Page 45 - Business Plans that Work A Guide for Small Business

36 • Business Plans that Work

The Business Planning Guide

The guide is based on the analytical framework described in the book
and builds upon the Quick Screen. The Business Planning Guide will
allow you to draw on data and analysis developed in the Opportunity
Screening Exercises as you conduct your busi ness planning.
As you proceed through the Business Planning Guide, remember that
statements need to be supported with data whenever possible. Note also
that it is sometimes easier to present data in graphic, visual form. In fact, vi-
sual presentation often more effectively communicates your vision. Include
the source of all data, the methods and/or assumptions used, and the cre-
dentials of people doing research. If data on which a statement is based is
available else where in the plan, be sure to reference where it can be found.
Remember that the Busi ness Planning Guide is just that—a guide. It is
intended to be applicable to a wide range of product and service businesses.
For any particular industry or market, certain critical issues are unique
to that industry or market. In the chemical industry, for example, some
special issues of significance currently exist, such as increasingly strict
regulations at all levels of govern ment concerning the use of chemical
products and the operation of processes, diminishing viability of the high
capital cost, special-purpose chemical process ing plants serving a narrow
market, and long delivery times of processing equipment. In the electron-
ics in dustry, the special issues may be the future availabil ity and price of
new kinds of large-scale integrated circuits. Common sense should rule in
applying the guide to your specific venture.
In the following exercise, we illustrate how Dan might complete this
guide before he starts his business planning process. We have used broadly
defined activities as you likely would in your first cut. As you start com-
pleting the tasks, you’ll identify subtasks that complement the major tasks
outlined. Put these into the schedule as you identify them. Although we
expect that your scheduling of key activities will change, the discipline of
going through the process keeps you focused on what needs to be done.
If you start slipping on the deliverable due dates, it may be a signal that
you were too aggressive in scheduling your dates, or it might signal other
problems. For example, if you see that one team member is consistently
slow on the deliverable, it may indicate that she is not a good person to
retain because she might let you down once the business is launched. Just
like the actual business plan, scheduling is a work in progress. Revisit
your schedule regularly.