Anyone can come up with a great idea. It’s taking that idea and turning it into a business that can be difficult. Before you start hiring employees or renting office space, you need to first construct your business plan. Devising a well thought out business plan will help you stay organized and focused, and will increase your startup’s chance for success.
A standard business plan should include:
- executive summary
- company description
- market analysis
- description of products/services
- management and operational structure
- marketing and sales strategy
- financials
Tips for getting started:
Give Your Company a Clear Objective
Clearly state who you are and what products or services you plan on offering. Make sure to incorporate a mission statement that addresses your goals for the company.
Identify Your Target Market
This is a crucial part of constructing a business plan. If there is no market for your products or services, the company won’t succeed. Begin with general assumptions and progressively narrow those down to customize your target demographic.
Examine the Competition
How do you plan on making your product/service stand out from the other substitutes that are on the market? This could include anything from offering lower prices or promising superior quality. It is important to look to the competition when doing this. What are they doing right? What are their areas of weakness?
Budget Accordingly
If you want to secure funding, your numbers will need to be in order. It is important to assess how much money you will need to start the business and stay operating. If you don’t do this in the early stages, you could risk going bankrupt before your startup even launches.
Identify Your Goals and Financial Projections
Though you won’t have any financial sheets yet, you can still make projections for your startup. These can be based off of things such as the population of your target market in your area or how much of the market you expect to penetrate. You may not generate profits in your first year of operations, and that’s okay.
Define the Power Structure
Your business plan needs to address the organizational structure of your startup. Most of the time this is easy if your company is small. However, it is important to have this hierarchy in place so there is no question about the chain of command.
Consider your Marketing Plan
How do you plan on marketing to potential customers? You need to make sure your marketing strategy aligns with your available budget. As a startup, you should think about making this as cost-effective as possible.
Keep It Clear and Concise
Although you want your business plan to be thorough, don’t go overboard with the detail. Aim to keep the writing professional and avoid using slang.
Although constructing a business plan will take time and effort, it is a necessary evil in today’s business climate if you want to be properly prepared before launching your startup. A carefully considered business plan will help you enter the business world well-equipped and ready to compete.
