HOW TO TEACH CHILDREN

HOW TO TEACH CHILDREN

WHY TEACH?

1. Child care = least paid, least respected.  Don't choose this work -be chosen. 
2. Your life purpose needs to run through your veins and you need to know this is the purpose for your life.
3. Because you like it. 
4. It is fun.
5. To make a difference in children's lives, to see progress. 
6. To help a child grow in self-esteem and make good experiences happen.
7. You like diversity
8. Never boring
9. You like to feel needed.

            *          The children need you and worship you

1. There will always be a job for you - high demand.
2. It is a challenge
3. There is a lot to learn

What qualities do you need?

1. Must be flexible
2. Sense of humor
3. Energy
4. Patience
5. Character
6. Maturity in order to guide the children

Why not teach?

1. Not regarded highly
2. Low pay unless you own a business but limited
3. Long hours
4. Crowded, noisy, menial duties

FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES CHILDREN

1. It is your ethical responsibility to stand up for what is best for young children.  Make children a national priority.  You can't speak for your self.  The power lies with administrator and legislators. Join together, persists and remain advocates for children your whole life.

What should you teach a 3 year old?

1. colors
2. Shapes
3. Matching
4. Categorizing
5. Seriating
6. Self help - dressing

What should you teach a 4 year old?

1. ABC‘s
2. Numbers
3. Address
4. Phone #
5. Write name

PREREADING SKILLS

1. Matching
2. Sorting, classification, categorization
3. Sequencing
4. Patterning
5. Seriating - small to large

                        Teaching these skills instead of reading is DAP.  All reach the same level of reading by Grade 2.
GUIDELINES FOR TEACHING

1. Make it fun.  If your not fun, you're doing something wrong & learning isn't happening.

1. Never drill, get angry & cold.
2. Teach excitement and enthusiasm for learning.

1. Learning should be a walk of discovery, not a race to the finish line.

It should be a shared experience instead of teaching where something must be done by the teacher. Experience it together, child has much to offer.

1. Child must be actively involved to learn.  The object is not the story but the child's response to it that counts.
2. Be sure the message of love get through.  Be loving.
3. Risk looking silly, loosing perfect discipline, and showing emotion.
4. Eye to eye contact.  Sit so this can happen.
5. Attention span:  5 to 10 min. on one thing.  Change often.
6. Reward accomplishments - treasure box and certificates

HOW TO HELP A CHILD DISCOVER FOR THEMSELVES

1. Learning is not something we do to the child, it comes from within. 
2. A good learner:
1. loves learning
2. eager discoverer
3. wants to know
3. Know child inside and out.
4. Focus on what the child is feeling.

            -Avoid putting adult ideas into children's heads.
Be a skillful observer:

1. What most attracts the child's attention?
2. What action schemes is the child repeating?
3. What consequences is the child producing with his actions?
4. What does the child say as he explores and who is it directed at?
5. How does he cope with momentary distractions?
6. Does he integrate the actions of others into his own play?
7. Listen carefully to questions asked by the child.  It   contains an assumption about the world held by the child & gives the teacher ideas for learning encounter.
8. Play with the child and imitate, thus the child will imitate you.
9. Present novel variations on the theme.
10. Change the play to expand it, unobtrusively introduce new ways of doing things. 
11. Be a source of challenge and exploration.

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How to Give a Persuasive Speech

How to Give a Persuasive Speech

A persuasive speech is a presentation that aims to change others by prompting them to think, feel, or act differently.

