How to write a business plan yourself, a step-by-step guide. Example of a “Company Description” section. Sample business plan “Business on social networks”

A business plan is what helps an entrepreneur navigate the market environment and see goals. Many successful people note that the idea must be written down on paper, otherwise it will never be realized. Therefore, a business plan is necessary for successful management business. How to write a business plan yourself: sample and step by step instructions contained in our new publication!

A business plan is a program according to which a company operates. It is necessary in order to competently coordinate the actions of the organization and see the directions of its development.

A business plan can be called a kind of rehearsal. The entrepreneur plays out various scenarios during which he can see problems and find ways to solve them. In this case, the person does not lose money, as would happen in a real situation.

Business plan objectives

Formulate the goals of the organization (both short-term and long-term)
Set project deadlines
Determine the target audience and markets for products
Analyze the competitiveness of the organization
Determine the company's advantages
Assess the level of costs
Develop an action plan aimed at increasing the economic efficiency of the organization
Predict the amount of profit and the level of profitability of the business.

General scheme development of a business plan and feasibility study.

What's included in a business plan?

1. Front page and content

Here the company's imprint and contact details of the founders, as well as the contents of the document, should be indicated.

2. Summary (introduction)

This part represents brief retelling the entire business plan. The most important thing should be here, i.e. justification of the relevance of the business and the financial part.

The resume should not be approximately two pages long. Although it is located at the very beginning, its compilation should begin at the end. You need to approach this responsibly, because this is the part that the investor studies.

3. Company history

If you already have an existing organization, then you need to talk about the history of its origins and its successes.

4. Market opportunities

In this section, it is necessary to conduct a SWOT analysis of the enterprise, i.e. determine its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

7. Business model

This is a financial plan. Here you need to describe all sources of income and costs. You also need to indicate your suppliers and main buyers.

A cafe business plan: an example with calculations and step-by-step instructions for creating your own cafe from scratch can be found

8. Forecast

In this section you need to create a financial forecast. It is necessary to write about the amount of profit and payback period of the project.

The entire business plan should be 30-40 pages.

How to write a business plan yourself: a sample for a small business

Let's look at some sections of a business plan using an example

SWOT Analysis Matrix

How to write a business plan yourself: a sample for a small business.

Choose a niche and idea to create own business- that's half the battle. No one can guarantee the success of a future enterprise.

It is important to understand how to organize the process and spend start-up capital.

Carefully thought out and correctly composed " scenario» on the implementation of the idea allows not only get the business started faster, but also prevent potential errors leading to loss of funds.

With a plan, you will be able to assess the feasibility of your plans and immediate prospects. In addition, creating a business plan from scratch is mandatory in cases where lending is to be done.

Purpose and structure

A business plan is a road map of the future business, which reflects:

main aspects of operation;
possible problems;
risks of loss;
prospects;
anti-crisis measures.

The business plan must contain all aspects of the existence of the future company from the moment of creation to a state of stability when a transition to a new level is required. The description must be detailed and extremely simple without complex economic terminology, so that the document is understood by all interested parties (owner, employees, bankers, partners, investors).

Advice from the author! It would not be superfluous to enter into a memorandum (agreement) of confidentiality with those to whom the document is transferred for study. This step will protect the author of the written project from theft of the idea and unauthorized use of the information contained in the business plan.

The detailed plan is 30-40 pages in length. The information is presented concisely, but informatively. The project includes 4 main blocks:

Annotation– outlines the main concept (on half a page).
Resume– contains the main conclusions of the business plan and the results expected in the course of business.
Main part– the “body” of the project is signed.
Applications– graphic materials (diagrams, tables, graphs, resumes of managers) are displayed on them, allowing you to visually assess the prospects of your business.

You need to understand that a template plan for a specific idea may not be useful. Each type of activity has nuances, and the principles of its functioning may differ radically from other forms of business. Therefore, it is advisable to understand the structure of its writing. An analysis of the niche in which it is planned to implement the idea, competitors and features will have to be carried out by a potential businessman individually in each case, depending on the scale and scope of activity.

