Key words for this post:
Business plans
Writing a business plan
I just discovered the most wonderful book store. I'm a real softie for book stores anyhow. I figure if I walk into a book store, I'm leaving at least two volumes richer.
This particular bookstore didn't follow the rules. The aisles were too narrow. There weren't enough seats. There was no coffee bar, for heaven's sake. There wasn't even a computer section. Yeeesh.
But it was a good size store. Had great dark wood shelving. Stuff all over the floor. People crammed everywhere. And sticky notes. Everywhere were sticky notes recommending certain books, and saying why the book was recommended.
This reminded me of a book store I found years ago tucked away in a corner in San Diego. But this book store was in South Coast Plaza, a very upscale shopping mall.
It was obviously hugely successful. Why?
As I lugged my new treasures home, I pondered this book store's success. It competes against the real biggies in the business and appears to do just fine, thank you. There's a message there.
It's the sticky notes. The store made me feel like it was really concerned about my getting books that I really liked, and since they couldn't talk with everyone, they left sticky notes all over the place.
The light went off -- this is the feeling that business plans need to convey as well. "I want you, the lender/investor to get the very best deal that you can, and I'm here to help you get it." The sticky notes are like a writer stepping aside and in a stage whisper saying, "Psssst! Here's one you can't miss."
A well-written business plan does that, too. It points out those items that the reader just shouldn't miss, whether it's the bios or the background of the company or the industry. It says in a stage whisper, "Pssst! We're going places. Want to come along?"
So go pepper your plan with sticky notes.
Comments? Go to this page, please.
