What Constitutes an Effective Business Plan?

There is a preponderance of Business Plans doomed for failure in the market place. Why is this? And what makes an Effective Plan? Here are some key areas to pay attention to when developing your business plan...

The Right Business Plan Process

There are a lot of business planning books in the market place which attempt to explain and quantify the Business Planning Process. Some even claim to be the most "Comprehensive", "Final", "End-All and Be-All" Business Planning book. Some are workbooks or software trying to take you step by step through the Business Planning Process. Many of these books have lots of great experience behind them and contain very useful information; yet, they lack in the actual execution of a good Business Plan or are way too in depth or technical for the entrepreneur to clearly understand.

Being someone who has been developing business plans for over twenty years, I only know one way to write an Effective Business Plan: from a Comprehensive, step by step process in a workbook, building block fashion. A good planning workbook is understandable, simple and addresses all business types and aspects in a step by step, progressive, building block process. Once this Process is complete, there is a simple outline or template to use to package your Business Plan per your particular uses. But a good business plan workbook doesn't stop there, it also addresses the Plan's Implementation, as no Plan is effective until it is implemented and part of your Company operations. Only then can success be consistently attained.

Strong Commitment and Involvement

The Business Planning Process, its use and implementation, must have the strong commitment and involvement of your Company's Executives and Management. Effective business planning is a top-down, bottom-up process, yet needs the total commitment from the upper levels to ensure it encompasses the commitment of the entire company. Upper Management and Divisional Management must also be willing to use the Plan to manage operations. A Plan is not effective unless implemented and used through out a company. We suggest building your Company around the Business Plan Process so that it becomes interwoven into the fabric of your operations. It is a tool, use it. Key Management and Employees who are responsible for implementing the Plan should be actively involved in its development. It is important that the Business Plan Development involves all levels of a Company; otherwise, commitment to it will be perfunctory.

Realistic Short and Long Term Outlook

The Planning Process and its resulting Goals, Objectives, Tactics, Programs and Strategies should address the significant factors which affect a Company's short and long term performance. Outlook is just that, a projection. Key influences to Company Performance are identified and developed into an Action Based Strategic Plan, which will in turn increase Growth, Revenues and Performance. One of the underlying Key concepts in a good planning is promoting a Process from the Product Level to the Marketing Level to the Strategic / Performance Level. The Strategic Tactics and Programs the Business Planning Process develops and produces is what will enhance Performance- not blind projections or just "thinking" you can exploit a market.

Forward Thinking

The Planning Process looks backwards for things you have learned along the way which can be applied and leveraged into future success. However, more importantly, the Planning Process must be Forward Looking, identifying trends, developments and opportunities in your marketplace and operating environment. Having a developed Process instilled into your Company's operations will produce forward thinking results, ensuring you consistently have a Competitive Edge and the opportunity to be a market maker and, perhaps, a leader. A business going nowhere is one stuck in the past (i.e. past accomplishments) and the status quo, lacking a mechanism within the Company to produce solid forward thinking and predictable Growth.

Company-wide Performance Objectives

Your company's Goals, Strategies and Performance Objectives should be consistent throughout your entire operation. The Plan should provide a clear picture of your Company's direction to all your employees, as well as, customers, suppliers and strategic partners, regarding future Performance Goals. You can't reach that goal without your people being behind the Process and Plan Implementation. Your Company needs to demonstrate strong Leadership and Accountability to your Markets, Customers, Partners and Suppliers by "owning" your future Performance Goals and Milestones. An Effective Business Plan, when implemented correctly, applies consistent Business Models to an ever changing market so that you can realistically achieve your Future Performance Objectives.

A Process that Constantly Assesses a Plan's Assumptions

If Key assumptions underlying your Business Plan prove to be invalid, an Effective Plan provides specific contingency planning systems and processes to indicate clear courses of action. An Effective Planning Process helps you to address significant deficiencies upfront and puts contingent, systematic plans in place to minimize a company's learning curve severity, while effectively exploiting a changing marketplace. Uncertainty and unexpected change are a guarantee in business. An effective plan has well developed systems and processes in place to adeptly manage those surprise events, turning a potentially costly experience into a profitable opportunity. Through a solid business plan process, you will design and install a Company Structure which can develop an effective and competitive Product or Service. This Product or Service will be exploited via a well developed Marketing Plan and successfully implemented into a winning Strategic Plan, producing expected, realistic, attainable Financial Goals.

Comprehensive and Specific Purpose Business Plans

An effectively developed Comprehensive and Internal Business Plan lays the solid foundation toward successful attainment of needed Financial Resources through an adapted, External Funding Business Plan. Effectiveness starts with the Comprehensive (Internal) Plan, culminating in the viability of various External Business Plans - i.e. Plans for Funding, Customers, Suppliers, Markets, Regulatory purposes, etc. A good business plan workbook provides a step by step Process which will produce the Global Plan to successfully run your business. Other External, Ancillary Plans become a snap to "package" from the Global Plan. It is hard to develop an Effective External Plan without having the foundation of the Comprehensive Internal Plan built.

The Importance of Business Plan Organization

Overview

The organization of a Business Plan is very important. I use an eight section plan format that is in a specific order as each section builds from the previous section (note: you may have to jump back and forth on a limited basis between the Products and Services Section and the Marketing Section, as well as, the Strategic Section, depending on the extent of your market and product development to date). There is fluid thought and connected reasoning employed to achieve a Plan that reaches its intended purpose (i.e. to run a business, to buy a business, to enter a Joint Venture, to finance a business, to complete a particular project, etc). Although the Executive Summary is the first section of a Plan, it should be written last. All the other Sections should be developed in a build block order provided in a Business Plan Workbook Process.

A Business Plan is a business document; you are not writing prose. It should contain a precise and concise format and be organized into numbered Sections and Sub-Sections, which contain specific information in short, paragraph form. Plans should be produced in paper form, computer format and online format. Computer Format means the Plan is integrated into the Company's Computer Network. It also means the Table of Content's Sections are hyperlinked so you can easily navigate and access information on the Plan just by clicking on the links.