• change people’s attitudes,
• change the strength towards or against people, policies, or ideas
• change how people act

Characteristics of Persuasive Speech
1)         Persuasive speaking is “interactive.”
an engagement between a speaker and a        listener
2)         Persuasion is NOT the same as coercion, or force.
not force them to do à be artistic
3)         Persuasive impact is usually gradual, or incremental.
Three Cornerstones of Persuasion
Three forms of proof, or reasons people believe (by Aristotle)

1. Ethos – the perceived personal character of the speaker
2. Pathos – emotional proofs, or reasons to believe in something
3. Logos – rational or logical proofs

ETHOS
“The perceived personal character of the speaker”
Listeners think or perceive that:
- You have integrity, credibility
- You can be trusted
- You have goodwill toward them
- You know what you’re talking about
- You are committed to the topic

PATHOS
“Emotional reasons to believe in something”
Listeners need to not only understand your ideas but also feel something about them.
            How:

• Personalize the issue problem, topic
• Appeal to listeners’ needs and values
• Bring material alive

LOGOS
“Rational or logical proofs”

Logical proofs = arguments, reasoning, and evidence to support claims     
Evidence = examples, testimony, statistics, analogies, visual aids, and etc.
Building Credibility
Credibility = Ethos
A willingness of others to believe that a person has personal integrity, is positively disposed toward them, and can be trusted.
Credibility is not a static quality. It can change, increase or decrease, as a result of a speech.

Types of Credibility
1) Initial credibility= expertise and trustworthiness listeners recognize BEFORE a presentation (based on positions, achievements, experiences)
2) Derived credibility= expertise and trustworthiness listeners recognize as a result of how speakers communicate during a presentation
3) Terminal credibility= credible speakers have at the end of a presentation (cumulative expertise, goodwill, and trustworthiness listeners recognize in a speaker)

How to build credibility

• State your qualification
• Show that you care about listeners
• Appeal to listeners’ emotions
• Reason carefully
• Use effective and ethical supporting materials
• Use verbal and nonverbal communication to show that you care about the topic
• Respond to questions with open-mindedness and fairness

Principles of Speech Organization

• Introduction should capture audience’s attention, provide clear thesis statement, and preview what you will cover.
• Internal summaries of main points should be provided.
• Smooth transitions between points and parts of a speech are needed.
• Body should be organized to reinforce thesis and show unity of ideas.
• Conclusion should summarize main points and end with strong closing statements.

“Motivated Sequence Pattern”
Attention – “Pay attention. This is important to you.”
Need – “Something is wrong and something must be done about it.”
Satisfaction – “What I have to offer is the way to solve the problem.”
Visualization – “This is how my plan will work to solve the problem; and if you accept my solution, things will be much better.”
Action – “Take action!”
Persuasive Speech Outline

I. Begin with an Attention Step that is an
- Opening statement of interest
(Use one or more of the following):

A rhetorical question
A startling statement
A quotation
An illustration or story
A reference to the subject
A reference to the occasion
- Motivate audience interest in your subject by alluding to: (use one or more of the following):
The practical value of the information for your audience
A reason to listen
The audience’s sense of curiosity
Establish your credibility by:
Alluding to any first-hand experience you may have had
Alluding to sources of information you have consulted

II. Show there is a need
To urge a change-point out what’s wrong with present conditions
To demand preservation of present conditions-point out the danger of a change
 
The Need Step is developed by:
Illustration: Tell of one or more incidents to illustrate the need
Ramifications:Employ as many additional facts, examples, and quotations as are required to make the need convincingly impressive.
Pointing: Show its importance to the individuals in the audience.

III. Present a solution
The Solution is developed by: (use one or more of the following):
Statement of solution: a brief statement of the attitude, belief, or action you wish the audience to adopt.
Explanation: Make sure that your proposal is understood.
Theoretical demonstration: show how the solution logically and adequately meets the need pointed out in the need step, point-by-point!
Practical experience: actual examples showing where this proposal has worked effectively or where the belief has proven correct.
Meeting objections: forestall opposition by showing how your proposal overcomes any objections which might be raised. 

IV. Help your audience visualize the future
The visualization step must stand the test of reality. The conditions you describe must be at least realistic. The more vividly you make the situation seem, the stronger will be the reaction of the audience.
There are three methods of visualizing the future(use one or more of the following):
Positive: Describe the conditions if your solution is actually carried out. Picture the listeners in that situation actually enjoying the safety, pleasure, or pride that your proposal will produce.
Negative:Describe conditions if your solution is not carried out. Picture the audience feeling the bad effects or unpleasantness that the failure to affect your solution will produce.
Contrast:Combination of 1 and 2. Begin with the negative method (undesirable situation) and conclude with the positive method (desirable solution).


V. Conclude with the Action Step developed by (use one or more of the following):

• Restatement of main idea and summary of main points.
• Statement of specific action or attitude change you want from the audience.
• A statement of your personal intent to take the course of action or attitude recommended.
• A concluding statement to recapture interest (a reason to remember).

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Personal Budgeting

Personal Budgeting

 
Why It’s Important

• Develop better financial habits.
• Relieve emotional stress.
• Assist you in achieving your financial goals.

Why is a Budget Necessary?

• Identifies and defines your financial goals
•  Manages your money
•  Directs your money flow
•  Increase your savings
•  Avoids spending money unnecessarily
•  Achieves your personal goals

What is a Budget?
A budget is a plan for managing your money in a way that best meets your personal needs and wants.
Seven Keys to Effective Budgeting

1. Identify and develop personal goals
2. Evaluate and record current trends, both income and expenses
3. Assign priorities
4. Develop a time line for the month
5. Keep it simple
6. Remain flexible: “One size does not fit all”
7. Review and revise

How do I Create a Budget?

1. Adjust plans, activities, and spending as needed
2. Spend money cost-effectively
3. Reach the specific goals you have set
4. Strengthen internal control system

What’s in a Budget?
INCOME
Simply any money earned or contributed to your household from either personal finances or a business.
EXPENSES
Money that you spend, this includes anything you purchase. This includes both planned and unexpected expenses.
Steps in Budgeting

1. Set financial goals
2. Estimate your income
3. Record what you spend
4. Budget for actual and unexpected expenses
5. Review and evaluate monthly

Set Financial Goals

• Identify and write them down
• Long term (1-5 years)
• Short term (within a year)
• Make then achievable, practical, and owned by everyone
• Keep them in the fore front
• Journal the process
• Celebrate their completion
• Write them into your monthly budget
• Adjust them as necessary

Estimate Your Income

• Make a list of each income stream that you receive on a regular basis each month.  The key is to only include that income you get every month.
• Include both monthly wages earned from your job(s) as well as monthly supplemental income (i.e. child support, disability, etc.)
• Mark down the date these are received
• Calculate the monthly income total
• Record, but do not include any periodic income you may receive at this point.

If your income is unpredictable, estimate what you will receive in the next month and adjust it DOWN a little
Record What You Spend

1. Review the previous month’s check book ledger, bank statements etc. and record you’re spending and income.
2. Record what you spend for the next month and write down what your actual expenses and income

Budget for Actual and Unexpected Expenses

• Actual Expenses:

Identify fixed expenses (i.e. rent, car payment, student loans). Record the monthly payment deadline and plan according to your payday date.

• Rent or Mortgage
• Car – payment, upkeep, gas, etc.
• Insurance (health/medical, life, auto, home, et.)
• Food
• Household utilities
• Clothing
• Entertainment
• Else
• Student loan payments
• Insurance payments
• Entertainment (movies, books, magazines, toys, cable TV, Internet access)
• Income taxes in addition to those withheld from your paycheck
• Child care
• Medical bills
• Savings (transfers to savings account, retirement fund or brokerage account)
• Vacations
• Variable Expenses:

Identify recurring expenses the fluctuate (monthly grocery, automobile, etc.) calculate an average based on previous months NOTE: when in doubt, guess high! Consult with friends and family on what they spend

• Unexpected Expenses
• The FIRST step is to create and maintain an Emergency Fund.
• Initially the Emergency Fund should be $500 - $1, 000 depending on your income and debt load.
• Eventually you need to increase this to 3-6 months’ worth of income.
• Develop the attitude that this is ONLY used for EMERGENCIES (unemployment, unexpected medical needs or any other financial crisis).
• Should you have to use money in this fund for an EMERGENCY the priority for the next month is to re-supply the fund.

