I am glad to welcome regular readers and new audiences! Today we will continue the conversation about starting your own business. To help you, I offer a ready-made business plan with calculations for small businesses. And those who are used to relying on themselves will learn how to correctly compose it from scratch and adapt it for a specific case. When you read the article to the end, there will be no questions left!

Key factors for the success of a business plan: 3 main rules

A business plan is a document that brings an idea to implementation in a form understandable for an entrepreneur and investors. It analyzes the situation and describes the mechanisms of the systems involved.

The basis for drawing up the plan will be the following rules:

1. Determine the current level with an open mind. Are you employed but want to open a business? You will need to take into account what you have: skills, connections, availability of start-up capital and premises - everything plays a role.
2. State a specific result. Starting a business with the wording “I want to become rich” is dooming it to failure. Determine the market niche, profit level, turnover.
3. Think through the steps that will lead to the designated outcome. Be logical and conduct additional analysis if you are not confident in your knowledge.

Follow these rules whether you want to impress investors or are putting together a project for yourself. Constantly ask the question: “Why should a business succeed?” The key to success can be a successful product, the qualifications of the team, the influence of partners, etc. Having found the answer, use the advantage to the maximum, and the result will meet your expectations.

Business plan structure: main sections

Are you wondering how to create business plans for a small business yourself? Adhere to a clear structure, which will allow both you and your partners to navigate the document.

Title page design

The name of the project is written on the title page , indicate the volume of investment and the expected payback period. It is appropriate to provide information about the organization: address, contact numbers, full name of the owner.

Writing a resume: briefly about the main thing

The resume is the first section of interest to potential investors. To ensure that your acquaintance with the project does not end there, outline the essence of the idea. Focus on goals and objectives, list the necessary resources and methods for implementing projects. Be sure to highlight why the offer is unique.

Finally, let's get down to the numbers:

• investments necessary for opening;
• project launch date;
• planned and actual terms of refund.

Finally, state your expected profit. There is no need to use lengthy stories about the benefits of the enterprise: it is enough to make a competent calculation.

Defining goals and objectives: be concise

The “Goals and Objectives” section defines the position you plan to occupy. Mention the technological processes necessary to achieve the result, but do not go into detail - you will provide information in the appendices. The main task is to tell why the offer wins against the competition. But avoid unsubstantiated statements, because every word must be supported by facts.

Do you want to emphasize the originality of the idea? List patents and copyright documents. Indicate ways for further development so that investors see the long-term benefits of cooperation.

Conducting market analysis, identifying the desired segment

By conducting a market analysis, you will determine the availability of niches. It is necessary to consider the internal state of the selected industry and the influence of external factors (for example, a difficult economic situation, shortage of personnel). Consider the risk of facing competition and tell us what advantages your product has.

To make your plan more effective, identify a market segment. You will need to create a buyer profile, taking into account the following:

• age;
• social status;
• needs;
• reasons why a client will contact you.

Having determined the portrait of a potential buyer and his needs, evaluate the capabilities of the enterprise. Particular attention should be paid to this part if you are planning to open a new business.

The description of a product or service is presented with an emphasis on the benefits of the consumer. Simply put, don’t tell us what a great product you have, but describe why the client needs it.

The list of characteristics and properties should include the following:

• the product's name;
• appointment;
• listing the main properties and a short story about the minor ones;
• definition of competitiveness;
• availability of copyrights or licenses (if you are yet to obtain them, mention this point);
• information on supplies, guarantees, availability of service;
• description of appearance;
• availability of certificates;
• performance characteristics;
• disposal methods.

Describing the items will make planning easier and help you understand which properties need improvement.

Marketing analysis and plan: promotion strategy

The task of marketing analysis is to develop a product image and determine a promotion strategy. Once you have outlined the circle of buyers and established the required volume of goods, think about ways to convey information to the audience.

It will be easier to formulate the needs of future buyers by answering a number of questions:

1. Describe what they are purchasing now that your product is not on the market. List popular suppliers, volume of purchases, indicate the average price.
2. The most difficult thing is to understand why a consumer prefers a certain product. When buying kitchen utensils, the client can choose a set with the largest number of components, rely on convenience, or appreciate an attractive design. You need to determine his motivation, which desk research, telephone surveys and expert interviews will help with.
3. Ask the main question: “How can I get people to buy my product?” It is possible to attract customers through advertising campaigns, participation in exhibitions, sending out flyers, and providing free samples.

The nuances of the work depend on whether the activity is aimed at a wholesale or retail consumer, whether you intend to attract legal entities or individuals, etc.

In an unbridled desire to quickly open their own business, many novice businessmen often neglect to draw up a business plan. At best, this is fraught with loss of profit, at worst - the complete collapse of the business idea. Why is a business plan so important, what does it look like, is it possible to find a sample business plan with calculations and how to correctly approach its preparation?

Business plan concept

In the most general case, a business plan can be described as a detailed and maximally transparent guide for the creator and potential investors, describing the implementation of a certain business idea in real economic conditions.

Such a document can be created on the basis of three factors fundamental to any business idea:
• Honest awareness of your place and skill level. A complete analysis of one’s own knowledge, skills and abilities, financial capabilities (prospects for raising additional funds, if necessary), the need for premises, equipment, business connections, etc.
• Predicting the final result. There should be no abstract concepts like “I want to earn a lot of money.” Only clear planning of future business turnover, profit, market place, etc.
• A detailed description of the steps that can, within a predetermined time frame, carry out the transition from the first step to the second.

Business plan for yourself and for an investor - what is the difference

Depending on who the business plan is being drawn up for, some nuances should be taken into account:
• Business plan for potential investors. In this case, the main goal of the document is to convince the investor that the project is capable of generating profit and money can be allocated for it. The idea should be presented as effectively and beautifully as possible. Possible risks can be slightly downplayed (at least not focused on them), but you shouldn’t promise mountains of gold either - this will raise fair doubts.
• Business plan for yourself. Should be as close to reality as possible. It is a kind of guide to action. The document should describe everything necessary for opening and further development of a business.

It often happens that an entrepreneur mixes up these two documents that are identical in name, but somewhat different in essence. As a result, instead of clearly and concisely explaining to the investor what his money will be spent on, the novice businessman tells how they can save it.

