Contents of a business plan

Introduction Executive summary

What is the business? What is the market? What is the potential for the business? Forecast profit figures Funding requirements Prospects for the investor/ lender

escription of the business What is the business?

! brief description of the business idea and "hy it should be a success #istory of the enterprise and its o"nership Information about the entrepreneur$s qualifications% experience and financial status &ocation

Products and services

! description of the product and "hat it does !n explanation of "ays in "hich the product is distinctive and unique !nalysis of the competition #o" the product "ill be developed and "hat ne" products are being considered as replacements Intangible assets ' protection (e)g) copyright% trade marks*

+he market

,i-e and expected gro"th of the market !nalysis of market by segments Identification of target segments .ompetitors / "ho they are% o"nership% si-e% market share% likely response to the challenge .ustomers (existing ' potential* / "ho they are% ho" they buy% "hy they buy istribution channels

,ituational audit ("here are "e no"?* +his involves data collection and analysis

Purpose of data collection and analysis0

etermine "hich opportunities to pursue Identify ,W1+ Identify competitive advantages Provide a background for the formulation of strategy

2ain analytical techniques0

PE,+/ PE,+&E analysis ,W1+ analysis .ompetitor analysis 2arketing audit

,tatement of aims and ob3ectives ("here do "e "ant to go?*

! statement of "hat the business should achieve over a five year period !ims should be expressed in terms of hierarchy of ob3ectives becoming progressively more detailed and specific 4ision / "hat the organisation "ill be like in the future 2ission statement / a statement of the overall purpose and aims ,2!5+ 1b3ectives / quantitative goals) Functional ob3ectives / ob3ectives for the functional areas

,trategy and tactics

#o" are "e to get there? ,trategy is the broad approach to the achievement of ob3ectives ,ummarises ho" to fulfil the ob3ectives +actics refer to the details of the strategy e)g) the promotional mix +he detail "ill be contained in programmes and budgets

2arketing0 key questions to be ans"ered

Who are our customers? Who are our competitors? What is the si-e and gro"th rate of the market? #o" is the market segmented? What is special about our product or service? What are our competitive advantages? What is our marketing strategy?

2arketing plan

2arket research ,egmentation and targeting

etailed outline of the product or service 6nique selling points .hosen pricing strategy Promotional plans istribution strategy (including online* .ustomer service strategy

1perations plan

Physical location +he production process Facilities Equipment ,cale ' location of operations .apacity / potential and effective I.+ strategy Engineering and design support 2aterials required Inventory levels and stock control plans Purchasing arrangements ,ources of supply of key resources 7uality control plans ,taffing requirements

2anagement and organisation

1rganisational chart etails of senior management .orporate governance ,taffing requirements 8ey personnel 5ecruitment and selection +raining 5e"ards (financial ' non/financial* &abour relations Employment and related costs

Forecasts in the business plan

,ales forecast Forecast profit and loss account (income statement* .ash flo" forecast (cash budget* In each case this should be a month by month forecast for a minimum of t"o years Forecast balance sheet for each of the first t"o years

+he assumptions behind the forecast should also be included

Financial data

Investment appraisal / payback and discounted cash flo" 9reak even analysis Evaluation criteria for performance revie" 5atio analysis0 net profit margin% :ross profit margin% return on capital employed% liquidity and solvency analysis

Financing required

etails of capital required and uses +he plan must include details of the external finance required +his "ill be equal to the finance required less finance raise internally from existing o"ners and from operations +he plan "ill outline ho" it is proposed to raise the finance ,ources of finance0 ,hort% medium and long term; ebt v equity