Crafting an effective business plan is a critical component for ensuring entrepreneurial success. A business plan is not only necessary for securing much needed financing, but it also serves as a vital tool in providing direction and purpose for all your business activities.

To help you learn how to craft an effective plan, the Birmingham Public Library is partnering with SCORE and BBVA Compass bank to offer a seminar, Developing a Business Plan, at the Central Library. The seminar will be taught by local small business specialists from BBVA Compass. The seminar is suitable for both those who are thinking of starting a business and those who want to grow their existing business.

Seminar topics will include the following:

• My Business Priorities
• How Lenders and Investors Use Business Plans
• Writing My Executive Summary
• Writing My Company Description
• Defining My Management and Organization
• Understanding the Market
• Performing a Competitive Analysis
• Describing My Product or Service Line
• Building My Marketing and Sales Strategy
• Developing Financial Projections
• Building my Business Plan