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    Business plan: what it is and 9 topics to create yours

    Business plan: what it is and 9 topics to create yoursBusiness plan: what it is and 9 topics to create yours

    by Team AllYourVideogames | Oct 29, 2022 | Entrepreneurship | 1 comment


    As with everything we do in our lives, we need to plan. Therefore, when opening a company this could not be different. And the best way to structure an enterprise is to create a business plan.



    Many think that just making a product or knowing how to perform a service, creating pages on social networks, putting them up for sale and issuing electronic invoices is a guarantee of success and longevity for a business.

    If that were so, everyone would be an entrepreneur. The reality is quite different and having a business plan can be the differentiator for you.

    You don't know what this is and what a business plan is for in practice? That's what we're going to learn in this blog article.

    WHAT IS BUSINESS PLAN?

    The business plan is a document of the project of how your enterprise will work, be it products or services. It can be done for a business that will be created or already existing.

    The purpose of a business plan is to show, in writing, what the company's goals are and what steps must be taken to achieve them. It is a way of visualizing mistakes before committing them, to reduce uncertainties and risks.


    HOW TO MAKE A BUSINESS PLAN

    There are many ways to create a business plan. Each site you search shows different topics and in different order. This can also vary depending on the type of business you intend to open or already have.


    Therefore, here is a basic structure that you need to know to create a business plan for your company:

    1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    Also known as an executive summary, and as the name implies, it is a summary of your business plan. And while it's the first item on your business plan, it's the most important and should be written last.

    Its purpose is to be a guide, as the summary will give you an idea of ​​the main and most important aspects of each section of your business plan.


    Make a brief description of what the business is and what the competitive differentials are, inform your company's mission and vision, what will be the products or services provided and their main benefits.

    In addition, it is important to state what your customer segment is, the location, what will be the total investment in the business, its financial indicators, legal aspects and tax framework.

    Since the executive summary is the most important part of your business plan, here are some tips for executing it:

    – It should be simple and brief. Some specialists indicate from 3 to 5 pages at most, so that it can be read in up to 5 minutes;


    – Provide an overview, but also clear, of your business plan;

    – You must demonstrate the professionalism of your business;

    – The summary must arouse the interest of the reader;

    – Need to highlight the most important conclusions.

    1. COMPANY DESCRIPTION

    Here in this section, you will describe your business, say what your history is, your organizational structure. In addition to all the details of the location, the contacts, if you already have or which partnerships you will seek, etc.


    If you already have a company, you must also inform your growth and revenue in recent years, taxes, as well as information related to your corporate name (such as properties and intangible assets, for example).


    1. MARKET ANALYSIS

    Market analysis is one of the main and most important items of a business plan, as it helps you understand the market where your company will operate.

    Here you need to show that you know the consumer market for the product or service well.

    It is essential that you know your customers, your competition and possible suppliers. So, before writing this section: identify your niche market, analyze your competitors and research the supplier market.

    1. MARKETING PLAN

    The marketing plan will outline the structure of what your service or product offering will look like. You must detail the information about your products and services, the usefulness and quality, what sets you apart from competitors and innovations.


    When planning marketing, you must present your marketing methods, pricing policy, customer differentials, sales projection and distribution channels and communication and advertising strategies.

    1. FINANCIAL PLAN

    In this section, you will explain everything about your financial planning in detail. It needs to contain mainly estimates: of initial costs, expenses and income, of working capital and cash flow and of profits.

    The financial plan will present in numbers all the actions planned in your business plan. As it is an important section and with many details, we will share with you a video from Sebrae with all the information:


    1. OPERATIONAL PLAN

    Here you define how your company will develop and market the products or services. It is the part where you describe the “how to”, which are the processes of producing, selling and executing the service.

    Specify the materials and equipment that will be used, how many people will be needed and how much time each step of the process requires.

    1. STRATEGY ANALYSIS

    In this part, you must demonstrate how you will compete in the market and what the strategies are. Define in this strategic planning the goals that will be transformed into actions and not the other way around.


