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How to Write a Business Plan. Spend the time to create an accurate and detailed picture
of your business for investors, with a plan that will answer all of their questions. You
will need A standard business plan form A market analysis Information on regulatory
restrictions Knowledge of your industry and product. Step 1. Detail an executive summary
with a brief mission statement. Include names of partners and employees, functions, services
rendered, and business location. Step 2. Provide a market analysis that reflects your knowledge
of the industry, the industry's outlook, target markets, and an evaluation of the competition.
Gathering information on regulatory restrictions that affect your business is essential. Step
3. Include a snapshot of the company with organization and management described, including
salary and benefits. Add the ownership information, clarifying legal and practical involvement.
Step 4. Define your market strategy with information on penetration, channels, and growth. State
communication and advertising decisions and your overall sales strategy, identifying prospects.
Step 5. Present your product line, emphasizing distinct advantages with a target public.
Give patent or copyright information. Relate any ongoing research and development. Step
6. When requesting an investment, present positive and negative funding scenarios and
needs over the coming five years. Make capital expenditures, working capital, debt retirement,
and acquisitions clear. It is better to be accurate and honest than to project successes
that might not materialize. Step 7. Detail your financials, historical and prospective,
capturing realistic quarterly and yearly projections. Step 8. Add an appendix with supporting information.
Provide credit history, resumes, references, market studies, licenses, leases, contracts,
and names of consultants. Did you know Did you know? According to the Small Business
Administration, only 67 percent of businesses make it past two years.