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Step-by-step preparation of a business plan with examples. How to create a competent business plan yourself

Not a single entrepreneurial project is complete without a business plan. This document is detailed instructions opening a commercial business, where the tasks that need to be solved to achieve the final goal (that is, obtaining maximum profit), as well as the methods and means that the entrepreneur is going to use. Without a business plan, it is impossible to receive investment in a commercial project or apply to a bank for a loan for business development. However, even if an entrepreneur does not plan to attract third-party funds, he still needs a business plan - for himself.

Why is this document needed, and what is its exceptional importance? A well-written business plan, which contains verified information and verified figures, is the foundation of a commercial project. It will allow you to analyze in advance the state of the market and the severity of competition, predict possible risks and develop ways to minimize them, estimate the size of the required starting capital and the total amount of investment, as well as the expected profit - in a word, find out whether it is advisable to go for financial risk and invest money in this idea.

“Business idea”

The basis of any project is a business idea - that is, for the sake of which, in fact, everything was conceived. An idea is a service or product that will bring profit to the entrepreneur. The success of a project is almost always determined by the right choice of idea.

  • Which idea is successful?

The success of an idea is its potential profitability. Thus, at any time there are directions that are initially favorable for making a profit. For example, some time ago it was fashionable to import yoghurts into the Russian Federation - this product instantly gained popularity among the population, and in proportion to this popularity, the number of companies involved in import grew. Only a completely unlucky and incompetent entrepreneur could fail a project in this area and make the business unprofitable. Now, the idea of ​​selling yoghurts with a high degree of probability will not be successful: the market is already oversaturated with domestically produced products, imported goods are unlikely to be favorably accepted by consumers due to the high price and customs difficulties, moreover, the main players in this segment have already established themselves in the market and established supply and sales channels.

Most entrepreneurs, when choosing an idea to make a profit, think in terms of the majority - they say, if my friend this business brings in income, which means I can improve my business. However, the more “role models” there are, the greater the level of competition and the less opportunity to dictate their prices. In a mass business, approximate prices have already been established, and in order to increase its competitiveness, a newcomer has to set prices below market prices in order to attract customers - which, of course, does not contribute to making a big profit.

Potentially highly profitable ideas now are those proposals that help an entrepreneur occupy a free market niche - that is, offer something that other businessmen have not yet thought of. To find an original business idea, sometimes all you need to do is look around and think about what consumers are missing in a certain area. Thus, a successful idea was the production of mops that allow you to wring out a rag without getting your hands wet, or special lamps that cannot be dismantled without the use of special tools - this know-how has significantly reduced the number of thefts of light bulbs in hallways.

Often original ideas you don’t even need to generate it yourself - you can use new products that have been successfully implemented in other countries or cities, but have not yet occupied the corresponding market niche in your region. By following this path, you will become the first to offer this know-how to consumers in your region or country, and, therefore, you will be able to set prices for this product (service).

However, originality alone is not enough for a successful business idea. There are two objective prerequisites for a business to be successful:

  1. - a potential buyer needs your product or at least understands its usefulness (for example, a person may not yet know about a certain medicine, but he realizes that something similar can cure his illness);
  2. - the buyer is ready to pay for your product or service) exactly the price that you plan to ask (for example, almost everyone wants to buy a car - however, as we know, not everyone can afford a car).

And one more note regarding innovative business ideas - excessive originality can only harm profits, since the potential audience may simply not be ready for your proposal (most consumers are conservative by nature and have difficulty changing their habits). The least risky option is to stick to the golden mean - that is, to bring already familiar goods or services to the market, but in an improved form.

  • How to determine if a given business idea is right for you?

Even a potentially successful business idea may not turn out to be successful in practice if it is not suitable for a particular entrepreneur. So, opening a beauty salon is relatively easy - but if you do not understand the intricacies of the salon business, then your brainchild is unlikely to bring you good profits. A business idea must be supported by the entrepreneur’s experience, knowledge and, of course, capabilities. What indicators indicate that your project will be within your capabilities?

  1. - Professionalism. You can have a specialized education in your chosen field, or you can just as easily be a passionate self-taught person. The main thing is that you have an understanding of the production process and other necessary knowledge in the chosen field.
  2. - Passion. You must like what you are going to do and offer. Moreover, you should like not only the final product, but also the process itself, because you won’t be able to give all your strength to a job you don’t like, which means it will be difficult to bring it to a good level. Remember the famous proverb: “find a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
  3. - Personal characteristics. If you are a closed and uncommunicative person and feel uncomfortable in the company of other people, then it will be difficult for you to negotiate. And if you, for example, are a convinced vegetarian, then there is no point in considering trading semi-finished meat products– even if this business can bring good profits, you will still feel uncomfortable doing it.
  4. - What you have (land, real estate, equipment, etc.). Starting any kind of production will be much less expensive if you already have the appropriate equipment. And if you inherited, let’s say, private house not far from the road, then this is a good opportunity to make a profit from roadside trading, because your competitors, if they are found, do not have such a good location, and this advantage can overcome even your inexperience.

