Help in writing a business plan. Business plan writing plan (example). Marketing and strategic plan

Beginning entrepreneurs to organize their own business need step-by-step instructions on how to draw up a business plan, that is, the structuring of the organized activity, set out on paper or in electronic format... Such a document will help to correctly conduct activities, make adjustments to the work process, display the full picture and prospects for further development.

Sections of the business plan

When developing a guide for organizing activities for the first time, you need to know how to correctly draw up a business plan. First of all, it should be divided into content:

  1. Cover page design;
  2. Drawing up an introductory part (summary of a business project);
  3. Determination of the ultimate goal of their activities;
  4. Detailed analysis of the industry;
  5. A clear assessment of entrepreneurial opportunities according to the business project;
  6. Information about goods / services;
  7. Drawing up a marketing plan;
  8. Production plan;
  9. Plan organizational process.
  10. Finance distribution plan;
  11. Analysis of all kinds of risks;
  12. Applications;
  13. Summarizing.

Key factors for the successful development of a business idea

This formulation implies that before thinking about how to draw up a business plan yourself, you need to understand the specifics of the activities that you plan to do on your own. To do this, you need to treat your skills with a share of criticism, acquiring the missing ones. For example, a hired worker in the field of trade must study his work not only within the framework of duties. It is imperative to know it from the outside, as well as to soberly assess the possibilities (sufficient availability Money, complete set of equipment, premises, etc.).

What will I get in the end?

The answer to this question must be real, excluding the transcendental dream of becoming the richest person in the world. Otherwise, you don't even need to think about how to write a business plan yourself. You need to think about competitiveness, market turnover, and profit in advance.

Step by step

Before putting it on paper, each step of the activity guide is thought out and analyzed in stages, including all the realities of a certain idea. And only after that it is recorded in writing.

Goals and objectives of the business plan

Due to the lack of initial capital, for the majority, the first goal is the question: "how to draw up a business plan for an investor?" After all, the better it is developed, the more convincingly it will be proved to the investor that his funds can be used rationally.

Thus, the work done is evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Consistency of thought, from terms to details of each action;
  • Laconic narrative, excluding negativity and minimizing risks;
  • Confident presentation of the project, with emphasis on presentation and examples.

Observing these simple rules, the chances of attracting investments increase.

How to write a business plan for an investor correctly? First of all, it should be developed taking into account all the points of the content by sections, without exception.

Business plan for yourself

You should not convince yourself of successful implementation project, because following the rules of key factors, all points are already developed and analyzed mentally immediately after the idea was born.

How to write a business plan for yourself? It should be structured as a guide to doing business, taking into account your own material and moral capabilities. For example, it will look something like this:

  • Necessary equipment based on: 3 sewing machines, costing 20,000 rubles each, and 3 machines for an overlock, 20,000 rubles each;
  • Consumables (fabrics, threads, needles, sewing machine oil, etc.) in the amount of 10,000 rubles;
  • Accessories (scissors, patterns, etc.) in the amount of 10,000 rubles;
  • Renting a room, which also costs a lot;
  • Utilities.

Further, we exclude the fact that for the first time you can get it for free. For example, an aunt has a room that she is ready to provide for a couple of months absolutely free of charge. It turns out that part of the allocated amount for the promotion of the business was even saved, and it can be used for business, distributing it as the first wages employees... The risks of working at a loss will be minimized.

Understanding the above as an example of drawing up a business plan, it can be taken as a basis for writing a manual for any type of activity. And, and.

To make everything as correct as possible

The SWOT methodology is relatively innovative and the most recognized technology in helping to carry out the correct preliminary analysis. Having studied it, you can learn in detail how to draw up a business plan competently. The abbreviation "SWOT" means:
  • S - Strengths (translated into Russian - advantages);
  • W - Weakness (in Russian - disadvantages);
  • О - Opportunities (translation - opportunities);
  • T - Threats (which means risks).

Following the specified methodology, an example of a written business plan as a project of a particular activity will be as follows (shown by an example):

S - Benefits:

The business will be profitable, because in the planned area of ​​its development there are a lot of young people of the right age to start a family;

  • There is very little competition in this area;
  • All staff will be professional;
  • Advertising will be developed at the highest level.

W - Disadvantages:

  • A fairly large amount of initial capital, about two million rubles;
  • 100 thousand rubles - rent of premises with an area of ​​50 sq. m .;
  • Funds for the repair and development of the design of the leased premises in the amount of three hundred thousand rubles;
  • Purchase of equipment and advertising for wedding clothes in the amount of 200 thousand rubles;
  • Investment in the amount of 900 thousand rubles in the product range of the salon;
  • Advertising budget, including the development of an advertising website, front signage and all kinds of outdoor advertising amounting to 200 thousand rubles;
  • Official registration of a business, taking into account all costs associated with it, in the amount of fifty thousand rubles;
  • The reserve fund is about 200 thousand rubles.

О - Opportunities:

  • Wedding dresses and suits will be exclusive, which will attract more clients;
  • The salon will simultaneously provide services of make-up, hair styling, manicure;
  • The scope of services will include home steaming of wedding clothes;
  • Customers will be provided with the service of individual tailoring of suits and wedding dresses;
  • The list of services provided will include not only the purchase, but also the rental of wedding and evening wear;
  • Services for the decoration of the premises in which the wedding evening will be held.

Based on the estimated price list for services, the trade markup will be equal to one hundred percent, and a check will be issued to a potential client in the amount of 21 thousand rubles. This means that the average trade turnover will be about nine hundred thousand rubles a month.

T - Risks

As a rule, for any type of activity, they are almost identical, but in this case they are as follows:

  • Unstable economic situation in the state, forcing potential clients to save money;
  • Large spending on customs duties on the import of fabrics, dresses and other accessories.

If the information about the analytical method is thoroughly mastered, writing a business plan on your own will not be enough.

From theory to practice

When the study of theory, carrying out on the basis of its preliminary analysis is over, the time comes to apply the knowledge gained in practice. To help practitioners, step-by-step instructions on how to write a business plan will come in handy.

We make out the title page

The cover should be informative and include:

  • Full name of the project being developed;
  • The name of the organization for which the documentation is being created;
  • Country and city where the enterprise will be located;
  • Contact phone numbers;
  • Details of the owner of the enterprise, and the data of the person who prepared the documents;
  • The date the business plan was created.

A separate item for investors on the title page will be some information about finance.

You can also protect your business plan from outsiders by mentioning on the cover a list of people who have access to the project.

Working on the introductory part (drawing up a resume)

Statistics show that a correctly written business plan, oddly enough, is positively assessed by investors and creditors not after reading it in its entirety, but after reading the introductory part.

Therefore, it should be stated briefly and clearly, without exaggerating the possibilities of the idea. Including only:

  • Tasks and goals of the business project;
  • What resources should be spent on the implementation of the idea;
  • How the conceived will be embodied in reality;
  • The degree of reality of the successful implementation of the planned activity;
  • If own funds no, you need to indicate the required amount of money that you need to ask investors or creditors;
  • Providing information on the planned performance indicators.

