subject: Essential Steps Involved In Creating A Business Plan [print this page] A business plan is a road map to successA business plan is a road map to success. Before starting any business, it is essential to build a strong business plan. It is not easy to achieve success without having any concrete business plan. It gives a direction to your business. A well-defined structure of the business plan includes all the key elements essential for the smooth functioning of your business. Creating a business plan is a step by step procedure.
Suggesting an Appropriate Name for Business
Name gives an identity to your business unit. It should be short and easy to recall and should effectively describe the nature of the business. It should leave an effective first impression on the target audience. The name should have the capability to become a brand name soon.
Defining Mission and Vision of the Business
Mission includes the activities that your business performs. It highlights the unique quality of your business that makes it stand out from your competitors. Vision defines what your business will look like after 5 years. Mission and vision helps in setting the standards of the company. They also bring together you and your employees to work for a common goal.
Setting Goals and Objectives
While creating a business plan, you should set short-term and long-term goals for your business. Setting goals and objectives help you work harder to achieve them. They act like a motivational source and also give a sense of direction. Goals and objectives should be quantifiable and set to specific time lines.
Conducting SWOT Analysis
Conducting a SWOT analysis helps your business to perform better as it helps you come to terms with the prevailing scenario of your market. After conducting a SWOT analysis, take advantage of your strengths, work hard on your weakness, exploit opportunities and avoid threats. You should work on these four factors as much as possible.
Setting Financial Plan
Setting a financial plan will help you in finding the potential investors for your business. The investor is generally a layman, who does not have a complete knowledge of the business. He will invest in your business after evaluating your financial plans. Setting financial plans also includes defining the budget of the business. Budgets are necessary to have a better control on the cash flow. It also defines the payment structure.
Developing a Strategic Plan
Developing a strategic plan is the most important part of creating a business plan. A business unit cannot get off the ground without having a strategic plan. It includes sales and marketing strategies. A detailed strategic plan is essential to develop the foundation of your business.
Evaluating the Plan
Assessing and evaluating the business plan at the end is essential to make improvements and adjustments in the plan. It helps in improving the efficiency of your business unit, highlights the weak links and the scope to improve them. This gives you the opportunity to celebrate your wins and gears you up to accomplish your next goal.
Once you are done with creating a business plan, you should build upon it continuously and refer it more often, to remain on track by achieving the set goals and targets.
