Shopika
Shopika

Business plan writing

38 lessons · 103 topics

This course will show you how to write a business plan.

A business plan is a very important part of every business venture and that is why you hear about it very often.

Unfortunately, most people who think about starting a business usually don`t consider writing a business plan.

I have read from different business experts about the fact that most start-up entrepreneurs do not write business plans but what I have not read from anyone is why this is so.

Why is it that most people have fear (so to say) about writing a business plan?

I know the answer.

You see, there are many myths and lies you probably have heard about the subject of business plans. Some people present business plans as if it was a university thesis or an academic report to be defended before certain professors.

Other people think that a business plan has to be 50 pages long and that it must be written in a certain “approved” format.

Well, I am here to tell you that all those opinions are invalid.

Because there are some ugly lies around this important business step, most people are “afraid” of doing it

Journey with us as we will reveal the real truth about business plans and at the end, you will discover that it is easy to write a business plan.

Course Program

We have prepared a program for our course.

The course has 19 sections, and you will learn through; articles, images and videos. Our Comments section is open for discussions, questions and answers.

NOTE: The course won't affect your daily schedule. You can access all the information on the courses page in your free time.

Below is a schedule of what you will learn in each course section.

  • SECTION 1: Introduction to Business Plan Writing & Why You Need a Business Plan.
  • SECTION 2: Evaluating if your Business idea is a Good One.
  • SECTION 3: How long should a Business Plan be & When does a Business Plan Expire?
  • SECTION 4: Types of Business Plans.
  • SECTION 5: Sample Business Plans (How Business Plans look like)
  • SECTION 6: PART 1 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Business Plan Cover Letter & Title Page
  • SECTION 7: PART 2 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Business Plan Executive Summary
  • SECTION 8: PART 3 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Company/Business Profile
  • SECTION 9: PART 4 of the Business Plan – Writing about Your Business Products/Services
  • SECTION 10: PART 5 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Industry Analysis (SWOT Analysis)
  • SECTION 11: PART 6 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Marketing Plan
  • SECTION 12: PART 7 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Operation Plan
  • SECTION 13: PART 8 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Management Plan
  • SECTION 14: PART 9 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Business Survivability and Growth Plan.
  • SECTION 15: PART 10 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Financial Plan & Startup Budget Projections.
  • SECTION 16: PART 11 of the Business Plan – Writing Your Business Exit Strategy.
  • SECTION 17: Presenting your Business Plan (Written Business Plan vs Audio Business Plan)
  • SECTION 18: Success Keys to Planning a Business That Wins.
  • SECTION 19: Conclusion of our Course.

What the course covers

38 lessons, 103 topics in all. Tap a lesson to see what is inside it.

