickly. While it should be catchy and memorable, a mission statement is a thoughtful declaration designed to articulate the goals and philosophies of a company. A mission statement is also not a business plan. A business plan is an organized outline of your ideas about how the business functions.

A mission statement differs from a vision statement. A mission statement says what the company currently is; a vision statement states what the company hopes to become. A mission statement is also not a business plan. A business plan is an organized outline of your ideas about how the business functions.

A mission statement is not an evergreen statement. As a company evolves over time, the company’s mission and intent may also change. A good rule of thumb is to revisit the mission statement every five years to see if it needs to be fine-tuned or rewritten. A mission statement will keep your company on track, but it shouldn’t become stale or irrelevant.

What does a mission statement include?

Continuar leyendo «What is a Mission Statement? | businessnewsdaily.com»

5 de cosas que vas a escuchar antes de emprender por @GerrardStewart

todostartups.com

Cuantas veces nos hemos muerto de frío por no hacer caso a una madre cuando nos dijo “¿no te llevas el abrigo? Te vas a helar…” Bueno parece que ellas lo sabían por experiencia y sobre todo por cariño, el que tienen hacia sus hijos, igual que un emprendedor hacia su pequeña Startup que no quiere que se muera de frío.

Por mi experiencia en twago y ResearchGate aún no me considero madre suficiente como para recomendar piezas de ropa, pero si he tenido la suerte de estar en contacto con mentes brillantes capaces no sólo de hacerte llevar el abrigo sino que también conjunte con tus zapatos, y estas son las 5 tendencias:

1. Horarios laborales de 8 horas

Muy rápido te darás cuenta que ya no existe barrera entre oficina/casa, los días de 24 horas ya no se llevan, sobre todo en las fases iniciales del proyecto la dedicación exclusiva es casi un requisito indispensable. Pero no desesperemos, el tiempo, aunque raro suene, en este caso no es permanente. La intensidad no siempre será la misma y por supuesto tendremos momentos para relajarnos un poco más. Pero, en cualquier caso, olvidémonos de las jornadas de 8 horas. Continuar leyendo «5 de cosas que vas a escuchar antes de emprender por @GerrardStewart»

The 5 Types of Work That Fill Your Day

What We Learn When We Audit Our Work

Taking all five types of work into perspective, we can audit our day and the types of work we engage in most.

My typical day includes 2-5 types of work, with the majority being Reactionary Work. I hate to admit it, but I find that Reactionary Work constantly bleeds over into my efforts to schedule myself (Planning Work) and the deep thinking required to solve problems (Problem-Solving Work).

I also find that, between nearly any type of work, I usually slip into a period of Reactionary Work that may include surfing the top of my email inbox, or a period of Insecurity Work, which usually comes in the form of scanning Twitter messages about our business.

http://the99percent.com
by Scott Belsky

Illustration: Oscar Ramos Orozco

Hacking work is all the rage these days, along with tips for managing email, taking notes, and running meetings. But, at a higher level, what can we learn from analyzing the different types of work we do and how we allocate our time?First, let’s take a look at the five kinds of work we do every day:

1. Reactionary Work
In the modern age, most of our day is consumed by Reactionary Work, during which we are focused only on responding to messages and requests – emails, text messages, Facebook messages, tweets, voicemails, and the list goes on. You are constantly reacting to what comes into you rather than being proactive in what matters most to you. Reactionary Work is necessary, but you can’t let it consume you.

2. Planning Work >>> Continuar leyendo «The 5 Types of Work That Fill Your Day»

La distancia entre realidad y Power Point | * Lo PeDiS Lo TeNeS * PPT Parte 2

Cuando alguien presenta un proyecto todo pinta controlado, perfecto. La marca aparece perfectamente representada. Los consumidores interactúan de forma activa y van pasando desde una plataforma a otra sin ninguna dificultad. La prensa y los bloggers publican la noticia de forma repetida. Se produce una viralidad natural que hace que el proyecto se difunda solo. La plataforma tecnológica no genera ningún error y los resultados conseguidos son espectaculares. El presupuesto está controlado y encaja con la capacidad del anunciante.

