Step-by-step starting out Soil Association, 8 October 2008

Soil Association, 8 October 2008

What I’ll cover this morning Some thoughts on business plans What support is out there? A few thoughts on relationship building

Some thoughts on business plans

What support is out there?

A few thoughts on relationship building

Who am I and what do I do? Training - market research, marketing, social business planning Consultancy - social enterprise Mentoring Writing Photo from Ant Smallwood via flickr.com

Training - market research, marketing, social business planning

Consultancy - social enterprise

Mentoring

Writing

Business plans should… Inspire Tell a story Engage Help people to suspend disbelief

Inspire

Tell a story

Engage

Help people to suspend disbelief

Before you begin - reflect What social impact do you want to have? What issues are there that you want to address? Aim - to put your idea into context Try to suspend judgement - maybe CSA isn’t the solution to the social issues you identify

What social impact do you want to have?

What issues are there that you want to address?

Aim - to put your idea into context

Try to suspend judgement - maybe CSA isn’t the solution to the social issues you identify

DIY market research plan Aim: to become a Zulu in your chosen market Find out about The market Customers Competitors and partners Free technology - surveymonkey.com & research blogs. Photo from shtt! via flickr.com

Aim: to become a Zulu in your chosen market

Find out about

The market

Customers

Competitors and partners

Free technology - surveymonkey.com & research blogs.

So there’s need - but is there demand? Is a CSA the answer to the issues identified? You may believe your community needs a CSA - but will they really pay? Let’s be honest - you never can tell 100% You have to make your best judgement - based on the information you’ve found out.

Is a CSA the answer to the issues identified?

You may believe your community needs a CSA - but will they really pay?

Let’s be honest - you never can tell 100%

You have to make your best judgement - based on the information you’ve found out.

Now you need a plan A business plan is a work of fiction To get people to believe it - you need to tell a good story That story needs to be convincing and engaging And it needs to be written in your tone of voice

A business plan is a work of fiction

To get people to believe it - you need to tell a good story

That story needs to be convincing and engaging

And it needs to be written in your tone of voice

Things you might include in your plan Your business from your customer’s point of view/summary Your context - research Your vision, your mission, and your key objectives Your main activities - which will achieve the above Information about who’ll be involved

Your business from your customer’s point of view/summary

Your context - research

Your vision, your mission, and your key objectives

Your main activities - which will achieve the above

Information about who’ll be involved

Things you might include in your plan What money you’ll need to start out, what you will earn, what you will spend, and how you’ll manage your money Nuts and bolts - operational issues Legal issues: structure, liabilities, land ownership, planning… Relationship building - your marketing plan

What money you’ll need to start out, what you will earn, what you will spend, and how you’ll manage your money

Nuts and bolts - operational issues

Legal issues: structure, liabilities, land ownership, planning…

Relationship building - your marketing plan

A monkey nutshell marketing plan Work out what market you’re in Put your business in context - research Work out who your customers are Work out what you’re going to offer them (features) Work out what’s in it for them (benefits) Agree some key messages (tell them about your benefits) Start building relationships - do some marketing

Work out what market you’re in

Put your business in context - research

Work out who your customers are

Work out what you’re going to offer them (features)

Work out what’s in it for them (benefits)

Agree some key messages (tell them about your benefits)

Start building relationships - do some marketing

Things that might work for you Local events Pay per click ads Ongoing research Website Signage/A Frame Mailshot Networking Business cards Local leafleting Partnerships Stunt Be friendly Flyers/Posters Talk to people Sponsorship Launch PR - good news Blog E-newsletter Word of mouth

Things you might include in your plan What might go wrong - and what you’ll do about it (risk) How you’ll know - and show - you’ve been successful Where you’ll get help and support What you will do next (action plan)

What might go wrong - and what you’ll do about it (risk)

How you’ll know - and show - you’ve been successful

Where you’ll get help and support

What you will do next (action plan)

Some sources of support Business Link - www.businesslink.gov.uk , www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk Other local support initiatives - eg http://www.socialenterpriseincumbria.org/ Social Enterprise Coalition - www.socialenterprise.org.uk School for Social Entrepreneurs - www.sse.org.uk Other CSA’s and growing projects - not just in UK For individuals - UnLtd - www.unltd.org.uk Local Food, Soil Association and Plunkett Foundation

Business Link - www.businesslink.gov.uk , www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk

Other local support initiatives - eg http://www.socialenterpriseincumbria.org/

Social Enterprise Coalition - www.socialenterprise.org.uk

School for Social Entrepreneurs - www.sse.org.uk

Other CSA’s and growing projects - not just in UK

For individuals - UnLtd - www.unltd.org.uk

Local Food, Soil Association and Plunkett Foundation

Other resources Forth Sector business planning guide for social enterprises www.forthsector.org.uk/resources.htm

Forth Sector business planning guide for social enterprises

www.forthsector.org.uk/resources.htm

Other resources Lots more info on all aspects of social business planning www.socialbusinessconsulting.co.uk

Lots more info on all aspects of social business planning

www.socialbusinessconsulting.co.uk

Other resources Your chance to change the world Craig Dearden Phillips

Your chance to change the world

Craig Dearden Phillips

www.thesocialbusiness.co.uk Blog about social enterprise E-newsletter [email_address] 0113 257 3942

Blog about social enterprise

E-newsletter

[email_address]

0113 257 3942