You should have your Business Plan uploaded securely, online (via login and password access) on your website so that Key Managers, Employees, Sales People, etc can access the information remotely no matter their location. You can have different versions available online for particular purposes, segregated by different logins and passwords. For Example, you can have your Sales Plan accessible remotely so your Salespeople can use it as a sales tool or update it with up to the minute feedback for the Sales Manager and the Marketing Department. Another example would be having your Funding Business Plan accessible online with versions for different audiences: bankers, venture capitalists, angel investors, etc.

Business Plan Sections

1) Table of Contents

The Table of Contents is one of the most important parts of the Plan. The TOC should be very detailed and well organized so that the reader and user can find and access the information easily and quickly. You can write a great Plan with all the necessary information in it, but if the reader can't easily find or access the information, then the Plan ceases to be a useful tool.

The TOC should be organized by each Section and Sub-Sections of the Plan with the corresponding page numbers. It is strongly recommended that your Plan be developed as an outline document, with all the Sections and Sub-Sections in the Table of Contents hyperlinked to the page where the information resides. This way the reader and user can access the information quickly and easily.

2) Section One: Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should be written last. Why? Because it organizes and summarizes the entire Business Plan. You cannot achieve this effectively until all the other sections (2 thru 8) of the Plan are completed. We suggest developing two renditions of the Executive Summary - a short version of 2 - 3 pages in length and a longer version of 5 - 7 pages. The short version should be written after the long version is completed, keying on the most significant information from the long version.

The Executive Summary gives the reader a quick overview of the important facts contained in your Business Plan. The long version of the Executive Summary can act as a standalone document to be used to succinctly explain your Business and generate interest in your opportunity, or products and services. For instance, the long version of the Summary can be sent to a Venture Capital Firm to generate and gauge initial interest, to be accompanied by your one-sheeters: Fact Sheet / Venture Overview / Investment Overview. If interest is indicated, you can send the VC Firm a custom tailored Funding Business Plan (customized to their particular investment requirements) which will contain the short version Executive Summary.

Brevity, yet completeness and inclusiveness, is key when writing your Executive Summary. It should be concise yet have adequate detail about your Business Plan. It may take several attempts to achieve this balance.

3) Section Two: Company Overview

This section encapsulates who you are as a Company: the History, Structure, Ownership, Locations, Products and Services Summary, Strengths and Weaknesses, Performance, Customers, Trends, Company Assets and so forth. This section comes first in the Business Plan (following the Executive Summary) since it serves as an introduction to the necessary details and background of your company.

4) Section Three: Management and Operations

This section builds on the Company Section explaining in more detail who will run the company and how it will be run. You can have the greatest business idea but lack the right people to execute your Plan. Therefore, the Management and Operations Section is one of the most important elements of the Plan.

5) Section Four: Products and Services

Now that you have developed the Company and Management / Operations Sections, it is time to describe your Company's Products and Services in detail. This section identifies why your Product and Service is unique and where weaknesses reside. Customer and Market identification, analysis and segmentation starts in this section to be later developed in the Marketing Plan and implemented through the Strategic Plan.

6) Section Five: Marketing Analysis and Plan

The Marketing Section explains in great detail how your Product and Service will be positioned and distributed in the market, supported by detailed, believable market research. This section deals with your Industry, Market Segments, Target Markets, Market Trends and Growth, General Competitive Environment, Customer Choices and Competitive Analysis / Positioning / Edge, to culminate in your Marketing Strategy and Programs.

7) Section Six: Strategic & Sales Plan

The Strategic Plan puts the Marketing Plan into action, showing how to implement the Marketing Plan into a cohesive and executable Sales Plan. The Strategic Plan develops a system to effectively deal with Potential Problems and Risks and culminates in producing Company Strategies, Tactics and Strategic Programs. These programs are implemented through the developed Sales Programs and Sales Plan. Operating Budgets, Control Mechanisms, Milestones and Sales Forecasts are also integral parts of the Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan provides a process for Strategic Management, Auditing and Reassessment. It measures performance, has control functions and corrective actions, reassessing when and where necessary. Strategic Planning is top-down and bottom-up, completely integral to your Company's Operations, from the Vision and Leadership of the CEO, to Management's Implementation Oversight, to the Sales and Operations Units. It provides company-wide Strategic Vision, Focus, Structure and Discipline, while providing an atmosphere of learning and awareness, with a process for identifying deficiencies and, in turn, fixing those challenges.

8 ) Section Seven: Financials

If you develop an effective Strategic Plan through our a well prescribed process, completing the Financial Section will not be as difficult as often anticipated. The principal reason why business owners have such a hard time constructing the Financial Section is most often due to a cursory job on their Strategic Planning Process. Financial Projections are not believable or realistic when the Strategic Plan doesn't do an adequate job of harnessing the Market Plan into an achievable well thought out Company Strategy. Good Financial Forecasting starts with a well developed Product or Service Plan (Section 4), a well researched Market Analysis and resulting Marketing Plan (Section 5) and culminating into a solid Strategic Planning Process (Section 6). This ensures your "best guesses" as to future performance are well researched and developed. This is why it is so critical that you work through a good Business Planning Workbook in a building block order; otherwise, your Financials will be lacking accurate forecasting. The culmination of a good Strategic Planning Process makes for solid Financial Projections.

Probably the most important of all the Financials is the Cash Flow Statement. The Cash Flow will assist you on a daily basis in running your business effectively. Simply put, the Cash Flow shows the influx of cash and the outflow of cash in your Business. Cash Management is absolutely critical in successfully running your business, project or venture. The Cash Flow Statement is also very important when you are seeking funding for your operation and analyzed closely by lenders, investors and venture capitalists alike. Your Cash Flow is also critically important to your relationship with your Suppliers. Having a Supplier Business Plan containing a history and projection of Cash Flow can really help your Suppliers become good partners in managing your cash flow, thereby, enhancing your profitability significantly.

