Is Your business model holding you back? find out now!

Describing what you do to someone may be one of the hardest things you do each day. If this task is hard to define and make clear to a potential customer, then what does that say about your business model? Not only are entirely new business models possible, they are also necessary for survival.

Is your business model defined by how much revenue is earned within the company? Or by how many new products you can introduce to customers each month? Or can it be the number of clicks you receive daily on social media? A good business model is often defined as a big picture that captures a snapshot of the enterprise and communicates direction and goals to all stakeholders.

Whether you are a business owner just getting started or reinventing the structure of your business, allow time for breaking down your business model into components that give it operational definition. Let the message be clear internally and externally, as this will support building a business following and the overall identity of the business. This model may include elements that describe the organization's unique culture, such as:

• Values
• Office rules
• Behavioral expectations
• Processing of refunds
• Customer satisfaction
• Promotional strategy

Don't forget to consider industry competitors or suppliers in the design of your business model. Two businesses that sell the same product or service can have quite different business models. Many types of business models exist, but as a unique business leader, which features will you develop?
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As part of your planning or updating phase, here are just a few business models to consider:

• Subscription: Originally developed for magazine and record clubs, the subscription model allows a company to generate recurring revenues, usually on a monthly or yearly basis.
• Direct Sales: This sales model eliminates the middleman and increases the sale-to-delivery speed of a company's products to consumers. Since no additional margins are paid to middlemen, the cost of sales is less, and customers buy at reduced prices.
• Service: The service industry is a large category of our economy and presents the most complex and challenging business models. A typical service business model may focus on increasing customer satisfaction, which leads to loyalty, which leads to profitability.

It is not uncommon for highly successful businesses to update or change their business models every two to four years. If you are still in the start-up phase of your business, there is no better time than the present to gain clarity on future development and plans.