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Sunday, September 1, 2013

The Value of Business Plans


Based on the expert point of views, Andrew Allision, Christopher Hann, and Derek, I found 1 very interesting start up strategy, that is do not worry too much about the competitors. From my experience, my current company seems to worry so much about the competitors. We spend almost half of our working day studying competitor’s marketing strategy. We could have spent those half a day on developing our own marketing plan. Instead of moving ahead of our competitor, we are actually falling behind, since we are working to resolve what our competitors are doing to attract viewers and customers.
I also found that today, technology has become so advanced and people can start business with little capital need. Opening a retail store can be simple and start at home with less equipment need. For example, The article from entrepreneur by Intuit mention about the retailers equipment need to run a business can be simplify by using Quickbooks Point instead of a traditional cash register, click here to see full detail. Retailer can make sales everywhere because this system can be set up on mobile device. 

What inspired me about creating business in online business is The Zappos Company. This company runs their business online and grows quickly. The 60 minutes show, click here for the video link, gave me an idea about creating an online store without much need of large sum of capital need. My idea is to create an online store and rent storage to keep the products saves and clean. It is worldwide and cost effective.
Yes! Worry about the competitors, but do not put too much effort into the competitors’ marketing style. Observe what they are doing and develop idea. Do not try to beat them in every step they are taking. This is what I have learned from the expert point of views.

Apple has the product called Square Stand, it works the same way as a cash register but it is working in a combination of the iPad. Merchant can swipe card and create sales register machine for little low as $299.95 per unit. Merchant can also take the iPad and create sales offsite.

The article from entrepreneur.com by Catherine Clifford, http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226874, also mention about using iPad to create point of sales and save over $200,000.  

This mobile point of sales system can work in the business plan and develop cost saving start up capital for new business generation. Technology helps new entrepreneurs establish business with lower risk than the past.

The most important part of the business plan is to survive and minimize the start up cost as low as possible. These technologies can help along with the competitors marketing comparison. We cannot avoid watching the competition, but do not worry too much and spend too much time studying them.  


Intuit, Wondering why small retailers are ditching the old cash register? (2013)
Retrieved 9/01/13 from
CBSnews.com, Zappos Delivers Happiness (2010) retrieved 9/1/13 from
Apple, Square Stand (2013) retrieved 9/01/13 from
Catherine Clifford, iPad, Tablet Point-of-Sale Systems Gain Popularity (2013)
Quickbook Point of Sales (2013) retrieved 09/01/2013 from


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