5 common mistakes in writing a business plan

11 Common Business Plan Mistakes You Should Avoid

6 min. read

Updated February 9, 2024

During a business crisis, change comes at you fast. Meaning that good business planning is crucial to the survival and success of your business. However, even when you’re not navigating through a crisis, it’s easy to make mistakes that can prove to be costly for your business.

• What are the most common mistakes when writing a business plan?

Some common mistakes are classics. Others are reflections of the growing need for planning as steering and management tools. But they are all common pitfalls to avoid. Do your planning right and it’s a powerful tool for quick decisions, rapid adjustment, and optimizing management.

So, what are the most common mistakes when writing a business plan ?  

1. Not planning

Too many businesses make business plans only when they have no choice in the matter. Unless a bank or investors want a plan, there is no plan.

Don’t wait to write your plan until you think you’ll have enough time. “I can’t plan. I’m too busy getting things done,” business people say. The busier you are, the more you need to plan. If you are always putting out fires, you should build firebreaks or a sprinkler system. You can lose the whole forest for paying too much attention to the individual burning trees.

You can actually put together a Lean Plan in less than 30 minutes . Here’s a free downloadable Lean Plan Template to help.

2. Using a single static plan

Now more than ever, as we deal with the crisis of 2020 and 2021, stop thinking of the business plan as just a plan. That conceptual mistake blocks you from the enormous benefits of planning as a process, with regular review and revision .

Things change overnight. Assumptions disappear into the wind. Your business planning is where you keep track of all of the connections between tasks, spending, goals, changing assumptions, and changing markets.

A good business plan is never finished. When your plan is done, your company is done. Do a lean plan and keep it fresh.

3. Losing focus on cash

Most people think in terms of profits instead of cash . When you imagine a new business, you think of what it would cost to make the product, what you could sell it for, and what the profits per unit might be.

We are trained to think of business as sales minus costs and expenses, which equals profits. Unfortunately, we don’t spend the profits in a business. We spend cash.

Understanding cash flow is critical. If you have only one table in your business plan, make it the cash flow table. Here’s a free cash flow template to help you get started.

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4. Skipping idea validation

Don’t overestimate the importance of the idea. You don’t need a great idea to start a business — you need time, money, perseverance, and common sense. 

Few successful businesses are based entirely on new ideas. A new idea is harder to execute than an existing one because people don’t understand a new idea and they are often unsure if it will work.

Plans don’t sell new business ideas to investors. Plans just summarize business prospects and achievements. Investors invest in people, and their businesses, not ideas. Investors buy into a business, with milestones met and traction and validation ; not just ideas.

The plan, though necessary, is only a way to present information. So make sure you’re ready to wow your prospective investors with your knowledge and leadership skills. Don’t expect your business idea — or the business plan you explain it in — to do the work for you.

Here’s our idea validation checklist — it can help you think through whether your idea is viable before you spend a lot of time and money on it.

5. Making the planning process overwhelming

Doing a business plan isn’t as hard as you might think. You don’t have to write a doctoral thesis or a novel. As we said earlier, the simplest Lean Plan is just a few pages of bullet-point lists, tables, and essential projections.

There are good books , many advisors among the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), and through the SCORE business mentoring program, business schools, and there is software available to help you (such as LivePlan ).

Don’t sweat the cosmetics. Focus on the content. What matters is what you plan, not how you write about it.

6. Spongy, vague goals

Leave out the vague and meaningless babble of business phrases (such as “being the best”) because they are simply hype.

Remember that the objective of a plan is its results, and for results, you need tracking and follow-up . You need specific dates, management responsibilities, budgets, and milestones. Then you can follow up. No matter how well thought out or brilliantly presented, it means nothing unless it produces results. This article on how milestones make your business plan real and actionable will help.

7. Assuming that one size fits all

Not every business plan needs to be the same. In fact not every plan should be the same. To find success, you need to tailor your plan to its real business purpose.

Business plans can be different things: they are sometimes just sales documents to explain a new business. They can also be flexible Lean Plans, detailed action plans, financial plans , marketing plans , and even personnel plans. They can be used to start a business , or just run a business better.

Develop the plan that best suits your business goals and don’t let the planning process get the best of you.

8. Diluted priorities

Remember, strategy equals focus . If you split your priorities you split your focus and will only have difficulties making any progress.

Starting with a priority list of three to four items is the focus. A priority list with 20 items is certainly not strategic, and rarely if ever effective. The more items on the list, the less the importance of each.

9. “Hockey stick” shaped growth projections

Sales grow slowly at first, but then shoot up boldly with huge growth rates, as soon as “something” happens. The only issue is if that’s your sole projection, you’ll soon find yourself in trouble.

It’s best to have projections that are conservative so you can defend them. When in doubt, be less optimistic. In fact, it may make sense to have multiple forecasts operating — one that acts conservatively, one that’s more optimistic, and another that reflects your actual performance. 

If you’re unsure of where to start, here’s how we suggest you create your sales forecast .

10. Not paying attention

We’ve seen it again in 2020 — planning works best as a process. In order to navigate volatile environments a lean plan, regular reviews, and revisions as needed are necessary. It’s not about having the document, the business plan, that isn’t the goal. It’s about a system of planning that works like driving with a GPS.

You have the long-term strategy and goals as the desired destination. You have the major milestones and metrics as the recommended route. And you have regular progress reviews as the equivalent of real-time traffic and weather information.

Steering is a matter of frequent course corrections. Planning does that for you. If you’re not paying attention, and not adjusting to external factors, your plan is worthless.

11. Sticking to the plan

Contrary to popular belief, there is no virtue in sticking to a plan, just for the sake of sticking to a plan. There are plenty of cases where your initial plan is ill-informed, missing steps, or just ineffective.

Having a plan doesn’t mean you cut your options or reduce flexibility. Having a plan means you have a dashboard tool to show the connections and dependencies. It’s about being able to make the right changes fast. It is more flexible, not less.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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Start » business ideas, 5 common sense reasons to write a business plan and 7 mistakes to avoid.

Still not sure if you need a business plan? We tell you why you need one and how to avoid the most common business plan mistakes.

Whether you're seeking investors, financing or simply keeping a focus on company goals, it's important that you write a business plan.

Here are five reasons you should write a business plan before you start planning to launch your startup. A business plan will help you:

Keep sight of your vision. In the course of starting a business, you might get bogged down by small details and forget some of the larger priorities. Writing a business plan at the start of forming your business helps you capture that vision that can keep as a written reference point.

Obtain an understanding of your market. Exploring the hard data on an industry you are thinking of joining will give you perspective on where you fit into the market and what you have to do to achieve greater market share.

Identify and understand your competition. Doing a deep dive on your competitors may help you realize ways to make your business more successful, or give you ideas on how to improve.

Set goals and benchmarks. A comprehensive understanding of your financials will permit you to set measurable goals and determine what moves you should make at certain times.

Confirm the math. If you have only a vague idea of what you need to be profitable, going through the exercise of putting together a business plan will help you firm up your numbers so you can make smart business decisions.

Writing a business plan at the start of forming your business helps you capture that vision that can keep as a written reference point.

Business plan mistakes to avoid

You want to put your best foot forward when it comes to introducing your business to people who are not already familiar with it. Reading your business plan may be the first interaction that a potential investor, lender or other interested party has with your company. When writing your business plan, you should avoid the following:

Poor grammar and wording. Not every business person is an eloquent writer, but that’s not an excuse for errors in your text. Seek the help of an editor to review the plan, especially if you struggle with grammar and verbiage. Enlist additional reviewers, such as friends, family, business partners, an attorney or a financial advisor to look over the plan for content, as well. An outside observer will help point out where you need to explain things.

An off-putting style. In a professional business plan, you want to show that you know your stuff. This means avoiding conversational, folksy or funny wording. Instead, you want to be authoritative and realistic to prove that you have a handle on your industry and are reliable. Find other ways of portraying your personality throughout the plan, perhaps through your descriptions of key members of your team or in the company description. Don’t be afraid to showcase what sets you apart, but be sure to do so tastefully and professionally.

Sloppy format. Structure the business plan with clear and defined sections that are easily understandable. Font, style, spacing and margins should be kept consistent. Include supplemental materials, like charts or graphs, in such a way that they do not interrupt the narrative you are building.