Budgeting Terms
Surplus occurs if you have a positive cash flow
Deficit occurs if you have a negative cash flow
Discretionary Income is the money you have left over after paying for essentials. Discretionary Income is used to evaluate the strength of a person’s income. Represents the money you can spend on wants.

Practical Budgeting Tips

• The budget must BALANCE
• The income must equal the expenses. If you make, you must have a ‘destination ‘for that money!
• That does NOT mean you MUST SPEND it. Planning to put money in some type of savings account is a GREAT idea.
• The Income MUST EQUAL Expenses!!
• Plan carefully
• estimates should be based on some data
• cover all expenses
• Be practical
• Be flexible
• Write your budget down
• Be able to access your budget data easily

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Managing Stress

Managing Stress

Common Physical symptoms of stress can include:

• Rapid heartbeat.
• Headache.
• Stiff neck and/or tight shoulders.
• Backache.
• Rapid breathing.
• Sweating and sweaty palms.
• Upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.
• Sleep trouble.
• Weakening of the immune system
• Irritability
• Intolerance
• Short Temper
• Exhaustion
• Lack of concentration
• Frustration over minor challenges

Options to Alleviate Your Stress
If you determine that you are experiencing excessive stress, what can you do?

• Find out what is causing stress in your life and determine ways to reduce or eliminate the cause.
• Change your response to the stress by using old and new coping techniques
• Learn healthy ways to prevent stress and reduce its harmful effects.

Major Causes of Stress

• Being fired
• Being Promoted or Demoted
• Moving/Relocation
• Marriage/Divorce
• Pregnancy
• Death of family or friends

These are just examples of major life changes that can have a serious impact on our lives and cause our bodies to react with stress. Often times, the most common and stressful things happen on a daily basis.

Major Causes of Stress for University Students

• Adjustments to your daily routine
• Sleeping and eating habits
• Time-management due to additional academic work loads, finding the balance of studying, free time and deadlines
• Missing your social support network of high school friends and family
• Learning new navigations such as getting around campus, living on your own, choosing your classes, choosing new friends, choosing your life’s direction and career path for your future

Where does YOUR stress start?
Using the handout, take a few minutes to honestly consider what causes your daily stresses

• Family?
• School?
• Friends?
• Work?
• Etc…

How Can You Cope With Stress?

• Time Management can be a huge cause for stress in many peoples’ lives.  Consider taking a class or course or reading information available online or in magazines or books on how to better manage your time and tasks.
• Schedule - You may get more done with less stress if you make a schedule. Think about which things are most important, and put those at the top of your schedule/list to do those things first.
• Take good care of yourself. Exercise, get plenty of rest, try to eat well, don't smoke and limit how much alcohol you drink.
• Stop negative thoughts. Easier said then done right?  Well, it’s a skill that would be beneficial to develop.  Try writing down your worries and work on letting go of things you cannot change. Don’t worry about things that have past.  Focus on the positives and the future that you can still impact.
• Speak up. Assertive communication can help you express how you feel in a thoughtful, tactful way.
• Ask for help. People who have a strong network of family and friends manage stress better.
• Do something you enjoy.  A hobby, a bath, meditation, walking, or volunteering are good, helpful ways to help you feel better and relieve stress. Listen to relaxing music.
• Keep a journal.   Try including dates, time of day, time of year, current events in your life, even your food intake and exercise routine (if any).
• Focus on the present. Try meditation, imagery exercises, or self-hypnosis.  Don’t keep thinking back to your mistakes and reliving the negative things that happened.  There is nothing you can do about it.  Let it go and look ahead, not behind. 
• Laugh it up! Try to look for the humor in life. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  Everything will pass eventually and keeping a sense of humor will help lighten the load.  Laughter really can be the best medicine!

Make and Action Plan

• Can this situation be changed or improved? If so, how?

(As an example: Relationship stress - assertive communication training, setting boundaries, resolving conflict
Over commitment stress - setting boundaries, saying no, eliminating some things from your schedule
Grief and loss stress - seeking support, journaling, finding enjoyable activities to fill your day)

• What coping mechanisms (old or new) may help me to better handle the current stressful situation in my life?

(As an example: Meditation, Exercise, Engaging with friends, Listen to relaxing music, write down in a journal what things you want to let go)

• 3) Is there anything I can do to prevent or avoid having this situation reoccur in the future?

(As an example: Implement a schedule to better manage my time, ask for help if there are too many actions on my to-do list, go to bed earlier to have a better night’s sleep and more productive day)

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General Presentation Skills

Finding the right register:
Getting the right balance between formality and informality in a presentation is very tricky.

1. Avoid colloquialisms (“sort of” or “kinda”)
2.  Try to avoid erms and ums
3. You want your audience to respect you, not like you.
4. Try to speak more slowly than you would normally.
5. Use pauses for emphasis (as opposed to raising your voice)
6. Don’t let your voice fade away at the end of sentences.

Reduce Anxiety
The easiest way to reduce anxiety is to have a well prepared and well-rehearsed presentation.
However, if nerves are still a problem, try the following…

1.   Visualisation: Imagine yourself giving a brilliant presentation.
2.   Breath deeply.
3.   Relax muscles / Release tension.
4.   Take a script which you can read if all else fails.
5.   Do something else really stressful just before… (Drastic, but works!)

Know your audience

Ensure you tailor your presentation appropriately, depending on the audience makeup. Do they know a lot or a little about the issue, do they generally support or oppose the issue?
A good general rule is that it pays to keep things simple.

Preparing your presentation

1. Use Powerpoint (or handouts)
2.  If using powerpoint, don’t use anything less than a 24pt font.
3.  Aim for about 8 slides for a 15 minute talk.
4.  Do not put more than 4 or 5 pieces of information on each slide.
5.  Make sure the slide contains information which will prompt you to make the points you want to make.

Practice

1. Practice giving the presentation to a friendly audience and ask them for honest and constructive criticism.
2.  Finishing on time is very important, and requires practice.
3.  So practice out loud on your own with a clock.

Some general tips

1. Make eye contact.
2.  Talk clearly to the back of the audience.
3.  Don’t mumble the ends of sentences.
4.  Be enthusiastic (or pretend…)
5.  Ask someone in the audience to warn you when you have two minutes left or wear a watch and pay attention to the time.
6.  The only way it gets better is to give more talks.

Tips for handling questions

1. Repeat questions for the benefit of the audience (and to give yourself extra thinking time).
2.  Be honest when answering questions, especially if you have no idea of the answer.
3.  Don’t be afraid to ask the questioner to be clearer.
4.  Don’t be afraid or ashamed to let someone else in the room answer the question.

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Business Research

Business Research
1 Introduction to Research
Research is the process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the situational factors.
1.2. What is business research?

• Research provides the needed information that guides managers to make informed decisions to successfully deal with problems.

• The information provided could be the result of a careful analysis of data gathered firsthand or of data that are already available (in the company).

1.3. Types of Business research.
1. Applied research

• Is to solve a current problem faced by the manager in the work setting,demanding a timely solution.

2. Basic research (fundamental, pure)

• Is to generate a body of knowledge by trying to comprehend how certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved.
• The findings of such research contribute to the building of knowledge in the various functional areas of business.

