{"id":16830,"date":"2019-01-22T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T13:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/honeybook.site.strattic.io\/?p=16830"},"modified":"2022-07-13T13:07:48","modified_gmt":"2022-07-13T20:07:48","slug":"doodle-your-way-to-new-year-business-planning-you-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/doodle-your-way-to-new-year-business-planning-you-love","title":{"rendered":"Doodle Your Way to New Year Business Planning You Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

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True story\u2014I walked into my MBA-level accounting class and asked my professor if I could color the books instead of balancing them. And I know many of you totally get this (virtual fist bumps). Maybe it’s not surprising that about two-thirds of the way through that particular program, I became an MBA dropout to go rescue kids in Africa. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

But the concept of coloring the books instead of just balancing them has <\/span>never <\/span><\/i>left my head. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Like so many creatives, I\u2019m a visual learner. As such, I began to wonder if there were a way to wrangle all that important MBA-style information and put it in a format designed for those of us who are more comfortable with color charts than calculators. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Good news: there is! But before we break out the paints, bring on all the colors, and pop some bubbly (water, of course), here\u2019s why business strategy and having a business plan is important for your business.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The importance of strategic planning for small businesses<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

According to a survey done by entrepreneur and business planning expert Tim Berry, having a written business plan doubles your chance of success\u00a0<\/span>[1]<\/span>. Studies have also shown that the real value is found in the process of creating the business plan, not the manner in which the final information is presented\u00a0<\/span>[2]<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

A year ago, this article would have been telling you how to write the scary 60-page-beast of a business plan, because I\u2019m a nerdy word person who likes writing. (Deep breath\u2014I promise that\u2019s not what we are doing.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, in January 2018, I was in a severe car crash that left me with a traumatic brain injury that has majorly messed with my words. I went from having writing as a super power to struggling to find even basic everyday vocabulary. I also lost my previous business during the long (and still ongoing) recovery. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

This meant that as I planned my business relaunch, I had to get creative about using visual graphics to capture my ideas instead of relying on my usual verbal marathons. The irony is I have a <\/span>far better<\/span><\/i> grasp of my business now with graphics than I ever did using just words.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How to create a business plan visually<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Business plans typically include information about who you are (brand identity and story), who your clients are (target audience), your business landscape (market demographics), your products, your launch and\/or growth strategies, your numbers (financials), and any additional information important to your business operations. And yes, I found out that every single one of those areas and business goals can be represented visually.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So grab your favorite beverage, markers, watercolors, and paper, and we\u2019ll get this party started. (You can even borrow your children\u2019s art supplies after they go to bed. It\u2019ll be just between us.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How to translate your business strategy and concepts visually<\/b><\/h2>\r\n