Being too vague or too detailed. The business plan should display your aptitude and understanding of your business, just enough where you are not burying your reader in detail or leaving something to be desired. This means you need to understand exactly what your reader needs to know. Being too vague will squander that opportunity. If you feel you have too much information, however, you can always attach supporting documents in an appendix.

Assumptions. Business plans are built on facts. Have your research in order so you’re not basing assertions on assumptions. That will make the plan seem thin and will likely not accomplish your goals.

Ignoring risks. Every business plan should address the risks of starting a business head on. Not stating these risks and how you plan to cope with them can make you or your plan seem naive. Include a contingency plan for how to handle changes in the market.

Ignoring the customer. It's important to get across why you love your business, but you have to bring it back to how your business benefits your customers. Not talking about the customer is a huge oversight when developing a business plan.

See our Complete Guide to Writing a Business Plan

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17 Key Business Plan Mistakes to Avoid in 2024

Posted december 6, 2023 by noah parsons.

If you’re like most people and you’re writing a business plan for the first time, you want to make sure you get it right. Even if you follow the instructions in one of the popular business plan templates out there, you can still make mistakes. 

After having spent countless hours reading thousands of business plans and having judged hundreds of business plan competitions, I’ve assembled a list of the biggest business plan mistakes that I’ve seen.

What is the biggest mistake when preparing a business plan?

The absolute biggest business plan mistake you can make is to not plan at all.

That doesn’t mean everyone must write a detailed business plan. While you should do some planning to figure out what direction you want to take your business—your plan could be as simple as a one-page business plan, or even a pitch presentation that highlights your current strategy.

Your strategy and ideas will certainly evolve as you go, but taking a little time to figure out how your business works will pay dividends over time.

17 common business plan mistakes to avoid 

Assuming you’ve at least decided that you should do some business planning, here are the top business plan mistakes to avoid:

1. Not taking the planning process seriously

Writing a business plan just to “tick the box” and have a pile of paper to hand to a loan officer at the bank is the wrong way to approach business planning.

If you don’t take the business planning process seriously, it’s going to show that you don’t really care about your business and haven’t really thought through how your business is going to be successful. 

Instead, take the time and use the planning process to strengthen your understanding of how your business will be successful. It will improve your chances with lenders and investors and help you run a better business in the long run.

2. Not having a defined purpose for your business plan

Why are you writing a business plan?

Is it to raise money? Are you just trying to get your team on the same page as you so they understand your strategy? Or are you planning a new period of growth?

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will help you stay focused on what matters to help you achieve your goals, while not wasting time on areas of the plan that don’t matter for what you’re doing.

For example, if you’re writing an internal business plan, you can probably skip the sections that describe your team. 

3. Not writing for the right audience

When you’re putting together your business plan, make sure to consider who your readers are. This is especially important for businesses that are in the technology and medical industries .

If your audience isn’t going to understand the specialized vocabulary that you use to describe your business and what you do, they aren’t going to be able to understand your business.

On the other hand, if your audience is going to be all industry insiders, make sure to write in the language that they understand.

4. Writing a business plan that’s too long

Don’t write a book when you’re putting together your plan. Your audience doesn’t have time to spend reading countless pages about your business. Instead, focus on getting straight to the point and make your business plan as short as possible.

Start with a one-page plan to keep things concise. You can always include additional details in an appendix or in follow-up documents if your reader needs more information.

5. Not doing enough research

You don’t need to spend endless time researching, but your business plan should demonstrate that you truly understand your industry, your target market, and your competitors. If you don’t have this core knowledge, it’s going to show that you’re not prepared to launch your business.

To keep things simple, start with this four-step process to make sure you cover your bases with an initial market analysis.

6. Not defining your target market

Don’t assume your products are for “everyone.”

Even a company like Facebook that now truly does target “everyone” started out with a focus on college students. Make sure you take some time to understand your target market and who your customers really are.

Investors will want to see that you understand who you are marketing to and that you’re building your product or service for a specific market.

7. Failing to establish a sound business model

Every business needs to eventually have a way to make money. Your business plan needs to clearly explain who your customers are, what they pay you, and have financial projections that show your path to profitability.

Without a real business model , where income covers your expenses, it will be difficult to show that you have a viable path to success.

8. Failing to showcase current traction and milestones

Great business plans are more than just a collection of ideas. They also demonstrate that you have early traction — a fancy way of saying that you have some initial success.

This could come in the form of pre-orders from a Kickstarter campaign or initial contracts that you’ve signed with your first customers. Traction can be as little as expressed interest from potential customers, but the more commitment you have, the better. The companion to traction is milestones. Milestones are simply your roadmap for the future — your next steps with details of what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it. Make sure to include your best guess at your future timeline as part of your business plan.  

9. Having unrealistic financial projections

Everyone dreams of sales that start from zero and then just skyrocket off the charts. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. So, if you have financial projections that look too good to be true, it’s worth a second look.

Investors don’t want you to be overly conservative either. You just need to have a financial forecast that’s based in reality and that you can easily explain. 

Keep in mind that when first starting out, you may not have exact numbers to work with. That’s perfectly fine. You can work with general assumptions and compare against competitive benchmarks to set a baseline for your business.

The key here is to develop reasonable projections that you and any external parties can reference and see as viable.

10. Ignoring your competitors

Not knowing who your competitors are , or pretending that you have no competition, is a common mistake. It’s easy to say that you have “no competition,” but that’s just taking the easy way out. Every business has competition, even if it’s a completely different way of solving the same problem.

For example, Henry Ford’s early competition to the automobile wasn’t other cars — it was horses.

11. Missing organizational or team information

When you’re starting a business, it’s likely that you haven’t hired everyone that you’re going to need. That’s OK. The mistake people make in their business plan is not acknowledging that there are key positions yet to be filled.

A successful plan will highlight the key roles that you plan to hire for in the future and the types of people you’ll be looking for. This is especially vital when pitching to investors to showcase that you’re already thinking ahead.

12. Inconsistent information and mistakes

This almost goes without saying, but make sure to proofread your plan before you send it out. Beyond ensuring that you use proper grammar and spelling, make sure that any numbers that you mention in your plan are the same ones that you have in your financial projections.

You don’t want to write that you’re aiming for $2 million in sales, while your sales forecast shows $3 million. 

13. Including incomplete financial information

You may have a great idea, but a business plan isn’t complete without a full financial forecast. Too many business plans neglect this area, probably because it seems like it’s the most challenging. But, if you use a good forecasting tool like LivePlan , the process is easy.

Make sure to include forecasts for Profit and Loss, Cash Flow, and Balance Sheet. You may also want to include additional detail related to your sales forecast.

For example, if you run a subscription business , you should include information about your churn rate and customer retention.

14. Adding too much information

Don’t fall into the trap of adding everything you know about your business, your industry, and your target market into your business plan. Your business plan should just cover the highlights so that it’s short enough that people will read it.

A simple and concise plan will engage your reader and could prompt follow-up requests for additional information. 

Focus on writing an engaging executive summary and push non-critical, detailed information into your appendix — or leave it out altogether and leave the details for those that ask.

Remember, your business plan is there to serve a purpose. If you’re raising money, you want to get that next meeting with your investors. If you’re sharing your strategy with your team, you want your team to actually read what you wrote.

Keep your plan short and simple to help achieve these goals.

What should not be included in a business plan?

Here are a few things to leave out of your plan:

• Full resumes of each team member. Just hit the highlights.
• Detailed technical explanations or schematics of how your product works. Put these in the appendix or just leave them out completely.
• A long history of your industry. A few sentences should be enough.
• Detailed market research. Yes, you want market research but just include the summary of your findings, not all the data.

Make sure to include:

• Executive summary.
• Financial projections.
• Market research (just a summary)
• Competition overview
• Funding needs (if you’re raising money)

15. Having no one review your plan

As with any work that you do, it’s always helpful to have a few other people take a look at your work as you go. You don’t have to please everyone and you don’t have to implement every comment, but you should listen for themes in your feedback and make adjustments as you go. 

A fresh pair of eyes will always help spot pesky typos as well as highlight areas of your plan that may not make sense. You can even explore having a plan writing expert review your plan for a more in-depth analysis.