Competition: how to become special:

As mentioned above, to apply your entrepreneurial efforts, it is most advisable to choose those areas where competition is frivolous or absent altogether. However, in most cases, entrepreneurs one way or another have to face competitors, and businessmen are faced with the question - how to stand out from them? This can be done due to the following advantages:

Competitive advantages

When introducing yourself to potential consumers, try to immediately draw their attention to the advantages that distinguish your offer from similar ones, so that buyers see that it is you who can satisfy their needs in the best possible way. Don’t be shy to highlight your merits and don’t rely on consumers’ ingenuity - they are unlikely to guess why your product (service) differs from the product (service) of your competitors in better side. For example, if the recipe for the bread you bake involves enriching the product with vitamins and other useful substances, then be sure to convey this fact to your future customers. You should not position your bread simply as a tasty and fresh product, because your competitors have exactly the same product - it is unlikely that anyone will sell tasteless and expired goods. But vitamins are your competitive advantage, and the buyer must definitely find out about it, so advertising needs to be thought out accordingly.

So, we've covered some of the details. preliminary preparation to writing a business plan, and now we can pay close attention to this particular document and its main sections.

1. Title page.

The title page is the “face” of your business plan. This is what your potential investors or bank employees see first when deciding whether to issue you a loan for business development. Therefore, it should be clearly structured and contain all the key information about your project:

  1. - Project name (for example, “Production of self-squeezing mops” or “Creation and development of a commercial Internet radio station called “XXX”);
  2. - The organizational and legal form of the project and the name of the legal entity (if there are several such entities, then a list indicating areas of responsibility is required);
  3. - Author and co-authors of the project
  4. - Abstract to the project (for example, “this document represents step by step plan foundation and development of a commercial radio station...");
  5. - Project cost (required starting capital)
  6. - Place and year of creation (“Perm, 2016”).

2.Resume.

This paragraph is a brief description of the project idea, the timing of its implementation, the main goals and objectives for the implementation of the idea, the expected turnover and production volumes. forecast of key indicators - project profitability, payback period, initial investment, sales volume, net profit, etc.

Despite the fact that the summary is the first section of the business plan, it is compiled after this document has already been completely written and double-checked, since the brief description covers all other sections of the business plan. The summary should be concise and extremely logical and fully disclose all the advantages of the project, so that investors or a potential lender see that this business idea is really worth investing in it.

3.Market analytics

The section reflects the state of the market sector in which the project will be implemented, an assessment of the level of competition, characteristics of the target audience and industry development trends. It is very important that the market analysis is carried out on the basis of qualitative marketing research containing real indicators(falsified or inaccurate analysis reduces the value of the business plan to almost zero). If an entrepreneur is not competent enough in the chosen field, then in order to avoid inaccuracies and errors, he should outsource marketing research by ordering it from a trusted marketing agency.

This section usually takes up at least 10% of the total volume of the business plan. His approximate plan is as follows:

  1. - General description of the selected industry (dynamics, trends and development prospects - with specific mathematical indicators);
  2. - Characteristics of the main market players (that is, direct and indirect competitors), an indication of the competitive advantages and features of your business project compared to other entities;
  3. - Characteristics of the target audience ( geographical location, age level, gender, income level, type of consumer and user behavior, etc.). Creating a portrait of a “typical client” indicating the main motives and values ​​that guide him when choosing a product (service), pessimistic forecasting (that is, the minimum flow) of consumers of the product (service);
  4. - Review of the most effective channels and ways to promote goods (services);
  5. - Review and identification of the most likely risks that an entrepreneur may encounter in this market segment and suggesting ways to eliminate or minimize them (it must be remembered that risks are external circumstances and factors that do not depend on the entrepreneur);
  6. - Forecast of possible changes in this market segment, as well as an overview of factors that may affect the profitability of the project.

4. Characteristics of goods (services) and their sales

This paragraph describes in detail the goods that the entrepreneur is going to produce, or the services that he is going to sell. Particular attention should be paid to the competitive advantages of a business idea, that is, what will distinguish this proposal from the general variety. However, one should not remain silent about the shortcomings and weak points ideas, if any, it is better to play fair with investors and creditors, besides, they can analyze this point on their own, and in the case of a one-sided description, you risk losing their trust, and with it the hope of financial investment in your idea.

The presence of a patent will make the idea described especially attractive - if an entrepreneur offers some kind of know-how and has already managed to patent it, then this fact must be reflected in the document. The patent is like competitive advantage, and the basis for a greater likelihood of obtaining loans or investments.

