Abstract
Information technology can play an important role in helping a small business to succeed. By investing in appropriate equipment and technology, a small business operator can grow productivity and reach new markets. Learning about technologies is important. Planning for acquisition and upgrade of equipment and technology is important. Understanding the useful economic life of equipment and planning for upgrades in line with your business strategy should be built into business planning and future financial outlays.
Information Technology and Small Business
WEB PLAN
Every Web plan has to fit the needs and situation. You must be able to customize your Web plan
to fit your Company plan. The Web plan should always have a market analysis, website strategy,
specific development plan, sales forecast, and expense budget.
* Market Analysis: Normally a Web plan will start (after an executive summary) with a
market analysis, this should be a fundamental part of any business effort.
Plans should
almost always set the context in terms of the benefits offered to a specific target
population. The market analysis will normally include a target market analysis, market
research, and a market forecast.
* Website Strategy: This should include the strategic focus, mission and objectives,
development strategy and Web marketing strategy.
* Sales (or benefits) Forecast: One important point on Web planning is that not all
websites produce sales, but all should have some business or organizational benefits, like
sales. Maybe this is reduced cost, increased customer satisfaction, leads generation, or
community communication. Whatever the target benefits, sales or not, they should be put
into numbers and projected into the future. For practical reasons, we refer to this as sales.
The plan should include enough detail to track sales month by month and follow up on
plan-vs.-actual analysis. Normally a plan will also include specific benefits...