Wondering what makes a good business plan? It is being unique. I would know.
WHAT A BUSINESS PLAN IS NOT
You should know the answer to that, but for starters, let us dive right on in.
A business plan is really just a way to fund a company, right? I mean, there is no rhyme or reason behind it. It just means that you have something to show to investors for funding. Wrong. It is a map for your business. This is something not many envision. Many think the funding period ends after the business plan is accepted. We have all seen Shark Tank, and we know all too well the importance of one. But you need to know how to do it properly. It is a factor of great value if you can understand it in real terms.
WHY BEING UNIQUE IS IMPORTANT
By “unique,” I mean that you are doing something different. As an example, I once had a business plan client who was pitching hydroponic solutions for indoor growing. I added pictures to go alongside the graphs and charts, using photos of businesses growing. i added a caption: “This is what we will look like if you accept our offer!” The photo was a leaf growing, and I felt it added purpose. I cannot say if it was successful or not. Just like all of our business plan projects, it was funded and we kept up with the team. However, their success may have been because of their own gracious efforts, and nothing we did. Still, being unique can be important. Investors are tired of the same business plan formats. You have to stand out a bit.
Or, if not “stand out,” it should at least do something unexpected.
CATER TO YOUR EVENTUAL AUDIENCE
I am not speaking about charts. Recall the last example. Right now, as of 2021, businesses are starting to replenish after the pandemic. Investors are putting high emphasis on business plans, but with so many rolling in, does it seem necessary to be a bit different? Yes and no. For one, cater to yourself. Remember, this business plan is meant to not only stand out for investors, but for you. An investor or a potential funder wants to see that you are also creating a road map for yourselves. When your team needs to move from one direction to another, this should already be done before the pitch. Your eventual audience, therefore, is not the investment party. It is you, your team, and anyone who wishes to learn about your company.
WHAT A BUSINESS PLAN DOES
A business plan should cater to good aesthetic. A lot of people think that it needs to be a boring experience, but really it should be fun! You are creatively solving ways to expand; are finding new services or products you can offer down the line; are developing a map for your business’s future. Thus, that old and standard: “black text, white paper” manner is still necessary, but it is okay to think of it less like a request for funding and more so a quest for solutions to your many questions, such as where the funding will go, how to expand in Year Two, how to calculate sales, how to run your conversion funnel, and so on. A lot of people miss out completely on the ancillary areas of business plans that they will not find in a template.
BORROWED FROM ANOTHER POST
“Perceived value” is a term coined with the idea that, as a broad example, people will expect to pay more (and accept to pay more) for something they feel is different than the rest. There is a reason I stay away from websites like Fiverr, Guru and Upwork. It is because those services will not provide the right level of quality. You need a dedicated writer who can develop content with great tone, poise and purpose. Nothing destroys a business than bad content. The point is to “wow” then within the first 30 seconds. Statistics say that humans have a five-second attention span (side-note: goldfish have a six-second attention span, which I always found funny), so that first sentence is the time to make or break your first impression with your potential clients.
THE FUNDAMENTAL RULE
There is a fundamental rule in planning. It is a very simple one: be different. Be unique. Be something that sets you and your company apart from the rest. Hundreds of business plans land on a funder’s table every month. You need to do something different. What most companies forget to do is to follow this rule a bit more inherently, with ideas for themselves, as well. The rule of planning is to plan for you first, then spice it up for funders and other parties. You need to plan your goals, as well as the manner in which you attend those goals, with you in mind first.
TO CONCLUDE THE CONCLUSION
As always, we offer great writing for negotiable rates. You need someone like myself or my team running your writing. Whether web copy, a blog, a social media post, an ad campaign, a book to reveal your credibility and expertise, or a business plan, it can and will be done for a price. Simply reach out to us in the form below and let us know what you think. Are we worth the time? Schedule a fifteen-minute call with us and we will convince you that we are the most likely shot you have at owning success. If you are tired of freelancers, come to us!