Investors will find YOU if your Business Plan is “magnetized”
The process of actively organizing your thoughts on paper in the form of a Business Plan is very important for a number of reasons including the fact that we have a tendency to manifest faster what we can see visually; you can test and validate on paper before investing a lot of time and money on a new project; you begin to develop a roadmap of how you’re going to launch your project; and perhaps one of the most important reasons is with a Business Plan, you can attract the funding and resources you need to fully launch your business. Here are just a few key elements that investors and strategic partners find most appealing:
1. Tell your story. You want to briefly explain how you came to be doing this project to show your connection and the level of passion you have for it. Investors want to see that you’ll be committed to carry it through.
2. Define the problem/solution. The bigger the problem that you are a definitive solution for, the more interest people will have and ultimately the bigger the checks.
3. Identify and quantify your market. The market you are serving has to be big enough to be financially worth the investment in developing it and defined enough to be plausible for investors. The “world” is not your market.
4. Have a great idea. Some ideas are good but not great enough to invest a lot of time and money on. Also, if you can’t properly protect your idea or see it as scalable, it may keep some people away.
5. Understand and state the risks involved. Avoiding this conversation will leave investors and strategic partners questioning the merits of your plan. It’s better to put all the market risks out there and show that you’re dealing with them systematically.
6. Define your business model. Don’t just tell us about your product. Show us how your business model will support the product to get out there in the marketplace.
7. Describe who’s on your team. The more experience you have around you the greater the chance you’ll have for success. Investors look at the people.
8. Define your marketing and sales strategies. The more specific you are about how you will reach your customers, the more attractive you will be to investors.
9. Know your competition. Be realistic here and know what you are up against. Being honest will allow you to work through strategies to create competitive advantages which could include collaborations.
10.Define your Exit Strategies. Investors want to know how and when they will their money back. Strategic partners want to know what the end result will be of working with you. The more you can clearly define the options available, the more attractive you will be.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Visibility Equals Instant Credibility
Lately, I have experienced quite a few people finding me personally using Google searches. This has resulted in new business, investor opportunities, speaking engagements, an article being published in Inventors Digest, and most importantly reconnecting with my “long lost” cousin Phil. I hadn’t seen Phil in almost 20 years but he was easily able to find me on Google and got to see what I was up to even before we spoke on the phone.
Allowing yourself to be visible is so important to manifesting, no matter what you’re working on. People who may be interested in doing business with you, partnering up with you, and even investing would be comforted knowing you are visible online --- that you’re “doing things”. These days, it seems that showing up in an online search is like going to the yellow pages and expecting to find a listing for the business you’re looking for. Not showing up in the phone book may diminish your credibility in my eyes.
In my program Passion To Prosperity, I walk people through 42 different marketing techniques that can be done very quickly to attract potential new prospects. If you’re fortunate to be active enough in business, the community at large, and in the media, then you’ll show up naturally in online searches and that’s great.
If you’re not quite experiencing online visibility naturally, yet not ready to hire someone for search engine optimization, then here are a few strategies that will give you fairly instant results in the search engines:
1. Subscribe to an inexpensive ranking service. This service will get you a #1 position on Google always. Try it for yourself! http://www.qalias.com/af/MM04
2. Start a blog at www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com. You can talk about your journey, your business, post images, offer surveys. Blogs are easily picked up by the search engines and allow you to have a high ranking consistently. I post all my ezine articles on mine http://www.mariasimone.blogspot.com/
3. Post comments online. Places like Amazon, YouTube, and all the blog services are very visible in the search engines so if you post a comment or write a review for someone else, chances are your name will show up as well. Make sure you use your full name and list your website when posting any comments or reviews. I recommend keeping it positive so it stays up there!
4. Submit a short article. There are article sites where you can post content on any topic for fr*ee. These sites are highly visible to the search engines and having your name show up in conjunction with an article will give you instant credibility. Try www.ezinearticles.com or www.ideamarketers.com.
5. Social & Business Online Networking. There are many out there now but I find that www.Fastpitchnetworking.com is great for entrepreneurs who want powerful business connections as well as online visibility. The site has a press release feature built in plus you can link your blog to your Fast Pitch profile which translates into even higher search engine rankings.
Type in ‘maria simone” (use the quotes) in a search engine and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Out of 800,000 entries for “maria simone” I usually occupy the top few slots plus my info spans 15 pages of Google. When you’ve developed the resources and capital you’ll need to launch your business, you’ll obviously have a more focused marketing plan to execute. However I would still perform some of these basics in the beginning to increase your credibility and visibility.
Allowing yourself to be visible is so important to manifesting, no matter what you’re working on. People who may be interested in doing business with you, partnering up with you, and even investing would be comforted knowing you are visible online --- that you’re “doing things”. These days, it seems that showing up in an online search is like going to the yellow pages and expecting to find a listing for the business you’re looking for. Not showing up in the phone book may diminish your credibility in my eyes.
In my program Passion To Prosperity, I walk people through 42 different marketing techniques that can be done very quickly to attract potential new prospects. If you’re fortunate to be active enough in business, the community at large, and in the media, then you’ll show up naturally in online searches and that’s great.
