Tài liệu THE PLAN A Step-By-Step Business Plan Workbook ppt

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The APPENDIX comes at the end of your business plan and includes all
details and documents that support the plan.
Throughout this workbook, items that need to be included in the
APPENDIX are mentioned. On page 31, you’ll find a comprehensive list,
which you can use as a guide.
The first page of the APPENDIX should be a listing of its contents.
Be sure to separate and organize the documents logically, perhaps in
the order they are referred to in the plan.
The APPENDIX will grow, so it is a good idea to use a 3-ring binder
with tabbed dividers. Some people prefer using an expandable file.
WHEN MEETING WITH A LENDER:
• Bring your business plan, a completed loan
application, and any other materials you need.
• Keep the entire presentation to 30 minutes.
Give an overview or outline at the beginning.
Know how you are going to end the presentation.
• Invite your lender for a tour of your current or proposed operation.
• Answer all negative questions with positive answers.
Be willing to back up your answers.
• Find out when you can expect a decision.
• Ask that lenders decisions, made on the telephone, be put in writing.
• Follow up with a thank you letter and a phone call.
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . 6
Business Description . . . . . . . . . . 8
Managers & Employees . . . . . . . 10
Operations & Location . . . . . . . 11
Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Buying a Business . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Buying a Franchise . . . . . . . . . . 17
Loan Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
General Information . . . . . . 19
Personal Finances . . . . . . . . 20
Balance Sheet . . . . . . . . . . 22
Income Statement . . . . . . . 24
Cash Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Ratios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Formulas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Business Loan Basics
BREAK YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
DOWN INTO SECTIONS
SIMILAR TO THIS BOOK.
The Appendix
CONTENTS
Generally, lenders like to simplify the process
used to screen loan requests. Take your
business through the same exercise that lenders do.
The complexity or size of the loan request doesn’t
matter; the basic formula is as simple as 1-2-3.
FORMULAS
The Executive Summary (your Cover Letter)
briefly explains the rest of your business plan in
about one or two pages.
Page two is the Table of Contents. It shows
the lender on which page each section can be
found (see page 5 for the breakdown of sections).
The Executive Summary should include:
• the owners’ names and their credentials
• your products or services
• your market(s) and the competition
• the amount of money needed
• how the loan will be repaid
• how long you want the loan to last
December 31, 2004
The Green Rose
456 Oak Street
This Town, USA 67890
Mr. John Nelson
ABC Bank
123 Main Street
Anytown, USA 12345
Re: Loan Request for $300,000
Dear Mr. Nelson,
With 20 years of management experience in the residential landscaping
business, we are requesting a loan to start our own landscaping business,
called The Green Rose.
The climate for a successful landscaping business is perfect. Last year, the
number of new homes built in Pembroke Pines increased by 15%. Just this
quarter, new building permits are up 10% over last year. Of the 45,000
homes in the area, 3,000 were built last year.
Our target market is owners of new and older homes. We plan to reach them
with focused marketing, which you will read about in our plan. In addition,
we have good working relationships with many building contractors, who
have indicated they will refer us to their clients.
Two of our six local competitors have filed Chapter 11. Two are family-
owned businesses who concentrate on commercial contracts. The last two
are healthy competition, though they lack our marketing and management
expertise.
We are investing $75K in savings and are requesting a $300K loan from
your bank. We would like five years to repay the loan, using the cash flow of
the business. Our secondary source of repayment will be from collateralized
equipment. Our homes and business assets, valued at $300K, are offered as
collateral for the loan.
Our business plan is attached. In it you will find the information you need.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Mr.
Green at (321) 234-5678.
Respectfully submitted,
Ed Rose Tim Green
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
YOUR COVER LETTER SHOULD READ SOMETHING LIKE THIS ONE:
6
To build the lender’s
enthusiasm, make
references to what’s
included in your
business plan
Leave off your
return address if
the letter is on
your company’s
stationery.
List the purpose
of the loan
(starting, buying,
or expanding
a business)
.
Include owners’
names and
experience.
Mention your
products and
services.
Ed Rose
Tim Green
Briefly mention
your markets
and customers
Include key
facts about your
competition.