When drawing up a business plan on your own as "two and two", one must remember that a resume should in no case take more than two pages.

Specifying the goal

Whatever the ultimate goal, the provision of services or the production of products, it must be designated with certain points:

  • What technologies will be used;
  • What will attract customers;
  • What is the uniqueness of the project;
  • How the activity will develop further;
  • If the proposal is original - write about copyright and patents so that the investor (lender) is convinced of its originality.

The desire of investors and lenders to sponsor the project depends on how the business plan is drawn up in this part of the content, therefore, if technologies are described, then all the details of their application are set out in a separate appendix. If there is confidence in attracting customers, it must be supported by evidence.

In the direction of the idea, we analyze its industry

Remembering the analysis technique described in the part of the article devoted to theory, we begin to apply it in practice. Here we take into account:

  • Market of services and goods turnover;
  • Sufficiency / lack of labor force;
  • Competition;
  • Target audience.

For example, a business plan for a small business, as a component of this paragraph, must have a thorough analysis of the market for products with all kinds of competition in order to avoid bankruptcy in the future.

By framing the industry, we assess entrepreneurial opportunities. Simply put, the entrepreneurial abilities of the bearer of the idea should be indicated here:

  • The procedure for the provision of services and the sale of products;
  • Information about the owner and creation of the enterprise, its organizational and legal form, the number of partners, the staff;
  • General indicators of economic and financial activity;
  • Address data;
  • Details of the activity. For example, while a business plan is drawn up on Agriculture, its list should contain data on seasonal work.

This section is the leading link for obtaining.

We provide information about goods / services

It is desirable to describe this section from the point of view of a buyer / consumer, and, if possible, provide photographs.

  • Name;
  • What this product is for;
  • Primary and secondary characteristics;
  • Main advantages;
  • If the idea is innovative, mark it as “new”;
  • If it is necessary to obtain a patent or license - indicate this;
  • Provide quality certificates;
  • Information about the property of a product to affect the environment;
  • Supplier and packaging format;
  • Warranties and service, if the classification of the goods requires it;
  • Manual;
  • Disposal method.

We draw up a marketing plan

This part is very difficult, demanding, and requires certain mathematical skills. If there are none, it is better to contact someone who can draw up a business plan in this section.

This will include the calculation of consumed volumes for the number of potential consumers. This should take into account the price imbalance, ways to further promote goods and services, and even take into account wholesale with the determination of the final price announced to the consumer.

But if the question: "how much does it cost to draw up a business plan" remains rhetorical, and the designer relies on his own strength, then its marketing part will include the following points, linking quality, cost and profitability:

  • Analytical assessment to consumers;
  • Competitiveness in the market for goods or services;
  • Various ways of implementation;
  • Detailed steps of a product or service from the moment of his / her production to the consumer;
  • How the product or service will be advertised.

We proceed to the production plan

It will carry technical information about equipment, production warehouses and premises, personnel qualifications, as well as ways to increase production.

Without knowledge of technology, you should not think about how to draw up a business plan yourself. But having studied it in more detail, you can proceed by indicating:

  • Engineering capabilities;
  • Characteristics of the technologies used;
  • The volume of the premises;
  • Personnel qualifications;
  • The safety of the product or service provided;
  • Information about the estimate documentation.

Important detail: all points production section should be drawn up with a view to the future, identifying those resources that may be required at the further stage of development of the activity.

We describe the organizational plan

It contains the legal aspects, and in order for the development of the organizational process to be legal, it is better to get legal advice or find out how much it costs to write a business plan.

Depending on the organizational and legal form of the enterprise being created, the schedule will be scheduled in accordance with the norms of the Law.

We describe the financial part

It is in no way easier than the marketing side, and in some moments it is much more complicated. Requires accounting knowledge, and consists in forecasting:

  • Arrived for the coming years;
  • Terms of project implementation;
  • How will the money turnover occur;
  • The necessary entrepreneurial balance for the development of activities throughout the year;
  • Complete analysis of loss avoidance, right down to the key point.

A person without experience needs to compile this part very carefully, and take tax and financial legislation as a guide.

We analyze risks

When compiling this section of the content, it is necessary to recall the analysis methodology, and include possible solutions to the alleged risks. First of all, this is of interest to investors and creditors, who, in the event of losses, count on compensation for their invested funds. For example:

  • Obtaining insurance in case of unprofitability;
  • Transfer of corporate rights;
  • Pledge;
  • Warranties of manufactured goods;
  • Bank guarantees.

If ways to minimize risks are not mentioned, the chances of getting an investment are zero.

Attaching applications

All materials that served as the basis for writing a business plan must be attached to it. As an example, consider:

  • Agreement;
  • Licenses;
  • Directories;
  • Prices;
  • Financial reporting tables.

The list is relatively approximate, and depending on the direction of production activity, it will be replenished with new positions.

Summing up

This is the most pleasant and easy section of all the content, which is based on your own conclusions about the originality of the idea, the final result in achieving the goal.

conclusions

Drawing up a business plan is not a waste of time, but a clear and marked path for the successful implementation of a business idea. With its help, you can avoid many mistakes by stabilizing and developing your business in the right direction.

All novice businessmen are faced with the need to build their own business model. To understand firsthand how to start your own business, you should write a business plan. It is he who becomes the basis and foundation of any undertaking, because without a competent, structured and correctly described business model, it is extremely difficult to create something worthwhile and profitable. Consider step by step instructions how to draw up a business plan in more detail.

Business plan - what is it?

Many people think, and someone succeeds and makes a profit, while someone is left without money. There are many reasons for this, but the foundation of any startup is good business plan. A business plan is a visual aid for launching a certain idea, it is a document that contains all the statements about a startup or company: characteristics, market and risk analysis, financial position, marketing plan, organizational structure and other.

Simply put, this is a paper description of your entire future business. In addition, this document helps you understand whether your startup needs to be launched and whether it will generate income, or whether it is better to “roll up” this idea at the development stage, otherwise there will be more losses than profits.

Business plan structure

Consider the steps on how to draw up a business plan yourself. A business plan is a step-by-step instruction that should lead you from point A (input data) to point B (desired result). The main task of this document is to identify all the shortcomings of your undertaking and eliminate them at the development stage. Having described all the data on paper, you can understand whether the project will be able to compete with the current market leaders and whether it will generate income in the future. In order to understand how to draw up a business plan correctly, consider the structure of this document.
  1. Title page;
  2. Introduction;
  3. Confidentiality memorandum;
  4. Brief summary;
  5. The main idea of ​​the project;
  6. Marketing analysis;
  7. Disclosure of the idea.

And so, let's look at step-by-step instructions on how to write a business plan in more detail.

The first step on how to write a business plan correctly is to create a cover page, where you should indicate the working title of the project, contact information, and the names of the founders. Also, on the first pages, you need to write a document plan: indicate the number of pages and the names of the sections. The document itself is on average 30–40 pages long. An example of how to draw up a business plan can be found on the Internet or at special master classes.

