Business Plans--so what's a business plan.

A business plan is a blueprint or road map outlining the direction for the organization. It shows the firm's current situation as well as the road ahead.

A business plan consists of a number of areas as outlined below:

> TABLE OF CONTENTS

> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

* Company name and location, description of the industry, purpose of the business plan, description of the product, description of the market, financial

projections, finance amount needed, payback period, goals and objectives,

marketing strategies, company expertise.

> INTRODUCTION:

*Introduce the company, vision, mission and values, purpose of the business,

broad overview of the industry, financial summary.

> INDUSTRY OVERVIEW—History of the industry, and trends within the industry.

> COMPANY DESCRIPTION: Add more company details, differentiation of the

company, distinctive features of the company's offerings, research and

development activities.

> STRATEGIC PLAN: Critical issues, strategies

> MARKETING PLAN: Current situation, Distribution, Pricing,

Promotion, SWOTT Analysis.

> Marketing goals, Core marketing strategies, Actions to implement.

> OPERATING PLAN: Description of facility, description of equipment, operating goals, core operating strategies, actions to implement, operational targets.

> FINANCIAL PLAN: Detailed outline of the finances for the business plan

duration.

> ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN: organizational chart, tax status, legal attributes,

list of business advisors and their specific skills, list principle equity owners and

their affiliations, public funding, owners involvement in management.

> LIMITATIONS: Impacts of changes in the economic climate, adverse market

trends, increased costs.