E-Business Plan Outline

Follow these simple tips to create a stronger business plan as you outline and write:

Use a Template

Using a template starts you on the right foot, with a standardized order for a business plan which has been vetted by years of use by entrepreneurs and funders. Standing out by creating a new organization system for your plan is a negative way to stand out and will be a distraction. Keep your creativity to your business and marketing ideas. That is where you must prove to funders that you can excel.

Move From Bullet Points to Text

Start the writing process by getting all of your ideas and notes down on paper in bullet point format. If you begin by writing full sentences you may very quickly become hung up on the quality of your writing, which should be the furthest thing from your mind at this stage. Fill the content of each section with your basic ideas in note format at first. Make sure the ideas are sound before writing them as full sentences and paragraphs.

Consistent Headings

The plan should be easy to navigate through and move back and forth between sections. For this reason, make sure the formatting of the content, section headings, and subsection headings are consistent throughout. There is no reason to create distracting new fonts and colors for each section. The plan must be formal, yet attractive in the use of fonts and headings.

Reading Out of Order

Although the plan’s order makes sense and builds the story of the business one piece at a time, you should be prepared for the fact that some funders may read the plan out of order. This may be because they skip ahead to a section they have specific expertise in (such as marketing, operations, or finance) or because their organization has specific requirements which they must see are satisfied before any further consideration. In any case, each section must be able to stand on its own to a certain extent, assuming the reader has covered at least the executive summary and company overview sections.

Eric Powers is associated with Growthink, a business plan consulting firm. Since 1999, Growthink has developed more than 2,000 business plans. Call 800-506-5728 today for a free consultation with a Growthink business plan writer. Or, if you’re writing your plan yourself, Growthink also offers a business plan template to help you finish your plan quickly and easily.