Business plan structure

Before presenting a specific sample for drawing up a business plan yourself, you should carefully study the step-by-step instructions, which will describe in detail how to draw up a business plan and what to pay attention to first.

Any business plan must start with a title page. It would be useful to include information about the name of the project, the legal and actual address of the organization, comprehensive contact information and the date of development of the document.

To interest the investor, some prefer to show basic financial data on the title page - the payback period of the project, the expected profitability and the required amount of borrowed funds.

Next comes the main informative part of the document (many investors draw conclusions about the advisability of investing solely based on this part of the business plan), which represents concise information about all sections and the main conclusions.

The summary is compiled last, when all the calculations are ready and all the necessary information has been collected.

Description of the business plan

In this section, all the details of the project are described in detail, in the smallest detail.

There are many organizations that, for a certain amount of money, are ready to draw up a business plan for any project. Whether to resort to their services is up to each novice businessman to decide for himself. On the one hand, this approach will help to avoid many common mistakes, because professionals know exactly how to write a good business plan, on the other hand, it will not always accurately reflect the features of this particular business idea, and it can cost quite a lot.

In addition, independently drawing up a business plan will help an entrepreneur plunge headlong into his idea and study it down to the smallest detail, which will have a very positive impact on the future conduct of business.

Example of a business plan

And yet, it is more convenient to understand all the intricacies of drawing up a business plan using a specific example. Based on the recommendations described, let’s try to create an example of a competent and detailed business plan, understandable even for schoolchildren, telling how to open a gym from scratch in a small Russian city.

Summary

The project seems very promising, since in recent years citizens have seen a steady increase in interest in a healthy lifestyle and active recreation. The commercial justification for the project can be considered the lack of gyms for the middle class in the city. The main goal of the business is to occupy this niche.

Market assessment

The company will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For classes, you will need to purchase a subscription, which will be offered for 2, 5, 10 or 20 visits. Compared to the basic one, each subsequent type of subscription will provide a discount (in terms of 1 visit) in the amount of 5, 10 and 15%. A serious competitive advantage will be the extended validity period of subscriptions: 1, 2, 3 and 4 months, respectively.

The duration of the visit can be 30 minutes or 1 hour. To optimize the occupancy of the hall, it is proposed to give a 20% discount on visits in the morning (from 10.00 to 13.00) and 10% in the afternoon (from 13.00 to 17.00).

An aggressive advertising campaign will be launched prior to the official opening of the gym. This will allow you to form a customer base in advance. In order to be able to pre-sell season tickets, already at this stage it will be necessary to ensure the full functioning of the reception area, including renovation of the premises, staff work and communications.

After the first three months of operation, an analysis of the workload of the halls in each shift will be carried out and adjustments will be made to optimize the workload. This could be a redistribution of discounts, the introduction of additional incentives (every 10th visit as a gift, a free drink from the establishment, etc.).

Manufacturing process

It is planned to open a gym in the central part of the city, including two training rooms, two locker rooms and two showers. It is also planned to create a recreation area with a vending machine for hot drinks. Once every three months the establishment will be closed for sanitation. Accounting will be carried out during this same period.

The maximum capacity of the halls is 10 people. An instructor is always present in the hall. His tasks include the distribution of visitors and consultation. The instructor's work shift is 6 hours without lunch. The instructors' work schedule will be set according to their wishes for the week ahead.

Personal belongings can be left in the locker room, where personal lockers will be installed. Having locked the booth with a key, the visitor takes it with him for the duration of the lesson.

An administrator will constantly work in the lobby, whose tasks will include selling subscriptions, answering telephone calls, keeping a log of visitors, and informing clients about the congestion of the halls.

Leave for employees will be provided in the summer, since at this time a seasonal decline in demand for gym services is expected (due to the holiday season and the possibility of independent exercise in the fresh air).

It is planned to install modern exercise equipment in each hall:
• Swedish wall – 3 sections.
• Treadmill – 2.
• Exercise bike – 3.
• Strength trainer – 1.
• Abdominal trainer – 2.
• Rowing simulator - 2.

Premises requirement:
• Gym (at least 30 sq.m.) – 2.
• Locker room (at least 15 sq.m.) – 2.
• Locker room for employees (at least 6 sq.m.) – 1.
• Recreation area (about 9 sq.m.) – 1.
• Hall with wardrobe (about 15 sq.m.) – 1.
• Director's office (about 9 sq.m.) – 1.
• Administration room (9 sq.m.) – 1.
• Utility room – 1.
• Shower room – 2.
• Toilet – 2.

The total area of ​​premises for a business project must be at least 160 sq.m.

Manufacturing program

The average price of one hour of classes will be determined at 100 rubles. The gym will be open seven days a week, except holidays and sanitary days. There will be 14 such days during the year. Working days, respectively, 351.

The approximate annual revenue will be 351 days * 11 hours * 10 people (hall capacity) * 2 halls * 100 rubles = 7,722,000 rubles.

It is almost impossible to achieve constant full occupancy of the halls. Practice shows that in the morning the hall is 60-80% full, while in the evening it can be overcrowded.

We will set the actual amount of revenue at 90% of the maximum, which will be 6,949,800 rubles.

Amount of investment

Staffing and payroll

We accept the production rate for one instructor based on a 40-hour work week. Considering that the halls will work 351 days a year for 11 hours, we get the total number of working hours in the amount of 351 * 11 * 2 = 7722 hours.

Next, we calculate the maximum number of working hours per year for one employee. Each employee works approximately 250 calendar days per year. Subtracting from them 20 days of vacation, 5 days of sick leave, 6 days of educational leave and 1 day for performing government duties, we get, on average, 218 days or, in terms of hours, 218 * 8 = 1744 hours.

Thus, the need for instructors will be 7722 / 1744 = 4.42 = 5 people.

In a similar way, the need for administrators and security officers can be determined. Considering that their services extend to both halls at the same time, the need for such specialists will be 3 and 3 people, respectively.

In addition, two cleaners will work in the gym premises with a work schedule every other day. The senior administrator will be responsible for the operation of the beverage sales machine, for scheduling employees, and for the company’s marketing policy.

