Entrepreneurs – What Goes Into A Business Plan?

You are ready to write your business plan for funding purposes, or you are starting a new business and know that you need one.  So what goes into your business plan?

Well first of all, a good, well structured business plan can be the foundation to your new company.  It is important that you spend some time ensuring that it is accurate. Here are the relative portions of your business plan.

* Executive Summary. This will be the first thing read by your potential investor and a strong executive summary with an overview of all that is required will ensure that the rest of your business plan is read.

* Business Overview and structure including shares issued and who owns them. This is where you describe your physical business, your business model, your Mission Statement, objectives of the business and key milestones,

* Business Strategies including business, financial, marketing and exit strategy. This is an important part of your business plan and details how you are going to mange your future business.  The business strategy is how you run your business and how you intend to expand and grow from a new business. The financial strategy is how you will manage your finances, when you will invest, how much will go into research, if you will lease or buy etc. Your marketing strategy deals with marketing and advertising your business, to whom, how and at what costs.  Your exit strategy is how the investor will be able to recoup their investment. 

* Markets, which is who you expect to buy your products and services with some predictions of volumes.

* Products, which are the services and goods offered.  You should include how they are manufactured or sourced as well as the fulfilment process.

* Financials such as costs, overheads, profit etc with realistic indications of why, how and when. You should also include your marketing and staffing budgets as well as overhead costs and your break even position.

* Staffing including resumes/CV's of major staff, brief terms of reference and an organisation chart.

* The Way Forward, what will happen in the future and how an investor will get their money back.

If you include all of these you will have a great business plan.  This can seem daunting, which is why it can be worthwhile to employ a business planning consultant, who can also provide business consultancy.  Good luck.