Sample Business Plan Outline
Executive Summary
Most
important part of the business plan
because it is what investors will
read first. This section needs to
discuss the history, current status,
and future of your company.
-
Overview of your company’s
strategy
-
Description of the market
-
Description of the management
team’s qualifications
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A brief description of the
product or service
-
Estimate the amount of funds
needed
The Company & Strategy
In
this section, a more thorough
description of the company is given,
including the short and long-term
goals of the company,
strengths/weaknesses, and critical
success factors.
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What is the purpose of the
Company?
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What is your vision for the
business?
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Why you are uniquely qualified
to be in this business
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What products is your company
selling?
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Where is your company located?
Management & Organization
This
section should highlight the past
experiences of the management team
that will combine to reduce the risk
typically associated with a start-up
venture or rapidly growing company.
-
Summary resumes of key
management and owners
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What are the functional
responsibilities of Management?
-
Are your compensation
arrangements aligned with the
goals and objectives of your
business?
-
What are some philosophies of
Management?
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Is your management team
complete?
The Market & Competitors
This section should emphasize the
opportunities for your company to
succeed and achieve its goals.
-
What are the trends in your
industry?
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What is the target market?
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How large is the market?
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What is the competition?
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How will your product be
positioned in the market?
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What motivates buying decisions?
Products
This
section should include a detailed
description or illustration of
existing products and plans for
future products. It also needs to
mention and unique features of the
products or other possible sources
of competitive advantage.
-
Do the products have any
patents, trademarks, or
copyrights?
-
Describe the R&D requirements
-
Discuss competing technologies
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Explain where the product or
service will lead the company.
-
Marketing and Sales
After the description of the
market, this section should
explain the company’s plan to
get its products to buyers and
what strategies it will use.
-
Describe your marketing plan
-
Discuss your means of
advertising
-
How will you use public
relations to help promote your
product?
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Do you need you own sales force?
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Do you have any strategic
alliances that will allow you to
reach your target market?
Financial Information
The
company’s financial statements are
the core of the business plan’s
financial information section.
Investors will want to see the
balance sheets, income statements,
and cash flow statements for the
previous three years, along with
five-year forecasts.
-
How much capital do you need and
over what period of time?
-
What form of investment are you
seeking?
-
How do you plan to finance
further company growth?
-
What is the exit/payback
strategy for lenders and
investors?
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