Member Center
Starting your business
Step 1: Make a plan PART 5 OF 6
« Previous | Index | Next »
Five tips for writing the perfect business plan
Tony Vogt, director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of Dayton, offers these five tips:
- Don't try to write a plan front to back. Begin with the key elements of your business - the product, the service and how you will be unique in providing that to your customers. Financials and the executive summary are often the final items written since they are dependent upon the key elements.
- Write a very rough draft first. Don't try to fill in every section with details and don't try to write it with final form text. There will be plenty of time to polish your writing at the end. First get your ideas on paper and make sure they make sense.
- Do it yourself. Some people hire someone to build their business plan for them. While it may appear to make sense, it's not a good idea. You have to understand the fundamentals of the business to write a good plan, and you should be the expert on your business. Being able to speak about your business in detail is just as important as having a document that does it too. By writing the plan yourself, you are better prepared to speak with lenders and customers about your business.
- Listen to your critics. Many success stories are highlighted with the tales of " ... they told me I'd never make it" or "...everyone said I was crazy to try it", and to some degree this can be true. But if your friends and family are reading your plan and coming up with reasons why it won't work, don't just wave them off as naysayers. Turn their criticism into your core competency. For instance, if they say your prices are too high, think about other services or value you can you add to your business model to justify a higher cost. Or, how could you cut your costs to price your products more reasonably?
- Talk to someone who's been there. Much of the advice from the Small Business Development Commission is based on personal experience and that of others. You can often find a business mentor who has been through the process and would be happy to share their dos and don'ts. Ask a successful business owner if he or she is willing to read your plan and offer insight into how to make it better. Just make sure they're not your local competition.
Have fun
An Excuse to Celebrate
December 2
Today is St. Bibiana's Day. Don't know who she is? You probably just forgot because St. Bibiana is a the patron saint of drunks and hangovers. What better way to honor her than by heading to the bars? Bars and clubs guide »
Best of Dayton
You Decide What's the Best
Best Cup of Coffee [poll]
Here's where you get to tell the world what you think. Every week you get to vote on the best that the Dayton area has to offer in entertainment, restaurants, recreation & and a few other bizarro categories.
Voting in this category ends on Dec. 8.
We have REVISED our official rules »
Colleges
Find Local College Events
University of Dayton
- The Dan Rivers Acoustic Open Mic Show at Bargos Grill
- William Grant Still Music Festival Celebration at Sear's Recital
- Karaoke at Milano's
Sinclair Community College
- Open Musician Blues Jam hosted by Brownstreet Breakdown at J-Alans
- Open stage night at Canal Street
- College and Talent Night at Aquarius Night
Wright State University
Things to Do
Find Local Events
Holiday events to get on your radar … and we're not just talking Christmas lights here [things to do]
There's never a shortage of holiday events in the area to occupy your time until the New Year rings itself in. This year, all the usual suspects are present — Woodland Lights, RiverScape ice skating, Lebanon's Carriage Parade — with a couple of brand new additions to the mix, including 50 Under $50, a collaborative collection of area artists, getting together for a Friday/Saturday shopping and entertainment experience at 20 N. Jefferson St. downtown this weekend, the same place the recent Dayton LadyFest made its mark; Sandstorm Middle-Eastern Dance Company's Ho Ho Hafla — a holiday show like no other; and a pub crawl for a good cause. More »
What's happening this week
Search Events
Find Local Events
What's happening this week
Movies
Movies & Showtimes
'Australia'[movies]
A big action adventure with big, big stars Nicole Kidman and "Sexiest Man Alive" Hugh Jackman. Set in Australia (duh) on the brink of World War II, the plot follows English aristocrat Kidman and cattledriver Jackman as they fight to save the land she inherited. More »
Find Showtimes
Find Movie Times
New Movies in Theaters
Restaurants
Find Restaurants
Random Top-Rated Restaurants
Click restaurants to add your rating/review.
Food & More
Local Dining
Wine & Dine: More local restaurants are offering wine tasting/dinner pairings [review]
Some are searching for new customers. Others are looking for a test market for new appetizers or entrees. Others want customer feedback on which new wines to add to the wine list. Whatever their reasons, more restaurants in the Dayton area are using wine tastings and wine dinners to try to get new, fresh faces to cross their doorsteps. A decade ago, diners could easily count on one hand the number of restaurants that held regular wine events. Now, the number exceeds a dozen and is growing. More »
Random Top-Rated Restaurants
Click restaurants to add your rating/review.
ActiveDayton.com: Contact Us | Advertise | Our Partners | Feedbot | Find our free weekly magazine | Sitemap | RSS
Copyright © 2008 Cox Ohio Publishing, Dayton, Ohio, USA. All rights reserved.
By using ActiveDayton.com, you accept the terms of our visitor agreement and privacy policy.
