Knowing how to care for your flower garden can make a big difference in the look and over-all health of your plants. Here are some simple hints to make your garden bloom with health
1. The essentials must always be given major consideration.
Your flower garden must have an adequate supply of water, sunlight, and fertile soil. Any lack of these basic necessities will greatly affect the health of plants. Water the flower garden more frequently during dry spells.
When planting bulbs, make sure they go at the correct depth. When planting out shrubs and perennials, make sure that you don't heap soil or mulch up around the stem. If you do, water will drain off instead of sinking in, and the stem could develop rot through overheating.
2. Mix and match perennials with annuals.
Perennial flower bulbs need not to be replanted since they grow and bloom for several years while annuals grow and bloom for only one season. Mixing a few perennials with annuals ensures that you will always have blooms coming on.
3. Deadhead to encourage more blossoms.
Deadheading is simply snipping off the flower head after it wilts. This will make the plant produce more flowers. Just make sure that you don't discard the deadhead on the garden or mildew and other plant disease will attack your plants Konferenztisch Glas Rund.
4. Know the good from the bad bugs.
Most garden insects do more good than harm. Butterflies, beetles and bees are known pollinators. They fertilize plants through unintentional transfer of pollen from one plant to another. 80% of flowering plants rely on insects for survival.
Sowbugs and dung beetles together with fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms are necessary to help in the decomposition of dead plant material, thus enriching the soil and making more nutrients available to growing plants.
Other insects like lacewings and dragonflies are natural predators of those insects that do the real damage, like aphis.
An occasional application of liquid fertilizer when plants are flowering will keep them blooming for longer.
Always prune any dead or damaged branches. Fuchsias are particularly prone to snapping when you brush against them. The broken branch can be potted up to give you a new plant, so it won't be wasted.
Minggu, 05 Maret 2017
Cooking Classes for the Masses
Whether you are a seasoned pro when it comes to the fine art of cooking or an utter novice there should be some cooking classes or resources in your area that can help you learn and improve your existing skills. Surprisingly few people manage to utilize the many wonderful opportunities that are available to them when it comes to cooking classes.
If you are considering a cooking class you should be glad to know that many communities offer them for a nominal fee at night and sometimes on the weekend. These classes are rather basic and often designed to help women learn the basics of a few economical and healthy meals to prepare for their beginning families. If you fit the bill for this, then you should check out your local library for possible leads for these sorts of classes in your area. Even if they do not have the information available it is quite likely that they can point you in the right direction.
If you are looking for cooking classes that you can take with your children, check out your library once again for the first resource. There are also many gourmet food shops that offer cooking classes for parents to take with their children. This is a great opportunity to bond with your child while you both learn to prepare a new dish or two together. It is quite likely that you will be quite surprised by the things you can learn from your child as well as the things you can learn by simply taking the class.
For those among us who are seeking culinary experience with very specific cuisines you will have to search a little more for the perfect cooking classes in which you can achieve your goal. They do exist however, though your chances of learning Thai cooking are much greater in a larger city than in smaller towns throughout the country. If you are really interested in learning some exotic cooking techniques perhaps you should consider a vacation in which you can try out a few new cooking classes while you are there. If you prefer other things on your vacation to cooking you could make a point of attempting one basic class in the cuisine of your choice for each vacation you take. This will give you a little more than the same old souvenir to bring back from your trip and an experience that in many cases is quite memorable.
Finally, if you are looking for a romantic idea, how about signing up to take a couples cooking class? Believe it or not, these classes are often offered in both big and smaller cities. They seem to be all the rage around Valentine's day, perhaps the hint is that the other partner in a relationship can share some of the cooking responsibility or perhaps the idea is that there is more than one way to steam up the kitchen.
Regardless of the reason for taking cooking classes they can bring not only a great deal of enjoyment to your dining room, but also increase your ease in your kitchen. If you've never taken a cooking class, there is no time like the present to do so. No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen there is always something that can be learned.
