How to build and create a business plan from scratch: step-by-step technology for creating it, as well as examples of ready-made instructions for small businesses. Step-by-step instructions for drawing up a business plan

First, I’ll tell you briefly about my results in business. At the moment, I am the owner of several large Internet projects, the total cost of which is more than several million rubles, including a portal site. It is for this reason that I can openly express my opinions regarding business planning and various business processes. The knowledge and skills that I possess were acquired not in a university or a textbook, but in conditions of market competition through dozens of experiments.

To write or not to write a business plan?

Let's open any of the university textbooks about business, and in each of them it will be written that a business begins with a business plan. And even if the bearded professors with glasses don’t like what I say next, let’s build on the results these professors have achieved in business. As a rule, these are theorists who have never led large companies. But they all echo that a well-drafted business plan is 50% of the success of your future company.

To be honest, I even feel funny at such moments. You can plan for at least a whole year, make a plan for 100 A4 sheets, and then your business will fail.
Do you know why? Yes, because it's a market! The market is constantly changing, transforming, and it is cruel, especially for newcomers. You will never be able to predict everything that can happen to you or your business idea. That is why my personal opinion is that drawing up a business plan for a long time is a waste of your time.

Although there are several situations where a business plan can come in handy.

When is a business plan really needed?

In our age of bureaucracy, you simply cannot do without a business plan in two main cases:

— You want to receive a grant or subsidy for business development from the state.
Unfortunately, the entrepreneurship support system in the Russian Federation is such that you won’t even be accepted without a business plan. The main reason is that most of the officials in business support centers have no idea what business is, because... They have never studied it and are used to acting according to textbooks and regulations. The principle works here: the more paper in the business plan, the better. In the eyes of officials, such a business plan will look as if serious work has been done on it.

— You are preparing a business plan for an investor.

It is important to clearly understand that an investor is far from an official! As a rule, this is already an experienced businessman who will not tinker with the stack of papers that you brought him. For him, two things matter most:
1) The idea you came up with. She must “infect” him, he must want to do this business.
2) How well you understand the topic. Be prepared for dozens of questions. And you will have to answer all these questions.

These are probably the two main situations in which you really need a business plan.

When you don't need to make a business plan!

I remember when I was 22 years old, I even bought myself a smart book called “Business Planning.” At that time, I generally had vague ideas about business. I can already say that this was one of my most stupid purchases. I wanted to write a business plan FOR MYSELF! Never write business plans for yourself! It’s better to devote this time to studying the market, study it inside and out, and finally launch your business. The maximum time you can spend on creating a business plan is 1–2 hours of working time! Just take a piece of paper, a pen and calculate all the indicators. A business plan should fit on a maximum of 1 piece of paper, no need to write 30-page Talmuds!

Sample business plan “Business on social networks”

One of the main areas of my business is business on social networks, namely business on public pages.

I would like to immediately note that the data presented is already confirmed, and I drew up this business plan after launching the project and receiving profit from it. That is, after the fact. I will add my comments to each paragraph.

Idea: creating a public VKontakte page for the purpose of selling advertising, your products, and participating in affiliate programs on it.

Ways to make money on the project:
- advertising sales,
- partnership programs,
- selling your goods.

Main affiliate programs:
— ,
— .

What products can be sold:
— women's beauty and health products,
- Products for children,
- household goods.

Analysis of a competitor's project

Sample business plan “Car Parking”

Of course, I couldn’t help but use an ordinary university business plan as an example! And such an example was the sample BP for organizing a parking lot. As for my opinion about this business plan, I can say that the abundance of numbers in it can only please an official or a university teacher, but not a real entrepreneur. You can download this business plan from the link below:

Startup basics: a good financial plan, not drive and cats

Often, beginning entrepreneurs are faced with a rather difficult problem - how to draw up a business plan. This task is not easy, because to work through each element you need to have certain knowledge and understanding of the activity in which you are going to start a business. If they are not there, then you will first have to get acquainted with the information, various techniques, and only then move on to practice.

By the way, we have made a series of articles with examples and samples of business plans in the section. We also recommend that you read the article:. This will help you write your business plan correctly.

In the meantime, let's move on to how to draw up a business plan yourself.

We set ourselves the ultimate goal

Before writing a business plan, it is very important, at the beginning of the project development, to understand for yourself what specific goal the organization will pursue. For successful implementation, it is necessary to take into account the importance of three significant factors:

1. Awareness of the initial location (what we will start from, the so-called point “A”).
2. Determining the final goal, the achievement of which will be the most important result (let it be point “B”).
3. Drawing up a clear sequence of how to get from point “A” to point “B”, as well as understanding the mechanism and its elaboration.

We determine for whom we are drawing up a business plan

Next, you need to understand for whom this plan is being drawn up. The detail of the presentation and the evidence base will depend on the choice of the final “reader”. Any project is drawn up for one of the following “consumers”:

• For potential investors . These may be creditors, government support bodies that provide subsidies and other incentives to developing businesses, and various grant providers.

When writing in this case, special attention should be paid to the evidence base of the viability of the project being developed, as well as to the conviction of the effectiveness of the use of the funds provided. This information will be relevant both for those who lend money and for those who give it free of charge (subsidies, grants).

It is very important to make all your actions logical and consistent. Some information may be presented slightly embellished to obtain financial support. However, there is no need to be overzealous with this.

The main parameters of such a project will be such qualities as cleanliness, neatness and consistency. All facts must contain specifics and explanations. Details in this case are also welcome.

Presentability will depend on the presentation in front of potential investors; you will need to use slides and visual aids (samples, research results, etc.).

• For myself . Such a plan is drawn up for actions that will be used in implementation to achieve maximum efficiency.

In this case, it is important to reflect information about the resources needed and available. The business plan should be as close as possible to what actually exists.

It is worth understanding that these are completely two different cases that require an individual approach. You cannot create the same business plan for yourself and for potential investors. And of course it is worth noting that the project for those who may provide financial resources will be more complete and detailed.

We do a preliminary analysis

Work on any project begins with an analysis of the situation in the present time. To systematize all available information, describe and fill in all sections, you need to study the data and analyze them together. If the initial information is not enough, it is necessary to supplement it by contacting specialists or to further study all aspects of the situation.

Very often, for a preliminary assessment of the situation, as well as its analysis, they use a method recognized throughout the world, which is called SWOT -analysis . Its popularity is due to its simplicity, clarity and accuracy.

What is SWOT analysis and how to apply it in practice

The name of this technique stands for “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.” It is used to assess all internal and external factors affecting the organization. An important advantage is the objectivity of the SWOT analysis; it reflects a truly real picture.

It is necessary to take a serious approach to the development of each of the indicators. At the same time, strengths are the initial advantages of working in this field. Weaknesses are studied to eliminate them. So, for example, if the weakness is the lack of your own premises, it is worth considering the possibility of purchasing them, while eliminating this disadvantage. These two parameters relate more to internal factors, because they are determined by the position of the organization itself.

But opportunities and threats are directly related to the external environment. The company cannot influence them directly. So, having considered the available opportunities, you can use them to your advantage, increasing efficiency or saving on something. For example, adapt packaging design for the consumer market, while increasing demand for the product itself. But considering threats and responding to them will help avoid difficulties and losses. Here it is important to either use a policy of “avoidance” or try to use the current situation to your advantage.

After working through all aspects of the SWOT analysis, you need to begin considering individual sections of the business plan. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to assessing the resources of the described project, including monetary, labor, intellectual, and time. This will significantly save time and also help to preliminary assess the effectiveness and costs of the project.

You can familiarize yourself with the structure and sections in the corresponding article presented earlier.

We create a title page, a resume, and set goals for a business project.

The preparation of any project begins with writing a title page, which must indicate: the type of activity, legal form, name of the organization, its legal address, as well as information about the founder and location of the company itself.

Next they move on to writing a resume. It is important to understand what this section consists of after working through the rest. It contains consolidated information about what will be considered in the project. Conventionally, a summary can be called a kind of “squeeze” from the remaining sections of the project. It is important that in this section the reader receives an answer to the two most important questions:

1. What benefits will potential investors have if they invest money in the project and it is successfully implemented?
2. What are the possible risks of loss, and what is their scale (partial or complete loss)?

In the “Goal Setting” section, it is very important to indicate the goal itself, the assigned tasks, possible problems, actions, deadlines, as well as arguments that will allow the investor to be confident in the success of the proposed project. Here you can display the results of a SWOT analysis in a tabular form like:

Analyzing the market

In this section, it is very important to reflect the current situation by collecting the latest information, rather than using outdated information. You can consider your competitors, as well as their strengths and weaknesses, in tabular form:

	Advantages	Flaws	How to increase your chances of winning the competition
Our organization
Competitor #1
Competitor No. 2
…

It is necessary to draw up a portrait of a potential buyer (by objectively assessing the situation), and consider the possibility of attracting other segments of the population.