Basic salary rates for employees will be set in accordance with the staffing schedule. If, based on the results of work for the quarter, 90% occupancy of the halls was ensured, employees will be awarded a bonus. At the end of the year, management is considering the possibility of paying an annual bonus.

The projected wage fund will be 240,000 rubles per month.

Cost estimate

The production cost estimate for the first year of operation of the gym is based on a 90% load rate.

For convenience, the general estimate will be divided into several parts:

Direct cost estimate:
• Employee salary – 116,000 * 12 = 1,392,000 rubles.
• Social security contributions – 1,392,000 * 0.32 = 445,440 rubles.
• Depreciation of simulators - 212,000 rubles.
• Expenses for printing services - 24,000 rubles.

Estimate for maintenance and operation of equipment:
• Purchase of spare parts – 4,000 rubles.
• Services of specialists – 8,000 rub.

Estimate for general company expenses:
• Rent of premises – 32,000 * 12 = 384,000 rub.
• Payment of utilities – 6,000 * 12 = 72,000 rub.
• Electricity costs – 2,400 * 12 = 28,800 rubles.
• Salary of management and maintenance personnel – 124,000 * 12 = 1,488,000 rubles.
• Social security contributions – 476,160 rubles.
• Other expenses – 60,000 rub.
• Depreciation of fixed assets - 243,280 rubles.

The estimate for commercial expenses will only include advertising costs in the amount of 72,000 rubles per year.

Total production costs per year will be 4,909,680 rubles.

Balance sheet profit amount

This indicator can be determined by subtracting the total production costs from the planned sales volume: 6,949,800 – 4,909,680 = 2,040,120 rubles.

Calculation of tax deductions and production profitability

First of all, we determine the amount of non-operating expenses. They will consist of:
• Education tax (1% of the wage fund) – 28,800 rubles.
• Tax on the maintenance of social and cultural facilities and housing (1.5% of sales volume) – 125,096 rubles.

Balance sheet profit, taking into account non-operating expenses, will be 2,040,120 – 28,800 – 125,096 = 1,886,224.

Income tax (33%) = 622,454 rubles.

Net profit = 1,886,224 – 622,454 = 1,263,770 rubles.

Based on these indicators, you can calculate the value of specific profitability, which shows the profit per 1 ruble of sales. Determined by the ratio of balance sheet profit to turnover:

Rd = P / T * 100% = 1,886,224 / 6,949,800 * 100% = 27.1%

Project efficiency

To simplify the assessment of efficiency, we will assume that sales volumes will remain unchanged for several years. Let's calculate the net income of a business project for a certain period of time:

BH = PP * T – K,

Where PE is net profit,
T – time interval (let’s take it equal to 5 years),
K – investment amount calculated earlier.

BH = 1,263,770 * 5 – 1,758,600 = 4,560,250 rub.

Another important indicator is the profitability index, i.e. the amount of profit over a certain period of time received per 1 ruble of invested funds:

ID = PE * T / C = 1,263,770 * 5 / 1,758,600 = 3.59

Also, the presented business project will be perfectly characterized by such an indicator as the payback period. This is the number of years required for net profit to become equal to the amount of investment:

T ok = K / PE av = 1,758,600 / 1,263,770 = 1.39 years

Type of ownership

In accordance with current legislation, a limited liability company was chosen as the form of ownership. After the implementation of a business project, the company can be transformed into a Closed Joint Stock Company.

conclusions

The maximum price for one hour of training in our gym will be 100 rubles, which will be the optimal amount for clients with average incomes. Purchasing subscriptions will allow you to receive significant discounts.

The specific profitability of the project will be 27.1%, and the profitability index will be 3.59 rubles over five years for every ruble invested in the business. These indicators are above the industry average and also exceed the yield on bank deposits.

The project promises to pay for itself in 1.39 years, which should prove very attractive to potential investors.

The considered example not only shows an example of a good business plan for an enterprise, it can serve as a kind of algorithm that clearly demonstrates how a project can be made for almost any idea. Of course, the numbers will vary, but the general structure will remain similar.

Business plan: sample and purpose of the document + reasons for drafting + 5 stages of creation + features of writing for investors and for personal purposes + structure + 15 tips + 7 illustrative examples.

Any actions must be planned and displayed on paper. This is especially true for entrepreneurship. Without business planning, i.e. detailed optimization of resources and determination of further tasks, even an experienced entrepreneur will not be able to achieve his goals.

That's why it's so important to have on hand sample business plan and compose it correctly. This material will help you with this.

Why and who needs a business plan?

There are several definitions of a business plan on the Internet.

Here are the most common ones:

Those. A business plan is a document that describes in detail the ways of its implementation. Thanks to it, you can thoroughly justify your project, evaluate the effectiveness of decisions made from all sides, and understand the feasibility of financing a particular activity.

The business plan shows:

• business development prospects;
• volumes of the sales market, potential consumers;
• profitability of the project;
• upcoming costs for the production and sale of products, supplying them to the market, etc.

A business development plan is a tool that evaluates the final results of activities for a specific period of time. It can be used to attract investors and is necessary in creating a business concept and company strategy.

Drawing up a business plan is one of the important, responsible stages of planning. It is developed both for those enterprises that produce goods and for those whose specialization is the provision of services.

Before writing a business plan, specialists or the owner of the company determine the tasks and means for their implementation. The developed document can attract lenders to implement ideas. For this reason, it is impossible to exaggerate its importance.

Purpose of the business development plan:

• analysis of aspects of entrepreneurship;
• competent management of finances and operations;
• justification for the need to receive investments (bank loans, equity participation of companies in the project, budget allocations, etc.);
• taking into account the financial capabilities and threats (risks) of the enterprise;
• choosing the optimal direction of development.

Entrepreneurs write business plans for the following reasons:

Features of drawing up a plan for personal purposes and creditors

It is important to see the difference between a business plan, which is written for internal use, and a “front door” document, so to speak, to be transferred to creditors.

1. Create a plan for personal goals.

If you intend to use the sample business plan and write it for yourself, please note that it will be in the form of a practical guide to further actions.