If you are considering a cooking class you should be glad to know that many communities offer them for a nominal fee at night and sometimes on the weekend. These classes are rather basic and often designed to help women learn the basics of a few economical and healthy meals to prepare for their beginning families. If you fit the bill for this, then you should check out your local library for possible leads for these sorts of classes in your area. Even if they do not have the information available it is quite likely that they can point you in the right direction.
If you are looking for cooking classes that you can take with your children, check out your library once again for the first resource. There are also many gourmet food shops that offer cooking classes for parents to take with their children. This is a great opportunity to bond with your child while you both learn to prepare a new dish or two together. It is quite likely that you will be quite surprised by the things you can learn from your child as well as the things you can learn by simply taking the class.
For those among us who are seeking culinary experience with very specific cuisines you will have to search a little more for the perfect cooking classes in which you can achieve your goal. They do exist however, though your chances of learning Thai cooking are much greater in a larger city than in smaller towns throughout the country. If you are really interested in learning some exotic cooking techniques perhaps you should consider a vacation in which you can try out a few new cooking classes while you are there. If you prefer other things on your vacation to cooking you could make a point of attempting one basic class in the cuisine of your choice for each vacation you take. This will give you a little more than the same old souvenir to bring back from your trip and an experience that in many cases is quite memorable.
Finally, if you are looking for a romantic idea, how about signing up to take a couples cooking class? Believe it or not, these classes are often offered in both big and smaller cities. They seem to be all the rage around Valentine's day, perhaps the hint is that the other partner in a relationship can share some of the cooking responsibility or perhaps the idea is that there is more than one way to steam up the kitchen.
Regardless of the reason for taking cooking classes they can bring not only a great deal of enjoyment to your dining room, but also increase your ease in your kitchen. If you've never taken a cooking class, there is no time like the present to do so. No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen there is always something that can be learned.
Kamis, 02 Maret 2017
A Home Garden – Fun for the Whole Family
Home gardening is a wonderful pastime that the whole family can enjoy. In addition, gardening has become an increasingly popular hobby for people of all ages. Currently, studies show that in the United States, eight of ten households take part in some type of home gardening endeavor. Based on these statistics, gardening is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the nation.
Typically, when people start planting their garden, they start with flowers. In addition, most people will pursue planting roses. The novice garden does not realize that roses usually take the most time and effort as compared to other flowers. With such an enormous array of flowers to choose from, it is best for the novice to start of with easy care plants and flowers.
Vegetable gardens have become quite popular too. A vegetable garden can bring a sense of pride and accomplishment when you place those fresh vegetables on your dinner table. The list of vegetable plants is endless, therefore when planning your vegetable garden choose the right vegetable for your growing climate. For instance, cool weather crops would be green beans, zucchini, and cucumbers Konferenztisch Glas Oval.
Many gardeners will consider planting fruits as well. In a warm climate, you could plant watermelons, and trees such as apricots and peaches. A berry garden is also fun, planting strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. These types of berry gardens are easy to care for and take less space than a traditional vegetable garden.
Herbs are another favorite for the home garden. If you have limited space, you can grow your herbs indoors in a sunny window. The most often used herbs for cooking are basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro. These herbs are easy to grow too.
Landscaping your yard is another form of gardening. There are different types of grasses and shrubbery to decorate your yard. Decorative rocks, ponds, and statues are also included as a form of landscape gardening. Landscaping your yard is not limited to plant life. As with a garden, your lawn and shrubbery need upkeep.
As mentioned earlier, gardening can be fun and educational for the whole family. In addition, what a delight to see the flowers bloom and harvest the vegetables. However, as with anything else, to be a successful home gardener takes work. Plants need to be weeded and watered. Do not get discouraged if the flowers are not as brilliant as expected or the beans did not do so well. Research the plant in question and then try again next planting season, eventually you will have a wonderful garden.
Typically, when people start planting their garden, they start with flowers. In addition, most people will pursue planting roses. The novice garden does not realize that roses usually take the most time and effort as compared to other flowers. With such an enormous array of flowers to choose from, it is best for the novice to start of with easy care plants and flowers.