The Cash Flow Statement should be your guiding force in Financial Modeling and Cash Management. Effectively managing your Cash creates leverage, which will lead toward increased profitability. The leverage is created within a Cash Flow Management System as it shows how much cash is necessary to grow and finance your Company. Many businesses focus on the Profit and Loss Statement, which is very important; however, they often over look the Cash Flow Statement. Good financial analysis focuses on the Cash Flow Statement, then relates it to the Profit & Loss components (i.e. minimizing costs), which in turn increases Profitability and results in a stronger asset and equity base on the Balance Sheet. Financials and good Financial Management stem from the inter-connectivity of a Company's Financials. Don't forget how important Cash Flow Management is to your Company's future profitability and net worth.

Another very important Financial, which works hand in hand with the Cash Flow Statement and Cash Management, is your Company's Target and Actual Budget. Budgets are used principally for two purposes: Planning and Control. A Budget matches short term targets with long term Strategic Planning, while providing an indicator of future problems ahead. A good Budgeting System will indicate when Costs and Expenses are heading over Budget (Actual vs. Target), providing the business owner time and opportunity to correct the problem before it significantly affects Cash Flow. Your Budget is an extension of (and a result of) your Cash Flow Statement, helping you to effectively control and plan your operational cash, costs and expenses.

We recommend Rolling Budgets which look forward 12 months on a monthly basis, budgeting an additional three months at the end of each quarter. This way you always have a 12 month continuous outlook for Planning Purposes, yet provides you real time Cost Basis for Control purposes. A Budget should be flexible so that you can separate the effects of variations between Actual and Estimated results. Moreover, a Budget is a tool to evaluate your Business Units (Departments) and Management's Performance. Needless to say, assembling a good Budget requires the input of your entire organization, which in turn, is a very good thing. Just as your Business Plan should be an integral part of your Company's every day operations, so too should your Cash Flow, Cash Management and Budgeting Process be intertwined fully into company operations.

It is important to understand how your Financials relate to each other as you build and develop them. This is why Financial Software Programs are so beneficial, making Financial Analysis, Development and Projections a snap (once you have developed a solid Strategic Plan). There's a lot of back and forth between the Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. When using a Financial Software Program, it is important that the program allows you to customize the Formats for your specific needs and download the Financials into Excel Spreadsheets for maximum utility and flexibility.

When making Financial Projections, the projection period differs for the particular company, venture or project. For instance, a large scale Real Estate Development Project's Cash Flow Projection could be three, five or ten years, depending on the project scope and length. Also Real Estate Companies and Projects typically require additional Financials, such as, the Construction Cost Analysis and Cash Flow, Schedule of Real Estate, Construction Cost and Disbursement Schedule, and so on (Note: some of these may be applicable to other business sectors as well- for instance, a Tire Distribution Company may have substantial real estate holdings, hence, a Schedule of Real Estate would apply). Also, for Real Estate Companies and Projects (as well as for companies applying for business finance), the Loan Package is an important aspect of your Business Plan.

A very important component of the Financial Section is the Assumptions sub-section. This details the assumptions you have utilized in developing your financials. It is important to list the various calculations and formulas used in developing your Financials since those formulas can be company, deal or project specific. Detailed assumptions provide transparency to your Financials.

Financial Projections need to be believable and realistic. If anything, they need to be conservative. Too often we also see extremes of too few numbers or too many numbers. Provide best case, worst case and expected Financial Projections, along with simple and detailed formats. Remember that if you build out your Financials as a result of a good Strategic Planning Process, the financial results will most likely be believable and realistic as possible. We find that if your Financials have truly conservative numbers (yet still see profitability), you will often exceed your Plan which becomes a great Psychological boost for your Company (and any lenders or investors).

9) Section Eight: Appendix

The Appendix Section of a business plan can be aptly called the Due Diligence section. It contains the "proof in the pudding". It contains all the Bulky Documents which supply merit and proof to your Business Plan's assertions. Since the Appendix is large in volume, it is important to have a separate Table of Contents with Tabbed Sections for easy reference for this section.

Do You Need a Courier Service Business Plan?

Although business experts say a business plan is required for starting a new business, it's not always true. For every business that fails because of poor planning, another fails because of too much planning. As the great Michael Jordan said, "Just do it!" Here's how to jump-start your new courier business:

The secret of a successful courier service is providing services not available from the bigger firms like Fedex and UPS, such as local, same-day service, or finding a profitable niche, like medical specimen deliveries. What delivery services should you offer? A business plan can't tell you that, but your customers can. Instead of wasting your time and energy coming up with an elaborate business plan, just get started. Have one of the many web-based printers (just search "printed notepads" to find them) print notepads to hand out to prospective customers in your area. One marketing tip is to offer new customers a gift certificate for one free pickup/delivery. This let's them test your service at no cost, and makes them much more likely to call you the next time they need a same-day delivery.

You'll quickly learn who will be your best customers, as they now have your contact information and will call you when they need packages or documents delivered locally the same day. This takes care of the biggest problem a startup business has - cash flow. Once the money is coming in from deliveries, you can prospect for more businesses in your area that are similar to the customers you now have.

Regardless of how much planning you do, it's only a hunch - an educated guess about how well your business will do. The danger is, by spending too much time on planning, you'll have less time and energy to try new marketing ideas to find paying customers. The secret is to test your ideas as quickly and cheaply as possible, then improve and refine them. Handing out notepads with your contact information and a catchy slogan is a great way to do that.

Here's another "quick & cheap" way to do a simple courier business plan for your new courier service business. If you plan to borrow startup money from friends or relatives - the most common source of funding for new businesses - do an "executive summary" business plan to show them that you've done your homework. It should cover the business plan basics, with an overview of the business, a market analysis with a look at the competition, and an estimate of your first year's sales. It assumes that you will not have employees to start, or buying or leasing property and equipment. Here's a sample:

ROADRUNNER COURIER SERVICE - BUSINESS PLAN

Business Overview: Roadrunner Courier Service is a new courier service based in Bend, Oregon, specializing in local, same-day deliveries. Roadrunner can transport documents and parcels to customers within a 40 mile radius of town. Our customers are medical professionals, attorneys and local businesses who need reliable, same-day services not offered by the larger service providers, such as Fedex and UPS.