We evaluate the organization’s capabilities in this industry

This section contains information about the organization itself. It is worth paying attention to the operating hours and seasonality, since these factors directly affect the amount of possible income and their consistency. If a business plan is drawn up by an already existing organization that plans, for example, to start producing a new product, then the description of the section is reduced to listing already known data (organizational and legal form, methods of taxation, goods, information about the company, etc.).

For those companies that are just planning to open, it is necessary to take the choice of open pension fund and tax system very seriously. It will also be necessary to study legislation: various regulations and other documents.

We describe the product or service

In this section, special attention should be paid to goods and services that will generate profit. You first need:

• Make a detailed description of the major and minor items. It is advisable to provide the project with photographs of finished products (samples) or the samples themselves.
• Compare the product with the description of the portrait of the potential consumer.
• It is worth highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each product and comparing it with competitive products in the industry. Based on the information received, competitiveness is assessed. This data can be presented in the following tabular form:

• Describe the process of supplying goods or providing services (wholesale, retail, final consumer).

Such a detailed examination will help you understand what are the features of your products and the sales market as a whole.

Attention should also be paid to what additional documents will have to be drawn up (various patents, certificates, copyrights).

We draw up a marketing plan

Based on the previously obtained results, you can proceed to developing a marketing plan. Particular attention should be paid to product promotion tools. They can be: advertising, merchandising, direct sales, sales promotion and others.

It is necessary to study in great detail the demand in the market segment in which you plan to operate. In this case, it is worth determining average prices, elasticity (variability) of demand, and methods of stimulation. It is also important to study target segments and buyer groups.

It is worth thinking about the methods of distribution, as well as consumers, be they legal entities, individuals or end consumers. For each of them, you can develop a separate sales program.

You also need to think about possible ways to attract customers. In addition, you can think about advertising campaigns and exhibitions.

It would be useful to predict the volume of future sales. This can be done visually using the following table:

It is important not to overestimate projected sales so that the data looks realistic. It is necessary to justify the amount while giving confidence to creditors.

If desired, you can create realistic, pessimistic and optimistic scenarios, justifying each of them.

In general, any marketing program can be represented as:

We draw up a production plan

Drawing up a production plan is not necessary for those organizations that do not intend to produce something on their own. So, if the company is only going to trade goods or services, this section can, in principle, not be compiled. But for those organizations that are directly related to production, drawing up a production plan is almost a primary task.

In this case, it is initially necessary to consider the available and necessary production capacities, including premises and equipment. The information can also be presented in tabular form:

It is also very important to draw up plans for the supply of raw materials and their storage. In addition, you need to clearly depict the production process itself (this information can be placed in applications).

Information about the required employees is also indicated, a staffing table is drawn up, indicating qualifications, the method of calculating wages, work schedule and other information.

We draw up an organizational plan

This section displays all activities related to organizing a business. It is important to break them down into separate steps, indicating the implementation deadlines for each item. You can use a table view:

It is necessary to distribute all steps in the correct sequence. You can also present the information in the form of an implementation schedule.

In addition, legal aspects must be included here.

Making a financial plan

This section is devoted to drawing up a detailed estimate. In other words, all costs that will be necessary are planned. This is best done in tabular form, ensuring clarity and ease of study.

It is worth understanding that any organization has one-time and recurring costs. Non-recurring costs include fixed assets, but periodic ones, in turn, are divided into constant and variable. Fixed costs do not depend on production volume. Of course, it makes sense to talk about fixed costs only in the short term, since in the long term any costs become variable.

After all costs are taken into account, provided that the cost is known, you can find the break-even point, which shows the sales volume at which income will be equal to expenses.

It is necessary for everyone to find the break-even point in order to approximately represent the scale of production or sales that will ensure not only break-even, but also the profitability of the enterprise. For clarity, it is worth drawing up a graph showing the dependence of profit on the volume of goods (services) sold. It might look like this:

It is worth including depreciation costs in the calculations. Indeed, as a result of complete wear and tear, most fixed assets require replacement. In addition, tax and pension contributions (recurring costs) should be taken into account. The most complete display of all expenses will help to estimate the real profit margins.

To calculate payback periods, you can use a simplified formula:

Payback period = One-time costs/Net monthly profit.

You can also include calculations of profitability here (it is worth considering that there are many formulas, you need to choose the one that is suitable for the type of business and what exactly the profitability of is being calculated).

Considering the risks

In this section, for clarity, you can create a table that will display:

• Possible risks.
• The likelihood of their occurrence.
• Ways to avoid.
• Possible losses.