1.4. Why is it important for managers to know about research?

• Solve problems
• Decision making tool
• Competition
• Risk
• Investment
• Hire researchers and consultants more effectively

2 Scientific Investigation

•  Observation
• Identification of problem area
• Theoretical framework
• Hypotheses
• Research design
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Data interpretation
• Implementation

The seven-step process in the Hypothetico-Deductive method

• Observation
• Problem identification
• preliminary information gathering
• Theoretical framework
• theory formulation
• Hypothesizing
• Research design
• further scientific data collection
• logical analysis
• Deduction

The seven-step process

• Problem statement is a clear, precise, and succinct statement of the question or issue that is to be investigated with the goal of finding an answer or solution.
• Theoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is based. It is logically developed, described, and elaborated network of associations among the variables relevant to the problem situation.
• A hypothesis is a tentative statement that proposes a possible explanation to some phenomenon or event. A useful hypothesis is a testable statement which may include a prediction. A hypotheses should not be confused with a theory.
• Data analysis: the data gathered are statistically analyzed to see if the hypotheses that were generated have been supported.
• Measurement is the process observing and recording the observations that are collected as part of a research effort.
• Deduction is the process of arriving at conclusions by interpreting the meaning of the data analysis results.

Problem Formulation

• Well begun is half done” --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb
• Where do research topics come from?
• The idea for a research project?
• One of the most common sources of research ideas is the experience of practical problems in the field?
• The Literature Review

The Research Cycle

• QUESTIONING
• PLANNING
• GATHERING
• SORTING & SIFTING
• SYNTHESIZING
• EVALUATING
• REPORTING*

Information needs in business

• Almost every organization has to engage in research at some level to stay competitive.
• Companies gather data both from within and outside the organization.
• The methods used to gather, analyze, and synthesize information from the external and internal environments are becoming increasingly sophisticated to the immense scope of computer technology.

Computer Technology and Business

• ICT
• Information
• Communication
• Technology

The research process

• Observation
• Data gathering
• Problem definition
• Theoretical framework (variables identified)
• Hypotheses
• Research design
• Data collection, analysis, interpretation
• Deduction
• Report writing
• Report presentation
• Managerial decision making

Research design

• Purpose of the study:
• Exploratory study
• Is undertaken when no information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past
• Descriptive study
• Is to able to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest in a situation.
• Hypotheses testing
• Is undertaken to explain the variance in the dependent variable or to predict organizational outcomes.
• Case studies
• Research design can be thought of as the structure of research -- it is the “glue” that holds all of the elements in a research project together

Measurement

• The rating scale
• Have several response categories
• Likert scale is designed to examine how strongly subject agree or disagree with statements on a 5-point scale
• Ranking scale
• Are used to tap preferences between two or more objects or items
• Goodness of measure : reliability, validity

Data collection methods

• Data can be collected in a variety ways, data sources can be primary or secondary.
• Data collection methods such as:
• interview(face-to-face, telephone, computer-assisted interviews),
• Questionnaires
• Observation
• Motivational technique

Sampling

• A sample is a subset of the population.
• Sample is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the population.
• Studying a sample rather the entire population is sometimes to lead to more reliable results, mostly because fatigue is reduced, resulting in fewer errors on collection data. (time, cost, human resources)
• Surveys are useful and powerful in finding answers to research question but if data are not collected from the people or objects that can provide the correct answers to solve the problem, the survey will be in vain.

Data Analysis and Interpret

• The data analysis involves three major steps, done in roughly this order:
• Cleaning and organizing the data for analysis (Data Preparation)
• Describing the data (Descriptive Statistics)
• Testing Hypotheses and Models (Inferential Statistics)

Descriptive Statistics

• Descriptive statistics
• Provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures.
• Central Tendency. The central tendency of a distribution is an estimate of the “center” of a distribution of values. There are three major types of estimates of central tendency:
• Mean is the most common-used measure of data tendency. =average.
• Median is the middle value, when the data is arranged in numerical order. 
• Mode is the value (number) that appears the most.
• Dispersion (Range, Standard Deviation)refers to the spread of the values around the central tendency

• Inferential statistics
•  t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), regression analysis, Correlation is a measure of the relation between two or more variables.
• We use inferential statistics to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference between groups. Thus, we use inferential statistics to make inferences from our data to more general conditions;
•  We use descriptive statistics simply to describe what's going on in our data.

