Business
Plan Writer
So who should write
the plan? Although the prospect of writing a plan is
daunting to many business owners and managers, it is
essential that they are the main contributors to the
plan. After all, if the success of the business is important
to them, then belief in the plan is paramount in enabling
them to achieve the objectives.
Here are
some guidelines to follow:
Owner/managers
should write their own business plan
This is to ensure ownership of the plan – without
which it is unlikely to be implemented. It is also important
to fully understand the content of the plan, in the
event of questioning from the bank manager or investor
on points of detail.
Select
a suitable format to use
Finding a format that is suitable for both the business
and the writer will obviously make the task easier.
There is plenty of reference material available but
a good software package might be preferable as it is
usually interactive and can be updated for future plans.
Set
aside time to do it
Depending on the size of the plan, it is very unlikely
you will be able to complete it at one sitting! A comprehensive
plan could take a few weeks – so a time discipline
is essential. If you take too long, so many changes
will take place that it will never get finished.
Get
your management team to contribute
Get other members of the management team involved in
writing parts of the plan. This could ease the load
as well as help them understand it and their roles in
implementing it.
Write
the plan in simple language and keep it as concise as
possible
When writing the plan for an investor or lender, bear
in mind that the reader may be a non-technical and busy
person – therefore do not use industry jargon
or lengthy paragraphs. It must be easy to assimilate
or it won’t get read!
Engage
the help of a business planning consultant or adviser
If you haven’t written a plan before or the plan
is for a large amount of funding, then it might be advisable
to hire the services of a professional. They should
not write the plan for you but would provide valuable
objectivity and guidance on the structure and content.
They might also help to ensure the plan is completed
on schedule.
stepbystep business
plan software provides a suitable format for most UK
businesses - see demo
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