Sep 22 2008
Writing a Business Plan
Writing a business plan is one of the most intimidating parts of starting a business especially if you are looking to gain financing. Every time I look at writing a business plan I find that a few rules change over time. As a result there is a lot of conflicting information out there. Here is the latest information set out by the SBA.
Organization
Every business plan should be laid out in this fashion:
1. Table of Contents
2. Executive Summary
3. Business Description & Vision
4. Definition of the Market
5. Description of Products and Services
6. Organization & Management
7. Marketing and Sales Strategy
8. Financial Management
9. Appendices
Length
A business plan is typically between 25 and 40 pages. A new business business plan should be no longer than this. Occasionally an established business will have a longer business plan. This length does not include the attachments in the appendices.
Title Page
The title page of your business plan should have all the contact information someone would need. This should include; Street Address, City, State & Zip Code, Phone Number, E-Mail Address, Web Address. Other information on the title page should include the company name, preparer’s name and date the plan was completed. Adding the preparer’s name is particularly important if you or one of the partners, chair members, etc. were the preparer. If the business plan is well written and organized it will reflect very well on the overall abilities of the management team.
These are just a few main points where I see a lot conflicting information. For more information see: www.sba.gov.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Not A Member? Register for Free!
