Business Plan - Simple

Business Plan ENTER YOUR BUSINESS NAME HERE. You may want to insert a picture of your business, product, or service here. Enter your name, address, etc. here. Date This Business Plan is confidential and is the proprietary property of Insert your business name here. No reproduction of any kind or release of this document is permissible without prior written consent of Insert your business name here. $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: Executive Summary…………………………page Section 2: Management…………………………………page Section 3: Marketing………………………………….....page Section 4: Money…...……………………………………page Section 5: Measures of Success…..............................page Section 6: Appendix………..……………………………page $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 3 SECTION 1: THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Executive Summary is the first page of your business plan, but it should be the last section you write. Summarize the key points that you have written in your business plan in the Executive Summary including: (delete the above text after you have written your Executive Summary. Statement of purpose (mission statement). General description of the business. Product/Service -What need/problem/opportunity will this product/service fill? Who is your target market (who & where)? Brief financial highlights -Sales forcast, breakeven, financing. Management summary -Legal form of ownership, describe manager(s)/employee(s). Business goals & objectives -what is the compelling reason why this business will succeed? The Executive Summary is the doorway to the rest of the plan. Write it well and keep it short so your readers will want to go further. (Delete this statement on your business plan.) $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 4 SECTION 2: MANAGEMENT Structure & Human Resources What is your business name? (For business name availability and registration, visit www.state.oh.us/sos). What is your legal structure (pgs. 63-65) and who owns the business? Owner's personal profile (skills, education, experience, and attitude)? (pgs. 16-26). Add organizational chart and other employee information, such as what type of people you would hire, & how much you will pay them. What outside advisors will you use? (partners, teachers, attorney, accountant, insurance agent, experienced business owner, etc.) What types of taxes will apply to your business? $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 5 SECTION 2: MANAGEMENT Operations Where will your business be located? What are the advantages of this location? What equipment do you currently own? What additional equipment will you need? Where will you get it and how much will it cost? What are your business hours of operation? What supplies do you need, where will you get them, how much do they cost? What product(s) do you make & how will you distribute it? OR What service(s) do you provide & how are they provided? How do you control quality? Other operational ideas. $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 6 SECTION 2: MANAGEMENT Risk Management What insurance do you need and how much does it cost (property, including vehicles, liability, …)? (pgs. 68-69) What type of licenses or permits will you need? (Vendor's license, building permits, EPA requirements, Highway Use permits for vehicles) Will you have intellectual property to protect and if so, how much will it cost for copyrights, trademarks, patents, …? How will you protect your computers, your data (including back-up), your e-commerce transactions? If you have employees, what is your workman's compensation requirement and rate? What are common business cycles in your industry/area that might impact your cash flow? What other ways do you prevent problems, create a safe work environment, and protect your company and employees? $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 7 SECTION 2: MANAGEMENT Data Management & Technology Needs What information do you gather about customers, cash flow, product quantity & quality, employees, other business data? What technology do you need, where will you get it and how much will it cost? $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 8 SECTION 3: MARKETING Industry & Market Description Describe the industry, including size and current & future trends. Customers & Products Describe your customers and the products you sell to them. Customer (who/where) Need/Want Opportunity Product/Service Solution/Benefits Price/Amount How will they pay? Place Competitive Analysis Describe your competition. Who and where are they? What are their advantages/weaknesses? Provide a summary here and the detail in the table below. Competitor Strengths How they compete Weaknesses $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 9 SECTION 3: MARKETING Marketing Strategy What are your strengths? What is your competative advantage? How will you position your product/service in the market? Describe your marketing strategies. How will you promote your products/services? How will you attract new buyers, give them a trial opportuinty, thank them, check satisfaction, and promote loyalty? What/Where When How Much Why Print/Postage (business cards, brochures, posters,catalogs) Advertising (yellow pages, newspaper, radio) Signs, Billboards The Internet Websites, email Events Sponsorships Specialty Advertising Public Relations & Samples Memberships, Directory Listings After Sale Customer Communications Other: Sales Calls, Uniforms $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 10 SECTION 4: MONEY Financial Management & Assumptions Sales & Expense Forecasts What are your financial assumptions and what have you based them on? Summarize monthly sales and expense worksheets. What are your start-up cost? For what will the money be used (buliding, purchase equipment, etc.)? Summarize start-up costs worksheet. Financing Plan How much money do you need to borrow, what sources do you plan to access for financing, and how long do you project it will take the business to repay any debt. Accounting & Record Keeping Describe the accounting/record keeping system you will use. Where will the business be financially in 5 -10 years? Complete financial worksheets (start-up costs, monthly expenses, monthly payroll, monthly sales, and cash flow) and insert them after this page. $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 11 SECTION 5: MEASURES OF SUCCESS Measures of Success What are the key factors you will measure? ($/customer, number of customers/day or month, etc.) Key Factor Short-term Goal Long-term Goal Management Marketing Money Overall Business Goal Will the business succeed (meet your goals) and what are the compelling reasons why it will succed? $ASQBusiness Plan -Simple.doc 12 SECTION 6: APPENDIX Generally, you do not type a description of your supporting information. You would simply include the documents behind this page. Include resume of owner/manager, contracts for products/services, written estimates for items to be purchased, reference information regarding your industry and target maket/customer, etc.