When it comes to writing a business plan, there are several elements you need to take into account.
A well-crafted plan can significantly contribute to the success of your company. It can help you attract the right people who can propel your business to greater heights.
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A business plan is a vital stage of establishing a successful business.
It is typically a written document that provides an overview of your business.
It should include all relevant information, like the business goals, financial projections, competition, time-frames, and so on.
However, writing a good business plan is not as easy as it sounds.
Before submitting your business plan, you need to ensure that it covers the key sections.
This includes the executive summary, execution, opportunity, financial plan, company and management summary, and the appendix.
In addition, never send out your business plan if you haven’t even figured out your objectives or finalized your company name.
If you are struggling with a company name, consider using a business name generator to help you with the process.
However, in your eagerness to get your business started, it is relatively easy to commit writing mistakes that can be detrimental to your company.
To ensure that your business will thrive, here are some common pitfalls that you should avoid when writing your business plan.
When writing your business plan, it is important that it appeals to a specific audience.
Many companies tend to cast their nets wide in the hopes of attracting a broader group of customers.
However, in doing so, they will have a remarkably diverse audience which may or may not be beneficial to their businesses. If you want quality customers, you must specify your intended market.
Overestimating financial projections is a mistake that’s commonly made, and easy to fix…
Entrepreneurs often request a large amount of funding, since they feel that it will eventually get reduced during negotiations.
They may also overestimate their sales projections, hoping to divert the attention of their potential investors.
Bear in mind that investors and lenders are experts in their fields, and they can easily detect if the figure you came up with is unrealistic.
If your business plan doesn’t clearly explain your projections and is extremely optimistic, your potential investors may think you are not in tune with your business.
Make sure that the numbers in your business plan correlate with the actual market figures or were derived by actual facts.
Including unrealistic estimates in your business plan will not only influence your business credibility, but will also affect your chances of getting funding in the long run.
Conducting market research is a must when crafting a successful business plan.
You need to connect your business assumptions to facts, and the only way you can do that is by doing your research properly.
If you want to create a successful business, you must never overlook this process or do it half-heartedly.
Lack of research can ultimately discredit your business concept and the whole premise of your business plan.
Make sure that you take the time to learn everything about your business and the industry you are in.
Analyze the market trends, your potential clients and their purchasing behaviours, and your competitors. You want to effectively convey in your business plan that you have a firm grasp of what you are getting into!
Regardless of how unique your business idea may be, you should still expect that you will have competitors, directly and indirectly.
As long as there is a need for the product or service you are offering, there will always be businesses fighting to address it.
You must know who your competitors are in the industry and never under or overestimate them in your business plan.
Underestimating your competitors will make your potential investors think that you cannot see the future risks of your business.
On the other hand, putting too much focus on your competitors will suggest that you cannot succeed.
Make sure that you concentrate on what makes you different from your competitors, and the strategies you plan to use to stay ahead of the competition.
This includes thinking about how you present yourself. Ensure your business plan has a consideration of your corporate brand, and how you can use it to stand out from your competition.
This is one of the easiest mistakes to fall into…
No matter how confident you are with your business planning, if you cannot efficiently convey your idea in your business plan, you might never see it materialize.
Never assume that the investors will only scrutinize your idea and its viability; they will also pay attention to how it was written and presented.
If your business plan is full of spelling and grammatical mistakes, it might tell them that you are not meticulous enough as a business owner.
Remember that your business plan reflects your company and yourself, so you need to exert every effort in writing it and proofing it.
Investors receive a lot of business plans and pitches on a daily basis.
Since their time is limited, don’t expect them to waste their time trying to understand what you are trying to say.
Make sure that your business plan is direct to the point and free from any vague terms.
It is equally essential that your business plan is not overloaded with too much information.
Remember that the goal of your business plan is not to educate the person reading it about the technical aspects of your business.
Make sure that you concentrate on your business key components and avoid using technical jargon as much as possible.
If your business plan doesn’t clearly state your objectives, expect the person evaluating it to move on to the next proposal quickly.
When defining your business goals, make sure they are achievable, measurable, specific, time-bound, and relevant.
Keep in mind that your business objectives are not the same as your marketing goals.
Aside from clearly communicating your objectives, you should also ensure that your plan demonstrates how your business will produce revenue.
Investors will not fund your business if they cannot see any value in it for them!
Every business venture comes with its own set of risks.
Regardless of how simple it may be, there will always be risks involved, so it is important that you include them in your business plan.
Omitting them will not increase your chances of getting funded.
Investors will just think that you are not considering the long-term, or that you’re trying to be too optimistic, which is not very useful!
You should focus on how you plan to manage or mitigate these risks. By going with this approach, you are showing to your potential investors that you are well-equipped to handle risks in managing your business.
Writing your business plan doesn’t need to be complicated. Make sure that you take your time when crafting it so you can avoid committing these mistakes.
Ali Luffman
Guest Author
