Business Plan Recipe

Here's an example of a business plan recipe if you are looking for a traditional way of planning

Writing an Effective Business Plan

Part 1 Introduction

1. What Is a Business Plan? Why Do I Need a Business Plan?
Does Every Business Need a Plan?
What Is a Business Plan?
Goals + Research + Strategy = Business Plan
Planning Stops Problems before They Start
Planning Is Part of Our DNA
It’s Worth the Effort
Good Management
Impress Your Bankers and Investors
Business Plans as a Management Tool
Business Plans as a Communication Tool
10 Sections of a Business Plan

2: Understanding the Process and Getting Prepared
Trust the Process, and You Will Gain New Insights
What’s Your Learning Style?
Learning Styles – Everyone Has One
Your Personality
The Process of Writing a Business Plan
One Bite at a Time
Financial Projections for Your Business Plan
Ignore the Order Sections in which Appear in the Final Document
Sample Business Plans Are Too General
Director’s Liability

Part 2: The 10 Sections of a Business Plan

3: Industry Analysis
Industry Analysis = External Focus
Competitive Environment, Industry Trends, and Market Environment
Economic Climate and Demographic Trends
The Role of Technology
Exit Strategy
Government Regulations
Demographic Trends
Industry Analysis Questions
Sample Industry Analysis

4: Market Analysis
Benefits of the Market Analysis
Identify Your Competition
Competition Analysis
How to Gather Information about Your Competitors
Identify Sales and Profits by Market Segment
Other Sources of Information
In-Depth Marketing Research
Market Segments and Innovation
Calculate Market Size and Market Share
How to Determine the Size of Your Market
Market Area
External Factors
Sample Market Analysis

5: Products and Services
Background Information
Define the Line of Products or Services
Service and Product Positioning
Start-Up and Expansion Costs
Document Revenue, Costs, and Profits
Growth, Expansion, and Redesign
Change in Costs and Profits
Service Life Cycle
Customer Profile
Customer Analysis
Customer Preferences
Create a Customer Needs and Preferences Profile
Proprietary Rights
Sample Services Section

6: Business Description
Define Your Vision
Draft a Mission Statement
Ethics Statement
Explain Your Business Goals
Operations
Type of Facilities
Legal Structure
Sample Business Description

7: Marketing and Sales Strategy
The Five-Box Marketing Strategy
Pricing Decisions and Strategy
Want to Avoid Failure? Then Develop a Sales Strategy
Sales = Influence
Creating Your Sales Strategy
The Complete Six Step Sales Process
Repeat Customers Generate Substantial Profits
Sample Marketing and Sales Strategy

8: Operations and Management
Why Operations and Management Plans Are Taken for Granted
Operations and Management as a Marketing Tool
Your Financier Will Take a Critical Eye to Management and Operations
Uses of an Operations and Management Plan
Components of the Operations and Management Plan
Management and Organizational Structure
Professional Services
Sample Management, Operations, and Organization Section

9: Pro Forma Financial Plan
Drive to the Finish Line
The Purpose of Your Pro Forma Financial Plan
The Pro Forma Financial Plan Must Answer Four Questions
Research and Study Sample Financial Statements
Building Your Business Financial Plan
Gather, Organize, and Enter Data
Cash Budget
How to Build the Income Statement
Structure of the Income Statement
Building Your Pro Forma Statement of Cash Flows
The Difference between Cash Flow and Profitability
Balance Sheet
Structure of a Balance Sheet
Putting your Balance Sheet Together
Using the Balance Sheet to Determine Profit or Shortfall
Breakeven Analysis
Understanding Breakeven
Sensitivity Analysis
Ratio Analysis – Understanding Your Financial Ratios
Liquidity Ratios
Safety Ratios
Profitability Ratios
Sales, General, and Administrative Costs to Sales Ratio
Efficiency Ratios
Formatting the Financial Plan
Reality Check – Revise and Make Final Adjustments
Financial Planning Tools
Conclusion
Sample Pro Forma Financial Plan

10: Implementation Plan
Write It, Then Read It
Track Implementation Ideas as You Write
Special Considerations for Start-Ups
Implementation for Established Firms
Use of Funds
Three-Part Implementation Plan
Sample Implementation Plan

11: Contingency and Emergency Plan
What Is the Purpose of a Contingency and Emergency Plan?
What Is an Emergency Plan?
What Is a Contingency Plan?
Business Planning Evolves
Examine and Verify All Assumptions
Write a Six-Step Disaster Plan
Sample Contingency and Emergency Plan

