Planning is the first step to everything. Business is no exception. In fact, it is extremely important to have a proper and effective plan before implementing any kind of business activity. Preparing a business plan for a starting business is the most crucial moment for a business.
A businessman has to do market research, case study and acquire information from various sources.
A business plan not only provides adequate information or guideline to the owner but it creates a specific path for the employee to follow. They don’t get confused either with the help of a proper business plan. This is a very stressful job and a lot of business owner face difficulty with this process.
tools that can help a business owner to properly write a business plan.
Online Tools :-
As the name suggests, mentioned below are a couple of business planning tools that can be used online and provides online customer support.
1. SBA’s Build your business plan tool
This tool provides a step by step process to initiate and complete a business plan . This tool requires its users to create an account which only the users can access. This tool divides the entire business plan into different sections.
Making it easy for the users to plan in a flexible manner. As the user completes the sections, this tool will automatically update the business plan . All the data stored in this tool will be stored for up to six months after the last date of users log in.
2. Enloop
This tool is currently being used by 286,322 business owners, accountants, entrepreneurs, and students. This tool can be used for writing and managing the business plan . The users of this tool can share and edit each other’s plan.
This tool also has a sync feature to integrate financial data into texts for an easy update whenever there is a change in the financials. It has over 100 currency symbols for users all over the world.
This tool also generates ready-made financial forecast reports in a business plan and also provides an explanation to those reports.
3. LivePlan
This tool is a great choice for small business and startups as it simplifies business strategy. budgeting, forecasting, and achievement tracking. Liveplan creates a business plan using eye-catching visual formats and its unique One-page pitch. According to live plan, for a starting business, it’s better not to go into too many details from the very beginning.
Simply present all the necessary data using a single page that can explain the business to everyone in a couple of minutes. Liveplan also allows its users to compare the performance of the users using dashboards. This feature greatly works as a motivation for its many users.
4. RocketLawyer
This is also a tool that uses step by step procedure for making a business plan based on the interview. The users of this tool can customize their plan as they need and when they need. All the information provided here is detailed.
The users can easily grasp the information and use it to their advantage. They Provide support through the inter and LandLines. Their landlines are open from Monday to Friday 6am-6pm PT. This tool has over 20 million users from all over the globe.
4. Stratpad
This is a top rated business planning software. It allows its users to learn tactics that can boost their business. There are video tutorials that show how to operate a business for profit. Users can download a small business toolkit to connect with others professional for consultation and various type of support.
The also provide cloud computing. With this, a user can build their business plan in less than 24 hours, making a financial projection is also a matter of minutes.
Stratpad is currently developing a feature called “StratPad CONNECT” Whether someone is looking for a bank for financing or coaches for consultation StratPad CONNECT will easily identify the appropriate institution or personnel its users.
Business Plan Tutorial
There are many methods for planning a business. A business owner can use Tutorials to get started with a business plan. Tutorials do not create a business plan but explains the methods to create the best business plans. Anyone can gain insights on preparing a business plan using tutorials.
5. How to write a Simple Business Plan
This an Eight Step business plan tutorial, which is a combination of the fundamental elements only. This tutorial is brief and specific. A user can simply use it the way it is or make the 8-Step as a baseline for a more detailed business plan.
6. SBA’s Video Business Planning Tutorial
This tutorial is Presented by Tim Berry founder and chairmen of Palo Alto Software and bplans.com. It is a series of nine videos that are about 5-10 minutes in length.
Each of these videos explains different elements of business planning. The users can pick any tutorial they want to see and skip whichever they don’t need at the moment.
Although the videos are short they can provide insights on where to start and what informations a business owner needs to acquire.
7. Entrepreneur’s Elements Of a Business Plan
This Tutorial Provides an extensive analysis of seven essential segments of a Business plan. What should be and what should not be in the business plan, how to work the numbers and supplementary resources that can help. Unlike the tutorial mentioned above, this one is detailed.
Although there seven segments but each segment is further divided into multiple sections. Properly explaining each segment and section of their purposes and their uses. This tutorial can provide support to practically all types of business owners.
8. Comprehensive Business Plan Outline
This is a business plan outline that provides thorough an explanation of each section and sub-section of a fundamental business plan. Even though it is detailed but it also provides the basic shape only.
Other then the outline, there is also an analysis of what factors should be covered, examples and hints for preparing each section and sub-section in an effective manner.
9. Shopify’s Ultimate Guide to Business Plan
This is a comprehensive business plan guide comprising 9 chapters which cover all the essential parts of preparing a business plan .Each of these nine chapters focuses on individual topics related to business plan .
There are over 446,005 users of this guide. Any person who wants to start a business can try their free 14 Day trial period to test whether the guide is to their liking. Shopify provides 24/7 support for its users and also has forums and help center.
Business Plan Templates
Another way to business planning is using “Business Plan Templates”. Templates already contain the names of segments that must be included in the plan . Users simply have to fill in the blanks to prepare a business plan.
Templates are the fastest and easiest methods to preparing a business plan.
10. SCORE Business Planning Templates
There is an entire collection of templates for business planning. These templates are also divided for starting a business and existing business.
There are templates available each of the segments of a business plan as well, In case someone wants to make a comprehensive business plan. After using the templates a user can also receive advice from a business planning mentor of SCORE.
11. Bplan’s Business Template
This site provides downloadable templates that provide insights\ regarding how a regular business plan should be prepared. one must sign-up for free to download templates.
Other than fully prepared templates there also step by step guidelines for those who want a deeper understanding of business planning using templates. It doesn’t matter if its a starting business or existing business, whether it is brief or detailed all kinds of templates are available for its users to use.
There are also samples of business plans that show how plans are prepared by other companies.
12. The 100$ Startup One-Page Business plan
As its name suggests, This is a single page business plan that anyone can download from the internet. There is no need for any sign-ups or subscription. This business plan template is a series of questions that should be answered in one or two short sentences.
This is the quickest way to prepare a business and it is also the shortest. However, this template does focus on the major elements that should be in a business plan.
13. Office Depot’s Business Plan Templates
These templates are comprised of the major elements of a business plan presents the essence of a business and the core audience for the plan affect the contents of the template.
It is important to recognize that the most effective business plans are those that are flexible. Business plans that are updated depending on environment and situations will keep the entire business in check.
Regardless of what tool a business owner uses, he/she must turn it into a mission to create a plan that can be implemented and can improve as time passes.
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Business, marketing, and blogging – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, and a self-taught marketer with 10 years of experience. My passion lies in helping startups enhance their business through marketing, HR, leadership, and finance. I am on a mission to assist businesses in achieving their goals.