    Here you will assess your business' strengths and weaknesses, as well as market threats and opportunities. For this, an analysis tool is used, the SWOT Analysis, an acronym for the words: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

    In Portuguese, this technique is known as SWOT: strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats. If you're at a loss as to what to put in each item, we'll give you some examples:

    • Forces: Facebook and Instagram page, good customer service or experienced staff;
    • Opportunities: growth of its niche market, a drop in supplier prices;
    • Weaknesses: high or low price of your product or service, not having a website or ecommerce;
    • Threats: strong competition, the country's economic situation.
    1. BUSINESS PLAN EVALUATION

    Yes, after executing all the previous parts of your business plan, you will now need to assess whether you will be able to open, maintain or expand your business.

    1. ANNEXES

    In this last section, you will attach all documents you deem relevant to prove the plans presented in the previous sections of your business plan.

    Some examples: roadmap and results of the market researches he carried out, promotional material for his business, photos of the products, folders, catalogs, detailed financial spreadsheets and the company's articles of association.

    SEBRAE BUSINESS PLAN

    Sebrae, whose main objective is to help companies that need some kind of guidance, has several materials that can help in the formulation of your business plan.

    We separate some just below, which to access just register in the links:

    - MANUAL: HOW TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN

    It is a complete material that will guide you during the creation of your business plan. It explains what each step of the framework is and how to build it, and exercises to practice building the plan.

    To download the PDF file, click here

    - SEBRAE CANVAS

    Sebrae Canvas allows anyone to develop their business model or even review an existing business plan. The app has several canvas templates to inspire you to be inspired.

    With it, you can still interact with other entrepreneurs who can comment and share your business plan. Learn more about Sebrae Canvas.


    - SEBRAE BUSINESS PLAN DOWNLOAD

    Lost in creating your business plan? Sebrae has provided objective material for you to apply and organize yourself in the preparation of the business plan.

    To download the business plan in PDF, click here.

    - PROJECT START WELL

    The Start Well project by Sebrae offers lectures, courses, workshops, tools and business applications to help entrepreneurs manage and get their dream off the ground.

    See more about the project and to find out how to participate, click here.

    Remembering that, to download or access any file indicated above, you need to be logged in.

    Registration on the Sebrae website is unique and per CPF. So, if you receive the message that you are already registered, click on I forgot my password to recover it.

    BOOK TIPS ON BUSINESS PLAN

    Whenever you want to delve deeper into a subject, the best thing to do is read books. Therefore, we also brought in this post some reading tips on business plan:

    1. Business Plan Book: Your Definitive Guide

    This book was written by José Dornelas, one of the greatest experts in entrepreneurship and business planning. As the name implies, it is a guide that teaches you step-by-step how to develop your business plan.

    1. Business plan book: practical examples

    Also written by José Dornelas, it is an innovative and objective book. The practical examples of this complement the book's teachings from the previous topic and guide the reader in building the best possible business plan.

    1. Business Plan book

    A business plan is about commercializing an innovation. This book discusses the opportunity, the market, the competences of the company or entrepreneurs to appropriate the opportunity, the strategy, as well as establishing the plans.


    1. Book Business plan: strategy for micro and small companies

    The third edition of this book follows the same style as the first two editions, covering financial, marketing, strategic planning and operations content, with maximum use in the area of ​​entrepreneurship and business management.

    1. Business plan manual book: fundamentals, processes and structuring

    This book aims to develop, structure and present a business plan in a practical, consistent, viable and attractive way to potential stakeholders, analysts, consultants, investors, partners and allies.

    Written by Luiz Antonio Bernardi, this work also serves as a reference guide for those interested in evaluating a business project.

    The business plan is like a guide for your company, so you can refer to it whenever you need to.

    And as the market can go through changes, it will be necessary from time to time to readjust, correct and adapt your business plan.

    There is no guarantee of success for your venture when making a business plan. However, he will be the greatest help when you need to make decisions and not deviate from your goals.

    Do you want to undertake but still don't have any business idea? We made a post with 9 business ideas to get you started today! After choosing, remember to make your business plan.


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