The chapter must include:

  1. - brief description of the idea;
  2. - ways of its implementation;
  3. - description life cycle product (service);
  4. - percentage of secondary purchases;
  5. - the possibility of creating additional product lines or service options, the possibility of segmenting the offered product;
  6. - expected modification of supply in accordance with changes in the market situation and factors affecting profit.

5. Ways to promote business (marketing and strategic plans)

In this chapter, the entrepreneur describes exactly how he is going to inform potential consumers about his product and how he will promote this product. Shown here:

6.Description of the production process

A production plan is a detailed description of the complete algorithm for producing a product from its being in its raw material state to the moment when the finished product appears on store shelves. This plan includes:

  1. - a description of the necessary raw materials and the basic requirements for them, as well as the suppliers from whom you plan to purchase these raw materials;
  2. - reception, processing and pre-production preparation of raw materials;
  3. - actually process;
  4. - yield of the finished product;
  5. - the procedure for testing the finished product, its packaging and transfer to the warehouse and subsequent delivery to the buyer.

In addition to the actual description of the production process, this chapter should also reflect:

  1. - characteristics of the equipment used, as well as the premises where the production process will be carried out - indicating all the necessary standards and requirements;
  2. - list of main partners;
  3. - the need to attract resources and borrowed funds;
  4. - calendar plan business development - from the launch of production until the time when the funds invested in the project begin to pay off.

7. Enterprise structure. Personnel and management.

This chapter describes the internal scheme of the functioning of a business project, that is, the administrative and organizational plan. The chapter can be divided into the following subsections:

  1. - organizational and legal form of the enterprise (LLC, individual entrepreneur, etc.);
  2. - internal structure of the enterprise, distribution of responsibilities between services, channels of their interaction (it would be best if this sub-item is further illustrated by appropriate diagrams);
  3. - staffing table, a list of the responsibilities of each employee, his salary, channels and criteria by which the selection of personnel will be carried out;
  4. - a list of activities on the policy in the field of work with personnel (professional development, training, personnel reserve, etc.)
  5. - participation in business development events (competitions, conferences, fairs, grants, government programs, etc.).

8.Risk assessment. Ways to minimize risks.

The purpose of this paragraph is a preliminary assessment of possible negative circumstances that will affect the achievement of the desired indicators (business income, customer flow, etc.) - the basis for this assessment is again marketing market research. Risks are divided into external (for example, tougher competition and the emergence of new strong players in this segment, increased rental rates and utility bills, natural disasters and emergencies, changes in tax legislation towards increasing rates, etc.) and internal (that , what can happen directly inside the enterprise - equipment breakdowns, unscrupulous employees, etc.).

If an entrepreneur has information in advance about what exactly he should be wary of in the implementation and promotion of his project, then he can think in advance about the ways in which he will neutralize and minimize negative factors. For each risk, a number of alternative strategies should be proposed (a kind of table of emergency measures). You should not hide certain risks from investors or creditors.

Special attention should be paid to such a form of protection as insurance against various risks. If an entrepreneur plans to insure his business, then this must be mentioned - indicating the selected insurance company, the amount of insurance premiums and other details related to the matter.

9.Forecasting financial flows

Perhaps the most important chapter of a business plan. Because of its importance, you should entrust its writing to professionals if the entrepreneur himself does not have a financial and economic education. Thus, many startupers who have creative ideas, but do not have sufficient financial literacy, in this case resort to the services of investment companies, which later put their certification visa on the business plan - this is a kind of guarantee of the reliability of calculations and will give the business plan additional weight in the eyes of investors and creditors.

The financial plan of any business project includes:

  1. - balance sheet of the enterprise;
  2. - calculation of expenses (fund wages employees, production costs, etc.);
  3. - profit and loss statement, as well as cash flow statement;
  4. - the amount of required external investment;
  5. - calculation of profit and profitability.

Project profitability is a key indicator that influences decisive influence on the decisions of investors regarding investing in this business. Calculations on this topic cover the period from the entry of start-up capital and third-party investments into the project until the moment when the project can be considered break-even and begins to generate net profit.

When calculating profitability it is usually used basic formula R = D * Zconst / (D - Z), where R is the profitability threshold in monetary terms, D is income, Z is variable costs, and Zconst is fixed costs. However, for long-term calculations, you should also include in the calculation formula such indicators as the inflation rate, renovation costs, contributions to the investment fund, increasing wages of enterprise employees, etc. As a visualization method, it is again advisable to use a Gantt chart, which is convenient for tracking the level of growing income and reaching the break-even point.

10.Regulatory framework

All documents that are necessary for legal support of business are indicated here - certificates and licenses for goods, permission to certain types activities, acts, permits, etc. – with a description of the conditions and terms of their receipt, as well as the cost. If the entrepreneur already has any documents in his hands, this must be indicated, and this fact will also be an advantage in the eyes of investors.

