Helps you identify and validate pros and cons fast - essential data for developing your business plan.

There is no better starting point for the strategic business planning process than a situational SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for “strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.” Matching
your internal strengths and weaknesses against your external opportunities and threats is essential for sound strategic planning.

The BusinessPlans-USA SWOT analysis guide provides you with an easy-to-follow methodology that enables you to determine quickly where you stand, which are your best options, and what you need to do to get to where you want to go. It does so by showing you how to bring together key people who will impact your business (employees, suppliers, etc.) to isolate and prioritize each critical issue that will either enhance or impede the success of your business. It also provides many advantages that other methods do not offer.

A SWOT analysis:

1. Encourages brainstorming because of its focus group nature.
1. What one person says triggers other thoughts and soon all
1. participants are adding new ideas.

2. Uncovers critical issues and sparks creative solutions that
1. might not be accessible from information gathered by
1. interviewing individuals one-on-one.

3. Promotes teambuilding and policy buy-in. When a group
1. examines issues together, everyone is part of the team, hence
1. more likely to buy into the proposed plans or conclusions.

4. Provides a realistic baseline from which to compare to
1. objective data and measure current status, future progress,
1. or need for change.

Investors look favorably on this kind of upside, downside self-examination as a precursor to your business plan because it prevents the one thing they dislike most: unexpected surprises that can be deal killers.

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