The target audience for a business plan varies depending on what your company's goal is. Readers of the plan might strictly be internal members of your company, including executives, board members, executives or the general labor force, but it could also be written for bankers and investors.
Before writing a business plan, you must decide what purpose you have for drafting one. If you are starting up a business, your plan should include a structured time line of tasks that will help get the company started. Business plans are also useful if you are running an established company and want it to grow. You can also write business plans for investors or bank loan officers to show that you have an attainable goal and to convince them to provide a specified amount of money to help you reach that goal.
When drafting a plan for your business, it is important to make projections regarding profit gains, expenses and needed resources over a specific time line, typically five years. This will allow investors to make informed judgments on the feasibility of your plan and it can also give workers data for future achievement.
In creating a business plan, you must include details on different strategies you have in mind for reaching your company's goals. These strategies should pertain to aspects of operation, including marketing, the management team and style and interaction with customers.
When drafting your business plan, be clear and specific but also remain flexible to give your company room to change the plan in areas that might not work as you intend for them to.