Your Business Plan Doesn’t Have to be a Bore

Many people design business plans as simply part of the process and usually go by the standard rules for development. This is all fine and can be done without much effort but that’s only if you don’t want to create a winning business plan. No one wants to read a boring, dull or badly designed business plan. This is one of the reasons that many business plans aren’t as successful when seeking financial funding but this can be easily avoided. Creating a business plan is more than just part of the process but it’s a major part of the plan. Any business owner who seeks funding should realize that there are thousands of other owners seeking funding from the same investor and there needs to be something to set your plan ahead of the rest.

Boast the Benefits

Make your intentions plain and clear in the business plan. This prevents the potential investor from having to guess exactly what your business offers. Explain how your business will benefit others and what will attract them to the business. Identify the steps you’ve taken to research the target audience and display the percentage of interest shown by those surveyed. Be sure to demonstrate the result between the activity of the plan and the proposed results. Funders desire to know the size of the market the business will cater to and the plan to engage those interested in the product or service offered by the business.

Money Matters

Individual or team business owners will find that a strong financial section is crucial for a business plan. Clearly outline projections for financial flow, profits, loss and balance sheets with a two to three year projection. Most investors will focus on the first year but reflecting the additional years demonstrates the thought process that has gone into the financial expectation of your business. The most critical elements of the plan are outlined in the profit margins, in addition to the forecasts. Investors and financial institutions really study this areas of the plan and it should be created with great detail and clarity. Make certain to show the financier exactly what the customer will receive with mock ups or a diagram if possible. Seeing is believing and in many cases, it’s money that matters to your business.