If you’re not quite experiencing online visibility naturally, yet not ready to hire someone for search engine optimization, then here are a few strategies that will give you fairly instant results in the search engines:
1. Subscribe to an inexpensive ranking service. This service will get you a #1 position on Google always. Try it for yourself! http://www.qalias.com/af/MM04
2. Start a blog at www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com. You can talk about your journey, your business, post images, offer surveys. Blogs are easily picked up by the search engines and allow you to have a high ranking consistently. I post all my ezine articles on mine http://www.mariasimone.blogspot.com/
3. Post comments online. Places like Amazon, YouTube, and all the blog services are very visible in the search engines so if you post a comment or write a review for someone else, chances are your name will show up as well. Make sure you use your full name and list your website when posting any comments or reviews. I recommend keeping it positive so it stays up there!
4. Submit a short article. There are article sites where you can post content on any topic for fr*ee. These sites are highly visible to the search engines and having your name show up in conjunction with an article will give you instant credibility. Try www.ezinearticles.com or www.ideamarketers.com.
5. Social & Business Online Networking. There are many out there now but I find that www.Fastpitchnetworking.com is great for entrepreneurs who want powerful business connections as well as online visibility. The site has a press release feature built in plus you can link your blog to your Fast Pitch profile which translates into even higher search engine rankings.
Type in ‘maria simone” (use the quotes) in a search engine and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Out of 800,000 entries for “maria simone” I usually occupy the top few slots plus my info spans 15 pages of Google. When you’ve developed the resources and capital you’ll need to launch your business, you’ll obviously have a more focused marketing plan to execute. However I would still perform some of these basics in the beginning to increase your credibility and visibility.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Come meet me in May...
Thursday 5/15/08
You're invited! I'll be part of a panel of women speaking about Strategies for Becoming Your Personal Best http://storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/eventdetail.do?store=2680&event=22714609
Barnes and Noble 90th & Shea, Scottsdale, 7pm.
Friday 5/16-17/08
Visit my booth for a free sonsultation. I'll be attending the CEO Space Forum Weekend to meet up with some of my clients and collaborators. http://www.ceospacevip.com
Westin Hotel LAX, 5400 W. Century Blvd; Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday 5/27/08
JOIN US! I'll be hosting a free teleclass overview of the "7 Practical Steps To Create The Conscious Business of Your Dreams" If you're a service professional, an inventor, in business now or thinking about starting a business --you'll want to be on this call!
http://www.manifestsuccessguru.com/freeteleclass.htm
Wednesday 5/28/08
A red carpet event complete with paparazzi! I'll be attending the world premiere and VIP reception of the Opus Movie. A big to-do in Scottsdale, AZ!
Scottsdale Center For The Arts, clikc here for details http://visionboardsite.blogspot.com/
You're invited! I'll be part of a panel of women speaking about Strategies for Becoming Your Personal Best http://storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/eventdetail.do?store=2680&event=22714609
Barnes and Noble 90th & Shea, Scottsdale, 7pm.
Friday 5/16-17/08
Visit my booth for a free sonsultation. I'll be attending the CEO Space Forum Weekend to meet up with some of my clients and collaborators. http://www.ceospacevip.com
Westin Hotel LAX, 5400 W. Century Blvd; Los Angeles, CA
Tuesday 5/27/08
JOIN US! I'll be hosting a free teleclass overview of the "7 Practical Steps To Create The Conscious Business of Your Dreams" If you're a service professional, an inventor, in business now or thinking about starting a business --you'll want to be on this call!
http://www.manifestsuccessguru.com/freeteleclass.htm
Wednesday 5/28/08
A red carpet event complete with paparazzi! I'll be attending the world premiere and VIP reception of the Opus Movie. A big to-do in Scottsdale, AZ!
Scottsdale Center For The Arts, clikc here for details http://visionboardsite.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Fox 4 TV and the Inventors Club, Kansas City
Just got back from a whirlwind few days. I agreed to come out to Kansas City, MO, to speak to the Inventors Club about raising capital. It was a great night and I got to talk about making yourself attractive to investors, how to prepare yourself, language, where to go, etc. The event overflowed into a luncheon the next day as well. Before the meeting, I was interviewed on Fox 4 TV by Laura Thornqist. Here is me and my friend Carrie Jeske before and during the interview.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Maria is featured in April issue of Inventors Digest
Good news! My article "Haves And Have-Nots: How To Get Investors TO Show You The Money" was just published in Inventors Digest. http:/www.inventorsdigest.com.
The entire article can be seen at this site http://www.edisonnation.com/.
More media and press to follow!
The entire article can be seen at this site http://www.edisonnation.com/.
More media and press to follow!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Press Release: Funding "Inventor Seed Capital"
Maria Simone; national speaker, mentor and author recently featured in April issue of Inventor’s Digest
April 22th, 2008 6:30-9:00pm
The Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Rd. K.C., MO 64110
Acquiring seed capital for your Invention: The "Haves" and the "Have-Nots"
What’s the difference between inventors/businesses that get start-up capital and those that do not? We’ve heard it thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs, "I have the best idea on the planet, why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?
Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. Since the resources are out there and available, it has more to do with the opportunities you can actually CREATE for yourself. In this presentation, you will learn what steps to take to help you be more successful in this process, where to find potential investors, and how to communicate with them.
Maria Simone is a unique and conscious business development and marketing expert who has launched several companies and has raised millions of dollars in funding. In addition to starting and selling her own companies, Maria has also licensed her ideas and has seen her products sold on major department store shelves. She now helps entrepreneurial start-ups, inventors, and service providers attract experts, customers, resources and capital. www.MariaSimone.com
All meetings and this seven month series is free and open to all Entrepreneurs, Inventors and Product Developers. If you have an idea for a product which you think would be a great candidate for licensing or selling to the market place but you need funding to make it fly, don’t miss this opportunity!
About ICKC:
The INVENTORS CLUB of KANSAS CITY is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with over 150 members. The club was founded in 2004 by C.J. Boylan and Steve Gillespie with the idea that every new business starts with someone's bright idea! They firmly believe that new inventions and technology and unique individuals that create them make up one of our country's most valuable resources! They provide a learning forum for inventor/entrepreneurs and those in allied fields, which supplies mutual benefits to all involved. Their purpose and mission is to provide Innovative Education that will stimulate their members to "Soar to Success" which also benefits both the community and the nation! Please visit www.inventorsclubofkc.org
The Kauffman Foundation:
The Kauffman Foundation works nationwide to catalyze an entrepreneurial society in which job creation, innovation, education, and the economy flourish. They work with leading educators, researchers, and other partners to further understanding of the powerful economic impact of entrepreneurship, to train the nation’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, to develop and disseminate proven programs that enhance entrepreneurial skills and abilities, and to improve the environment in which entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. The Kauffman Foundation is the only large American foundation to focus on entrepreneurship and has more than twelve years of in-depth experience in the field. While our work is concentrated in the United States, leaders around the world look to the Foundation for entrepreneurship expertise and guidance. Please visit
http://www.kauffman.org/foundation.cfm
April 22th, 2008 6:30-9:00pm
The Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Rd. K.C., MO 64110
Acquiring seed capital for your Invention: The "Haves" and the "Have-Nots"
What’s the difference between inventors/businesses that get start-up capital and those that do not? We’ve heard it thousands of times from inventors and start-up entrepreneurs, "I have the best idea on the planet, why can’t I get anyone to invest in me?
Every entrepreneur has the opportunity in this country to seek funding to help launch their idea yet very few do it successfully. Since the resources are out there and available, it has more to do with the opportunities you can actually CREATE for yourself. In this presentation, you will learn what steps to take to help you be more successful in this process, where to find potential investors, and how to communicate with them.
Maria Simone is a unique and conscious business development and marketing expert who has launched several companies and has raised millions of dollars in funding. In addition to starting and selling her own companies, Maria has also licensed her ideas and has seen her products sold on major department store shelves. She now helps entrepreneurial start-ups, inventors, and service providers attract experts, customers, resources and capital. www.MariaSimone.com
All meetings and this seven month series is free and open to all Entrepreneurs, Inventors and Product Developers. If you have an idea for a product which you think would be a great candidate for licensing or selling to the market place but you need funding to make it fly, don’t miss this opportunity!
About ICKC:
The INVENTORS CLUB of KANSAS CITY is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with over 150 members. The club was founded in 2004 by C.J. Boylan and Steve Gillespie with the idea that every new business starts with someone's bright idea! They firmly believe that new inventions and technology and unique individuals that create them make up one of our country's most valuable resources! They provide a learning forum for inventor/entrepreneurs and those in allied fields, which supplies mutual benefits to all involved. Their purpose and mission is to provide Innovative Education that will stimulate their members to "Soar to Success" which also benefits both the community and the nation! Please visit www.inventorsclubofkc.org
The Kauffman Foundation:
The Kauffman Foundation works nationwide to catalyze an entrepreneurial society in which job creation, innovation, education, and the economy flourish. They work with leading educators, researchers, and other partners to further understanding of the powerful economic impact of entrepreneurship, to train the nation’s next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, to develop and disseminate proven programs that enhance entrepreneurial skills and abilities, and to improve the environment in which entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. The Kauffman Foundation is the only large American foundation to focus on entrepreneurship and has more than twelve years of in-depth experience in the field. While our work is concentrated in the United States, leaders around the world look to the Foundation for entrepreneurship expertise and guidance. Please visit
http://www.kauffman.org/foundation.cfm
Act Out Your Vision Whenever Possible
Visualizing what you want activates the Law of Attraction but I like to take it a step further. I look for opportunities to actually put myself IN my vision. I love being a guest on radio talk shows and have contemplated having my own show in the near future. So last week I connected with my old friend Michelle Corr who hosts the Perfect Game on KXAM and created a situation where I could sit in the hot seat with her for 2 hours on air. Since then, I'm quickly manifesting opportunities to have my own show. Try it for yourself. Here's Michelle and me in the studio (totally un-glamed behind the mike).
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