The preparation of a written business plan is not the end-result of the planning process. The realization of that plan is the ultimate goal. However, the writing of the plan is an important intermediate stage - fail to plan can mean plan to fail. For an established business it demonstrates that careful consideration has been given to the business's development, and for a startup it shows that the entrepreneur has done his or her homework.
Purpose of the Business Plan
A formal business plan is just as important for an established business, irrespective of its size, as it is for a startup. It serves four critical functions as follows:
Helps management or an entrepreneur to clarify, focus and research their business's or project's development and prospects.
Provides a considered and logical framework within which a business can develop and pursue business strategies over the next three to five years.
Serves as a basis for discussion with third parties such as shareholders, agencies, banks, investors etc.
Offers a benchmark against which actual performance can be measured and reviewed.
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Strategic Plans Just as no two businesses are alike, so also with business plans. As some issues in a plan will be more relevant to some businesses than to others, it is important to tailor a plan's contents to suit individual