If you plan to insure any risks, this also needs to be reflected in the business plan. Don't forget to include insurance costs in your financial plan.

What is this section for? Everything is very simple. Any investor wants to be sure of the success of the project or at least compensation for losses. Knowing the possible dangers, you can always try to avoid them or reduce losses. The main thing in this case is knowledge of vulnerabilities and their elimination.

Sometimes various applications are added, which include diagrams, graphs, tables, certificates, contracts, licenses. We can say that this is a kind of visual material, which is placed in a separate section in order not to clutter up the project itself.

Applications

You really need to include all the documents that were discussed in the business plan and that would serve as confirmation of all of the above. These can be various schemes, plans, resumes, certificates of creditworthiness, letters of guarantee, various statutory documents, etc.

The most common mistakes made when drawing up a business plan

1. Ignoring the seasonality of work. Such a defect nullifies all the calculations made. If the business is seasonal, then this must be taken into account when calculating sales volumes, while trying to compensate for the shortfall in other months.
2. Overestimation of planned sales (production) volumes. This indicator will also affect the efficiency of fixed assets and production capacity utilization.
3. Incorrect calculation of working capital. It is important not only to determine the profit, but also the part that will have to be used for the further functioning of the business.
4. Mixing of cash flows. This refers to the situation when the company itself finances the project.
5. Understating the discount rate. Also applies to own resources. The error is due to the fact that the possibilities of using funds are assessed not in the amount in which they could be used.
6. The business plan is too large. There is no need to clutter the project with unnecessary information.
7. Unrealistic data. All information must be supported by compelling arguments.
8. There is no uncertainty about additional funding. It either exists or it doesn’t.
9. Incomplete information about financial forecasts. Before the project pays off, all financial data must be indicated separately for each month.
10. Superficial market analysis. You need to thoroughly study the segment in which you are going to work, because the success of the business depends on it.
11. "Approximate" costs. All of them must be taken into account and be accurate, because the profit of your enterprise will depend on this.

Instead of a conclusion

Now you know how to write a business plan. There are no universal business plans. Much depends on the chosen industry, production characteristics and other factors. You need to approach the development of the project consciously, spending a lot of time and effort on it.

When opening a new company, it is not enough to calculate the costs of purchasing goods or raw materials and their retail price. An entrepreneur will have to face developing competition, visitor traffic and other important nuances. We need to prepare for this. How to draw up a business plan for a small business yourself so that it is competent and meets all market challenges, read the article.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Small Business

Regardless of the structure, the business plan is based on three criteria:

• location of the retail outlet;
• planned profitability;
• sequence of actions leading to achieving a goal.

In fact, this is a documentary reflection of a business idea (with calculations, indication of the property being used, study of the target audience, etc.).

SWOT Analysis Methodology

To draw up a business plan for starting your own business, methods such as SWOT analysis are used. They allow you to solve the issue structurally, taking into account the necessary factors. If you follow the rules, even without experience, you can create a full-fledged opening and development plan.

The name of the method contains:

• Strengths - advantages;
• Weakness - shortcomings;
• Opportunities - opportunities;
• Threats – risks.

All points are considered. There are no business ideas without drawbacks or risks, just as there is no unprofitable business in advance. The main thing is to choose a profitable place to locate a retail outlet, take into account the presence of competitors, and develop a marketing strategy. At each of the listed stages, it is recommended to involve specialists. They will help you make calculations based on real statistical data.

How to write a business plan for a small business. Example of a typical structure

When considering samples of business plans for small businesses, you can focus on their standard structure. Each section has a specific function, making it easy to compare options.

Typical structure of a business plan:

Section name	Purpose
Brief summary	Designed for investors, reflects general indicators such as payback period, level of profit per month, amount of one-time investments
Project Description	Information about the legal form of the company, staff, premises
Niche in the market	Results of market research for the presence of competitors, needs for the product or service offered
Marketing strategy
Production plan	Equipment of the premises - from cosmetic repairs to the purchase of technical equipment. funds, advertising materials
Organizational plan	Employee salaries, work schedule, what tasks can be outsourced
Financial plan	Calculations taking into account one-time, variable costs, cost of goods or services
Risk management	Types of risks, ways to compensate for them

It is recommended to take real figures for wages, taxes, prices for services of third-party companies, and the number of competing companies at the time of calculations. Otherwise, a good plan may turn out to be unprofitable. Particular attention is paid to calculating risks - periodic absence of buyers, opening of new competitors, etc. Determine in advance whether it is worth outsourcing tax and accounting, this often allows you to avoid unnecessary costs of fines and save on taxes.