In this case, the business development plan should answer the following questions:

1. What activities are you (will you be) involved in?
2. What product/service does your company offer to the market?
3. Who are the consumers, clients?
4. What goals should you achieve?
5. What means are needed to achieve the goals?
6. Who is responsible for completing certain tasks?
7. How long does it take to complete it?
8. What capital investments will be required?
9. What results should the actions lead to?

You need to understand that when drawing up a working document, you need to reflect the real state of things in order to know in which direction to move, what to do, what to strive for.

2. Document for investors.

When developing a business plan to present to creditors/investors, the methodology is different. The person or organization that will finance your enterprise should receive a document detailing the situation and main objectives.

You must convince investors that their money will be used rationally and indicate the benefits for them. A business plan must be drawn up logically, every action must be justified.

If you have doubts in any area, study it more carefully, because lenders will likely have “uncomfortable” questions regarding the program you outline. And the amount of initial investment to open/develop your own business will depend on how you answer them.

Confidence in delivery is also of particular importance. It’s good if you can display statistics in a business plan, citing the example of another company. This will increase your chances of receiving investment.

When writing a business plan, you should adhere to a business style and follow the structure.

Sample business plan: structure

Regardless of the purpose for which you draw up a plan, working with it takes place in 5 stages:

As a business creator, you will have no problem making up the first two points. But what should be the proper structure of a business plan?

Let's look at the main sections, what information they contain and how to compose them correctly.

No. 1. Title page.

It acts as a calling card for itself. It indicates: the name of your company, contact information, address information, phone numbers of the founders.

In addition, the title must contain the contents of the entire document (chapter - page number). When writing your title, be brief and present information concisely.

The total volume of the business plan is about 30-35 pages, including applications.

*Business plan (sample title page)

No. 2. Introductory part of a sample business development plan.

It takes up approximately 2 A4 sheets. The introduction describes the main aspects of your business, its essence, and what advantages it has.

It is necessary to write down why the product/service is attractive to buyers and what the expected profit is. If you intend to raise funds for your business, the introductory part indicates the amount of capital you need.

Typically, the introduction is devoted to the following points of the plan:

The introductory part is compiled last, because it describes the overall picture of the company's activities.
You can fully portray it only after studying all the nuances of the case.

You can study a sample of this and other parts of the plan at the end of this material - examples of this document for the main areas of business are collected there.

No. 3. The main part of a business plan.

The main section concerns the type of activity and all its key points, the cost of the project.

It consists of subsections:

• production;
• financial;
• marketing;
• organizational;
• calculating business efficiency;
• risks.

We will look at them separately.

At the end it follows final part. In it you need to summarize the work done and give a clear definition of the tasks.

Subsections of the main part of business plans

No. 1. Development of the production subsection of the business plan.

The main section of the document is the most capacious. Its subsections describe each aspect of your business.

For example, industrial shows what equipment will be used, what premises you have, how much money you will need to purchase and start a business.

This plan is also designed to help you calculate production capacity and determine the likely prospects for growth in production volumes.

In addition, it contains information on the full supply of raw materials, components, and covers issues about the need for labor, temporary and fixed costs of the business.

To ensure that the production subsection of the plan has a clear structure and contains all the necessary information, indicate:

• How streamlined is the production process, are there innovative solutions;
• methods of supplying resources, the degree of development of the transport system;
• a complete description of the technologies and why they were chosen;
• Do you need to buy/rent premises to run a business;
• composition of the required personnel and all data about them, labor costs;
• possible maximum volume of output;
• information about suppliers, subcontractors of the business;
• the cost of each product;
• estimate mentioning current expenses, etc.

No. 2. Development of the financial subsection of the plan.

Financial plan summarizes all the presented data with economic indicators for the business, i.e. in cost terms.

This includes business reports:

• Balance sheet plan (confirming the company’s ability to timely pay its monetary obligations).

About financial results, profits and losses.

It highlights the sources of profit, how losses occurred, provides an assessment of changes in business income/expenses that occurred during the reporting period, etc.

About the movement of money.

This report allows you to see operating results, long-term creditworthiness, and short-term liquidity.

The financial subsection of a business plan is also characterized by the presence of:

• schedules of future financial activities,
• descriptions of likely investments.

Carefully consider the possibility of investing, whether it will be profitable, and the target orientation of the investment. Write how you will return the funds raised into the business.

Try to ensure that the financial part of your business plan includes:

No. 3. Development of the marketing subsection of a business plan.

The marketing subsection concerns the analysis of the market for the products manufactured by your company. You must indicate in the plan the size, dynamics and trends of the market, its segments, and conditions.

In addition, the subsection informs about who the consumers of the business’s products are and what product promotion strategy will be used.

Here, consumption volumes are calculated, the estimated share occupied in the market, the levers used to influence demand (advertising campaign, pricing, product improvement, etc.), and business competitiveness are described.

It is necessary to evaluate your product from the consumer’s perspective, why it is attractive, what its consumer value is, whether it is safe to use, and its service life.

When drawing up a marketing plan, rely on the following points:

To draw up a marketing plan, information is taken from the external environment, relevant research and surveys are conducted, and professional marketers are hired to study the market situation.

No. 4. Development of an organizational subsection of the plan.

In terms of doing business, organizational issues are considered no less important. Therefore, in this subsection you are required to describe all the steps that will be taken to implement the project.

For example, as shown in the example in the picture:

It is better to present the information in the plan in tabular form so that the sequence of your actions is clearly visible. It would not hurt to mention the regulatory and legislative acts that regulate the selected industry.

In organizational terms, it is worth describing the management side, the responsibilities of all employees, the system of subordination and incentives (remuneration), and describing the internal regime of the company.

Remember that you need to follow the structure as in the example:

No. 5. How to calculate the effectiveness and probable risks?

In the penultimate sections, you need to give an objective assessment of the company’s performance, show the expected prospects based on the estimate, balance sheet, profitability threshold, and planned sales volume.

The business plan developer must write the payback period, NPV (net present value).

The best option would be to arrange this in a table, as in the example below:

Business risks should also be taken into account. Be sure to indicate in the plan what measures you will take to minimize them if they arise, and what self-insurance program you will resort to.

Experienced business plan authors pay special attention to risks, and consider the likelihood of the worst outcome. Making notes on how to resolve perceived difficulties will make your future work easier. If losses and financial losses occur, you will already know how to compensate for them.