The introduction should briefly describe the idea of ​​your project, its merits and uniqueness, why you think it will be successful and what benefits it can bring to the market. Oddly enough, it is better to formulate the introduction after writing a business plan - this way you will understand the whole essence of the idea and be able to briefly describe all the information in an accessible and understandable way.

The next small but important step on how to draw up a business plan yourself is writing a confidentiality memorandum. This is a sheet where you indicate that your business plan is the copyright and all rights belong to you. That is, when you submit a document for consideration to potential investors, it will be protected from full or partial copying. For those who do not know how to draw up a business plan competently, this item is a must have.

In a short summary, you should answer all key questions:

  • What service will you represent or product - manufacture?
  • Who will be interested in this?
  • Production volume - how many goods / services do you want to supply?
  • What will be the profit?
  • How much will you need to spend on starting a business?
  • Sources of financing?
  • How many people will be involved in the production?
  • What is the approximate desired profit for a certain period?
  • When will the business start to pay off?

Answering these questions, you need to try to show your project from all sides as profitably as possible (but by no means lie!) In order to interest potential investors, advertisers or possible co-founders.

The next step on how to write a business plan for small businesses is traditionally devoted to describing the main idea of ​​your startup. At this stage, you must describe what goal and objectives you set for yourself, what problems may arise along the way. You should also describe what actions you are going to take in order to achieve your goal as quickly as possible. It is important to write not abstractly, but articulate exactly what you will do step by step. For example, it is not easy to “run advertising campaign", And" we will hire a PR manager who will be engaged in brand promotion with the help of social networks by attracting popular bloggers with the audience we need ”.

It is also worth doing a SWOT analysis at this stage. It is a planning method, the use of which helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a product / company / business / person, as well as their opportunities and threats.

This analysis looks as simple as possible - only four columns, but it is with its help that you can clearly see all the advantages and disadvantages of your future business, and weigh all the pros and cons. So, if there are several times fewer weaknesses compared to strengths, the project is unlikely to be a success.

Another point on how to draw up a business plan for yourself is to do marketing analysis... This is a description of the financial feasibility of your business, where you need to give examples of successful sales of similar things / products or services; tell about the success of the industry itself in which you want to start a business; assess the ability to compete with competitors: study the current market and understand the specifics of pricing, as well as the prospects for its development. Such an analysis can be done both independently and by specialists. You can find out how much it costs to draw up a business plan in marketing companies.

And the last step in how to write a business plan is to reveal the idea. At this stage, you need to describe in as much detail as possible, with all the details, your product or service that you want to launch: appearance, color, size, stages of production, implementation, project cost and more.

Marketing plan

In addition to the above data, the business plan also needs to draw up marketing, organizational and financial plan s, as well as conduct a risk analysis.

Let's start with a marketing plan. Marketing plan- This is part of the business plan of the enterprise, which describes the steps necessary to achieve the set goals. For this, the current market situation is analyzed; goals are set, in fact; a work strategy is created and tips are described with the help of which it will be easier to complete the tasks. That is, this is an action plan for the company, using which the set goals will be achieved.

If you are going to launch a product, do not forget to describe the entire process of creating it, including necessary equipment, floor space, production capacity and other technical details.

Of course, in large companies, special marketing departments are engaged in all this, but novice businessmen often cannot afford to hire professionals. You should not despair - you can do everything yourself. Of course, it will take more time and the results may not be so accurate, but in general, the necessary information is freely available, and it is a matter of time and desire to understand it.

Organizational plan

The organizational plan describes the principles of managing a startup, management, discloses information about the founders and staff, the legal and actual address of the company, and more.

An organizational plan is an obligatory component of any business plan, however, it is often drawn up for show. This is fundamentally the wrong approach, because it is with the help of this plan that you can clearly distribute who in the company is responsible for what and what leads. A poorly thought out organizational plan, on the other hand, leads to confusion and problems.

The main task of the organizational plan is to show prospective investors that human resources and their competent use will be sufficient to achieve their goals. In organizational terms, you need to indicate how many people are on the staff, and who is doing what, because everyone should be in their place and perform the assigned task.

Financial plan

One of the most important components of how to draw up a business plan for an investor is the financial component. From the choice of the most profitable and sustainable plan, the firm's budget, the entire final economic indicator... That is why it is imperative to write a financial plan. In this regard, you must predict the effectiveness and financial results your business.

Here you need to indicate the source of the initial capital, the total amount, register taxes, analyze the dynamics of the exchange rate and make a break-even analysis and much more.

The financial plan is the most important for a potential investor, since it is in it that all the possibilities of a startup are indicated, as well as its supposed success or failure is analyzed. is at a low level, and a competent financial plan allows you to immediately see all the attractiveness of the project for the investor. Therefore, for those who do not know how to correctly write a business plan for an investor, you should pay special attention to this point. is extremely small and you should rely only on your own strength.

Risk analysis

An equally popular section of any business plan is risk analysis. In the analysis of risks, anticipated threats are calculated that can cause a decrease in the company's income.

There are several types of entrepreneurial risks:

  • Uncontrollable - risks that cannot be influenced. But they can be taken into account and their likelihood can be reduced when starting a business. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Uncontrollable risks include crises, natural disasters, currency risks, changes in legislation, and more. To minimize the consequences, you need to insure property, create cash reserves, and the like;
  • Controlled risks are risks, the impact of which can be minimized or eliminated altogether. These include problems in production, lack of funds, problems with employees (layoffs, strikes), changes in the market, and more.

When creating a business plan, it is important not only to prescribe possible risks, but also to distribute them according to the level of threats: which of them are most likely for you, and which threat is minimal. In the same paragraph, you need to describe your plan of action in case of unforeseen situations. Everyone who is interested in how to draw up a business plan on their own should understand that such an analysis should be carried out quite often, because the market is changing, and accordingly, the data from the document will not stand in one place either. The more actual information you have, the easier it will be to calculate the risks. And it doesn't matter if you are wondering how to draw up a business plan for agriculture or you are looking for - a risk analysis is a must!

Business plan requirements

Although a business plan is an official document, it should be written simply and clearly, without complicating the text with difficult formulations and an abundance of terminology. The total volume of the plan is approximately 30 pages. Each point does not need to be described a lot - it is better to be brief, concise, and to the point.

Describe all the data that will be useful to a potential investor in more detail - he should see why you are creating your project and what are the prospects for its development in order to want to invest his money in it. But don't come up with anything. Remember: all data that you submit in a business plan must correspond to reality. You can present facts in a favorable light, but in no case should you invent something or embellish it.

And don't forget to make your plan easy to learn. All sections should be structured and interconnected so that there is no need to re-read the same page several times. Of course, you can entrust this business to professionals, but who can draw up a business plan for your startup better than you?

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Errors in drawing up a business plan

Of course, no one is perfect and it is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid all mistakes when drawing up a business plan. But there are things that are very simple to fix or not to allow, but they strongly affect the general perception.

So, when drawing up a business plan, pay attention to its design. When the entire document is made in the same style, without errors and typos, with highlighted sections, it is much more pleasant to study it. Also try to avoid grammatical and punctuation mistakes, because an illiterately composed text is repulsive, even if a sensible thought was written. Check it yourself or give the document for proofreading to a professional proofreader - it will not take much time, and you will not waste large amount money, and the result is worth it.

