A business plan provides the blueprint for how you intend to build your business, so the plan only has to be as long as you need, depending on the size of your business and how big you want to grow it.

If you’re an SME business, why do you need to create a business plan at all? The most common use for a business plan is for new and existing businesses to get funding from a bank or other loan organization, but many business owners create business plans on a yearly basis to get themselves organized for the following year, though many super switched on business owners create and update their plan more often than this.

A business plan is a great way of taking stock of progress, examining what’s working and what isn’t, and laying out goals and plans for the year to come.

In addition, if you have been struggling in your business or are considering something new, the entire process of creating a business plan will help you see where you can be most profitable too. It could also tell you where you are going wrong and what you need to change.

Use it as your guide and refer to it often as you plan each week, but don’t let it restrict you.