Vegetable gardens have become quite popular too. A vegetable garden can bring a sense of pride and accomplishment when you place those fresh vegetables on your dinner table. The list of vegetable plants is endless, therefore when planning your vegetable garden choose the right vegetable for your growing climate. For instance, cool weather crops would be green beans, zucchini, and cucumbers Konferenztisch Glas Oval.
Many gardeners will consider planting fruits as well. In a warm climate, you could plant watermelons, and trees such as apricots and peaches. A berry garden is also fun, planting strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. These types of berry gardens are easy to care for and take less space than a traditional vegetable garden.
Herbs are another favorite for the home garden. If you have limited space, you can grow your herbs indoors in a sunny window. The most often used herbs for cooking are basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro. These herbs are easy to grow too.
Landscaping your yard is another form of gardening. There are different types of grasses and shrubbery to decorate your yard. Decorative rocks, ponds, and statues are also included as a form of landscape gardening. Landscaping your yard is not limited to plant life. As with a garden, your lawn and shrubbery need upkeep.
As mentioned earlier, gardening can be fun and educational for the whole family. In addition, what a delight to see the flowers bloom and harvest the vegetables. However, as with anything else, to be a successful home gardener takes work. Plants need to be weeded and watered. Do not get discouraged if the flowers are not as brilliant as expected or the beans did not do so well. Research the plant in question and then try again next planting season, eventually you will have a wonderful garden.
5 Minute Fabric Decorating Tips for Unlit Fireplace Candelabra
Who doesn’t appreciate flickering flames in a fireplace? For those who don’t have the inclination or time for burning firewood in their fireplace, fireplace candelabra are the obvious answer. They provide that special glow without the hassle or, in warm weather, the heat. But how do you keep those fireplace candelabra worthy of the visual focal point of your home even for those times when you haven’t lit the candles?
Even without burning candles, decorators have their tricks for using fireplace candelabra as foundations for eye-appealing displays in the fireplace. Here are three of their super quick and inexpensive techniques using fabric that you can try:
1. Heavy Fabric
Use a full-bodied fabric, such as tapestry, brocade, or velvet, which coordinates with the colors and style of your room. Casually interweave the fabric among the “arms” of your fireplace candelabra, leaving dramatic folds of fabric spilling onto the inner hearth and over parts of the candelabra. Tuck in the ends, out of sight. Now, replace those candles, but don’t, of course, light them as long as the fabric is in your hearth.
2. Lace or Sheer Fabric
For a different, but equally appealing look, use a sheer fabric, such as chiffon or lace. Give it the same treatment as above, with visually interesting draping and folds of the material. This lighter, airier treatment is more appropriate for some rooms.
3. Tassel Magic
At your local fabric store, find three to five inch long tassels in a color, or a mixture of colors, to highlight your room and the metal of your fireplace candelabra. Buy a tassel and a few inches of coordinating cording for each candle on your fireplace candelabra.
Cut the cord into lengths a bit longer than the circumference of each candle. Either by sewing or by using your glue gun, make a circle of each piece of cording and attach a tassel where you join the ends of the cording. Each circle of cording should be big enough to easily slide onto a candle, down to its base.
Slip each cording-with-tassel circle over a different candle on your fireplace candelabra. Adjust the tassels so they are hanging over the edge of the candle cups, facing into the room.
These tassels so beautifully accessorize the candles of your fireplace candelabra, you may be tempted to leave them when you light the candles, but please don’t. Remove them before lighting your candles and save them to put back on when you blow the candles out at the end of the evening.
A bit of fabric dramatically posed or some tassels elegantly dangling from your fireplace candelabra can be so charming, your fireplace candelabra can rightfully maintain the place of honor in your room’s natural focal point, the fireplace, even when its candles aren’t a glow.
