How to Write a Business Plan

Thinking about starting a business ?

Great. Have you got a Plan? That's Plan with a capital "P" for Business Plan . If you haven't written your plan yet, your business is still in the fantasy stages.

That isn't harsh; it's how it is in the real world. A company's business plan is what lenders such as banks Small Business Administration use in deciding to lend you money.
It's the main company document that your employees and you use to gauge your company's success and to make decisions about what you should do first, second, or not at all.

If you're starting a home-based business on a shoestring, some of these suggestions probably aren't necessary, but you still should create a plan that outlines your goals, expected costs, marketing plan and exit strategy. A business plan is your road map for how you expect to succeed and how you'll measure success.

Here is a quick nine-step guide to what you will need in your company's business plan:

1. An executive summary outlining goals and objectives.

The executive summary introduces your business strategy and probably is the most important section for lending institutions. If you can't persuade a loan officer in the first two or three pages that you've got a viable business proposal, you're going to leave empty-handed. This summary is also important as a communication tool for employees and potential customers who need to understand -- and get behind -- your ideas.

2. A brief account of how the company began. 

Clearly explain the origins behind the company's creation and how you or your business associate came up with the idea to start your business.

3. Your company's goals. 

Explain in a few paragraphs your short- and long-term goals for the company. How fast do you think it will grow? Who will be your primary customers?

4. Biographies of the management

team. The management section should include the names and backgrounds of lead members of the management team and their respective responsibilities.

5. The service or product you plan to offer. 

A key aspect of this section will be a discussion of how your product or service differs from everything else on the market.

6. The market potential for your service or product. 

Remember that you've got to convince lenders, employees and others that the market you're after is relatively large and growing. You'll need to do some research for this section. If it's a locally based business, you need to assess the demand for your offering within an xx-mile radius, based on what you determine is a reasonable distance from your business. If it's a Web-based business or a business that relies on both the Internet and local traffic for revenues, you'll need to evaluate demand on a local and/or a national basis. A research report from sites such as Forrester Research can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. But you may be able to get some basic information simply by using the Web and its many search engines and directories.

7. A marketing strategy. 

How do you plan to tell the world you're open for business? Will you rely exclusively on order of mouth (not a good plan unless you've already got a reputation)? Will you advertise in print, television or on the Web (or all three)? Will you useonline services to get your company listed on search engines and advertised on other Web sites? You'll also need to include how much you plan to spend on marketing.

8. A three- to five-year financial projection. 
This section should include a summary of your financial forecasts, with spreadsheets showing the formula you used to reach your projections. You'll need balance sheets, income statements and cash-flow projections for the entire forecast period. The summary in this section is also where you would tell prospective lenders how much money you'd like to borrow to cover your startup costs. The assumptions that you make in this section will make or break your company's success. If you're unsure about using this kind of financial modeling, find a professional or invest in-financial management software . It's worth the money.

9. An exit strategy. 

All good business plans include a section that lays out the benchmarks you'll use in deciding to call it quits. The strategy could be based on a dollar figure, revenue growth, the market's reception to your idea, or a consensus among top officers.

Marketing Campaign

“Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation.”

Marketing is the process by which companies determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It is an integrated process through which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return.

The  description of a “campaign”  is that it must be:

1# Task-based

2# Have a purpose

3# a declared target

4# An outcome targeted 

5# Finite

6# Limited in time

7# Bound by a start and an end

8# Maximises social tools to create an “interest spike” 

Around the date of the campaign – interest leading up to, during and immediately after the event and of course have an ethical exit strategy. If it’s a game or competition, a known and obvious end date.Campaigns give Corporate a chance to baby-step into social media. No, of course they are not your full social media strategy, but they offer an entry point, the opportunity to get one’s feet wet without alienating the shareholders and board of directors from the get-go.

Busines Planning Mistakes

We plan our daily meetings and many tasks of our daily routine work and we plan well. But why fail to make a business plan? Is there something wrong with planning skill? No not at all. We fail because we make the following mistakes:

Research:
We start planning when we see the prospects of a business or we start when an idea blink in our mind. No doubt that idea is seed but you have to grow it at all. Most of the people start planning without any solid research. Remember research is the key point. When you are  going to start for a business plan then you should have sufficient data and proper information about that. I think that Google search engine is best for this type of research and data. So avoid this mistake and collect the proper data and suitable information.
Getting Started:
Alway start when you have the following possibilities: Totally free time ,Peaceful atmosphere, Proper tools.
Start when you have more than proper time that is required for business planning. Your external atmosphere should be comfortable and not disturbing. Always when you sit for this purpose sit with proper tools like computer, pen and paper etc.
Focus:
Do not start if you have not the focus, object, purpose, targets, or any vision for your your business. Otherwise you will loose the interest and will plan in fog. So keep the focus on your vision. Also your business should be supporting the cause that is your goal of life. Because your every plan every single movement of your life make you closer to your goal or away from it. Mind it.

Business Marketing on LinkedIn

Business Marketing  on internet is very powerful when you use LinkedIn to promote your website. Business growth rate can be doubled even tripled by using specific techniques on LinkedIn. A business cannot ignore the importance of social media sites. But as there are some tips and tricks by using which one can promote his website(Business).

I have Discover these six tips in the light of my experience on social media website that I am going to present you:

1# Strong Profile:

First of all ask this question to your self that for what purpose you are marketing and what is your product? Then make a strong profile accordingly including all essentials in it.

2# Contacts:

Add contacts as much as you can but you should not violate the terms & condition of that social networking website. For example some site allow you to add not more than 50 contacts (Slow &steady wins the race)

3# Grops:

Join groups and communities as much as you can but keep in mind that these group and communities must be relevant to your marketing program.

4# Buy Ad Space:

Try to buy some ads on these sites to promote your site. It would be beneficial at early stages of your marketing program.

5# Promote your site:

Start Website promotion by creating some kind of activity like polling or voting etc.

6# Advertise an events:

Trust me it is very easy to get traffic by advertising some events. General net user always seem hungry and crazy abut interesting events.

Business Plan

Business plan  is like a seed. As a plant can not grow without seed . By the same way a business can not be established without a powerful achievable business plan.

Before writing a business plan focus the following points carefully:
1# An executive summary outlining goals and objectives.
2# A brief account of how the company began.
3# Your company's goals.
4# Biographies of the management.
5# The service or product you plan to offer.
6# The market potential for your service or product.
7# A marketing strategy.
8# A three- to five-year financial projection.
9# An exit strategy.

Business plan can be transformed into a successfully running business if you follow these tips before planning it.

Business Management Programs

There are two different views of how programs differ from projects.
One is that projects deliver outputs, discrete parcels or "chunks" of change And second that programs create outcomes.
By combining these projects with other deliverables and changes, their programs might deliver increased income from a new product, shorter waiting lists at the hospital or reduced operating costs due to improved technology.
According to the view that programs deliver outcomes but projects deliver outputs, program management is concerned with doing the right projects.
according to this view, successful projects deliver on time, to budget and to specification, whereas successful programmes deliver long term improvements to an organization. Improvements are usually identified through benefits.
Programme and project management are both practical disciplines.