The information you need to present in your business plan will depend on what you plan on using the business plan for and your actual business idea. Sometimes that can result in a concise 3-4 page business plan with just the basics and other times it results in a sixty page novella that tells the entire story.
The one thing that is certain is that you do need a business plan. If it's for your own internal use, you can determine what you need to include in the plan to keep your business on track. That may be a notebook of key points, a pile of post-it notes or a formal document. If it's for bank financing, you need to follow the SBA guidelines to make sure you have fully thought through the entire business concept. If you're heading to family and friends, an executive summary may be all you need. No matter what the purpose or length of the plan, you absolutely NEED a business plan if you hope to succeed in business.
The folks at Young Business have done a great job at analyzing what you should present in a business plan. You can pick and choose what works for you so the business plan tells your story.
Keep reading to see what you should include in your business plan....
