Have you ever used business planning software? If so, what?
I'm curious to know if business planning is something most professionals do on their own or if any of the off-the-shelf options are truly helpful or not.
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Dec 3, 2019
A business plan is a viable marketing tool every entrepreneur should have. But for some reason, some marketers care less about creating a business plan for their marketing tactics. Did you know? If you are looking for investors, for example, or want to get a load to fund your startup, would-be investors and or the banks will want to see your business plan before deciding whether to invest in your business.
This gives you an idea of why a business plan is essential. The method for your business also helps you to maintain a focus on both short-term and long-term goals that'll help you grow your business. Marketers who have a business plan are running their business with a more cohesive perception.
It serves as a roadmap to your success because it will guide your marketing undertakings, such as evaluating:
Production output
Sales
Competitor research
Purpose of your business plan
Marketing strategy
Defining your buyer person
Etc.
Some of the best software in the marketplace are:
Bizplan
PlanGuru
GoSmallBiz
Stratpad
LivePlan
Business Sorter
Dec 2, 2019
I don’t really think you need some special software to create a business plan. If you think you need it for some guidance, then you should just look for some instructions on how to write a business plan to understand its structure.
This is the very basic structure of any business plan:
Explain the problem your product or service will solve;
Describe a solution to this problem and its advantages;
Do research on the industry and competitors;
Create a business model;
Prepare financial forecasts.
Dec 4, 2019
This is helpful. I guess I'm trying to figure out if business plan software offers more than just a template to use.
Dec 1, 2019
Hi Anna,
I used a business planning software probably 15 years ago, before I realized it wasn't helping me take action. The plan itself doesn't have value; it's the planning process that teaches you a lot.
If you're looking for good resources, bplans.com has great ones.
Thank you!