Business Plan Outline - Detailed, Guided and Informative

[mrka]

I have wrote a few business plans since my journey into self employment began, but I am now in need of a new one for a new promising business idea.

I need to top up on some of my skills, mainly on making sure all the sections are in the right place and it flows with impact.

I have found only one decent outline with key information on each section, like pointers and tips but even that is not enough. Some of the sections even seem in the wrong place. Like the business outline is in the middle! Link below.

https://www.bplans.com/business-plan-template.pdf

Can anyone link to a good site or PDF with a clear flow of sections and with each section full of helpful information of what to include.

I am trying to not fall into the the trap of painting the goal post instead of kicking the ball in, but just want to make sure I do it right for this business we will sell for £30,000,000 one day soon

Thanks.

 

[Maverick77]

I have wrote a few business plans since my journey into self employment began, but I am now in need of a new one for a new promising business idea.

I need to top up on some of my skills, mainly on making sure all the sections are in the right place and it flows with impact.

I have found only one decent outline with key information on each section, like pointers and tips but even that is not enough. Some of the sections even seem in the wrong place. Like the business outline is in the middle! Link below.

Can anyone link to a good site or PDF with a clear flow of sections and with each section full of helpful information of what to include.

I am trying to not fall into the the trap of painting the goal post instead of kicking the ball in, but just want to make sure I do it right for this business we will sell for £30,000,000 one day soon

Thanks.

Out of curiosity, why do you want to write a business plan?
Are you trying to get investment?

 

[Mark T Jones]

People looking to buy £30 million businesses don't read template business plans, they delve - in great depth into the financials.

What are you actually trying to achieve?

Whatever your template looks like, you business plan is about

The business
The market
The operational aspects

For me, the cashflow projections are the most interesting & revealing facet of the plan.

 

[mrka]

Out of curiosity, why do you want to write a business plan?
Are you trying to get investment?

Whilst that is certainly one reason to write a business plan, I also want to write one to guide us and the business through its early stages and beyond.

No it's not primarily from outside investment at the moment. It's more so we can get all of our ideas and research into one succinct document that both myself and my business partner can use to launch and build.

 

[mrka]

People looking to buy £30 million businesses don't read template business plans, they delve - in great depth into the financials.

What are you actually trying to achieve?

Whatever your template looks like, you business plan is about

The business
The market
The operational aspects

For me, the cashflow projections are the most interesting & revealing facet of the plan.

I am modest and humble. I am no absolute expert on anything thankfully. As i stated, I don't want to reinvent the internet with this business plan. It just has to allow us to get our ideas and research onto paper, it won't be perfect, it never will be, I don't care if it's messy for now, we just need to get going. We can worry later on about preparing a document to appeal to someone with £30m in their hands.

Agreed financials are crucial, a business with no money is just a hobby, and we certainly aint building another one of them!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

I would suggest in that case you need to

Identify potential competitors their strengths and any weaknesses, area of operations that effect your own plans

Explain how you are going to achieve your sales especially at the start

Your marketing plan

Designation of jobs to you and your staff

Cashflow and profit and loss plans

Don't forget shareholders agreement if any

Whatever order you want its your plan

 

[mrka]

I would suggest in that case you need to

Identify potential competitors their strengths and any weaknesses, area of operations that effect your own plans

Explain how you are going to achieve your sales especially at the start

Your marketing plan

Designation of jobs to you and your staff

Cashflow and profit and loss plans

Don't forget shareholders agreement if any

Whatever order you want its your plan

Thanks for your input!

I found what i was looking for, just a comprehensive outline like this.

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/how-to-write-perfect-business-plan-a-comprehensive-guide.html

Of course I am not going to just copy it, all business plans need to be tailor made to each business, but it gives me a lot of meat to go at and insight into each section.

 

[Maverick77]

Whilst that is certainly one reason to write a business plan, I also want to write one to guide us and the business through its early stages and beyond.

No it's not primarily from outside investment at the moment. It's more so we can get all of our ideas and research into one succinct document that both myself and my business partner can use to launch and build.

If you don't need it for any reason, don't waste time in writing one. Instead, just get together and agree on a high level roadmap.

There are so many people out there who think that starting a business is all about writing a business plan.

 

[mrka]

If you don't need it for any reason, don't waste time in writing one. Instead, just get together and agree on a high level roadmap.

There are so many people out there who think that starting a business is all about writing a business plan.

