Business Planning Structure
Planning a business takes a lot of time and hard work, as you must have several steps completed well before opening day. Your business plan is a collection of information that you will not only use to entice investors, but that will serve as a guide for you as you move through the process. Most business plans use a specific structure that you can adjust to meet your needs.
Other People Are Reading
-
Executive Summary
-
An executive summary is your own overview of all aspects of your business, from product or service descriptions to finances and marketing strategies. When writing your summary, focus on describing your business in the most compelling yet succinct manner possible. This section should be between two and four pages in length.
Implementation
-
The section following your summary should include all of the information about your management, personnel, and a description of how you plan to run a successful business. Include complete descriptions of your products or services, and information on your location and/or web presence, and address your competitors and explain what elements of your business gives you an edge.
-
Finances
-
Planning a business requires a complete analysis of your current financial situation, and a realistic projection of earnings in one, three and five years from now. This section should include charts, graphs, and any other visual interpretation of data that will serve to back up your assertions.
Marketing
-
Marketing plays a vital role in the structure of your business. Regardless of how outstanding your products are, you must find a way to attract customers. Your marketing section should include an overview of your marketing plan, a description of your target audience, and promotional and advertising ideas.
Appendix
-
Each section of your business plan should include footnotes references facts and outside sources that support your claims. This information, which may include blueprints, legal documents or receipts, should be organized in the appendix, which is the last section of your business plan.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