Include
all
signature(s) and
typed name(s).
Tell the lender
who should be
contacted
and provide a
phone number.
Mention how
much money you
would like to
finance and the
terms (how many
years). List the
source of re-pay-
ment
(loans should
be repaid by the
business’ cash
flow).
Also include
how much
you are
investing and
where your money
will come from.
List the secondary
source of repayment.
This is usually
collateral which
includes business
and personal assets
(see page 18).
Also, fill in the equity
value of these assets.
7
date______________________________________________________________________________________________________
your address______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lender’s name, bank name, and address
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Re: Loan Request for $______________ (fill in amount)
Dear (fill in lender’s name)___________________________:
I (or we) am requesting a loan of____________________________________. The owner(s)
(fill in names) _____________________ have experience in this industry including (mention
experience in industry or training that would qualify you to run this business).
The market for this business (include one brief paragraph about the industry and its growth)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Our target market is (include one brief paragraph about your target market/customers)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The competition includes (include one brief paragraph about your competition and how
your business will attract their customers)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We are investing $___________ of our own money. Our collateral consists of business assets
having a fair market value of $__________________ and personal assets (if applicable)
with a value of $__________________
Attached is our business plan which backs up our request. If you have any questions, please contact
(name) __________________ at __________________ (include phone number).
Sincerely,
__________________ __________________
Your signature(s) and printed name(s) here
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (YOUR COVER LETTER)
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
General: List the
business name, location,
mailing address,
telephone, fax, e-mail
and web site address.
Purpose: Describe the
intent of your business.
Type of business:
Retail, wholesale,
service, manufacturing,
contracting, professional,
importing/exporting.
Industry:
Talk about what’s going
on in your industry,
including economic
trends, outlook, growth
patterns and forecasts.
Keep this section short.
Explain more fully in
your Marketing section
.
Legal Business
Description:
Sole proprietorship, part-
nership, limited liability,
“C” or “S” corporation.
List the state where the
business is incorporated.
Owners:
List each owner’s name,
business title, home
address, telephone
number, and social security
number. Include a brief
description of owners and
managers
(experience and
credentials in running the
business)
and their owner-
ship percentage of the
business.
Reasons for starting,
buying, or expanding
business.
Goals:
Include both current and
long-term projections.
Professional
Relationships:
Include name, address,
and telephone/fax
numbers for your
accountant, attorney,
banker, insurance agent,
and professional
advisor(s).
8
GENERAL
Name: MRJ Design
Address: 21 Longwood Drive, Orlando, Florida 32751
Phone: (407) 123-4567 Fax: (407) 123-4789
E-mail: smith@MRJ.com, Web Site: www.MRJ.com
OWNERS:
Bob Smith: 10 Brookfield Rd., Orlando, FL 32751
Phone: 407-456-7891 Social Security: 367-89-7088
Over 20 years of experience in creative management. Worked for
several design firms. Mr. Smith owns 60% of the business.
Linda Jones: 96 Elm St., Orlando, FL 32751
Phone: 407-567-1234 Social Security: 234-56-7891
Ten years of experience as manager of large
marketing communications department within
Fortune 1000 corporation. Ms. Jones owns 40% of the business.
LEGAL STATUS: Florida S Corporation
PURPOSE: Produce superior marketing communications material for
other businesses.
STATUS: Start-Up. Will open December 2004
BUSINESS TYPE: Service
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Graphic design, illustration, and artwork
production. Other services, supplied by vendors/suppliers, include
writing, photography, printing, and mailing services.
REASONS: Both partners have over 30 years of industry
experience that will be put to profitable use in our own firm.
The demand for graphic communications is etc.
GOALS:
CURRENT: Bring to profitable status that will equal or exceed
current income levels. Create relationships with clients.
Build etc.
LONG-TERM: In four years, we will have 50-100 clients.
Hire administrative person etc.
INDUSTRY:
100 design firms and designers exist in our territory. Advertising
agencies (about 235) are also competitors but their specialty is
not design. Many companies have relocated to Orlando so the
demand for our services is growing. The number of start-up com-
panies numbered 6000 last year etc.