16. Never revisiting your business plan

Business plans are never 100% accurate and things never go exactly as planned. Just like when you set out on a road trip, you have a plan to reach your final destination and an idea of how you will get there.

But, things can change as you go and you may want to adjust your route. 

Planning for your business is often the same as that road trip and your plans will change as you grow your business. Keeping your plan updated will help you set new goals for you and your team and, most importantly, set financial goals and budgets that will help your business thrive.

Incorporate your plan into regular review meetings to be sure you’re consistently revisiting it and integrating the time spent reviewing into your current workflow.

17. Not using your business plan to manage your business

Revisiting and revising your business plan is how you use your plan to manage your business. If you aren’t updating your goals and following a budget, you’re flying blind. Your plan is your ultimate tool to help you manage your business to success. You can use it to set sales goals and figure out when and how you should expand. 

You’ll use your plan to ensure that you have healthy cash flow and enough money in the bank to handle your growth. Without managing your plan, you’re left to guess and live with a level of uncertainty about where your business is headed.

How a business planning and management tool helps you avoid mistakes

Writing a business plan can seem like a daunting task. Sure, you can do it yourself with free templates and advice like you find on this website . But, doing it on your own can just slow the process down, lead to mistakes, and keep you from actually working on building your business.

Instead, consider using a planning tool, like LivePlan, which features step-by-step guidance and financial forecasting tools that propel you through the process.

LivePlan will help you include only what you need in your plan and reduce the time you spend on formatting and presenting. You’ll also get help building solid financial models that you can trust, without having to worry about getting everything right in a spreadsheet.

Finally, it will transform your plan into a management tool that will help you easily compare your forecasts to your actual results. This makes it easy to track your progress and make adjustments as you go.

So, whether you’re writing a plan to explore a new business idea, looking to raise money from investors, seeking a loan, or just trying to run your business better—a solid business plan built with LivePlan will help get you there. 

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Noah Parsons

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Business Plan

Crafting a business plan is a delicate balancing act. It demands a deep understanding of your market, a clear value proposition, realistic financial projections, a competent team, and the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. 

All too frequently, an entrepreneur or business owner may lean on a business plan template or outsourced freelancer, bypassing the essential strategic work that needs to go behind it. This often results in a business plan that is generic and lacks the specific details and insights that make the business unique.

Remember, a good business plan is not just a document; it's a reflection of your business idea and strategy. It's an opportunity to delve deep into your business idea, understand your market, define your value proposition, and plan for your business's future.

So, whether you're a first-time entrepreneur with a new business idea or a small business owner looking to expand, here are some common mistakes made during the business planning process.

Insufficient Market Research

Market research is the foundation of business planning. It's the key to unlocking a profound understanding of your target audience, offering invaluable insights that can steer your business decisions. Without comprehensive market research, you risk basing your strategies on assumptions about your customers' needs and preferences, a misstep that can lead to expensive errors and overlooked opportunities.

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, the freshness of your data is paramount. Markets are in a constant state of flux, and data that was accurate a year ago may not hold true today. This is particularly relevant in the wake of the recent pandemic, which has caused seismic shifts across every industry. 

Therefore, it's crucial to not only use the most recent data but also understand the context behind the numbers. This involves analyzing the data in relation to your business goals, industry trends, and market dynamics. It's about asking the right questions: What do these numbers mean for your business? How do they impact your target audience? What opportunities do they present, and what challenges do they pose?

The real value of market research lies in your ability to interpret the data, identify gaps and opportunities, and apply these insights to your business strategy. It's about turning raw data into actionable intelligence that can inform your business decisions.

There's a wide array of tools at your disposal for conducting market research , from free resources to premium platforms. Government resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau can offer a wealth of insights into consumer behavior and market trends. However, for more granular and industry-specific data, you might need to turn to premium sources like IBISWorld or paid industry reports.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a potent tool for market research. However, it's important to exercise caution when using AI for data collection. Even advanced AI tools like ChatGPT-4, with the aid of browser plugins, can sometimes provide inaccurate data. Therefore, always cross-verify the sources and accuracy of the data obtained from AI. Remember, a single oversight in your market research can undermine the credibility of your entire business plan.

Where AI truly shines is in its ability to analyze vast amounts of data swiftly and accurately, revealing patterns and trends that might be challenging to discern manually.

Beyond online research, don't underestimate the power of direct interaction with potential customers. Conducting surveys or simply engaging in conversations can offer firsthand insights into your customers' needs and preferences, often revealing valuable information that isn't readily available in online data.

Ignoring Your Target Customer

Your target audience is the lifeblood of your business. They are the people who will use your product or service, advocate for your brand, and ultimately drive your revenue. Therefore, it's crucial to understand who they are, what they need, and what they value.

Start by creating customer personas . These are detailed profiles of your ideal customers, including demographic information, interests, pain points, and buying behavior. This will help you understand your customers' needs and preferences, allowing you to tailor your business plan to meet these needs .

However, understanding your customer is only half the battle. The other half is communicating how your product or service meets their needs and adds value to their lives. This is where understanding your unique value proposition comes into play.

Your value proposition is what sets you apart from your competitors and persuades customers to choose your product or service. Highlight the unique benefits that you offer, such as superior quality, convenience, or affordability. Use clear, concise language that resonates with your target audience. Your value proposition should be the cornerstone of all your marketing efforts, from your website copy to your social media posts.

Neglecting Competitive Analysis

In the realm of business, being unaware of your competitors is a recipe for disaster. Overlooking your competitors can leave you unprepared and unable to counter their strategies effectively. As such, a comprehensive competitive analysis should be a fundamental part of your business plan.

Begin by pinpointing your primary competitors. Scrutinize their products or services, pricing strategies, marketing approaches, and customer feedback. This analysis will help you comprehend their strengths and weaknesses, and identify opportunities for differentiation.

Digital tools can be a great help in this regard. For instance, you can use AI tools like ChatGPT-4 to analyze a competitor's website and summarize its products, services, and unique value proposition. This can give you a clear idea of how your competitors position themselves in the market.

Next, delve into what customers are saying about your competitors. Online reviews on platforms like Yelp! or Google Reviews can provide invaluable insights into what customers like and dislike about your competitors' offerings. This can help you identify gaps in their products or services that you can fill.

If the competitor has a brick-and-mortar location, pay it a visit. Use your powers of observation and take note of their customer service, the arrangement of their store, their product presentations, and any other aspects that could provide insights into their operations. If your business offers a service, consider reaching out to competitors as a potential customer. This can provide valuable information about their pricing structure and sales approach.

Numerous entrepreneurs succumb to the misconception that they have no competitors because their idea is genuinely innovative. Even if your offering is revolutionary, your potential customers are currently allocating their resources elsewhere. This concept aligns with the "Jobs to Be Done" theory, which posits that customers "hire" products or services to perform specific "jobs" or fulfill certain needs. Therefore, you're competing with whatever your potential customers are currently "hiring" to do the job your product or service aims to do, whether it's a similar product, a different solution to the same problem, or even an entirely different product that accomplishes the same job. These constitute your indirect competitors, and comprehending them is just as vital as understanding your direct competitors.

By meticulously examining your direct and indirect competitors, you can start to identify areas where you can distinguish yourself. Your competitive edge lies in the unique traits or abilities that make your business outshine others in your market. This advantage could be derived from your groundbreaking technology, exclusive processes, exceptional team, or a strong brand reputation.

To convey your competitive advantage, your business plan must express how you plan to capitalize on it. This could involve showcasing your innovative technology, underscoring your team's expertise, or demonstrating your brand's solid reputation. Remember, business is a competition, and your goal is to win by convincing customers to choose you over your competitors.

Forgetting The Goal

Different stakeholders have different expectations and requirements from a business plan. For instance, a bank looking at your business plan for a loan application will have different criteria than a potential investor considering an equity investment.

A bank is primarily concerned with your ability to repay the loan. They will focus on your financial projections, cash flow, and collateral. They want to see that your business is stable and has a reliable source of income to service the debt. Therefore, when writing a business plan for a bank , you should emphasize your financial stability and risk management strategies.

