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Many new business owners start a home business and don’t take the time to write out a business plan. By failing to write a business plan, you greatly decrease your chances of success. The following are some reasons why every business needs to put a business plan into writing.

You have probably heard the old saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” That is very true when it comes to your business. The more planning you do in the beginning, the greater success you will see in the future.

If you decide to take your home business to the next level, a business plan can help you secure financing. A financial institution will want to see, in writing, the reasons that they should loan you money. Simply walking in and telling them why you know you’ll be a success isn’t good enough. However, if you can hand your lender a document that states your business idea, your business goals, a list of steps you plan to take in order to reach your goals, as well as your estimated earnings, you will be seen as a professional and the lender will take you more seriously.

Your business plan will also help you determine your action plan. Your action plan consists of the steps you plan on taking in order to achieve your goals. This is another task that people usually sidestep. Instead of “just kind of knowing” or “having the ideas in your head”, you should take the time to put them on paper. The reason this part of the business plan is so important is that it literally walks you from point A to point B. While your business plan, in general, serves as a map, your action plan is the “step-by-step directions.”

Having a business plan to present to your spouse can also help your spouse realize your business idea is more than just a passing amusement or hobby. This can really help you, especially if your spouse is skeptical. Your spouse can see that you are serious and will become more helpful and more encouraging. Having the support of your spouse can really motivate you and help you find success.

A business plan maps out your future. If you have decided you are ready to start a business, your first step should be to write out your plans for what you want to do with the business and where you see the business going in the future.

If you and your family were going to drive to your vacation destination, you wouldn’t just get in the car and start driving without knowing where you were going. Would you? You shouldn’t start a business without a map either. If you are planning to have a simple home business, built around the Internet, you may not think you need a business plan. You may think only high level businesses need them in order to secure corporate funding but that’s not true.

Every business needs a business plan.

When you sit down to write a business plan, you are literally mapping out the path you want to take in your business. Not only will your business plan help you define what you want to accomplish, it can help you streamline your business and create focus.

You may be under the impression that business plans are huge documents that can be difficult to write. On the contrary, you do not have to create a huge document at all. Your business plan can consist of a single page outlining your basic goals. The point is to put your thoughts and ideas down in writing.

When you take the time to think about your business, where you want your business to go, and estimate your costs as well as your profits, you are much more likely to succeed. Rather than working sporadically and blindly, you will be able to look at your business plan and know exactly what you need to be working on. This can serve as a great motivator and help you reach your business goals.

A common myth is that a business plan is rigid. That once you write it, you have to stick to it. As your business grows, you can change your business plan to suit your needs. You may find certain aspects of your business growing at a faster pace than others and decide to focus more on those areas. For instance, you may have started out in your business strictly as a custom scrapbook artist creating completed albums. However, you found yourself creating more and more themed mini albums and may decide to add that stream of income to your portfolio.

Having your business plan by your side can help you evaluate your decisions and decide what is going to add value to your business and what will take away from your business. Before you start a new project, take out your business plan and see if this new project will fit in with the plans you have already made. This can save you a lot of time, energy, and money.

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Dawn Stegall is dedicated to helping you succeed with your scrapbooking business. Sign up for a free e-course and business tips at ScrapVenture.com If you want to learn more about creating a business plan complete with template, visit ScrapVenturePro.com