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
ACCOUNTANT:
Larry Stuart, CPA, 123 Main St., Winter Springs,
FL 32751. Ph: 407-678-9012, Fax: 407-678-7890
ATTORNEY:
Linda Johnson of Johnson and Smith, 456 Elm St.,
Winter Park, FL 32789.
Ph: 407-234-5678, Fax: 407-345-6789
BANKER:
John Nelson, Heritage Bank, 678 Oak St., Orlando,
FL 32908. Ph: 407-123-4567. Fax: 407-0987-6543.
INSURANCE AGENT:
Linda Doe, Doe Insurance, 321 Grove Ave., Winter Park, FL
32789. Ph: 407-432-7654. Fax: 407-876-5432
PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS:
Claire Velleca, Velleca Consultants, 1 Park St.,
Orlando, FL 32701 Ph: 407-222-1456, Fax: 407-419-1989
Business Status:
New/start up, ongoing,
expansion, or buying
a business. Include the
date your business started
or will start.
If buying
a business, include a
detailed business history
in this section.
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
GENERAL
Business name ________________________________________________
Location ____________________________________________________
Mailing address ______________________________________________
Phone number___________________Fax__________________________
Tax identification number ______________________________________
E-Mail address ________________________________________________
Web Site address______________________________________________
PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
Include name, address, and telephone/fax numbers
Accountant __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Attorney ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Banker ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Insurance agent ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Professional advisor(s) ________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
OWNERS
Provide the following information for each principal in the company.
Name________________________________________________________
Business title __________________________________________________
Home address ________________________________________________
Telephone number ____________________________________________
Social security number __________________________________________
Include a brief description of owners and managers
(experience and cre-
dentials in running the business)
and their percentage of ownership
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
KEEP TRACK
Use this check box as
a reminder system.
Some answers will
be short and some
will be long.
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Reasons
for starting, buying, or
expanding business.
Products and Services
Provide a summary.
Purpose
Describe the intent of your business.
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Goals
Current goals (within the next year)
Long-term (over the next five years)
Industry
Provide a brief summary of what’s going
on in your industry. Include economic trends,
outlook, growth patterns and forecasts. Include
details in the
APPENDIX.
Legal Business Description
(sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.). ______________________________________________
State. What state is your business organized in? What states will you operate in? ________________________________________________
Type of business (retail, wholesale, service, manufacturing, contracting, etc.). ________________________________________________
Business Status. New, ongoing, expanding, or buying a business. ___________________________________________________________
Date your business started or will start. _____________________________________________________________________________________
9
✓
Employees
• How many part-time and full-time employees
are needed to run the company? It’s a good
idea to develop an organizational chart
(example below).
• How and where will you find employees and
keep them?
Costs
• Include managers’ job descriptions, salaries,
benefits and resumes in the APPENDIX.
• How much are you going
to pay each employee?
• What are the employee
benefits and their costs?
• What employee training is
needed and how much will
it cost? How will it occur?
General
• Describe any resources
available from outside the
business. For example, you
may use an accountant for
financial reporting.
• Some functions can be
outsourced. The monthly
cost for this service is
included in the APPENDIX.
For example, you can outsource
a direct mail program to a
marketing firm.
Managers
• How many departments and managers
do you need? What are their functions?
• If there are gaps in your management
team, explain how they will be filled.
Lenders also like to see a back-up plan. If
you die or can no longer work, who will
run the business and repay the company’s
debts? One solution is to buy enough life
insurance to cover the business debt.
MANAGERS & EMPLOYEES
Sales/Marketing Manager
Operations Manager
The Good Earth Organizational Chart
Finance
MIKE JONES (accountant and owner)
20 years of accounting experience in various industries
A bookkeeper will be outsourced.
Sales & Marketing
LEE MYERS
10 years of marketing experience. Myers will be responsible for the
sales staff (estimators), customer service, promotional plans
Two office staff: One full-time customer service representative and one
full-time administrative assistant. Each will be paid $25,000 annually.
They will receive health insurance, ten paid sick days, paid holidays,
and two weeks of vacation. These benefits will cost
Operations
JOHN SMITH
20 years of operational experience in landscaping industry . Smith will
supervise the grounds staff and handle
Four (4) full-time grounds employees starting at minimum wage for
working Monday- Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A two-day training
program is required before joining the company. Employees will receive
paid health insurance, five paid sick days, paid holidays, and one week
of vacation. These benefits will cost
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Finance Manager
Bookkeeper
(outsourced)
Customer Service Rep.