On the other hand, an investor is looking for growth potential and a return on their investment. They are interested in your business model, market opportunity, competitive advantage, and exit strategy. They want to see that your business has the potential to scale and deliver a significant return. Therefore, when writing a business plan for an investor , you should highlight your growth strategy and potential return on investment.

Your internal strategic plan, however, serves a different purpose. It's a tool for setting your business goals, defining your strategies for achieving them, and identifying metrics for measuring your progress. It's more detailed and operational than a business plan for external stakeholders. It includes specific tasks, responsibilities, and timelines. Therefore, when writing an internal strategic plan, you should focus on your operational plans and key performance indicators (KPIs).

The language and tone of your business plan should also be adapted to your audience. A business plan intended for a bank or potential investors should be formally written and highly professional, while an internal strategic plan can be more straightforward, using bullet points and an iterative approach that allows for adjustments as needed.

Finally, consider how you'll present your business plan. Banks may not require a highly visual presentation and might prefer a more traditional, text-heavy document. Investors, on the other hand, value more impact, such as a pitch deck or a well-designed executive summary that can help them quickly understand your business model and growth potential.

Being Unrealistic About Your Financial Projections

When it comes to financial projections, achieving a balance between optimism and realism is key. It's crucial to demonstrate to investors that your business has the potential for success, but it's equally important to show that you have a clear understanding of the market and your financials. Overly optimistic projections can raise red flags for investors, leading them to question your financial management skills and decision-making abilities. Conversely, overly conservative projections may make your business appear less appealing and unlikely to yield substantial returns.

Thorough research, market trend analysis, and expert consultation are crucial to creating realistic and achievable financial projections that align with your business goals. By doing so, you gain confidence from lenders and investors and increase the likelihood of securing funding for your business.

To estimate your revenue, consider factors like your pricing strategy, sales volume, and market size. It's important to be conservative in your estimates and consider a sensitivity analysis with best-case and worst-case scenarios.

When forecasting your revenue, consider whether to a bottom-up or a top-down approach . A bottom-up approach starts with the unit sales (like a single product sale) and scales up, while a top-down approach starts with the total market size and estimates what portion of that market you can capture. Both approaches have their merits and can provide valuable insights when used together.

Fixed expenses, such as rent and salaries, remain constant regardless of your business activity, while variable costs, like raw materials and shipping, fluctuate depending on your business activity. By accurately estimating your revenue and expenses , you can create a realistic budget that helps you avoid financial pitfalls.

Don't stop with just the financial forecast, because that alone is only part of your financial health. Your cash flow projection should include your expected cash inflows from sales and other sources, and your expected cash outflows for expenses and investments. This will help you anticipate periods of negative cash flow and plan for contingencies.

In your financial planning, be sure to assess the company's break-even point, which is when your total revenue equals your total costs, and demonstrates the point at which your business becomes profitable. 

Neglecting the Importance of Your Team

Your team members are more than just employees; they are the catalysts propelling your business's growth and development. When investors, lenders, and other stakeholders scrutinize your business plan, they are looking for a team that is not only skilled and experienced but also cohesive and committed.

Begin by introducing each key team member. Include their name, role, and a brief biography that highlights their relevant skills and experience. The qualifications of your team should extend beyond their educational background and work history. Emphasize their unique "soft skills" and other talents that make them indispensable to your business. Consider their history of success and how their past experiences can contribute to the growth of your business.

Moreover, the cohesion of your team is equally significant. Illustrate how your team members' skills complement each other and how they work collectively to achieve your business goals.

If you haven't assembled your team yet, discuss your plans for recruitment and training. Outline the qualities and skills you're looking for in potential team members, and explain how you plan to attract and retain top talent. Discuss your strategies for fostering a positive and productive work environment, and how you plan to train your team to ensure they have the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

Thinking Your Business Plan is Done

Your business plan is a dynamic document that should mirror your evolving business reality and market conditions. It's not a one-off task, but an ongoing process that demands regular review and revision.

To ensure your business plan remains pertinent and effective, it should be reviewed and updated regularly. Establish a review schedule, such as quarterly or annually, and adhere to it. During each review, evaluate your progress towards your goals, identify any shifts in your market or industry, and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Market trends fluctuate, new technologies surface (looking at you AI), and customer preferences change. Keep your finger on the pulse of market trends and disruptions, and be prepared to seize new opportunities as they emerge. This could involve embracing new technologies, penetrating new markets, or pivoting your product or service. By being proactive and adaptable, you can convert market changes and opportunities into a competitive edge.

If your current strategy isn't working, or if new opportunities arise, your business plan should guide you in knowing how and when you need to pivot . This might involve changing your target market, adjusting your product or service, or adopting a new business model. By being flexible and responsive, you can ensure your business remains competitive and resilient in the face of change.

By steering clear of these common mistakes, you can craft a business plan that is comprehensive, compelling, and convincing to your stakeholders. A well-constructed business plan not only aids in attracting funding and customers but also serves as a roadmap for your business's success. Invest the time to do it right, and your business will reap the rewards.

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Common Business Plan Mistakes

Many startup business plans have the same errors. It seems new business owners have gone through a list of common business plan errors and checked them off! Here's is a list of what to avoid, so you don't make the same mistakes.

What a Lender Wants in a Business Plan

A lender wants to know only two things:

• How much money do you want?
• How will you pay it back?

That's it. Everything else is just fluff. You don't need a 200-page business plan to tell a potential lender this. Remember KISS - Keep it short and simple. In the thousands of business plans that have been reviewed over the years, these are the most common errors:

Not Using Third Person 

Write as if you were not the business owner, but a hired writer talking about the business. Saying, for example, "XYZ Corporation will open its doors on September 1, 2010...." not "We will open our doors ...." The third person (he, she, it, they) sounds more professional and business-like and banker-friendly. If you use the first person, you tend to sound like a cheerleader and less like a reasonable person. I know it seems picky; just trust me on this one.

Not Checking Numbers 

If your executive summary states you want $158,000 and your financial statements show you need $190,000, your banker will question your competence. Every number must match in every section of the business plan. 

Another example, if you discuss having three employees, but your cash flow shows only salary/benefits for one, you have consistency errors. Have someone go through the plan before you send it out, just to look at all the numbers and make sure they match every time they are used.

Another problem with numbers is being vague with numbers. Don't say, "We'll make a profit soon." What does "soon" mean? In a year? Three years? Some experts say six months to make a profit is a minimum, while others state that three years is a minimum . Of course, it depends on the type of business. In advertising, don't say, "We will spend money on advertising." You should know how much you will be spending over the first year at least. Include details in your narrative as well as in your projections. 

If you can't be specific, skip the sentence. 

Not Making Sure Everything Is Perfect 

I have caught lots of typographical errors, misspellings, sentence fragments, and other small and large mistakes in business plans. For example, one plan I viewed switched fonts several times, back and forth from Arial to Tahoma; another plan changed from the first person to the third person. In another document, photos or graphs were on the wrong pages from what the narrative said they were. Having errors in your business plan sends a message to your lender that you don't care about the details.  

Being Too Optimistic 

A lender wants realistic, not overly optimistic. For example, over-estimate your expenses and underestimate your income. A lender wants to see what will happen if your "worst case" scenario happens. Use meaningful charts, graphs, financial statements, or spreadsheets to show what your cash flow will look like. Include a break-even analysis , so the lender can see how and when you will start making a profit. Don't spend pages telling how wonderful your business it; talk about how it will provide a benefit to your customers and how it is different from the competition.

Confusing Cash with Profits

Your business can be profitable and you can have no cash. Without positive cash flow over a period of time, your business will not have solvency (ability to pay its bills) or long-term viability (survival). No cash means that business loan isn't going to get paid back and you close your doors. Show how your cash flow will support your loan payment.

Leaving Questions Unanswered 

Don't assume your lender knows about your business. Pretend he or she is an idiot (not necessarily untrue, in many cases), at least about the business you are going into. Have someone who is not in your business read the business plan and ask you questions. Then put those questions into the plan in the appropriate place. If confused customers don't buy, confused bankers don't lend.