11.Applications

At the end of the business plan, the entrepreneur provides all calculations, diagrams, graphs and other supporting materials that were used to draw up financial forecasts, market analysis, etc., as well as all materials that visualize the points of the business plan and facilitate its perception.

“The main mistakes when drawing up a business plan”

At the end of the article, I would like to say a few words about the most common mistakes that inexperienced entrepreneurs make when drawing up business plans. So, what should you avoid if you don't want to scare potential investors away from your project?

Excessive bloating and bulk. A business plan is not Homework, Where large size written increases the chances of a good grade. The approximate volume of a business plan is usually 70-100 sheets.

Difficulties of presentation. If an investor reading your plan cannot understand your idea after reading two or three sheets, then there is a high probability that he will put the BP aside.

Lack of necessary explanations. Remember that an investor is not required to understand the area of ​​the market in which you are asking him to invest money (and in most cases, he really does not understand it, otherwise he would have already launched an independent business). Therefore, you need to succinctly introduce the reader to the main details.

Streamlined phrases-characteristics (“huge market”, “great prospects”, etc.). Remember: only accurate and verified information and forecasts.

Providing approximate, unverified or knowingly false information financial indicators. We have already focused on this topic above, so no comments.

Brief instructions

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

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

End justifies the means?

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

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

Use a small cheat sheet for yourself:

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

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

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

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

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

1. Company summary(short business plan)

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

2. Marketing plan

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

3. Plan for the production of goods or services

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

4.Organization of the work process

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

5. Financial plan and risk forecast

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

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

Company summary. Briefly about the main thing

Marketing plan. Are there any free places?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Production plan. What are we selling?

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

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

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

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

Organization of the work process. How will it work?

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

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

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

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

Many financiers and entrepreneurs wonder how to write a business plan. Step by step instructions An example would be very helpful. We wrote it. Use it. You can also download samples and examples.

How to write a business plan: preparatory stage

The success of a company is associated with its ability to develop and its readiness to move towards new goals. Like red blood cells, which are formed in the body every second, maintaining the life of the human body, new ideas should fuel the activities of any, even the most conservative organization. In order for these updates to bring profit to the company without negatively affecting its sustainability, you need to seriously prepare for drawing up the document.

So, where to start writing a business plan? First you need to find and collect the following information:

  • texts of UNIDO recommendations. There are no uniform standards in Russia, so it is customary to use the standards of UNIDO - the United Nations Industrial Development Organization;
  • requirements of the Ministry of Economic Development;
  • requirements of the regional and regional administrations of Russia (in case the project is submitted to these structures for participation in a competition or grants);
  • requirements of potential investors for the project;
  • certified software products for drawing up plans, assessing the financial condition of an enterprise, calculating the project budget;
  • copies of contracts, agreements, licenses, etc.;
  • copies of documents on which the plan data will be based;
  • price lists of suppliers;
  • financial information of the company for several years (calculations of financial indicators);
  • list of experts who can help before presenting the document to investors.

It is also necessary to form a working group and appoint a leader.

What is the most important thing for a bank in a company’s business plan?

There are no officially approved requirements. Everything is determined by the requirements of a particular bank, its credit policy and approaches to working with clients. It is possible that the initial version of the business plan (or its equivalent) will undergo significant changes. The editors of the Financial Director magazine interviewed bankers and found out that bankers do not judge the prospects of a project by traditional indicators of investment efficiency.

For a credit institution, a potential borrower’s business plan is by no means an empty formality, but the main source of data for assessing risks. That is why bankers almost unanimously noted that there are several most important sections of the document on the basis of which they judge the prospects.

Step. 1. Define your business plan goals

First of all, it is necessary to determine the purpose - whether the document will be needed only for internal use, or the circle of potential readers will be wider. For example, will investors consider it for financial projection. It is advisable, in any case, to compose it as if it would be studied by seasoned heads of investment funds or heads of large banks (). If you were them, would you give personal money to this project? How much do you personally need what will become the goal of the project - as a manager, specialist or to an ordinary person? What is the tangible value of your proposal? Be the strictest reader, only from this point of view it will be possible to see. Then, a list of information sources is compiled and the structure of the document is developed.

Step 2: Gather all the necessary information

In order to understand how to make a business plan from scratch, you will need to collect the necessary information - about the sales market, price forecasts for services / goods, legislation that may affect the company's work, and other accurate data that every from statements and forecasts. Some can be collected independently, from industry media, scientific periodicals, stock exchange news, ready-made marketing research, information about similar projects of other companies. If this information is not enough, you should conduct or order your own marketing research from specialized companies.

When should you draw up a business plan yourself, and when should you turn to professionals?

