This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See

by Seth Godin

You’re creating tension by telling stories. You’re serving a specific market. You’re expecting something to happen because of your arrival. What? This is the heart of the modern business plan. The only reason to launch a project is to make change, to make things better, and we want to know what you’re going to do and what impact it’s going to have. Of course, this section will be inaccurate. You will make assertions that won’t pan out. You’ll miss budgets and deadlines and sales. So, the alternatives section tells me what you’ll do if that happens. How much flexibility does your product or team have? If your assertions don’t pan out, is it over? The people section rightly highlights the key element: Who is on your team, and who is going to join your team. “Who” doesn’t mean their resumes; it means their attitudes and abilities and track record in shipping. You can go further here. Who are the people you’re serving? Who are the champions? What do they believe about status? What worldview do they have? The last section is all about money. How much you need, how you will spend it, what cash flow looks like, profit and loss, balance sheets, margins, and exit strategies. Your local VC might not like this format, but I’m betting it will help your team think through the hard issues more clearly.