Not Including an Executive Summary 

Business loans often go up the line in a bank, and the higher up executives want to know the "bottom line." Just tell them (1) A sentence or two about your business, (2) How much you need, in numbers or a simple chart, and (3) How you expect to pay back the loan. That's it. One to two pages is all you need for the executive summary. Put it at the beginning, so the reader doesn't have to search for it. 

How to Fix these Errors

Most of these errors can be avoided by having several people read your plan. Ask each person to review a specific item above and tell them what to look for. Get a good grammarian/writer to review the plan. Remember, there is no second chance to make a good first impression.

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Seven Common Business Plan Mistakes

Though every small business is unique, many successful ones start with a common foundation: a business plan. Researching and writing a business plan is an important step in laying out the road map your business will travel, and an indispensable step in securing funding for startup costs or growth. Save time and energy by avoiding these common business plan mistakes.

Seven top business plan mistakes:

1. Not making one

As an entrepreneur, surely you’re more excited about doing the thing you want to do that writing a plan about it. But recall the wisdom of Yogi Berra: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” Without a plan, you’re likely to spend valuable time and energy pursuing fruitless paths and spreading yourself thin. Make completing your plan a priority to focus your energy, stay on the right path, and improve your chances of landing a small business loan.

2. Being unrealistic

This can happen on a number of fronts if you’re not willing to ask hard questions, do concrete research, and be honest with yourself. Your business plan can’t represent the best case scenario or the way you hope things go: it has to grapple with the reality of the marketplace, financial truths, and the entrepreneurial landscape. Focus on being realistic in a few key areas:

• Financial projections:  Don’t pad or overinflate your future earnings projections. At best, you’ll look like you don’t know what you’re doing and a bank won’t trust you enough to lend you money. At worst, they’ll lend you the money and you’ll go into default or bankruptcy.
• Competition:  A big red flag in many business plans is a belief that you have minimal competition — or even none. “You’re always competing for dollars,” said RISBDC counselor Manuel Batlle. Even if your product is unique, your target customers still have choices about what to do with their money. You must address how you will persuade your target market to give their dollars to you .
• Market research:  It doesn’t matter what you want to build or sell. Someone has to be willing to buy it for a price that makes it worth selling. No business plan is complete without investing time and energy in up-to-date market research to truly understand market trends, customer interest, competitor performance, and other aspects of product or service viability.
• Customer base for brick and mortar businesses:  Your mother may be willing to drive across the state to buy a soda from you, but probably no one else will. For many products and services, your customers are going to be local. Particularly in Rhode Island, customers may be  searching within walking distance, or a 5-10 minute drive. Dig deep into the census information on demographics in your area and be realistic about how many target customers are within buying distance.

3. Poor executive summary

A lender will read your business plan’s executive summary and “give it the sniff test, then the gut test,” said RISBDC business counselor Josh Daly. The lender may decide whether or not to continue reading based on what their intuition tells them. So the executive summary is worth focusing on. Someone without a deep business background should be able to understand it, and it should make the case that your business is viable in short, clear points. Daly recommends 1-3 sentences each on your business background, customer base, the market, the competition, your qualifications, and your team. A concise summary should fit into about two pages and convince your audience to keep reading. If your plan is focused on securing financing, prospective lenders should immediately know how much money you are looking to borrow and how the money will be used.

4. Too long

For a majority of small businesses, a succinct and well-organized business plan should be 5-10 pages long. An engaging business plan includes visuals, where appropriate, to avoid wordiness when a graph, chart, or map will tell the story more effectively. Additional supporting financial projections or research data can go in an appendix. Plans that are significantly longer don’t necessarily give more or better information, and they risk losing their audience before they’re actually read.

5. Not backing up what you say

Along with being realistic in discussing your projections and your market research, you also need to make sure you’re using data and references — not just anecdotes — to support what you’re claiming.

6. Not focusing on the team, and your role as the head

No small business owner has every skill and personality trait needed to take a business all the way from the seed of an idea, to the world, all by him or herself. It’s appropriate and important to identify and address gaps in your experience and education, and explain how you’ll overcome them. It’s also crucial to briefly introduce your top team members, sell their contributions to your company, and portray how together, your team is well-rounded and ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

7. Sloppy mistakes

Typos, grammatical errors, and poor formatting are completely avoidable enemies, taking the shine off your first impression. Your business plan needs to look professional because it’s going to speak for you. Use spell-check. Re-read your plan. Get lots of sleep and re-read it again. Then, even if you’re a great writer and a stickler for detail, have someone else check it over for things you’ve missed. Never underestimate the value of a pair of fresh eyes.

Though you should be ready to put time and effort into your business plan, you don’t have to do it alone. The RISBDC offers workshops and no-cost, one-on-one business counseling to help you refine your plan and take the next steps toward business success.

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10 Common Business Plan Mistakes

Are you thinking about getting your business plan underway? Many elements go into a good business plan. And it often takes time, patience, and many revisions before you get it right. Set yourself up for success by learning how to avoid these ten common business plan mistakes.

1. Unrealistic Financial Projections

Lenders and investors expect to see a realistic picture of where your business is now and where you hope it goes. One of the most common business plan mistakes is overestimating the value of your company. Ensure your plan is pragmatic and explain your projections. This way, lenders and investors are much more likely to accept your plan, knowing you’re thinking logically.

2. Not Defining a Target Audience

You must define your specific target market, present how you’ve made these assumptions, and outline how you’ll target them. No business will appeal to everyone, so think carefully about who your audience is. 

Need help defining your target market and learning about market research? We offer resources such as a Market Research Resources Guide , seminars on market research and one-on-one consultations with in-house experts. 

3. Too Much Hype

It’s essential to believe in your business idea. But, to truly showcase its potential, you should focus on providing backup for this belief. Instead of relying on superlatives like “hottest” and “greatest,” wow them with your well-researched business plan. Let your good ideas and preparation speak for themselves.

4. Poor Research

Don’t let your hard work go to waste. Remember to double-check and substantiate all your research. Using incorrect or out-of-date information would discredit your business idea and plan. If you need clarification, get a colleague, friend, or family member to help you review it.

5. No Focus on Your Competition

Even if your business is one-of-a-kind, there’s no such thing as no competition. It’s important to highlight your competition, but not so much that the investor worries the business won’t survive. Focus on your niche and what separates you from other companies. Highlight how you plan to compete in the marketplace and paint an accurate picture of what the industry is like now and where you see it going.

6. Hiding Your Weaknesses

Every business has weaknesses, but you could risk deterring the investor if you hide or highlight them too much. The best way to address them is to include a detailed strategy for solving them. Ensure you’re being realistic and tackle these weaknesses head-on.

7. Not Knowing Your Distribution Channels

Consider how you will provide your service or distribute your product and create a secure plan. Include all possible channels and explain why they’re correct for reaching your target market. Your ability to articulate your strategy for how your product or service will reach clients is vital.

8. Including Too Much Information

Most investors have a mental checklist of 10 to 12 points they’re looking for in a business plan. The purpose of your plan is not to show the depth of your knowledge but to focus on the key elements of your business. Strive for clear and concise writing. If you have more information you want to include, create an appendix.

9. Being Inconsistent

Take time to review each section of your business plan and ensure it’s consistent. Double-check your highlighted target markets, statistics, and strategies to show investors you’re well-prepared and knowledgeable.

10. One Writer, One Reader

Remember to ask several people to review your plan before submitting it. Since you’re familiar with the information, it’s easy to miss spelling and grammatical errors. Another set of eyes will help your plan look more professional and ensure it reads correctly.

Need Help with your Business Plan?

Get started on your business plan by downloading our Business Plan Template and Cashflow Forecasting Tool.

Small Business BC’s advisors will help review your business plan and provide you with feedback with our Business Plan Review Advisory Service .

How Small Business BC Can Help Your Business

SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars , on-demand E-Learning Education , our Talk to an Expert Advisories , or browse our business articles .

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5 Common Business Plan Mistakes That Torpedo Startups Your business plan isn't a romance novel, so don't depend on just your passion to get investors interested in reading it.

By Larry Alton • Jul 29, 2015

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Writing a business plan is one of the first major steps you'll take as an entrepreneur. It's the tangible divide that separates entrepreneurs who just have an interesting idea and entrepreneurs who have a real, promising structure in place. It's a key that opens doors to investors, partners and employees, and the blueprint that makes the first few years of your operations possible .

