Business Plan Outline Categories to Include in Your Business Plan

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BusinessPlanOutline

CategoriestoIncludeinYourBusinessPlan

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Thisisjustoneguidelineoutliningmajor

categoriescommontoallbusinesses.However,

becausesmallbusinessesvarysowidely,some

relevantcategoriesmightnotbeincludedinthis

example,orothercategoriesincludedmaybe

irrelevantinyoursituation.

Therearemanyotherguidelinesandexamples

availableonline.

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1) ExecutiveSummary

a. Aonetotwopagesummary

thathighlightsthemainpoints

madeintheplan.This

documentiswrittenlast. 

2) Introduction/BusinessDescripti on 

a. Describewhatproductsor

servicesyourbusinesswill

offer.

b. Listdistinctivequalitiesofyour

businessthatwillleadtoa

competitiveadvantage.

3) VisionStatement

a. Describewhatandhowwell

yourbusinessshouldbedoing

infiveyears

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

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Sources:U.SSmallBusinessAd ministrationSmallBusiness

ResourceandSBSCBusinessPlanStart‐UpGuide. 

4) VisionTrigger

a. Statethepurposeofyour

businessinonesentence

5) MissionStatement

a. Describehowyouwillachieve

yourvision.

6) BusinessObjectives

a. Definemeasurementthatyou

willuseasmilestonesto

achievingyourvision.

Measurementsmightinclude

salesornumberofclients.

7) IndustryAnalysis

a. Identifyindustrytrends.

b. Identifycurrenteconomic

activitythatwillhelpyour 

business.

8) MarketAnalysis

a. Identifycharacteristicsofyour

targetmarket.

b. Estimateyourbusiness’s

marketshare?

c. Describeyourprices.

d. Describeyouradvertising

strategy.

e. Identifyyourlocation

(storefront/online)andits

advantages.

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9) AnalysisofCompetitors

a. Describedirectcompetitor s.

b. Identifycompetitor

strengths/weaknesses.

c. Listdifferencesbetweenyour

businessandcompetitors.

10) BusinessOperations

a. Explainhowyourbusinesswill

bemanaged.

b. Describespecificequipmentor

procedurestobeused.

c. Describerent/lease

agreements,insurance,and

otherlegalarrangementsthat

areinvolvedwithyourbusiness.

11) LegalStructure

a. Includethetypeoflegal

agreement.

b. Identifytheownerofyour

business’sproperty.

c. Listtherights,duties,and

powersofthefirm’semployees

andofficers.

12) ManagementExpertise

a. Discussyourpersonalhistory

includingeducation.

b. Describeyourrelatedwork

experience.

c. Describethesalary,duties,and

responsibilitiesofkey

personnel.

13) SupportPersonnel

a. Ifyouwillbeemployingothers,

describeemployeeavailability

incommunity.

b. Describeemployeeworkhours.

14) FinancialInformation

a. Listpersonalinvestments.

b. Projectexpectedmonthlycash

flowforoneyear.

c. Identifyyourbreak‐evenpoint.

d. Describeyouraccounting

methodsandidentifywhowill

beperformingtheseactivities.

e. Describeactionstobetakenin

“whatif”situations.

15) Summary

a. Summarizeyourgoalsof,

commitmentto,andconfi dence

inyourbusiness.

16) Exhibits

a. Includesupportinginformation

suchas:lettersof

recommendation,resume,and

otherpertinentdocuments.

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