The hardest part about the business plan was writing my mission statement. But I found some help at the following link:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/leadership/businessstrategies/article65230.html
By answering these questions, I took a closer look at what was important to me in my business and what separates me from the pack. If you do it to, it could help you come up with your mission statement!
* Why are you in business? What do you want for yourself, your family and your customers? Think about the spark that ignited your decision to start a business. What will keep it burning?
* Who are your customers? What can you do for them that will enrich their lives and contribute to their success--now and in the future?
My customers are nonprofit organizations, ex-patriot businesses, and volunteer groups working in the international community. My company provides professional grade photography that documents not only the process in which they work but the personal lives, that their work touches on a daily basis. These photographs will help them attract donors, grant money, customers, and volunteers. They will inspire people to contribute to a cause that is greater than the company.
* What image of your business do you want to convey? Customers, suppliers, employees and the public will all have perceptions of your company. How will you create the desired picture?
* What is the nature of your products and services? What factors determine pricing and quality? Consider how these relate to the reasons for your business's existence. How will all this change over time? My main product is still photographs and multimedia projects. The factors that determine pricing are overhead, time, travel, location, equipment, and the client needs. These all relate to my business because I must make enough money to fund my business. I must be able to get to the sites to take the photographs. I will need equipment to perform my job to the best of my ability. And primarily, I want to be able to give my client everything they need for a price that is what they can afford and what I deserve to be paid.
* What level of service do you provide? Most companies believe they offer "the best service available," but do your customers agree? Don't be vague; define what makes your service so extraordinary. I provide professional grade photography and American company standards. I have both a Bachelors and Master’s degree in photography. I go out of my way to get additional training each year to improve my skills and increase my knowledge of the photographic trade. My ultimate goal in my work is to find out what makes my clients company personal, I want to show more than the organizations day to day operation. I want to show the world how they are affecting individual lives through the skill of my trade.
* What roles do you and your employees play? Wise captains develop a leadership style that organizes, challenges and recognizes employees. I am the photographer, the editor, the retoucher, the archivist, the manager, and my own PR/Marketing representative. This business is a one woman band. Thank goodness I have an accountant!
* What kind of relationships will you maintain with suppliers? Every business is in partnership with its suppliers. When you succeed, so do they. My philosophy is communication, communication, communication. I will work to have weekly contact with my suppliers by sending out newsletters, digital postcards, blog postings, and updates to my website. If they see you are working you are more likely to get work. Such is the business of photography. I plan to promote my suppliers, other people in my industry, and items that interest me through social media. The broader I can make my circle of contacts, the more success for my business.
* How do you differ from your competitors? Many entrepreneurs forget they are pursuing the same dollars as their competitors. What do you do better, cheaper or faster than other competitors? How can you use competitors' weaknesses to your advantage? I am a documentary photographer; I am not a news photographer. I want to build a relationship with my client and with my subjects. Building repor is my ultimate goal because it is evident in the final product when the photographer makes a personal contact with their subjects.
I am also located in the international community, this gives the added benefit of cutting travel expenses for the client, as well as a familiarity with the country that other photographers have not had the proximity to create.
I offer clients in the third world, high-end technology with my cameras, computers, printers, and cutting edge software. I spent the time and money on having resources like electricity and Internet. I invest time and resources in purchasing cutting edge equipment and the latest and greatest photographic techniques.
* How will you use technology, capital, processes, products and services to reach your goals? A description of your strategy will keep your energies focused on your goals.
Revamping your skill set on a regular basis is a must for the photographic industry. There is always going to be a new version of Photoshop, the latest camera, and the newest industry trend. It is vitally important to stay with the curve, spend the time to keep your photography fresh. This is a vital part of my business plan.
My ultimate goal is to utilize social networking to connect with the international community. Having my website, blog, facebook, and twitter work for me is one of the best ways to get my name out to organizations that are using those same technologies to get their name out. This is going to take follow through and creativity on my part.
Having a quality product is everything! The old adage goes, garbage in, garbage out! You cannot create something amazing out of a mediocre product. So it is up to me to make sure that every part of my product from the conception to the delivery is the best that it can possible be.
- What underlying philosophies or values guided your responses to the previous questions? Some businesses choose to list these separately. Writing them down clarifies the "why" behind your mission.
Communication! Communication! Communication! The more information I receive, the better I can perform.
Reinvent yourself. Take the time to recreate your vision.
Invest in yourself.
Invest in your equipment.
It is my job to find clients.
New Media is the New Way!
Quality over quantity.
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