| You have a detailed business plan, which | | | | regular part of an owner's job |
| showed the overall intent of your | | | | description. |
| company. You presented the business plan | | | | 3. Human resources. If you have ever |
| to your bank before start-up and they | | | | worked for a manager, who considered his |
| submitted funding in the amount that you | | | | employees as expenses rather than |
| both deemed acceptable. The original | | | | assets, then you will be familiar with |
| business plan contained the basis of the | | | | the need for managers to stay focused on |
| procedures that will help you stay | | | | human resources within the company. A |
| focused while the company grows. Let's | | | | manager who is fixated on staff |
| examine some of these processes that you | | | | reduction regardless of their |
| will use to give your business the focus | | | | accomplishments will create an |
| it needs to grow and succeed. | | | | atmosphere of fear. Certainly, no one |
| 1. A marketing plan. If sales are a part | | | | wants to be grossly over-staffed, but a |
| of your operation (and it seems that | | | | good owner/manager will focus on keeping |
| some form of selling is always a big | | | | adequate employee base numbers, and |
| part of every company), then, you will | | | | ensure continuing training, safety |
| need to have your sales group focused on | | | | programs and top of the line employee |
| a marketing plan. Short term and | | | | benefits. It's your campground, why not |
| longer-term analysis should be a part of | | | | have "happy campers?" |
| this planning and will likely contain an | | | | 4. Selling your business. This does not |
| analysis of your competition, market | | | | mean selling in the true literal sense. |
| potential and sales projections. Be | | | | It means focusing on being sure your |
| careful not to fall into the trap of | | | | company image is one that is the envy of |
| letting "the business take care of | | | | your competitors and is known in the |
| itself", stay focused at all times and | | | | business world as a first class |
| be sure your managers are tuned into | | | | operation. You can do this by having key |
| this market monitoring regularly, | | | | managers attending industry conferences. |
| nothing is more defeating to the general | | | | Be clear and tell them that their focus |
| manager/owner than to be told by a sales | | | | at these seminars is to network, |
| manager…I didn't see that coming! | | | | thoroughly gathering as much new |
| YIKES! | | | | information that they can. They should |
| 2. Accounting procedures. If sales are | | | | also 'sell' other attendees on the |
| important, then the need to stay focused | | | | importance and efficiency of their |
| on receiving the proceeds from sales is | | | | company in the industry. Upon their |
| equally important. Accounts payable, | | | | return, have follow-up meetings with |
| expenses and accounts receivable need to | | | | these managers where they will report in |
| have fixed procedures in place to allow | | | | detail on what they have learned. |
| money to flow freely through the company | | | | Managers attending conventions and |
| coffers. Focusing on these procedures at | | | | seminars should take opportunities to |
| regular weekly and monthly meetings will | | | | enjoy themselves, nevertheless, they |
| put the accounting and marketing groups | | | | will be the "face" of your company, it's |
| on the same path. A rift between | | | | wise be sure that they focus on making |
| marketing and accounting is a common | | | | them business meetings, and not all |
| bureaucratic occurrence; so don't be | | | | "playtime." |
| surprised if one point you hear from | | | | If planning, organizing, staffing, |
| someone from sales state, "We make the | | | | direction and control are five major |
| money here, how come I have to live by | | | | factors in managing a company, staying |
| their rules?" Getting these two | | | | focused throughout the process, is |
| operations to stay focused on a bottom | | | | paramount! |
| line results oriented approach is a | | | | |