The Importance of a Business Plan
Although in essence a business plan just tell us how we should operate a business on paper, and that this plan may differ too much with reality. It is important to have one as through operations research, market research, management and financial analysis will allow us to validate the creation of a new business or expanding an existing business.
Besides having a business plan allows us to have clear and detailed notions about the company itself, its personnel, products or services offered, knowledge about their competitors and the market that is, their goals, strategies and individual action plans to achieve their goals.Among the main purposes that the business develop a plan for an SME or entrepreneur we can highlight two:
Obtain external funding. This objective is very important to the extent that financial resources are needed to operate the business or make it grow. It is vital to have a business plan to achieve financial gain either a bank or an investor, since it provides a sense of how laempresa is, in terms of personnel working within it, the experience that exist to operate, and especially másimportante is the financial health which tells the company. Which consists of the liabilities or debts incurred.

Provide a strategic plan. Allows you to set the way forward for the company to achieve the goals set by top management. Keeping the company and its staff in the predetermined direction. Because the business plan can often be a letter of introduction to investors or business incubators, we must consider some points in the preparation.
Easy reading. A good business plan should give the impression of an easy and quick operations made by the company, ie dedicated to the company. You get to capture the attention and motivate you to read on to investors. Therefore the introduction is key, strive to succeed in developing an excellent introduction to invite you to read.
Focus on your market and not on your product. Focus your efforts in talking about the market, the goodness that is, barriers to entry, potential, etc.. Investors want to see how the product will be received and accepted by Mercado. Do not waste time praising your product shows real market data.
Introduce your staff. Talk about the experience of your employees or members, shows they have the knowledge to run the company. It is important to demonstrate that the investment will perform well managed by trained personnel. Capacitate in air for as administration, marketing, finance, etc.. Or looking to hire qualified staff for management positions.
Presents credible financial information. Not for exaggerating the data get more investment. Do not lie, show actual financial studies. Try to avoid programs that perform calculations automatically.
There are some other points but I think these are the key to take into account when preparing a business plan.