Expert commentary

Ksenia Shvetsova, business coach

The higher the significance of the project and the requirements for it, and what about larger amount in question, the higher the likelihood that the company will turn to third-party specialists. If the company has competent employees in management, marketing and financial planning, it is quite possible to cope with the task on its own. If they are not there, it is advisable to order the development of the document from professionals.

Contacting third-party specialists is also relevant when an investment project is drawn up for certain competitions or government programs. Specialized firms have experience in this matter and know the subtleties and nuances that may be unknown to entrepreneurs. If a business plan is being created for internal use, then it is more effective to first write it yourself, and then, if necessary, seek help from professionals.


How to write a business plan that will definitely give you a loan

In an effort to obtain a loan, companies often draw up a formal business plan and tailor it to the bank’s requirements. As a result, they do not take into account the specifics of the project and make mistakes. See six tips that will help you objectively assess the effectiveness of your future project and increase your chances of funding.

Step 3: Develop a Marketing Plan

Now let's look at the main sections of the business plan. Marketing plan– one of the most important sections. First, you need to conduct a marketing study in which to evaluate profitability and payback in different situations, depending and not depending on the company’s activities, including the volume of financial investments. Next, create a marketing plan. It is he who will determine the direction of the development of the project and give an understanding of the most suitable tools and means to achieve the goals. Include the following items:

1. Marketing strategic planning:

  • company mission;
  • company goals;
  • competitive advantage of the company;
  • marketing strategy, its characteristics;

2. Product Description:

  • product description and assortment;
  • main product characteristics, performance characteristics;
  • attractiveness for the client, benefits of using the product;
  • requirements for consumer properties of the product;
  • competitive advantages of the product and competitiveness of the product;
  • patents, licenses, certificates for the product;
  • product packaging;
  • delivery terms;
  • guarantees and service;
  • taxation feature.

3. Pricing policy:

  • factors influencing pricing;

4. Sales of products:

  • volume and level of development of the industry;
  • main categories of clients;
  • target markets and their comparative characteristics;
  • barriers to entry and development in the market;
  • product sales strategy;
  • product distribution scheme;
  • distribution channels;

5. Promotion:

  • sales promotion methods;
  • advertising.

6. Scheduling planned strategic plan:

  • dates for achieving intermediate goals;
  • date of achievement of the final goal.

7. Detailing of the plan down to specific performers and designated responsible persons. Answers to the questions of who should do what, when, where, with what resources and how it affects the final result.

8. Formation of a marketing budget:

  • sales volume forecast;
  • cost forecast;
  • determining the budget for marketing activities.

Marketing planning will help determine the price level for a product or service - the maximum amount that a buyer is willing to pay for your offer. The more accurate this forecast is, the more stable the profit will be and the more effective promotion costs will be.

It is equally important to correctly identify the choice of suppliers of equipment, tools, services and other things that are necessary in the implementation of the project. Don’t chase cheapness, find even a smaller quantity, but find those companies that do not let you down with supplies and quality. You also need to identify the sales market, potential buyers or service users. No matter how reliable a small number of them may seem, the disappearance of the need for your product will reduce all the effort and cost to zero. Therefore, expand your customer base in advance. At the same time, it is important to correlate the search for clients with promotion costs. The budget for a business plan is not infinite, advertising agencies promise a lot, but be realistic, even large audience coverage does not always bring target clients.

Reflect in your marketing plan the sales methods you will use - directly to the consumer, through a network of distributors, etc.

Step 4: Create a production plan

The next part of creating a business plan is the production plan. Here you need to answer the following questions:

  1. Where is the production located?
  2. Is it provided with transport routes?
  3. Are all necessary communications available?
  4. Is the construction of production facilities required?
  5. How are the equipment supply issues resolved?
  6. Is the enterprise staffed with qualified personnel?
  7. What technologies are planned to be used?
  8. Is cooperation established with suppliers and subcontractors?
  9. How is the problem of waste disposal solved?

Answering these questions should be based on the information provided in the market research.

Production control

Particular attention should be paid to the description of the production of the product and the quality control system at each stage. To do this, the TQM control chart (process quality control chart) and the economic order quantity model are used.

The key point of the production plan is evidence of the need for the selected production technology (service provision). If there is a choice of production processes, then you need to mention them all, listing the serious disadvantages so that the advantages of the technology the company needs appear reasonable. You can consider the possibility of saving budget funds at each point of the plan: using leasing, renting equipment, collaborating with freelancers instead of permanent employees, transferring some functions to outsourcing. It is very important to identify the most effective and low-cost opportunity to conquer an economic niche in the market.

Recruitment

Recruitment is another important part of the production system, because its success depends on the skills and reactions of project managers. The description of the level of qualifications and the company’s provision with the necessary specialists should reflect real picture. If there is a need for additional recruitment of personnel and a management core, it is important to clarify whether it is possible to find them at the location of production or whether you will have to incur costs to motivate them to move from other cities. Don't waste too many words on the management biography. It is necessary to show that each of the managers is truly a professional in his field, dedicated to him and the team believes in the leader. For this, specific data about his role in participation in other projects is sufficient, while it is not necessary to describe exclusively successes. An adequate analysis of one’s past mistakes and the ability to draw the right conclusions is positively perceived by investors.

