Having a great business plan can make or break your business. While there are some entrepreneurs who believe they don’t need to do such things in order to be successful, the odds are ultimately against you. Having a great business plan doesn’t mean your business is foolproof either, but it can definitely improve your odds of success. So how do you get your business plan started? Read on to learn about a few things that are integral to your business plan.

 

Executive Summary

Your executive summary should only be half a page long. It should introduce the business and provide a brief explanation of the purpose of the plan. If you’re writing it to attract capital, you should also provide a detailed explanation of how you plan on repaying the loan and how you hope to align your team. If you’re writing it to provide direction, you should also explain how you hope to achieve this goal and the size of your team.

 

Company Description

In addition to the main business section, you should also introduce the wider industry. This section should include information about the various factors that affect the success of your company. This would mean details about the financial worth of your market, as well as the state of the industry, and its future potential. Use this section to provide investors and employees with a complete and accurate depiction of your company’s environment.

 

Market Analysis

One of the most important factors that you should consider is the viability of the market you’re looking to get into. Understanding the various risks and opportunities that the market has to offer is very important for any business to succeed.

In addition to analysis, you should also consider the scope of the research that you’re going to conduct. This might include conducting a survey to gather information about your potential customers and their buying habits.

 

Competitive Analysis

Aside from explaining the various elements that make you different from your competition, it’s also important to analyze the operations and financials of your competitors. This step should explain the ways you plan to compete with, or even exploit, both the strengths and weaknesses of your competition.

 

Operations

This section should provide an overview of the various tasks and activities that you’ll need to complete in order to implement the plan. It should also include details about your organization’s structure and day-to-day operations.

You should consider including an organizational chart and a comprehensive list of the people who are part of your leadership team. This should include their backgrounds, as well as the information they bring to the table.

 

Marketing

Having a comprehensive marketing plan is also important to ensure that you’re on track to achieve your goals and keep your customers satisfied. This section should also explain how you’re going to promote the business and attract new clients.

This step should also explain how you’re going to promote the business and attract new clients, as well as include a marketing SWOT analysis, which is a tool that analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

 

Finances

Your business plan should also include the finances involved in running your company so that your shareholders can understand how you’re planning on running the business. This will allow them to make informed decisions regarding the company’s future.

A comprehensive income statement is important to ensure that you’re on track to achieve your goals and keep your customers satisfied. This section should also explain how you’re going to promote the business and attract new clients, as well as include a cash flow statement.