Note: This article considers small size web startups that start with 2-3 people team. It does not cover high value startup projects (as in such cases a business plan has to be written by default); although in some cases it may be applicable to them too.
In these days of Web startups, where cost of launching an online venture has reduced drastically, writing a Business plan has become kind of passé or old fashioned. I see numerous small startups come to fore purely based on a single idea that can be executed at low cost.
In such cases is it important to write a Business Plan?
Yes, it very much is! A business plan is prepared not only for getting venture capital or funding. It has lot more to it. It is for the entrepreneur himself and his team more than for any one else.
Advantages of writing a business plan for the startup team are:
It will force you to think at granular level from start to end.
However well you may have planned the project in your mind, the process of writing it in black and white triggers new thoughts and forces you to analyze lot more than you would normally do.
It will let you come up with concrete vision and realistic end goals
With all the new thoughts and analysis that trigger with writing a business plan, more often than not, the vision and end goals will change that will have solid foundation and reasoning of their own. The chances of success improve drastically as the project is now based on deeper analysis and more realistic end goals.
it will provide you with clarity of timelines.
We are living in an age where time is of most essence, especially if you are planning an online venture. How many times has it happened that due to delay in launching a project, someone else has launched a very similar venture? Although, this can happen anytime, writing a business plan will give you clearer idea about effort, resources and timelines required thereby reducing the risk to a large extent.
It will give you better idea about feasibility of project
Writing the business plan is a grueling process that forces you to think clearly about how all aspects of your business will come together. Some of the assumptions that you have at the start may not hold true by the time you finish writing the business plan. This provides better insights on potential pitfalls and thereby the project feasibility.
A Business plan makes you feel more confident
This according to me is very important. When decisions are taken based on concrete analysis and reasoning, it makes you feel completely confident of what you are doing and it plays a major role in the success of your venture.
Although, the business plan needs to be updated based on changing circumstances, preparing it before starting your project has many advantages that are important for the success of your project.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
![[del.icio.us]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Digg]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Facebook]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Google]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[LinkedIn]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[StumbleUpon]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Twitter]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Yahoo!]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
![[Email]](http://trak.in/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png "Do you write a Business Plan only to get funding for your startup? india business opportunities services making money")
Author: Arun Prabhudesai
Arun Prabhudesai is founder / chief editor at trak.in. He jumped the Entrepreneurship bandwagon in early 2008 after a long 13 year stint in I.T Industry. You can follow him on twitter @trakin or get in touch with him at admin-at-trak-dot-in or 91.9822575676.Related posts:
- How to write a Business Plan ?
- Top 10 questions to ask yourself before starting an online venture
- Top 6 tips for Successful Business Partnership
- Gaming Is a Darn Serious Business , Zygna secures $15 million in funding
- Do you seek approval for your startup Ideas? Only do it with right people!
- 7 things to know before you present your startup to VCs ?
- Easiest way for Indian Startups to get angel funding!
- Interview with CEO of Zamanzar, an Indian Real Estate Startup
- Startup ecosystem and the fate of non-IT startups
- Startup Saturday: Indian Startups, Funding, entrepreneurship & more
{ 1 trackback }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
You are spot on. A BP is a necessity. The most important reason – I think is because it checks your commitment. Even if one is not looking at fuding, but if one can pen his thoughts ( no proper formatting required), it will help one to convince himself that an opportunity exists. I have always felt as we write (or type), we think better, and remember everything well. ( Do you ever wonder why our teacher’s gave us home work when we were school kids!)
A Business Plan is essential. I think if it is going to be your soul and life for the next few years, you should be able to clearly define the scope, competitors, strategy, financials and exit strategy.
Check out this article of one of my classmates who is starting his new venture.
. He was seeking funding, and the last time I spoke to him, he is in about the 20th version of his Business Plan. It seems to be getting better and finer (at least on paper). He has everything. From the team, to the timelines….I see that and often realize the importance of a business plan. Go for it !
This is really good article, your business plan should always accompany requests for small business loans, and lenders or any kind of angel investor will simply refuse to consider your business proposal.
Business Plan is the life wire or the blue print of how a company will operate
hi,
it,s great to see such a article comming up, but let me add something to it -
Business Plan not only requre fundinding and all what u have mentioned but,
1)it gives analytical bend to our thinking
2)we start thinking in a logical manner
3)we get to know only finance or marketing is not enough
4)their needs to be proper cordination between operation-finance-marketing-IT-HR
but above all if anything comes then it is idea (mindblowing)
Some people are experts in beautiful write ups but execution skills is zero
We’re specialized in development solutions for small & medium business across the India. Our services cover every aspect of web development, from start to finish. We has the skills & capacity to work with you to meet.
• Website Development in cheap rate.
• SEO for your website & page rank.
We analyze customer base to generate inquiries and share the customer requirements integration and feasibility study and provide you the effort estimation. the development lifecycle of the project and the profit.