The Business Plan for a small business
A step by step guide to writing a business plan. Realise the true potential of your business idea. Write a Business Plan and turn your idea into a commercial reality.

Strategic planning
Strategic Planning, how to write the strategic plan for your small business plan. Includes Vision statement, mission statement, goals and objectives.

Mission Statements and Vision statement
A vision statement, part of the strategic planning, looks at where you see yourself in say the next 15 years. Mission Statements are how you are going to achieve your Vision Statement.

Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives are a detailed part of the strategic business planning process. Setting goals are a detailed account of how you are going to achive your vision.

Business Description
The Business Description section of the strategy looks at the Industry profile, the product range and the market profile. What is the specific industry that you will be operating in?

SWOT Analysis
The Swot Analysis is a detailed part of the strategic business planning process. Sometimes known as an executive summary it looks at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your business.

Internal Analysis
The Internal Analysis is a detailed part of the writing a business plan process. Sometimes known as a SWOT Analysis it looks at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your business.

Competitive Advantage
Looking at your businesses competitive advantage is a crucial part of the writing a business plan process. Including the VRIO process it draws on the results of the SWOT Analysis.

External Analysis
The External Analysis is a detailed part of the strategic business planning process. It includes a STEPP Analysis, Industry Profile and Competitor profile further highlighting opportunities and threa

The STEPP Analysis
The STEPP Analysis is a part of the external analysis within the strategic business planning process. This looks at things such as Socio-cultural issues, technological factors, economic factors, poli

The Industry Profile
The Industry Profile is a part of the external analysis within the strategic business planning process. Creating a profile of the industry that you will be operating in, thus identifying any opportun

competitor Profile
The Competitor Profile is a part of the external analysis within the strategic business planning process. Creating a profile of the competition that you will be competing against.

The Product Life Cycle
The Product Life Cycle is an important part of the external analysis, part of writing a business plan.

The Legal Plan
The Legal Plan is a detailed part of writing a business plan. It looks at the structure of your business and what legislation may affect you.

Legal entity
The Legal entity is a detailed part of writing a business plan. It looks at the legal structure of your business and the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Legislation
The Legal Plan is a detailed part of writing a business plan. It looks at various legislation that may have an impact on your business.

The Marketing Plan
The Marketing Plan, part of the Business Plan, is the Business Marketing Plan, looking at your marketing strategy, marketing goals, your target market, market research, advertising and promotion.

Marketing Strategy
The Marketing Strategy, a crucial element of the Marketing Plan, part of the Business Plan, looks at your Marketing Goals

The Target Market
The Target Market, also known as Market Segmentation, is part of the Marketing Strategy, a crucial element of the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan.

Marketing Distribution
Marketing Distribution is part of the Marketing Plan, the part of the Business Plan that looks at what method you intend to use to reach your customers.

Market Segmentation
The Market Segmentation, also known as the Target Market, is part of the Marketing Strategy, a crucial element of the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan.

Product positioning
Identify the product positioning having found your ideal Target Market (Market Segmentation) part of the Marketing Strategy, a crucial element of the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan.

Market Research
Market Research adds detailed information to the Marketing Plan, part of the Business Plan. This section looks at what Market Research is, where to source the information, how to collect and analyse

The Marketing Mix
The Marketing Mix, part of the Marketing Plan, in the Business Plan, looks at the 4 P’s – Product, Promotion, Price and Place continuing to develop your marketing strategy.

Product
The Product Mix is part of the Marketing Mix in the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan. It looks at product details, product benefits, the product lifecycle, and packaging and labelling.

Promotion
The Promotion Plan is part of the Marketing Mix in the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan. It looks at the promotion and advertising of your product.

Price
The Market Price is part of the Marketing Mix in the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan. It looks at the various considerations needed when pricing a product for sale.

Place
The Marketing Mix in the Marketing Plan section of the Business Plan considers your businesses location (Place). There are many factors to consider when deciding on where to place your business.

The Financial Plan
The Financial Plan, part of writing a business plan, concentrates on your financial performance, your financial position and cash flow and how to forecast this information.

The Financial Planning
The Financial Plan, part of writing a business plan, concentrates on your financial position, cash flow and forecasting. This page explains the importance of financial planning.

Statement of Financial Performance
The Statement of Financial Performance is an element of the Financial Plan, part of writing a business plan, concentrating on your businesses financial performance and looking at forecasting this info

The Cash Flow Forecast
The Cash Flow Forecast section of the Financial Plan, part of writing a business plan, concentrates on your cash flow and how to forecast this information. This is a crucial part of the Business Plan

The Statement of Financial Position
The Statement of Financial Position section of the Financial Plan, is part of the Business Plan which concentrates on your current financial position. See how to calculate your businesses current fin

The Financial Analysis
The Financial Analysis section of the Financial Plan, is part of the Business Plan looking at how your business is actually performing through a number of financial ratios.

Useful Links
Useful Links to sites with further information on Writing a business Plan for a Small Business including the Strategic Plan, the Marketing Plan and the Financial Plan

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