People ask me all the time what format their business plan should be in. So here's a simple format for a business plan - but feel free to adapt this to what suits your plan and to add in sections as they are needed.
Summary
Write this section last, and include just the main points
Products and services
What do we sell
What’s it for
Why is it desirable/special/different/remarkable
Target Market
Who is going to buy this, and why.
Under no circumstances here can you write "everyone." Not everyone will buy your stuff, and you need to be as specific as possible so that you are clear about how you're going to reach out to the people who want to buy from you.
Marketing
How are you going to persuade people to buy your lovely stuff
Include your brand, positioning (including price) distribution, and your key marketing actions. It helps you if you can put down your marketing actions in a timeline, eg, March 2010, launch website, every Tuesday write a blog entry.
Pricing
What does it sell for, and why is it at this price.
Competitors
Who else sells something similar?
What’s different about what you’re offering
If there are no obvious competitors, what are the other things that your customers might spend their money on
Environment
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological
SWOT and PEST can seem like a real hassle to do, but it will mean that you have really thought through what is happening around your business, and then you'll be prepared when it does happen. Highly recommended - and read more about PEST here
Sales
What are you going to sell month by month. I know that you don't know what this is, and it all feels funny without your crystal ball, but you must take a stab at this or you'll have no idea of whether you can make any money from the business, and you'll have no targets to work around. You can always change it later, once you know what you're goign to sell
Costs of sales
What does it cost you to buy the things you’re offering - ignore this if you are providing a service based business rather than buying in things to sell.
Overheads/fixed costs
What will you need to spend to run the business? Staff wages, premises (not rent for your home if you're working from home) website, marketing, telecoms. Add them all up and be realistic.
Profit line
Work out if you are going to make a profit – if not, then start again, or give up on this idea.
Remember you need to start with sales, take off the cost of sales (if you have them) then take off your overheads, and what's left is your profit. That's the bit for you - the important bit.
This is a very basic format, and if you want to get more into business planning I would recommend starting with a copy of Start Your Business Step by Step, which I wrote the finance section of, and is a great way of working through all of this, even if you're not a start up. Or of course, you could give me a call and get me to help you - then you'll know that you're doing it the right way.
Julia Chanteray
back to top
back to resources page
|