There is a significant difference between business plans for physical businesses and the business plan for an online business. They key difference is that, for an online business owner, the business plan will detail the key strategies that you will be doing as a solopreneur. The online business owner’s business plan is primarily for their use – it will likely not be used to stir the excitement of potential investors or partners. The online business owner is often a solo-professional and therefore must make a business plan detailed to their specific business.

As a solopreneur it is important to have a business plan that details your business goals and strategies. However, keep in mind that your business plan is a work-in-progress, should be reviewed every 6 months as your goals may change. This helps to keep your goals in front of you and keep your motivation moving.

To start off, list the basics of your business.

Business Name:

Tax ID (may be your social security number or EIN):

Business Address:

Business Phone # and Fax:

Established Date:

Website:

Email:

Next, list your primary services offered to your customers.

Who is your target audience?

What are your target audience’s primary problems?

How do your services or products help your target audience?

After these details are worked out, it is time to consider how you will market your products or services to your target audience. How will you attract your audience? These details will spell out your marketing plan – an extremely important part of your online business plan. So what should be included in your marketing plan?

Primary Methods of Marketing:

Will you use direct mail, online marketing, social media, or a mix of several marketing avenues? Experience has shown that the best marketing is a mix – meeting your target audience from several different angles builds the “like, know and trust” factor. They will “see” you several places, know that you are not a fly-by-night operation and help to establish you as an expert in your field.

By specifying your key marketing efforts, will help to determine your budget for marketing and what methods to use to determine how effective your marketing is.

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