I truly understand your sentiment, I am one of those people.. I have ran bricks and mortar retail stores and did not write a business plan for any of them, because I intuitively knew what I was doing and was so eager and confident - yes I did not have time for a business plan.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. A business plan IS a "high level road map", as you called it. Without either you may as well put all your money on a race horse with a funky name.

Even now in the last week I have been carefully considering the target audience for this new business... It's exciting because I am strengthening what I already know as I am forced to put our beliefs into a framework such as 4 P's, and TAM SAM SOM and generally being honest and not just 'oh it will be fine'.

I disagree with you that you do not need a business plan. Sure no one is forcing you, but I bet you if you put majority of those without a business plan on the spot and asked who are they targeting they'd have no idea. Even

 

[Mark T Jones]

I truly understand your sentiment, I am one of those people.. I have ran bricks and mortar retail stores and did not write a business plan for any of them, because I intuitively knew what I was doing and was so eager and confident - yes I did not have time for a business plan.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. A business plan IS a "high level road map", as you called it. Without either you may as well put all your money on a race horse with a funky name.

Even now in the last week I have been carefully considering the target audience for this new business... It's exciting because I am strengthening what I already know as I am forced to put our beliefs into a framework such as 4 P's, and TAM SAM SOM and generally being honest and not just 'oh it will be fine'.

I disagree with you that you do not need a business plan. Sure no one is forcing you, but I bet you if you put majority of those without a business plan on the spot and asked who are they targeting they'd have no idea. Even

Put simply

I've yet to see a business fail because it had a plan. I've seen loads fail because they didn't.

You can of course obsess and delay. Sometimes starting the business actually builds the plan but you need a plan

 

[AstEver]

Sometimes the plan itself, in the form of a document, is not as useful as is the exercise of building it.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Put simply

I've yet to see a business fail because it had a plan. I've seen loads fail because they didn't.

You can of course obsess and delay. Sometimes starting the business actually builds the plan but you need a plan

I would say forget templates off the internet

Sit down this week end and write down as everything you plan to offer as a business ,
List inventory ,equipment , premises and vehicles ect
all your start up costs
your proposed day to day running cost
marketing strategy
target customers
how much profit you would like to make over the market going rate for your product or service
add everything
mix it with all the above that the usual suspects have mentioned !

This will help you form you business plan before you write it

You need to plan your business then plan your business plan so to speak !

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Spending time thinking through the idea fully as far as possible can never be a bad idea, after all you will be gambling a fair bit of time and money once you get started and even a £1 bet on the horses most would look at some sort of form guide, and a new business is gambling a few years of your life and maybe your home and family

 

[mrka]

I would say forget templates off the internet

Sit down this week end and write down as everything you plan to offer as a business ,
List inventory ,equipment , premises and vehicles ect
all your start up costs
your proposed day to day running cost
marketing strategy
target customers
how much profit you would like to make over the market going rate for your product or service
add everything
mix it with all the above that the usual suspects have mentioned !

This will help you form you business plan before you write it

You need to plan your business then plan your business plan so to speak !

Agreed.

One thing I have learned in life and business is there is never a one size fits all. Especially when you enter the realm of creative thinking and starting businesses. Even forming the outline of this new business plan, I have to build the outline to fit this business. I am not just 'copying a template', more picking and choosing elements that I think will work for what we need.

But thanks all for the input.

 

[fisicx]

I am not just 'copying a template', more picking and choosing elements that I think will work for what we need.

You will therefore be influenced by what they think should be in your plan.

Don't use a template, don't even look a guide. Just do what @JEREMY HAWKE said.

My business plan was a single side of A4. And most of that was doodles.

 

[mrka]

You will therefore be influenced by what they think should be in your plan.

Don't use a template, don't even look a guide. Just do what @JEREMY HAWKE said.

My business plan was a single side of A4. And most of that was doodles.

What he describes IS business plan.

I am intrigued to know what business you are in.

I understand your sentiment about "roll up your sleeves, learn on the job and get on with it" ha - I am that guy... But I think it all depends on what business you are in... If you are a jack the lad plumber and you have been taught how to plumb then you most likely won't need a business plan, but when you are building a FMCG retail brand that you want stocked in every supermarket in the world, I think a thorough business and marketing plan are crucial. In any form you please.

 

[fisicx]

What he describes IS business plan.

No, what he describes is used to write the business plan.

The plan you write will depend on your business. Some will be long, some not so. The level of detail proportional to the level of funding. As we know nothing about your idea nobody can properly advise on what you include in yours.

My business plan was written in a pub by me and the bloke I was to work with. We shook hands and that was that. My accountant filled in the missing bits.

