MAIN POINTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 or 2 pages describing the undertaking, the product to be sold, prospective customers, the price, the person responsible for running the business, necessary investment, etc. This key section should be written AT THE END.

PRESENTATION OF THE UNDERTAKING AND PRODUCT

Explanation of the undertaking, its purpose, objectives, location, product supplied and its distinguishing features, clients and their reasons to buy the product... Some of the points addressed in this section will be further developed in other sections.

MARKET RESEARCH

Market size and characteristics, product potential, estimated share... It should include the business opportunity, competitors, differentiation strategy, the process to deliver the product to the final customer, etc.

MARKETING AND SALES PLAN

Price policy and the reasons for the choice of this policy; distribution chain of the product; promotion of the product in the market.

BUSINESS PLAN/ TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

This section must show that all the workaday practicalities of the business have been taken into account. It must describe all the necessary steps to be taken for its setting up: steps for the manufacturing of the final product, its functioning, sales, after-sales, etc.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Human resources organisation and policy.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT

It normally consists of a 3-5-year period estimation of the economic and financial aspects of the undertaking (expenditure, revenue, funding needs, cash position, etc.)

ANNEXES