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Stop Avoiding It... It's Time To Write Your Business Plan

By Sasha Desmarais

Ok so you have a business idea. What now? Well don't let your thoughts of sipping Cappuccinos in your new office space, feet up on your maple executive desk swirl around that head of yours just yet. You need a plan, a business plan to be more specific.

A business plan is vital to any new business venture. It is a written document that explains the basic business concept and all related start up considerations. Sounds boring? Well it's not as exciting as picking out the colors on your business cards, but any business owner will tell you that you shouldn't spend a dime on your venture without it.

Let's get started. A typical business plan is separated into 11 categories.

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Vision and Mission Statement
Company Overview
Products/Service Plan
Marketing Plan
Management Plan
Operating Plan
Financial Plan
Appendix of Supporting Documents

Now the titles pretty much speak for themselves, except for some of the more ague ones..like the executive summary. The executive summary is an overview of the entire business plan. It is what is supposed to keep the reader interested in reading the whole business plan. Keep it interesting.

Don't think a business plan has to be 30 pages long, on the contrary, the ones that actually get read are between 3-6 pages, and I'm talking double spaced.

Business concepts are fragile. Without a written reminder of what you are doing and why, the concept may be strewn as you spend sleepless nights working on getting your business started. See your business plan as a map that keeps you on the very difficult business track.

You might be thinking that all of this sounds like too much work and that you can keep all of your ideas and visions, "Right up here... (you say pointing to your head)". Well even if that was true, which I doubt, while you may know your business concept like the back of your hand, an investor might not. Yes investors, you know those people who fork over money in hopes that your business will not tank like most small businesses do? No investor will pass you a penny before seeing your business plan. So if you can't do it for you, do it for them.

Well I hope I've convinced you. Write that business plan today, and start working on your business tomorrow.

Additional Resources

Biz Planit
www.bizplanit.com

Small Business Administration, Business Plan Outline
www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html

BIZPLAN Builder
www.jian.com

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