A class for writing a business plan isn't the most common thing, but they are out there. You have a couple different options for this. Local business development centers, most common in big cities, offer seminars on business plan do's and don'ts, and the US government's SBA offices and SCORE offices will often have business plan courses or materials to share with entrepreneurs for free. You can also invest in any number of books on the subject or simply go to your local library to learn more about resources. There are guides, templates, pointers, calculators, and much more on the web, and major websites like businessplan.com and bplans.com offer a universe of information on the topic. If you don't need the classroom environment, there are many other ways for a self-starter to get on the right path. No matter what though, remember some basics:
• The plan needs to show an appealing investment opportunity, but keep it realistic.
• Every business has competition, so don't say your concept stands alone!
• Who runs the show is important… describe yourself and your team in detail, and disclose any gaps.
• The Year 3 and/or Year 5 net profit figures are the “bottom line†that readers will go to.
• Marketing and implementation are serious items to cover – just because the market opportunity seems obvious to you, don't neglect to describe to someone else how you intend to exploit it.
The business plan's hardest parts, for most self-directed authors, are the market analysis and the financial model. The market piece requires that you have access to current research and that you know how to filter the data to make a meaningful and relevant argument. If you don't have the tools, you can't build the plan. The same is true of the financial model. Software can help you, but if you're not comfortable projecting in Excel, you might find yourself lost. This is where MasterPlans comes in. We have an entire team of driven consultants who specialize in business plan development. With 8,000 successful engagements to date (and counting), you can trust us to get a funding-ready plan in your hands. Call 877-453-2011 to learn more about us!
