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BusinessPlanOutline-23PointChecklistForSuccessDaveLavinsky,ContributorIfyou’relookingforfundingforaneworexistingbusiness,youneedabusinessplan.Yourbusinessplangiveslendersandinvestorstheinformationtheyneedtodeterminewhetherornottheyshouldconsideryourcompany.Yourbusinessplanoutlineisthefirststepinorganizingyourthoughts.And,whenyoufollowtheoutlinebelow,youensureyourbusinessplanisintheformatthatpromptsinvestorsandlenderstotakeaction.Inthebusinessplanoutlinebelow,youwillseetheten(10)sectionscommontobusinessplans,andthetwenty-three(23)sub-sectionsyoumustcomplete.SectionI–ExecutiveSummary1–ExecutiveSummaryTheExecutiveSummaryisthemostimportantpartofyourbusinessplan.Becauseifitdoesn’tinterestreaders,they’llneverevengettotherestofyourplan.StartyourExecutiveSummarywithabriefandconciseexplanationofwhatyourcompanydoes.Next,explainwhyyourcompanyisuniquelyqualifiedtosucceed.Forexample,doesyourmanagementteamhaveuniquecompetencies?Doyouhaveanypatents?Areyouthefirstmoverinyourmarket?Doesahuge,unmetmarketopportunityexist?Etc.Finally,includeasynopsisofyourfinancialprojectionsinyourExecutiveSummary.Specifically,includeyourexpectedrevenues,expensesandprofitsforeachofthenextfiveyears,howmuchfundingyouareseeking,andthekeyusesofthesefunds.SectionII–CompanyOverview2–CompanyOverviewTheCompanyOverviewsectionprovidesabriefhistoryofyourcompany.Hereyouwillanswerquestionssuchaswhenandhowyourorganizationwasformed,whattypeoflegalentityyouare,andaccomplishmentstodate.Importantly,yourpastaccomplishmentsareperhapsthebestindicatorofpotentialfuturesuccess,sobesuretoidentifyandincludeallkeymilestonesyourcompanyhasachievedtodate.SectionIII–IndustryAnalysisYourIndustryAnalysissectionhastwosub-sectionsasfollows:3–MarketOverviewTheMarketOverviewsectiondiscussesthesizeandcharacteristicsofyourmarket.Forexample,ifyouarearestaurant,youwouldincludethesizeoftherestaurantmarket,abriefdiscussionofsectors(e.g.,fastfoodversusfinedining)andmarkettrends.4–RelevantMarketSizeTherelevantmarketsizeisamuchmorespecificcalculationofyourmarketsize.Itistheannualrevenueyourcompanycouldattainifitattained100%marketshare.Yourrelevantmarketsizeiscalculatedbymultiplying1)thenumberofcustomerswhomightbeinterestedinpurchasingyourproductsand/orserviceseachyearand2)theamountthesecustomersmightbewillingtospend,onanannualbasis,onyourproductsand/orservices.SectionIV–CustomerAnalysisYourCustomerAnalysissectionhastwosub-sectionsasfollows:5–TargetCustomersYourTargetCustomerssectionpreciselyidentifiesyourcurrentand/orintendedcustomers.Includeasmuchdemographicdataonyourtargetcustomersaspossible,suchastheirgender,age,salary,geography,maritalstatusandeducation.6–CustomerNeedsInthissectionofyourbusinessplan,specifywhycustomerswantorneedyourproductsand/orservices.Forexample,docustomerscaremostaboutspeed,quality,location,reliability,comfort,price,value,etc.?SectionV–CompetitiveAnalysisYourCompetitiveAnalysissectionhasthreesub-sectionsasfollows:7–DirectCompetitorsDirectcompetitorsarecompaniesthatfillthesamecustomerneedyoufillwiththesamesolution.Forexample,ifyouoperateanItalianrestaurant,otherItalianrestaurantswouldbedirectcompetitors.Inthissectionofyourbusinessplan,outlinewhoyourdirectcompetitorsare,andtheirstrengthsandweaknesses.8–IndirectCompetitorsIndirectcompetitorsarecompaniesthatfillthesamecustomerneedyoufillwithadifferentsolution.Forexample,ifyouoperateanItalianrestaurant,aFrenchrestaurantwouldbeanindirectcompetitor.Inthissectionofyourbusinessplan,outlinewhoyourindirectcompetitorsare,andtheirstrengthsandweaknesses.9–CompetitiveAdvantagesImportantly,identifyyourCompetitiveAdvantagesinthissection.Specifically,statewhatisitaboutyourcompanythatwillallowyoutoeffectivelycompete(andwin)againstbothdirectandindirectcompetitors.SectionVI–MarketingPlanYourMarketingPlansectionhasfoursub-sectionsasfollows:10–Products&ServicesHereiswhereyougivethedetailsoftheproductsand/orservicesyourcompanyoffers.11–PricingDetailyourpricinghere.Inparticular,discusshowyourpricingrelatestocompetition.Forexample,areyouthepremiumbrand?Thelowcostbrand?Discussyourexpectedbrandingbasedonyourchosenpricingmodel.12–PromotionsPlanYourpromotionsplandetailsthetacticsyouwillusetoattractnewcustomers.Forexample,youmightchooseradioadvertising,oronlinepay-per-clickads,orpressreleases,andsoon.Inthissection,detaileachformofpromotionsyouwilluse.13–DistributionPlanYourDistributionPlanoutlinesthewaysinwhichcustomerscanbuyfromyou.Inmanycases,theycanonlybuydirectlyfromyou,perhapsatyourphysicallocationorwebaddress.Inothercases,youmighthavedistributorsorpartnerswhosellyourproductsorservices.Insuchacase,detailthisstructure.SectionVII–OperationsPlanYourOperationsPlansectionhastwosub-sectionsasfollows:14–KeyOperationalProcessesYourKeyOperationalProcessesarethedailyfunctionsyourbusinessmustconduct.Inthissection,youwilldetailthesefunctions.Forexample,willyoumaintainaCustomerServicedepartment?Ifso,whatspecificrolewillitfill?Bycompletingthissection,you’llgetgreatclarityontheorganizationyouhopetobuild.15–MilestonesInthissectionofyourbusinessplan,listth