Administrative Asst.
Ground Employee
Ground Employee
Ground Employee
Ground Employee
of the deed in the APPENDIX.
If leased, the term of
the lease must be renewable to match the loan peri-
od you are requesting. Include a copy of the lease (or
proposed lease) with
terms, conditions, length, and
cost in your APPENDIX.
 Are improvements, renovations, furniture,
fixtures, equipment or machinery necessary?
Show quotes in the APPENDIX.
 Retailers:
> Research and show traffic patterns in the
APPENDIX.
> What other businesses are in your
immediate area?
 Wholesalers, manufacturers and other businesses:
> Are you located near your customers and suppliers?
> Do you have easy access to major highways,
railways, and airports?
• Provide photos and a summary of your location
including a floor plan, blueprint or plot plan (if
building) in the APPENDIX.
HOW WILL YOUR BUSINESS OPERATE?
• How will the product be produced and sold?
How will your services be rendered?
• What months, days, and hours will your
business be open? Is the business seasonal? If
so, show how you will adjust your time, schedule,
inventory, and personnel.
• What furniture, fixtures, equipment and
machinery is needed? Will it be bought, leased,
or rented? Include proposed purchases in your
APPENDIX.
SUPPLIERS
• If you need suppliers and other companies
to complete your product or service:
 What and how much will you need?
 Where will you get these products
and services?
 How much will they cost?
 What system will you use for materials
processing and inventory control?
• Include in the APPENDIX details about
your suppliers, including names, addresses,
products or services supplied, costs/quotes,
delivery/shipping fees and turnaround, terms
of sales, contracts, and a purchasing plan.
• If you’ve requested financial, managerial, or
technical assistance from your suppliers,
include details in the APPENDIX.
LOCATION
• What kind of space does your business need?
 Why is the area and location desirable?
 Does this location affect your costs?
 How much are utilities, taxes, and
other expenses?
 Is it easily accessible?
Is public transportation available?
Is there adequate parking?
 Does your business comply with
zoning laws?
 Do you own or lease the building? Include
zoning statements from local government in
the APPENDIX and approval letters from local
and state inspectors. If owned, provide a copy
OPERATIONS & LOCATION
CLOTHES WITH CLASS
We are a school uniform shop. Business hours will be from 10 to 5,
Monday through Saturday. Our plan is to purchase fixtures to
display uniforms and furniture to create a relaxed retail
atmosphere. A computer system to track customer purchases
and inventory will be leased. These costs are included in the
Appendix.
Our stock will come from three suppliers — two national and
one local. Local supplies will be delivered by truck, with the
remainder of goods coming via UPS. Information on our pro-
posed suppliers and purchases may be found in the Appendix.
The five-year lease we have signed on a 1,500 sq. ft. building
is included in the Appendix. The building is located within
15 miles of 22 private and parochial schools who
require uniforms that we will stock. Our building is on a major
thoroughfare, conveniently located right off Highway 93.
A floor plan of the building is included in the Appendix. We have
divided the area into retail space and warehousing/office space.
700 sq. ft. will include retail displays, three dressing rooms,
restroom facilities and two purchasing counters. The remaining
800 sq. ft. will warehouse stock. It includes a delivery receiving
area, two offices, and a small employee lounge with restroom.
The 20-space parking lot is adjacent to the building.
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audience for your dollar. When putting together your
business plan, include advertising ideas, schedules and
budgets in the APPENDIX.
• Direct Marketing means contacting prospects by tra-
ditional mail, email or phone. Take, for example, a
nature camp company that wants to mail out
brochures. Buying a list of subscribers to an outdoor
magazine seems smart. But measuring results is key. Say
you mail 5,000 postcards and get 100 responses. That’s
a 2% response level. Of those, how many turn into
orders or become clients? Keeping track of these things
helps you determine which databases are best, and how
much it costs to gain an order or client.
• Public Relations (PR) is more than getting publicity.
