You have a number of essential tasks to complete before you write your business plan. Having a clear picture of your goals and how to attain them is at the core; but consider the other factors on this list of business-planning essentials:
Get everyone involved in setting goals and objectives
Learn all you can about your customers
Understand who your competitors are
Identify your strengths and weaknesses relative to opportunities and threats
Determine which capabilities you absolutely need to succeed
List all the things you do that add customer value
Make sure that you do your financial homework
Imagine several different versions of your company’s future
