Business Plan
Business name
Address 1
Address2
City/town
Zip code
Phone:
Fax:
Mobile:
E-mail:
Web site:
Contents
1. Executive Summary .......................................................................................... 3
2. Business Model ................................................................................................. 4
3. Business Strategy ............................................................................................. 5
4. Marketing ......................................................................................................... 6
5. Team and Management Structure ..................................................................... 7
6. Financial Budgets and Forecasts....................................................................... 8
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 2
1. Executive Summary
Begin your plan with a brief summary of the main points in the plan. The summary should cover
where you are now and where you want the business plan to take your business. It is best to
write the summary last.
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 3
2. Business Model
Use this introductory section to explain the purpose of the business and what made you start it.
Describe the products and services you have developed and what makes your business different.
Be as specific as possible about your competitive advantage:

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Where do you see the opportunities?
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 4
3. Business Strategy
Use this section to describe your growth plan for the business over the next three to five years:

Describe the specific tactics that will help you achieve your business goals.

Analyse the external threats or opportunities that could affect your business and how
you might cope with them.

Explain the core values of your business and how they will benefit the business.
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 5
4. Marketing
This will be one of the longer sections in the plan as you need to cover:

The critical success factors you have identified.

The market research you have completed.

The distribution channels for your products and services, such as your Web site, direct
marketing, or distributors, retailers or agents.

Any strategic alliances you have formed or intend to form.

How you will use e-commerce and technology in your business.

Your tactical promotion plan and marketing budget.

How you will build credibility and reduce risk for the customer doing business with you.
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 6
5. Team and Management Structure
Lenders and investors in particular will be interested to find out:

What skills and business experience you bring to this business venture.

How many employees (if any) you will need for the business and when you will recruit them.

What skills and experience any employees you intend to recruit will contribute.

How you will structure your management team.
Use this section to identify skills and training gaps that you should fix before the business starts.
For example, if you have some general business skills, but no specific experience in the type of
business you wish to start, consider working in a similar business to gain this experience.
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 7
6. Financial Budgets and Forecasts
Get help from your accountant or financial advisor to complete this section. Lenders and
investors will closely examine your financial information. They will be doing you a favour,
because if your financial figures do not make sense, you may need to re-examine your financial
projections.
These should explain:

How much money you have invested in the business

How much you need to start your business

How much you will spend running the business

How much you expect to generate in sales and profit
You should also provide more detailed financial information as an appendix to the plan, including:

Profit and loss forecast

Cash flow forecast

Balance sheet forecast

Capital expenditure budget

Break-even analysis
Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Business plan prepared Month Year
Page 8