The Style Used in the Business Plans - Assignment Example

The contents of the business plan obtained have different content and description depending on the nature of the business for which the business plans were intended.

2. What are sections-in-common in these plans? Describe the style used in the business plans, and discuss what you believe to be an appropriate style for a business plan (i.e., first-person narration, contractions, level of formality, citing references, etc.)
In the two business plans, the following sections were common:
 Executive Summary
 General Company Description
 Products and Services
 Marketing Strategy
 Operating Plan
 Management & Organization
 Financial statements and financial plan
Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, Break-Even Point, Capitalization Required

The writing styles that were used were formal, direct to the point and business-like. It also adhered to the academic style of writing that avoided using contractions, euphemisms and figures of speech. Numbers were also utilized through that financial statement to illustrate a pointer is, however, a noticeable difference between the referencing of a business plan and an academic essay. Compared to an academic essay that requires data to be referenced by any writing styles (Harvard, APA, MLA, etc.), a business plan is not that strict about it. Instead, it uses an appendix such as the business plan of Fresin Fried Fast Food Restaurant (“Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan: Fresin Fries”) where the details of sales forecast, personnel expense and cash flow were enumerated to provide clarity in the financial statements of the business plan. It can also be skipped if it is not deemed necessary in a business plan such as in the case of the American Management Technology (AMT) sample business plan (“Sample Business Plan for American Management Technology (AMT)”).
I believe that this is the appropriate writing of a business plan. It is direct, simple, clear and formal. Business plans should be written in this manner because they are intended to serve as a blueprint on how a business can make money and not show literary genius. Writing directly and concisely is also an efficient way of utilizing the time of the one who prepared it and the people who would read and implement it. The saved time and energy in deciphering a complicated business plan can be used in other money-making activities. Furthermore, a clearly written business plan avoids confusing interpretation that would render the plan ineffective. In addition to the general description, numbers shown in financial statements are equally important if not more important than the written texts. It is because these numbers determine whether a business can make money or not, when and what is the needed capital, and the break-even point where the business can start making money. These numbers can also serve as targets and benchmarks when a business is already operational to ensure that the business plan will profit according to plan and schedule.

3. What are the critical ideas/plans that must be communicated in a business plan?
The critical ideas/plans that must be communicated in a business plan are the following;
 First are the vision and mission of a company. They serve as a signpost or a compass of where a business is going and what it intends to do. It is the idea or any intangibles that animate or motivate a business to be profitable.
 Second, are the objectives. Having a plan without a goal is pointless. The very essence of a business plan is to achieve certain goals which should be enunciated in the objectives section.
 A brief description of the product and/or services. This is the commodity or service which the company sells or provides and should be described in a business plan.
 After the description of the product and/or services, the marketing strategy should also be clearly laid out. This includes knowing the market, its competitors and marketing implements that will be used to make the product and/or service successful in the market. The marketing aspect of a business plan tells how the company’s product and/or services should be sold or provided to become successful in the market.