Market Analysis: The demand for reliable, cost-effective delivery services has been growing in the area for several years as the town's population continues to grow. In addition to a growing population, there are more customers who require faster service, ranging from "stat" medical specimen deliveries to time-sensitive legal documents to "just-in-time" parts deliveries to local manufacturers. There is only one other local courier service in the area, and we believe there is ample room, due to our growing local economy, for another reliable courier service.

Marketing Strategy: The marketing strategy of Roadrunner Courier Service is to provide dependable and exceptional delivery services to businesses and professionals who have a regular need for pickup and delivery services. This will insure that Roadrunner will have a regular, steady income from repeat customers. The second part of our marketing strategy will be to gain customers who need courier services occasionally, such as last-minute parts and supplies delivered to a contractor's job site, plans deliveries for architects and engineers and documents and materials for local government agencies.

First Year Goal: Based on the size of the local delivery market and the fact that Roadrunner will be a one person business, our sales projection for the first year is $45,000. We plan to build our customer base through direct contact with prospective customers and word-of-mouth referrals from happy customers to continue to grow our sales, focusing on the most profitable types of deliveries.

There is a free resource available to start-up companies, including courier and delivery businesses. SCORE is a government program that taps the experience and brainpower of retired business owners to help new owners get off to a successful start. If you find you need a comprehensive business plan to get funding for your new courier business, SCORE can help you with that as well. To find the nearest office, visit: score.org.

How to Write a Business Plan

Creating a sound business plan is very important for both new and established businesses. If you are starting up a business, you will need to submit an impressive business plan to get the financing you need from lenders. On the other hand, if you are the owner of an established business, you need to update your plan regularly as it will serve as your guide in making important decisions for your growing business.

What are the contents of a business plan and how long should it be? The length of your plan will depend on the nature of your business. A typical plan can be five to ten pages including the following elements: Executive Summary, Company Description, Product or Service Description, Market Analysis, Strategy and Implementation, Management Team and Financial Plan.

You can follow the standard outline but the details you will include for each heading will depend on the type of you business you run. Let's define each element that you should include in your plan:

Executive Summary. The executive summary should explain the highlights or main points of your plan. This will be the first page of your plan so be sure to make your statements compelling. You can write the executive summary after you have completed all the other pages of your plan.

Company Description. Describe the legal entity of your business, your mission statement, and the history and background of your company.

Product or Service. What kind of products and services do you want to sell in the market? What is your purpose for choosing that/those particular product/s or service/s?

Market Analysis. Based on your marketing research, is there a demand for your chosen products and services in the market? Who is your target market? Be sure to include the demography of your defined market. What marketing strategies do you plan to execute?

Strategy and Implementation. This is the part of your plan where you should discuss how you plan to take on management tasks. Enumerate the steps you intend to do to achieve your short term and long term goals.

Management Team. If your business is Partnership, Corporation or LLC, who are the members of the management team? What are their specific roles and responsibilities?

Financial Analysis. Your financial analysis must include your previous accounts reports, financial projections, your plans on how to manage your cash flow, and how you plan to utilize the loan, if you are applying for one.

Preparing Your Business Plan

An effective plan is not necessarily a lengthy one. However, it needs to present a detailed, complete and accurate report about your business. Be sure to clearly define your objectives and goals. You do not have to include unimportant details but be sure you don't omit the essential facts.

You can also check out the SBA's website for more guidelines on creating a business plan. You can also find business plan templates and read sample business plans of different business structures from the site.

The Engineering Business Plan and the Business Model

Separate from a Business Plan is the Business Model. The Business Model is nothing more then a description of the means and methods the firm will employ to earn revenues projected by the Business Plan. The Business Plan describes what the business wants to accomplish and what resources it will use to reach those objectives. The model represents the business as a system of a series of steps (actions) to generate revenue and make a profit. The model includes the components and functions of the business, as well as the revenues it will generate and the expenses it incurs.

The traditional Civil Engineering Business Model is as simple as the engineering company and the customers within a key market like Land Development. The engineering company provides the services that the customer needs and wants, and in return the client pays a fess for those services. Once the engineering company has paid all of its expenses including salaries, the company is left with its profit.

This model although simplistic works well if there is very little or no competition and there is plenty of demand for your services. But rarely is this the situation especially in a declining market. The model in most cases needs to be more robust. One needs to see the "bigger picture." In order to support the Business Plan the Model needs to address the four main components of the business; Framework, Financial, Client, and the Offer.

Business Framework (Infrastructure):

    * Key Resources - What are the company's capabilities necessary to make the Business Plan possible?
    * Key Activities - What company activities are necessary to implement the Business Plan?
    * Key Partners - What company partners are motivated to participate in the Business Plan?

Client (Current and Prospective Clients):

    * Segment(s) of Clients - What is (are) the targeted audience for the company's products and services?
    * Communication and Distribution Channels (Marketing) - What are the means the company will utilize to reach the customer and offer them those products and services? What marketing campaigns will the company utilize to reach its targeted clients?
    * Client Relationship - What are the processes the company will establish to maintain its relationship with the clients?

Business Financial:

    * Revenue Streams - What are the company's sources that will generate funds to support the Business Plan?
    * Cost Structure - What costs will result from engaging in the Business Plan? What will be the company's expenses?

Value Proposition (The Offer):

    * What are the company's products and services being offered to the market?

To sum up the Business Model - The business resources of technical staff and equipment complemented by business partners are able to offer a wide range of products and services with a particular billing rate to potential and existing clients, which are obtained through on-going marketing efforts of the company's staff with an ultimate goal of presenting a proposal and an agreement between the client and the business to provide certain services and products for revenues.

There are multitude of schematics that are used to represent the Business Model, but they all include the four components; the Business Infrastructure, Financial Strategies, Clients, and the Offer or Proposition. In order to get to the end result, revenues, each of these four components of the Business Model must be operating at the best level of efficiency in order to obtain the most revenues. Failure in any step will either reduce the amount of revenue or completely run your business out of business.

