- Seek Your Niche - There are currently enough areas of open opportunity in the green products and services space that, chances are, you can find one that both fits your skills and a needed niche. You have to find a way to express both your passion for your product and make sure it is expressed as a positive business opportunity.
- Live as an Example - Show you believe in your product by changing other aspects of your life and business to support your own commitment to an earth-friendly lifestyle - re-cycle, consider alternative energy (solar, wind) for your office or home, use public transportation if possible or buy a hybrid vehicle. A green attitude in your business and personal life can do nothing but reflect positively on your business.
- Educate - Green products customers are looking for knowledge as much as they are products - do your research and understand how your products can positively affect and influence your customers' lives. You have to be able to quickly and effectively communicate your value proposition.
- Your Customers are the Best Marketers. Perhaps like no other segment, green product successes benefit from word of mouth advertising - happy customers and clients are your best supporters and promoters.
- Surround Yourself with Like Minded People - Ensure your staff, suppliers and investors share your passion - you will quickly find that these are the people that will make your business grow and thrive - making money will follow if you find others who are interested in making a difference in the world.
All business planners strive to provide both a usable and readable final product -a business plan - we strongly believe the following process ensures all the relevant details are fully explored:
1. Detailed Client Interviews
We want to ensure our consultant team and the clients are in synch and share the overall "big picture" with the client's ultimate vision of where the business is going. Prior to these interviews, our consultants will develop a range of strategic questions that must be properly addressed during the project. We also want ensure that the audience's (the reader) business needs are met - various business groups (banks, angel investors, private equity groups etc) all have very different business needs that must be addressed.
This process can take place in person or with the use of technology (e-mail, conference and/or video calls).
2. Market Research
Market research confirms the existence of a business opportunity. Market research can also uncover threats to the business as well as unforeseen or planned opportunities. Our market research includes:
- Potential market trends
- Market size
- Customer wants and needs
- The competition - believe us when we say - it's out there!
3. Strategic Planning
We apply our previous business and financing experience, current market research to provide assistance to our clients in focusing their business strategies.
We follow a proven overall "iterative strategic planning process". It is in the stage we ensure the traditional management processes are aligned with business strategies as well as developing a tentative financial model (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow). We work closely with the client to make sure realistic (and attainable) revenue projections are developed.
4. Communications Strategy
Once finalized business strategy has been agreed to, we work with our clients to determine how to best position the business plan for the end user. We ensure that both critical and unique aspects of the plan are emphasized, at this point we provide the client with a draft outline with key points emphasized. In general we cover the
"key components" of the business plan.
5. Documentation
RFPA develops all of the key components of the plan to arrive a well-written and visually appealing final business plan - that includes the following:
- Executive Summary: probably the most important part of the overall plan - industry research suggests over 70% of readers never get past this section. This summary includes a very focused synopsis of the business plan that highlights the key points raised within the plan.
- Strategic Business Plan: a full description of the business that outlines the business strategy.
- Financial Model: an assessment of the amount of capital the firm needs, the proposed use of these funds, and the expected future earnings, organized into Projected Income Statements, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow Statements.
