A business plan can be thought of as a blue print for your business. It defines the goals and strategies for your company in order to maximize the chances for success both long term and short term. Developing a business plan is extremely important for organizations because without one a business plan the organization can drift without a clear direction, and without a clear direction chances of succeeding are diminished. After a business plan has been developed, it should be referred to on a regular basis to determine if the goals and procedures are being adhered to, or if the goals and procedures should be updated. In a crisis, a sound business plan can help a company to stay focused and moving forward.