How to Write a Business Charter
A business charter should be a simultaneous expression of a company's ambition and a capable road map for adapting reality to that vision. Much like the United States Constitution, it should be designed as a living document that expresses both the nature of your business and the nature of reality, and it should allow for flexibility in reconciling the two. It sounds tough, but include the sections recommended here and you will be well on your way to an exceptional business charter.
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Instructions
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Have your data ready in advance. The main goal of a business charter is to map and organize your intentions. It can give a sense of purpose and drive, but only if you are properly prepared with all of the relevant facts. Have projections, investments already made, on-hand capital, dates, contact information and government regulatory information in front of you from the start.
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Write the executive summary. This is one to two pages that outline the content to follow. This part is particularly tricky because it asks for a complete encapsulation of your business without the supporting details and evidence to back your claims. Include information on the nature and name of your company, anticipated customers, competitors, product and risk. Some people prefer to write this grand summation last.
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Hammer out a mission statement. This is your opportunity to convince the potential investor, business partner or employee of the lofty ideals and goals that made you lay it all on the line to begin with. Like Peter Pan learning to fly, your mission statement should be an expression of the "happy thoughts" that brought you to this place. No matter what projections, data and practicalities that follow, if you can't sell someone on the vision that first inspired you then you'll never find a backer. That said, a mission statement should be no more than a few sentences.
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Write the company background. Discuss the legal groundings for your business decision, the time line that brought you to this point and the steps you have taken to turn an idea into a start-up.
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Describe your product. Whether your product is a doo-dad or a service, the need to codify it will be central to your ability to sell it.
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Write a market analysis. Specify why people will continue to need your product in to the future. This is also an excellent place to describe the competition and its failings. What will make you stand out?
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Write a description of your intended implementation. Write the next section as if you have received all the funding you need. What's the next step? Include your Internet intentions as a subheading, regardless of how small a role Internet may play in your business. Internet implementation is simply part of the expectation of doing business in today's world.
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Insert a team roster. This is your chance to get some resume stats in your charter, from both yourself and the talent you have brought along with you. Highlight the skill sets that will allow your teammates to bring the preceding pages to fruition.
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Map your projections visually. So far you've given potential investors words, words, words. Time to wow them with graphs of your projected earnings. Making the final portion of your business charter more visual than the rest will emphasize the concrete nature of your company's future.
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