It’s a great way to build an image or a brand identity.
Through your business activities, you influence the
attitudes of your audience. For example, your company
makes sunblock, so you sponsor a sandcastle contest at
the beach. In order to get publicity — media coverage
at no cost to you — you send press releases with
pertinent information well in advance to area
newspapers, radio and TV stations.
• Promotional/Sales Material rounds out the market-
ing picture. Items like a logo, a catalog, a price list, and
business cards can position you as a polished marketer,
helping the sales process go more smoothly. Think
about what promotional materials you’ll need and what
they’ll cost. Include samples, costs and ideas in the
business plan
APPENDIX.
• Trade Shows can be a great way to get your product
in front of people, to get leads and take orders. Shows
can be a great place for your sales force to meet your
customers in person. In addition, it’s a chance for you
to talk with others in your industry and share informa-
tion. Many times, trade associations are present at
shows, presenting an opportunity for you to gain
valuable insights.
FULL SALES AHEAD
• Who will sell your products?
• Can you do it yourself or will you require a sales staff,
reps, agents, brokers or wholesalers?
• Think carefully about their compensation — will they
work for a salary, commission, or both? Include sales
expenses in the APPENDIX.
MARKETING has been defined as “the activity of
presenting products or services to customers and
potential customers which makes them eager to buy.”
Especially in today’s crowded marketplace, where compe-
tition is fierce, savvy small business owners should never
underestimate the power of smart marketing. The right
product or service at the right price is only the beginning.
You must also identify your audience, promote your prod-
uct and find the best distribution method.
THE PRODUCT OF ALL YOUR HARD WORK
First and foremost, believe in the success potential of your
product or service. Then think about things like:
• Benefits of your product. If you’re not clear on them,
no one else will be.
• Research and development. Will you need it? If so,
include detailed plans and costs in the
APPENDIX.
• What licensing requirements, restrictions, registrations
or regulations affect your business?
• What about legal issues? Are there patents, copyrights
or trademarks to think about? What are the costs
involved?
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Determining just the right price for your product or
service is a delicate matter. Keep in mind that:
• The price will be affected by the quality of your product,
customer demand and the competition (see page 15).
• The selling price must cover all your operating expenses
(materials, labor and overhead) and also include a mar-
gin of profit. To determine what this is, you need to cal-
culate your breakeven point (see page 30).
PLAN TO PROMOTE, THEN PROMOTE YOUR PLAN
Your promotional plan will be implemented with several
marketing tools. These days, a web site is an increasingly
important piece of the promotion pie. In addition, there
are a handful of proven methods for promoting your
product, such as:
•
Advertising tells your target market about your
product or service. But how do you approach it, with so
many choices available? Which publications are best?
Is radio and TV advertising where you should be?
Researching web sites is a good place to start your
advertising plan. Ask professional organizations for
referrals when looking for designers and writers to help
develop ads. Media buyers help you reach the biggest
MARKETING
12
MARKETING
MISS HARRIET’S SOUTHERN KITCHEN
MARKET
40,000 potential customers who live and/or work in
Chicago’s North End.
CUSTOMER PROFILE
Male and female, ages 18 – 85, singles, couples and
families, household income of $15K and up
ABOUT THE PRODUCT
Authentic, homemade Southern food cooked by Miss
Harriet herself, who was born and raised in the South.
Menu will consist of only 6 choices, taking the confusion
out of the decision process.
DISTRIBUTION
Orders will be filled quickly since the food will be pre-
pared in the morning and kept hot throughout the day.
Customers may eat in the restaurant or take food with
them. Phone and fax orders will be encouraged, so the
food is ready when the customer arrives. Two employees
will deliver.
Location is on a busy, two-way street that is close to a
major subway stop, making it easy for customers to take
food home.
PRICE
Our prices will be highly-competitive to similar
take-out /eat-in restaurants in the neighborhood.
Prices will encourage bulk ordering (5 pieces or more).
Complete meals - a main course and side dish - will be
available.
ADVERTISING
Small ads placed in local publications will include
discount coupons (costs are outlined in the Appendix).
PROMOTION
Menus and fax order forms will be available at the
counter. A menu mailing will be sent three times a year
to area residents (costs are outlined in the Appendix).