Source : davincigrouplk.com
Even without burning candles, decorators have their tricks for using fireplace candelabra as foundations for eye-appealing displays in the fireplace. Here are three of their super quick and inexpensive techniques using fabric that you can try:
1. Heavy Fabric
Use a full-bodied fabric, such as tapestry, brocade, or velvet, which coordinates with the colors and style of your room. Casually interweave the fabric among the “arms” of your fireplace candelabra, leaving dramatic folds of fabric spilling onto the inner hearth and over parts of the candelabra. Tuck in the ends, out of sight. Now, replace those candles, but don’t, of course, light them as long as the fabric is in your hearth.
2. Lace or Sheer Fabric
For a different, but equally appealing look, use a sheer fabric, such as chiffon or lace. Give it the same treatment as above, with visually interesting draping and folds of the material. This lighter, airier treatment is more appropriate for some rooms.
3. Tassel Magic
At your local fabric store, find three to five inch long tassels in a color, or a mixture of colors, to highlight your room and the metal of your fireplace candelabra. Buy a tassel and a few inches of coordinating cording for each candle on your fireplace candelabra.
Cut the cord into lengths a bit longer than the circumference of each candle. Either by sewing or by using your glue gun, make a circle of each piece of cording and attach a tassel where you join the ends of the cording. Each circle of cording should be big enough to easily slide onto a candle, down to its base.
Slip each cording-with-tassel circle over a different candle on your fireplace candelabra. Adjust the tassels so they are hanging over the edge of the candle cups, facing into the room.
These tassels so beautifully accessorize the candles of your fireplace candelabra, you may be tempted to leave them when you light the candles, but please don’t. Remove them before lighting your candles and save them to put back on when you blow the candles out at the end of the evening.
A bit of fabric dramatically posed or some tassels elegantly dangling from your fireplace candelabra can be so charming, your fireplace candelabra can rightfully maintain the place of honor in your room’s natural focal point, the fireplace, even when its candles aren’t a glow.
Source : davincigrouplk.com
Rabu, 01 Maret 2017
Why are paid surveys so popular?
The new concept of getting paid for giving your honest opinion seems to be too good to be true – well its not. Not only the person taking part benefits but the company benefits on a whole as it leads to better and improved products that sell. Most people tend you use these surveys as extra cash source or a good paid hobby you can do in the comfort of your own home at your own pace. I wouldn't recommend doing them full time as there not stable enough and would be hard to get into the thousands bracket but the hundreds if definitely realistic for anyone.
They are so popular because of the fact that anyone can do them; the only restriction may be your country as some companies make the surveys country specific but if you look hard enough there are plenty out there which you can take part in. I would say the main feature that appeals to everyone is the fact of being able to work in your night wear at 3:00am in the morning (or which ever time suits you). It's the flexibility that will grab your attention as you work when you want and for how long you want which is everyone's dream job right? The thing is you need to allow yourself some free time as the fact of working and getting paid for as long as you want can be tempting to work non-stop to earn loads of extra cash, I know I would be. Too much work can have negative effects and will harm your body so it's vital that you rest, eat well and take time off from work to do other activities. Aside from that its ideal for stay at home mums or people that cannot go to work due to illness or disability as they don't need to attend interviews or make the effort to get out the house and be somewhere for a certain time.
Simply get up when you want and you can fit these paid surveys into your current lifestyle. If it's only a few a day it will still bring in some extra money which is always a bonus. When its said you work as much as you want it doesn't mean you login to your account and pick surveys that you feel like doing, you will get a flood of emails to your inbox with surveys ready to be taken but don't feel like you have to do them all, simply pick a selection and do those. If you have more time do a few more but any other just delete them. There are so many people taking part on paid surveys the quota will more then likely be satisfactory for the client. You should not have to pay to take part in paid surveys so be careful with the companies that require a start up fee, make sure you start with a decent company and you will be well on your way to making that extra cash you've always wanted.
