1. Business Plan Writing Instructions
Entrepreneurship
Business Plan Writing Instructions

2. I. Executive Summary

3. II. Company Description
Business Plan Writing Instructions

5. Original Business Name What type of business are you starting?
Retail-walk-in customers
E-tail-selling to customers online
Service-do something for customers rather than sell them a product
Manufacturing-making products

6. Mission Statement Short term business goals Long-term business goals
Less than five years
Long-term business goals
Over five years
These include things that the business wants to achieve including sales figures, earning a profit, or a minimum customer base. Keep in mind that they must be measurable!

7. Product or service description
If you are creating a new product is a patent required.

8. Location
City, state
Find an available location by searching real estate Web sites
What other types of businesses are located within a 5-10 mile radius

9. Project costs associated with that location
Rent or mortgage payment
Renovations
Licenses

10. Competitive advantage
What makes your business better than your competitors
Unique products / services
Extended hours

11. Success factors
Identify personal talents / abilities that will help you run the business successfully
Describe personal assets
Similar to talents but do not have to directly relate to running the business
College degree

12. Financial status Current amount saved Current income
These amounts may be fictional yet realistic.

13. III. Market Analysis
Business Plan Writing Instructions

15. Target Market
Identify demographics, psychographics and niche market specifics
Age
Gender
Occupation
Lifestyle
Income

16. Pricing Strategy
Explain the pricing strategy used to sell your product or service
Skimming pricing-high at first then monitor the market to see when you need to adjust the price
Penetration pricing-low at first to get customers interested and then raise price after demand has increased
Competition pricing-find out what your competitors are charging and charge a similar price

17. Competition List major competitors
Strengths
Weaknesses
List these for each of at least three competitors.

18. Market Trends Identify customer trends Eating healthier food
Going on vacations
Getting in shape

19. Marketing Strategy
General description of your marketing plan with approximate budget planned
How will customers know about your business
How much will it cost to inform your customers about your business
Describe your method of sales and distribution
Mall
Store
Kiosk
Online

20. Marketing Strategy Explain your sales strategy
Direct sales
Direct mail
Describe your advertising strategies
Slogans
Ads
Web sites
Promotions
Coupons

21. IV. Management and Organization

22. IV. Management and Organization Continued

23. Structure
Create an organizational chart that displays the hierarchy of the employees of your business and their job title.
You still need to create this even if you plan to be the only employee of the business.
You must also include their responsibilities and salaries

24. Receives profits from sales
President / CEO
Major decisions
Receives profits from sales
Cashier (3)
Handle customer transactions
$8.00 / hour
Stock Handler (2)
Unload trucks / stock shelves
$9.00 / hour
Customer Service Rep
Handle customer complaints
$10.00 / hour
Vice President
Takes over when president is not available
$50,000

25. Personnel
Describe
the positions they will hold and how many of each employee you will hire
necessary qualifications for each job title
the training process
hours each job title will be working
Number and length of shifts
Future labor needs
If you are starting with fewer employees than your ideal amount

26. Development and Production
Describe your production process
Identify possible suppliers and materials needed to produce your product or service
Describe the necessary equipment, how much it costs, and whether you will rent or buy it

27. Explain your inventory process
Manual
Perpetual
Frequency
Describe your delivery procedures
If applicable

28. Government regulations
Licenses
Permits
Zoning requirements
Copyrights or trademarks

29. Insurance
Describe potential business risks and what insurance you should purchase to protect the business from those risks

30. V. Financial Information

31. Operating Costs Worksheet Start Up Capital / Expenses Worksheet
Itemized list of items / expenses
Possible sources of funds
Projected Income Statement
Templates found on my Entrepreneurship page
Use the PDF file as a guide
Fill in templates with customized information

32. VI. Supporting Documents

33. Include these three Résumé Floor plan Business Card
Personal – items can be fictional
Templates available in Word
Floor plan
Drawn to scale
Electronic format (Word)
Business Card
Business name, address, phone #, , and logo or slogan