Issues to consider when writing a business plan

Introduction

Writing a business plan is a key step in launching a successful business venture. A business plan is a written document that presents an overview of your business, the mission you are trying to accomplish, and the various strategies, tactics, and goals you have for achieving success. It is also a roadmap or guide for future decisions that will shape the success of your business.

In this blog post, we’ll examine some of the key elements of writing a business plan and discuss some of the important issues you should consider before finalizing your business plan. We'll look at topics such as developing an effective financial plan, outlining necessary resources, and structuring business prospects. We'll also discuss how to best market your business in order to reach and sustain your goals.

Establish Goals and Objectives

Having clear and achievable goals and objectives is a vital step while writing a business plan. It helps guide and focus the plan, assess progress and measure success. With this in mind, here are three key points to consider:

Define Long-Term and Short-Term Goals

Setting goals and objectives requires forward thinking. Identifying both long-term and short-term objectives gives you a set of milestones to work towards. Long-term goals can be up to five years away or even beyond, while short-term goals should be achievable within a shorter timeframe, such as three months.

Identify Measurable Objectives

When setting goals, it’s important to make them measurable. Quantifiable goals such as achieving a certain revenue target, hitting a target market share or increasing average purchase value will help gauge the success of your plan. Measuring objectives allows you to understand if the strategy is on track and provides motivation for goals to be met.

Evaluate the Feasibility of Goals

It’s important to realistically assess what goals are achievable. This important step can only be done by understanding the environment, customer behaviour, competitors and emerging trends in the market place. Having realistic goals will help you plan effectively and motivate your team when they complete objectives, while also managing expectations with external stakeholders.

Describe the Business

When writing a business plan it is important to include a description of the business. This description should outline the company’s purpose and mission statement, summarize the type of business and products/services provided and recognize the target customer base and their needs.

Outline the Company’s Purpose and Mission Statement

The purpose and mission statement should provide an overview of the business and its goals. This should include an explanation of why the business exists and what it stands for. It should also include a clear description of the goals and objectives of the business.

Summarize the Type of Business and Products/Services Provided

The business plan should clearly outline the type of business and products/services offered. This will provide a basic understanding of the operations and offerings for potential customers, suppliers as well as investors.

Recognize the Target Customer Base and Their Needs

It is important to recognize the target customer base and their needs when outlining the business plan. This should include an understanding of the current market trends, competitive landscape and customer preferences. This will help to ensure that the products/services offered align with the customer needs.

By including a description of the business in the business plan, potential investors, customers and suppliers will gain a better understanding of the company and its goals.

Analyze the Competition

As a business owner and entrepreneur, it is essential for you to not only know your product and services but also to understand the competition that is currently out there. Taking the time to research and analyze the existing players in the industry is paramount. So, here are some key elements you should consider when you are assessing the competition and formulating your business plan.

Research existing players in the industry

The first step to understanding the competition is to research existing players in the industry. Investigate the products and services they provide and consider how they are marketed. Consider the prices they charge and the differences between their offerings and yours. Keep detailed notes on the workings of your competition and take the necessary time to fully understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Examine their strengths and weaknesses

Once you have done the necessary research, take some time to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. Note the various aspects of their business operations that give them an advantage or the things that might put them at a disadvantage. A good business owner has a clear appreciation for the advantages and challenges that other businesses in the same industry may experience.

Identify possible opportunities

Finally, use the knowledge you have acquired from your research to identify possible opportunities that you can leverage. You may find areas to differentiate your own business, identify markets that are currently underserved, or capitalize on the existing technology and trends. When you create your business plan, make sure to include the insights you gained by taking the time to assess the competition.