It would be difficult to provide services or products to your clients if the resources necessary were inadequate. Imagine if your firm was contracted to provide a Technical Drainage Study for a 200 acre site, but you were not capable of analyzing a proposed open channel using any of the available commercial software. You then have to sub-contract this work out, hopefully to one of your partner companies, to assist you in this area of expertise. Otherwise, you will not be able to provide the service you were contacted to perform.

The same is true if your firm has all of the necessary engineering design expertise it requires and has also contracted with other sub-consultants to provide surveying services, but you have no marketing expertise. Although there are a number of needy clients in your local market, you have no way of contacting them nor do you even know how to identify your potential clients. The chain is broken because there is no way for you to contract with clients to provide the services you have available. Of course, we you have no clients you have no revenues, and when you have no revenues you have no business.

Even if you have an excellent infrastructure and business partners, and you have a huge pipeline of clients that you obtained through marketing, all will be for not if your proposals do not provide your clients with the necessary services they need at a fair price.

The Engineering Business Model a tool that assists the company to implement the Business Plan. A properly prepared Business Plan and a well designed Business Model will focus your company on the task at hand, which is to obtain contracts and clients and to produce profits. If you have not already done so, now is the time to either put together your first business plan or update an existing one. Once completed, the plan is a resource with a great deal of information. It will make you well of aware of competition, the market, and your company's capabilities. Updating the plan regularly will keep you well informed on what is happening in your business.

Most engineers have excellent technical skills, but not necessarily the same level of expertise in management. It is responsibility of the engineer to develop these management skills through continuing education. This continuing education can be obtained through Community Colleges, Universities, Professional Training Programs, Professional Organizations, and online training courses. In most states these continuing education courses qualify for continuing education units (CEU) or Professional Development Hours (PDH).

An Engineering Business Plan is More Important in a Recession

Is your engineering firm meeting its goals in this recession? Do you have more business or less? When do you expect the economy to recover? If your company is like many other engineering companies, you were caught off guard at the beginning of the recession. Are you sure that the current and expected market changes are reflected in your business plan? These are all questions that need to be answered in your business plan; your company's business road map.

Without a doubt most business owners know that they need to have an up-to-date business plan. All that is required of any business owner to keep the plan current is the time to review, analyze, and update the plan, which can be difficult. So if you have not already, now is the time to review your plan and periodically make modifications.

In a prolong recession a proficiently ran business is more important than ever. Professional engineers are extremely knowledgeable about their career, but are rarely the experts in operating their company's. An engineer will have spent 8 to 10 years in college and post graduate training before being licensed as a Professional Engineer without ever taken one class in business.

When the projection of incoming revenues slow or stop coming in the door your first reaction is to find more clients from the same source and second to cut costs by downsizing. This may not be the right business steps to take. Usually the better action is to re-examine each of your markets and clients in those markets, and to determine if those markets change in direction is temporary or long term, and then to careful review your company's services and products. Operating any business should be a constant review of the process of that business, and whether it is operating at its best. Mistakes in the operation of the business during the good times are easy to compensate, but during the not so good times the same mistakes can close the business. A careful review may also show that your company is relying on one market to heavily and may need to diversify into other markets.

The kitchen table sketch may have been the beginnings of an engineering business plan, but as the company continues to operate and grow, the business plan needs to be formalized and updated periodically. The engineering business plan is nothing more than an outline, summarizing how the company will operate to be a successful business. Within the plan there are estimates based on industry research and personal experience which determines how much the company can expect to profit. This is established by quantifying the amount of services and products to be sold minus the expenses. It is one of the business owner's primary responsibilities to work on the business through the process of reviewing and updating the business plan.

A detailed description of the engineering firm's direction and purpose is found in the business plan. Without a plan the company can and often will wonder aimlessly, and may eventually fail. A slowing economy can be very damaging to poorly structured companies whether they are large or small. These companies are usually not in a position to handle the changing market conditions, and end up closing their doors. The stronger companies are usually better managed with an operations plan in place to handle the ups and downs of the economy or the changing target market conditions. Companies following good business plans whether small or large tend to survive a recession, and are set to expand during the economy's recovery period.

There are many resources on the subject of writing a business plan, including websites, computer software and books. Unfortunately most of these sources address the generic business such as retail or service businesses. Engineering is unlike any other professional service business or any type of business.

Writing a Business Plan For Your Foreclosure Cleaning Company Using Free Government Help

The start-up phase of a new business can be confusing and overwhelming without definitive guidance to tackle the start-up maze. A business plan is the necessary road map to incredible entrepreneurial success. Do you need a business plan to start a foreclosure cleanup business? No, not unless you're planning to borrow money to start. Should you write a business plan? Yes. Absolutely!

Road Map to Success

A business plan is simply a road map that will assist you in planning your foreclosure cleanup business. You'll discover things about yourself, your business, and your partner (if you have one) before you even start. You'll change some things before you start as a result of doing a business plan, too. It's best to work out the kinks on paper, instead of when you're head-first into your new business.

Business Plan Sections

A business plan is comprised of the following sections, at minimum:

1) Description of Your Business

2) Marketing Section

3) Finances Section

4) Management Section

Using the SBA to Guide You

The U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") is one of those independent agencies of the federal government that is an invaluable resource for small business owners (for start-ups and established businesses alike).

Back in 1953, the SBA was created to aid, counsel, assist and also protect the interests of small businesses. The SBA helps and encourages Americans to start and build businesses. Visit sba.gov for some very detailed information on writing a solid business plan for your foreclosure cleaning business.

Counselors of America's Small Business Owners

For more assistance with writing your foreclosure cleaning business' road map, reach out to the Counselors of America's Small Business Owners ("SCORE"). SCORE, also known as the "Service Corp of Retired Executives," is a partner of the SBA and will guide you step-by-step in writing an effective business plan for your REO trashout business. They even have business plan templates on their website in both PDF and Word formats.

This is a phenomenal nonprofit group that helps create over 20,000 businesses per year. With an increasing network of over 12,000 volunteers, these executives and volunteers have been in your shoes and can assist you from the startup phase, through growth, financing, licensing, branding, marketing and even selling if ever you decide to sell your business one day.