They are so popular because of the fact that anyone can do them; the only restriction may be your country as some companies make the surveys country specific but if you look hard enough there are plenty out there which you can take part in. I would say the main feature that appeals to everyone is the fact of being able to work in your night wear at 3:00am in the morning (or which ever time suits you). It's the flexibility that will grab your attention as you work when you want and for how long you want which is everyone's dream job right? The thing is you need to allow yourself some free time as the fact of working and getting paid for as long as you want can be tempting to work non-stop to earn loads of extra cash, I know I would be. Too much work can have negative effects and will harm your body so it's vital that you rest, eat well and take time off from work to do other activities. Aside from that its ideal for stay at home mums or people that cannot go to work due to illness or disability as they don't need to attend interviews or make the effort to get out the house and be somewhere for a certain time.
Simply get up when you want and you can fit these paid surveys into your current lifestyle. If it's only a few a day it will still bring in some extra money which is always a bonus. When its said you work as much as you want it doesn't mean you login to your account and pick surveys that you feel like doing, you will get a flood of emails to your inbox with surveys ready to be taken but don't feel like you have to do them all, simply pick a selection and do those. If you have more time do a few more but any other just delete them. There are so many people taking part on paid surveys the quota will more then likely be satisfactory for the client. You should not have to pay to take part in paid surveys so be careful with the companies that require a start up fee, make sure you start with a decent company and you will be well on your way to making that extra cash you've always wanted.
Why Aren't You Making Money On The Net?
I had reason to ask myself this question some time ago. The more I thought about it, the clearer the answers became.
If you are not making the money you want on the net now, read on and you will find some useful ideas based on my experiences. What I have to say applies equally to small business, home based business and network marketers.
The funny thing is that I knew what I had to do to make money. Nevertheless, I was not doing it! I continued to surf around various sites looking for that magic formula that would automatically put money in my bank account without having to do anything.
Why did I keep on avoiding the very steps or actions that would generate money for my business? Did I want my business to fail? No! Did I want to fail on the net? No! I was so easily distracted by the latest and greatest way to make money on the net that I spent my time reviewing these at the expense of building my own business.
I fooled myself into thinking that just because I had links to various products and services on my web page I would make money. The first fundamental principle of making money on the net is NO TRAFFIC equals NO INCOME. Just having a web page does not mean the world will beat a path to your door.
To solve this, I submitted my pages to the search engines. For a short time, when one of my pages enjoyed a listing within the top ten results for a keyword search, I had some extra traffic. Once I lost that position, the traffic dried up. I then tried resubmitting that page to regain my top 10 position but to no avail.
Now was the time for discouragement to set in. I had tried the obvious ways to get people to my web pages without success. I had submitted a few free classified ads but this was a tedious and time-consuming process. The results were far from spectacular also. There seemed to be no way to win on the net!
How do I make progress and what I have I learnt from this experience? With any success gained in life, there are a few of key factors - discipline, persistence and belief. Discipline is doing what needs to be done everyday to achieve the goal you are aiming for. Persistence is continuing the process but making changes where necessary so that the goal is reached. Belief is the confidence that you can do it.
With this in mind, it was time to go back to the basics of business and marketing and to answer some fundamental questions.
Who are people who will buy my product and/or service?
How can I reach them in the most cost-effective manner?
Once you know who will buy your product and/or service, then you can determine the best ways of contacting them. To know who will buy your product and/or service, ask yourself these questions:
What are the benefits to my potential buyers of my product and/or service?
Let us say that you are marketing a business opportunity. An important benefit of your opportunity is the ability of your prospect to make some extra money. Other benefits could include no longer having to work for a boss, financial independence, realization of dreams such as overseas travel, and the list could go on.
What people would gain from these benefits?
It is tempting to answer this question by saying "everyone". However, this is simply not true. The best prospects may be those who are looking for an opportunity to increase their income. They could be people who are looking to start their own business but do not have a product or service to market. They could be people who have a small business and are looking for ways to increase their revenues.
Now we need to consider how we get in contact with these people. Where do they gather on the net? Are there others on the net who are already contacting this group of people?
One of the easiest ways to research how to contact the people who will buy our product and/or service is to review all the ezines published. Today, there are many ezines that cater to various interest groups and there is sure to be a number that will reach the people you need to contact.
