By Erick Simpson, MCP, SBSC
If you have the right combination of technical skills and people skills, the managed IT services business can be quite lucrative for you as a reseller. Having a solid business plan in place – one that covers your marketing strategy, competition and financial projections – will be an essential ingredient in your success. Learn more about creating a business plan for managed IT services in our article, Managed services, your business plan and you.
An effective business plan is comprised of several key sections. Additional components may be included to address specific needs, and to tailor the plan for a specific outcome. The following items comprise a short list of required topics to include in a basic business plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- A brief summary of the business
- Key highlights in the company's history
- A description of your key management team
- A brief outline of your uniqueness in the industry
- A concise narrative of your current financial position
VISION, MISSION & GOALS
- Your company's vision statement
- Your company's mission statement
- Your company's goals
COMPANY OVERVIEW
- A brief company history
- Your company's legal business description (Corporation, LLC, etc.)
- Your board of directors
- Your company officers
- A brief summary of your notable clientele
MARKETING PLAN
- Your creative marketing strategies
KEY ALLIANCES AND VENDORS
- An accounting of key relationships that will influence your marketing plan
REVENUE SOURCES
- An illustration of your current revenue streams
- A description of future revenue streams
COMPETITION
- A general competitive analysis
FINANCIALS
- A narrative of your financial projections
- Your financial charts or spreadsheets
About the author
Erick Simpson, MCP, SBSC, is vice president and CIO of Intelligent Enterprise Inc., and Managed Services Provider University Inc., a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner in Garden Grove, Calif., where he oversees all technical aspects of the organization and helps develop new managed services training and fulfillment services for Intelligent Enterprise's Partner Channel. Intelligent Enterprise Inc. specializes in providing managed services training, help desk, and sales and marketing services to IT service providers nationwide through their Managed Services University at www.mspu.us.
