| If you are about to start a bookkeeping business, a | | | | for you to really understand what your business will do. |
| business plan is an essential part of your start up | | | | Is it targeted to specific industry? You might have a lot |
| requirements. This might not sound like a news flash, | | | | of experience in a certain sector, such as retail or |
| but many people start their own business by accident | | | | hospitality. If so, capitalise on this and market your |
| and they stumble along getting clients slowly or doing | | | | expertise to this sector. |
| the books for their family business. | | | | Is there a market for the bookkeeping business? This |
| Although this is a great starting point, but if you want to | | | | is a very fundamental one, but often not asked. You |
| take your bookkeeping business to the next level and | | | | will need to make sure there actually is a market for a |
| want to create a sustainable long term business, you | | | | bookkeeping business in there you wish to operate in. |
| will need a business plan. | | | | Is the market expanding or contracting? It is a good |
| Many people run for cover when your start talking | | | | idea to understand what is going on in the market so |
| about creating a business plan, but it really is a | | | | you can assess if there is a long term future in the |
| wonderful tool to make your business grow to the | | | | bookkeeping industry. Fortunately, bookkeeping |
| next level. A business plan gives you all the information | | | | services and the ongoing need for bookkeeping is |
| you need at your finger tips. Your business plan then | | | | expanding in Australia, US, UK, Canada and New |
| becomes a reference tool and can help guide you in | | | | Zealand. |
| the choices you make in you business life. | | | | How are you going to price your bookkeeping |
| You can pin point what your market is, who you | | | | service? What will you do which is unique, what is your |
| market is and how you will capture your market when | | | | competitive advantage? Who are your competitors? |
| you have a business plan. You will be able to | | | | What are your strengths? What are your |
| understand your own weakness and strengths with a | | | | weaknesses? How will you overcome your |
| business plan. It will give you a road map of where you | | | | weaknesses and capitalise on your strengths? |
| are going and how to have a successful bookkeeping | | | | These are only examples, you can use these |
| business. | | | | questions as a template and modify it for your |
| There are many things which you can include in a | | | | purposes and add your own ideas and requirements |
| business plan and it doesnt need to be a 10 page | | | | to it. It is a good starting point. Not only will you be |
| novel. Short statements about what you want to | | | | made to think clearly about your bookkeeping |
| achieve and how you will achieve it is fine. Waffle will | | | | operations, it will also assist with making the business |
| not make your business plan any clearer and the age | | | | become a reality. Additionally, it will make you feel |
| old expression, keep it simple stupid rings true. | | | | more professional and you never know when your |
| What is your business? This is an important question | | | | business plan may be needed for something. |