Compilation algorithm

By correctly drafting this important document, you will give the green light to your business. Let's consider the main components of a business plan:

Annotation. Essentially, this is an appeal to stakeholders, explaining what the project is, how and by whom it will be implemented. Describe the main idea briefly but interestingly.

Resume. Approach writing this part responsibly, because it is this part that all potential partners and investors, without exception, will read to the end. The resume determines whether the idea is interesting in principle. If the investor may ask to change any part of the business plan, then the project, the summary of which is not impressive, will be rejected at the first stage. The summary should reflect the rationale for the success of the idea, the expected results of the project and how to achieve them. To do this, specify:

purpose of the project;
business maintenance;
financial needs (project budget);
target audience of consumers;
information about the demand for a product (service);
difference from analogues;
financial indicators of project success.

Important! It is worth noting that the resume is written based on the results of the business plan. Only by understanding the whole picture of the project will you be able to present a summary clearly and convincingly.

Goals and objectives

They provide a quantitative understanding of the project's results. The goal is what the project is being implemented for. Objectives are the effect that must be achieved. Analyze the business idea, its weaknesses and strengths, the selected market segment so that it is clear who will benefit from the project.

Product or service

Explain this part in detail so that it is extremely clear what you are supposed to do. It is necessary to reflect: description of the product (service), uniqueness (advantages), possibilities of use, required personnel qualifications, technology, need for licensing (patent).

Market analysis

It will be necessary to collect and systematize information regarding: the composition of consumers, the state of the selected market segment and its prospects, and the capabilities of competitors. It is advisable to show the share that your product (service) occupies in the selected niche on a graph or diagram.

Marketing plan

This section aims to win over a potential investor. A carefully described strategy for promoting a product (service) will help to inspire trust.

Be sure to indicate what characteristics distinguish the idea from competitors, how this will help in its promotion, and how it will affect pricing.

Also describe all the ways to sell the product (service), advertising moves and sales promotion opportunities.

Production plan

This paragraph reveals the material component of the future business. Must contain information about: type and location of premises, involvement of subcontractors, necessary equipment, supplies, purchase of equipment (materials).

Management personnel

Indicate the personnel (management and ordinary employees) who will be involved in the implementation of the idea, as well as ways to motivate them (salary, compensation).

Required resources. Describe the amount of funds needed, timing and sources of raising them. In case of lending, indicate the terms and possibilities of repayment of funds, investment - the amount of monthly dividends. It is appropriate to display the project budget in the form of a table indicating salaries, direct and indirect costs of the project.
Financial plan. An important section that allows you to predict business development, as well as avoid unnecessary expenses. It is necessary to calculate: sales volumes, balance of assets and liabilities, profit and loss ratios, cash flow, payback of the project. This also includes an analysis of risks indicating ways to overcome them.

Applications

This section comes as a separate block. It contains statistical information, graphic materials, product design.

Important! All materials contained in the Appendix must be signed and numbered. Links to them are indicated directly from the text from the main part of the document. Applications usually take up to 10 pages.

Example of a business plan

Download an example of a business plan from scratch for solar energy:

More business plans:

Organization of a workshop for reinforced concrete products ();
Children's animation school ();
Construction of a telecommunication network ();
Brewery();
Bakery ().

Benefits of Business Planning

Planning to open a mini-factory, shopping mall or a water park, it is advisable to entrust the development of a business plan from scratch to specialists. It is worth understanding that a business, the creation of which involves the injection of substantial investments, significantly increases risks.

Therefore, it is advisable to carefully study the market, competitors, calculate the budget, profitability, work patterns, and anti-crisis measures. All this can only be done by professionals. At the same time, this document is for implementation small ideas Without investments it is quite possible to write it yourself. This has its advantages.

Firstly, independent development of a plan will allow you to put together a holistic picture of the future business (weaknesses and strengths of the service (product), the amount of start-up capital, operational work plan, marketing strategy, the need to attract personnel and staffing).

When will they be registered? the smallest details, it will become easier to understand whether the calculations are wrong. For example, attracting 20 thousand clients in the first year contradicts hiring 2 sales managers, setting them impossible tasks in advance.

In this case (if it is not possible to reduce the level of market entry), it would be appropriate to orient the business towards forming partnerships or cooperation with distributors.

