Adding the Details

There is an adage or idiom that goes: “the devil is the details”. When you are developing a business plan you are explaining to the reader how the business will operate, who the enterprise will sell to, and how that target market will be reached. How much detail should be included in the business plan is always a question that the entrepreneur contemplates. If you generalize the reader may be left wondering, if you drill down into the most miniscule particle, the reader could get bored and maybe even more confused. The right amount of detail is a balancing act. Here are some guidelines that may help you in developing the plan. Detail is needed when:

• Buzz words or broad general terms seldom give enough detail. Example: the business plan says “we will advertise using radio, television and print advertising”. These are very broad stokes that have a hollow meaning. You are not really saying anything with that sentence because this encompasses such a wide area. More detail is needed. You may want to provide examples of the print advertising to give the reader a clear idea of the message. Your business plan could link to a video of a sales pitch, a tv commercial or a picture of a billboard.
• When you are doing something differently than the industry norm. Companies that have developed a different packaging scheme, a new target market, or a new processing technique must give the reader sufficient detail with supporting evidence. There is an inherent risk in doing something differently and the reader needs to know that you have sufficient evidence to support your contention that this is a successful approach.
• When the reader would not be familiar with your process. It is very possible that the reader is not familiar with the process you are using and would not understand why this is an advantage to the consumer or user. In this situation detail – especially pictures or video is needed so that the reader can grasp the concept. If it is very new, the supporting evidence that indicates that the user accepts the process will also be needed.