When this section of the business plan causes difficulties, turn to experts for help.

A SWOT analysis of a business is often used for this purpose:

This is a method of identifying external/internal factors that influence business development.

Thanks to it you will be able to appreciate:

• your weaknesses (for example, the need to rent a building, lack of brand recognition),
• advantages (low price, high service, professional staff),
• indicate opportunities (these may include the availability of funds for introducing innovations, the use of modern equipment, coverage of a larger market segment, etc.).

And, ultimately, threats that you cannot cancel occur are considered, for example:

• economic crisis,
• deterioration of the demographic situation,
• increase in customs duties,
• growing political tension,
• tough competition, etc.

If you provide a clear and justified algorithm for solving risks in the document, this is guaranteed to attract partners and creditors for your business.

15 tips for beginners to competently draw up a business plan

very painstaking and complex. In the process of compiling it, many questions will arise. For this reason, most beginners make mistakes.

To avoid them and make your business plan worthwhile, follow these recommendations:

Before you start writing, it is better to look at more than one example of a business plan.

It’s easy to find illustrative examples on the Internet, and perhaps they will even relate to your line of business.

There is no need to “pour water”, thinking that the document is supposed to be voluminous.

A business plan should contain only important, realistic information that is interesting to investors and useful to you in running your business (as in the samples below).

1. Errors, corrections, and typos are strictly prohibited.
2. The business plan should reflect the possibility of your enterprise reaching a higher level and the strengths of the management team.
3. When developing a business plan, one cannot underestimate competition and possible difficulties.
4. If the information you want to display is sensitive, you should skip it.

Do not complete the document hastily.

Such a plan will not have the desired effect on creditors. If you are composing it for yourself, all the same, it should not look like a draft version.

Use more tables, graphs (as in the samples below).

Providing statistics in this way makes the material more visual.

Market analysis is often inaccurate.

Therefore, approach the marketing section responsibly and collect all the necessary data.

Be sure to include competitive and distinctive characteristics in your business plan.

Throw out too abstruse expressions from your business plan, as well as those that are understood ambiguously and demonstrate your insolvency.

For example, “a product that has no analogues”, “at the stage of consideration”, “ease of sale”, etc.

Take into account absolutely all business expenses.

Lenders consider this column particularly important. Therefore, they may have a lot of questions for you on such items as staff salaries, taxes, purchase of raw materials, etc.

Don't ignore risk considerations.

As mentioned, this will protect you from problems encountered on the way to achieving your goals, and will also allow investors to see you as a serious, responsible entrepreneur.

5. In your business plan, focus not on the first profit or big earnings, but on a stable cash flow.

Don't forget to include time limits.

Any task has a deadline (a quarter, a year, several years).

If you are not sure that you can complete a business plan on your own, even using the samples below, do not waste money on a specialist.

He understands this issue more than you, so he will draw up the document accurately, without technical, methodological and conceptual mistakes that you may make without proper experience.

A detailed outline of a high-quality business plan with explanations

you will find in this video:

Ready-made business plans (samples) for different areas of activity

The pharmaceutical business does not lose its relevance, because the need for medicines does not disappear. Moreover, most of the family budget, as a rule, goes to medicines.

Because of this, opening a pharmacy is a very profitable business.

Therefore, it makes sense to take a closer look at the example of drawing up such a business plan in this sample:.

If you want to enter a different field, consider opening a cafe.

There are quite a lot of similar establishments and the competition is great. However, the demand for them is growing. If you take into account all the aspects of the arrangement and offer healthy food, you will definitely be successful.

To draw up a document correctly, check out the sample cafe business plan!

The male half of the population may be interested in the idea of ​​organizing a car service center.

The owner of a service station will not be left without income if the repair and maintenance of vehicles is outlined in detail with all the ensuing factors in the business plan.

Women will find it more pleasant to open a beauty salon.

We assure you that, regardless of the number of existing establishments providing cosmetic services, your “enterprise” in the beauty industry will be in demand. This is due to the fact that every client wants the salon to be nearby and not have to travel to another block.

Representatives of the fair half of humanity can delve into trading activities and create a flower shop. The main advantage of the idea is the small start-up capital.

This small business also requires planning. And although flower shops are not exactly popular in Russia, who knows, maybe you will change that.

To do this, you need to draw up a well-thought-out business plan (a sample of which you can study at this link).

Hotel business is a much more complex option, which involves taking into account many factors, especially marketing ones.

If you don’t know what size room you need or what investments are required, get the information you need in a standard sample:
business plan for a hotel.

The process of implementing a farming project is no less labor-intensive. But in this case, you will have the opportunity to receive financial support and benefits from the state.

A good sample plan that can attract public investors, clearly demonstrates the goals, .

The implementation of any idea begins with drawing up a business plan. Without it, it is impossible to determine the necessary tasks and understand the feasibility of investments and costs. Many businessmen needlessly ignore this fact and do not use this useful tool.

If you have no experience in writing, any sample business plan given here will help you understand all the drafting standards, thanks to which you can easily set yourself a guideline for further actions.

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Typically, a classic Business Plan consists of twelve main elements, including a cover page and a confidentiality memorandum.

A well-drafted business plan can either simply become the basis for organizing a business or help raise funds for the development of a project if it turns out to be attractive to an investor or lender. Below is a step-by-step instruction on how to write a business plan, describing its most important elements and recommendations for its preparation.

What is a Business Plan in simple words and example

A business plan is a document that provides a detailed justification for the project and the opportunity to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of decisions made, planned activities, and answer the question of whether it is worth investing in a given project.

A ready-made business plan includes all elements of the development and functioning of a business for the planning period. How detailed and competently a business plan for starting a business is written depends on how much the idea will be appreciated from the outside, as well as the number of suddenly arising nuances that were not taken into account initially.

We can say that developing a business plan is half of creating a business. It describes the details of technological processes, accounting, the state of affairs in the industry, as well as documentation.

Thus, business plan in simple words– this is a detailed description of the planned project, containing calculations and expected results for the next few years.

Sample Business Plans (download)

Below you will find several more examples and samples of business plans that you can download and study in detail.