You can call the Counselors of America's Small Business Owners for one-on-one counseling, or you can opt to attend workshops. You may even choose to partner with a mentor who has been in your industry. Through this mentoring relationship, you can fondly pick your mentor's brain over and over again and gain valuable insight on how to go about planning a successful enterprise.

The SCORE organization is one of those beautiful things we pay for with our government tax dollars, so use them. Visit the organization online at score.org.

Value of Business Planning

SCORE sums up the value of a business plan beautifully: "The real value of creating a business plan is not in having the finished product in hand; rather, the value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way. The act of planning helps you to think things through thoroughly, study and research if you are not sure of the facts, and look at your ideas critically. It takes time now, but avoids costly, perhaps disastrous, mistakes later."

Beginning of Independent Wealth

Remember, though it can be arduous, this necessary road map you will create during the planning phase can be the beginning of independent wealth for you as a new business owner for the rest of your life. Good luck as you roll of your sleeves and get started planning your foreclosure cleanup business.

Business Plans - The Main Components That Go Into a Business Plan

"Have Business Plan or Bust"

More than ever, it's vital to have a plan for your business. And, I'm not speaking about having a marketing strategy just for when starting a new enterprise or making use of it for a business loan. Every business, new and established, must periodically re-evaluate their current plan to see if targets are being met or if they've changed and what the brand new strategies are.

Without planning and a strategy, an organization is simply "guessing" and has nothing solid with information on paper regarding the business' successful attainment of goals.

Do You Know What a Business Plan Really Is and Does?

Many individuals have no idea what a business plan's purpose actually is. That is the largest reason why people have so much difficulty writing them.

In a nutshell, such plan is about results. Your plan is a direct reflection of your purpose.
The long clarification of what a business plan is: any plan that works for a business to forecast what may be ahead, allocate resources, focus on key issues, and put together solutions to problems as well as opportunities.

Now, a 'start-up' plan these additions:

1. A summary about what the enterprise is and does.
2. A mission assertion that lets employees, clients, and lenders understand your ethics and goals.
3. An inventory of keys to success.
4. A market evaluation to determine who your opponents are as well as public demand for what you are promoting.
5. A break-even evaluation to seek out out when you might recoup your funding into the business.

A start-up plan for your small business will certainly settle any doubts as to whether or not to pursue beginning a business you take into consideration, but will also serve as your roadmap to take you to the next levels of growth.

Your plan will rely greatly on your specific business. The bottom line is to make your marketing strategy and business plan match your purpose.

Case Studies of Business Plans

With no plan, you don't know where you're going and you don't know methods to get there.

1. Case Study of a Massage Therapy Business: Take the case of a therapeutic massage instructor who had a group of 30 students. Of course, every student's dream was to graduate and begin their own massage therapy business. But there was a big problem: they graduated and thought they'd simply get clients with business cards and people would flock to them. Only TWO out of the 30 students went on to start out their own businesses. You see, whereas the rest might have mastered therapeutic massage strategies, they weren't educated in business, let alone create a plan.

Now let's take a look at how three companies created their plans according to their purposes:
1. Case Research of a Bicycle Frame Manufacturer (manufacturing): A high-end bicycle frame producer that caters to bicycle racers would need to set themselves apart from mountain bike producers and cyclists. As a result of how aggressive racing has become more popular, their plan contains how they may add extra workstations and designer-builders to increase its capability for customized frames. Their plan would additionally go on to explain how they'd use current leased space to make more room for the workstations. Plans are also laid out as to how additional tools for the workstations will likely be obtained.

2. Case Study of a Computer Training Company (service): A certified pc trainer with intensive experience is seeking to increase his enterprise to supply on-web site corporate training and managing coaching and upkeep operations for a large laptop corporation. In an effort to accomplish these objectives, he plans to build on his experience by creating a group of courses designed specifically to help small companies successfully use the preferred business software program packages.

3. Case Study of a Vending Cart Enterprise (retail): A fast-food vending cart enterprise proprietor operates his business on an indoor/outdoor basis. The indoor food cart sales have increased in high-rise business buildings in his downtown area. Consequently, this owner would like to borrow $1 million so as to increase operations by way of the acquisition of extra vending carts. He has an excellent relationship with three banks so, therefore, he simply needs to add a supplement to his current plan because the banks have already got his financial information and know his intended buyer base.

Now that you understand more what a business plan is and does, it's time to start out....

Writing the Plan for Your Business

So, what are the obligatory elements in a business plan and what order do they go in, right? The how-to's on that topic are a lot better addressed by an ebook or business plan template where you can 'fill in the blanks'.
Other locations you possibly can search for steering and run searches for online are ("b"=business):

1. Sample enterprise plans
2. B-plan outline
3. B-plan examples
4. Free b-plan template
5. B-plan software programs

An Engineering Business Plan is More Important in a Recession

Is your engineering firm meeting its goals in this recession? Do you have more business or less? When do you expect the economy to recover? If your company is like many other engineering companies, you were caught off guard at the beginning of the recession. Are you sure that the current and expected market changes are reflected in your business plan? These are all questions that need to be answered in your business plan; your company's business road map.

Without a doubt most business owners know that they need to have an up-to-date business plan. All that is required of any business owner to keep the plan current is the time to review, analyze, and update the plan, which can be difficult. So if you have not already, now is the time to review your plan and periodically make modifications.

In a prolong recession a proficiently ran business is more important than ever. Professional engineers are extremely knowledgeable about their career, but are rarely the experts in operating their company's. An engineer will have spent 8 to 10 years in college and post graduate training before being licensed as a Professional Engineer without ever taken one class in business.

When the projection of incoming revenues slow or stop coming in the door your first reaction is to find more clients from the same source and second to cut costs by downsizing. This may not be the right business steps to take. Usually the better action is to re-examine each of your markets and clients in those markets, and to determine if those markets change in direction is temporary or long term, and then to careful review your company's services and products. Operating any business should be a constant review of the process of that business, and whether it is operating at its best. Mistakes in the operation of the business during the good times are easy to compensate, but during the not so good times the same mistakes can close the business. A careful review may also show that your company is relying on one market to heavily and may need to diversify into other markets.

