Parts of a business plan:
For more information, check out the U.S. Small Business Administration's guide to writing a business plan:
When starting your business plan, it is important to know more about what's happening in your industry. This might include whether that industry has growing or declining, how it is projected to fare in the next five years, and which companies have the most market share. Check out these resources to learn more about your industry (IBISWorld) and specific companies (Hoovers).
Learning about your target market includes asking questions about your potential customers, including:
This kind of research includes a wide variety of sources and covers industry updates, news, and marketing data relevant to your industry and new business. A few of the types of sources you will use to find this information include:
State agencies are some of the best places to find information about laws and regulations that might impact how you run your business. Check out these three websites to get you started:
