When starting an online business, many entrepreneurs focus on product development, marketing, and revenue generation but often overlook one essential tool: a business planner.
Here’s what this article will cover;
1. What is a Business Planner?
A business planner is not just for jotting down ideas, it is in fact a vital strategic tool or document designed to help entrepreneurs organise and manage all their business activities. It includes many sections that covers; setting your business goals, planning daily tasks, tracking finances, and forming your marketing strategy. For online businesses, a planner enables you to outline your content strategy, track your sales, and monitor overall progress.
It can either be in digital or physical format, tailored to your specific business needs. There are many digital planners available online that can be downloaded and printed. Love Marketing has one that can be purchase on Etsy. Or if you prefer, you can find a physical one at your local stationary shop.
2. How do I Use A Business Planner?
Business planners vary in terms of what they include and the order in which you are prompted to input information. However here is how you will typically use your planner.
Explain the problem
Usually you will start with exploring the problem your business is looking to solve and fully explaining the solution your business provides. Outlining this ensure it makes sense. When its just in your head, its easy to miss important details.
Set your goals
You will then be prompted to set your business goals. Ideally you will present these as SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound) This will increase your chances of actually meeting your goals. Be sure to include short-term and long-term goals here. Whether it’s launching a new product, growing your email list, or improving customer retention, you can break down these larger goals into actionable steps.
Decide on branding
A good business planner will enable you to input details on colour palette, fonts and your logo. This is your branding. You will want to check the colours you choose with accessibility guidelines. Certain shades will not work well together and can be difficult to see for those with disabilities. So be sure to check this.
Analyse your customer
This is an essential stage in the business planner. A customer analysis will enable to take all your customer research and present it in an easy to read diagram or table. A customer analysis should consider areas such as; demographics, geographics and perhaps psychographics. Without this valuable information, your will have no idea as to how to appeal to your audience and meet their needs.
Some planners will enable you to produce a customer persona profile. This will help you to visualise your ideal customer and input every detail about them. You will then be able to understand their pain points, and how to market your product to them.
Develop a marketing strategy.
Successful marketing requires consistent planning and execution. With a business planner, you can outline your social media content, email campaigns, and advertising strategies. Whether you post on Instagram, Pinterest, or run Facebook ads, a planner helps you create a content calendar, plan launches, and keep track of campaign performance.
It also gives you a bird’s eye view of upcoming promotions, product launches, and sales events, ensuring that all your marketing efforts are cohesive and well-timed.
Track your finances
Managing cash flow and expenses is vital to any business, and an online business is no different. Many business planners come with sections dedicated to financial planning, helping you track income, expenses, and profits. This visibility into your finances helps avoid surprises, such as unexpected costs or slow months.
A planner can also assist with financial forecasting and budgeting, giving you a better understanding of how to allocate funds and when to invest in growth.
Identify opportunities
One of the major benefits of using a business planner is its flexibility. While it offers structure, it also allows room for adjustments. Businesses grow and change, and so do their needs. As new opportunities arise or challenges emerge, your planner enables you to adapt your strategy.
Whether you’re shifting focus due to a change in market trends or reevaluating a product line, a business planner offers the ability to reassess and realign your priorities without losing sight of your bigger picture goals.
3. Where can I get a business planner?
You can find business planners in a variety of places, both online and in stores. Here are some popular options:
- Amazon – They offer a wide range of both physical and digital business planners tailored to different needs.
- Stationery Stores – Brands like Staples, or local bookstores often carry business planners.
- Canva – For fully customisable and editable digital planner templates.
- Love Marketing – Yes we do an online business planner! It is filled with prompts and suggestions to keep you on track and get you thinking! It is fully customisable on canva, you can purchase it on Etsy
Conclusion
Starting an online business is exciting but can be overwhelming without proper planning. A business planner acts as your roadmap, guiding you from ideation to execution, all while keeping you focused on your goals. From organizing daily tasks to tracking finances and developing marketing strategies, a planner is an indispensable tool for online entrepreneurs. By investing time in creating a well-thought-out business plan, you set your business up for long-term success
Having a well-thought-out plan for each day, week, and month enables you to prioritize activities that drive your business forward. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or have a small
