Archive for June, 2011

Your Perfect Business Plan

June 30th, 2011

Everything here is is to help you write your perfect busines plan.

Free small business plan information to help you get started…

If you plan on receiving third party financing for you home business then creating a small business plan is something that you absolutely must do. Most people starting small businesses do not write out a business plan and from a academic standpoint this is large mistake.

Your business plan is in essence the backbone of your business.

You are going to need to create one especially if you plan on receiving a small business start up loan or grant. No investor will take your request for money seriously unless you can show them a viable business plan. I know you don’t know where to start, but don’t worry… It should not be too tough of a task after reviewing the information found here.

You have two options when creating a small business plan: you can hire a professional to write one out for you or you can create a free small business plan by writing it yourself.

Your small business plan can be simple, all it must do is describe what your business is and where you want it go in the future.

Essential parts of a small business plan:

Title Page:

On this page you include the name of your business, your business’s address, phone number, email address, website URL, and of course your name as well as an other business owner

On the title page you should also include a one page statement explaining why you created your business plan (e.i. why you need money to start for your small business)

Table of contents:

Summary

A sentence or two about each section of your business plan to grab the attention of your potential investors.

Business Description

This section contains the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your small business. Give your companies physical location information, when your business was formed, what type of legal entity your business is formed under, and a brief description of your product or service.

Product or Service Rendered

Explain how your business operates and be as specific as possible.

Your Plan

How are you going to market your product or service? Who are you going to market your product to? Who is your existing competition? Answer these questions in this section of your small business plan.

Day to Day Operational Requirements

What will you do on a day to day basis in your business? What type of equipment will you need? Answer these questions in this section of your small business plan.

Personnel

Who will be the people directly involved in your business? What will they do? If you are going to run a home business you may be the only person directly involved in your business. Explain your role, your background, and what you will have to do to run your business successfully.

Financial Data

To your potential investors this is the MOST important part of your small business plan.

The information that you must include in this section is as follows…

* Projected start up cost: How much money are you going to need to get your business started and what are you going to be spending that money on.

* Projected income statement: How much revenue do you expect to produce in your business start up phase?

* Expected profit and loss: Self explanatory…

* Projected monthly cash flow: Your cash flow is how much money you earn minus how much you spend.

* Your personal financial statement: Self explanatory…

* Supporting Docs: In this section you will want to include any supporting information required for the success of your home business and anything else that directly adds as perspective to your start up plans.

Writing a Cohesive Small Business Plan

June 25th, 2011

Having a business plan has made and broken more than one successful, business idea. When a potential, small business owner is asked to write a business plan, most of them run the other way. Writing a small business – the business plan can be a complicated process. A business plan is the document you will use to sell your business idea to potential backers, venture capital firms, family friends, or just about anyone who may back your business venture.

Getting funding can be costly and extremely time consuming. It will most likely be the hardest part of starting your business. Therefore, your business plan must convey your excitement with the promise to succeed at your business venture. You maybe excited about your business idea, but that does not mean others will be as excited as you. Not only will you need to convey you excitement but you will need to make sure you illustrate the profit potential correctly. If no one can see the potential, then the odds of getting funding will be slim to none. When writing the small business – the business plan you will need to make sure your plan stands out amount the rest.

If your plan looks, and reads like a junior executive wrote it than your business plan may get overlooked. Getting your small business plan to break through the minutia. Start off with the benefits – you will want to start off with detailing what you do and how what you do will provide your investors with a sizable profit. Make your projects believable – do not just show figures, explain what will drive growth, how you plan to capture sales and how the two activities coincide. Show detailed knowledge of your market – you will need to demonstrate that you have extensive knowledge of your marketplace.

You will need to show how you plan to progress into the mass market. Introduce you and your team – this seems like a minor detail. However, you need to demonstrate that you and your team have the experience and accomplishments to achieve the profitability goals. Provide financial forecasts – make sure to keep your forecast realistic. You will want to include a breakdown on how you plan to reach your projections. Demonstrate product or services – the power of observation can go a long way in illustrating your products benefits.

Developing a plan does not have to be the kiss of death. If you structure it correctly, it could be your ticket to success.