Creating a Business Plan: About your Search

The business plan project.  It could be assigned to introduce students to the process of thinking about a business and creating a business plan.  A business plan could also be created to research a specific industry.  Business plans may be created for totally new products or for a product similar to one already on the market. 

As you create a business plan, these questions can help you determine where to start with research:

• Is the product new to the market?  If so, is it similar to any existing products or industries that can be researched to show market potential?
• Is the product similar to an existing product?  If so, can data about the existing product be found to show the potential of the new product?
• Who will be interested in the product?
• How will you reach consumers? 

Thinking about these questions, both before and while you are searching, will keep you focused on a good result set. 

The U.S. Small Business Association provides a guide to writing a business plan on their website.  This Libguide used the SBA's Essential Elements of a Good Business Plan. 

The following links provide access to the two databases mentioned for use in this guide.