Writing a business plan can be pretty tedious. There's the
cover, the table of contents, some 20-25 pages of content and
the back cover. The innards are typically long paragraphs
punctuated with bold font sprinkled hither and yon.
And it's all a big bore.
There's a reason for this. The "how to write business plans"
books are classics. That means they are old. They were all
written pre-internet. And that's an important consideration in
capturing and holding an audience.
The writing style of the internet has changed the way people
think. And the way they read.
For instance, glance through this web site, or most any other
successful web site, and you will see some real differences in
style and layout, such as:
Short Paragraphs: Computer monitors don't have the tight
resolution of a printed page, so our eyes get tired. To help us
focus, good writers use shorter paragraphs.
Bulleted Lists: But sometimes there is still a great deal to
be communicated, so bulleted lists have become quite popular (or
indented lists).
Block Indents: Block indents give visual variety, so your
eyes don't get so tired and I can hold your attention a bit
longer.
Left Align: In the old days, nearly all paragraphs were
indented five spaces. No more.
Judicious Use of Color: A bit of color is nice. Splashes of
color all over is yucky.
Style that Reflects the Topic: Your business plan layout,
like your web site, is going to pick up on the style of your
business. A presentation for stylish clothes for teenage girls
will look a lot different than one for biotech research. Other
than that, your business plan layout is pretty much up to you.
Make sure that all the pertinent parts are there, but put them
in any order that makes sense for your business.
The Tiny Font Stuff: And when you've got a glump of stuff
that really needs to be included, but it is in tiny print and
long paragraphs, put it as an attachment, either in hard copy
form or on a disk, or both. That way, the information is still
there for those who want it, but you wont' lose your reader
before you get started.
How to Use Your Logo: Incorporating your logo is important
too. I very small logo in a corner of the page, or on the first
page of each section is fine. A big, intrusive logo splashed
over every page is not fine.
As straightforward as this advice seems, I am continually
astounded by how poorly written most business plan area. Many
follow the rather dorky outline of business plan software. Most
haven't a clue how to include a chart or an image.
My "Bad Example": I have one business plan that I got a couple
of years ago that I hold onto as a "bad example". The business
was actually pretty good. It was for an online business
incorporating a particular ethnic style of art. The owner was
from that ethnic group, so it was a nice fit. But the business
plan was 100+ pages of tight, tight paragraphs. And not a single
solitary image of the art. Not one. I just couldn't believe it.
Just as an entrepreneur can't plunk down three pages and shout, "Here I am! Drop your money in the bucket!", neither can he
expect a serious lender or investor to overlook a lousy business
plan. This business plan represents you and your company.
Make it professional.
Make it real.
Make it reflect your energy and your style.
The money will follow.
Mary Ann Shank, founder of Business Plan
Master has helped literally
thousands of entrepreneurs raise funding for their businesses,
large and small. Her advice is grounded in two decades of
experience, and carries a dash of irreverence.