 

[mrka]

No, what he describes is used to write the business plan.

The plan you write will depend on your business. Some will be long, some not so. The level of detail proportional to the level of funding. As we know nothing about your idea nobody can properly advise on what you include in yours.

My business plan was written in a pub by me and the bloke I was to work with. We shook hands and that was that. My accountant filled in the missing bits.

Right so you wrote a business plan.
What industry are you in if you don't mind me asking?

 

[The Byre]

I have read many business plans over the years, but I have only ever said yes to investing in someone else's business twice in the past 20 years and I bought out a complete micro-business ages ago.

I have never bothered to read a business plan. I sit down (usually with my wife moored alongside) and talk to the person(s) involved and I ask five questions -

1. What can we earn and is the business scalable?
2. What could we lose? What are the risks involved?
3. What is the USP?
4. What is Plan B if the customers stay away in droves?
5. What proof of concept is there? (Of course, the best is existing sales we can develop!)

If all five questions are answered to our complete satisfaction and without any exceptions, we start to talk about figures and timings. I pay special attention to scalability and the desire to expand and develop real equity in the business. If there is any umming and erring on that subject, we pull out.

What we are looking for is a sense of realism. Castles in the air (e.g. "If we only get 1% of the market . . .") or silly dreams of future great wealth ("The mark-ups are enormous and we could sell the business for millions!") and we pull out.

We also look for skin-in-the-game and long-term commitment. That means signing long-term contracts with personal guarantees.

 

[fisicx]

Right so you wrote a business plan.
What industry are you in if you don't mind me asking?

Look at my signature and take a guess. Also have 3 other money making things that I’m not prepared to make public.

As I said earlier the plan was some scribbles on a bit of A4 (actually the back of the specials menu in the pub). It was about 6 lines long as I recall and none were relevant to the actual agreement we signed.

 

[Alan]

From the sounds of the discussion, your business plan is for your own use.

I which case the output (the final plan layout ) is totally irrelevant, the value come from the planning process itself.

The first thing to think about is that planning is ( normally ) a group activity.

Then think about the actual planning activities and how each activity might be recorded or and summarised.

These are a few 'templates' that I would consider
- Mind maps
- SWOT
- Business Model Canvas

 

[mrka]

Look at my signature and take a guess. Also have 3 other money making things that I’m not prepared to make public.

As I said earlier the plan was some scribbles on a bit of A4 (actually the back of the specials menu in the pub). It was about 6 lines long as I recall and none were relevant to the actual agreement we signed.

LOL ok... Well you must be a true marauder in business. You write 6 lines on a menu detailing how your business is going to be successful and the didn't even need to in the end, would love to read this.

 

[mrka]

From the sounds of the discussion, your business plan is for your own use.

I which case the output (the final plan layout ) is totally irrelevant, the value come from the planning process itself.

The first thing to think about is that planning is ( normally ) a group activity.

Then think about the actual planning activities and how each activity might be recorded or and summarised.

These are a few 'templates' that I would consider
- Mind maps
- SWOT
- Business Model Canvas

Yes great suggestions, we have 50 pages on a Google Doc we have been sketching to over 2 months, looking at competitors, their branding, their message, their products and company structure, these tools will be good to bring some of that research into form.

 

[Alan]

I'd be Googling 'one page business plan template images'.

Business Model Canvas is one of my favorites, butthere are plenty of others like One Page Marketing Plan.

I'd be trying to condense your 50 pages into perhaps 3 simple one page layouts with key points in appropriate boxes

I'm not thinking too hard about this - so not 100% sure what those templates maybe
- Marketing strategy / plan
- Product and services
- Management and operations

 

[mrka]

I'd be Googling 'one page business plan template images'.

Business Model Canvas is one of my favorites, butthere are plenty of others like One Page Marketing Plan.

I'd be trying to condense your 50 pages into perhaps 3 simple one page layouts with key points in appropriate boxes

I'm not thinking too hard about this - so not 100% sure what those templates maybe
- Marketing strategy / plan
- Product and services
- Management and operations

Thanks. Yes I think I am going to first step back and do a one pager just to see what is on the top of my mind. I think this will be a great way to shake off the fear. Right now I am able to describe the business, its product, it's audience and the market it is in, in a few sentences. Currently sketching out this BUSINESS CANVAS now.

I definitely understand that he true mark of any self made person is to disregard what you think you know and just get on with it. I also appreciate those who can write their business plans on the backs of beer soaked napkins.