Este es el mundo del Power Point. Se trata de un maravilloso software tiene la capacidad de poder representar conceptos e ideas de una forma que pocos programas han conseguido antes. Lo que ocurre es que fruto de la expansión de este software, la distancia entre una propuesta y la ejecución final cada vez es más grande. Es muy fácil representar de forma atractiva una idea en un ppt, pero cada vez es más difícil es conseguir hacerlas realidad.

En el mundo de los emprendedores se dice que no hay ningún plan que aguante el contacto con el mercado (en concreto business plan). Y es cierto. De la misma manera, no hay ninguna presentación Power Point que soporte el contacto con el mundo real. La presencia de la marca no queda tan bien definida, los consumidores no hacen caso del proyecto, la plataforma tecnológica genera problemas, siempre hay retrasos, la repercusión del proyecto es muy limitada y el presupuesto es mucho más elevado del previsto.

Posted by Titonet | http://www.titonet.com

Cuando alguien presenta un proyecto todo pinta controlado, perfecto. La marca aparece perfectamente representada. Los consumidores interactúan de forma activa y van pasando desde una plataforma a otra sin ninguna dificultad. La prensa y los bloggers publican la noticia de forma repetida. Se produce una viralidad natural que hace que el proyecto se difunda solo. La plataforma tecnológica no genera ningún error y los resultados conseguidos son espectaculares. El presupuesto está controlado y encaja con la capacidad del anunciante.

Este es el mundo del Power Point. Se trata de un maravilloso software tiene la capacidad de poder representar conceptos e ideas de una forma que pocos programas han conseguido antes. Lo que ocurre es que fruto de la expansión de este software, la distancia entre una propuesta y la ejecución final cada vez es más grande. Es muy fácil representar de forma atractiva una idea en un ppt, pero cada vez es más difícil es conseguir hacerlas realidad. Continuar leyendo «La distancia entre realidad y Power Point | *** Lo PeDiS Lo TeNeS *** PPT Parte 2»

Why Strategy Matters in Business

4. Financial Strategy

Financial strategy is important for business growth or expansion. Many companies do not have the funds in the beginning to promote growth within the business, but continue to grow at an exponential rate. This is because the company has a well-planned financial strategy.

A successful business will have a number of investors, but it cannot depend upon them for expansion. The financial strategy details earned income, the number of investors, and reserve funds.

5. Operational Strategy

Operational strategy includes a set of tactics aimed at creating higher profits while lowering production costs. This can include purchasing and installing better manufacturing equipment and the best technology such as computers, software, and hardware. It may also include opening a location close to the target audience or obtaining products from a less expensive source.

The internet is an excellent resource to plan and implement aspects of all of these strategies. It is one of, if not the, best tools for businesses today. Companies are able to research target consumers and competitors on the internet quickly and efficiently. Social media forums are one of the best methods for this research, marketing and advertising products, and attracting new investors.

Magnetic Look works with small to medium size businesses who are looking to improve their positioning on the market and increase their profits. Our programs and services are designed to strategically deliver the results you need in order to succeed. If you need help creating systems and strategies for your small business brand that are easy to implement and bring you desired results fast, we’d love to hear from you. Learn how we can help you and request your quote here.

By Silvia Pencak | http://www.mymagneticblog.com

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Sun Tzu

A business strategy is a set of planned tactics, or steps, that ensure a successful business. A strategy must be carefully planned and executed in order to achieve a desired goal. Starting a new business or advancing a company to the next level is no different. A strategy is the direction one must take to reach the desired goal and tactics are steps that need to be taken to travel in the right direction. Almost all businesses have five strategies in common – marketing strategy, product strategy, pricing strategy, financial strategy, and operational strategy. It is imperative that entrepreneurs take time to research and create a strategic business plan with all of the steps included and stretching your business forward.