Secondly, Having a self-written business plan in hand, an individual entrepreneur will be able to control success. Clear planning broken down by dates, fixed on paper, disciplines and allows you to impartially evaluate achievements. If the indicators indicated in the document are lower than those that were achieved in practice, this indicates the right choice of strategy.

Analyze due to what factors you were able to exceed your own expectations (seasonality, course jump, specialization). Continue to focus on this in the future. This way the company will generate even more income.

Failure to achieve the set goals should prompt an analysis of the reasons why this happened (overestimation of certain factors, problems with financing, improper organization of work, unforeseen circumstances).

Thirdly, a business plan specifies the goals of the business owner. The wording “generating income” is unlikely to lead to success. If you state that you plan to sell 1 thousand units of product by the end of the year, then this is a specific goal, not a passive forecast.

The team's actions should be aimed at achieving it. The document contains goals for all points: income, sales volume, expense items, attracting clients, recruiting personnel. A goal formulated in quantitative terms becomes a task that predetermines an action plan.

Advice from the author! What is once done well is done forever. If the foundation of a business is built correctly and step by step, this significantly increases the chances of “surviving.” If necessary, the company can easily be repurposed or expanded.

Fourthly, good plan helps attract talented employees. Business prospects are an effective motivation for staff. When goals and their implementation schedule fixed on paper, company employees it becomes clear how to get to the maximum in achieving results.

Many beginning entrepreneurs, when implementing a certain entrepreneurial idea, ignore drawing up a plan, considering it just a tool for obtaining loans or investments. This opinion is wrong. A business plan is intended not so much for finding funds to open your own business, but for its successful step-by-step implementation and competent management.

Having a business is a great way to start earning money on your own, but it cannot be opened without first developing a special project. In this publication you will find the answer to the following questions: what is a business plan, how to draw up this document, are there any nuances of its design.

What is a business project?

A business project describes all the features of the future organization. It analyzes possible problems, identifies options for solving them, and predicts the result. How to draw up a correct business plan is a question asked by people who are planning to attract investors. Competent preparation of the document will guarantee the successful future of your enterprise.

Drawing up a correct business project is not easy even for an experienced entrepreneur, so it is advisable to entrust this work to a team of competent economists. The plan must contain, regardless of the type of activity:

Justification of economic feasibility.
The state of the economic environment in which it is planned to open a business.
Financial results (sales volume, revenue and profit).
Sources of financing.
Task execution schedule.
Appointment of people responsible for the implementation of the business.
Determine indicators that allow you to monitor intermediate results.

From this article you will learn:

When to start writing a business plan for beginners

How to create a business plan step by step for beginners

How to Write a Business Plan for Beginners to Attract Investors

A business plan is an instruction for developing an enterprise, increasing its profitability and increasing turnover. It is necessary in order to act systematically and competently in the market and introduce changes within the company. A business plan is especially important when starting a new enterprise. Drawing up a business plan for aspiring entrepreneurs is not an easy task, but it is extremely important.

Where to start drawing up a business plan

The preparation of any business plan begins at the very end, namely, with the summary. The final version of the executive summary, of course, is prepared after all other sections of the document have been compiled and edited, and all key employees and third-party consultants who participated in the creation of the business plan are involved in this process. However, a summary should be drafted at the very beginning of drawing up a business plan, because it represents its essence in a condensed form.

A resume that does not impress investors will simply be put aside without being read, and no money will be given for the project. Therefore this summary the most important thing - perhaps the most important part of the business plan. When drawing up a business plan, especially for beginners, it is necessary to write a resume as if you were to explain all the advantages and great prospects of your project to a random person you meet. That is, briefly, clearly, in simple words and with a minimum number of professional terms.

When creating a business plan to present to potential investors, including shareholders, and creditors, you should ask yourself two key questions:

Having successfully implemented this business plan, what will we get?
What are the risks of losing all invested funds?

