Many business plans are written with the objective of raising finance. However, even the most professional and cleverly written plan will fail if the company loses sight of its real audience; the customer. An essential element in the development of a business plan is the identification of real customer needs and a practical outline of how the business will meet these needs and deliver its product or service to its target base. Customer analysis should be well researched, highly specific and demonstrate a full understanding of the customer demand dynamics, purchase motivations and decision making processes. The company’s product development, production and marketing plans should tie in with this customer analysis in every respect. Never forget that it is the customer who ultimately finances your business.