Help making a business plan

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Help making a business plan

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greenbeing

posts: 1

Aug 26, 2008 2:01 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

hello- I`m in the middle of my business plan- I think it`s a huge pain in the A**, but at the same time I think it`s helping. On About.Com there is a good article on writing your plan, helping to break it all down. http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/businessplans/a/bizplanoutline.htm

I`m having a hard time pulling it all together, wrapping it up-- its still overwhelming!! I need it done asap- to try and get a loan. Does anyone know how long it takes to get a small biz loan?

LolaC

posts: 3

Sep 19, 2008 12:58 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

I used the book and software that my grad school professor created. If you`re interested, the book was around 25 bucks and the software was $75. You can take a look at it on the website
www.bankablebusinessplans.com

I also used the guide on about.com that greenbeing was talking about and there`s another one on work.com that summarizes the book I was talking about. Here`s the link for that too.

good luck :)

ezbizplans

posts: 14

May 25, 2009 1:10 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

A business plan is a detailed description of your products and services. It outlines your goals and it`s an extremely important asset to any business owner. It provides timelines, and gets all your ideas out of your head and onto paper, which in turn, will actually help you sleep better at night. :-)

I own EZ Biz Plans and have been writing business plans for 6yrs nationwide. I`m thrilled to be a part of new business owners` excitement as their journey begins in a positive direction. Plus, in today`s economy, a business plan is a great resource to refer to along your new/existing venture.

You will most likely be asked for a business plan at some point down the road, so it`s good to be prepared ahead of time. In fact, a lot of my clients update their business plans annually, as their goals and timelines naturally will change over time. Landlords may ask you for a business plan prior to renting you a space, banks will ask you for a plan if loaning you money and your business is under two years old, if you are purchasing a business or a franchise you will also be asked for a business plan.

There are several chapters and topics in a business plan. My best advice, is to hire a professional or purchase a business plan writing software. One of the most important things to remember tho if you are writing your own business plan, NEVER use "I, We, Our", etc. It`s tacky in a professioal plan. Always use te name of your business: "XYZ Company will ..... or The business will....," etc.

Best of luck to you,

-------------------------

Jocelyn Saccuci
EZ Biz Plans, LLC
4898 S. Fresno Street
Chandler, AZ. 85249
(602) 430-3079 - Phone
(866) 220-9542 - Fax (Toll Free)
www.ezbizplans.com
jocelyn@ezbizplans.com

beigeytarian

posts: 4

Jun 05, 2009 4:44 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

First of all, determine what kind of business strategy best applies to the kind of business you`re starting. Is it an online store? An online store with a physical front? A kiosk? By then, if you`re sure about your product or service and you`ve got a base capital to start it up, study how marketable your products are among your target market. Secure a promotion strategy that best suits your business. Study the place where you`ll set it up, see who your competitors are. Then determine the best price for your market. Of course, you must not forget about your organization. If you`re planning on opening up a retail store in a cart or a kiosk, I suggest you use the CSS LivePOS (www.livepos.com) system for it offers everything you need for your business. Payroll, Inventory, Employee Management..you name it, they have it. I hope that helped!

-------------------------

Experience the Power of LIVE Information, Anytime, Anywhere!

ElementalUnity

posts: 41

Jun 05, 2009 10:04 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

I have found a great site, that my local SBDC recommended me. I am also in the process of this task, and I hope that it comes out great. Here is the site check it out...

http://pitchthenplan.com/

RanksIntl

posts: 16

Jun 06, 2009 2:16 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Hello!

My first question is: what type of business are you looking to start?

Its clearly already been established that you need a business plan. As far as the plan goes there are several key components. If you are looking to use to get some sort of investment, which it seems you are, you are going to need to include not only the basics of your general business outline, financials including a balance sheet and profit/loss statements, management profiles but you will also need market research. No one will lend to you or invest in your business unless they know that they will have repayment of the loan or a return on investment and the first step to proving that is showing that there is a market for your business or some sort of demand for your supply. As far as government grants, it takes a proposal and with a new business its hard to come by. If you would like an outline for a business plan you can email me and I will send you one. Hope to talk to you soon!

-------------------------

Renee` Rankine
renee.rankine@ranksintl.com
http://www.RanksIntl.com

byrneof01

posts: 166

Jun 09, 2009 3:58 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

You do need a plan but it doesn`t have to be a formal one at the start. You must get your business moving in order to create some tangible evidence that it can be scaled by investment. Your business needs to show traction for anyone to invest in it. It is a catch 22 situation.

However, once you have achieved some reasonable traction you should put together a detailed plan based on your experiences. In the past I have fallen into the trap of writing and rewriting business plans before I had any traction. Believe me, it was a waste of time. Keep your early plans informal because you will be changing them a lot. When you find out what works then write a formal plan for investors.

The type of plan depends a lot on your business sector and if you are looking for equity investment or a loan.

-------------------------

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