Do a Google search to find sites where you can research ezines that may reach your target prospects. Examples include the Directory of Ezines and Zineworld. Once you have found the ezines that your prospects are reading, you have two ways of using this to your advantage. Most ezines accept classified ads for a fee and this can be an effective way to bring to your site a stream of qualified traffic.
However, the most cost-effective way is through writing articles that would interest your prospects and submitting them to the ezines for publication. Many ezines are looking for good quality material they can publish for the benefit of their readers. This provides benefits to you and the ezine publisher. You receive valuable free publicity for your site and the ezine editor receives a valuable contribution to their publication.
The targeted approach to contacting those who want to buy your product or service is usually always more cost effective that any other way. I am following my own advice and benefiting. I suggest you try it. Let us all make money on the web!
If you are not making the money you want on the net now, read on and you will find some useful ideas based on my experiences. What I have to say applies equally to small business, home based business and network marketers.
The funny thing is that I knew what I had to do to make money. Nevertheless, I was not doing it! I continued to surf around various sites looking for that magic formula that would automatically put money in my bank account without having to do anything.
Why did I keep on avoiding the very steps or actions that would generate money for my business? Did I want my business to fail? No! Did I want to fail on the net? No! I was so easily distracted by the latest and greatest way to make money on the net that I spent my time reviewing these at the expense of building my own business.
I fooled myself into thinking that just because I had links to various products and services on my web page I would make money. The first fundamental principle of making money on the net is NO TRAFFIC equals NO INCOME. Just having a web page does not mean the world will beat a path to your door.
To solve this, I submitted my pages to the search engines. For a short time, when one of my pages enjoyed a listing within the top ten results for a keyword search, I had some extra traffic. Once I lost that position, the traffic dried up. I then tried resubmitting that page to regain my top 10 position but to no avail.
Now was the time for discouragement to set in. I had tried the obvious ways to get people to my web pages without success. I had submitted a few free classified ads but this was a tedious and time-consuming process. The results were far from spectacular also. There seemed to be no way to win on the net!
How do I make progress and what I have I learnt from this experience? With any success gained in life, there are a few of key factors - discipline, persistence and belief. Discipline is doing what needs to be done everyday to achieve the goal you are aiming for. Persistence is continuing the process but making changes where necessary so that the goal is reached. Belief is the confidence that you can do it.
With this in mind, it was time to go back to the basics of business and marketing and to answer some fundamental questions.
Who are people who will buy my product and/or service?
How can I reach them in the most cost-effective manner?
Once you know who will buy your product and/or service, then you can determine the best ways of contacting them. To know who will buy your product and/or service, ask yourself these questions:
What are the benefits to my potential buyers of my product and/or service?
Let us say that you are marketing a business opportunity. An important benefit of your opportunity is the ability of your prospect to make some extra money. Other benefits could include no longer having to work for a boss, financial independence, realization of dreams such as overseas travel, and the list could go on.
What people would gain from these benefits?
It is tempting to answer this question by saying "everyone". However, this is simply not true. The best prospects may be those who are looking for an opportunity to increase their income. They could be people who are looking to start their own business but do not have a product or service to market. They could be people who have a small business and are looking for ways to increase their revenues.
Now we need to consider how we get in contact with these people. Where do they gather on the net? Are there others on the net who are already contacting this group of people?
One of the easiest ways to research how to contact the people who will buy our product and/or service is to review all the ezines published. Today, there are many ezines that cater to various interest groups and there is sure to be a number that will reach the people you need to contact.
Do a Google search to find sites where you can research ezines that may reach your target prospects. Examples include the Directory of Ezines and Zineworld. Once you have found the ezines that your prospects are reading, you have two ways of using this to your advantage. Most ezines accept classified ads for a fee and this can be an effective way to bring to your site a stream of qualified traffic.
However, the most cost-effective way is through writing articles that would interest your prospects and submitting them to the ezines for publication. Many ezines are looking for good quality material they can publish for the benefit of their readers. This provides benefits to you and the ezine publisher. You receive valuable free publicity for your site and the ezine editor receives a valuable contribution to their publication.
The targeted approach to contacting those who want to buy your product or service is usually always more cost effective that any other way. I am following my own advice and benefiting. I suggest you try it. Let us all make money on the web!
Why Business Plans Don't Work And What To Do About Yours
I am often asked to assist with writing business plans. While a business plan is often needed when you are getting financing for your business, I find that most business owners don’t find them very useful. Why not? Because usually they are written from a very long term frame (typically five years) and once they are written, they are put on a shelf and never looked at again. I’m going to suggest some ways that you can get more out of your business plan.
1) Review your business plan frequently. Business plans aren’t meant to be static. They are mostly a long-term strategic tool, but to be effective you need to look at them regularly and update your strategies. How often? I’d suggest quarterly. Look at which of your strategies are working and which aren’t. Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Ask yourself why some are working and some aren’t. What can you learn to make your business stronger?
2) Add a lifestyle component to your business plan. I have yet to see a business plan that includes your ideal lifestyle. Does a bank care about your lifestyle? Probably not. But you should. Take time this week to add a lifestyle page to your business plan. At a minimum, include how many hours you want to work, where you want to work, how much vacation you’d like and what schedule you want. Then go through your business plan and make sure your business strategies support your lifestyle strategies. What you may find is that you’ll have to add strategies for hiring additional staff, streamlining operations, and creating better business systems.
3) Turn your business plan into an action plan. Your business plan is all about long term strategy. It’s the big picture about how you’ll run your business. Take that long-term strategy and turn it into a short-term action plan. For each strategy you have in your business plan, write a short-term action plan. Include what the actual activity will be, what resources you need to do it (employees, money, time, equipment, etc) and write out a detailed plan for it including deadlines. This plan should be for the next three to six months. The action plan should include every step you will need to take to accomplish each goal in your plan.
The first time you do these exercises may take between two and eight hours. It depends on how much detail you provide. My experience shows that the more detail you include the more effective your plan is. The next time you do this (remember to review and revise this quarterly) it will take a lot less time. Each time you do this will build on the time before and your planning will become more and more effective. Now you’ve got a business plan that works.
If you’d like a sample business plan that works, please email me and I’ll send you one that you can use as a model.
1) Review your business plan frequently. Business plans aren’t meant to be static. They are mostly a long-term strategic tool, but to be effective you need to look at them regularly and update your strategies. How often? I’d suggest quarterly. Look at which of your strategies are working and which aren’t. Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Ask yourself why some are working and some aren’t. What can you learn to make your business stronger?
2) Add a lifestyle component to your business plan. I have yet to see a business plan that includes your ideal lifestyle. Does a bank care about your lifestyle? Probably not. But you should. Take time this week to add a lifestyle page to your business plan. At a minimum, include how many hours you want to work, where you want to work, how much vacation you’d like and what schedule you want. Then go through your business plan and make sure your business strategies support your lifestyle strategies. What you may find is that you’ll have to add strategies for hiring additional staff, streamlining operations, and creating better business systems.
3) Turn your business plan into an action plan. Your business plan is all about long term strategy. It’s the big picture about how you’ll run your business. Take that long-term strategy and turn it into a short-term action plan. For each strategy you have in your business plan, write a short-term action plan. Include what the actual activity will be, what resources you need to do it (employees, money, time, equipment, etc) and write out a detailed plan for it including deadlines. This plan should be for the next three to six months. The action plan should include every step you will need to take to accomplish each goal in your plan.
The first time you do these exercises may take between two and eight hours. It depends on how much detail you provide. My experience shows that the more detail you include the more effective your plan is. The next time you do this (remember to review and revise this quarterly) it will take a lot less time. Each time you do this will build on the time before and your planning will become more and more effective. Now you’ve got a business plan that works.
If you’d like a sample business plan that works, please email me and I’ll send you one that you can use as a model.
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