by Martha Simons
The broad experience of successful entrepreneurs shows that developing a strong business plan is the essential part of any startup. If you work in the sphere of marketing like me you must have had the experience of writing a business plan to convince your upper management to go through with your idea. Especially, when a company decides to follow the strategy of diversification there should be reasonable calculation provided.
Sure, an idea matters as well. Its main goal is to interest prospective investors in your business, but in order to get their financial support you have to show them you’ve thought everything through. Besides, it will give you an opportunity to keep track of every step of the progress and be prepared for the next one. So, don’t try too hard to create a business plan only to impress your investors, but rather write it for yourself showing others your vision. It has to be clear and realistic without improbable outcomes you don’t believe in yourself.
And once you’ve made up your mind to develop a killer business plan you’ll probably be in need of some helpful tools to get you through this process. These online resources will come in handy and save your valuable time:
1. Business Plan Pro.
It’s probably the most popular software for developing business plans. And the reasons behind it are its obvious benefits: comprehensive structure and step-by-step wizards are easy to follow even for beginners, thorough check of your financial part to avoid improbable growth rates, up to date research data that will help you to be convincing with you ratios. Another great advantage for those who don’t have much experience in this process is getting free sample plans to find inspiration and useful tips on the subject.
2. Bplans.com.
This website can be your own guide in writing an outstanding business plan. You can find an answer to almost any question regarding business plan sections, making a perfect pitch for your idea, etc. Plus, you can download a free template with necessary instructions or business plan samples for your specific industry. You should also check out their blog as there are numerous examples of success as well as failures of experienced entrepreneurs you can learn from.
3. LivePlan.
It’s an online cloud-based service that provides you with all of the necessary tools and information on business planning. Some of its important benefits are possibility of multiple users’ collaborations, accessibility from any device, step-by-step help. This service covers every section of a business plan being a complete online guide for your convenience.
4. Essayhave.com.
Nothing can spoil the whole impression of a good business plan more than spelling and grammar mistakes. It may be a sign of your carelessness and even lack of respect to the prospective investors. In order to avoid risking your reputation, you can turn to a reputable online writing service to proofread all of your documentation.
5. Prezi.com.
Presenting a business plan idea is a tough task as well. Your presentation should be powerful, convincing, and memorable. You’ll be able to create such using Prezi.com. If you follow the link above you’ll find a great example of using this online presentation tool for business purpose. It opens new possibilities for visualizing your ideas and making them unforgettable. Don’t worry if you’ve been using PowerPoint you can easily import you presentation to Prezi.
6. StartPad.
If you’re a frequent traveler or just hate sitting at your desk while working you might want to use a mobile application StartPad for your business plan development. Available for iPad, this app provides you with all of the essential tools. It’s very convenient as you can print out your business plan or export it anytime you like.
New York-born Martha Simons has worked in marketing and branding for companies in Budapest and Munich, responsible for marketing strategy and brand development for various European markets. She is a freelance contributor to http://
