Business Plan

Industry Analysis

Every business operates within an industry. Identify where your company fits in and describe the market trends, explain the factors influencing growth and decline in this industry and spot the future expectations. Try to answer crucial questions such as: how many companies are expected to enter your industry in the near future and how is that to affect your business. Do not omit any significant statistics for your industry. Don’t lie to yourself!

Target Market

In this section you identify your prospect clients – it is a useful step helping you to derive overall marketing and sales strategies. Try to make clear how many potential consumers are ready to purchase your products. Which are their demographic traits (income, gender, education, private, business) and location? On the Internet location is important if you need to ship products, so don’t overlook to define it.

The more you understand your potential clients, the higher your chances of success.

You’ve often heard: take it easy. In business plan terms this means don’t attack too many markets at once.

Marketing and Sales

Here you define your marketing program outlining what steps are necessary to reach potential clients and convert them to paying customers.

Plan carefully your marketing mediums and their costs. This is the section where you enumerate your marketing materials: fliers, brochures, catalog… websites. It is important to mention who will design your marketing materials and how much this will cost. And don’t forget PR.

It is a mistake to believe that offering a lower price will lead to increase sales.

It is even a bigger mistake to underestimate the importance of packaging, branding and reputation.

Competitive Analysis

Fairly compare your company and your competitors. Find out who they are, how much they sale and outline their strengths and weaknesses. How are you going to penetrate their market? You don’t need to claim you have no competition. DON’T do this! After all, you don’t reinvent the wheel!

Management Team

People expect a team of experienced professionals to run a business. This is the right section to demonstrate that you have that team. Clearly describe the related experience of each team member, the duties and responsibilities of a certain position, special accomplishments and education. If your business has outside consultants, include them as well (attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, web developers, etc).

If you are serious about business, do not present a one man show management philosophy. As your company grows it will become harder and harder to manage all the tasks.

Operational Plan

In this fragment you define the internal operations and equipment you need to manufacture your products. Where is your business going to be located and what advantages brings this location? Do you need special equipment? Are you going to purchase or lease it? From whom? Include here all necessary equipment: automobiles, PCs, office equipment, etc. How many employees you need? Full or part-time? What criteria you use to hire them?

Do not forget to include here what type of insurance you will need and how you are going to keep track of inventory.

Financial Plan

Obviously a very important part of your business plan. This should follow generally accepted accounting standards and correct balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements.