When is a 25-page business plan better than a 200-page business plan. The answer is - always.

Most investors have a mental checklist of half dozen or so specific points that they look for in a business plan. Everything else just gets in way and last thing they want to do is wade through pages and pages of tedious and often extraneous narrative. Long complex paragraphs that fill up half a page are about as welcome as Mike Wallace knocking on your door.

The purpose of your plan is not to impress reader with depth and extent of your knowledge. Your objective is to focus on key elements of plan and make your case as succinct and as straight forward as possible. If you have pages of information that you just can't bear to part with, put them in back of plan under an addendum and reference inform-ation in body of plan. The reader then has option of reviewing this information if they think it's important.

Hiding Weaknesses

One of more difficult aspects of writing a good business plan is effectively dealing with problems or weaknesses - and every business has them. Here are some of more common theories offered by unsuccessful plan writers.

·Why draw unnecessary attention to a negative ·If we ignore weaknesses, they may go away ·Once we get funding, then we can deal with problems ·What investors don't know won't hurt them ·It works for Tony Robins

Clearly you want to put your best foot forward but ignoring or glossing over a negative issue simply because it doesn't help your cause is potentially very damaging and is very often fatal. Like a heat-seeking missile, if there is a weakness in your product, service or strategy, savvy investor will find it and probably within first few minutes. Once this subterfuge is uncovered and it is obvious to everyone that you haven't been completely forthright, next logical question is "what else haven't you told me." When you've lost this element of trust, you've lost opportunity.

The best way and really only way of properly handling problems and weaknesses is to get then out in open and to have a detailed and well thought out action plan that effectively addresses each problem.

Distribution Channels

The portion of your plan that deals with channel strategies is fraught with potential landmines especially if you don't have a thorough understanding of distribution. How your product reaches market is unquestionably one of most important aspects of your business plan and your ability to effectively articulate this strategy is critical. At all costs, resist temptation to cover all bases by listing every imaginable channel possibility.

"We will market our widgets via Internet, catalogs, distributors, value added resellers, infomercials, wholesalers, direct mail, agents, direct field sales, telemarketing, retail outlets and - oh yes smoke signals in selected areas."

What this tells investor is that you don't have a channel strategy.

Competitive Analysis

+ How big are your dreams?

+ How deep is your commitment?

+ Are you really prepared to fail?

+ How hard are you willing to work?

The profiles that follow are character studies of what it takes to make your impact in a world that's being reshaped by power of new ideas. Ask yourself. DO I PASS THE TEST.

YOUR FIRST CHARACTER TEST Ask yourself this question. Do you have what it takes to peruse a goal of any real magnitude? Big enough to excite everyone you encounter? Think your idea over until you can state purpose in one simple sentence. That's how you become a magnet to circumstances and individuals to accelerate your journey to your goal.

YOUR SECOND CHARACTER TEST Ask yourself this question: Do I have courage to develop a specific plan of action? Am I willing to pay an enormous amount of attention to creation of a plan that will gear every otherwise random events in my life into a systematic pattern that will support my primary goal? - A plan that will create a controlled distribution of daily tasks and stick to my plan.

YOUR THIRD CHARACTER TEST Ask yourself this question: Do I have kind of belief in my vision that demands a leap forward, without fear and without fail. J.P. Morgan is reported to have said, " Millionaires work hard, but billionaires become successful because they are willing to take a leap of faith.

YOUR FOURTH CHARACTER TEST. Ask yourself this question: What is purpose of my conversations? And am I willing to develop specific language and purposeful conversation directed to a predetermined outcome that fully supports my ambitions? It won't be easy. It will take discipline and CHARACTER.