10 Steps to Open for Business

Step 3: Create a Business Plan

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Key components of a business plan:

Executive Summary:

Summarizes the most important information within the pages of your business plan - the people, the idea, the market, the competition, the strategy - typically no more than two pages long, the executive summary is usually written last. It takes discipline to keep the summary short, but it's a must.

Business Description:

Details the mission, goals, value proposition, business model, and key assets. After someone reads this section of the plan, they should be able to "get" what you're offering with total clarity!

Market Analysis:

Dives into the needs and wants of potential customers in the market, as well as your competition and the percentage of the market you expect to reach. Be sure to include any pertinent market research and competitive analysis you've done - and cite your sources.

Resource

To generate market size and demographic statistics for your business plan, tap into the U.S. Census or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Marketing and Distribution:

Discusses your strategy and timeline for achieving your marketing goals and defines how you get what you offer into customers’ hands. Be sure to include any new or novel ideas you have for marketing and distributing your product.

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Comments

I just thought I would touch on some software that I just purchased to formalize my business plan in the hopes that others might find the information helpful.  :) I just purchased Business Plan Pro Premier from Palo Alto Software.  It should be arriving in the next couple of days!  I chose this package because it is the one my husband`s chiropractic school has it`s students work through (and since sooner or later we`re going to need to get a business plan written up for him,...

MeLissa, You are waaay ahead of me on that one. I`ve been in business for almost 2 years now and I never created a business plan. I still plan to, but I just haven`t had the time. Lame excuse, I know! I think I`m holding back because I have no idea how to do projections. To me, anything could happen and I have a hard time understanding how anyone can project things in a precise manner. Does this freak anyone else out?

You know, Chris, that is a bit scary to me, too.  Thankfully, as a CPA it was drilled into me that projections (or forecasts) are just like the weather forecast - they`re rarely right.  The idea is to simply give yourself something to shoot for... I can tell you, though, that I have groused more than a little bit to my husband about how it seems like such a waste of time to prepare something of this sort (I complained similarly when I was doing it for other people, too!) whe...

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