How to determine the benefits of a new project

Before you write a business plan for your small business, it's worth taking the time to analyze your competitors and figure out what offers are attracting them. This is a convenient location, low prices or favorable service conditions. It is important for a small company to find a solution that will allow it to stand out against its competitors. Without this, it will be difficult to reach the estimated profit level.

An entrepreneur will have to face the following difficulties:

1. Retail space in high-traffic areas is expensive. You will have to sacrifice space or invest significant funds from the moment the store opens.
2. High prices require significant investments in an advertising campaign. A small company may not be able to bear such expenses.

Therefore, it is worth striving for a unique positioning of goods, the introduction of additional services, and maximum elaboration of the target audience. All this is done at the stage of creating a business plan. At the time of opening, there should be no questions about how and to whom to sell.

Why is it important to find out the shortcomings in advance?

Before starting financial calculations, it is recommended to study the regulatory framework: is it necessary to obtain licenses and other permits, what organizational and legal form of the enterprise will be the least expensive. Small businesses are most often opened in areas where there is no need to invest a lot of money - retail trade, provision of personal services.

In addition to clarifying the list of costs, it is necessary to take into account the likely weaknesses of the business:

• local market - limited by constant traffic near the location of the point, often associated with the impossibility of moving without significant costs and loss of clientele;
• growth prospects are practically non-existent; business expansion is usually carried out by opening retail outlets in other areas;
• additional investments - new investments in startups are possible after achieving full payback of the previous ones; during this period, the entrepreneur can only rely on his own resources.

Before drawing up a sample business plan with calculations, it is recommended to make the most accurate assessment of the capabilities of the local market (taking into account existing competitors, the likelihood of opening new ones, the number of people living and working near the store). Such studies are ordered from specialized companies.

Where to get resources to start a business

Calculations and document execution “according to the rules” are necessary to present the project to an investor or potential partner. In the field of small business, this could be an employment center or a private individual. Lending from banks or investing your own savings is not excluded.

When drawing up a business plan, the following types of resources are taken into account:

• the premises where the retail outlet will be located - find out whether there are rental holidays, whether it is possible for the owner to participate as an investor;
• employees working in a company - in addition to hiring according to the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, there are many options, such as outsourcing to individual entrepreneurs and individuals;
• funds for registration, equipment, purchase of the first batch of goods - payment schemes “in installments” and “for sale” are very popular in small businesses.

If you take into account all possible savings options, the payback period, the need for money and personnel will decrease. The same applies to the registration procedure. You can register an individual entrepreneur or LLC for free, for example.

What is important when assessing risks

Selection of partners and investors reduces costs at the start-up stage. But then you will have to deal with current risks and rely only on yourself. When considering the question of what a business plan is and how to draw it up with sample calculations, they may be limited to figures on the costs of paying for premises, employees, and tax contributions. But in the process of activity, unforeseen situations may occur, leading to a sharp increase in costs and a decrease in profits.

There is a whole list of factors that an entrepreneur cannot influence:

• change in tax rate;
• increase in the cost of rent and utilities;
• the emergence of large competitors in the area of ​​​​operation, capable of offering reduced prices for a long time (usually network companies).

The operation of the company may be affected by the performance of the equipment. Even with a warranty on those. means you will have to put up with downtime and damage to goods if they require special conditions. You can’t predict this at the stage of creating a business plan. Therefore, you have to limit yourself to general figures: consider a 10-30% risk of decreased profits (traffic) or increased costs.

It is a document that highlights all the characteristics of the future organization, analyzes possible problems and risks, predicts them and methods by which they can be avoided.

Simply put, a business plan for an investor is the answer to the question “Should I finance the project or throw it in the trash?”

Important! A business plan is drawn up on paper, taking into account some procedures and rules. This presentation of the project to some extent materializes your idea and shows your desire and willingness to work. Also, putting it on paper makes it easier for investors to perceive the idea.

Drawing up a business plan yourself

Making a business plan yourself is not that difficult, you just need to think about the idea carefully. Before you grab a calculator and calculate your income, there are several steps you need to take.

1. Identify the “pros” and “cons” of the idea that has arisen. If the number of “minuses” is off the charts, don’t rush to give up. Some aspects can be turned in the opposite direction, think about ways to solve such “cons”.
2. Important characteristics are competitiveness and market sustainability.
3. The sales market needs to be thought through to the smallest detail.
4. The payback of the product (service) and the time of receiving the first profit will allow you to determine (approximately) the required amount for investment.