  1. 1 Introduction 3 topics
    • You need it
    • Banks and investors will want to see it
    • You can make money with it
  2. 2 Benefits of a business plan 5 topics
    • A Business Plan is a Strong Commitment
    • A Business Plan Helps To Develop Your Idea
    • A Business Plan Makes You Prepared And More Likely To Succeed
    • A Business Plan Keeps You and Your Business Accountable
    • A Business Plan Increases Your Chances of Raising Capital
  3. 3 Sample Business Plan
  4. 4 Frequently Asked Questions
  5. 5 7 Keys to Planning a Business that Wins 7 topics
    • Plan a business that can grow with or without you
    • Create a business that will be driven by your vision
    • Create a business that will be bounded by your core values
    • Plan a business that will constantly increase its customer’s value
    • Create a business that will be led by a strong team
    • Plan a business that will be a good corporate citizen
    • Create a business that will help you achieve your primary aim
  6. 6 End of section 1 business plan writing learning session
  7. 7 A Sample Executive Summary of a Business Plan
  8. 8 Components of a Business Plan Executive Summary
  9. 9 Is your business idea a good one? 1 topic
    • Is there a market for it?
  10. 10 What is a Feasibility Study?
  11. 11 Step One: Analyze The Business Idea 3 topics
    • Potential Market Size
    • Competitive Advantage
    • Assess Capital Requirements
  12. 12 Step One: Analyze The Business Idea
  13. 13 Step Two: A Deeper Analysis of the Market 3 topics
    • Find the Differentiating Factor
    • Market Barriers Analysis
    • What Makes Your Competitors Successful?
  14. 14 Step Two: A Deeper Analysis of the Market
  15. 15 Step Three: Financial Feasibility Analysis 2 topics
    • Estimate The Start-up Cost
    • How Viable Is My Business Idea?
  16. 16 Does your idea solve a problem?
  17. 17 Is your idea unique?
  18. 18 What is the price point?
  19. 19 Will investors be interested?
  20. 20 Is your idea hard to duplicate?
  21. 21 Can your idea last? Is it scalable?
  22. 22 End of section 2 business plan writing learning session
  23. 23 What is your your driving force?
  24. 24 Lesson 1: How Long Should a Business Plan Be? 5 topics
    • What if you want to write a business plan to convince the investors?
    • Your business plan shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes to skim
    • Your plan’s length should mirror its audience
    • The right length for a business plan competition
    • Use graphics wisely
  25. 25 Lesson 2: When does a business plan expire? 2 topics
    • Quick Guidelines to Keep the Business Plan Simple
    • Here are some more tips to utilize the graphics more effectively
  26. 26 End of section 3 business plan writing learning session
  27. 27 Introduction: Types of Business Plans 2 topics
    • Internal vs External Business Plans
    • Lean vs Standard Business Plan
  28. 28 Types of Business Plans 7 topics
    • Startup Business Plan
    • Strategic Business Plan
    • Feasibility Business Plan
    • Operations Business Plan
    • Growth Business Plan
    • What-If Business Plan
    • One-Page Business Plan
  29. 29 End of section 4 business plan writing learning session
  30. 30 General sections of your business plan and what they entail 14 topics
    • Cover Letter
    • Title Page
    • Executive Summary
    • Your Company's Profile
    • Products and Services
    • Your Industry Analysis
    • Marketing Plan
    • Operational Plan
    • Management Plan
    • Business Growth Strategy
    • Financial Plan
    • Projections
    • Business Exit Strategy
    • Appendices of a Plan
  31. 31 Sample Business Plans 27 topics
    • Agriculture Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Arts & Craft Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Automotive Sector Business Plan Samples
    • B2B Sector Business Plan Samples
    • B2C Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Beauty Care Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Chemical Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Education Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Entertainment Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Fashion & Style Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Financial Services Business Plan Samples
    • Food Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Green & Eco-Friendly Business Plan Samples
    • Healthcare & Medical Business Plan Samples
    • Import & Export Business Plan Samples
    • Manufacturing Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Marketing & Advertising Business Plan Samples
    • Media Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Mining Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Music Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Non-Profit Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Oil & Gas Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Online Startups Business Plan Samples
    • Pet Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Real Estate Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Security Sector Business Plan Samples
    • Sports Sector Business Plan Samples
  32. 32 End of section 5 business plan writing learning session
  33. 33 Business Plan Cover Letter & Title Page 4 topics
    • What is a business plan cover page?
    • What is the purpose of a cover page?
    • What should you include on a business plan cover page?
    • Detailed cover page elements
  34. 34 Detailed cover page elements 8 topics
    • Company logo
    • Title
    • Business name
    • Tagline (optional)
    • Address and contact information
    • Date of completion
    • Version Control
    • Confidentiality Statement & Disclaimer
  35. 35 Lesson
  36. 36 Design: How should you Format a Business Plan Cover Page? 8 topics
    • Visual Identity
    • Colours
    • Typeface
    • Images
    • Alignment
    • Simplicity
    • Proofreading
    • Formatting
  37. 37 Introduction to Business Plan Executive Summary 2 topics
    • Is an executive summary necessary?
    • How long should an executive summary be?
  38. 38 End of section 6 business plan writing learning session