Types of business plans

When deciding how to write a business plan correctly, you must first determine for whom it will be written. There are two main formats for this document:

1. Interior. This business plan is intended solely for private use among the founders. With its help, expenses, production volumes and necessary inventories are planned, and the like. Such a business plan should be as close to reality as possible and reflect all risks even in the worst case scenarios. Some details of such a business plan that are obvious to the founder can be omitted, since in this case there will be no one to evaluate the unnecessary details.
2. For external users. Such business plans are prepared for presentation to investors or creditors, as well as government support agencies from which funds are expected to be received. This type of plan is distinguished not only by greater detail, but also by a wider evidence base and a larger number of calculations. In this case, it is necessary to convince your counterparties of the validity of the calculations and prospects described in the plan. Logicality and consistency in the presentation of information, the quality of its presentation, design and accuracy are important. It is often possible to use the maximum and minimum possible real numbers where it directly affects the result of the calculation and efficiency, in order to increase the attractiveness of the idea for those who can invest in it. It will be good if all the facts and figures contain sources that support their authenticity. A business plan that has visual materials will also benefit.

You cannot write a business plan for yourself and for an investor at the same time, since they have different purposes.

Internal plans should be more meaningful and practical, and the values ​​in the calculations should be closer to the average or even worst case. Plans for external users should be logically and neatly presented, and the values ​​​​in them usually are close to the ideal scenario.

What does a Business Plan consist of - Structure

Depending on the specifics of the business and the purpose of the document, the number and content of business plan items may vary. A typical business plan usually consists of the following elements:

1. Title page.
2. Confidentiality Memorandum.
3. Summary.
4. Objective of the project.
5. Analysis of the enterprise's position in the industry.
6. Description of the product of labor.
7. Production plan.
8. Organizational plan.
9. Risk analysis.
10. Applications.

Some elements that are required for writing a business plan for a job center or lenders are optional for writing documents for internal use. For example, it doesn't make much sense to create a confidentiality memorandum or cover sheet for yourself.

At the same time, a business plan for a store may not contain a paragraph describing the product of labor, since in this case all goods are purchased for resale, and the list of services is standard.

Where to start making your Business Plan - Instructions

First, you need to clearly define the scope of activity and the product that will be produced by the newly created enterprise. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary analysis of the market situation in real time and identify niches that are not sufficiently represented on the market. Choosing one of these niches will make it more likely to successfully take your market share in a short time.

Next, you need to collect all publicly available information about this field of activity. The greatest attention should be paid to real stories and reviews of people working in this area. Only they are able to give an idea of ​​the nuances that, at first glance, are implicit.

For popular industries, for example, a cafe or a beauty salon, you can find a sample business plan for reference or even special services that help in its formation. For more specific industries, the amount of information publicly available may be limited.

If there is a clear lack of data for analysis, it is best to seek paid advice from specialists - they will help fill in the gaps in knowledge.

SWOT analysis

This type of analysis is used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of an idea when information about the latter is available. Conducting a SWOT analysis helps to visually correlate the pros, cons and dangers of a future project in order to conduct a holistic assessment of them.

The name encodes the essence of the method as an abbreviation: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is in these four columns that the data is distributed in the SWOT analysis.

• Towards strengths include the advantages that the chosen niche has.
• Weak sides should be described in as much detail as possible, as they are needed in order to eliminate them in the future. This column includes all the shortcomings in the theoretical implementation of the plan, from low profitability to the lack of own premises.

Strengths and weaknesses, for the most part, are internal factors that are directly influenced by the founder.

Opportunities and threats, on the contrary, are considered external factors that must either be used or adjusted to and taken into account. A sample table for conducting a SWOT analysis of a production project for a business plan is presented below:

Writing a resume

One of the elements of writing a business plan from scratch is writing a resume.

This element is always located at the beginning of the business plan and contains some brief information about it, forcing people who decide to read the contents of the document to become interested in it and continue reading it.

This is most important when searching for potential investors and lenders.

Despite the placement of this element in the document, the founder does not begin working on it before writing a business plan for a small business, since the executive summary is the section that provides consolidated information from the rest of the business plan.

Accordingly, work on the resume is the last thing the founder begins - this is, for the most part, the business card of the project for external users of information.

The main points that counterparties want to see in a resume are usually the possible level of profitability from investing in the development of a project, as well as the risks assumed for such investments.

Often the purpose of the project is included in a separate section.

In this subparagraph, it is necessary to indicate the goals and objectives set for the business, as well as argue for the success of the future enterprise. Often at this point the results obtained from SWOT analysis are used.

Analysis of the company’s place in the market

This section usually contains an overview of competition in the selected industry, presented by the number of competing firms and their market shares, product specifics and sales volume, if such data is present.

Also, this section usually includes data on the planned size of the organization being created and competing organizations: number of employees, production capacity, and so on.

• Check it out (download).

Based on this analysis, a promising place in the industry is usually determined, that is, the market share that is planned to be occupied in the future and in what time frame this should happen. If a business plan is drawn up for external users, then this point is one of the fundamental ones and should be disclosed in detail.

As advantages, you can take into account the experience of hired employees and managers, possible prospects for the development of the organization, various know-how, and so on.

When it becomes necessary to write a business plan yourself, you need to pay special attention to some mandatory elements in its content. In the case of a marketing plan, such elements are tools for product promotion, demand analysis, as well as preliminary sales directions, especially when it comes to production.

Product promotion tools are usually advertising, direct sales, and other options, depending on the field of activity.

In some cases, competent merchandising can be used as a promotion tool. It is also necessary to indicate by what means the promotion will be carried out: will it be a special department, a separate employee, or outsourced services from companies and inviting third-party specialists.

Marketing demand research is an extremely complex and serious job, therefore, if you do not have confidence in your own skills, it is better to leave it to professionals. In this case, the likelihood that such research will be positively assessed by creditors will be higher.

However, if it is important exactly how to draw up a business plan yourself from start to finish, then it is necessary to take into account not only the volume of demand at a particular moment, but also its seasonal fluctuations, elasticity under the influence of the price factor, average prices for goods, and the possibility of stimulating demand.

If there are already preliminary options for selling products, it would be good to indicate them and draw up your own sales program for each, which will include sales volumes for the period, revenue, tax administration (for example, payment of VAT if the counterparty is not its payer etc.), methods and terms of delivery and payment. Here you can specify the rules and content of future promotions and discounts, if there are any developments on them.