Do not overload the business plan with unnecessary information and "water" - it is better to write briefly and to the point than to spread the thought along the tree. But you shouldn't shorten the text too much - try to give everything important facts and data. You can find an example of how to write a business plan competently on specialized sites or take a master class at various events.

conclusions

We have considered detailed instructions how to write a business plan yourself. Thus, we can conclude that a business plan is a mandatory document that must be drawn up before launching any company / product / service. It does not matter whether it is or - it is simply necessary to describe the concept and development prospects of your undertaking.

First, this document will help you structure all your thoughts and find the flaws of your business during the development phase. Secondly, with the help of this document, you can clearly and simply show potential investors what you offer them and why, in your opinion, money can be invested in this business. Investors love working with responsible people, and your business plan is an indicator of your commitment and reliability.

And even if you've never written a business plan yourself, don't be afraid to try. Creating a business plan does not take much time, and there are a lot of benefits from it, so do not neglect this document and do not be lazy!

Opening and maintaining any profitable and successful business impossible without first drawing up a clear, well-thought-out business plan. This will be the first step towards realizing your business idea. A well-calculated business plan that takes into account various nuances of activities will give you an idea of ​​the approximate profitability of your plans, the possible risks and ways to solve various problems. The words of Robert McNamara very accurately characterize the drawing up of a business plan: “Put your great plan on paper. If you do not succeed, then you have not thought of it yet ”.

Drawing up a business plan requires you to be careful, take into account even the smallest details, it will definitely not be superfluous, but various omissions can lead to surprises, a delay in opening or a decrease in profits. As a result, he must answer the following questions: why is this particular business viable, how profitable it can be? You need to know exactly how you plan to meet the needs of potential customers and buyers. And for this, you first need to decide on the target audience for which your business will be designed. You need to take into account age, interests, social status, financial capabilities of people. This will help you determine the range of products or services, the schedule of the enterprise, the level of pricing policy.

You can download it here.

Be sure to study the market for the planned services or goods, objectively evaluate your strengths. The higher the popularity and demand for the chosen sphere, the higher, as a rule, the competition. Find out why a particular establishment or company is in demand and try to adopt their business tactics. And vice versa: if an enterprise similar to yours has recently closed, do not be lazy to find out or suggest what was the reason for this, and do not repeat the mistakes. Think about what new you can offer your customers, how to interest them. If the business is seasonal, consider their fluctuations. Will the influx of visitors cover the calm month? Choosing the location of your organization is equally important. It is desirable that there are no competitors nearby, it is convenient for customers to get there. For restaurants, cafes, shops, for example, traffic is very important. The format of the same clothing store plays a big role here. For a boutique, the location in a residential area, in the city center, is more suitable. You can choose a different location for the stock center.

You can download it here.

Decide on the organizational and legal form of your business. An individual entrepreneur is distinguished by the advantages of taxation and simple registration, for an LLC it is open more possibilities e.g. maintaining cashless payments with corporate clients... Find out in advance whether the activity is subject to licensing, whether permits are needed, what contracts and with whom you need to conclude (SES, MUP Improvement, RAO, etc.). If so, then consider the time required to collect and prepare all required documentation. The correct selection of premises for a new business is equally important. Calculate the area optimally so as not to overpay for the rent of unused space. To do this, you must first decide how much and how much equipment you need, what kind of furniture you need (at least approximately). But leave a small margin in the calculated area in case of subsequent additions. At the same time, it is necessary to decide on the planned number of employees. Start with real numbers, later the staff can be expanded.

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Calculate the one-time costs of starting a business. This will include: the purchase of furniture, equipment, goods, materials (including consumables), possible repair of the premises, registration, execution of all contracts, purchase and registration cash register, order advertising sign and shop windows and stuff. Calculate the estimated monthly expenses, which include, for example, rent, utility bills, employee salaries, purchases of goods, miscellaneous deductions, advertising costs, equipment repairs, etc. Make some kind of reserve in case of unforeseen expenses. To calculate income, you need to find out the approximate amount of the average check, the number of potential customers per day (taking into account the influx, say, on weekends and lulls on weekdays, and vice versa), assess the demand for certain types of services. By comparing the amount of expected income and expenses, you will understand whether the enterprise will be profitable. Do not forget to deduct taxes from the received amount of profit. Their amount will depend on which tax system you choose. The result will be the net profit.

Many business ideas come to mind - the question is, what are these ideas worth. That is why, if you are going to translate an idea into business, it is worth creating a business plan in which you can detail your concept and prove its effectiveness, both organizationally and financially.

A business plan is a document that outlines your business. In it, you talk about exactly what you will be doing, about the structure of the business, the state of the market, how you plan to sell your product or service, what resources you need, what is your financial forecast, and also give permits, leases and any other you need. documentation.

In fact, a business plan helps you prove to yourself and others whether it is worth developing your business idea... it The best way take a step back, consider the idea from all sides and protect yourself from possible problems for years to come.

In this article, we share tips for writing a successful business plan, describe the points to include in the plan, and provide examples.

The translation of the article was prepared with the support of the online school of English language. Before diving into the details, let's start with some basic, general tips.

Focus on your specifics

Before you go headlong into drawing up a business plan, you should carefully consider what makes your business unique. For example, if you're looking to start a sportswear brand, you need a way to stand out from the many other sports brands already on the market.

What makes your brand stand out from others? Are you planning to design clothing for a specific workout or activity like yoga, tennis or hiking? Are you using environmentally friendly materials? Do you donate part of your proceeds to charity? Does the brand promote a positive perception of its own body?

Remember: you are selling more than just a product or service - you are selling a product, value and brand experience... Consider and answer these important questions before delving into the details of the research for your business plan.

Be short

A modern business plan is required to be shorter and more concise than ever before. Resist the temptation to include all of your results. marketing research, go into detail about each product you plan to sell, and describe in detail what your site will look like. In the format of a business plan, this information will not give much benefit, rather the opposite.

All of the above details are important to collect and keep in mind, but only the most important should be included in the business plan itself... Otherwise, readers may lose interest in you.

Make a good decoration

Your business plan should not only be easy to read - it is important that the reader can understand the essence without going into details... Formatting plays a big role here. Use headings and bulleted lists, and highlight in bold or color those key points and metrics that you want to draw your readers' attention to. You can even use labels and bookmarks in your document (both digital and print) for easy reference.

Edit as you compose

Remember that your plan is a living, breathing document, which means you can edit it as you work. For example, update the plan a year or two after starting the business, before submitting a new funding request.

Here are the key elements in a business plan template:

  1. Marketing and sales plan
  2. Application

Let's take a closer look at what is included in each of the elements of the business plan:

The purpose of this section is to give readers a clear understanding of the company and the market before you dive into the details. Tip: Sometimes it's worth writing the outline after you've written the rest of the business plan so you can easily isolate the key points.