1. Marketing Strategy

Marketing strategy targets a desired audience and designs advertisements aimed at that particular audience. This strategy also involves researching similar businesses, their products and /or services, and their advertising methods. Companies can use this information to outshine the competitor’s advertisements, products, and services. Today, one of the most popular, as well as successful, marketing strategies is social media, in all its forums and platforms, on the internet… Continuar leyendo «Why Strategy Matters in Business»

5 Tips for taking your tech startup from big idea to business success

3. Do your homework
More often than not, real success comes from doing your homework. There’s no use in launching a revolutionary product if your market simply isn’t ready for it. So do your analysis, beta test your product, see who bites, and don’t ever be afraid to put out a free tester. Once the thumbs go up and the market says “yes please”, then you can start selling, and make a very strong case to potential financiers, who can help you to take your business to the next level.

4. Manage your cash-flow
Potential venture capitalist partners are looking for a solid sales track record. This doesn’t just mean more money; it means giving your prospective venture capital investors something to measure ROI against. If you can manage a solid growing flow of sales, then your prospective VC partners are able to feel a lot more secure about your ability to manage and nurture their seed capital.

Professional VC companies have a very strict litmus test on profitability. Most will not accept a loss-to-win ratio of less than 50%, so you really need to be able to show them that your idea has the capacity to go all the way, and that you are the one to take it there.

5. Change your mind-set
In spite of increasing opportunities, going it alone continues to be a frightening prospect, particularly in developing economies.

However, armed with the correct mind-set, and the right amount of hard work, research and planning, there’s nothing stopping you from turning your big idea into big business success.

 By Dave Blakey | http://memeburn.com

Throughout the world, and particularly in emerging market countries, the entrepreneurial landscape remains notoriously difficult to navigate, with an estimated 80% of small businesses failing to sustain themselves for a period of longer than five years.

However, with an increasing percentage of jobs now being directly attributable to small business ventures, financial backers in both private and public sectors are slowly starting to acknowledge the substantial impact of entrepreneurial activity on a nation’s economy.

Yet, in spite the rising global trend towards venture capitalist backing of tech startups, there remain very few such initiatives present in emerging markets. Can this be accredited to unsustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems, or is success simply a mind-set shift away?

Conservative investors
A venture capital investor once told me that, out of ten investments, he expected seven to fail, two to return his investment and one to make a fortune. Those are fairly frightening odds for someone investing large amounts of capital, but even more terrifying for someone looking to leave the security of the job market to launch a start-up business.

What’s more, bankers and financiers are generally not intent on funding ideas that might be perceived as “pie in the sky”, particularly when it comes to the technical and creative industries.

As a result, it’s no wonder that many start-ups end before they even crank up the proverbial engine, the main reason being they couldn’t raise the venture capital financing required to start, or were simply too afraid to try.

1. Reduce your risks… Continuar leyendo «5 Tips for taking your tech startup from big idea to business success»

How to Write a Business Plan

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com
By: Jeanette Mulvey, BusinessNewsDaily Managing Editor

-.-

While it may sound complicated, a business plan is nothing more than an organized outline of your idea of how your business is going to function. And experts agree: you need one.

“A business plan is like a road map,” explained James Jacobs, the retired president of a Dallas-based financial services firm and a SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) advisor. “It’s a road map that helps you identify where you want to go and how to get from point A to point B.”

A business plan should include a variety of pieces and some will be more detailed than others depending on the kind of business you’re running and your reason for writing the business plan.

There are certain pieces of the business plan that are must-haves:

Executive Profiles
Business Summary
Marketing Plan
Income and Expense Projections Continuar leyendo «How to Write a Business Plan»

Small Business Strategy Tips

I don’t know what the name of your small business is, nor do I know what product or service you are selling. What I do know is that if you start small business plans without a strategy, you will fail. All successful business plans have a good strategy behind them. And when it comes to small business ideas and strategies, there are several aspects that you will want to consider. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

1. Leadership

Before you even start small business plans, you need to develop good leadership abilities. You need to be able to create small business ideas and enforce them. After all, what good are ideas if there is no one to put them in place? If you have staff, you also need to know how to direct them while at the same time making them excited to work for you. To be a boss is one thing – to be a boss that your employees respect will take your company to a whole new level. In small business, it is also important to remember that leadership does not just involve leading others, it also involves listening. Listening to the needs of your staff and clients will help you to better your business and increase your sales.

