Comments on: What’s wrong with planning http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/ Marketing - eBusiness - Leadership for growing 21st Century companies Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:21:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: rhiannonhill http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-164 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:51:35 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-164 Edit: I agreed with Alan’s last paragraph!

]]> By: rhiannonhill http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-163 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:49:13 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-163 Hi
I so agree with your last paragraph. In my case, I’ve spent the time in the runup to launching my new business researching, rather than planning. My plan is to start asking questions in the target market about if and if so, how, they are addressing the issue which I would like to offer to help them tackle. Having had a disastrous dry run last year in a situation where market assumptions were made I have learned my lesson.

Regarding the comment above, selling perfume alongside repairing computers doesn’t make you look desperate. The market is very competitive now and small businesses and sole traders have to be portfolio people because the truth is, we ARE desperate!

What’s unprofessional isn’t doing it right – if you are selling quality perfume in an organised and businesslike way and repairing computers in an organised and businesslike way, should it matter what anyone thinks.

]]> By: Joan Gamble http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-137 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:18:49 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-137 Great article, constructive feedback.

Planning is essential but so is testing the market. A good business plan will include forecasting, part of which needs to be contingency planning – what I will do if Plan A fails?

As Alan suggests, you need a Plan B: Diversification – something that complements the existing business but brings in new customers. Florist alongside greengrocery or dvd’s/music alongside computers or televisions (not innovative suggestions but you get the giste).

If the new product or service doesn’t complement the old then start a new business – selling perfume alongside repairing computers doesn’t quite go together; it’s not professional looking and can make you seem desperate!

]]> By: DrAlanRae http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-136 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:54:38 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-136 Thanks for your contributions chaps.

It’s an interesting observation Rob, that when people want to expand 3 times as many try to find new customers for their existing products rather than find new products for their existing customers.

Despite it being much easier to follow route 2!

Alan

]]> By: Rob Hook http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-135 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:46:02 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-135 Planning is essential but the key is to flex it to react to the demands of the market. My experience is too much time is spent convincing the market to buy whereas it should be modifying the product to make it easier to buy

Rob Hook

]]> By: nigeltemple http://blog.howtodobusiness.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-131 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:43:19 +0000 http://dralanrae.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/whats-wrong-with-planning/#comment-131 Alan knows what he is talking about! This is an excellent blog – thank you. Regards, Nigel Temple.

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