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Writing a business plan is not an easy task, especially if you are new to writing or even if you are a seasoned writer. It can be tricky trying to make your ideas flow onto the page while also keeping it concise.
That is why we have created this article for you! Here, we will go over some simple tips that will help you write a solid one-page business plan. If you ever need inspiration or any notes, you can always refer back to these tips.
We will talk about how to organize your thoughts, what types of bullets to use, and more as well as examples.
Even if you have not written business plans in the past, it is good to know how to do this now since you will probably need to at some point for your own business or career!
Business planning was once considered very expensive and time consuming, but today that is no longer the case. Technology has made creating a business plan much more accessible due to software like Microsoft Office Online which contain powerful templates you can use as a template.
Using these templates takes the hassle out of having to write an elaborate business plan. They also make your business plan easier to edit because you can easily go back and add or take away sections depending on what needs tweaking.
There are even free online resources where you can get inspiration and tips for drafting your business plan so that it does not look too fancy but authentic and professional.
Writing a business plan is more than just putting together some numbers and statements under an umbrella that have no context. It’s writing an argument that will influence others in your field or sector to believe in you and your idea.
Running through all of these steps again won’t help you achieve this, so make sure you edit and revise your plan frequently!
Start by editing for grammar and style- perfect before you print out and present your plan to people!
Then take time to review the content and add or change what you need to fit your message better. Add examples and bullet points where appropriate.
And finally, choose a format that works best for you – there are many types (think about which one feels most natural). You can also use free business plan templates if you feel like you’ve covered everything but still want something professional looking.
Writing a business plan is not an easy task, especially if you are starting from scratch with no past experience. But it’s important to know that anyone can do it!
Business plans have three major components: mission statement or purpose, vision, and value proposition.
A mission statement sums up what your company does and why people should care about it. A vision sets forth how you want your company to grow in the future. And a value proposition explains how your product or service fits into the world and who it benefits.
All three of these pieces are essential for success when writing your business plan. Too often companies skip over one of them and lose part of their chance at success.
Knowing the basics of each component will help you write a more effective plan. Starting off on strong foundations will keep you motivated as you work through other parts of the plan.
Now that you have an idea of what a business plan is and how to write one, it’s time to organize this document. Don’t try to fit all the information into one long page. That won’t work!
Most people start by listing goals and objectives, then supporting facts and examples, and finally the marketing strategy and final push for success. This order makes sense because they are organized in sequence according to what we discussed before.
Your first task should be to create a topic or header for each section. These headers can include Introduction, Mission/Vision, Team, Products/Services, Financials, Marketing Strategy, etc. Make sure to use their full title so readers don’t get confused.
Once these sections are done, you can begin writing.
Now that you have determined your business, what next? You will want to start outlining a one page business plan. This is typically two paragraphs long, but can be shorter if it feels too short or longer if it seems like there’s not enough content.
The first paragraph should contain an address the reader doesn’t see coming after they opened the plan. It should also make a claim or assumption about how well you are at writing. A good way to do this is by using someone else’s work as a reference.
It then needs to offer a summary of the main points of the plan along with some bullets to emphasize them. Make sure everything in the plan has a purpose so nothing gets cut out.
A one page business plan is not like a longer, more elaborate document where you can spread out and add in as many details as you want. It does call for some brief descriptions, but these do not need much content!
To write a good one-page business plan, you have to be very deliberate with your writing. Make sure everything is organized well and that each element supports the other ones.
Your bullet point should connect back to the main topic or supporting detail of the paragraph it belongs to. Use bold, italicized fonts to emphasize important points.
General rules apply when editing copy – try to use the same style and tone throughout. This includes using legitimate spelling and grammar.
Now that you have completed an overview or introduction of your business, it is time to move onto the next step which is providing more detailed information about what you will be offering and who your market will be.
This additional content should include at least three paragraphs based on the following topic and bullet point.
Bullet point: It’s a medium people trust
By having your own website, you give yourself this credibility. Even if you're not actively promoting products and services, by owning a domain name and creating quality content, you project an image of professionalism.
It's also cost effective; you can easily create a free website using tools such as Google Sites or WordPress.
You get back what you put into it – investing in a good website means getting results.
Writing a business plan is not a lightning quick process, which can make it feel like an uphill battle that you will never win. This sense of struggle comes from planning too quickly without doing your homework first!
Planning is definitely a process, but there are some steps in the process that can be streamlined or even eliminated altogether.
The most important thing to remember about writing a business plan is that it is not meant to be a standalone document. It is instead part of a larger overall marketing strategy for your company.
This means that after you have finished drafting your plan, you should spend time developing these other parts of your business’s look-and-do list.
You can focus on marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, and advertisements; gathering needed equipment and supplies; creating a website; finding sources of income; and more. All of these things help promote your business and are integral parts of running a successful enterprise.
Business plans often fall short due to this reason: people start working on them with little-or no additional supporting material.
