You’ve likely heard it before, but a solid business plan is a roadmap to success for any business. Whether you’re opening a new bakery or have an established enterprise, creating and following a business plan can make all the difference in ensuring your short- and long-term goals are met—and even exceeded. When you sit down to create a business plan for your bakery, you need to look at your business from every angle; even angles that aren’t there yet!

While this may sound a bit intimidating upfront, BakeSmart helps you get a fully-faceted view of your bakery. This new perspective will not only help you understand how to maintain goal momentum, but it also ensures you know what goals you’re working towards. Knowing where you want to go makes it a lot easier for you to actually get there.

Here are some things we urge you to consider while creating your bakery business plan:

• Are you remaining authentic? Don’t forget to let your passion and unique abilities shine through into your plan. What sets you apart?
• Do you have a firm grasp of what your bakery will do? What will you sell, and who is your target audience? Does your bakery have a theme?
• What are your core strengths?Maybe you offer services no other bakeries in the area can provide, or you have an excellent staff lined up—be sure to mention it!
• Is your plan concise? Lofty and wordy language can be distracting and confusing; make sure your plan is easily understood
• Have you incorporated your goals?Both the short- and long-term goals of your bakery should be included in your business plan.
• Are you familiar with codes and regulations?How will your bakery plan on complying with these rules?
• Do you understand demographics and trends? What is the largest age group in your area? Do they have disposable income? How much do they spend eating out?
• What about your plan will interest investors? When done right, your bakery business plan will present a viable and profitable business venture.

If you’re ready to get started planning out your bakery’s success, our all-encompassing guide tells you the exact information you’ll need to include for optimal planning. Not only does this guide provide a wide range of important questions you need to consider for each section of your business plan, but it also gleans insight into what might be important to any potential lenders. With the help of BakeSmart, we’ll work together to create a business plan that turns your dream into a reality.

Download the Guide to Creating Your Bakery’s Business Plan.