The kitchen table sketch may have been the beginnings of an engineering business plan, but as the company continues to operate and grow, the business plan needs to be formalized and updated periodically. The engineering business plan is nothing more than an outline, summarizing how the company will operate to be a successful business. Within the plan there are estimates based on industry research and personal experience which determines how much the company can expect to profit. This is established by quantifying the amount of services and products to be sold minus the expenses. It is one of the business owner's primary responsibilities to work on the business through the process of reviewing and updating the business plan.
A detailed description of the engineering firm's direction and purpose is found in the business plan. Without a plan the company can and often will wonder aimlessly, and may eventually fail. A slowing economy can be very damaging to poorly structured companies whether they are large or small. These companies are usually not in a position to handle the changing market conditions, and end up closing their doors. The stronger companies are usually better managed with an operations plan in place to handle the ups and downs of the economy or the changing target market conditions. Companies following good business plans whether small or large tend to survive a recession, and are set to expand during the economy's recovery period.

There are many resources on the subject of writing a business plan, including websites, computer software and books. Unfortunately most of these sources address the generic business such as retail or service businesses. Engineering is unlike any other professional service business or any type of business.

The Importance of Business Plan Organization

Overview

The organization of a Business Plan is very important. I use an eight section plan format that is in a specific order as each section builds from the previous section (note: you may have to jump back and forth on a limited basis between the Products and Services Section and the Marketing Section, as well as, the Strategic Section, depending on the extent of your market and product development to date). There is fluid thought and connected reasoning employed to achieve a Plan that reaches its intended purpose (i.e. to run a business, to buy a business, to enter a Joint Venture, to finance a business, to complete a particular project, etc). Although the Executive Summary is the first section of a Plan, it should be written last. All the other Sections should be developed in a build block order provided in a Business Plan Workbook Process.

A Business Plan is a business document; you are not writing prose. It should contain a precise and concise format and be organized into numbered Sections and Sub-Sections, which contain specific information in short, paragraph form. Plans should be produced in paper form, computer format and online format. Computer Format means the Plan is integrated into the Company's Computer Network. It also means the Table of Content's Sections are hyperlinked so you can easily navigate and access information on the Plan just by clicking on the links.

You should have your Business Plan uploaded securely, online (via login and password access) on your website so that Key Managers, Employees, Sales People, etc can access the information remotely no matter their location. You can have different versions available online for particular purposes, segregated by different logins and passwords. For Example, you can have your Sales Plan accessible remotely so your Salespeople can use it as a sales tool or update it with up to the minute feedback for the Sales Manager and the Marketing Department. Another example would be having your Funding Business Plan accessible online with versions for different audiences: bankers, venture capitalists, angel investors, etc.

Business Plan Sections

1) Table of Contents

The Table of Contents is one of the most important parts of the Plan. The TOC should be very detailed and well organized so that the reader and user can find and access the information easily and quickly. You can write a great Plan with all the necessary information in it, but if the reader can't easily find or access the information, then the Plan ceases to be a useful tool.

The TOC should be organized by each Section and Sub-Sections of the Plan with the corresponding page numbers. It is strongly recommended that your Plan be developed as an outline document, with all the Sections and Sub-Sections in the Table of Contents hyperlinked to the page where the information resides. This way the reader and user can access the information quickly and easily.

2) Section One: Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should be written last. Why? Because it organizes and summarizes the entire Business Plan. You cannot achieve this effectively until all the other sections (2 thru 8) of the Plan are completed. We suggest developing two renditions of the Executive Summary - a short version of 2 - 3 pages in length and a longer version of 5 - 7 pages. The short version should be written after the long version is completed, keying on the most significant information from the long version.

The Executive Summary gives the reader a quick overview of the important facts contained in your Business Plan. The long version of the Executive Summary can act as a standalone document to be used to succinctly explain your Business and generate interest in your opportunity, or products and services. For instance, the long version of the Summary can be sent to a Venture Capital Firm to generate and gauge initial interest, to be accompanied by your one-sheeters: Fact Sheet / Venture Overview / Investment Overview. If interest is indicated, you can send the VC Firm a custom tailored Funding Business Plan (customized to their particular investment requirements) which will contain the short version Executive Summary.

Brevity, yet completeness and inclusiveness, is key when writing your Executive Summary. It should be concise yet have adequate detail about your Business Plan. It may take several attempts to achieve this balance.

3) Section Two: Company Overview

This section encapsulates who you are as a Company: the History, Structure, Ownership, Locations, Products and Services Summary, Strengths and Weaknesses, Performance, Customers, Trends, Company Assets and so forth. This section comes first in the Business Plan (following the Executive Summary) since it serves as an introduction to the necessary details and background of your company.

4) Section Three: Management and Operations

This section builds on the Company Section explaining in more detail who will run the company and how it will be run. You can have the greatest business idea but lack the right people to execute your Plan. Therefore, the Management and Operations Section is one of the most important elements of the Plan.

5) Section Four: Products and Services

Now that you have developed the Company and Management / Operations Sections, it is time to describe your Company's Products and Services in detail. This section identifies why your Product and Service is unique and where weaknesses reside. Customer and Market identification, analysis and segmentation starts in this section to be later developed in the Marketing Plan and implemented through the Strategic Plan.

6) Section Five: Marketing Analysis and Plan

The Marketing Section explains in great detail how your Product and Service will be positioned and distributed in the market, supported by detailed, believable market research. This section deals with your Industry, Market Segments, Target Markets, Market Trends and Growth, General Competitive Environment, Customer Choices and Competitive Analysis / Positioning / Edge, to culminate in your Marketing Strategy and Programs.

