Every company needs a business plan to acquire funding and provide business owners, their partners, and the team more insight about the company and its position in the market that differentiates it from other businesses. Before anyone creates a business, they must have a business plan as a foundation.
The goal is to establish your purpose, goals of longevity, and pursuit of commercial success. You want your team, partners, and prospective investors to align with and believe in your company’s future.
Must-Haves To Include in a Business Plan
Your business plan needs essential information to let your company, consumers, and outside investors know your mission, purpose, and strategy.
- Executive summary: specify your location and your mission statement to establish your vision, identify the community you are serving, and the purpose of providing for your community. The objective is to inspire and motivate your team, partners, and investors to believe in your company.
- Marketing strategy: identify your target consumers using specific demographic information and briefly discuss your competition, compare and contrast your company with your competition, pinpoint unique opportunities to advertise in your target market, and differentiate your company from your peers.
- Products and services: you will describe the goods and services you offer and emphasize their value and uniqueness wherever possible.
- How is the production process efficient?
- How sustainable are the services?
- What information has the research provided?
- What patents have you acquired?
- How will you price them to attract consumers?
- What unique benefits will they offer consumers?
- Financial management, planning, and projections: include financial information such as your balance sheets, cash flow statements, and budget. Estimate the costs of staffing, manufacturing, and more. You should also include financial projections and estimates for up to at least two years.
- Funding requests: building on the information you provide in your financial management and projections, you will specify to potential investors how much money your company needs.
- Appendix: supply all additional relevant documents mentioned throughout the business plan here, including permits, patents, certifications, professional licenses, and more.
How to Know Your Business Plan Is Engaging
- Readers know who you are, what services and products you provide, what purpose your company serves, and your plans for the future.
- The marketing assessment is cohesive, demonstrates comprehension of your industry, and your proposed marketing and advertising strategies align with your company.
- You demonstrate competence in knowing who your competition is and why you stand out from your competition.
- You show you understand your finances, have planned financially, and are strategic and confident in acquiring the necessary funds.
- Readers easily find your documents and unique certifications.
Ready to create a business plan to start with a strong foundation? You can book a consultation with me today.