By Silvia Pencak
http://www.mymagneticblog.com/small-business-strategy-tips/

1. Leadership

The 7 Sections of a Business Plan

If you really want to improve your business, the best way to do it is to write a Business Plan. It is not the plan itself that is so important, although it is a valuable asset but the process as it makes you really think about the business and focus on the way that you will operate and grow the business in the future.

There are seven key topic areas in a good business plan as follows:

1. The Executive summary

Although this is at the beginning of the plan, you will write it last as it is an overview of the entire plan. Most banks will read it first or use it when considering future funding so ensure that you have the most important points of the plan written well. Include rationale for needed financing and how this will be used, the growth you will expect as well as the products and services that you provide and staffing required. Remember, you are writing this for someone who may not be familiar with the details of your business so be clear and and comprehensive but also keep it brief so the reader is not bored.

By Linda | mymagneticblog.com

There are seven key topic areas in a good business plan as follows:

1. The Executive summary

Deconstructing Your Social Business Plan For 2011

It’s 2011 and as you gear up for planning initiatives for the new year, it’s the best time ever to take a step back and think about what needs to be done before you take action. But before even doing that, you may want to think about how you’ve approached initiatives in the past. Here’s a simple framework to consider:

Implementation & Execution
If you’ve launched anything—whether it be a Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube, or an internal communication/collaboration platform then you are to be congratulated because you have executed. However, many organizations who have jumped into the social waters now find themselves dealing with new challenges. Large organizations who operate globally may have scores of digital embassies which do not coordinate or exist within any defined architecture. Departments may have launched pilots as rogue efforts which initially were successful but are difficult to scale. Marketing, customer service, HR, IT, and a host of other operational groups may be in turf wars over who runs what. Your business partners may be engaging in their own turf wars. In short, getting something executed and maintaining it is a great place to be in, but it also creates new challenges which require formalization as the space matures.

http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2011/01/sb_2011.html

It’s 2011 and as you gear up for planning initiatives for the new year, it’s the best time ever to take a step back and think about what needs to be done before you take action. But before even doing that, you may want to think about how you’ve approached initiatives in the past. Here’s a simple framework to consider:

Implementation & Execution
If you’ve launched anything—whether it be a Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube, or an internal communication/collaboration platform then you are to be congratulated because you have executed. However, many organizations who have jumped into the social waters now find themselves dealing with new challenges. Large organizations who operate globally may have scores of digital embassies which do not coordinate or exist within any defined architecture. Departments may have launched pilots as rogue efforts which initially were successful but are difficult to scale. Marketing, customer service, HR, IT, and a host of other operational groups may be in turf wars over who runs what. Your business partners may be engaging in their own turf wars. In short, getting something executed and maintaining it is a great place to be in, but it also creates new challenges which require formalization as the space matures.
Continuar leyendo «Deconstructing Your Social Business Plan For 2011»

The 16 Most Important Business Questions…. Ever!

It’s the 3 W’s that matter most…

If you’re starting out as an entrepreneur or a freelancer or a project manager, the most important choice you’ll make is: what to do? I often talk to my clients about the most important part of your web address isn’t your name itself, it’s the 3 “W”‘s that come before it…

* Who are you?
* What do you do?
* Why does it matter?

[Más…]
In order to answer those 3 (HUGE) questions quickly and concisely, you need to know the answer to these questions. As a business owner or an entrepreneur, I think these are 16 of the most important questions you could ever ask yourself. If you want to be (really) successful, go somewhere quiet with your favourite drink – and don’t come back until you’ve got a good answer for each of them!

by jeremywaite
http://jeremywaite.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/the-16-most-important-business-questions-ever/

It’s the 3 W’s that matter most…

Who are you?
What do you do?
Why does it matter?

Continuar leyendo «The 16 Most Important Business Questions…. Ever!»

5 Valuable Tips You Need to Know as an Entrepreneur

If you’re into the start-up scene like I am (especially in the tech world), then I applaud you, you’re really in a great spot – even if you’re just sitting on the sidelines. Why? The Internet space is really one of immense possibility, and I don’t say that just for the sake of being cheesy either. It really is. There are so many people making a living online creating small niche businesses, it’s quite mind boggling – and this is just the start.

