Create A Money Winning Business Plan Outline

How To Make Money Telling People How Much Money Their House Is Worth | NicheGeek.com
Good Improvements

A business plan outline is the second most important starting point once you've pre-determined your audience. The business plan outline should be prepared before the actual research and writing of the business plan. Once your outline has been set; organize your research files around the layout of your plan.

Every business plan follows a generic outline but not every business plan is the same. Business plan outlines differ on 2 factors:

1. Type of Business: Details of critical success factors for businesses in your industry must be included in the plan. Technology companies will discuss R & D, intellectual property, and time to market. A retailer will feature pricing methods, inventory control, merchandising and location. Ensure that your plan is complete by addressing factors important to your industry.

2. Type of Audience: A banker business plan will be different from an investor plan. Bankers like to see risk assessment and planning, loan amounts, repayment terms and collateral. Investors want a return on investment, an exit strategy, and planned growth with the funds.

Business Plan Outline General

Executive Summary: overview of most important points of business plan and selling your business.

Company Description: mission statement, company overview, industry briefing, corporate history, legal structure.

Products & Services: description, R & D, pricing, delivery, production.

Marketing & Sales: market definition, customer profile, competitive & SWOT analysis, strategy, sales & promotion.

Operations: Legal & government issues, staffing, suppliers, alliances, policies, risk assessment, facilities, location, insurance, milestones.

Management: key job descriptions, responsibilities, management team, organizational chart, advisors.

Financials: Profit & loss, cash flow, balance sheet, financing, debt schedule, use of funds and assumptions, break-even analysis.

Business Plan Outline Extras

The extras are what takes a plan from 10 pages to 20 pages. More in-depth and detailed for higher levels of funding and a greater complexity of investors. No real need for extras if your plan does not require it. Here's a brief description of some of the extras that can be added to your business plan outline:

SWOT Analysis: As part of your competitor profile, adding a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis can show your investors you understand the competitive landscape and your business can operate within that environment.

Porter's Five Forces: Michael Porter's 5 forces framework is a standard business tool used by companies to evaluate an industry's key forces. This is an important extra to add to your business plan outline especially if you are a start-up or an existing business entering a new market.

Glossary: If your business plan audience is not well-versed in your industry jargon, a glossary adds value to your overall plan. If you are writing a biotech business plan on gene therapy agents, determine the level of knowledge your target audience has on the subject.

Publishing Value-Adds: These are simply publication elements to improve the readability and presentation of your plan. This can include: a cover page with logos, graphics, charts, and table of contents.

What goes into your business plan appendix for a complete outline?

The Appendix

Your business plan will require an appendix following the financials for all supporting documents. This acts as a great reference area to back up your assumptions and provide added credibility to the plan. The appendix is not part of the plan but an addition. Therefore, a 10 page business plan will be 10 pages plus the cover, table of contents, and appendix.

What to Put in Your Business Plan Appendix?

legal documents

market studies

resumes

customer testimonies

photographs & maps

distributor/supplier list

articles

owner's personal financial statements

tax statements

advertising materials & brochures

credit reports

character references

equipment list

glossary

reference section/bibliography

Once you have a good understanding of the business plan outline needed for your company then the research and writing can begin.

A business plan novel does not ensure success. Provide enough information for decision-makers to give you the opportunity to sell your company and yourself.

Read more on About.com.
My Choose Of Nutrition
The Microcredit Boom

Netflix-Like AV Rentals

Distance Education Helps You Get Ahead

CanadianMedsWorld.com

http://www.meetingtomorrow.com/

Meeting Tomorrow offers business customers easy access to audio visual equipment. Hotels often charge extortionate prices for renting a projector or display screen, and other meeting venues don't always have the equipment needed for a presentation.

On Meeting Tomorrow, you choose the equipment you need, order it online or by phone, and the equipment is delivered to your home, office, hotel or meeting location on time. Advance orders are delivered the day before the meeting, and same day orders are welcome. (Meeting Tomorrow offers same day delivery to 95% of the US, and next day service to the rest of the country.)

The beauty of the concept is how simple it is for customers, who can rely on the equipment arriving on time and don’t have to go out of their way to pick up or return a projector. For returns, Meeting Tomorrow takes a cue from Netflix: pre-paid adhesive FedEx return labels are included with projectors and laptops.

After using the equipment, customers slap on the label and drop the cases in any Fed Ex drop box. Bulkier equipment, such as screens or sound systems, are picked up after the event. Pricing is straight-forward, too: no matter where the equipment is needed, customers pay the same rental prices and a flat delivery fee.

[Via - Springwise.com] 

The Best Business Advice You Can Ever Get
Twain the entrepreneur drifted toward disaster