If after such a superficial analysis you don’t want to abandon your brainchild, then it’s time to take a clean slate and start creating a business plan.

It is important to know! There is no single structure and step-by-step instructions on how to calculate a business plan. Therefore, the presence and order of items included in the plan are determined independently. However, experts have established the most optimal plan structure option. If you have no experience in drafting such documents, you need to use these recommendations to correctly compose your work.

Structure and procedure for drawing up a business plan

The structure of a good business plan, according to economists, should include 12 points. Each of them is described below.

Title page

The following parameters are specified here:

• name of the project;
• name of the organization where the project is planned to be implemented, indicating telephone numbers, addresses and other contact information;
• head of the above organization;
• developer (team or manager) of a business plan;
• date of document preparation;
• It is allowed to include the most significant indicators of financial calculations for the project on the first sheet.

This document is necessary to protect the copyright of the idea and business plan. This reflects the reader's awareness that he does not have the right to distribute the information contained in the document without the permission of the author. There may also be an instruction prohibiting copying, duplicating the document, or transferring it to another person, or a requirement to return the read business plan to the author if the investor does not accept the agreement.

An example of a confidentiality memorandum can be seen below.

The next 2 sections of the plan – “Brief Summary” and “Main Idea of ​​the Project” – are introductory. They can be used as a preliminary proposal (for review) to partners and investors until negotiations are scheduled.

Brief summary

Although a brief summary of such a document is at the beginning, it is written at the final stage, as a summary. A summary is a short description of the project idea and a list of the most significant characteristics of the financial component.

The following questions will help, answering which can lead to an excellent resume:

1. What product does the company plan to sell?
2. Who would want to buy this product?
3. What is the planned sales (production) volume for the first year of the company’s operation? What will be the revenue?
4. What is the total cost of the project?
5. How will the enterprise be formed according to its organizational and legal form?
6. How many workers are planned to be recruited?
7. What is the required amount of capital investment to implement the project?
8. What are the sources of funding for this project?
9. How much is the total profit (profitability) for a specific period, the payback period, the amount of cash at the end of the first year of operation of the enterprise, profitability. Net present value.

It is important to know! The summary is read by the investor first. Therefore, the future fate of the project depends on this section: the investor will either become interested or bored. This part should not exceed 1 page.

Main idea of ​​the project

1. What is the main project goal?
2. What are the objectives of the enterprise to achieve the main goal?
3. Are there any obstacles to your goal and how to get around them?
4. What exact actions does the author propose to perform in order to achieve results and achieve the goal as soon as possible? What are these deadlines?

Important! It is necessary to provide clear, real and explicit arguments that will confirm confidence in the profitability and success of the project. The volume of this part is optimal within 1-2 pages.

In this section, it is customary to use the conducted SWOT analysis – assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, opportunities (prospects), as well as possible threats. It is unlikely that you will be able to make a business plan correctly and as completely as possible without such an analysis.

A SWOT analysis reflects 2 aspects that influence the life of an organization: internal, relating to the enterprise itself, and external (everything outside the company that it cannot change).

Do not forget: You are describing a company, not a product! A common mistake authors make is that they start writing product characteristics in the “strength” column.

Here are some parameters you can use to describe strengths or weaknesses:

• high-tech production;
• service and after sales service;
• versatility of the product (without affecting its specific properties);
• level of qualifications and professionalism of employees;
• level of technical equipment of the enterprise.

External factors (“opportunities” and “threats”) include:

• market growth rate;
• level of competition;
• political situation in the region, country;
• features of legislation;
• features of consumer solvency.

Example

Characteristics of the industry on the market

• dynamics of sales of similar products in the industry in recent years;
• market industry growth rate;
• trends and features of pricing;
• comprehensive assessment of competitors;
• search and identification of new and young enterprises in the industry, as well as characteristics of their activities;
• description of the consumer market, their desires, intentions, requirements, opportunities;
• assessment of the possible impact of scientific, social, economic aspects;
• prospects for development in the market.

Essence of the project

This section reveals the idea, the subject of the business plan. It also reflects the level of preparedness of the enterprise to go “into the world”, the availability of all the funds required for this.

The most important provisions in this section:

• primary goals;
• description of the target consumer segment;
• key performance factors for market success;
• a detailed presentation of the product, the characteristics of which must be within the market segment defined above;
• stage of product development (if production has started), patent and copyright purity;
• characteristics of the organization;
• the total cost of the project, indicating the financing schedule by periods and investment amounts;
• required initial expenses for a marketing campaign and the formation of a coherent organizational structure.

