Once you have looked over some sample plans and have an idea of what style plan you want to write, it's time to get started. Experts say it can take between two and eight weeks to write a truly comprehensive, quality business plan. There is much to be done, between gathering supporting documents, writing down all the inspiration that's been floating around in your head, and asking others to review it to make sure it makes sense to someone who is not so close to it.

That may seem like a great deal of time to spend on a single plan, but remember, you will be able to not only use this plan to get funding and get underway, but also to remind yourself, as you progress in your business, of where you have been and where you are trying to go. There are many tools available to help you take that plan from the idea stage to a finished product. Here are some examples of what¹s out there:

° Download free demo versions of Business Plan Pro, Marketing Plan Pro and Cash Plan Pro from BPlans.com. Palo Alto Software developed these packages, and the demos will help you determine if you want to take the next step and actually buy some software to develop your plans. This site also offers a MiniPlan function that allows you to put together a test plan for your idea. It includes a test of your objectives, helps you define a mission and other helpful steps.

The SBA has an extremely helpful business plan tutorial located on the web at www.sba.gov. This tutorial, which can be downloaded or viewed as a text file, walks you through each step of the business plan writing process with explanatory text and questions that you should be able to answer. This tutorial goes beyond basic plan writing to in-depth coverage of strategies for marketing and reaching out to consumers and a comprehensive discussion of financial planning for your business.

Links to several helpful articles, including "Creating Your Business Plan," "Structuring Your Business Plan" and "Planning for Profits" are located at BusinessTown.com.

Invest-Tech offers a white paper on business planning located at PlanWare.com It includes a downloadable (in Microsoft Word format) of a 36-page business plan guide and template, but also has good advice on why you need a plan and how to work on each stage of the plan. The site includes a free financial planner at PlanWare.com and shareware versions of some of the software offered by this company, including Exl-Plan, a Microsoft Excel-based program that helps you project revenue and expenses for your business' first five years.