Market Analysis

When creating your business plan, it is important to consider the market you will be entering into. Analyzing the market will provide valuable insights that you can use to inform your strategies and help you gauge the potential success of your business. Here are some key components of market analysis that you should consider:

Reference Industry and Economic Data

It is important to have an understanding of the broader industry you will be entering into. Analyze the challenges and opportunities of the industry, and make sure to consider any economic or industry-specific data. Such data can provide snapshots of the competitive environment that you can use to gauge the competitive advantage of your business. Additionally, researching industry-specific issues such as government regulations or market trends that may affect you can provide useful information.

Leverage Demographic Information

When considering the market you will be entering, it is also important to understand the demographic profiles of the customers within that market. Examining demographic information can help you determine the potential size of your customer base, as well as other characteristics about the population such as gender, income level, and age. Such information can help you identify potential opportunities for your business, as well as possible challenges.

Utilize Trends and Customer Feedback

In addition to industry and demographic data, it can also be helpful to analyze trends in customer behavior and opinion. Trends in customer behavior can help you identify changes in the market or unmet customer needs that you may be able to capitalize on. Additionally, collecting customer feedback can help you gain a better understanding of how customers perceive your business and its offerings, as well as how it competes with similar businesses. Such feedback can provide useful insights into areas that you might need to adjust and can help inform strategies for customer acquisition and retention.

Strategies and Execution

When writing a business plan, it is essential to consider the strategies and execution steps in order to create a successful plan. The following are key areas to consider when building out strategies and execution.

Financial Forecasts and Budgets

The financial forecasts and budgets are a key element to consider when writing a business plan. Financial forecasts need to be developed that outline the expected income, expenses, and cash flow. These will provide insights into the expected performance of the business. At a minimum, financial forecasts should include three years of expected performance. Budgets should also be created that contain the outlined goals of the business, with quantitative goals that can be tracked. These will help to ensure the business remains on track and is meeting the envisioned goals.

Marketing Strategy

A comprehensive marketing strategy is essential to the success of a business plan. Key marketing goals and objectives should be identified, along with comprehensive strategies to meet those goals. It is important to identify the target market, define how the product or service differentiates from competitors, and develop strategies to reach the desired market. These strategies may include a range of activities such as:

• Social media campaigns
• Email campaigns
• Google Adwords
• Partnerships
• Advertising

Operational Plans

Operational plans need to be developed that provide insight into the daily functioning of the business. This will include identifying processes for each department, staff roles and responsibilities, and guidelines for customer service. This will provide insight into the current infrastructure of the business, as well as provide a plan for future growth.

Conclusion

A well-written and comprehensive business plan is an essential component for success when starting a business or venturing into an area with major changes. It serves as a roadmap that is intended to not only act as a guide but also a business coach, keeping stakeholders on track, focused, and motivated. A business plan considers many factors, some of which can be overlooked, but all of which are crucial in the success of any business.

Summarize Key Points in the Business Plan

When summarizing the key points of the business plan, ensure that the company’s mission statement is included in addition to the structure and content of the business plan. The mission statement outlines the goals and objectives of the organization, indicating the desired outcome of the business plan. Furthermore, when summarizing key points in the business plan, it is important to consider financing, cash flow, production, sales, personnel and marketing.

Reinforce the Company’s Mission Statement

The mission statement is what drives a business forward and is the backbone of a business plan. The mission statement should be concise and specific, containing enough information to determine the company’s purpose and direction. It should also be reflective of the company’s values, culture and customer engagement. Furthermore, the mission statement should be revisited and updated as the company matures and changes.

Highlight the Potential Success of the Business Plan

The conclusion of the business plan should include language that highlights the potential for successful implementation of the business plan. In order to increase the potential for success, the risks and opportunities inherent in the plan should be outlined in the conclusion. Additionally, the conclusion should include language that emphasizes the willingness of the organization to continuously review, modify and update the business plan when needed.

The conclusion of a business plan is an important part of the document that calls attention to the goals and objectives of the company, reinforces the mission statement, and highlights the potential success of the plan. It is important that this section be complete and well-thought-out in order to ensure the success of the proposed business plan.