I have read everything from the one page business plan to the types of plans done for companies that won the Malcolm Baldridge awards. What do you think is the best approach for small businesses?

What I have done in the past is not write a long business plan that I will never look at, I have developed a powerpoint presentation. First because it is a presentation you have to be short and succinct, but I make sure I cover all of the areas of a business plan in some detail. I think the combination works well.

__________________
www.smallbusinessforum.com

It depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to use it to get a loan or venture capital then it better be comprehensive and have plenty of financial details. If you are using it in a small business as a guide post to where you want to head, I think 5 pages or less is fine.

I think it is important to come up with a detailed plan to start with to make sure you are thinking about all the various issues you should prior to beginning the business. As the business matures you can make minor changes to the plan as you gain more experience.

Don't measure the length of the business plan in pages, better measure it in years

__________________
MBM | Review your host | Know Vista?

As long as you have the framework written down I do not think you need to spend a lot of time putting the rest down on paper.

If you are using the business plan to secure funding you certainly do need to include every required financial statement and the essay portions that cover marketing, competition, management, executive summary, etc.

Even with all the required items the entire plan can be completed with as few as 20 pages. Of course the type and size of the business will to some extent dictate the length.

My own business plans have been applauded by loan officers, SBA reps and SBDC counselors for being kept short, yet containing every required item. The secret is using powerful, persuasive language that grabs their attention with the first paragraph.

Too much unnecessary detail turns into a snooze fest and you lose the reader.

__________________
Sylvia
http://smallbusinessstartup.BIZ
Small Biz Startup & Business Plan Help

The length of a business plan depends on what you want to use it for. If you are using it for funding, then you need a longer planning process. A short plan won't be accepted, even if it's really good.

For strategic planning, I use Point, Click, Plan! software which creates a one page business (and marketing) plan. I have an ideal client profie, balanced scorecards, preformance management system (excel spreadsheets) to monitor "hows it going". Less than that will keep someone self-employed instead of in business.

__________________
Plan today and profit tomorrow,

Maria Marsala, Business Strategist

Helping build bigger, better businesses

Rate the health of your business at http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com

Well, this is not true. I have successfully used fairly short business plans (20 pages or so) that have been accepted by lenders and SBA reps. They contained all the required financials. And they were thrilled that they didn't have to sift through a long, drawn out, overly detailed plan.

As long as your business plan makes it past the initial "viewing", if they want more info they will ask for it. But you need to get your foot in the door. You don't want to put the reader to sleep with a book length business plan.

__________________
Sylvia
http://smallbusinessstartup.BIZ
Small Biz Startup & Business Plan Help

I have worked for Fortune 500 companies to 200 person firms and have never had a plan over 30 pages with the exception of exhibits. If a plan for a small firm is over 20 pages excluding exhibits I would say the plan is too long. A plan should be an active vibrant document not an manuscript to stay on a shelf that no one would read. There is a famous quote about writing a speech that also applies to writing a business plan it goes like it takes me two weeks to prepare for a 10 minute speech, 1 week to prepare for a 30 minute speech and I can do an hour speech right now.

There is a skill in writing succintly - not many people are good at it.

__________________
All your business resources www.thebiznesshub.com