Raise Money – Create A Business Plan
You know you need to write a business plan, so let's talk about actually writing it. Here are the guts of a great business plan. I've got ten points here that I'd really like you to follow and pay close attention to.
Number one, decide why you're writing the plan. Are you raising money? Probably. Are you clarifying your future? Certainly. Launching a new venture? Figure it out quickly.
Number two, get the big picture. Prepare an outline then visit The Capital Match Points online resource library. There's over 750 sites dedicated to this alone.
Number three, grab everything that's already handy. Consider marketing pieces, press releases, anything that you think is important. Websites, notes that you've accumulated over time.
Number four, this is so important, just start. Start typing thoughts, ideas, questions, words, and to-dos in each section of your business plan and place your thoughts in the most appropriate section.
Number five, prepare a rough draft. Take your brainstormed ideas and shape them into a useable draft.
Six, hey, now it's research time. Compile information and research to support your claims and assertions.
Number seven, start thinking about your numbers. Very important. At this point, you can make assumptions and develop a form of financial statement. If you start any sooner your numbers will be fantasy.
Number eight, write a final draft and finish the numbers. If one of our investors sees an error, you lose credibility almost instantly. Double and triple your writing for grammatical and spelling errors and certainly your financials, please.
Number nine, set a deadline. Set a deadline you can't ignore.
Number ten, finally, polish your plan to perfection. Get critical comments from readers. Not your husband, wife, business partner, significant other. Go to the source. Lastly, prepare an executive summary that encapsulates the highlights of your entire plan and places it up front. Congratulations, you're now the proud owner of an excellent business plan.
We welcome questions from our entrepreneur and capital seekers when they're writing their business plans. Call us at the Capital Match Point, because ultimately, we're interested in funding your successes.