The brief description present in any business plan drawn up by an aspiring entrepreneur should contain the following information in a condensed form:

About business:

a brief history of its creation and development;
description of its current state, stage of development and operating conditions;
participation of the company's management in making important decisions, distribution of shares and responsibilities between shareholders;
current business goals (for example, a certain added value of a product at the stage of processing and marketing);
ways to implement a business plan and translate project prospects into reality.

About manufactured products:

a brief description of the product (or service) in terms of its uniqueness and difference from competitors’ products; advantages that put it beyond competition in terms of quality, price, and duration of supply (if we are talking about raw materials).

About the sales market:

market capacity and growth indicators for at the moment;
coverage (domestic or international market);
possible distribution channels;
growth forecast;
market share that is planned to be conquered.

About managers and staff:

whether the entire staff has been recruited;
level of education of managers;
the current unemployment rate in this area;
professional experience of managers and workers.

About business financing:

financing purposes (what exactly the money will be spent on);
estimated revenue and after-tax income for three years;
when the first profits from the business are expected.

When to start drawing up a business plan for beginners

Many aspiring entrepreneurs do not consider drawing up a business plan an essential and necessary step. They are sure that the main thing is to get started, and a business plan can be written later, when it is needed.

Top managers - both beginners and those already with business experience - are faced with the need to draw up a business plan when searching for investors. Both private investors and banks require the presentation of a business concept. But if an entrepreneur does not initially intend to use borrowed funds, then, as a rule, he neglects drawing up this document.

But this is not the best solution: without a business plan, it is impossible to assess the prospects of a business idea, the likely risks and ways to minimize them. This is especially true for beginning entrepreneurs, even if we are talking about a very small business - private or family.

By taking care of drawing up a program for your project at the very beginning of its creation, you solve several problems at once: prepare a document that will be required at the stage of searching for investments, and think through the development of your enterprise.

Business plans can cover different time periods. As a rule, a company’s development is planned for the next 3–5 years, with the most detailed planning for the first year of business operation. Its expected indicators, tasks, prospects and risks are described in detail and on a monthly basis. It is difficult to predict subsequent years in such detail, therefore, when drawing up a business plan, beginning entrepreneurs are limited to quarterly indicators for the second year of work and annual indicators for the third and subsequent years.

Drawing up a business plan for beginners step by step

Before writing a business plan, you need to study the current market situation. One of the most popular market research technologies is SWOT analysis. It allows you to collect and summarize all information about the company and the market. This simple method is perfect for creating a business plan for beginning entrepreneurs.

Using SWOT analysis, a business and its potential are assessed both internally and externally, in the context of the market environment.

Now let's look at each section of the business plan separately. The structure of the business plan below is universal and is suitable both for a company just starting its activities and for planning the work of an existing enterprise.

Resume

The principles of its compilation were outlined above. It is necessary to indicate the business idea and the expected results of its implementation in practice. The volume of a business plan summary should not exceed 6–7 phrases.

Characteristics of the enterprise and business project

It describes the state of the industry and the company's features, namely:

market segments and existing niches, prospects for their development;
direction of business, its capabilities;
information about the company: its organizational structure, competitive advantages, innovation policy.

The same section of the business plan describes the range of goods and services offered by the company:

their names;
key characteristics;
areas of application;
advantages, disadvantages, unique features;
permitting documents - certificates, certificates, licenses, patents;
conditions necessary for the manufacture of goods (provision of services).

Product (service) promotion strategy

When drawing up a business plan, neither beginners nor experienced entrepreneurs can do without a description of the marketing strategy. This is a rather complex point that requires thoughtful market analysis and selection of sales promotion tools.

This section should answer the question of what products or services you offer to consumers and how you plan to organize sales. Here are the points a novice businessman should disclose when drawing up the section of a business plan dedicated to product promotion:

area of product use;
the needs of the people it is intended to satisfy;
competitive advantages of products;
target audience of a product or service;
market promotion methods;
product shortcomings and ways to minimize them;
unique selling proposition.

Let's touch on UPT a little. A product or service can be called unique in the full sense of the word only when we are talking about an innovative product (to set up production and sales of which it is simply necessary to draw up a business plan, since funds from third-party investors will be required). In other cases, when a product is created based on an already existing prototype (as, for example, this happened with the brainchild of Steve Jobs called IPhone), the USP may consist of:

after-sales service;
high quality or wide range;
loyalty system for consumers;
special sales format.