Fundamentals should be about a page. Please spare 1-2 paragraphs for each of the following points:

  • Overview: Tell us briefly what your company is, where it will be located, what exactly and to whom you are going to sell.
  • About the company: Describe the structure of your business, tell us about the owner, what experience and skills you already have, and who are you going to hire first.
  • Products and / or Services: Briefly describe what you will sell.
  • Market: Summarize the key findings of the market research.
  • Financial forecast: Tell us how you plan to receive funding and what are your financial expectations.

Example of a Fundamentals Section

Jolly's Java and Bakery (JJB) startup is a coffee and baked goods store located in southwest Washington. JJB plans to gain audience regular customers offering them a rich selection of coffees and pastries. The company plans to take a strong market position in the city thanks to the professional experience of partners and the mild competitive climate in the area.

JJB is committed to offering products at competitive prices in order to meet the market demand of the area's residents and tourists with middle and upper middle incomes.

The next item in the plan is a description of the company. Here you can describe what your company is doing, articulate a mission, talk about the structure of the company and its owners, location, as well as the market needs that your company is trying to meet and how you are going to do it.

Example of a "Company Description" section

NALB Creative Center is a startup that enters the market this summer. We will offer our customers a wide range of goods for creativity and handicrafts, primarily goods that are currently not available on the island of Hawaii. Our competitor remains the Internet, as artists tend to buy familiar products online. We will supply items that are not necessarily well known to local artists. We will also continue to monitor prices and include products available online in price comparisons.

We will conduct master classes on working with new materials and techniques.

We also organize a tourist program "Artist's Oasis". We will provide local bed and breakfast reservations, plein air maps and itineraries, easel and material rentals, paint sales and more. expendable materials, as well as to carry out delivery finished works clients after the canvases have dried.

In the future, the store will turn into an art center that will combine: a gallery artistic arts where original works of art can be purchased at wholesale prices; studio space with musical instruments; classrooms for music and art lessons; literature on music and art; coffee bar with live music; handicraft items such as branded T-shirts, badges, postcards, ceramics for tourist trade.

One of the first questions to ask yourself when testing a business idea is whether there is a place for it in the market. It is the market that will dictate how successful your business is. Decide what audience you are targeting and why customers will want to buy from you.

Add specifics. Let's say you sell bedding. Should not be included in your target audience everyone who sleeps in bed. First, define a small target customer group for yourself. This could be, for example, adolescents from middle-income families. Having decided on the target audience, try to answer the following questions:

  • How many middle-income teenagers live in your country?
  • What kind of accessories do they need?
  • Is the market growing or remains the same?

When analyzing the market, take into account both the already available research conducted by others, and the primary data that you have collected yourself, through surveys, interviews or in any other way.

This should also include competitor analysis. In our example, one might ask such questions: how many other bedding companies already have a market share, and who are these companies? Describe the strengths and weak sides your potential competitors; and strategies that will give you a competitive edge.

An example of a consolidated section "Market Analysis"

Green Investments has identified two distinct target customer groups that differ in terms of family wealth. One group included clients with a household income of less than a million dollars, the other - with an income of more than a million. The main thing that characterizes both of these groups and makes them attractive to us as a company is their desire to change the world for the better by making financial investments taking into account environmental factors.

There are many different niches in the financial services industry. Some advisors provide general investment services. Others offer one type of investment, such as mutual funds or bonds. Some service providers focus on a specific niche like technology or socially responsible business.

Market segmentation

Green Investments segmented their target audience into two separate categories based on family wealth: over and under $ 1 million.

  • <1 миллиона долларов (семейный бюджет): представители среднего класса, которых волнуют проблемы окружающей среды и которые вносят личный вклад в ее защиту, приобретая акции компаний, которые демонстрируют высокие экономические и экологические показатели. Так как свободных денег у таких людей немного, они предпочитают инвестировать в акции без особого риска. В целом акции составляют 35%-45% от общего портфеля.
  • $ 1 million (family budget): These clients have average or above average income. They have accumulated over a million dollars and are investing quite carefully (either themselves or the people they hired). These people are usually concerned about the return on investment, but they are also concerned about the environment.

This is where you can go deeper into the details of what exactly you are selling and what your customer benefit is. If you can't articulate exactly how you can be of service to your customers, your business idea may not be all that great.

Start by describing the problem your business is solving. Then take a look at how you plan to tackle the problem and how well your product or service fits into the big picture. Finally, think about the competitive landscape: what other companies provide solutions to this particular problem, and how is your solution different?

Example of the section "Products and services"

AMT provides computer products and services to help small businesses. We mainly provide networking equipment and network maintenance for small and medium businesses. These are both LAN-based computer systems and server-controlled minicomputer-based systems. Our services include the design and installation of network systems, training and support.

Description of goods and services

In the field of personal computers, we support three main areas:

  1. Super Home is our smallest and least expensive line of computers that are initially marketed as home computers by the manufacturer. We mainly use them as low cost workstations for small businesses. Specifications include ... [additional details omitted]
  2. Power User is our main premium line. It is our main system for organizing high-performance home stations and basic workstations for small businesses, thanks to ... The main advantages of the system ... Specifications include ... [additional details omitted]
  3. Business Special is a mid-level system, intermediate in positioning. Its specifications include ... [additional details omitted]

When it comes to peripheral, auxiliary and other hardware, here we provide a complete set of necessary equipment, from cables to molds and mouse pads. … [Additional details omitted]

We offer a wide range of service and support services in our office and onsite, as well as service and warranty contracts. So far, we have not been successful in securing support contracts. Our networking opportunities ... [more details omitted]

Competitive analysis

The only way to gain an advantage and stand out from the competition is by offering our clients an IT partnership. We will in no way be able to effectively compete with network providers that offer out-of-the-box or hardware / software solutions. We must offer our clients a true partnership.

The advantages of this approach include many intangible assets: reliability and confidence that the client will always receive help and answers to his questions at the right time.

The products we supply and work with require serious knowledge and experience, while our competitors only sell the product itself.

Unfortunately, we cannot sell products at a higher price just because we provide a service - market conditions demonstrate that this approach will not be effective. Therefore, we will provide service for a fee.

In this section, you can briefly describe the features of the organizational and management structure of the business (taking into account the fact that it may change). Who will be responsible for what? How will tasks and responsibilities be assigned to each person or team?

Include a curriculum vitae of each member of your team here. Explain why these people are the right people for the job - talk about their experiences and backgrounds that are relevant to your business. If you haven't already hired performers for the planned roles, that's okay - but make sure to be clear about those gaps and explain what the people in those roles will be responsible for.

An example of a personnel plan in the section "Operational management"

DIY Wash N 'Fix doesn't require a lot of manpower. The company will hire a general manager who will work part-time to handle corporate responsibilities and inter-organizational issues. DIY Wash N 'Fix will also hire three certified mechanics / managers to handle the day to day tasks at the firm. These responsibilities fall into two categories: managerial and operational. Management tasks include planning, inventory and general accounting. Employees are also responsible for operational tasks: security, regulatory matters, customer service, and repair advice.

