When starting, expanding or updating a store or food business, you have to think about 1001 things. Small details can sometimes demand so much of your attention that you forget to look at the bigger picture. Perhaps you have already experienced that you spend hours worrying about the possible competition, while you have a completely different, specific target group in mind. This is where a creative, well-developed business plan comes in handy.
Yet a business plan is of no use if you don't use it. If it ends up somewhere at the bottom of a drawer you never look at it. We want it to become a powerful tool for your business.
Because we are stronger together, we founded KairosFood Connect, a digital community where we connect and strengthen each other.
What added value does a well-developed business plan have?
Have you ever had wonderful ideas while lying in bed? Or when you're walking around the city? Then write these down and incorporate them into your business plan later! Do you see what's going wrong at major retailers? How do you want to approach it differently? Write it down and include it in your file!
Together with your marketing strategy and market research, these form a solid basis for determining your strategies. This makes your business plan an inspiring and extremely useful tool. This is why:
- It reflects your vision, something you should never lose sight of.
- It shows the possibilities for your idea, your perspective, and your target audience.
- It shows how you distinguish yourself from the competition.
- It is a support in difficult moments or times when you feel overwhelmed.
- It shows the next steps when you have achieved a certain goal.
- It takes a look at the future and shows what growth you can expect.
Make complex data clear
Plotting figures in a graph is easy in Canva. And Piktochart is a valuable tool for creating diagrams, developing flowcharts, and even setting up presentations. By clearly displaying patterns, trends and data, you make an informed decision much easier.
An infographic can clearly show how different elements of your company influence, support and monitor each other.
By using visuals you ensure that you effectively refer back to your business plan and use it as support. A quick look at a flowchart and you will know how customers get to you. Rereading your vision can quickly put you back on the right path if you have wandered off for a moment.
How can a creative business plan make a difference?
An artist can (in what seems like) no time conjure up a beautiful work on a blank canvas. This is of course because they already see the whole picture in front of them. Not just the tree in the landscape, but the whole. And look at that with a creative eye.
The same is true when drawing up a business plan. You have to keep “the bigger picture” in mind. Putting your perspective and vision centre stage. And then tap into your creativity. Because figures, analyses, statistics and research alone are not particularly inspiring.
These are the benefits of a creative business plan:
- It is motivating, both for you and your team. By breaking up long texts with photos, flowcharts and infographics, the document becomes much more accessible.
- It makes your dream tangible. Those same photos and visuals ensure that your story comes to life.
- It's clearer. Charts and diagrams can represent complex data simply and are easier to understand.
- Creativity breeds creativity. A good-looking business plan gets the creative juices flowing for you and your team.
- Communication becomes easier. The vision, goals and strategies are all neatly together in one place. Clear and organized.
- Helps to make decisions. Visualizing data helps to clarify patterns and trends, so that you can respond better to them.
- It tells a story. When reading, you are, as it were, walking through the store and you already see the products.
- It foresees problems and offers a solution. You will thank yourself when the problems actually arise.
Finally this
Take the time for some soul searching. Starting or upgrading an independent food business can be scary, we know. It can change your whole life! So ask yourself why you are doing it. What prompted you or gave you the idea. Was it something you needed yourself? Something you thought you could do better?
That is why contact with your customers and target group is so important. Check with them regularly to see what they need. Is there something they are missing in your offer? Do you often get asked about product x or y? Then write this down neatly in your business plan, so that you can later read what your customers are looking for.
See you soon at KairosFood Connect to write or rewrite your plan together!