Marketing plan

The objectives, goals of marketing policy and methods for solving and achieving them are indicated here. It is important to indicate which task is intended for which personnel, in what time frame it is required to be completed and with the help of which tools. The funds required for the latter also need to be indicated.

Marketing plan is a strategy, a set of sequential and/or simultaneous steps created to attract consumers and provide effective returns on their part.

The investor will be attentive to such points as:

• a well-developed system of comprehensive market research and analysis;
• the planned volume of sales of goods (services) and its assortment, scheduled by time periods until the enterprise reaches full capacity;
• ways to improve products;
• description of product packaging and pricing policy;
• procurement and sales system;
• advertising strategy – clearly formulated and understandable;
• service planning;
• control over the implementation of the marketing strategy.

Production plan

Everything that directly concerns the creation of products is reflected in this part. Therefore, it is advisable to compile this section only for those companies that plan not only distribution, but also production of products.

Points that must be specified:

• required production capacity;
• detailed interpretation of the technological process;
• a detailed description of the operations entrusted to subcontractors;
• necessary equipment, its characteristics, cost and method of purchase or rental;
• subcontractors;
• required area for production;
• raw materials, resources.

It is important to indicate the cost of everything that requires expenses.

Organizational plan

At this stage, the principles of organizational strategic management of the company are developed. If the enterprise already exists, then this point is still mandatory: the compliance of the existing structure with the intended goals is determined here. The organizational part must certainly contain the following data:

• name of the organizational and legal form (individual entrepreneur, JSC, partnership and others);
• an organizational management system that reflects the structure in the form of a diagram, regulations and instructions, communication and dependence of departments;
• founders, their description and data;
• management team;
• interaction with staff;
• supplying the management system with the necessary material and technical resources;
• location of the company.

Financial plan

This chapter of the business plan provides a comprehensive economic assessment of the written project, accompanied by calculations of the level of profitability, payback period, and financial stability of the enterprise.

A financial plan is very important for an investor; here it determines whether a given project is attractive to him.

Here you need to make some calculations and summarize them:

Risk analysis

In a risk analysis, the author must examine the project and identify potential threats that could lead to decreased revenue. It is necessary to take into account financial, industry, natural, social and other risks. At the same time, it is necessary to develop a detailed and effective plan to prevent them or minimize the impact on the company. Therefore, the business plan must indicate:

• a list of all potential problems;
• a set of techniques and tools that prevent, eliminate or minimize risks;
• models of the company’s behavior when events occur that are not conducive to its development;
• justification for the low probability of such problems occurring.

Applications

This is the last link in the structure of a business plan. It includes documents, quotes, sources, copies of contracts, agreements, certificates, letters from consumers, partners, statistical data, calculation tables used in the preparation of this document. It is required to insert links and footnotes to the appendices in the text of the business plan.

General requirements for the document

• it is necessary to write a business plan in clear, precise language, without long and complex formulations;
• desired volume – 20-25 pages;
• the business plan must cover all the information required by the investor in full;
• the document must necessarily be based on real facts, substantiated rational proposals;
• the plan must have a strategic foundation: strict, delineated and complete, with clear targets;
• interconnectedness, complexity and consistency are important features of drawing up a plan;
• the investor must see the future, prospects for the development of the project idea;
• The flexibility of the business plan is a significant plus. If adjustments can be made, amendments to the written project are a pleasant bonus for the investor;
• conditions and modes of control over the functioning of the enterprise should become part of the business plan.

Making a business plan from scratch without the help of a specialist is not easy, but it is possible. It is important to adhere to the above rules, construction structure and avoid mistakes.

The most common mistakes

• Illiterate syllable

The rules of language cannot be ignored. It often happens that the most incredible and promising idea goes into the trash bin along with a bunch of plans of mediocre IP specialists. And all because errors in spelling, vocabulary, punctuation and poor presentation of the text completely discourage any investor.

• Careless design

The design should be the same throughout the document: bullets, headings, lists, font, size, numbering, spacing, etc. Contents, headings, numbering, names of figures and tables, designation of data in graphs are required!

• Incomplete plan

To properly draw up a business plan, you need a comprehensive amount of information. The sections of the document listed above are the minimum that should be unconditionally included in the project.

• Vague plan

The work should be “like in a pharmacy on a scale.” Clear, defined, specific statements of goals and (important!) ideas.

