If you listen to any of those annoying direct-response letters you find on the internet these days, you would think that all you need is a computer, some incredibly amazing software and an internet connection - and viola! You're in business!

What's wrong with that picture? Think about it. If running a business were that easy, each of us would be sitting in front of our computer everyday, checking our emails . . . watching our bank accounts literally burst at the seams with profits.

Alas! In the real world - at least the world I live in - you need just a little bit more than a computer, software and internet to become a real business person. For one thing, you need a plan. Not just an idea, but an actual plan that fleshes out and describes that idea in detail - long and short term.

You guessed it - a business plan. It sounds boring but it's absolutely essential. If you don't believe me, just look at this list, which I just happened to have titled, "7 Very Important Reasons Why You Need a Business Plan."

1. Testing your ideas. Oh, everyone has a great idea for making money. And I mean everyone. But just how viable are those ideas? Will they work? A business plan forces you to write out your ideas, and then carry those ideas out to a logical and workable end result. Will your idea make enough money to sustain a business? A comprehensive business plan will eventually tell you this. If it doesn't look like it's a profit-maker, you may have to start from square one . . . but you've invested little but your time.

2. Exploring all areas of your business. Even before you begin, you'll be forced to think about all aspects of your business. While you're delving into this section, you need to think like a journalist. You want to know the who, what, where, when and why of your daily business operations. You'll want to know the costs of running business and most importantly you'll want to be able to project your profitability.

3. Deadlines. Deadlines. Deadlines. You are no doubt well aware of the answer to the age-old question: What do they call a goal without a deadline? A dream. Today, you may hear deadlines referred to as "milestones". In either case, a business plan forces you to set a time frame in which to reach your desired goals. Use these. This is an essential and productive process that can tell you where you are and how far you still have to go.

4. Discovering more about your market. This is so vital to your success that it just can't be emphasized enough. Far too many people start a business without having the slightest idea of what and who their target market is. Let's say you're trying to sell the gaming system Wii online. Don't simply say that your target market is "everyone who wants to buy one." Discover what age group wants these things the most. You can pretty much guarantee they won't be those aged 65 and older. Once you know more about your market, then you can laser in and tailor your marketing to attract these groups. Your marketing will be so much more effective - you'll keep your costs down and your profits up.

5. Attracting outstanding, talented people. Yes, I know that right now you may be a "one-man band" so to speak. But eventually your business will grow (It really will, trust me!) And with a clear-cut path laid out for your future success, you'll be more likely to attract a high-quality, long-term employee. Good help is so hard to find these days!

6. To keep you anchored. That's right. By completing a comprehensive business plan before you start, you actually have a very accurate map of where you'll want to be one, three and even five years from now. The daily activities of running a business will keep you busy and it's all too easy to lose sight of the big picture. A business plan helps you keep focused on where you want and need to be, and how you need to get there.

7. Making it easier to get business credit. Yes, having a business plan laid out for your loan officer is pretty darned impressive. It shows that didn't just run out, pick out a domain name or opened a storefront and rush headlong into a venture. It shows that you created your business not on an impulse, but on forethought. It tells your loan officer that you're serious about staying in business for the long haul.
And after all you are , aren't you?