Loading production

The next point is production utilization or production capacity (PM). It contains data on the volume of products (services provided) that the company is able to produce (provide) for a specific time period. This paragraph examines the company's PM in several categories: project, current, reserve, and from the point of view of its possible increase and decrease. Here you also need to provide information about how flexible production will be - whether it is possible to quickly increase or reduce the production of goods without significant losses and breaks in the production-supply chain.

The production plan must contain an equipment layout diagram and its justification.

Aggregate plan and work schedule

An aggregate production plan for product sales is created to compare marketing data and production capacity for a period from one year to 5–7 years. Characterized by clear definitions of goods/services that must be produced to fulfill the business plan. The production and sales plan is usually divided into periods of up to a year. It can be adjusted every month, depending on the current situation in the company. The very concept of “aggregate” means to enlarge. In this case, we mean the generalization of individual indicators and their reduction into one position.

The next items are scheduling work and planning material requirements. For this it is convenient to use .

Step 5: Prepare a Financial Plan

This part of the business plan is designed to evaluate the project in terms of its costs and profitability. It should justify the need for finance, describe ways to replenish the project budget, and guarantees. It also provides a description of the economic situation in the area of ​​interest of the project, difficult to predict factors and possible options financial behavior under several scenarios. Preparing to work on a financial plan consists of drawing up an estimate and the degree of its accuracy.

It is important to list in detail all planned expenses for the project and the rationale for their necessity by year, dividing them into quarters. It is advisable to plan the first year monthly.

For each month (quarter, year) of the project, you need to reflect:

  • taxes and their rates;
  • inflation;
  • information on capitalization methods;
  • loan repayment schedule.

Take data from:

  • ;
  • documentation on the movement of money;
  • balance sheet.

How to write a business plan so that investors and bankers like it

It depends on how the business plan is designed, what issues are covered in it and how, whether it will be possible to get money for the idea. We have prepared recommendations that will help you create a business plan that is understandable to investors and bankers, and not miss anything really important.

Recommendations to help you write a competent business plan yourself

  1. Reflect in the plan the approximate period when the invested funds will be returned and what specific steps are provided for this.
  2. When making forecasts, check project performance indicators.
  3. Experts advise, after accurately calculating the costs of implementing the project, to double this figure. Lack of funds can ruin the most promising project.
  4. Compare the timing of receipt of funds with the timing of the company’s regular expenses.
  5. Create a financial reserve while the increase in income from the project exists only on paper.
  6. Create informed profitability forecasts. It is better to expect less than to be captured by illusory expectations and create a difficult financial situation for the company.
  7. Tightly control costs until operating returns are achieved.

Today, small business is a common phenomenon in the economies of various countries, including Russia. It can be represented either by a small private enterprise, that is, a legal entity, or an individual in IP format. Small businesses are represented in the field of sales and services.

Note that small businesses in Russia include organizations in which the number of workers does not exceed 100 people in the field of construction and industry, 30 people in retail trade, V agriculture and scientific and technical enterprises this figure reaches 60 people. In Europe and the USA, this figure is much higher and amounts to 300 and 500 people, respectively.

The importance of small business for the economy of any country is very great, especially for states where high level unemployment. Due to it, new jobs are created, and the needs of consumers for many services and goods are satisfied. In this regard, the state is pursuing an active policy in supporting small businesses. For its successful creation, development and existence, an effective plan is necessary, taking into account all possible scenarios.

A business plan at the initial stage of creating your own business helps to finalize the idea and methods of implementing the business, as well as determine the amount of investment. The main goal of any business plan is to describe all stages of business implementation, calculate the necessary costs, determine its elements, determine the time for the business to make a profit, calculate the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the risks and advantages of your own business.

Note that this important matter How to draw up a strategy for the development of their own business is also done by large companies that have worked for more than one year. They have special departments involved in planning the further promotion of the business and keeping it afloat.

When starting your own business, you can create a strategy for developing your business yourself based on the templates and tips that will be given below. In this article we will tell you how to write a business plan with step-by-step instructions.

When writing a business plan, we must take into account and describe the following main points:

  • goals for starting your own business;
  • competitiveness in the market;
  • managerial potential (in other words, the amount of work that a manager and his subordinates can handle);
  • model flexibility;
  • degree of exposure to external factors;
  • financial component, as well as final results.