In addition, service staff will be hired to carry out the most basic tasks. Their functions will include customer service and content and storage control. DIY Wash N'Fix will hire one general manager to coordinate all external business operations and partnerships. Business relationships include accounting services, legal advice, communication with manufacturers and suppliers, as well as service providers, advertising and marketing, and investment services. This managerial position will be taken by Laurie Snyder. She will receive an MBA from the University of Notre Dame in May 2001.

The day-to-day business management tasks will be handled by a lead mechanic. While DIY Wash N 'Fix does not provide a full range of repair services, it can be expected that some customers will try to do repairs that they have never done before, which means they will need advice. Therefore, we intend to hire three fully certified mechanics. These mechanics will be prohibited from performing any work on the customer's car, but they will be able to inspect the car and assess the breakdown. We believe that only professional mechanics should advise clients - this will reduce our liability for incorrectly performed repairs. The main task of the mechanics will be customer service and management functions.

6) Marketing and sales plan

Here you can describe your marketing and sales strategies and how you are going to sell your product. Before you start developing your marketing and sales plan, do a complete market analysis and target your ideal customers.

From a marketing perspective, you may need to answer questions like: How are you going to enter the market? How will you develop your business? What distribution channels will you focus on? How will communication with clients be organized?

When it comes to sales, try answering questions like: What is your sales strategy? How will the sales department work and how will you develop it in the future? How many sales calls does it take to close a deal? What is the average selling price? Talking about the average cost of sale, you can go into the details of your pricing strategy.

Example of a "Marketing Plan" section

Skate Zone will be the first inline hockey playground in Miami, Florida. Due to the extraordinary growth in popularity of inline hockey in the United States, the company has the opportunity to advertise in various media and advertising platforms. Below is a list of channels currently available.

Public relations. Press releases will be sent to trade magazines and leading business publications such as USAHockey Inline, roller sports magazine INLINE, PowerPlay and others.

Tournaments. Skate Zone will be presenting its services at annual championships throughout the United States.

Print ads and articles. Our advertising campaign includes advertising in publications such as The Yellow Pages, Miami Express News, The Skate Zone Mailing, as well as printing school flyers and publications in specialized inline hockey magazines.

Internet... Skate Zone already has its own website on which we have already received several applications. At the moment, work is planned to optimize the site. We expect the site to become one of the main marketing platforms for the company in the future.

Finally, detail your financial model, including start-up costs, financial plans, and required investments if reaching out to investors.

The initial cost of your business includes all the resources needed to get started, as well as an estimate of how much each of those resources will cost. Do you rent an office space? Do you need a computer? Telephone? Make a list of your needs and expenses, try to be objective and frugal. The last thing you need to do is run out of budget.

Once you have decided on the costs, justify them. To do this, write down your financial forecast in detail. This is especially important if you are looking for outside funding for your business. Make sure your financial model is 100% accurate to convince investors and lenders to support your business for sure.

An example of a financial plan for an online store

Application

You can add an attachment at the end of the plan if you want. There is room here for your resume and resume of co-owners, as well as legal documents, including permits and leases.

That's all. We hope this article helped you better understand what your business plan should look like. There is little left to do - to translate the idea into reality. Good luck!

If you have anything to add on the topic, do not hesitate. Leave your comments!

And when you find yourself attractive, go to only half of her study in detail? What is the next impossible for you?

  • Have you come up with a great option for creating your own project, but can't go beyond your plans?
  • There is a great version for you as an individual entrepreneur, but you don't have enough money and you don't know who can give it to you?
  • Can't find investors for your business idea?
  • You were denied a bank loan that you wanted to take in order to develop your business?
  • Chances are, you are having difficulties with your business plan. Either with its writing, or with an understanding of what it is and what it is for. Actually, there is nothing special about this problem. For entrepreneurs of various levels of training, experienced or beginners with a specialized economic education, or those who have a peculiar talent for a certain type of activity, writing business plans can be difficult. And it's not just a lack of skill or specific knowledge of how this is done. The main difficulty is in understanding what it is in principle.

    Do you need a business plan for a budding entrepreneur?

    Often, those who are just embarking on the path of entrepreneurship and create their own project from scratch have a strong opinion that writing a business plan can be postponed "until later", to do this only when such a document is required for taking out a loan or other purposes. That is, it is considered a kind of "obligation" for situations of communication with banks and investors. And if the task of obtaining a loan is not worth it right now, then the business plan can wait.

    This opinion is fundamentally wrong, it deprives a novice entrepreneur of the opportunity to see the prospects of his project and does not allow a comprehensive assessment of its potential risks, even if this is a “simple” enterprise. This approach is fraught with trouble in the future and, accordingly, can lead to the death of the entire project.

    Having a business plan will not only allow you to see the whole picture, it solves a number of problems for the owner or someone who is trying to implement the idea. He shows:

    • prospects and potential of the project;
    • possible "bottlenecks";
    • in what direction you need to move for development;
    • how much time and money will be needed to implement the idea and promote it.

    And, most importantly, a business plan is able to suggest that a project is unviable or not profitable. That is, he will not allow you to make a mistake and waste time and savings.

    Order a business plan or write yourself?

    There is another approach that is currently in vogue among middle-class entrepreneurs. By the way, they are sometimes "sinned" by successful businessmen, owners of large dynamically developing and profitable enterprises. They order the preparation of business plans from specialized companies that practice this type of service. The option is, of course, acceptable. But often the customer receives a voluminous document of one hundred pages, which absolutely does not reflect the peculiarities of his particular business, incomprehensible and too general.

    Naturally, some calculations of a specific nature, market research, forecasting can be entrusted to a third-party company, where this will be done on a professional basis. However, only a business owner or a person who knows it from the inside is able to fully and comprehensively describe it, analyze the prospects and possible problems, and also show it in a profitable plan for obtaining investment. He will be able to do this so concretely and with reference to the company that it will be immediately clear here what kind of business we are talking about, what real potential and “problem areas” it has, what can be done to minimize them, and the like. This is the format that attracts investors the most.

    What is a business plan in essence?

    This document is necessary to understand the goals, objectives, direction of development and the required costs for the creation and development of any project, ranging from and ending with a global one, where it is planned to organize a federal network of retail hypermarkets. It is worth considering that a business plan has several varieties, which directly depend on who it is intended for:

    • compiled for internal use or for yourself, in the case of a preliminary assessment of your own business idea;
    • aimed at an external user or "evaluator" of the project.

    In the second option, we are talking about obtaining funding. Here a business plan is written for:

    • credit institutions and banks for the purpose of obtaining loans;
    • government agencies and officials, on whom the allocation of funds from the budget depends, what can be obtained for business development;
    • potential investors who may be interested in investing in the idea;
    • various foundations and organizations that issue grants.

    In the first option, special attention should be paid to the analysis of potential risks and threats to the development of the project. In the second, there must be a presentation component that shows prospects and competitive advantages. It is also important here that the document is drawn up, the presence of all standard subsections, financial calculations and applications with visual materials (graphs, tables, etc.)

    Advice: when writing a business plan in any version, in no case should you embellish reality. It is worth remembering that it may take twice as much money and three times as much to complete a project than it initially seemed. The idea presented in the spirit of "everything is great and there are no threats" will only irritate a potential investor and outrage at the illiteracy of the entrepreneur who has drawn up such a document. For the initiator of the project himself, this is fraught with a one-sided vision, which in the future can lead to negative consequences.