The Research Report

• Research proposal
• Research report
• Research presentation

Research report articles vary in how they are organized:

• Abstract - Brief summary of the contents of the article
• Introduction - A explanation of the purpose of the study, a statement of the research question(s) the study intends to address
• Literature review - A critical assessment of the work done so far on this topic, to show how the current study relates to what has already been done
• Methods - How the study was carried out (e.g. instruments or equipment, procedures, methods to gather and analyze data)
• Results - What was found in the course of the study
• Discussion - What do the results mean
• Conclusion - State the conclusions and implications of the results, and discuss how it relates to the work reviewed in the literature review; also, point to directions for further work in the area

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Business-plan-template

1. Business Overview

•  

Include in your overview:

• what your business does, your products or services
• how long you have been operating
• the industry you’re in
• point of difference over your competitors—such as different location, cheaper price or better service—and key benefits to your consumers
• where the business will be in two-to-five years and how this will be achieved, e.g. your position financially and in the market place (you may need to complete this after you’ve worked through the other sections)

2. Products/Services


Describe what you are going to offer your customers, including:

• exactly what you are going to sell or provide and how it will be produced
• branding and packaging (where applicable)
• ongoing product or service development
• your product/service’s features and how they compare to major competitors
• the price and how you have determined it (by considering production costs, labour and other overheads)
• any dealings with supplier/s

3. Market Analysis



Research your market and industry. Consider the following sources: industry profiles on IBISWorld, trade magazines, government reports, consumer surveys, running focus groups, identifying your competitors etc.
Briefly outline what market your product/service will serve and why. For example, if you plan to publish a magazine, you need to know about publishing trends, online competitors, other publications that cover your market (including their circulation, advertising rates, reader profiles) and identify a viable gap to fill.
Make sure you include:

• who will buy your product or service
• where your market is located: local, regional, state, national or international
• the state of the market: is it growing, declining, segmented?
• market influences such as seasonal price fluctuations or trends
• the price range: based on your target market will it be high, low or in the middle

4. Competition


List details about your competitors including:

• who and where they are
• how you'll position your product or service against them
• your product/service features against theirs and what gives you a competitive edge
• the benefit/s of your service/product to the consumer
• comparison of your pricing, promotion and distribution

5. Marketing Strategy


Show how consumers will find out about your product/service including:

• where, how and when you will promote your product/service such as shopping centre promotions, point of sale, viral marketing, billboards, loyalty schemes, etc
• what type of printed materials you’ll create
• your website or online presence
• details and cost of advertising including print, online, TV and radio
• product/service launch plans
• how you will measure the success of your marketing strategy and various promotions
• how pricing will encourage sales (e.g. selling in bulk)

6. Business Structure and Management


Describe the ownership structure (such as sole trader, partnership, company) including:

• reasons for chosen structure
• any trademarks, patents, web addresses and other intellectual property you need to protect
• owners and any legal agreements you may need
• any key staff, their involvement, responsibilities and expected salaries
• your exit strategy

7. Finances


Summarise your financial situation including:

• how you'll finance your business, e.g. business loan, personal funds, investment capital
• costings, including your start-up costs, salary and fixed overheads
• financial projections including how much you will need to make to break even, when you are likely to make a profit and growth expectations
• Type your financial summary here.

Validate your summary by completing these financial templates and attaching them to the end of your business plan. Download these templates and guides and save them separately.

