Form follows function, and each business plan section should reflect the information needed to bring your idea to fruition. This is particularly crucial when seeking funding.
An executive summary should provide a snapshot of your company, outlining its mission statement, products or services offered, target market and overall strategy.
The Executive Summary
The Executive Summary is the part of your business plan that serves to introduce your company and idea to bankers and investors. It should outline your product or service, market potential, management team composition and financial projections. This section of your document can make or break it when it comes to engaging viewers throughout its contents.
According to writing teacher John Clayton, your executive summary should be designed with your target audience in mind. Busy executives tend to care more about bottom-line deliverables rather than the intricacies of how your business operates; hence the necessity of keeping this section short and concise so you can expand upon any details in other parts of the plan; typically no more than two pages should comprise your executive summary.
The Industry Analysis
Industry analysis is one of the cornerstones of any successful business plan. This section explores your chosen industry to assess its potential as well as any major threats that might impact it.
As part of your business plan, this section should contain statistics regarding the size and growth of your industry as well as an outline of its history. In addition, describe your target market and any laws or regulations which might impact it.
Your pitch document provides an ideal opportunity to illustrate how unique you are within your industry, and distinguish yourself from competitors. Use clear language without resorting to jargon; this will make the report simpler for potential investors to read and comprehend.
The Competitive Analysis
No matter whether you are seeking investors or simply planning for the future, understanding your marketplace is of critical importance. Conducting a competitive analysis helps identify major competitors (and any incoming threats) while also evaluating current market status.
Start by compiling a list of everyone operating within your industry – this should include both direct and indirect competitors – then begin researching each one separately until you identify those which may no longer be relevant.
This section of your plan should outline your marketing penetration strategy, sales channels and communications plan to reach consumers. Furthermore, this should outline any opportunities or threats identified within the market that need to be addressed.
The Financials
The financial section provides an overview of your company’s present and future financial state, with topics including income/loss statements, balance sheet projections and cash flow analyses. Its purpose is to show potential financiers or investors that your venture is financially sustainable.
Financial sections can be critical, particularly for startups seeking investment funds or loans from banks. An insufficiently written or unrealistically optimistic financial section could deter investors.
Financial statements should be both specific and realistic. It’s essential that these details include your company budget and sales forecast; experienced bankers and investors will quickly identify inaccurate numbers that cannot be supported with evidence. In addition, this section is an opportunity for the entrepreneur to demonstrate his or her business experience and ability to manage financial risk; something which will set them apart from competitors. Looking forward, you need to hire Business plan writers for your business to make sure that your business will be planned effectively.
The Marketing Plan
Marketing plans provide a framework for companies to achieve their product or service aims, while outlining specifics about target customers, target market size and competitors in an industry. They will also outline distribution channels as well as advertising/marketing plans planned by them.
Marketing plans also detail how a business intends to attract, retain and expand their customer base. It outlines any special promotions or discounts that might be made available to consumers as well as providing information regarding R&D activities. They typically also contain an appendix with documents that support main sections such as resumes, budget projections and long-term financial projections; this section can be particularly beneficial when seeking funding from private investors or banks.
The Operations Plan
This section of your business plan details all the components that go into creating and manufacturing your product or service, such as where the company is located, any critical facilities or equipment used in daily operations, as well as how these will be managed. Furthermore, any processing information may also be included – particularly important for manufacturing firms.
An effective operating plan sets forth all the duties and responsibilities for each department over an agreed-upon timeframe that matches up with its goals outlined in a strategic plan. It should include key performance indicators based on leading rather than lagging metrics that show progress as well as predict when milestones will be met – it also should detail funding for these milestones.
The People Plan
Just as any organization needs a plan to ensure the proper operation of specific departments, so too must it have a People Plan which addresses how it manages its most essential resource – its employees. This should include policies and procedures related to hiring, training, and compensation of its workforce.
A strong people plan can provide your organization with clarity as it identifies what needs to be done to attract and retain talent, as well as creating the culture you’d like within the workplace.
To create an effective people plan, businesses need to gather and analyze relevant data. This may include quantitative indicators like turnover rate, employee surveys, demographic information or even qualitative interviews conducted across their People Team – these will all serve to inform and direct development of an effective people strategy.
The Management Plan
An effective business plan is an indispensable tool for both startups and established firms alike, outlining company goals while helping employees stay on track towards fulfilling them. Furthermore, this document serves as a means of attracting investors and lenders.
This section of a business plan details how the company will be managed, providing details about management responsibilities and authorities as well as employee roles that will be filled by employees.
An income statement detailing revenue, expenses and profit projections is also part of a management plan – this is particularly crucial for startups that must attract investors or lenders. Annual reviews should also take place so the business can assess whether its original goals remain realistic or whether changes need to be made to its plans.
The Marketing Strategy
A business plan helps owners identify and mitigate risks, avoid major errors such as placing too much faith in passion rather than market realities, make realistic financial projections that allow them to assess what type of financing they require as well as gauge any impact a decision could have on their bottom line.
A business plan should clearly state and explain a company’s goals in detail, along with a roadmap of how its objectives will be attained. This document is an essential part of every successful venture whether they be startups or established institutions looking for funding from lenders and investors. A thorough business plan shows investors and lenders that your organization is well organized and prepared while managing finances efficiently while giving an indication of management team expertise and experience.
The Revenue Stream
Diversified revenue streams are essential to the long-term viability of any business. By diversifying income sources, businesses can weather unexpected economic conditions while continuing to provide value to customers.
Revenue streams can include both operating and non-operating revenue sources. Operating revenue stems from products and services sold directly to customers.
Non-operating revenue can come from various sources, including intermediation revenue (earning money from connecting two parties such as credit card providers or brokers) and project revenue (from projects completed). FreshBooks allows businesses to easily monitor these sources with its Revenue Graph feature on the dashboards.