It would be good to draw up a forecast sales table with calculations of total revenue for each counterparty or for each product. Tables can have a simple but informative appearance:

If possible, it is better to provide accompanying documentation with the amounts so that prices and volumes are not taken out of thin air. Also, you should not deliberately overestimate the prospects if such documentation is not available - this section should not raise doubts among investors.

Production plan

One of the most important elements of any business plan. It is necessary to understand that this part of the plan applies not only to production enterprises - the production plan includes the entire process of functioning of the organization.

An exception may be a business in which no personnel actions are taken with the products at all - for example, a wholesale store that simply purchases products, stores them in a warehouse, and then sells them.

If we consider the business plan of a restaurant or coffee shop, then the production plan includes everything from the purchase of products for cooking and the time of preparation of a dish or drink, to the equipment used, the cost and shelf life of the finished dish, as well as the process of maintaining existing equipment and mechanisms .

This paragraph, depending on the field of activity, should include:

• Costs of raw materials and other production costs.
• Costs for purchasing equipment and premises.
• Labor costs.
• General production and general business expenses - rent, utilities, etc.
• Overheads.

In addition to expenses, this paragraph describes in detail the work processes, the timing of each production cycle and storage of products, the useful life of equipment, mechanisms of interaction between different departments, requirements for employees, planned wages, their calculation schedule, and so on.

As a result, you can present a production plan outlined in sub-items, starting with the purchase of raw materials and ending with the payment of wages and the sale of final products.

Organizational plan

In this section it is necessary to describe the structure of the company and its management system. This includes the organizational structure, staffing table, information about the management of the enterprise, founders, organizational and legal form, planned management mechanisms, and distribution of responsibilities.

• (download in PDF).

This section also discusses the process of documenting activities in the process of its organization, with references to the primary legal acts according to which the registration and operation of the enterprise will take place. As a rule, this item is written in order, starting with the rental of premises and ending with the launch of production.

This section of the plan, regardless of the purpose of the document, must be disclosed in as much detail as possible, since it determines how much planned expenses and income in the future will coincide with real ones.

This item represents the preparation of calculation documentation for planned costs, as well as approximate revenue volumes. The best option for presenting this information is in a table, with separate explanations, since the amount of information in the financial plan of even a small enterprise is quite large.

It is imperative to remember that the enterprise has fixed costs that do not depend on the volume of production, such as rent, and variables determined by the volume of output. It is also necessary to take into account the cost of maintenance and repair of units, and all this must be taken into account when calculating the unit cost of production. Fixed assets transfer their value to finished products gradually, so their cost is taken into account as part of the cost depending on their useful life in the form of depreciation.

• (download).

After the cost per unit of production has been calculated, as well as the volume of fixed costs over a period of time, the break-even volume of production is calculated - that is, the amount of product that must be produced and sold at a given price in order to fully cover the cost and fixed costs. A further increase in production and sales volumes will mean increased profits.

Also in this section it is necessary to present the payback period of the project, which in a simplified form is calculated as the ratio of initial costs to monthly net profit. The result will be in months.

This section can also include other indicators necessary depending on the scope of the enterprise’s activities. In general, the more detailed information is presented in this section, the better. For example, in the case of opening an online store, you can create a table like this:

Risk identification

At this point, it is necessary to consider the various risks that are inherent in the industry, region or type of activity, assess their theoretically possible impact on the organization’s activities and possible damage, and also describe in detail how to counter them, highlighting those that will be used in certain situations.

If the business plan is being drawn up for internal use, this section should be made as detailed as possible - this can be very helpful in the future.

When drawing up a document for investors, you can omit some implicit risks, but in no case should you omit the obvious ones - this will be noticed and perceived as a shortcoming or short-sightedness of the founder. When developing this point, the founder will also be helped by a SWOT analysis carried out at the beginning.

Formation of applications

Applications are a mandatory element of a business plan, especially those compiled for external use. All possible documents confirming the points expressed earlier by the founder are attached to the plan as appendices.

It is highly advisable to confirm all figures, for example, with official statistics, reporting documentation of similar companies, letters of guarantee and certificates, and so on.

It is also important to attach to the appendices various agreements concluded with counterparties or other founders, existing company documentation, documents certifying the qualifications and data of the founders and planned management personnel, and in general all possible documents confirming the information and judgments presented in the business plan itself.

Such documents must be referenced in the text of the plan. Too voluminous calculations or diagrams can also be included here.

An individual approach is required to the preparation of each business plan, however, there are some general recommendations that apply to most similar documents, according to which you can either draw up a business plan for an individual entrepreneur for internal use, or develop a plan for creditors of an existing large enterprise.

• Reflect the real situation. If your plans take into account grossly overestimated profitability indicators or too low prices for raw materials, you may end up with a completely different financial result than was calculated in the marketing plan.
• Write in literate, understandable language. If the business plan is written confusingly and with a lot of errors, no investor or lender will consider such a document seriously.
• Take into account the nuances. It is necessary to pay attention to such things as seasonal changes in prices for certain goods and services, and climatic conditions affecting production. For example, in different regions, the cost of heating workshop premises, especially large ones, can vary greatly.
• Draw up a business plan succinctly, but without unnecessary volume. The usual length of this document is 20-25 pages, excluding attachments. If it turns out to be much larger, then it is better to include all documents, voluminous calculations and diagrams in applications.
• Calculate costs as accurately as possible. If the price of a particular product or raw material fluctuates greatly, it is better to take the maximum values, so that in the event of another price fluctuation there is no unpleasant surprise in the form of a loss of profitability.
• Read similar documents. Working on a plan is much easier when you have an example of writing a business plan at hand. To do this, below are examples of business plans in different areas that can be taken as a basis.

Conclusion

Drawing up a business plan is a rather complex and time-consuming task. However, a well-drafted business plan can be considered half of starting your own business. Each industry has its own specifics in drawing up this document, but there are some general points that must be taken into account when drawing up a high-quality business plan.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Good planning is the basis for the successful operation of any enterprise, and small projects are no exception. Having in hand a business plan that has been drawn up competently, where all the components of success are presented and all the main risks are taken into account, with due diligence you can definitely count on a good return from the activities of a small company. Let's look at the procedure for developing this document and consider an example of a business plan for a small business.