• Too many details

An abundance of technical, financial, and marketing terms will only help in exams. For a business plan, you need to select only the most significant details. If there is a great need for a thorough description of a process, then you can add it to the appendix.

• Unrealistic data

Business proposals like these are based on assumptions. Therefore, the author needs to approach the idea rationally and have a reasonable background, a real reason, supported by calculations.

• Few facts

For each assumption there is its own justification - real, valid. Facts give work meaning and confidence. You shouldn’t create a fountain of facts either, but if you get carried away, then look at the rule about details.

• “We have no risks!”

The main rule: there is no business without risk. There is no such business in which it is “quiet and calm.” The investor knows this, and the author should know this. Therefore, it’s time to come down from the clouds to the ground and study, explore, analyze.

• “And we have no competitors either!”

There is always a competitor, as well as a risk. It can be direct or indirect. Study this topic carefully and meticulously, and a rival will definitely appear on the horizon, waving his hand at you.

• Neglecting outside help

Creating a business plan yourself does not mean doing absolutely everything yourself. Moreover, obtaining a high-quality result is possible through the joint efforts of several specialists. Don't be afraid of helpers!

It is an analytical document in which all the pros and cons of doing business, additional operations and everything that lays the foundation of entrepreneurship are clearly calculated. A business plan helps throughout the entire period of the organization’s activities. It describes the main objectives of the company, problems that may arise and methods for solving them.

For example, you decide to start your own business, but your finances cannot afford it. Then a business plan comes to your aid.

Proper planning will open up the possibility of attracting investors or creditors, which will help solve your financial problems.

In the process of drawing it up, you will study the economic structure of the company in more detail, calculate all the financial aspects and decide for yourself whether you can manage the project.

That is, creating a business plan from scratch is first of all necessary within the organization: to analyze the company's performance. Secondly, he necessary for strategy consideration for the safety of investors' investments.

What will help in compilation?

When drawing up a business plan, it is not necessary to have an analytical mind. If you decide to open your own business, then you will probably understand all the specifics of the process. What is important here is knowledge about the needs of the target audience (the demand of potential clients), financial costs, possible losses and ways to increase the profitability of the company.

If you are experiencing difficulties in the initial stages of planning, we recommend that you contact a highly qualified organization that provides business project writing services. Together with you there will develop a business form of the requested document.

Main points and sections

Different projects differ in the scope of content and company activities.

Main points there must be goals and description of the company, in order to show interest to the company's financial assistants.

Main sections for drawing up a business plan:

• summary (main topic of the project, author's summary);
• the main goals and objectives of the organization;
• general presentation of the company (product description, location and other functions);
• relevance and development analysis;
• consumer market research;
• competitiveness;
• sales policy and planned marketing;
• internal company targets: personnel, finance, organization, etc.

We invite you to download several examples of business plans:

What calculations are coming?

To carry out a clear organization of the enterprise, there will be a system of payments within the company:

• cash calculation;
• forecasting;
• document flow (securities, risk factors, insurance services);
• occupation period (especially important in case of attracting investors);
• internal profitability of the company;
• volume of production.

Calculations for each company are made based on the specific activities of the company.

How to build a business plan from scratch?

Each project is compiled individually, but we will try to analyze the standard type of project.

Short biography:

Higher economic education. Graduated from NSU, managing a small business.

The main goal and task of opening a grocery chain

Prospects for job creation. Expansion of the product market. Creating your own brand. High financial profitability of the store, due to the lack of grocery chains and high demand for these services.

General presentation of the company

This product will provide a list for all age categories. The location will be in the center of the community, which is convenient for consumers.

Available range: food, household chemicals, etc.

After analyzing the development, we came to the conclusion that within 2 years the payback period will increase by 120%.

Competitiveness

Having examined the competitor's market, we discovered that the competitor will not be active in the next year and a half due to financial and social problems.

Sales policy and marketing research

In the first month sales “at zero” are possible, due to lack of information among the population. Later, when the entire locality knows about our store, the planned indicators should exceed 100%.

Covering the spectrum of marketing, we investigated the implementation of a small volume of advertising campaigns, which will significantly save on the enterprise’s budget.

For each employee, a planned indicator will be introduced: sales volume, customer acquisition, freshness of goods and cleanliness of the store. Financial indicators and other cash movements will also be maintained.

When deciding to create an enterprise, it is necessary to study complete information about possible losses, risks, characteristics and much more related to the initial stage of starting a business.

In conclusion, we invite you to watch the video: how to create a business plan from scratch - step-by-step technology.