How to Create a Timeless Business Plan
Whether you are starting a business or looking to scale your existing business, you will need a business plan..
Writing a business plan can be challenging; you may wonder, do you need a business or accounting degree to create a timeless business plan? No. In fact, you can check out several sample business plans that you can download to help you create your own business plan. You can also review business plan video tutorials when writing your business plan. In this article, we'll show you a simple step-by-step process of creating an effective, timeless business plan that will get you the results you want. However, let us first look at what a business plan is and why it's essential for your business.
What is a Timeless Business Plan?
A timeless business plan is a document that helps outline your future business aim and sets outs a path on how to achieve the goals; it is updated regularly. Also, you can use it as a management tool that allows you to analyze results, make strategic decisions, and show your business operations and growth plan. You can also use it to ascertain that your business idea can come true with action.
Why Should You Create a Timeless Business Plan?
Creating a business plan can be a challenging process, but with the help of sample business plans and a business plan guide, it’s a smooth process. Are you still doubtful if a business plan is worth all the time and investment? And are you in the process of starting or running your business? These are some key benefits that a business plan provides for your business.
Business Plans Help Scale your Business
When you write a business plan, you establish a foundation for your business. It is not about predicting the future for your business but more about working on the core strategies that will help your business grow. After writing your business, should you review it and update it regularly? Yes- this helps you identify gaps and achieve your objectives. A business plan will help you set your goals and track your progress towards achieving said goals. So, update your business plan depending on the customer feedback, observations, and analysis. It shows you not only where you want to take your business but also where you've been. Research shows that of the 543,000 businesses that start every month in the United States, only 7 out of 10 survive in the first two years. And according to Forbes, 50% of all new business without a business plan fails within five years.
Business Plans Help You Pitch and Get Investment
Before making any investment or giving you a loan, investors or banks need to know that your business has a solid foundation and that its trajectory is sound. A business plan helps prove to them that you have an attainable and sustainable business idea that is strong and is financially stable. Your business plan must have key sections, such as financial statements, forecasts, marketing plans, and an understandable business model is available for potential investors. A report published in Havard Business Review shows that 19% of entrepreneurs expecting to receive external financing are more likely to put their ideas into a document than those not looking for investors.
Business Plans Help Make Confident and Tactical Decisions
Business often requires you to make life-altering decisions amid a crisis, growth, decline, or even external pressure. This needs you to be more proactive and make decisions quickly. However, without having an up-to-date business plan, the decisions you make may not be as strategic as you need them to be. By having a regularly updated business plan, you will be confident in your decision-making. This is because you will have all the information needed when hiring new staff, launching a product, or making a significant purchase. Additionally, it allows you to re-plan if a particular strategy does not work out as expected; in order to minimize losses.
Step-By-Step Process of Creating a Timeless Business Plan
1. Ask Yourself Why You Want To Start the Said Business
Start by asking yourself why you identify the reason behind starting or growing your business. For example, a parent with a special needs child may want to start a work-from-home business to give their child more attention and still have an income. Your timeless business plan should identify both your business and personal needs. When you identify your reason, it will keep you motivated even during those phases you feel like giving up.
2. Who Are Your Current Customers?
Identify customers who need your business products and services. You should make a list of closed transactions for the past year- if possible. Within these transactions, identify what features your clients have in common. Depending on your business, you can group them into various categories. These might include;
- Career
- Age
- How they knew about your business
When you establish the character of your customers, you will be able to create the profile of your ideal clients. This will help you narrow down and concentrate on the most effective marketing strategies that will help you attract your target clients.
3. Which Marketing Methods Brought You The Most Business In The Past 12 Months?
In business, the 80-20 rule dictates that 80 percent of your business transactions come from the top 20 percent of your marketing activities. Therefore, as you review your closed transactions, identify the marketing activity that generates most clients. These activities may include referrals, cold calling, or online leads. After identifying them, 80 percent of your marketing efforts should be on the top two lead generation strategies to attract your target clients.
4. How to Serve your Clients and Prospects Better to Impact a Positive Experience?
What you give out comes back twofold. So if you provide your customers with exceptional services, they will reward you by recommending your business to friends, families, and colleagues. But if your services are not pleasant, you will see a decline in business, because customers warn each other. Therefore, focus on improving your business, products and services, and your interaction with customers. Because the more you raise your business and personal standards, the more you attract clients with higher quality.
Final Thoughts
A business plan is critical for your business as it helps validate your idea, set objectives, and successfully pitch your business idea to investors. If you are not sure of how to create a timeless business plan, take a look at some sample business plan templates online to get started. If you enjoyed this Mod, you might like to read more about these 5 Benefits of Outsourcing IT Services! Please consider sharing this Mod using the social links below.
Diana Nadim
Diana Nadim is a guest writer for Millennial Moderator.
