Business Plan Format April 28, 2012 It is important to write a comprehensive business plan when seeking funding.

Both banks and private investors will want to read a business plan that shows in detail how you are going to develop a successful business. The Business Plan Format here is very detailed but you need every bit of it, if you want to convince those wealthy investors to part with their money! Introduction page Name & address of the business, names & addresses of the owners/major shareholders, nature of the business, statement of financing required, statement of confidentiality of report. Executive Summary (3-4 pages) Description of business concept, description of the opportunity & strategy, description of the target market, summary of financial projections, competitive advantages, introduction to the key people in the management team. Description of the Company & Business Concept Description of the features & benefits of your product/service, description of status of product/service development (eg prototype completed/product testing completed/reaction of market), description of business concept testing undertaken, description of patents/trademarks held, other potential products, use of the internet and other technologies for the business. Market Analysis Description of the overall market & primary market segments, detailed description of market segment/s targeted, demographics of target market, target & general market trends, market research, customer profile, customer buying process, entry strategy (initial market penetration), sales process to be used. Industry Analysis Industry size, life cycle stage of industry, profit potential, barriers to entry, role of technology, typical research & development expenditure for the industry, availability of raw materials & labour, labour management issues. Competitor Analysis Number of competitors, nature of competition (e.g. fragmented, monopoly),conditions of entry/exit of competitors, competitor unique selling propositions, comparison of largest 3-5 competitors on both differentiators and key success factors in industry, using a matrix format Operating Plan Geographic location, facilities, office equipment and personnel, management team, production plan, timeline of major events, risk assessment Financial Plan Written summary discussing the financial data supplied in Appendix A Appendices Appendix A Financial Statements (monthly for first 12 months, quarterly for next 2-4 years) Cash Flow Projections with assumptions in footnotes Statements of projected Profit & Loss Statements of projected position (Balance Sheet) Appendix B Sales Projections

Appendix C Detailed Advertising and Promotional Plan Appendix D Market Research Data Appendix E Resumes Appendix F Leases or contracts Appendix G Price lists from suppliers If you follow this business plan format, you will certainly cover all bases, and should have sufficient evidence to obtain funding from any source.