Accordingly, the strength of your business plan has a major influence on the outcome of your business, especially in the beginning. If your business plan is poorly written, or if it leaves out significant information, it could prevent you from getting the funding, assistance or attention you need. Despite this, too many prospective entrepreneurs take the business plan phase lightly and blow through it without much thought.

When writing your business plan, be sure to avoid these five all-too-common mistakes:

1. Ignoring a major section.

There are no firm rules on what constitutes a business plan, per say, but the mentors and investors who will be perusing your work will have certain expectations about its content. You need a business summary page, a model for growth that includes financials and you need to describe your target audience and explain why they need your product.

List your competitors and describe why you are better than they are. Mention your hiring plan and how you plan to grow. A business plan missing any of these critical components could instantly disqualify you from further conversation. Make sure you cover all your bases.

Related: Business Plans: A Step-by-Step Guide

2. Neglecting the research component.

Your idea is significant, but ideas are confined to the mind. What exists in reality, and what people want to see, are objective numbers that support that idea. You might have imagined the product perfectly, but if the data doesn't support your supposition no investor will support you.

Take the time to do your research. Look at your target demographics, how well your competitors have performed and projected growth rates in your industry and similar statistics. Hard facts can't be refuted, so the more of them you include in your business plan, the better. Not including any will make you appear amateurish, and could ruin your chances at making a solid first impression.

3. Being vague.

When you start developing your business idea, it may come to you in fuzzy terms. You might think of your new app as "some way" to help people cook breakfast, but that vague language isn't going to cut it for serious investors and potential partners.

To make a good impression and solidify your business plan, you'll need to be as detailed as possible. Explain exactly what the app is, exactly what it does, exactly how long it will take to develop and exactly how you plan to market it. This goes for every single section of your business plan. Plot out as many details as possible without deviating from your overall intentions.

Don't underestimate the power of thoroughness.

Related: Considering Crowdfunding? Why You Need a Strong Business Plan First.

4. Writing in a closed system.

You came up with your idea, you thought about it thoroughly, you did some Google searches to find data supporting your idea, and you spent weeks fleshing out the entire business plan in your basement. It's comprehensive, well-researched, and well-written, but there's one problem: you wrote in a closed system.

You didn't get any outside opinions or feedback before completing your work, and in all likelihood, you failed to address significant problems that didn't occur to you but would have to someone else. You prevent this by conducting market research or surveys about your product and talking to colleagues, family and friends.

5. Boring your reader.

The term "business plan" makes this document seem boring, and while it's tough to liven up your financial spreadsheets, make your plan more exciting wherever you can. Talk about the possibilities for future expansion. Show your passionate for the idea. Write colloquially and informally, when appropriate, to reach your audience directly.

If you try to present your business as a series of numbers, nobody will want to read your plan. If you make it thrilling, people will see the personality behind the idea.

Think of your business plan as the foundation for the building that will one day be your company. It demands your full attention, your full effort and your full commitment. Invest the proper time and care into your business plan and it will support you as you turn your idea from speculation to reality.

Related: 3 Ways Untested Business Plans Are Worse Than a Waste of Time

Freelance Writer & Former Entrepreneur

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10 Common Business Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

There is plenty of information available via books and seminars on how to write a good business plan. And yet, many companies, especially start-ups, make serious mistakes in business plan writing that could have been avoided with more knowledge and effort.

As a business plan contest reviewer, I see a number of typical mistakes coming up again and again. Here are 10 of the most common business plan mistakes I have come across:

1. Boring Executive Summary

Investors, bankers, and other business plan readers usually start looking at the executive summary. It should highlight the most important points of the business plan in a pithy way. The business plan should provide a convincing story on how a a highly competent team will provide products or services to precisely defined target markets based on a consistent strategy. Moreover, it should share the company’s vision on how their products or services will make the world of their customers better in a profitable way.

In reality, many executive summaries are lackluster and incomplete summaries of a business idea whose implementation remains unclear. Sometimes, it is just cut and paste of some sections from the introduction and some other parts.

Losing the busy reader already in this part could mean that investors never care to go through the whole document. They may be missing some hidden gems. However, it is the job of the business plan writer to present these gems convincingly in the executive summary.

2. Lack of Focus

Many business plans are lacking a clear focus in defining their target markets and how the envisage products and services are competitive in serving the market needs better than others. Especially for innovative start-ups there is a risk of not focusing enough on a clearly define product/service segment and target market.

The result are often business plans describing a ‘me too’ business whose reason for existence does not become clear, not to speak of electrifying potential investors or customers.

3. Superficial Definition of Target Customers

Understanding who your target customers are and how your product adds value for them is crucial. That includes a granular segmentation of target customers and how the company’s products and services will satisfy the different needs of these different customer groups.

Many business plans, however, keep the definition of target customers very general. For example, saying that your travel app is aimed for everyone who is traveling may sound great first, because this is a very large number of people. However, different groups of travelers have different needs. Without clearly defining these needs in a differentiated way, the result will either be an app with the lowest common denominator of functionality needed by most, or it may be at risk of becoming overly complex, as it tries to please everyone.

4. Overly Optimistic Evaluation of Market Size and Opportunities

Entrepreneurs need to be optimistic to start a business in the first place. However, there is fine line between being upbeat about your business prospects and presenting a distorted view of the market size which is more driven by dreams than data. It can be related to a superficial definition of the target customers. If you think, for example, that 20% of all travelers worldwide will use your app, you would need to have a lot of supporting evidence to credibly convey how you will achieve that. It is not bad for an entrepreneur to think big. However, if you, for example, overestimate the readiness of people to buy your product, you may end up with dream figures you cannot achieve.

5. Underestimating the Competition

Many start-ups are too much self-centered. Being convinced of your product or service is certainly a good attitude. However, there is risk that this could distort your view of how it matches up against products and services of competitors who have been in the market for some time. In addition, some entrepreneurs also overlook or underestimate the possibility of new entrants who could increase competitive pressure.

6. Underestimating Business Risks

Understandably, entrepreneurs focus on exploiting opportunities. Some, however, underestimate or even neglect serious business risks that could endanger the existence of the company. Ignoring the risks will not make them disappear. Instead, it will leave the company unprepared, if a risk materializes. Apart from risk caused by changing demand trends, increasing competition, or unexpected increase of production there are also political and regulatory risks to be considered. If you have, for example, an export-oriented business, you need to take into account global trends like increasing protectionism and regulatory barriers in your target markets.

7. Too Detailed Description of the Product or Service

Especially innovative technology start-ups, often led by engineers, are really excited about the technical details of their product or service. It is part of a credible story to provide enough details so the reader understands that the product or service is well designed. However, if it drifts into jargon and technical details not relevant for understanding the business impact or innovative edge of a product, then details can become a distraction or even barrier, putting off the reader.

8. Unrealistic Financial Projections

This mistake is related to false assumptions on, for example, market size, competitive pressure, and financial risks. Nobody knows the future, and projections can, thus, not be exact. However, they can be based on real data related to general market trends and past revenue and cost development.

9. Unconvincing Presentation of the Executive Team

Quite often, there are just a couple of portrait photos and CVs pasted into the business plan without explaining to the reader, why exactly this team is complementary in their competencies specifically for running the particular business presented in the plan. Investors can get very critical, if they see that important competencies in an executive team are lacking. For example, if a group of engineers without business experience is launching a start-up, there will be questions on how competence gaps in areas like financial management and marketing will be covered.

10. Lack of Review

A team working enthusiastically on a business plan is at risk of false, overly optimistic assumptions and other mistakes that can easily be overlooked, if you are immersed in the process. Thus, not having a review of the business plan by an experienced consultant or a friendly business partner who has been there can lead to mistakes with detrimental effects. A review can help find flaws in the overall business rationale, market and customer definition, or the financial projections. Even if you are not looking for external funding, not having your business plan reviewed is a serious omission.

How to Avoid Business Plan Mistakes

The simple answer would be to be aware of these mistakes and make sure not to do them. However, it is not that easy. Even if you are aware of potential mistakes, it does not automatically mean you are capable of avoiding them. It is like with people who have bad eating habits. They know all about healthy eating and are fully aware of their mistakes. And yet the still continue making these mistakes.