Seven local businesses have agreed to place menus and
coupons in their establishments.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Press releases will be sent to the media, telling the story
of a Southern woman cooking authentic food far away
from home. A recipe contest - “Enter Your Best Southern
Fried Chicken Recipe” - will encourage customer loyalty.
The winning recipe will be featured as a menu item for a
limited time.
13
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
•
It is crucial to figure out who is
most likely to use your product
or service. These important
group or groups are your market or markets.
• In most cases, slicing your market into smaller groups
(called segments) is helpful in targeting them. For
example, if your product is gourmet dog biscuits and
you want to do a postcard mailing, you would naturally
want to narrow your mailing list down to dog owners.
• How do you get started gathering customer and
marketing data? There’s a wealth of knowledge on web
sites, through case studies, in magazines, newspapers,
reference books, trade journals and government statistics.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
• Where are your customers — local, regional, national
or international?
• What’s the size or your target market? Is it small (ballet
students in Des Moines, Iowa) or large (new parents
across America)?
• When will your product be used — daily, weekly,
monthly? Is there a peak season or will demand be
steady?
• If you’re targeting consumers, what are the demographic
similarities? Think about age, income, gender, education,
type of residence, marital status, profession, lifestyle,
hobbies and size of household.
• If you’re targeting businesses, what size are you targeting?
Know their annual sales, the number of employees and
the number of locations. Be sure to identify the decision
maker in the business. For example, if you’re sending
a letter to physicians, you should know that generally,
doctors only get the mail that makes it past the office
manager’s desk.
YOU’VE GAINED A CUSTOMER. NOW WHAT?
• How will you get your product to the consumer?
Consider the cost of product storage, packing material,
handling and shipping.
• Will you accept credit cards? Determine (1) the cost of
leasing or buying credit card equipment and (2) the
percentage paid for credit card sales.
• Who will help customers with information requests,
new orders, status inquiries and returns?
• Will you allow customers to pay you at a later date?
What are your credit policies (for example, do you
want invoices paid in 30 days)? What is your follow-up
procedure for slow-paying customers?
WHY DO I NEED A WEB SITE?
These days, having a web site is like having a business card.
Even a simple web site will:
• Act as a virtual storefront to sell your product or service
• Make your company more visible to a worldwide audience
• Position you as a resource for information
• Complement your other marketing efforts
SET YOUR SIGHTS ON THESE QUESTIONS
• What will your site name be? What if the name of your company
is already taken?
• Who will help develop your site and how much will it cost?
• Will you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or host your own site?
• What information will be included on your site?
• Will your product or service be for sale on the site?
Who will handle the transactions and fulfill the orders?
• What security barriers will be in place, to protect your company’s
information from outsiders?
• How will privacy be handled once you collect data from site visitors?
How will the data be used?
HOW DO YOU CREATE TRAFFIC?
Think about ways you’ll promote your site:
• Will you register with search engines so you come up in a search?
• Will you want a tracking program to monitor how many people visit
your site?
• What about advertising on related web sites? What will the costs be?
• Will you allow other companies to place ads on your site?
What will you charge?
• Will you consider exchange links with other sites that complement yours?
(Visitors to your site can click on a link to their site, and vice versa)
INVITE THEM BACK
Attracting visitors to your site is one thing, but giving them a reason to return
is quite another. Give some thought to these questions:
• How will you make your site “sticky?” — appealing enough so visitors come
back.
• What are the costs for maintaining your web site?
• Who will be responsible for updating the site? How often?
• Who will respond to email inquiries?
NO SITE IN SIGHT?
Even if you don’t have a web site, you can still take advantage of the
Internet by:
• Setting up an email account so you can send and receive information
• Asking other web sites to include your company information on
their “link lists.”
• Paying for ads on web sites that relate to your product or service
Web Sites
Now You’re Clicking
The internet’s World Wide
Web has changed marketing
forever. These days, it seems
that “www” is seen and
heard everywhere. For
companies large and small,
the web is a powerful
marketing tool that allows
your marketing efforts to
reach potential customers
in your city, your state,
the country and indeed
the world.
MARKETING: WEB SITES
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