Prepare a business plan

Introduction

It is essential to have a realistic, working business plan when you're starting up a business.

A business plan is a written document that describes a business, its objectives, its strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts. It has many functions, from securing external funding to measuring success within your business.

This guide will show you how to prepare a high-quality plan using a number of easy-to-follow steps.

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• The audience for your business plan
• What the plan should include
• The executive summary
• Your business, its products and services
• Your markets and competitors
• Marketing and sales
• Your team's skills
• Your operations
• Financial forecasts
• Presenting your business plan
• Here's how having an up-to-date business plan helped my business

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