This is where coaching comes in. You can either try self-coaching in the executive team, which requires a high level of awareness, openness and self-distance. Or you can hire an external coach to help you discover your blind spots, become aware of unproductive habits and attitudes like, e.g., over-optimism, and change them.

I would be interested to receive comments from entrepreneurs on what mistakes they have made in business plan writing and how they fixed them.

5 Common Business Plan Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a business plan is an important part of the business startup process. There has been debate in recent years concerning whether or not creating a formal business plan is really helpful. In our opinion, it is never a bad idea to go through the process of presenting your business on paper. If nothing else, it will really help you focus and dial-in the strategy and trajectory of your business.

To get the best information possible, we interviewed a variety of small business owners/business plan experts. Here are the 5 common business plan pitfalls they identified and what they had to say about avoiding them.

1. The Plan Fails to Address Risk - Tom Glatt ( Glatt Consulting )

Tom Glatt is the Founder and Owner of Glatt Consulting, a consulting company that advises Credit Unions on growth, achievement, and financial health strategies. Tom explained that a big part of what they do is writing/tweaking business plans, something which he has also done extensively with his own business.

He identified two major pitfalls. Here is what he had to say say about failing to address risk in your business plan.

"Too many business plans assume perfect scenarios unfolding with little friction. Taking some time to identify risks that could have a big impact on business is time well spent. I'll add that even when a risk section is included, those risks are often very generic and are quickly explained away. Simplified Example: "no one will want our product - but our research suggests this is unlikely." Carrying this example forward - exploring risks requires identifying and understanding factors that could temper demand. In the plan itself, those factors should be outlined along with the company's likely response when/if such risks arise. Rather than explain away lack of demand as an unrealistic risk, as in the example, the business should identify what could cause lack of demand - and then outline how the business will respond to the cause itself. "

2. Problems with Pricing Fundamentals - Tom Glatt

Tom also identified Pricing Fundamentals as a major business pitfall. He explained,

"For very small businesses, business plan assumptions about pricing often lack critical overhead detail which leads to overstated income/understated expenses. Pricing assumptions and/or models should factor in all aspects of overhead plus the margin the business owner needs to reinvest in the company's growth. Often inconvenient costs are removed from pricing assumptions in business plans because they make things look less rosy and/or because they illustrate business challenges that the owner would rather ignore."

The "Busy Bee Syndrome" - Dee Power (Former Business Management Consultant turned Author)

Dee has co-authored a variety of books based off of her experience as a business consultant, including "The Pocket Small Business Owner's Guide to Business Plans." Here's the most common pitfall Dee identified:

"A common mistake is what I call the "Busy Bee Syndrome." The business owner flits from one section of the business plan to another without completing any of the sections. By the time they return to a previous section, they may not remember what they were thinking.The bee may buzz from flower to flower but always has the end result, returning to the hive to make honey, as the goal. When writing your business plan, finish one section before moving on to another. This gives you a feeling of accomplishment and motivates you to keep going."

4. The Plan is Too Long - Rick Faulk and Marco Giannini

Rick (Chairman and CEO of Intronis ) and Marco (Founder and CEO of Protein for Pets ), both small business owners I interviewed, said that the most common problem they see, is that business plans end up too long. The whole point of writing a business plan is to focus in on the most important and pertinent business information. If your plan gets over 20-30 pages, you are probably not focused enough. Instead, really make an effort to dial-in and deal with the most important information, such as your product, your competition, the market problem and your solution, etc. If a lending agency or possible investor wants more information, you can always have separate documents ready that are more detailed in each area. But, for the plan itself, keep your information concise, organized, and to-the-point.

5. Not Having a Professional Presentation - David Waring (Fit Small Business)

David Waring is my business partner at Fit Small Business.

David Waring is the Editor-in-Chief for FitSmallBusiness.com and has had significant experience building businesses from the ground up. He explained that If you ever hope to impress investors or apply for a business loan, a professional business plan presentation is extremely important. In most cases, putting together a professional presentation on a program like PowerPoint, is not too difficult. However, in many cases, using business plan software can save you a lot of time. Fit Small Business has put together a business plan software guide , that should point you in the right direction and have you building a professional business plan in no-time.

From Our Partner

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Avoid these 5 common business plan mistakes

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1. Poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation

2. too much information, 3. not enough information about risks and competition, 4. unclear or unfocused writing, 5. formatting issues.

You've worked hard to put together a business plan for your new venture. You've followed expert advice and included sections that address your business and industry, your strategy for reaching your goals, your products and competitors, your marketing plan, your management team, and the money you'll need.

And now you're ready to share your business plan with banks and potential investors.

Before you present your plan , watch out for these common mistakes that can destroy your chances for funding, even if you've got a great idea that should be destined for success.

Investors and bankers tend to notice misspellings, typos, and punctuation errors right away. These mistakes can signal that you are careless, do shoddy work, or pay attention to details. They create a bad first impression that can quickly land your plan in the rejection pile. Have someone skilled at proofreading look over your plan before you present it.

You wouldn't be an entrepreneur if you weren't eager to talk about your business idea, and yet it's easy to get carried away with irrelevant information or technical details. This is especially true if you're in a tech-related business.

Investors need specific information about your products and services, but they may lose interest if your business plan wanders off into your life story or reads more like a technical handbook.

A typical business plan runs from 15 to 25 pages and should include an executive summary that provides a quick overview of your plan as a whole. If your plan needs to be much longer, consider putting some details into an appendix or supplementing your full plan with a shorter version you can use for making presentations.

Simultaneously, hardly anyone likes to talk about the competition or the risks involved in a new venture. A surprising number of business plans claim there's no competition at all.

Resist the temptation to gloss over the downsides—assess your competition realistically and explain how your product or service is different and why people want it.

Also, include detailed financial projections and industry information that is grounded in facts. Provide a basis for any assumptions you make. Take the time to do the research and assemble a full picture of your business and the reasons it is poised for success.

When you're close to a project, it can be surprisingly difficult to describe it in a way that outsiders can understand. You may neglect to say what your product is or what it's used for without realizing it.

Or you may use acronyms and industry jargon without explaining what the terms mean. A related problem is rambling, or sections that bounce from one thought to another, making it difficult for readers to follow.

Investors see lots of business plans, and, if yours isn't easy to understand, they'll quickly move on to the next one. Show your business plan to someone who isn't involved in your project and who isn't in your industry. Ask them for an honest assessment—if they find it hard to follow, make revisions, so your plan is crystal clear.

It sounds like a picky point, but details like fonts, headings, and formatting make a difference. Your goal is for your readers to believe in your business and give you money.

Make things easier for them by using an easy-to-read font, large enough type, and tables of contents and headings to guide them through the document.

Make sure your fonts and formatting are consistent throughout your business plan. Inconsistency looks sloppy, and that reflects badly on you. If your computer skills are lacking, hire someone to clean up the document and make it look neat and orderly.

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5 Common Business Plan Writing Mistakes

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A well-crafted business plan is the cornerstone of any successful venture. It serves as a roadmap, guiding entrepreneurs through the process of conceptualization, planning, and execution. However, despite its importance, many business owners fall prey to common writing mistakes that can undermine the effectiveness and impact of their business plans. In this article, we’ll explore five of the most common business plan writing mistakes and how to avoid them.

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• Lack of Clarity and Conciseness

One of the most prevalent mistakes in business plan writing is a lack of clarity and conciseness. Entrepreneurs often inundate their business plans with excessive detail, jargon, and technical language, making it difficult for readers to grasp the key points. A cluttered and convoluted business plan can obscure the underlying vision and objectives of the venture, leading to confusion and disengagement.

Solution: Focus on clarity and conciseness when crafting your business plan. Clearly articulate your business concept, objectives, and strategies in simple and straightforward language. Avoid unnecessary technical jargon and industry-specific terms that may alienate readers. Use bullet points, headings, and subheadings to organize information and enhance readability. Remember, brevity is key—concisely convey your message without sacrificing substance.

• Neglecting Market Research and Analysis

Another common mistake is neglecting thorough market research and analysis. Many entrepreneurs fail to conduct comprehensive research into their target market, industry trends, competitive landscape, and customer preferences. As a result, their business plans lack the depth and insight necessary to make informed decisions and effectively position the venture in the marketplace.

