Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Using a Business Plan Today, Tomorrow, and Always

Ignoring your business plan or forgetting to maintain it is the same as failing to plan. To ensure that your business plan passes the test of time, consider these suggestions for ways to use it:

• As reference material: Refer to your plan often. Rereading your original plan is a good way to make sure that you're staying on track.
• As a decision-making tool: When major operational issues occur or expansion opportunities arise, turn to your business plan. Decide whether the issue at hand fits your original goals and timeline before taking action.
• As a troubleshooter: When problems surface, minimize your frustrations. Use your own words of wisdom to resolve your problems. Take a look at your plan to see where the hiccup is. More than likely, you addressed potential problems in the Operations section of your business plan.
• As a vision guide: After your business is running, you can easily lose sight of the big picture. Concentrating on daily tasks and problems can derail your overall progress. Check your plan frequently and refocus your vision.

  Every January, schedule at least two business plan preview sessions for the coming year. If necessary, pencil in a date and time on your calendar. (Block out three or four hours.) Do this task semiannually or quarterly, depending on whether you made, or will make, significant changes to your business. ...