Tips on Writing a Business Plan
A business plan is a document that tells the story of your business from start to finish. It can help you determine your goals, identify your competition, and develop marketing and financial strategies. When starting a new business, it can be difficult to determine what steps to take for your startup to reach its full potential. This is especially true if you have no prior experience or knowledge in the business or the specific industry. Fortunately, several resources can help you develop a business plan for your new startup. The following resources can provide the information and guidance needed to create a sound business plan for your new venture.
Business Plan Resources
Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA offers free resources to assist you in creating a business plan. They offer help in market research, financial calculations, funding, and more. Here is a list of Market Research Links offered by the SBA.
Business Planning
Careful business planning is critical to maximizing the potential of a business. More importantly, a business plan greatly reduces stress levels, which ultimately will cause personal and business ruin. A business plan allows for focus on the execution of the activities that bring the most value to the business. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has reliable sources for small business data trends.
Business Plan Template
Business plans should be a work-in-progress. Even successful, growing businesses should maintain a current business plan. Many resources are available to assist in developing a business plan; however, the principals must roll up their sleeves and do much of the heavy lifting. Professionals and software providers can help produce the business plan, but the principals must fully own it. If the principals don’t own the plan, it will likely be a document that doesn’t get looked at after the bank financing comes through or the exercise is complete. Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you — or investing in your company — is a smart choice. Contact us if you want a done-for-you solution where we write it for you. Schedule a call using the link below: