Use Your Strengths to Make Your Best Business Plan Yet

Written by Tim Berry of Entrepreneur.com

Funny, isn't it, how just getting started is often the hardest part? I think that's true of business planning. Avoid the inertia. Get started, get going and don't wait.

How do you get started? It's important to realize there are many different ways, and the best choice for you depends on the way you like to work.

I suggest you start by setting the review schedule. That's one of my favorite starting points, because it sends a clear message about what the planning is about and how it'll help your business.

However, maybe you're a concept person, a strategic thinker. That's great. Stick with that, and start your planning with what I call the heart of the plan, the core strategy. Take a step back from your business and ask yourself four key strategic questions:

What am I really selling?

Ask yourself why people buy your product, what they're getting from your business that they can't get elsewhere, and what wants and needs drive their decision to buy your product.

How do I want my customers to think of my business?

Ideally, what words or phrases would they use to describe your business to a friend? Are you reasonably differentiated? What's the key message customers should be getting?

What am I really good at? What do I (my company) do better than anybody else? Am I correctly focused on that core competence?

What do my customers want that I'm not giving them?