Solution: Prioritize market research and analysis when developing your business plan. Gather data on market size, demographics, trends, and competitor behavior to gain a holistic understanding of the business environment. Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather insights from potential customers and validate your business assumptions. Use this information to identify opportunities, assess risks, and refine your business strategy accordingly.

• Unrealistic Financial Projections

A common pitfall in business plan writing is the inclusion of unrealistic financial projections. Entrepreneurs often overestimate revenue potential, underestimate expenses, or fail to account for unforeseen costs and challenges. Inflated financial projections can erode credibility and undermine investor confidence, jeopardizing the viability of the venture.

Solution: Develop realistic and conservative financial projections based on thorough research and analysis. Use industry benchmarks, historical data, and comparable businesses to inform your revenue forecasts, expense estimates, and cash flow projections. Consider various scenarios and sensitivity analyses to account for potential fluctuations in market conditions and business performance. Be transparent about your assumptions and methodologies to build trust with stakeholders.

• Lack of a Strategic Marketing Plan

Many business plans overlook the importance of a strategic marketing plan, focusing solely on product development or operational considerations. However, without a clear marketing strategy, even the most innovative products or services may struggle to gain traction in the marketplace. A lack of strategic marketing planning can result in ineffective promotion, limited brand awareness, and missed opportunities for growth.

Solution: Integrate a strategic marketing plan into your business plan to effectively promote your products or services and reach your target audience. Define your target market segments, positioning, messaging, and distribution channels. Develop a comprehensive marketing mix that includes digital marketing, social media, content marketing, public relations, and advertising. Set measurable goals and KPIs to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and adjust strategies as needed.

• Failure to Address Risks and Contingencies

Another common mistake is the failure to address risks and contingencies in the business plan. Entrepreneurs often focus on the upside potential of their venture while overlooking potential pitfalls and challenges. Ignoring risks can leave the business vulnerable to unexpected events and setbacks, undermining its resilience and long-term sustainability.

Solution: Conduct a thorough risk assessment and incorporate risk management strategies into your business plan. Identify potential risks and uncertainties that may impact the success of your venture, such as market volatility, regulatory changes, competitive threats, and operational disruptions. Develop contingency plans and mitigation strategies to address these risks proactively. Communicate your risk management approach clearly in your business plan to reassure stakeholders and demonstrate your preparedness for potential challenges.

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Avoiding common business plan writing mistakes is essential for creating a compelling and effective roadmap for your venture. By prioritizing clarity and conciseness, conducting thorough market research, developing realistic financial projections, crafting a strategic marketing plan, and addressing risks and contingencies, entrepreneurs can enhance the quality and impact of their business plans. Remember, a well-crafted business plan not only serves as a guide for your own decision-making but also as a tool to attract investors, lenders, and other stakeholders who can help turn your vision into reality.

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Writing a business plan 4 common mistakes to avoid.

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You’ve  got a winning business idea . You’re excited, inspired, and poised to take the plunge (congratulations, by the way!). Next step: write a business plan.

Unfortunately, Googling “writing a business plan” yields an intimidating 99,600,000 results. There’s an abundance of tips on how to craft executive summaries, marketing plans, and projections. While these are all fundamental pieces of a business plan (and you should definitely do them), there’s a little more to it than that. A stellar business plan spreads a little magic, leaving its reader eager to get involved.

To help you whip up your own dash of brilliance, let’s look at (and learn from) some of the  common mistakes budding entrepreneurs make  when penning their plans.

Common Mistake #1: Thinking You Don't Need to Write One

Before we get practical, let’s take a step back and get clear on the point of writing a business plan.

Well, what  is  the point?

A lot of entrepreneurs think they only need to develop a formal business plan if  they’re seeking investment . This is a costly folly. Writing a business plan gives you a chance to thoroughly evaluate your idea inside and out, uncover its upsides and potential pitfalls, and, most crucially, think up ways to avoid them before they happen. It’s your chance to stare long and hard at your ideas’ weaknesses and decide whether or not you can overcome them.

And sometimes, you won’t be able to. I’ve written two business plans that uncovered insurmountable obstacles and made me realize my idea was completely impractical. It was a valuable pressure test that saved me time, energy, and money in the long run.

On the other hand, if you conclude that you can overcome any potential pitfalls, you’ll be rewarded with an unshakable conviction  that your idea can (and will) succeed . And believe me, you’ll need it! As an entrepreneur, you’ll be tested in ways you never thought possible.

Common Mistake #2: Speaking in Features

All too often, people pitch their business ideas by rattling off a bunch of features. They tell you what their product does and how it works, including how it has more power, more muscle, more buttons, more everything—than the competition.

But they seem to miss a crucial question:  Why ? Why will people care? Why does it matter that this business exists at all?

This is the juicy stuff. The answer to this question is what drives customer loyalty; it’s what makes people pay more for your product than cheaper, similar offers from competitors. It’s also the backbone of the communities that people believe in and want to be a part of.

For example,  Dollar Shave Club  exists to stop big brands from robbing us blind (in the form of expensive razors). So, the company will ship you cheap razors each month. Could just you as easily buy them at the store? Of course. But it’s a concept people buy into, and it’s delivered with an infectious attitude that customers are eager to adopt.

And what about  Zipcar ? This car rental service is on a quest to reduce car ownership. Are the company’s vehicles top-of-the-line Hummers with all the bells and whistles? No—but that’s not what’s important. The company is selling a mission, and ultimately, its customers care a lot more about that than fancy features.

Common Mistake #3: Writing Your Business Plan in a Vacuum

It can be hard to project what the future of your business will look like. Plotting out best and worst case scenarios is a worthwhile exercise and a great place to start, but it’s really just the beginning—the real learning happens when you turn to other companies who’ve done it before and borrow their recipes for success.

So with your detective hat on, spend some time looking at analogous businesses that—admit it—you’re a little jealous of. How exactly did they get there? What did they refuse to compromise on? What did they ruthlessly go after? The trick here is to hone in on  what made these companies successful —then apply those general concepts to your own idea.

It’s also worth thinking beyond the scope of your industry and seeking inspiration from worlds outside your own. For example, when I was first setting up my business,  Never Liked It Anyway , it was clear that the site had more in common with  He’s Just Not That in to You  than it did eBay. Following this logic, I started looking into entertainment platforms to see what lessons I could adopt. It was incredibly helpful and shed light on a direction for my business that I would never have considered otherwise.

Sometimes when you’re writing a business plan, it can feel like you’re pulling information out of thin air—especially when it comes to the numbers. But learning about the successful strategies of the masters that went before you is a great way to ground your projections and expectations in reality.

Common Mistake #4: Only Looking to the Near Future

When you write a business plan, you’ll need to spend some time in the weeds of detail, but you should also take time to stand on a tall balcony overlooking the entire garden.

What I mean is this: Set aside the number crunching for a while, and take time to analyze the bigger picture. What do you want your business to be known for 10 years down the road? What do you want to go down in history for? Think beyond just the immediate impact of that product—after all, Steve Jobs won’t be remembered for inventing the iMac, but for completely revolutionizing computing.

This kind of unbridled ambition is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship. We don't just want to make cool stuff—we want to change things, and change them for the better. And above all else, a business plan should capture that sentiment on every page.

When you sit down to write your business plan, include the standard elements, of course—all the usual suspects like the situation analysis, forecasting, and operations strategy are critical. But be sure to leave some room for the magic. It’s the bit that will get you investors, loyalists, buzz, and most of all—personal conviction.

This article was originally published on The Daily Muse . For more on the mechanics of starting a business, check out:

• 3 Tips for Finding a Co-Founder for Your Start-up
• Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Raising Your First Round
• 4 Ways to Know it's Time to Pursue Your Business Idea

Annabel Acton founded the website  Never Liked It Anyway  in January 2012, after working for 7 years as an innovation and branding consultant in Sydney, London and New York . Naturally entrepreneurial and inspired by ideas, Annabel soaks up the energy of the startup world and enjoys meeting, developing and partnering with other entrepreneurs. 

Photo of  woman writing business plan courtesy of Shutterstock .

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