7) Section Six: Strategic & Sales Plan

The Strategic Plan puts the Marketing Plan into action, showing how to implement the Marketing Plan into a cohesive and executable Sales Plan. The Strategic Plan develops a system to effectively deal with Potential Problems and Risks and culminates in producing Company Strategies, Tactics and Strategic Programs. These programs are implemented through the developed Sales Programs and Sales Plan. Operating Budgets, Control Mechanisms, Milestones and Sales Forecasts are also integral parts of the Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan provides a process for Strategic Management, Auditing and Reassessment. It measures performance, has control functions and corrective actions, reassessing when and where necessary. Strategic Planning is top-down and bottom-up, completely integral to your Company's Operations, from the Vision and Leadership of the CEO, to Management's Implementation Oversight, to the Sales and Operations Units. It provides company-wide Strategic Vision, Focus, Structure and Discipline, while providing an atmosphere of learning and awareness, with a process for identifying deficiencies and, in turn, fixing those challenges.

8 ) Section Seven: Financials

If you develop an effective Strategic Plan through our a well prescribed process, completing the Financial Section will not be as difficult as often anticipated. The principal reason why business owners have such a hard time constructing the Financial Section is most often due to a cursory job on their Strategic Planning Process. Financial Projections are not believable or realistic when the Strategic Plan doesn't do an adequate job of harnessing the Market Plan into an achievable well thought out Company Strategy. Good Financial Forecasting starts with a well developed Product or Service Plan (Section 4), a well researched Market Analysis and resulting Marketing Plan (Section 5) and culminating into a solid Strategic Planning Process (Section 6). This ensures your "best guesses" as to future performance are well researched and developed. This is why it is so critical that you work through a good Business Planning Workbook in a building block order; otherwise, your Financials will be lacking accurate forecasting. The culmination of a good Strategic Planning Process makes for solid Financial Projections.

Probably the most important of all the Financials is the Cash Flow Statement. The Cash Flow will assist you on a daily basis in running your business effectively. Simply put, the Cash Flow shows the influx of cash and the outflow of cash in your Business. Cash Management is absolutely critical in successfully running your business, project or venture. The Cash Flow Statement is also very important when you are seeking funding for your operation and analyzed closely by lenders, investors and venture capitalists alike. Your Cash Flow is also critically important to your relationship with your Suppliers. Having a Supplier Business Plan containing a history and projection of Cash Flow can really help your Suppliers become good partners in managing your cash flow, thereby, enhancing your profitability significantly.

The Cash Flow Statement should be your guiding force in Financial Modeling and Cash Management. Effectively managing your Cash creates leverage, which will lead toward increased profitability. The leverage is created within a Cash Flow Management System as it shows how much cash is necessary to grow and finance your Company. Many businesses focus on the Profit and Loss Statement, which is very important; however, they often over look the Cash Flow Statement. Good financial analysis focuses on the Cash Flow Statement, then relates it to the Profit & Loss components (i.e. minimizing costs), which in turn increases Profitability and results in a stronger asset and equity base on the Balance Sheet. Financials and good Financial Management stem from the inter-connectivity of a Company's Financials. Don't forget how important Cash Flow Management is to your Company's future profitability and net worth.

Another very important Financial, which works hand in hand with the Cash Flow Statement and Cash Management, is your Company's Target and Actual Budget. Budgets are used principally for two purposes: Planning and Control. A Budget matches short term targets with long term Strategic Planning, while providing an indicator of future problems ahead. A good Budgeting System will indicate when Costs and Expenses are heading over Budget (Actual vs. Target), providing the business owner time and opportunity to correct the problem before it significantly affects Cash Flow. Your Budget is an extension of (and a result of) your Cash Flow Statement, helping you to effectively control and plan your operational cash, costs and expenses.

We recommend Rolling Budgets which look forward 12 months on a monthly basis, budgeting an additional three months at the end of each quarter. This way you always have a 12 month continuous outlook for Planning Purposes, yet provides you real time Cost Basis for Control purposes. A Budget should be flexible so that you can separate the effects of variations between Actual and Estimated results. Moreover, a Budget is a tool to evaluate your Business Units (Departments) and Management's Performance. Needless to say, assembling a good Budget requires the input of your entire organization, which in turn, is a very good thing. Just as your Business Plan should be an integral part of your Company's every day operations, so too should your Cash Flow, Cash Management and Budgeting Process be intertwined fully into company operations.
It is important to understand how your Financials relate to each other as you build and develop them. This is why Financial Software Programs are so beneficial, making Financial Analysis, Development and Projections a snap (once you have developed a solid Strategic Plan). There's a lot of back and forth between the Profit and Loss Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. When using a Financial Software Program, it is important that the program allows you to customize the Formats for your specific needs and download the Financials into Excel Spreadsheets for maximum utility and flexibility.

When making Financial Projections, the projection period differs for the particular company, venture or project. For instance, a large scale Real Estate Development Project's Cash Flow Projection could be three, five or ten years, depending on the project scope and length. Also Real Estate Companies and Projects typically require additional Financials, such as, the Construction Cost Analysis and Cash Flow, Schedule of Real Estate, Construction Cost and Disbursement Schedule, and so on (Note: some of these may be applicable to other business sectors as well- for instance, a Tire Distribution Company may have substantial real estate holdings, hence, a Schedule of Real Estate would apply). Also, for Real Estate Companies and Projects (as well as for companies applying for business finance), the Loan Package is an important aspect of your Business Plan.
A very important component of the Financial Section is the Assumptions sub-section. This details the assumptions you have utilized in developing your financials. It is important to list the various calculations and formulas used in developing your Financials since those formulas can be company, deal or project specific. Detailed assumptions provide transparency to your Financials.
Financial Projections need to be believable and realistic. If anything, they need to be conservative. Too often we also see extremes of too few numbers or too many numbers. Provide best case, worst case and expected Financial Projections, along with simple and detailed formats. Remember that if you build out your Financials as a result of a good Strategic Planning Process, the financial results will most likely be believable and realistic as possible. We find that if your Financials have truly conservative numbers (yet still see profitability), you will often exceed your Plan which becomes a great Psychological boost for your Company (and any lenders or investors).
9) Section Eight: Appendix
The Appendix Section of a business plan can be aptly called the Due Diligence section. It contains the "proof in the pudding". It contains all the Bulky Documents which supply merit and proof to your Business Plan's assertions. Since the Appendix is large in volume, it is important to have a separate Table of Contents with Tabbed Sections for easy reference for this section.