• Establishment Costs Template (MS DOC 40Kb)
  These are your start-up costs which will not be repeated, e.g. setting up premises, licences, buying equipment, market research, etc
• Financial Statements (XLS 298Kb)
  Use this template to produce financial statements such as profit and loss, balance sheet or cash flow statements
• Cash flow forecast template (XLS 332Kb)
  Use this automated cash flow worksheet to forecast and record cash flow. The worksheet will update your figures as you type. If you're not sure how to use this worksheet, there's a plain English explanation of cash flow

8. Action Plan



Your action plan is the most important part of your business plan. It manages how you’re going to achieve your business plan objectives, so review it regularly and use it to control your activities.  List the actions by key areas such as:

• establishment
• legal
• finance
• marketing

List the key tasks to be done, by whom and by when. Don’t make them too detailed or they become unworkable. If you don’t achieve a task, reschedule it, but if it’s still not done by the second date, ask why. Is it too large? Is it unclear how it will help the business? Do we have the skills to do it?  See example below.

Key Objectives	Task	By Whom	By When
Establishment
	Register business and trademark	CP	15 Dec
	Research and purchase licences	FB	15 Dec
Finalise premises	- Rental agreement - Redecorate - Finalise office set up	TS	1 Feb
Legal
Contracts	Consult with lawyer	FB	15 Dec
	Finalise contracts	FB	15 Jan
	Sign	TS/CP/TGJ/FB	1 Feb
Finance
Determine fixed overheads	- Get costings - Meet with accountant	CP	15 Dec
Determine financial objectives	Identify amount to reduce loan	FB	1 Jan
Finalise cash flow plan	- Review P&L with managers - Complete cash flow plan	CP/TS/ FB	1 Jan
Finalise initial finance	Review finance documents	CP	1 March
Marketing
Determine sales and marketing objectives	Identify sales in each quarter for first year	FB	1 Jan
Determine launch plan	Outline plan	TS	1 Feb
	Agreement and decision on implementation	TS/CP/TGJ/FB	1 March
Create a brochure	Agree concept	TGJ	15 March
	Approval of copy	TGJ/CP	30 April
	Print	TGJ	10 May
	Distribute brochure	TGJ	1 June

Appendix I: Competitor Analysis


Use this table to list your competitors and how you compare against them. Think about how your business can improve on what they are offering.

Competitor	Date Established	Size	Market share (%)	Value to customers	Strengths	Weaknesses
Their name	When they started	Staff #s or turn-over	Estimated percentage of market share	Their unique value to customers, e.g. convenience, price, quality, service	Their main strengths	Their main weaknesses

Appendix II: Strategic SWOT Analysis


A strategic SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis will help you turn your knowledge into strategy which you can then turn into actions. It provides direction to the business and its marketing strategies.
Use this table to describe your businesses strengths, weaknesses etc and develop strategies that will help you eliminate or mitigate them. Lists ways you can capitalise on your strengths and take advantages of opportunities.
Consider turning the strategies into actions using your Action Plan.

	Strengths	Weaknesses
	Advantages the business can exploit, e.g. good customer service innovative edge unique products	Areas of the business that need to be acted on, e.g. poor website not enough staff training
Opportunities	Strategies using strengths to address opportunities	Strategies to reverse weaknesses to address opportunities
Marketplace areas that can be built on, e.g. gaps in the market competitor closure	Ways to take advantage of business strengths, e.g. promoting good customer service to attract competitor’s customers	Ways to ensure weaknesses don’t hamper opportunities, e.g. hiring an experienced trainer to upskill staff provide better customer service, something no one is offering well at the moment
Threats	Strategies to counter threats with strengths	Strategies to fix vulnerabilities
External issues that could affect the success of the business, e.g. decrease in consumer demand sudden increase in costs	Ways to use business strengths so threats are not a problem, e.g. launching new product to revitalise consumer demand	Ways to address areas where the business may be vulnerable, e.g. utilising new technologies or social media to reach potential customers adapting green practices to minimise costs

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