How to write a business plan? Question:

Question:

You might want to consider buying Business Plan Pro I have written several business plans base on the examples and the assistance this software provides

I totally disagree beside the other answers. The template may be fine BUT they do not cover the only really far-reaching part and i.e. the content of the BP.

I have 12 years experience surrounded by writing BPs and in adjectives that time I have NEVER see a good BP written by the actual entreprenaur. A virtuous consultant looks at your business and ideas from 'outside of the box' and thus can write you a physical BP.

The entreprenaur almost invariable cannot see the wood for the trees and finishes with a BP whereby adjectives the answers are found, 'if you only figure out the product' viewpoint.

That is not a dutiful BP.

Download a template and steep in the blanks, kinda approaching mad libs.

Here is some software that will help you write one step by step.

http://www.paloalto.com/ps/bp/index_b.cfm?CFID=1043259&CFTOKEN=be105bce1b8e623b-4531FC91-93D6-5F47-133F9A9F5363EFDB

You can go to the Small Business Administration website where on earth you will find free biz plan information and examples. They also offer a service where on earth you can meet beside a retired business person and they will support you with your plan through a group call SCORE.

Another resource I found helpful be a book called "Will It Fly?" which help you see the strengths and weaknesses of your business hypothesis.

If you need back with branding in that are some good free articles at http://www.reachcc.com/reachdotcom.nsf/ Source(s):
SBA Business Plans and lots of other information
http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/index.html

SCORE free service by state
http://www.sba.gov/gopher/Local-Information/Service-Corps-Of-Retired-Executives/

Answers:
This will get you here.

Go to Microsoft.com and type: Write a Business Plan in the look into box at the top right of the screen.

Or click on the intermingle below. It will take you nearby.

Good Luck :) Source(s):
Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/resources/startups/business_plans_entities/how_to_write_a_business_plan.mspx

Here are some resources that can sustain you write your business plan:

- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/businessplan.htm
- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan box http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,7253,,00.html

You may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it in actual fact looks like:

- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm
- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winner
http://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html
- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans contained by pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&ToolPage=bps_main.asp
- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_m.asp
- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/
- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html
-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html
- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/businessPlan.pdf
- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_FE/display&c=GuideFactSheet&cid
- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/bplansindex.html

Some recommended books are :

- Business Plans Kit for Dummies
- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan
- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide
- Business Plans For Dummies(R)
- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan

If you want to use a software, I recommend Palo Alto Business Plan Pro 2006 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009PF1QO/ref=nosim/powerhomebizguid as it have everything you need to see your business plan through, from conception to completion. You can browse over 500 different taste business plans, design your own loan documents, summary memo, product descriptions, marketing plans and more.

Hope that the above resources sustain