How vital is a business plan for start-up companies?

A man holding a pen and taking a notes on his right facing his laptop but not showing facial view with caption 'Proper planning and direction ensures future contentment'

A business plan means “A written document that describes in detail how a business is going to achieve its goals. A business plan will lay out a written plan from a marketing, financial and operational viewpoints.

In other words, it can be described as a road map that provides direction so that a business can plan its future and helps to avoid bumps in the road.

It is been observed that many start-up companies fail to succeed because they lack the map to guide them through their new business venture.

A successful entrepreneur is those who make sure that they have written a clear and concise business plan that can help to evaluate the mission, the goals and the aspect of their business.

A well written comprehensive business plan is the focal point of all business ventures because it describes how u plans to attract and retain customer, the most crucial part or aspect of any business. The business plan is essential to any successful business.

It is considered to be the heart of the business, the basis from which all other operational and management plans derived. It is the bridge between thoughts and reality. It is not possible to turn the business venture into reality without dreaming of the desired end result. It is very important to have business plans in order to meet the desired goal in the future. Even the smallest business can get benefit from writing up a business plan.

In short business plan allow the person to communicate the vision to others and persuade them to help to meet the goals which he or she wants to achieve. A business plan provides a business lot of benefits which have been discussed below.

1. Clarify decision

The primary objective of a business plan is to define and explain “What is the business is or what it intends to be over the period of time”. Clarifying the purpose as well as the direction of the business that allows understanding what needs to be done for forwarding movement. Clarifying can consist of a simple description of the business and its product or services offered by the business. It can also specify the product line and services that one may offer as well as the detailed description of the ideal customer

2. Manage performance

A business plan can also be used as a management tool and can help the company to access the actual result against planned results. The plan can assign to specific individuals and ultimately help the management to monitor the progress. By writing a detailed plan on paper, all other options are effectively marginalized and the company is aligned to give its focus on key activities along with individual responsibilities clearly stated and outlined.

3. Aid in obtaining funding

While obtaining funds from the market, potential investors would have a lot of questions about your potentiality or the existing business. A complete detail business plan not only helps to provide them with answers but also show that about one being organized and have considered all of the marketing, legal, financial, human resource aspects in order to run a  business, a thorough business plan would increase the chances to obtain venture capital and bank loans.

Read these articles to get a better idea – Starting a business with Angel Investors in Thailand  and How to obtain financing for your business

4. Ensure staff is focused on key activities

For the betterment of the company, it is important that all the employees are aligned and focused on achieving the same goal. Rather than spending precious time on e-mails,   phone calls, it should be designed in such a way that each and every staff focus on the main object. With the help of a business plan, it is possible to understand your business in a better way and also chart the specific course of action which needs to be taken to improve the business. A plan can also give an idea of the future scenario and can set specific objectives and goals along with the resources required to achieve these goals.

5. Attract team members or employees

Business plans can be designed as a sale to attract partners, secure supplier accounts and can also attract executive-level employees who are totally new to a business venture. A business plan can be shared with the executive candidates and even with desired partners that may help them to convince them about the potential of the business and also help them to persuade to join the new venture. You may consult a Virtual Director for any assistance needed for a professional business plan.

6. Identifies problem

Each and every business has got some strong as well as weak points. A thorough business plan addresses all the areas of starting and running a business plan. By including a business plan in your research, it is possible to identify the problems before the business gets launched. It gives a scope and opportunity to the business to make an adjustment before signing the   contract and involving any sort of fund. The business plan includes the budgets that help to manage the cash flow while running the business.

7. Better delegation

The business plan seems to be the ideal place to clarify each and every individual responsibility and state who is responsible for what? Every important task should have one person-in-charge. The plan helps to keep on track.

8. A correction would keep the business on track and avoid it from flopping

Including a business plan while doing business gives a better chance to the business to be pro-active rather than reactive. Plan them and do not wait for things to happen. Then follow up by tracking the results and making the course of corrections. It is a wrong concept to presume that a business plan is supposed to predict the future. Instead, it set expectations and establish assumptions so he or she may be able to manage with the course of action

Contact the Virtual Director if you would like any assistance in Sales and Marketing techniques, writing business plans or handholding support for doing business in Thailand

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