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A Simple Business Plan
Template A professional business plan can be pretty complex. On this page you will find a simple business plan template that will help to show you the main components of a good business plan. However, if you plan on qualifying for a bank loan or obtaining grant money for your small business, you should also plan on developing a very professional business plan. Sorry, there is just no way around that! That's because the bank or other lending institution you want to borrow from is so incredibly particular, and they will probably want to know about every little detail of your proposed business venture before they will even think about forking out any money to you. It's always been that way, but especially now, with the recession we are having. I suggest using a simple business plan format, at the beginning of your small business start-up, similar to the one I have below, keeping it as simple as you can, putting most of your time and efforts into actually building up the profit making areas of your small business. When the time comes that you need a very professional looking business plan, one that will bring the banks to their knees, I have a suggestion for you. I don't know of any better business plan building software than Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto Software. They make it as easy as possible for you to put together an absolutely terrific, professional business plan, and in as little time as possible. They do it by providing hundreds (yes, hundreds) of ready made, complete, perfect business plans, and all you have to do is modify the one you like best. The Basic Business Plan Template
Executive Summary This is a brief summary of a small business plan, some background information, and main conclusions. It's intended as an aid in decision making and a help for readers other than yourself to quickly understand the business without having to read the entire business plan. The Executive Summary may be the only part of your small business plan that most readers, like bank representatives or investors will study, so make it informative and memorable for them. The first paragraph usually contains specific information concerning the businesses name, where it is located, the nature and purpose of your small business, what it sells (especially new products), potential for growth, and keys to success. It should also contain expected opportunities, and reasons for any competitive advantage you feel your business has.
Mission Statement A good mission statement is a critical element in defining your business, and, if necessary, communicate its true goals to customers, employees, owners, and others involved. For example, if you believe customer satisfaction and customer service are important, say so. If you place a high value on fair treatment of employees and that employee creativity should be rewarded, then say that too. Don't confuse the Mission Statement with the Statement of Objectives. They are both about goals. But the Mission Statement is about fundamental values. The Statement of Objectives is about measurable, expected numbers. Statement of Objectives List specific, measurable business goals, including expected growth rates, sales, profits, but no more than three or four of your most important objectives to emphasize your focus. This needs to show your ability to track progress towards goals and measure results.
Keys to Small Business Success Each business has different keys to success. Include here a few key factors that will really make the difference between the success or failure of your small business. What they are for your business depends on who you are and what you offer. For example for your San Francisco restaurant business, location and parking might be keys to success. For accountants and attorneys, the keys might include professional quality, reliability, and participation in community organizations. Don't let your list of Keys to Success get too long. Three or four items should be sufficient.
Market Analysis Text Use the text to explain the numbers from the Market Analysis Table and Charts (see below). For the numbers in the Market Analysis Table, think about groups of target customers, also sometimes called market segments. For example, students, faculty, and staff are different market segments. So are home offices, small businesses, and large businesses.
Business Plan Template (continued) Market Analysis Table | Target Market (or Market Segment) | Growth | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
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| Beginners (Potential Owners) | 150% | 500 | 1250 | 3125 | 7813 | | Small Business Owners | 120% | 400 | 880 | 1936 | 4259 | | Totals | | 900 | 2130 | 5061 | 12072 |
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This table is not for actual customers but potential customers. Usually, you will have thousands of potential customers for every one who becomes an actual customer. For example, a coffee house's potential customers are all the people in town aged 15-92. For each segment or group you define, estimate its annual growth rate in whole numbers. Note: This Market Analysis Table and the Break Even Analysis Table below were produced by me using an HTML editor. You can also produce wonderful graphs using html. If the prospect of having to produce your own graphs and tables from scratch seems daunting to you, there are software programs such as Business Plan Pro, by Palo Alto Software, that will make it much easier to produce a whole Business Plan, with tables and graphs.
Would you like to learn how to build tables like this using HTML? For a free HTML tutorial at Draac.com
CLICK HERE! (new window)
Market Analysis Chart
In this business plan template the Market Analysis Table is used to produce the Market Analysis Chart(s). Use the table and chart(s) to produce the Market Analysis Text (a written interpretation of the table and charts). The chart was produced in Microsoft Office Excel.
Business Plan Template (continued)The Break-Even Analysis Table below is used to produce a Break-Even Chart (not seen here). Use the table and chart to produce the Break-Even Analysis Text (a written interpretation of the table and charts). The Break-Even Analysis Table below can be used to produce a Break Even Sales Level (See formula below table). If you have access to Microsoft Excel, it contains a Break-Even Analysis calculator, along with other business plan template tools. Break Even Analysis Table | Enter company name here |
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| Cost Description, Variable |
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| Raw Materials | --0.00 | | Inventory or Materials | --0.00 | | Direct Labor | --0.00 | | Cost of Goods | --0.00 | | Total Variable Expenses | --0.00-- |
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| Cost Description, Fixed |
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| Rent | --0.00-- | | Salaries | --0.00-- | | Supplies | --0.00-- | | Repairs & Maintenance | --0.00-- | | Depreciation | --0.00-- | | Advertising | --0.00-- | | Delivery and Travel | --0.00-- | | Telephone | --0.00-- | | Insurance | --0.00-- | | Utilities | --0.00-- | | All Taxes | --0.00-- | | Principal Portion of Debt Payment | --0.00-- | | Owners Draw | --0.00-- | | Miscellaneous | --0.00-- | | Other | --0.00-- | | Other | --0.00-- | | Total Fixed Expenses | --0.00-- |
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| Total Expenses | --0.00-- |
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