Writing a Business Plan

This two-day workshop will help you teach participants how to:

• Research and analyze the individual components needed for a business plan
• Apply skills to create a business plan for different audiences, including investors, banks, and other stakeholders
• Explain the purpose and future of their business in easy to understand terms
• Use accounting terms to describe the future for their business
• Describe their marketing, sales, and planning strategies

Course Overview
You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.

What is a Business Plan For?
To begin the course, participants will consider the purpose of a business plan as well as supporting plans.

A General Business Plan Framework
This session will take a closer look at the components of a business plan. Participants will also review their pre-assignment, which asked them to identify the fundamental elements of their business: the company’s values, vision, and mission.

Identifying Your Audience
Next, participants will learn how to identify their audience. We will also share some basic writing rules and explore how to use them to connect with the audience.

Gathering and Analyzing Information
In this session, participants will learn how to gather, read, and analyze information for their business plan.

Defining Your Company
This session focuses on the business elements that need to be defined in the business plan, including the USP (Unique Selling Proposition), company description, product and service descriptions, market analysis, and operations plan.

Getting to Work
At the end of the first day, participants will have an opportunity to start working on their business plan.

Creating a Marketing Strategy
The second day of the course will focus on the elements of a marketing strategy, including competitive analysis, distribution channel analysis, marketing plans, and social media.

Creating the Sales Plan
Next, participants will learn about building their sales force and the sales cycle.

Developing Financial Projections
This session will introduce participants to accounting terminology, generally accepted accounting principles, and financial reports. Participants will also learn how to bring everything together to create financial projections.

Putting It All Together
The final portion of the course will cover writing the executive summary, making a strong presentation, and putting the finishing touches on the plan. Participants will also have some time to work on their own business plan.

Workshop Wrap-Up
At the end of the course, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

This workshop will benefit business owners and entrepreneurs who are ready to create a business plan, from defining your company and creating a marketing strategy, to creating sales plans and financial projections.