As for product markets, when drawing up a business plan, especially for a business just starting to operate, it is necessary to determine:

the territory in which the product is expected to be sold;
target consumer groups.

It is best to focus on the work of competitors: what are their weaknesses, how they acted and what results they achieved.

The target audience of any product and service is characterized by:

gender and age of consumers;
their place of residence;
income level, social status;
lifestyle, interests, expectations, preferences.

Having decided who your potential clients are, you can roughly estimate the number of these people in the selected region and predict profits based on this.

In addition, the business plan must contain brief description competitors of the company occupying the same market segment:

their names;
the distinctive qualities of their products;
advertising policy;
pricing and features of their business development.

When drawing up a business plan, beginning entrepreneurs should place the main emphasis on competitors who are as close as possible in terms of product range and operating in the same region.

Here, in a separate subsection, you should outline ways to differentiate your business from your competitors by using your own advantages.

The preparation of the marketing section of the business plan must be completed with a forecast of sales volume for a given period (usually a year with a monthly or quarterly breakdown).

Production plan

When drawing up a business plan, a novice entrepreneur needs to touch upon issues not only of sales, but also of product manufacturing. For companies providing services, a production program is also required. Here are some tips for writing this section:

list the technologies and methods for translating your business idea into a real product;
characterize the required production facilities (sales floors, offices, warehouses, equipment and transport, materials, raw materials, etc.);
indicate which counterparties (suppliers, retailers, partners) you intend to cooperate with and who you will hire as employees.

At the end of the production section of the business plan there should be an estimate in which expenses are outlined quarterly or monthly.

Organizational part

This section of the business plan contains organizational structure of the future company, its organizational and legal form, permits necessary for the legal conduct of commercial activities (certificates, licenses), and how it is planned to undergo SES and fire inspections.

In addition, the organizational part of the business plan indicates:

composition of the enterprise's governing body;
professional experience of the top manager and his subordinates;
consultants and other contractors whom you plan to contact for professional support.

Financial plan

Of course, when drawing up a business plan, both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs cannot avoid financial calculations. The financial part of the program records the amount of necessary investments and the prospects for the return of these funds, the expected time for the project to reach self-sufficiency. The purpose of this section is to show investors and creditors that the business promises to be profitable. The previous sections proved this idea verbally, and in the financial part the same thing is expressed in exact numbers.

Here is what information should be presented in a financial plan:

sources of financing: the manager’s own funds, bank loans, government subsidies, etc.;
time frame for creating and launching a business (by the end of this time the project should be fully operational);
choice of taxation system (determined by the organizational and legal form, for example, for individual entrepreneurs the tax burden is lower and cash discipline is simpler).

In addition, the calculation of income and expenses is provided here. A start-up enterprise needs to attract additional funds, which are classified as losses, and profits at this stage are zero.

Brief instructions

You have an idea. You want to create your own business. Great. What's next? Next, you need to “put everything into perspective”, think through the details (as far as possible) in order to first of all understand: is it worth developing this project? Perhaps after researching the market, you will realize that the service or product is not in demand, or you do not have sufficient funds to develop the business. Maybe the project should be improved a little, unnecessary elements should be abandoned, or, on the contrary, something should be introduced?

A business plan will help you consider the prospects of your idea.

End justifies the means?

When starting to write a business plan, keep its goals and functions in mind. First of all, you carry out preparatory work to understand how realistic it is to achieve the planned results, how much time and money is needed to implement your plans.

In addition, a business plan is necessary to attract investors, obtain a grant or a bank loan. That is, it must include information about the potential profit of the project, necessary costs and its payback period. Think about what is important and interesting for your recipients to hear.

Use a small cheat sheet for yourself:

Analyze the market you are going to enter. What leading companies exist in this direction. Research their experience and work.
Identify your project's strengths and weaknesses, future opportunities and risks. In short, conduct a SWOT analysis*.

SWOT analysis - (English)Strengths,Weaknesses,Opportunities,Threats - strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A method of planning and strategy development that allows you to identify the main factors influencing business development.

