Get busy on your business plan

If you're thinking of starting or even growing your business, you'll have heard time again that you need a solid business plan. The only problem is that as Busy Girls, it can be hard to find the time to sit & really think about what you're going to do.

We find writing a business plan is a bit like going to the gym. You put it off, finally summon up the energy & confidence, don't particularly enjoy living through the experience but boy, do you feel a sense of achievement once you are done!

In the first of a new series of features written by Emma Jones, home based business owner & Editor of Enterprise Nation, the home business website, we look at how to prepare a business plan.

Top Tips

Writing a business plan might seem like an onerous task but, if you put your mind to it, you can write a plan within the day & it certainly does help to clarify & confirm objectives.

Here are my tips to creating a brief but purposeful plan.

1. Give yourself dedicated time

Try to find a day when you will have the least amount of distractions. Maybe a Bank holiday or weekend as you can work on the plan, uninterrupted by emails & phone calls.

2. Keep the plan brief

This applies whether you are sending it to friends/family for them to consider investing or if it is just for your own sense of clarification. The best ideas can be expressed in the shortest amount of time but be sure to include some key headings, being:

The product - what is the service or product you are offering
The market - who will you be selling to & who else is currently selling to the same market
Operations - how will you develop, promote & sell the product & retain customers
Financials - does it all add up? Will you earn more than you spend?

It is well worth dedicating a good day to this exercise. A well-written business plan will remind you of your key business objectives & you can return to it every six months or so to ensure you are meeting targets & to update the contents.

Have a great week & I'll catch up with you next Monday - do let me know how you get on, or if you have any questions - Busy Girls Blog

Emma x

Emma Jones is Managing Director of Redbrick Enterprises Ltd & Editor of Enterprise Nation, the home business website.

For more information on starting & growing a business at home, visit >www.enterprisenation.com