Photo Credit: blogs.zdnet.com

Every woman entrepreneur needs a business plan. At Entrepreneur Goddess, I’m dedicated to bringing you the best of everything you need to succeed.

As part of this mission, we discussed igniting your passion and building a business plan during our Lunch Hour Series: The Path to Self-Employment. In addition, Melani Gordon from gWave Consulting recently discussed the difference between planning and taking action. Without taking action, your plan or idea is no more than a plan or idea in your mind or on paper. It will not get you anywhere.

New business owners need to find a balance somewhere in the middle. If you have already taken action on your idea, the planning phase should be started sooner, rather than later.

To give you a nudge in the right direction, I highly recommend the templates SCORE has provided on their website. They have starter business plans, cash flow, and sales forecast sheets galore. Everything you need is online and free.

Recommendation: Print out your business plan and bring it on the go! While you’re waiting for your next appointment to show at Starbucks, you can whip it out and knock-out a question or two. This will not only save you time, but make the process less daunting.

Katie Skow
Entrepreneur Goddess
www.entrepreneurgoddess.com

It’s always good to know movers and shakers. Fortunately, the Women’s Global Network in San Diego, California has no shortage of high caliber women!

Tired of suits and the typical restaurant setting, the Young Professionals Group took networking to the next level. We traded in our heels for tennis shoes and our usual sit-down meal for a catered bag lunch on the beach. Despite the heat, a hike at Torrey Pines was a great way to build relationships outside the traditional avenues of networking.

Here are a few highlights:

Katie Skow
Entrepreneur Goddess
www.entrepreneurgoddess.com

Photo Credit: images.businessweek.com

Nobody promised that being an entrepreneur is an easy task. While working for someone else might offer you a steady paycheck, being self-employed guarantees adventure. As a self-employed business woman, you might have to work double hard to bring in enough business in order to meet your needs and make a profit.

Whether you are finding business for the first time or looking to increase your clientele, it is important to pinpoint what works for your business and personality type. First, answer these couple of questions:

1. Identify your business: product or service?

2. Identify your personality type on a scale from 1-10 (1=shy, 10=outgoing).

Keeping your business and personality type in mind, here are a few ways to find clients:

1. Behind-the-scenes advertising: This means promoting your business in places like newspapers, online, billboards, magazines, email, flyers, and the yellow pages. Customers will see your advertisements and if they need your product or services, they will give you a call.

Tip: Are magazine and newspaper advertisements out of your budget? Try writing a ready-to-publish article about your services or products for target publications. If you make it interesting enough and not too much like an advertisement, the editors will love you (less work for them) and your story will be published at no cost to your business!

2. In-your-face advertising: This type of advertising takes you to places like home shows, networking events, and parties. In-your-face advertising is all about establishing relationships and connecting with other people who will hopefully become future clients or spread word about your services or products.

Tip: Help others first. Nobody like the person who goes to a networking event and makes the entire event revolve around them without interest as to what others are doing. While you are there to advertise your business, always keep an open mind and heart by helping others in a way that might not be immediately beneficial to you. What goes around comes around, so make this your long-term business strategy. It works.

Finding clients is a trial and error task. You try something a few times and if it doesn’t work, you move on to the next solution. Think about what is in your comfort level and if something makes you slightly uncomfortable, try moving beyond your fears before giving up or not trying something. If you are uncomfortable with networking, invite a friend for moral support but make it clear that you won’t mingle together for the event. If you know you are not a good writer, barter your service or product for an article.

Entrepreneur Goddesses are filled with solutions to roadblocks! Be creative and learn what brings in business.

The Wall Street Bull
Photo Credit: www.sociallinks.com

The good news is that consumer demand still exists. Americans are still lining up for the rides at Disneyland and the slots in Las Vegas. The lines at Costco are long as people continue to purchase those irresistible impulse items on display. Sundays at the mall are still packed with Americans, shopping bags in hand. Concerts are still packed.

People still need to care for and protect their valuable assets. They are still spending money on services. Americans will continue to send their children to soccer and daycare, hire a repair person, cleaner, and yard maintenance crew. The majority are still renewing their gym and zoo memberships.

Despite all the layoffs, there are still people who have jobs and are doing just fine. Money is still flowing and spending is still happening. Wall Street is still open and companies are still trading. There is no doubt some Americans have tightened their wallets, but these same people are still out looking for great deals that will save them money. Saving money does not mean they will not buy something on impulse.

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, it is up to you to pinpoint demand and come up with the latest valuable product or service to meet a need. Be creative and think about how you can take full advantage of the economy. Here are a few suggestions:

Think: Europe. The Euro is still very strong and European consumers are looking towards the United States to spend money and vacation.

Think: small business. Many small and medium businesses are still doing really well. Think about a product or service they need.

Think: big business. With all the layoffs, companies are looking to save money by cutting costs on many levels. As an entrepreneur, think about a product or service you can offer that would save them money while making you money.

Think: recently unemployed. This crowd does not have a steady paycheck, but they are still spending some money. What service or product will make their lives easier and save them a bundle?

Think: currently employed. Not everyone has been affected by the economy. Many are still receiving paychecks and remodeling their homes. How can you tap into this wealth?