    How to write a business plan: step by step instructions

    Each project, be it an idea or an online gift shop, must have its own face, features, specificity. In addition, they differ by regional affiliation, the nuances of the assortment of goods or services, the audience of customers for which they are designed. You cannot "squeeze" all of them into any standard scheme.

    Advice: do not download a ready-made business plan from the Internet, even one suitable for the type of activity, in order to use it for yourself. You can take a few of those suggested on the profile resources and, after carefully analyzing them, taking them as a basis, write your own, original and completely corresponding to your project.

    This document should fully answer three main questions:

    • what do I want to achieve?
    • how do i plan to do this?
    • what do I need for this?

    If any of the above points is not fully disclosed, an indistinct answer is given, there are some innuendos - the document requires improvements, it is not effective.

    A business plan has several mandatory sections:

    • title (name, address, contacts, table of contents);
    • introduction (short description and summary);
    • marketing part (analysis of the market and its prospects in relation to the project, potential threats and risks, as well as the tools that will be used in order to cope with them);
    • market and competitor overview;
    • project executors and potential partners;
    • business model or calculation of income and costs;
    • financial forecast and existing indicators (for ongoing projects);
    • threats and risks for the development of the project (all possible) and scenarios for overcoming them;
    • calculation of the use of funds for launch, development or modernization, as well as sources of income;
    • Appendices (this includes all key documents, as well as materials that help you understand your idea to the end).

    Please note that a business plan aimed at an external user cannot be too short or without any of these sections. As a rule, its volume is 30-40 sheets. In the "for yourself" version, some items can be excluded.

    If some sections are understandable to almost every novice entrepreneur, then there are some that can cause considerable difficulties.

    Particular attention should be paid to the first two or three pages that follow the title page, the so-called introduction. This is the main thing that will allow you to present your idea to both investors and the business owner himself. Some experts recommend writing an introduction at the very end, after everything has been analyzed, calculated, stated in facts and figures. But there is another opinion. You should start with the "introduction" section. And it is more correct in cases with start-up entrepreneurs who are just creating their own project from scratch. It is when writing an introduction, a resume of his future or a business that is just getting on its feet, its owner or initiator can understand what prospects his idea has, what risks it is exposed to, whether it has a potential for profitability, what can result from, how much investment will be required and whether there is a prospect of finding this money. Naturally, the initial version can be edited and made as necessary to interest a potential investor, if a business plan is written for this purpose. But you need to start the document with this chapter. She will give understanding and a complete picture.

    What you need to highlight in the introduction for a newly created project:

    • what kind of activity do you plan to do;
    • what is your target audience (future customers);
    • how much money is needed to launch and further implement the project;
    • where the funds will come from;
    • what is the planned revenue for the first six months / year of work (depending on the specifics of the project);
    • main estimated financial indicators (its profitability, income, profit);
    • form (organizational and legal), the number of employees involved, partners.

    In an operating business, this section should be written taking into account existing data and metrics.

    How to write a small business business plan yourself: a sample of the main sections

    A typical business plan is divided into several main sections that display various aspects of a project. The financial part, as it were, sums up everything that was stated earlier. It is in the descriptive chapters that we present our idea, give it a comprehensive analysis and show in what ways and tools we plan to implement it.

    Marketing part

    Many novice businessmen and even those who already have some experience find it difficult to write a section on marketing. It is not entirely clear what it should contain and where to get the data on the comparative analysis of the market. Questions that require reflection in this part of the document:

    1. What product or groups, services do you plan to focus on... Here you should dwell on the following points:
      • where the product is used;
      • what customer needs will you satisfy;
      • what are the advantages of your product and why it will be in demand;
      • what customer groups are you targeting;
      • how you will communicate your product / service to the buyer;
      • what are the disadvantages of your product, and how you plan to minimize them;
      • your USP or Unique Selling Proposition.

    We need to dwell on the last point in more detail. It should be borne in mind that today there are practically no truly unique products. Rather, they exist, but there are only a few of them. In addition, an innovative idea, which simply does not exist on the market yet, requires money, time and knowledge to develop. A success story can be written not only with the new iPhone, like the legendary Steve Jobs. Taking as a basis an already existing product, service or product, and adding to it your unique selling proposition, you can conquer the market. What can be the USP:

    • in service;
    • as a service and its variety;
    • in the loyalty system;
    • in sales format.

    That is, it is not at all necessarily the uniqueness of the product itself, on the contrary, most often the USP is created precisely on the "near-commodity" basis. If you perceive this concept as a lower price than that of competitors, then you are mistaken. For example, you decided to build your own agricultural business and do it. It is fundamentally wrong to plan to conquer the market by lowering the price and setting the figure much lower than that of competitors. Thus, you can systematically lose profit and become a loss-making company. In addition, dumping is not always advisable in terms of fighting for a client. This can cause the buyer to doubt the quality of the product. It is much more efficient to find "your" consumer and organize such an accompanying service for him that your pricing policy, where the cost of the goods will be the average market price or even higher, will look justified for him.

    Advice: When designing your own unique selling proposition, start with the premise that you can give your customer something that your competitors don't. There are a huge number of quite successful businesses that are based on this principle. This can be a concept of assortment selection for a store, focus on a specific target audience of customers, quality or environmental friendliness of products, and much more. The main thing is not only to develop and formulate a USP, but also to think over the tools that can convey it to the consumer.

    1. What is your market... This part of the marketing section should describe:
      • which segment of the market you want to cover in terms of geographic location;
      • what type of customer are you targeting.

    This section can be tricky for a budding entrepreneur who has no past successful sales track record. It should be based on reasonable assumptions and analysis of competitors' performance. It is also worth looking at information about projects similar to yours and the ways of their implementation.

    When determining the type of your client or painting his portrait, you need to consider the following:

    • gender, age and marital status;
    • place of residence;
    • social status and income level;
    • occupation and hobbies.

    Having created a kind of collective image of the target audience for your product, you can start counting the number of future customers. To do this, you need to take the geography of coverage and the estimated number of residents suitable for the profile of the target audience.

    To determine the potential consumption volumes of your product, you should take into account the regularity and frequency of demand for them (naturally, what is bought daily, and what is purchased every five years, will be radically different both in the format of the offer and in the algorithm of promotion to the market, and on many other aspects). You also need to take into account fluctuations in demand (seasonality, changes in consumer purchasing power, fashion trends, rivalry within a product group between peers, and the like, typical for your product).

    1. This section of the business plan also includes competitor analysis. The description algorithm can be built on:
      • listing of companies that work in your segment;
      • what are the distinctive characteristics of their services / goods;
      • the ways they use to promote their products;
      • their pricing policy;
      • the nuances of how their business is developing.

    Particular attention should be paid to the closest competitors in terms of geography and assortment.

    It also requires you to indicate in what ways you will realize your advantages. A separate, albeit small, subsection should be devoted to this moment. It may include answers to the following questions:

    • how do you plan to organize sales;
    • what you will do to inform customers about your market entry;
    • what ad format you choose (or do without this tool);
    • how you will form your pricing policy.

    In the final part of the marketing section of the business plan, it is worth giving a preliminary forecast of the sales volume for a certain period. As a rule, it is better to take the year with a monthly or quarterly breakdown.

    Advice: A fairly common mistake of aspiring entrepreneurs is that they overload this part of the business plan with details and details. This is understandable, they want to thoroughly describe their actions that will lead them to success, and thereby prove to the potential investor the prospects of their project. You don't need to do this. For greater persuasiveness, you can use applications - diagrams, diagrams, graphs that visualize and clearly show your potential capabilities. The very essence of the marketing part of a business plan is best described on 2-3 sheets.

    Production part

    Do not confuse it with the production process, thinking that if you are going to trade or provide software services, then you will not need this section, this is not true. All information about a specific project is presented here. To do this, you need to answer the following questions:

    • what technologies, formats and methods of project implementation will be used;
    • what production facilities will be used (office, retail space, equipment, storage sites, vehicles, raw materials, goods, materials and other that is important for the project);
    • who will be involved (and whether) as employees, partners, suppliers, etc.).

    As a kind of total, you can attach a short estimate showing the expenditure side. It is better to do it in dynamics, with a breakdown by periods (month / quarter).

    The estimate must be drawn up in the form of a table, where the following columns may be present:

    • purchase of fixed assets;
    • purchase of raw materials and supplies;
    • rental costs, maintenance of premises and utility bills;
    • expenses for the purchase of auxiliary consumables;
    • payroll fund;
    • other current expenses, which can include payment for communication services, hospitality, travel and others.

    Advice: for projects of different specifics, the cost graphs and figures will be very different. Consider this when writing a business plan and do not take average values ​​from the Internet. In addition, you should not focus on the minimum. Even in the case when you have found a premise for your future store with a very profitable lease, almost half as low as anywhere in the city, do not take this figure as a basis for calculating a business plan. It can change for some reason in a big way. Therefore, the data of your business plan will become irrelevant, and it will turn from a guide to action into one that will be misleading.

    Organizational part

    This section should indicate which organizational and legal form is chosen for the implementation of the project, why, whether changes are planned in the future. It is also necessary to touch upon permits. Here you should dwell on the need for licenses and how you plan to issue them, on obtaining certificates of conformity and hygienic conclusions (if necessary), on how you will go through approvals in inspections of various formats to obtain permits for activities.

    In addition, this part describes:

    • composition of project managers;
    • work experience in the field of the initiator or involved persons;
    • what kind of professional support do you expect and what are its sources.

    It is possible to add questionnaires of managers / initiators to the applications section, where professional experience and specialized knowledge can be reflected in more detail.

    Funding or how to calculate a business plan

    In this part of the document, it is necessary to provide a justification for the fact that the project will be profitable, as well as determine the size of investments, the time to reach the break-even point and further prospects for the repayment of the initial capital or borrowed funds.

    In fact, it has already been written, you just need to take the necessary numbers from the previous sections and enter here, filling them out correctly.

    It is imperative to highlight here:

    • Sources of funding for the project. It can be personal funds (investments), borrowed or credit, government subsidies or other forms, for example, leasing.
    • Initial stage of project implementation. At this point, it is necessary to make a forecast of the period required for organizing a business, that is, until the moment it starts to work.
    • The stage before receiving the first profits. This requires a justification for raising funds and when they will start returning. The item is necessary not only for obtaining loans or loans, but also for understanding whether it is worth investing your own funds in the project.
    • The selected taxation system. It is worth considering here that the amount and list of deductions will depend on what organizational and legal status you prefer to implement your project. For individual entrepreneurs there are some "concessions" in this regard. By the way, they also differ in favor of simplification for the second format.

    This section also includes the calculation of indicators and a plan of expected profit / loss. There is no need to be intimidated at once by the term “losses”. The fact is that the initial stage and the period of business formation rarely pass without the need to attract additional funds or additional investments. Naturally, they are defined as losses, because they are not yet paid off by the profit from the project.

    The form in which the numbers and data will be shown depends on the nature of the project, the status of the enterprise (LLC, individual entrepreneur) and on the chosen taxation system. In its simplest form, it can contain:

    • costs of organizing a business (registration of an enterprise, purchase of equipment, materials, product range, arrangement of premises or a site for conducting activities, purchase of a license, and the like);
    • expenses of a permanent nature (payment of rent, utilities, salaries, etc., that is, those that do not change depending on fluctuations in sales or production);
    • costs of a variable nature (purchase of consumables, transport, communications, payment to third-party organizations or individuals for one-time work, piece-rate salaries, that is, those that directly depend on the volume of sales or production);
    • income from the sale of goods / services and net profit.

    The latter indicator is fairly easy to calculate. It is necessary to subtract from the income part all variable costs per unit of goods or for a certain period, as well as that part of constant costs that falls on the calculation period taken as a base (month, quarter).

    As a result of this part of the business plan section, the profitability of the entire project is calculated. You can take as a basis the rate of return on investment (investments of personal savings, loans, credits). As an example, a calculation scheme is provided by which you can determine the effectiveness and profitability of your own investments:

    Radar (return on personal funds) is equal to NP (net profit) divided by the amount of drugs multiplied by 100%. The payback period should be understood as the period of time for which the net profit at the disposal of the investor will cover all initial investments.

    Risk assessment

    This is the final section of the business plan. It describes and analyzes the most likely risks to which the project may be exposed. Among them:

    • natural disasters, fires, floods, accidents that can damage equipment, premises, etc .;
    • illegal actions, including theft, theft;
    • actions of state institutions, federal and local authorities;
    • economic factors, decline in production and consumption, inflation;
    • failure to fulfill obligations on the part of partners and suppliers.

    Alternatively, here you can use the pessimistic scenario of the development of events from the introduction.

    In this part, you need to analyze the resilience of your business and the willingness to overcome risks.

    How to draw up a business plan for agriculture yourself?

    Actually, all the main sections of the document drawn up for a business in the field of agriculture differ little from the standard one for any enterprise. Its peculiarities are that for this type of activity there is a special organizational and legal form of peasant farms (peasant farms). There is a simplified registration procedure and a specialized taxation system.

    When drawing up a business plan for an agricultural project, you need to consider the following points:

    • seasonality of business;
    • dependence on weather conditions;
    • the level of crop yield for a certain region (if your direction is crop production);
    • product distribution system and logistics.

    The last point needs to be given serious attention. When writing a business plan for receiving government subsidies or grants, as well as loans from credit organizations, this issue needs to be covered in detail. The fact is that the investor is not interested in products for the sake of products, he is looking for potential profit.

    And for agricultural enterprises, just logistics and marketing are often a problem, therefore, part of the grown crop or other goods never reaches the consumer, becoming unusable and incurring direct losses instead of potential profits. If your business plan reflects how you plan to build sales and delivery of products, moreover, confirmed by agreements of intent, preliminary agreements, then the investor's attitude will be much more loyal.

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