Question
My recent frustrations with eBay, specifically the 62% drop in traffic to my Store resulting from their changes in presenting search results, has again prompted me to explore other options.
I was tempted to grab the first presentable alternation that others mentioned they were using and when the word free was in the description, it had my attention.
You would think that paying PayPal about $100.00 a month in fees would have cured me of believing in "Free Forever", but some of us are slow learners.
A very small, logical part of my mind started screaming "NO,NO,No" and said it wouldn't shut-up until I stopped running around in circles, driven by frustration, and sat down to think about where I wanted to go and not just where I wanted to get away from.
When in escape mode I tend to flee and at each intersection make a random decision whether I will turn left, right, continue driving ahead or make a U-turn.
While my escapes are successful my eventual destinations are, well, a little random.
When that "NO,NO,NO" part of my mind got my attention it start saying "Business Plan, Business Plan, Business Plan".
Now I love to sit over drinks with friend and discuss endless concepts. If I could do that on a Caribbean Island it would be the way I would gladly spend the rest of my life.
Actually writing a business plan, defining each step, researching options and testing available choices against my goals and budget is my personal definition of work h*ll.
The only consolation is I might actually be defining a workable plan with a potential for success.
I'll share more of my process later but misery loves company, so please tell me about your business plan, how you developed it and how you are making it work.
I'll show you mine, if you'll show me yours.
.
Answer
Reston_Ray: You are the NUMERO UNO person I would love to meet "in person" from the here board! If that were ever to happen I would hug you to pieces - guaranteed!!!!! You are a sweetie! And smart! And interesting! And so much more!
I think you are a real huggie-bear! (Albeit a huggie-bear very cleverly disguised as a venerable literati, that is!)
I think I'm in love with you! (Gawd - I hope George isn't reading this!)
Having said all that, I must also mention that I am also a bit miffed. I sent you an extremely long and windy PE (Private eMail) a while back and never heard boo from you. I was truly wounded!
Be that as it may, here I am, again responding to one of your timely posts!
Okay - I'm gonna show ya mine!
Biz Plan, that is!
(Ya gotta pay big time for me to show ya anything else! Hey - I'm not as stoopid as I look, ya know!)
Here goes!
I do weekly and monthly biz - plans. Yearly plans suck! At least that's what I think - in my NSHO!)
I am VERY specific about my weekly goals. I think them through VERY carefully. I write them down. I check them off at the end of EACH and EVERY week. If I don't meet them - I really give myself the gears - analyze what went wrong; how I underestimated what I intended to achieve; what I have to do to make up the shortfall in the coming week, etc., etc. I am VERY strict and hard on myself, mainly because I give a lot of thought into what is viable and what is not, BEFORE I set my weekly goals. (Can you tell I'm having fun with capitals tonight?)
BECAUSE......
If my WPlan plan fails, my Mplan fails. If my Wplan and Mplan fails, my Yplan fails, and ultimately, I fail. Rather, My business fails! As in - I needed the money, I didn't make the money I needed, and now what the *h* am I gonna do!
So... once I have mastered the weekly, and then the monthly, business plan goals, I move on the the yearly goals. And at the end of the year I take stock - as in: Did I or did I not achieve my overall yearly business plan goals as determined by weekly and monthly goals?
What this process does for me is: IT KEEPS ME FOCUSSED! Extremely focussed! Bottom line is: I NEED moohlah. I also need to make the moolah that I need ONLINE!
You see, I live about 8 quadrazillion miles from nowhere in the just about the prettiest part of boonies that you ever did see. But boonies are boonies and the only hope in H*ll I have of making any money is online. My dial-up connection, on a good day, is 26400 bps - heeyyyy doggie - fasten down yer hats - we're into the warp speed mode!!!! So, to make a long story longer, my weekly and monthly business plans are what make it or break if for me - on a yearly basis!
But you know what? One of the things I have discovered through all of this is that WPlans and Mplans WORK! But even moreso - BUSINESS PLANS must also be married to MARKETING PLANS.
(But since you didn't mention marketing plans here, I won't elaborate on that aspect of business planning at this point in time. However, if you stick a quarter in my mouth and I just might reconsider!)
And, last but not least - one of the things I have ultimately discovered is that one of the things I need to factor into my business plan is the workings of the "Universal Law of Attraction."
Now, what the *h* is the 'Universal Law of Attraction' you ask. Or maybe you didn't but I'm gonna elaborate anyway. (I'm also heavily into *h* tonight, as well, in case you haven't noticed!)
Summarized - the Universal Law of Attraction states that:
Here's a link:
http://www.law-of-attraction-info.co...werfullaw.html
And Another:
http://www.som.org/2laws/universallaws/lawssuccess.htm
And one more:
http://www.som.org/2laws/universalla...wdirectory.htm
So in a nutshell, (okay, maybe I'm that Nutshell) my business plans are based on reality plus just a leetle bit more. And my basic BP premise is: Really now - how much moolah do I truly need this week and what can I realistically expect to do to generate that amount this week! When I focus on the week at hand, the monthly and yearly goals seem to fall into place as well!
And you know, when I actually write those goals down, visualize them, monitor them, and seriously work toward achieving them, after all is said and done, I usually do!
I never cease to be amazed!
Not sure if this helps - but there ya have it!
Answer
Shanne
Plan B triumphs, again.
On Dec 13th of last year I was, fortunately, in the middle of my busiest time of the entire year.
Around midnight, after a 14 hour day, I was scanning emails.
One stood out and I put it aside until I had an hour or more to give it the attention it warranted.
Several days later when I returned to read and absorb the information it was nowhere to be found.
I looked everywhere but I could not locate it. Well, everywhere except the here PM because I seldom receive or send through that option.
With work and a heavy social schedule (Christmas season is the time of the year when every Choral Group, Grammar School and Church Ladies Club in the area come to my retirement home to entertain us old folks, provide cold cut platters and lavish us with home baked deserts) I didn't again focus on finding the information until early Jan.
By then I wasn't even sure who had sent me the information and, absent any better choice, I applied Plan B.
You post above made everything clear and I found the message (thank you Jim for providing the service and retaining the old messages)
Hope to give it the time it desrves by Sunday and will be back to you.
Thanks
Oh, Plan B? Why procrastination, of course.