Write a Business Plan

• Writing a business plan for your small business is the first thing to do. This plan helps you to ensure success because it contains the purpose of your business, what the goals for your business are and how you plan to achieve your business goals. This is a key document that every small business owner should have.
  
  If you apply for a small business loan or for financing, you will submit a copy of the business plan to the lender or potential investor as part of your application process. A business plan helps lenders and investors to gain an understanding of your business, which helps them to decide if providing money for the startup costs is a wise investment for them to make.
  
  There are many resources online and in business reference books that provide samples of business plans.
  
  

Obtain Financing

• Starting your small business may require seed money. If so, contact a local bank, a private investor, credit unions or other financial groups like the Small Business Administration for a loan. Before you apply for financing understand the terms of a loan and know what expenses you are going to cover with it.
  
  Make a list of items that are necessary to start, open and run the business. Assign a cost to each item that is required. Tally up the total cost and take a look at the money you have in a savings or investment account. If the costs are greater than what you can provide on your own then borrowing the money is a likely option.
  
  

To Market

• Once you have your business plan in place and you have enough financing to start operating your business, the next step is to create a marketing plan. You may have the best product or service in the world, but if nobody knows it exists then your business may fail before it gets started.
  
  The best way to ensure that you put a marketing plan in place that is effective in attracting customers and turning a profit is to put your plan in writing. Like business plans there are many resources online and in business reference books of sample marketing plans and how to best construct them. These samples can provide you with good ideas for what your marketing plan should contain.