A Good Business Plan for a Small Business: Key Points

A business plan for a small company, like any other, should include:

• all necessary information about the company;
• the goods or services it produces;
• sales markets;
• the company's marketing approach;
• organization of all main production processes.

The main difference between a plan for a small business is that when drawing it up, you need to take into account much fewer points than when developing planning documentation for a large company.

Therefore, the documents themselves are compiled simpler and have less volume.

However, in any case, the matter must be approached with all seriousness, because a mistake can be costly. If there are one or more errors in the plan, this may prevent the company from turning a profit.

The procedure for developing a business plan for a small enterprise

The plan needs to consistently record seven main points.

1. Business concept.
2. Basic information about the company.
3. The essence of the enterprise’s activities, information about the goods sold and services provided.
4. Market conditions (information about potential consumers and competitors should be provided here).
5. Development strategy.
6. Organization of company management.
7. Financial planning.

How to write a business plan correctly?

To create a plan, you first need to answer a few basic questions.

• What is the purpose of creating a business?
• What result do you want?
• How will the company be managed?
• How exposed is the company's activities to external factors?
• How competitive will the company be?
• How great will the financial stability of the company be?

In order for planning to be carried out at the proper level, you must have some experience in running a business and understand how to properly organize financial flows.

If you do not have enough knowledge for this, it is better to seek help from those who do have it, or buy a ready-made plan and redo it.

Small Business Business Plan Example

Let's look at the business plan for a fitness bar in an abbreviated form.

1. Summary

The Fitnessbar company operates in the catering market. Sales volumes of goods in this place in the first year should reach 15,000,000 rubles, and profit - 1,300,000 rubles. To do this you will need to invest 5,000,000 rubles.

The enterprise will expand in the future. To solve this problem, additional investments will be attracted, and profits will also be spent on expansion.

1.1. Goals

• Increase the sales volume of goods in the Fitness Bar by 2 times.
• Reduce costs so that they are no more than 15% of sales.

1.2. Company mission

We strive to ensure that visitors enjoy their stay in our bar and become our regular customers and want our establishment to become the most popular fitness bar in the city of N.

We are working to improve comfort and create conditions for relaxation in the Fitness Bar. To do this, we are improving the quality of service, organizing broadcasts of matches and sports programs, and creating an atmosphere of unity and friendliness.

1.3. Keys to Success

• Quality: The products sold in our establishment must be of the highest quality, as is the service.
• Proper management of financial flows.
• Strict cost control.

1.4. Possible risks

1. Competing companies.
2. Lack of solvent clients in the city of N.

Children's products never lose popularity, and many mothers prefer to order products online. At this link you will find a sample business plan for an online children's clothing store.

2. About the company

The company's concept includes:

• high specialization: The company's target audience is people who are passionate about fitness, and we do everything to satisfy their needs;
• creating a first-class service: high quality of service, comfortable seats, regular broadcasts of sports programs;
• location: The bar is located in the city center and is located within walking distance from three fitness centers and a sports school.

2.1. Owners

The owner of the company is Ivan Ivanov, the company is his sole property.

2.2. Company history

The Fitnessbar company was founded in 2014.

Every year, Fitnessbar increases sales and expands the circle of its customers.

Table 1. Development costs

3. Services provided

The establishment is a fitness bar where visitors have the opportunity to dine, watch broadcasts of matches and other sports programs and meet friends, as well as make new acquaintances. The range includes three services:

• nutrition;
• the ability to watch broadcasts;
• retail sale of sports nutrition and sports paraphernalia.

3.1. Technology

Plasma screens are used for broadcasting.

4. Market description

The market is very promising, since the number of people interested in fitness is growing every year. The popularity of fitness bars is also growing year by year, and this trend will continue for many years to come.

4.1. Market segmentation

The market consists of three main segments:

• people who are passionate about fitness;
• people who lead a healthy lifestyle and take a careful approach to nutrition;
• fans.

4.2. Market State

Competition in the market is low, which opens up wide opportunities for development. In the city of N there are only 3 competitive establishments per 100,000 people, which do not satisfy the demand that is growing every year.

5. Strategy and its implementation

The company's strategy is to meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts, people who pay great attention to healthy eating and sports fans.

5.1. Competitive advantage

The main competitive advantage is the high quality of food and service and a special approach to serving customers from all three market segments.

5.2. Marketing strategy

The Fitnessbar company is positioned as follows: a highly specialized establishment that provides visitors with three services.

This includes food, retail sales of sports nutrition and sports supplies.

Cost price

Information on the cost of goods and services provided is given in Table 2.

Table 3. Sales plan

6. Management

The company has 6 employees. The company is managed by its owner, Ivan Ivanov.

Workers perform three main functions:

• are engaged in establishing supplies and sales;
• service the fitness bar equipment;
• deal with accounting and administration issues.

Table 4. Staffing table

7. Financial plan

• The company's profit growth is stable and moderate, the balance is positive at any time.
• Residual profits are invested in business development.

Table 4. Planned balance

Planned balance
Assets
	2016
Money	RUB 27,000.00
Debt	0.00 rub.
Funds in securities	RUB 30,000.00
Inventory	RUB 22,000.00
Other assets	RUB 24,000.00
Total assets	RUB 103,000.00
Equipment and real estate	RUB 300,000.00
Depreciation deductions	RUB 60,000.00
Equipment and real estate (net)	RUB 240,000.00
Intangible assets	RUB 8,556,094.00
Other assets	RUB 30,000.00
Total assets	8586094

7.1. Profit and loss forecast

It is expected that the company's profits will grow steadily due to the expansion of the number of clients and the opening of new establishments in addition to the existing one.

In the next three years, revenues should triple. This is what a business plan for a small enterprise looks like in general.

A properly drawn up plan is the basis for the success of any company.

In addition, this important document is necessary in order to attract investors. All persons interested in investing money in a small business will see the full picture after familiarizing themselves with it. Such a plan is necessary in order to show investors the prospects for business development and let them understand what kind of return they can expect from their investments.

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