Learn how to write a business plan yourself: an example of an optimal structure

Starting any activity, it is important to have a visual idea of where to start and where to go.

Without clear planning, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to consistently move towards the intended result.

Goals and objectives of the business plan

A business plan is an integral part of any venture aimed at success. The result of the future company depends on the quality of its compilation. Business planning is an important stage in the development of a future enterprise and contains certain goals and objectives.

Goals:

determine whether the project is worth funding;
provide complete information about the project to the investor or bank.

Tasks:

Outline the goals of the future company, develop a strategy and tactics.
Choose a line of business.
Analyze all costs.
Plan the necessary marketing activities.
Consider possible risks.
Draw up a budget in relation to the current financial situation.

Compilation principles

A business plan is a document that gives a detailed idea of a project, and allows you to answer the question of whether it is worth financing. The project can be financed either by a lender or an investor. Since the goals of these individuals are different, the methods of evaluating a business project are also different. Therefore, before drawing up a project, it is necessary to immediately decide on who it will be provided to.

In any case, the business plan should be well designed and easy to read. The average document size is 40 pages. With a larger content, it is optimal to put some documents in annexes, and with a smaller content, it will be believed that the project was drawn up improperly.

If complex terms are used in the description of the organization, then a glossary of terms should be compiled at the end of the document.

Important in drawing up a business project is the orientation to the target market and to meet the needs of consumers. At the same time, it should be noted what benefit the consumer will receive by using a product or service from this enterprise compared to a competitive one.

It is good to highlight the uniqueness of your enterprise: the possession of certain patents, the presence of people in the state of rare professions, the advantageous location, etc.

The drafted project should reflect a real picture that would show what the organization can achieve with appropriate funding. The lender must have confidence in the repayment of the loan, and the investor - in obtaining high profits.

How to write a business plan yourself?

If you plan to draw up a business plan yourself, then this issue should be approached with all seriousness. Only a carefully thought-out project can help achieve the goal - making a profit. Of course, to launch a huge company with multimillion-dollar investments, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do it on your own. But to start your small business is enough. This video is about developing a business plan on your own:

The process begins with a business idea. An idea is just a figurative idea of what you want to do. But the idea must be realistic so that it can be implemented.

Having decided on the direction, we proceed to planning on paper. Most often, the preparation of this document is necessary to attract investment. In this scenario, we pay special attention to the section on financial planning and guarantees of return on investment.

We highlight all the factors that can affect the implementation of the idea. We indicate all the reasons that, in your opinion, will contribute to the success of your undertaking.

We draw up a detailed financial plan, in which we indicate the necessary funding, its sources and possible costs. Do not forget to note the amount of your investments - this is important for a potential investor.

In the marketing strategy, we indicate ways to sell and promote products. It is better to provide several options. We also indicate the responsible persons for these events.

We do not forget about the possible risks. It is important at the initial stage to be able to anticipate potential negative consequences and how to manage them. This can directly affect the longevity of your business.

Standard structure

Of course, each business plan can have an individual structure depending on the direction of the enterprise and the planned results. However, at the heart of any project is always a typical structure.

The diagram shows possible options for using a business plan

The standard structure in a condensed form contains the following sections:

summary;
characteristics of the company;
description of products and services;
marketing plan;
production plan;
organizational plan;
financial plan;
risk assessment;
applications.

What information should be included in sections

Summary

An introductory part containing brief information about the nature of the project. It depends on its content whether the reader will be interested in the project or not.

Company profile

It contains information about the company itself, about the stage of its development, about the profile of activities, about its competitiveness, about development plans for the future, etc.

If the company is not re-opening, then in this section it is necessary to indicate the technical and economic development indicators for the previous few years.

Description of products and services

This section should give detailed information about the goods produced by the enterprise or the services provided. Here you should talk in detail about the features of the product, about the possibilities of its use, etc.

If a list of experts or consumers who are already familiar with this product / service and ready to give positive feedback is indicated, then this will be an additional plus.

Marketing plan

The marketing plan is used to analyze the market in detail and draw up a marketing strategy, which includes:

Pricing methods.
Market coverage plan.
Development of new goods/services.
Product marketing method.
Advertising strategy.
Enterprise development strategy for future periods.

Production plan

This plan contains all the nuances of the production process:

required raw materials, materials and conditions of their delivery;
applied technologies for production;
equipment and its capacity;
the need for labor resources;
product renewal plan;
production development plan;
work schedule.

organizational plan

This section should show how the entire business project is planned to be implemented. This includes a strategy for the implementation of the main plans outlined, as well as control over their implementation. You can also note the motivation for the implementation of plans on time.

In the event of changes in the internal or external environment of the organization, it is necessary to indicate how it is planned to regulate the processes for implementing the main plans.

Financial plan

This kind of plan should reflect all parts of the document. This section contains the value expression of all components of the company's development:

forecast of production volumes;
forecast of planned costs;
balance of income and expenses;
company budget;
Management of risks;
the main performance indicators of the enterprise.

Risk assessment

Here all possible risks and ways of insurance against them are analyzed. Preventive measures are planned to deal with potential risks, as well as actions to be taken in the event of unplanned risks.

Applications

Documents that supplement or confirm the information contained in the document are attached here.

The most important section of a business project is the financial part, which contains a detailed analysis of all cash flows arising in the enterprise.

How to use a business plan

To prevent your business planning from becoming a mere formality on paper, it should be regularly reviewed, analyzed and adjusted. To get the most out of it, it is important to turn it into the main tool for managing a company. It will optimally reflect in it all the current conditions and new information collected over a certain period of time.

All changes occurring in the field of activity of your company, and the conclusions drawn from them, should be reflected in the business plan. This will allow you to plan the company's development strategy for the future.

It is necessary to regularly outline the main stages that you plan to implement in the coming month. This information should be shared with your team members, along with a timeline for implementation.

At the end of each period, it is important to compare the current results with the planned plans. Draw appropriate conclusions and make adjustments based on actual performance. Based on the results obtained, forecasts are made and new plans are drawn up.

With regular use of the business plan, the planning process will not take much time. But positive results are sure to come.

Starting your business, do not be too lazy to plan it conscientiously. If you are not sure that you can handle it on your own, you can resort to the help of specialists. Of course, this will require additional financial costs, but it will save you from financial losses in the future.