Decide clearly what you expect from the project. Set a specific goal.

The main purpose of a business plan is to help you, first of all, develop a company strategy and plan its development, as well as help in attracting investments.

So, any plan has a structure. Regardless of the specifics of the project and the requirements of investors, a business plan, as a rule, contains the following elements:

1. Company summary(short business plan)

Product Description
Description of the market situation
Competitive advantages and disadvantages
Brief description of the organizational structure
Distribution cash(investment and own)

2. Marketing plan

Defining the “problem” and your solution
Determining the target audience
Market and competition analysis
Free niche, unique selling proposition
Methods and costs of attracting customers
Sales channels
Stages and timing of market penetration

3. Plan for the production of goods or services

Organization of production
Infrastructure Features
Production resources and space
Production equipment
Production process
Quality control
Calculation of investments and depreciation

4.Organization of the work process

Organizational structure of the enterprise
Distribution of powers and responsibilities
Control system

5. Financial plan and risk forecast

Cost Estimation
Calculation of the cost of a product or service
Calculation of profit and loss
Investment period
Break-even point and payback point
Cash flow forecast
Risk forecast
Ways to minimize risks

It is clear that a business plan is one whole and its parts are inextricably linked with each other. However, a well-designed structure will help you not to forget important things, as well as to take a deeper look at each aspect.

Company summary. Briefly about the main thing

Marketing plan. Are there any free places?

When creating a marketing plan, you will have to analyze the market you are going to enter. In this way, you will identify trends for yourself, collect information about competitors and get to know your consumer, your target audience, better.

Having assessed the potential client, his interests and preferences, you must determine the optimal location of the office, retail outlet, etc. It should be comfortable. Calculate the required number of clients for your business to pay off and compare it with the audience living or working around the intended location of the business. For example, for a business in the field of public services, the size of this audience should not be less than 2% of the number of people living within a short walk or five-minute car ride.

It is quite possible that the market you were planning to conquer is oversaturated at the moment. Analyze the actions of your competitors, create your own strategy, focus on your uniqueness, bring in something new to fill an empty niche in a certain area.

Of course, creating something that is not yet on the market is quite difficult. However, you can carefully analyze the situation and open, for example, a point where the consumer really needs it or play on the difference in prices and level of services provided relative to nearby competitors.

You also definitely have to decide on sales channels. After reviewing the existing methods on the market, find the ones that are best for you. Calculate how much it costs you to attract each client.

Finally, when deciding on pricing, you will need to calculate: what is more profitable? A high price with a small number of sales or a price lower than that of competitors, but a large customer flow. You should also not forget about service, because for many consumers it is crucial. They are willing to pay a price higher than the market average, but get high quality service.

Production plan. What are we selling?

This is where you finally get into detail about the core of your business: what do you do?

For example, you decide to produce dresses and sell them. In the production plan, indicate suppliers of fabric and equipment, where you will locate the sewing workshop, and what the production volume will be. You will describe the stages of product manufacturing, the necessary qualifications of employees, calculate the necessary deductions to the depreciation fund, as well as logistics. The costs of future business will depend on many factors: from the cost of threads to the cost of labor.

When prescribing the technology for creating your final product, you will pay attention to many little things that you had not thought about before. There may be issues with storing goods or difficulties with imported raw materials, problems with finding employees with the necessary qualifications, etc.

When you have finally written down the entire path to creating a product or service, it’s time to calculate how much your project will cost you. It may well be that later, when making financial calculations, you will realize that you need to make adjustments to the production plan: cut some costs or radically change the technology itself.

Organization of the work process. How will it work?

Will you manage the business alone or with partners? How will decisions be made? You need to answer these and many more questions in the “Workflow Organization” section.

Here you can describe the entire structure of the enterprise and identify duplication of powers, mutual exclusions, etc. Having seen the entire organization diagram, it will be easier for you to optimally distribute rights and responsibilities between departments and employees.

Having understood, first of all, for yourself how your company functions, it will be possible to more effectively develop a system of interaction between structures, a system for monitoring employees and the entire personnel policy.

The importance of this section is that it describes who and how will implement the project in reality.