Registration of a business plan

A business plan can be in the form of a formal document with a cover, written on a piece of paper by hand, or presented in electronic format. The structure of the business plan and the content of its main sections, including points that in some cases may be omitted:

  • title page (not always used);
  • a brief description of the project as a whole (summary);
  • main ideas of the project;
  • analysis of the sector and market in general, SWOT analysis, target audience;
  • project implementation plan;
  • profitability of the business idea;
  • necessary regulatory framework;
  • applications.

Front page

A project title page is a cover page that outlines the important elements of a business idea. These include: the name and author of the project (business), the year and place of creation of the project, you can also indicate its initial cost, that is, investments.

Resume

The summary in a business plan is a brief description of the business as a whole, which is compiled in such a way that it interests potential investors and partners.

First, you need to describe the rationale for the relevance and demand of the proposed service or product. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the market in this area. Determine the target audience to which your business will operate. To do this, it is necessary to pay attention to the business idea itself, its relevance, degree of prevalence, as well as the income generated. The second important point is a description of the factors influencing the viability of the business, its income and implementation according to plan. We pay special attention description of ideas, goals and objectives of the project.

Read also: What better than LLC or individual entrepreneur, what is the difference

Key Ideas

The next paragraph must be devoted to a complete and detailed description of the idea of ​​the business itself. When compiling it, it is necessary not only to describe the basis, but to think through possible options and ways to expand the existing proposal. For example, expanding the product line or modifying it, expanding the range of services. Careful, competent and thoughtful writing of the previous paragraphs will allow you to draw up a plan for the implementation of the main activities and stages of running a business and its functioning.

Before putting forward an idea for its subsequent implementation, it is necessary to carry out a qualitative analysis of the market for goods and services. This will help you identify an empty and underdeveloped segment of proposals. After forming the idea, it is necessary to study the profile area in more detail in order to determine possible ways of business development, the target audience, that is, the consumer. The following data must be specified: general, brief information about the industry, its main economic indicators, prospects and development dynamics; A description of competitors and their financial indicators and market conditions is important.

Sector and market analysis in general, SWOT analysis, target audience

At the same time, it is necessary to determine the strengths and advantages of your project, opportunities, describe risks, threats - in other words, perform a SWOT analysis of the idea. For convenience, a table is compiled. For each risk, an action plan to overcome it or alternative courses of action must be drawn up.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the description of the target audience of consumers - to draw up a portrait of it. It includes information about gender, age and social group, about the values ​​and motives that will motivate people to use your service or purchase a product. This work will identify ways to increase interest and consumption of your products and services among your existing target audience, as well as attract new groups. In the same paragraph, you need to describe the most profitable and cost-effective ways to sell your product or service. This point of your business plan is an important and integral part of it, so you must approach its writing responsibly.

Project Implementation Plan

When drawing up an action plan, it is not recommended to designate exact dates and the time of completion of this or that action. Here it is also necessary to remember the existence various types plans that perform certain functions and include their specific functions. The first of these is the strategic and marketing plan. It includes drawing up a table of activities with approximate time periods and the necessary funds and resources, as well as the construction of a strategy close to it (tasks and methods for their implementation). Here the principles of pricing for a product or service, their distribution channels are determined, and advertising tactics are developed.

Profitability of a business idea

Based on the previous plan, a financial plan is drawn up, which includes all items of income and expenses for the entire period of work, including salary accounting. If you are not confident in the correctness of its preparation, then it is better to entrust this function to a professional. The next step is to write a production plan. This is a description of the entire process of creating a product, from choosing a supplier and receiving raw materials, to manufacturing the product and its sale. It is imperative to write down an administrative plan, which includes defining the responsibilities of each work unit, the level of wages, as well as measures to optimize the work of employees. For example, participation in competitions, advanced training.

Profitability is an indicator of business performance.

When calculating it, all available resources are taken into account that can and should be used at the initial stage of creating a business, as well as throughout its development. Here we are talking about initial capital, as well as possible investment injections. This calculation allows us to determine the time of reaching the break-even point and transition to profit. If the forecast is made for a long period, it is important to take into account the possible growth of the wage fund, the level of inflation, as well as possible costs for updating equipment and rising prices for materials.

Every successful entrepreneur can confidently say that a well-written business plan is one of the most important elements in forming your own business. Understanding how to correctly design a future enterprise, you can predict a positive result when contacting a credit institution or investor. Let us next consider the basic rules for writing a business plan.

Purpose of the document

Writing a business plan (an example project will be discussed below) can be done in various ways. There are various benefits for this. However, in most of them the information is very specific and understandable only to economists or accountants. At the same time, the need to draw up a business plan arises for all beginning entrepreneurs. The document is necessary to submit to a credit institution, to obtain a loan from an investor to develop a business initial stages. In addition, a business plan allows you to see immediate and upcoming goals, predict capital investments at one time or another, anticipate the moment when the first profit will arrive, and calculate the total income from activities.

