Business Plans

Posted: Nov 05, 2009 |Comments: 0 |

You will be surprised as to how many sources of advice there is out there so spend some time hunting them down.

Follow a Framework

Having a framework or outline to follow can make the task of writing a Business Plan so much easier. The 3 parts to your Plan are:

Where you are now

Where you intend to be

How you are going to get there

This is your framework which will guide both you and the reader through your business and your idea.

Tell the Reader Where You Are Now

In your first section you want to paint a picture of where your business is now. These are the main areas to cover:

Business history

Location and premises

Your product or service

Your market

Your customers

Your competition

Your staff

Equipment

Provide an insight into each part of your business so that the reader of your Plan knows how the business looks now. Obviously if you are just starting up provide an idea of how you see these aspects of your business once you get going.

Tell the Reader Where You Intend To Be

Having given an overview of your business, the next step is to tell them where you want to be. The main points to cover are:


Your objectives and goals

State what you want from the reader – a loan or overdraft for example

Explain why you need and what it will be used for

Tell the Reader How You Are Going To Get There

It’s all very well promoting your idea and business but the important point to put over is how you are going to get there. Here are the key points to cover:

Marketing plan

Additional resources needed to meet your objectives and goals

Your contribution in terms of cash or equipment

Security you can offer to support a request for finance

Profit and loss and cash flow forecast to show that you plan to make money and that you can pay back the loan

If you are able to see how the staff in similar businesses interact with customers, how the marketing is done, and generally assessing what works and what doesn’t.

Provide Some Supporting Information and Evidence

Your Plan will have contained a lot of information, so it is helpful to include supporting documentation to provide more background. Placing these additional items as an appendix ensures that the flow of the Plan has not been affected by additional information.

What sort of items could you include?

Letter of support from your Accountant

Confirmation of pending orders from customers

If you are purchasing a property, you could include the sales particulars
Ask Someone to Review It

When you are totally immersed in a task you can easily miss obvious mistakes. Ask someone to review your Plan to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors – don’t rely on Spell Check! Does it all make sense? Have you been logical in your arguments?

Get the Presentation Right

After having spent a lot of time and effort on the content you don’t want to spoil it all with poor presentation! Here are some tips:

Get the Plan typed; it will make it look more professional

Make sure all the papers are clean and that there are no dirt marks or coffee stains! Buy some good quality paper

Purchase a classy folder or binder to put your Plan in (paper clips or staples may not portray the right image!)

Don’t forget to include all your contact details

So that’s it! Follow these simple steps and you’ll quickly have your Business Plan written and ready to go

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/business-plans-1423187.html

    Article Tags:

    online business

    ,

    computer

    ,

    marketing

    ,

    article writing

    Internet Marketing Expert

    Those seeking to build an online business using internet marketing computer strategies should begin with a specific end goal in mind. And that end goal should be the complete (or complete as possible) automation of your online business. There are indeed some internet marketing computer strategies one can employ that require less work and generate somewhat equal results in the short term, but you should be planning for the long-term;

    By: Internet Marketing Expertl Business> Online Businessl Jun 16, 2010 lViews: 123

    If you give two years of yourself in your dedication to writing unique articles on the Internet, your business will positively benefit from it.

    By: collegeofcontentl Internet> Internet Marketingl Apr 01, 2012

    If you're just starting to pursue online marketing, there are a few hints I can share with you of what to expect. This is not an easy road. You will need time, marketing tools, finances and a commitment that is second to none. You are going to get discouraged and want to throw in the towel. You're going to have to pursue your career even though you don't fell like it. You will need someone to call for help. Give me a call for your..free consultation! "Let's Build Your Business Together"

    By: Larry L Millerl Internet> Internet Marketingl Jan 13, 2010

    So what is internet marketing for online businesses? It almost sounds quite silly, because surely online business is in fact internet marketing? Well the answer is no, they are two completely separate entities and the thing that most people don't realise is that without good internet marketing your online business is going nowhere fast. So many people think that by having a good product and a fantastic website they are going to make a success online and make a fortune. This unfortun...

    By: Angel Juarezl Businessl Feb 15, 2011

    Are you sick of doing your regular 9 to 5 job? Do you feel your job really boring? You don't want to work under anyone else now and want to be your own boss? Have you made the decision to start a new online business? What kind of business you want to start? Do you have a much better idea of exactly what type of business you want to start? There are various types of online business like, Marketing business, Internet service, Online selling, EBook writing for clients and many more.

    By: Alexl Business> Business Ideasl Apr 21, 2012

    If you want to start an online business and you have virtually no budget there are several options available to you. This article explores online businesses that you can start on a shoestring – for those of you who are on a tight budget but still want to start an online business.

    By: Daniel Morol Business> Online Businessl Jul 31, 2007 lViews: 160

    In USA, one of the leading brands that offer diverse and high quality products promoting proper hygiene is Difresh USA. If you are looking for the best opportunity to grow and have the opportunity for a new business Difresh USA can help you for they are looking for Exclusive Local Distributors

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    Getting clean and refresh doesn't sacrifice the place where you are for it should be a habit. Having a healthy body will allow you to do things right and good. And no matter where you are you should practice a healthy and proper hygiene even in little things you do.

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    Maintaining a healthy and proper hygiene badly needs products that are truly effective and could truly answer our need for this. No matter where we are and at anytime we want to get clean we basically need these products right away and only Difresh USA can supply these in a very easy way

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    The key reason why some firms thrive while some implode during an financial recession is still a puzzle to many people business-owning business owners. Some wrongly assume that all businesses should suffer via recessionary cycles. But the truth is that some companies are usually essentially recession-proof, and it is not necessarily because they are much larger, better known, or a lot more generously capitalized.

    By: danhoh75rel Businessl May 31, 2012

    Companies like Arch Coal (ACI) and Massey Energy (MEE) watched his or her stock climbed.

    By: pennystockegghead49l Businessl May 30, 2012

    Your audience is hungry for information. But they want it in the right format. The format must be easy to read, easy to digest and easy to apply. If you deliver your articles the way your audience likes it, they will reward you by reading every article you publish. They will even visit your website, sign-up for your ezine and eventually visit your product page just to receive more of your helpful information. By writing short articles you can capture attention, gain more traffic, create more s

    By: Ravish Kalral Internetl Oct 26, 2009

    I don't know about you, but when I first entered the world of internet marketing I thought I could just submit my newly finished website to a few search engines, then sit back as the visitors flocked to my site. I imagined that people would arrive on my website, as if by magic, purchase goods, and perhaps come back again for more. A week or so later I came down to earth with a big bump. I realised that it would take a bit of time and effort to see the results that I was dreaming about! S

    By: Ravish Kalral Internetl Oct 23, 2009

    Why is it that a premium value is placed on items that are original creations? Why first-time experiences are never forgotten? Our musical culture shares this same sentiment. In this digital world where imitation or replication is inexpensive, effortless, and instantaneous, it is a delight to rediscover such original favorites and re-live memories through music. Thus, the creation of True Tones. True Tones are a compilation of ringtones as they were first heard by the public. Original voices.

    By: Ravish Kalral Computers> Networksl Oct 13, 2009

    Understanding each other in a common language is an important aspect in human relationships since language promotes unity and coherence. There are over a hundred languages in the world today. Aside from those, each country has vernacular languages, too. Given the numerous languages available, understanding each other can either be made complex or simplified. With the introduction of the internet, communication evolved into an entirely different stage. This time, the computer screen is the on

    By: Ravish Kalral Computers> Networksl Oct 13, 2009

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast