NH SBDC
Business Plan Outline
I.
Executive Summary/Letter
A. Brief description of your business
B. Plan of action (if applying for loan, describe purpose(s) of loan)
C. Why this plan makes sense (outcomes/benefits)
II.
Ownership
A. Who owns the business
B. What type of organization it is (proprietorship, partnership,
corporation, limited liability)
C. The division of responsibility between owners/employees (if
applicable)
III.
Description of Business
A. History of business
B. Products/services presently offered described in detail & briefly
who you sell to and how (store, shows, catalog, wholesale, cold calls,
etc.)
C. New products/services described & brief description of customers
& sales methods
D. Number of employees & if planning to expand, increase in jobs
E. Suppliers & inventory levels/turnover
F. Facility - own or rent, description of location, size, special features
G. Improvements planned (if applicable)
H. Equipment owned
I. Equipment you plan to purchase (if loan is for equipment)
NH SBDC
Business Plan Outline
IV.
Market Information
A. Industry - (depending on type of business, may not apply)
1. Industry outlook - nationally, state-wide, locally (if applicable)
2. Factors that affect the industry currently - supplies, changes in
legislation, market trends, new technologies
B. Your Customers
1. Describe major customer groups in detail (i.e. by age, geography,
income, business type, sex, local or tourist, wholesale or retail) &
assign percentages to each group (for example, 40% local, 60%
tourist)
2. Buying patterns for each group (season, time of day, day of week,
how often, etc.)
3. Why these customer groups choose your business
4. Trends affecting their choices/decisions/behavior
C. Your Competitors
1. List your major competitors and describe how their businesses
are similar/different to yours
2. Describe where your business fits into the market
3. Discuss your strengths/weaknesses relative to your competitors
and how you will use/improve them
4. Describe your relationships with your competitors
D. Your Marketing Strategy
1. Your image, advertising/promotion plan, and pricing & how they
match your target market(s)
2. Detail on how you sell, distribute, and service your
product/service and why
3. Sales goals, strategies for the next year
NH SBDC
Business Plan Outline
V.
Management
A. Resume describing your relevant experience and education
1. Key personnel and their job descriptions (if applicable)
2. Accounting and recordkeeping systems described
3. Other relevant management systems or techniques (inventory,
production, etc.)
VI.
Financial Information
A. Historical
1. Your past 3 years of tax returns
2. Past 3 years of business tax returns (if applicable)
3. Balance sheet and income statement (if available)
B. Source and Use of Funds (if plan is for financing/start-up or
expansion)
1. Include estimates for purchases of equipment, renovations, etc.
2. Lists of inventory, supplies, etc.
C. Projections
1. Sales goals, in dollars and units ( if applicable)
2. Break-even analysis, if new business
3. One-year, monthly cash flow projection
4. Projected balance sheet/income statement (if applicable)
NH SBDC
Business Plan Outline
VII. Other Information
A. Lease/Purchase & Sales Agreement
B. Sales materials - brochures, sell sheets, price lists, etc.
C. Pictures of products
D. Pictures of facility
E. Customer lists
F. Letters of commitment or contracts
G. Letter of recommendation
H. Market research data
I. Other, as appropriate