This business plan guidebook - short version template has 29 pages and is a MS Word file type listed under our business plan kit documents.
Sample of our business plan guidebook - short version template:
How to Write a Business Plan Step By Step Instructions Guidebook to Help You Create a Winning Business Plan Table of Content Executive Summary 4 Management & Ownership 5 Problem & Solution 5 Products / Services 5 Market 5 Competition 6 Marketing Strategies 6 Fundraising 6 Financial Forecast 6 1. Business Description 8 1.1 Company Description 8 1.2 Mission Statement 8 1.3 History and Current Status 9 1.4 Goals & Objectives 9 2. Management & Ownership 10 2.1 Management Team 10 2.2 Ownership 10 3. Problem & Solution 12 3.1 Problem 12 3.2 Solution 12 4. Products/Service 14 4.1 Product/Service Description 14 4.2 Uniqueness and Competitive Advantage 14 4.3 Pricing Strategy 15 5. The Market 17 5.1 Industry & Market Analysis 17 5.2 Customer Analysis 18 Market Segmentation and Target Market 18 6. Competition 20 6.1 Competition Analysis 20 Competitive Landscape 20 6.2 Competitors Analysis 21 List your major competitors: 21 Competitive Advantage 21 7. Marketing Strategies 23 7.1 Introduction 23 7.2 Marketing Mix 23 7.3 Distribution Channels 26 8. Fundraising 27 8.1 Capital Requirements 27 8.2 Risk/Opportunity 27 9. Financial Forecast 29 9.1 Forecasts 29 Executive Summary The purpose of the executive summary is to briefly inform the reader the entire contents of your business plan. It should tell who you are, what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, why you can do it better than anyone else and how you can continue to do so. Also, include how much money you are planning to make, how much funding you need and for what they will be used It is recommended to complete your executive summary last because this section summarizes each of the other sections of your business plan. A first-time reader should be able to read the summary by itself and know what your business is all about. The executive Summary will be helpful in giving yourself and other people you interact with (e.g., employees, advisors, etc.), an overview of your plan. A summary, between one to three pages in length, will motivate readers to continue reading the remainder of the business plan in more detail. The summary should include the following subsections: Business Description Provide a brief description of your company. The opening paragraphs should introduce what you do and where. Management & Ownership Name the management team and indicate the owners of the business. Give a brief description of their background and experience. The goal is to show the quality of the administrators. Problem & Solution Briefly describe the problem in your market and the solution you offer to solve this problem. Products / Services This should include a brief overview and description of your products/ services, with emphasis on key features. Market Provide a brief description of the market you will be competing in. Indicate how you will market the products/services and which channels will be used to deliver your products/services to your target market(s) (i.e. website, direct sales force, etc.). Briefly describe your targeted customers with some of their characteristics like their gender, age, income etc. Competition Name your top competitors. Briefly describe the competitive outlook and dynamics of your market. You may also wish to include the following table: Main Competitors NAME \ ADDRESS SALES MARKET SHARE NATURE/TYPE Marketing Strategies Briefly indicate the marketing strategies to sell and promote your products/ services. Fundraising Clearly state the capital needed to start or expand your business. You should have a very clear idea of how much money you will need to operate your business for the first full year. Explain the way you will use the funds. Financial Forecast With the new financing or capital, add a short financial forecast for the next five years. This table should include a recap of your income statement: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Revenue Cost of Goods Sold Gross Profit Operating Costs Finance & Admin Sales & Marketing Total Expenses Net Income Before Tax Less: Income Tax Net Income Balance Sheet Summary Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Assets Liabilities Equity 1. Business Description The business overview is a brief (one or two page) description of the company you have founded or are about to found. This section will be broken down into subsections and should give your reader a good idea of where you are, how you have gotten there and where you foresee your business in the future. The Business overview should include the following subsections: 1.1 Company Description Start with the legal name of your business and state the legal form. State whether the business is a new business, expanding business etc. Next, explain the actual business you are in and what your company does. Give all the information that is relevant to your business. Also, indicate where your primary office will be located as well as any other facility that your business will operate in and then explain the reasons for that specific location. 1.2 Mission Statement Your mission statement is a short inspirational statement of the vision and goals you have for your company. Be sure that your mission statement is concise, content rich, and that it excites your readers. Your mission statement should address, but is not limited, to the following elements: 1.3 History and Current Status Summarize the history and current status of your company. If your company is just forming, clearly explain how you came up with the idea to start your business and how you and your partners have met. If your business is already in operation, state how long you have been in business. Discuss significant past problems and how you survived them. 1.4 Goals & Objectives What do you want to accomplish with your business plan? Where do you want to go? Where you want your business to be? In which time-frame? To answers those questions, you must set the goals and objectives that you pursue. Those goals and objectives must be realistic and obtainable with your company's given resources and capabilities. You can use the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Time based) to make sure your goals and objectives are realistic. 2. Management & Ownership The purpose of the Management & Ownership section is to convince that you have a great management team to complement a great business concept. This is not the place for modesty or self-depreciation. Be honest but highlight your accomplishments and your capabilities while mitigating any obvious shortcomings or weaknesses. The Management & Ownership section should include the following subsections: 2.1 Management Team The management section should include the names and backgrounds of lead members of the management team and their respective responsibilities. It should describe the founders and principal managers who will run your business. Be sure to answer those questions: 2.2 Ownership This section will identify the owners of the business and should address the following: Use the following table to clearly show how the ownership will be broken down: Ownership of Company As of [Date] Name Title (if Applicable) Number of Shares Percentage TOTAL 3. Problem & Solution The purpose of the Problem & Solution section is to convince that you have a great solution for a customer desire. The Problem & Solution section should include the following subsections: 3.1 Problem Describe the problem or the pain that the customer feels in order to establish that your business is really offering value to the customer. Your business will have much scope if it provides a real solution to an existing or even latent problem. State the problem clearly
