I thought my business was important to me. I would make a few prospecting calls here and there, but not too consistently. I would place classified ads here and there and that too was not consistent. I just did those things when the mood struck me. No wonder I wasn’t getting anywhere. My marketing was inconsistent and I was inconsistent. Can you relate to that?

From the outside, it appeared to me that I was productive, but my bank account said otherwise. I had no schedule or system to follow. I had no marketing plan. I was leading myself into the abyss of broke-hood. Sure I wanted to make money, but I never took the time to write down how I was going to do it. That was then.

Now I have a plan to follow and it keeps me motivated knowing how I’m planning to market my business and take it to the next level. So, does having a plan make a difference? You bet it does. It’s the difference between giving a map to where gold is buried and sticking your finger up in the wind and trying to find it.

You see until you are clear as to why you’re even in business, what value you’re bringing to the marketplace, and how you’re going to make money, you’re really not in business. Most part-time entrepreneurs don’t bother making out a business plan. That is probably one of the reasons why so many of them go out of business.

A business plan tells you how you’re going to fund your business and how you plan to use the funds to market your business. It’s the glue that holds everything together.

Not having a business plan is like a coach showing up to a big game with no game plan and telling his players to “just wing it”. Of course any coach would not say that to his team, but yet there are people who say that to themselves about their business.

You see, the odds are already against you when you start a business, so why would you stack the odds against you even more by not doing a business plan?

It doesn’t have to be formal or really detailed unless you plan on getting business funding. You do, however, want to identify your market, goals, products and your purpose. Most importantly you want a game plan as to how you intend to fulfill all your goals.

You should be able to tell people what sets you apart from other people in your same market. That’s your unique selling proposition. Why would anyone want to do business with you? If you don’t know the answer to that question, then you may have an answer as to why you’re not as profitable as you thought you could be.

With your business plan, you’ll be able to identify your target market, thereby reducing wasted time, money and energy chasing after the wrong target.

Lastly, when you have a business plan in place it means that you are serious about your business and it’s not some hobby you just do on the side. You send a clear message to yourself and others that you are indeed in business. Get your business plan done today.