With an explosion of new entrepreneurship, from all ages and walks of life, what are some of the fundamental lessons that you need to understand in order to do well? Let me fill you in with ’5 Valuable Tips You Need to Know as an Entrepreneur’, enjoy.

By Taiyab | http://blog.elegantbanners.com/2010/10/7-valuable-tips-you-need-to-know-as-an-entrepreneur/

With an explosion of new entrepreneurship, from all ages and walks of life, what are some of the fundamental lessons that you need to understand in order to do well? Let me fill you in with ’5 Valuable Tips You Need to Know as an Entrepreneur’, enjoy. Continuar leyendo «5 Valuable Tips You Need to Know as an Entrepreneur»

Keeping Your Business Plan Flexible

People make business plans for all sorts of reasons — to attract funding, evaluate future growth, build partnerships, or guide development. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these plans are usually out of date by the time the printer ink dries. Business moves fast: the product’s features morph, new competitors emerge, or the economic climate shifts. When these changes occur, many people just throw their business plans out the window. For a plan to be truly valuable it needs to evolve with your company and stay relevant in the face of uncertainty. [Más…]

What the Experts Say
Despite the hype business plans get from corporate advisers, «most business owners don’t have a formal business plan,» says Patricia Greene, Professor of Entrepreneurship of Babson College and co-editor of The Development of University-based Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. Yet one of the first items you’ll find on every entrepreneur’s checklist is Write business plan. The key is to create a living document. «When you think about a business plan, think about the distinction between a snapshot and a moving picture,» says William Sahlman, the Dimitri V. D’Arbeloff – Class of 1955 Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of How to Write a Great Business Plan. Sahlman explains that you need something that moves with your business. However, capturing all of the unknowns while not sounding wishy-washy is challenging. Below are several ways to make sure your plan is a fluid, useful document.

by Amy Gallo
Blogs.hbr.org

People make business plans for all sorts of reasons — to attract funding, evaluate future growth, build partnerships, or guide development. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these plans are usually out of date by the time the printer ink dries. Business moves fast: the product’s features morph, new competitors emerge, or the economic climate shifts. When these changes occur, many people just throw their business plans out the window. For a plan to be truly valuable it needs to evolve with your company and stay relevant in the face of uncertainty. Continuar leyendo «Keeping Your Business Plan Flexible»

Business Plans Are Dead, Long Live Business Plans

Let’s face it – the traditional business plan as we know it (or as we knew it) is slowly slowly going away. Or is it? Startups and small businesses move at such lightning pace these days that a static document quickly becomes outdated, but the principals and lessons involved with its creation could be valuable in a new form. Many young entrepreneurs still think a business plan is a must-have cornerstone of their business, but as many venture capitalists have said recently, the traditional business plan is not the end-all be-all for startup success.
«Most angels and VCs I know don’t look at them. Go build a product that you want to see in the world. That’s my suggestion.»
– Bijan Sabet, Spark Capital

Don Rainey, general partner at Grotech Ventures and author of the blog VC in DC, suggests startups and VCs move away from promoting narrative business plans. Plans should instead be fluid, open to change, «inter-relational and organic,» he says.

«The next generation business plan should look more like a GANTT chart or database application than a Word doc or an Excel spreadsheet, and it should be a collaborative, living document,» writes Rainey. «In fact, as a venture capitalist, I ask start ups to give me a project/task oriented view of the first 100 days after funding. This view is better than the prepared business plan for my purposes and infinitely more useful for the entrepreneurs as well.»
Business Plans Are Dead…(Ups..!)

Let’s face it – the traditional business plan as we know it (or as we knew it) is slowly slowly going away. Or is it? Startups and small businesses move at such lightning pace these days that a static document quickly becomes outdated, but the principals and lessons involved with its creation could be valuable in a new form. Many young entrepreneurs still think a business plan is a must-have cornerstone of their business, but as many venture capitalists have said recently, the traditional business plan is not the end-all be-all for startup success.

«Most angels and VCs I know don’t look at them. Go build a product that you want to see in the world. That’s my suggestion.»
– Bijan Sabet, Spark Capital