Marketers LLC provides a full range of services to clients, including business plan creation. A business doesn’t have to be an expert to put together a good business plan, Marketers LLC has found. In fact, often businesses know their own operations and future plans well enough to put a plan together on their own, Marketers LLC advises. Still, Marketers LLC finds that many clients have multiple questions about creating a business plan. Recently, Marketers LLC spoke with Interviewing Experts about the factors that make up a good business plan.

Interviewing Experts: How important is a business plan?

Marketers LLC: Very important. In fact, for many companies, a business plan is used to secure funding, loans, and form partnerships with other companies.

Interviewing Experts: Who reads a business plan?

Marketers LLC: Usually the decision-makers—people who can make or break a business completely.

Interviewing Experts: How do I know what to put into a business plan?

Marketers LLC: The first step to creating a business plan is to ask questions.

Interviewing Experts: What kind of questions?

Marketers LLC: Questions that reveal more information about your company, like ‘what are our goals?’ ‘What are our accomplishments?’

Interviewing Experts: Once I’ve asked these questions, what do I do with the answers?

Marketers LLC: Log the answers for use in your business plan.

Interviewing Experts: What specific types of information will be included in the plan?

Marketers LLC: The plan will begin with an executive summary.

Interviewing Experts: Which is…?

Marketers LLC: A brief overview that a busy decision-maker can peruse before flipping to other areas of the plan.

Interviewing Experts: There should also be a summary of what my company is about, correct?

Marketers LLC: Yes, the company overview will give an overview of the office culture and management’s particular style of running things.

Interviewing Experts: Will I then need to give decision-makers a feel for what the regular expenses will be?

Marketers LLC: Yes. Marketers LLC recommends disclosing all possible expenditures in the management and operations section.

Interviewing Experts: Should I include my marketing strategy in my business plan?

Marketers LLC: Definitely. The marketing strategy is an important part of a business plan.

Interviewing Experts: Is that because marketing is so important?

Marketers LLC: Without marketing, a business doesn’t really stand a chance, so the plan needs to be included.

Interviewing Experts: Will I need to provide information about my product?

Marketers LLC: In the sales plan section, we recommend disclosing both projections and proprietary product details.

Interviewing Experts: What about financials?

Marketers LLC: As much as people hate to deal with financials, it’s a necessary part of the business plan. Many believe it’s the most important part, since decision-makers look at it so closely.

Marketers LLC helps clients craft effective business plans, which can be especially important for startups.