BusinessPlanTemplate

FiveImportantTips

BeforeYouStart!

1.Thebusinessplanshouldtellacompellingstoryaboutyourbusiness,explainingwho,what,when,where,howandwhy.

2.Yourplanshouldbefocusedandclear. It’snotaboutthenumberofpagesorstyleofthecover.

3.Theplanshoulddefinespecificbusinessobjectivesandgoalswithgeneralparameterstoguidetheorganization.

4.Writingabusinessplanshouldforcelogicanddisciplineintoabusiness.

5.Agoodbusinessplanisalivingdocument.

Itshouldbeupdatedregularly.

U.S.SmallBusinessAdministrationSmallBusinessTrainingNetwork

TitlePage

YourCompanyName

BusinessPlan

Date

StreetAddressCity,StateZipCode

PhoneNumberE-MailAddressWebAddress

2

TableofContents

1.TableofContents…………………………………

2.Executive Summary………………………………

3.BusinessDescriptionVision………………….

4.DefinitionoftheMarket………………………….

5.DescriptionofProductsandServices…………….

6.OrganizationManagement…………………….

7.MarketingandSalesStrategy…………………….

8.Financial Management……………………………

9.Appendices……………………………………….

3

ExecutiveSummary

Thissectionshould:•Bewrittenlast

•Provideanenthusiasticsnapshotofyourcompany,explainingwhoyouare,whatyoudoandwhy

•Belessthan2pages

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershould:

•Wanttolearnmoreaboutyourbusiness

•Haveabasicunderstandingaboutyourcompany

Starthere…

4

BusinessDescriptionVision

Thissectionshouldinclude:

•Missionstatement(businesspurpose)

•Companyvision(statementaboutcompanygrowth)

•Businessgoalsandobjectives

•Briefhistoryofthebusiness

•Listofkeycompanyprincipals

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershouldknow:

•Whothebusinessisandwhatitstandsfor

•Yourperceptionofthecompany’sgrowthpotential

•Specificgoalsandobjectivesofthebusiness

•Backgroundinformationaboutthecompany

Starthere…..

5

DefinitionoftheMarket

Thissectionshould:•Describeyourbusinessindustryandoutlook

•Definethecriticalneedsofyourperceivedorexistingmarket

•Identifyyourtargetmarket

•Provideageneralprofileofyourtargetedclients

•Describewhatshareofthemarketyoucurrentlyhaveand/oranticipate

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershouldknow:

•Basicinformationabouttheindustryyouoperateinandthecustomerneedsyouarefulfilling

•Thescopeandshareofyourbusinessmarket,aswellaswhoyourtargetcustomersare

Starthere…..

6

DescriptionofProductsandServices

Thissectionshould:•Specificallydescribeallofyourproductsandservices

•Explainhowyourproductsandservicesarecompetitive

•Ifapplicable,referenceapictureorbrochureofyourproducts,whichwouldbeincludedintheplan’sappendix

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershouldknow:

•Whyyouareinbusiness

•Whatyourproductsandservicesareandhowmuchtheysellfor

•Howandwhyyourproductsservicesarecompetitive

Starthere…..

7

OrganizationManagement

Thissectionshould:•Provideadescriptionofhowyourcompanyisorganizedaswellasanorganizationchart,ifavailable

•Describethelegalstructureofyourbusiness(proprietorship,partnership,corporation,etc.)

•Identifynecessaryorspeciallicensesand/orpermitsyourbusinessoperateswith

•Provideabriefbiodescriptionofkeymanagerswithinthecompany

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershouldknow:

•Thelegalformofownershipforyourbusiness

•Whotheleadersareinyourbusinessaswellastheirroles

•Thegeneralflowofoperationswithinthefirm

Starthere…..

8

MarketingandSalesStrategy

Thissectionshould:•Identifyanddescribeyourmarket–whoyourcustomersareandwhatthedemandisforyourproductsservices

•Describeyourchannelsofdistribution

•Explainyoursalesstrategy,specifictopricing,promotion,productsandplace(4Ps)

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershould:

•Whoyourmarketisandhowyouwillreachit

•Howyourcompanywillapplypricing,promotion,productdiversificationandchanneldistributiontosellyourproductsandservicescompetitively

Starthere…..

9

FinancialManagement

Thissectionshouldinclude:

Clickhere:forautomatedBalanceSheettemplate

Clickhere:forautomatedIncomeStatement template

Clickhere:forautomatedCashFlowStatement template

NewBusiness

•Estimateofstart-upcosts

•Projectedbalancesheet(1yearforward)

•Projectedincomestatement(1yearforward)

•Projectedcashflowstatement(12monthsforward)

ExistingBusiness

•Balancesheets(last3years)

•Incomestatements(last3years)

•Cashflowstatement(12months)

IfApplyingforaLoan

•Currentpersonalfinancialstatementoneachprincipal

•Federaltaxreturnforprioryear

Afterreviewingthissectionthereadershould:

•Haveagoodunderstandingregardingthefinancialcapacityand/orprojectionsforyourcompany

Starthere…..

10

Appendices

Thissectionshouldincludeasattachments:

•Companybrochures

•Resumesofkeyemployees

•Listofbusinessequipment

•Copiesofpressarticlesandadvertisements(ifavailable)

•Picturesofyourbusinesslocationandproducts(optional)

•Informationsupportingthegrowthofyourindustryand/orproducts(optional)

•Keybusinessagreements,suchaslease,contracts,etc.(optional)

Starthere…..

11