Let’s face it: most business plans are pretty darn useless after completion.
Just as soon as you write the thing, it starts collecting dust on some shelf you rarely even see.
And yet, the evidence is clear: business plans work. A number of studies have shown just how important planning is in the long-term success of any business.
So what’s the deal? Why is a business with a plan much more successful than one without a plan even if the plan never really gets “used.”
I once heard a business consultant address this very important point in a sales & marketing seminar.
The reason, the speaker explained, that a business plan is an essential part of long-term success has little to do with the actual plan that is produced. The success-effect lies in the process of ‘seeing things through’ from the very beginning.
The key to a business plan lies in the upfront organization and clarification of goals.
Recently, I have watched my internet business success grow in a few key areas and the results have been remarkable. I attribute a lot of that success to clarity – knowing exactly what I want and where I am trying to go.
While the physical business plan resting safely in that three-ring binder may not seem any more useful than a doorstop, the process is what really matters.