Specifics of enterprises

To obtain a loan for the construction of a plant or factory, it is more advisable to contact the appropriate organizations that can provide qualified assistance in writing a business plan. In this case, the document will contain economic calculations and be supported by financial documents drawn up in accordance with all the rules for their execution. A business plan drawn up in this way can, without hesitation, be sent to both foreign investors and domestic credit companies. However, in this case, it should be understood that services for drawing up a project for a future enterprise will not be cheap. To open a mobile retail outlet or a clothing or shoe repair shop, for example, there is no need to study or calculate industry risks in detail. In this case, it will be sufficient to competently organize production, determine the sales market, and predict enterprises. A program for writing a business plan for such an activity will be understandable to a novice entrepreneur.

Important point

Entrepreneurs who have quite a lot of experience in doing business do not recommend unconditionally relying on the experience of acquaintances or friends and only on their intuition. Forecasting activity does not appear as an obsolete component of socialist reality. Planning is the most important element modern business. Analysis of payback periods, determination of periods of investment, development and subsequent return - the most important aspects even with a relatively small investment. Concepts such as “market” and “plan” are fundamental in both the East and the West. At the present stage of economic development, it is enough to adopt experience successful companies and get positive results.

Sample of writing a business plan

A project for a future business is necessary for the investor, as well as the entrepreneur himself. The structure of writing a business plan includes a number of mandatory points. These include, in particular:

  • introduction;
  • a brief description of the future enterprise;
  • assessment of the sales market, competition, investment risks;
  • production formation plan;
  • forecasts for sales of services/products;
  • financial plan;
  • management organization;
  • application.

Adaptation to the Russian market

The above plan for writing a business plan is recommended by Western analysts. However, in the practice of domestic entrepreneurship, some of its points require clarification and additional decoding. Thus, taking into account the peculiarities of the Russian business sphere, the plan for writing a business plan should include a section that reveals an adequate understanding of the problems and issues related to the quality of services and goods. Here it is necessary to present possible solutions to them. It is also advisable to include a clause in the plan for writing a business plan that describes the ability to competently manage and regulate the cost of services/products. In the same section it is worth revealing ways to ensure its competitiveness. Another additional point will be a clear vision of the prospects for the development of the enterprise, guarantees of the ability to complete the task.

Plan for writing a business plan: independent work

First of all, you should clearly assess the competitiveness of the proposed services or goods, analyze the sales market, the timing of the first profit, the time during which the investment will pay for itself. The next step will be to determine the amount of capital investment required. Experts recommend dividing the investment into several parts, supporting the justification with appropriate calculations. Taking into account the above points, it should be understood that a business plan drawn up independently may be fundamentally different from the structure given above. It should also be noted that there is no project form regulated by norms and standards. Each entrepreneur has the right to independently establish a list of items and the scope of documentation for enterprise planning. However, if external investment is needed to open a business, you should still adhere to the above scheme.

Introduction

This section of the business plan is a presentation of the future enterprise. It must describe the type of activity in an understandable form in the most optimistic light. It often happens that the introduction is the only section that the investor reads on his own and immediately makes a decision - to take the project into development or reject it. Examination of the remaining parts in which calculations are displayed, marketing research, financial justification, he will entrust to his specialists. However, as practice shows, it is the introduction that decides the fate of the project. This section should be short and concise at the same time.

Characteristics of the industry and enterprise

This is the next important part of the business plan. This section gives general description enterprises and industries:

  • Financial indicators.
  • Personnel composition.
  • Direction of activity.
  • Enterprise structure.
  • List and description of services/products.
  • Development prospects and so on.

The section should contain characteristics of the proposed production and a number of technological aspects. These points should be described in simple and accessible language. There is no point in delving into terminology or using a professional style. In this case, it is enough to indicate the uniqueness of the services or products and their demand in the near and foreseeable future. You can also draw the investor’s attention to the advantages of the products offered.

Marketing research

Here you should describe the conditions under which consumers become clients of the enterprise. The section outlines methods of sales promotion, creating a positive image, and distributing services/products. The marketing plan includes a list of advertising costs. Essentially, you need to justify how and why consumers will purchase a service or product.

Production

This section should describe the characteristics of the premises, indicate established requirements to equipment and personnel. The production plan should also describe suppliers and contractors.

Organization of the enterprise and financial component

The business plan must contain characteristics of the form of management and the tasks of administrative specialists. For a domestic investor, it is important to have a resume for each member of the management team. In this regard, in this section it is worth listing the partners, noting as truthfully and objectively the contribution of each of them to the development of the enterprise as possible, functional responsibilities and role in the company. The financial part contains economic calculations. In particular, a table of income and expenses is compiled, a balance sheet is forecast, variable and direct costs are indicated, execution is carried out, and so on. Typically, three forecasts are developed in this section: realistic, optimistic and pessimistic. They are displayed in the form of graphs.