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Take the Edge Off Business Planning

As a business owner, you need to develop a realistic, accurate, big-picture view of your company. That’s where business planning comes in. Business planning takes time, but it needn’t be a difficult or formal task. You can have some fun with the process while building a plan for reaching your dreams. Here are some brainstorming exercises that can help you with the creative aspects of business planning:

Include key employees. You know that expression, “Two heads are better than one.” It’s especially true for business planning. Ask key employees to sit down with you and help dream about your company’s future. They may come up with things you’ve never considered.

• Free your mind. Strong emotions can inhibit your ability to recall pertinent information and imagine new possibilities. Find a way to rid your head of the excitement and fears about the plan you are writing. Try exercising, writing in a journal or verbally letting go of what is on your mind — whatever works for you — to open up possibilities.

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• Write down everything that you know. Choose a section, (for instance, “Strengths and Weaknesses”) and write down everything you know about this particular topic within the business plan.

What you write down doesn’t have to follow any logical order (that can come later). Simply focus on putting down on paper whatever is racing around in your mind. The truth is, the less you have on your mind, the easier it will be to recall what may be buried deep in your brain that can help improve your business.

• Have fun. Creative juices flow freest when you’re having fun. So let loose, have fun and step away from the norm. It is much like taking the blinders off of a horse and allowing the big picture to come shining through. Allow yourself to consider where your “out-of-the-box” thoughts could lead your company. They just might be outrageous enough to work!

Clay Nelson is president of Consulting Services Network LLC, a Santa Barbara, CA-based company that coaches individuals and businesses on company goals and balancing work and life. For more business planning information, visit the company’s Web site, www.cjenterprises.com, by clicking here.

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NAHB’s “PRO Builder: Business Planning” spells out the benefits of preparing business plans and provides proven methods for establishing goals, developing strategies, setting priorities and evaluating results. The publication includes step-by-step exercises and an electronic spreadsheet to help you develop a customized plan for your business. 'PRO Builder: Buiness Planning' is available through BuilderBooks.com. You can order it online by clicking here, or by call 800-223-2665.

BuilderBooks.com also offers a variety of other publications about business planning and business management. To view or purchase these publications online, click here.

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