How to Write a Small Business Plan

Knowing how to write a small business plan is important for any small business owner, whether the business is new or established. But many business owners feel unprepared to write a small business plan. The process doesn't need to be complicated; it's fairly straight forward. Follow the steps in this article and you will be ready to write a small business plan for your business.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Write an Outline. Writing a good small business plan begins with an outline. This lets you know that kind of information you'll need to gather in order to complete your plan. Your outline should include information about the following: company owners, history and locations; products and services that the company offers; the market that the company operates in; sales and marketing strategies that the company uses; company management and organization of people; and company financials.

2. Gather the information you need to flesh out your business plan outline. Some of the resources to use as sources of information include company financial statements, an organization chart, company catalogs or other sales materials, and interviews with key members of the management.

3. Complete an Executive Summary. Once you have fleshed out the individual elements of your business plan, create an executive summary which gives an overview of the business and touches on all the individual items to follow. The Executive Summary should come at the beginning of your business plan and should be written with great attention since it will be the first impression of your small business for anyone reading your small business plan.

4. If necessary, outline your request for funding. If you are writing your plan in order to get funding for your small business, outline that request at the end of your plan. Be sure to include the amount that you are requesting and how it will be used.