12: Executive Summary
Customize the Executive Summary for the Person Reading Your Business Plan
Customizing the Executive Summary for Your Bank
Confidentiality
Sample Executive Summary

Part 3: Writing a Business Plan in 30 Days

13: Writing a Business Plan in 30 Days
Minimize Your Distractions
Read, Think, Write, Edit
How to Write a Business Plan in 30 Days
The 30-Day Time Line

14: Common Mistakes in Writing a Business Plan
Writing a Business Plan to Get Funding
Writing a Business Plan to Get Your Business Organized
Writing a Business Plan because Your Banker Asked for It
Writing a Business Plan because You’ve Been Told You Need One
What to Do If You Have No Business Experience
Beware of the B.S. Factor
Writing a Business Plan without Financial Statements
Making Assumptions and Decisions without All the Facts
Ignoring Risk = Gambling
Trying to Go It Alone
Not Enough Detail in the Business Plan
Not Customizing Your Business Plan for the Reader
Not Writing a Business Plan or Not Finishing It
Inflating Revenue or the Sales Forecast
Not Starting a Business Plan because Itï¿½s too much Work

15: Working with Professional Advisers
History of Business Advisers
The “Coaching” Side of Business Coaching
Business Coaching
You and Your Team
Advisers Provide Perspective
Working with an Accountant or an Attorney
Informal Advisers

Part 4: Special Considerations for Specific Businesses

16: Business Planning for Inventors
Managing the Details
Product Development: Building a Prototype
Business Development
Market Research
Advice for Inventors
Making Money from Your Invention

17: Business Planning for a Retail Business
Describe Your Retail Location
High End = High Rent
Do Your Own Investigation
Drawing Traffic by Locating Close to Other Tenants
Staff Recruiting and Training
Buying the Right Inventory
The Retail Marketing Secret
What Type of Retail Business Do You Want?

18: Business Planning for a Manufacturing Business
Specific Operational Information to Include
Role of Quality Management Systems
Document Your Input Costs and Considerations
Equipment Depreciation
Facility Design and Operations Layout
Include Information about Labor, Production, and Process Considerations
Include Information about Your Health and Safety Programs
Include Your Plans for Training and Education Programs

19: Business Planning for Wholesale Distributors
Industry Analysis
Financial Plan
Marketing Strategy
Competition
Customer Surveys
Technology
Purchasing and Inventory Management
Delivery and Pick Up
Product Lines
Vendor Support and Customer Service

20: Business Planning for a Service Business
Creating a Positive Customer Experience
Before You Start to Write Your Business Plan, Define the Customers’ Needs
Identify Competitors
Marketplace
Choose and Define Your Ideal Customer
Create a Service Blueprint
Watch for New Revenue Opportunities
Describe the Operation of Your Service Business

21: Business Planning for Consultants and Professionals
Seasonal Fluctuations in Sales Volume
Obtain Financing to Bridge the Gap
Sales and Marketing Plan
Financial Projections and Cash Flow Analysis

22: Business Planning for Large and Public Companies
Team Approach to Building Your Business Plan
Bottom-Up Approach
Role of the CEO and Senior Executives in the Business Planning Process
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)
Industry Analysis
Market Analysis
Marketing Strategy
Operations Plan
Products and Services
Business Description and Executive Summary

23: Business Planning for Small-Medium Businesses (SMB)
You Might Be a Small Business, but Growth Is a Priority
Growth Potential = Growth in Human Resources
Industry Analysis
Marketing Strategy
Operations Plan
Financial Plan
Exit Strategy, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)

24: Business Planning for Small-Small Businesses
The Big Business Trend? Keeping It Small
Build a Diversified Marketing and Sales Plan
Create a Development Plan to Increase Your Interpersonal Skills
Avoid the Trap of ‘Breakevenitis’ Create a Profit Plan
Your Customers Fund Your Downtime
Calculate a Profitable Rate and Build a Profit Plan
Keep an Eye on Economic and Business Trends
Taking Outsourced Work from Larger Companiesï¿½Get a Good Contract
U.S. Entrepreneurship Outlook
Manage Cash Flow by Managing the Sales Funnel
Calculate Required Sales Activity
Long Hours When Successful
Getting a Business Loan for a Small-Small Business

25: Business Planning for a Web-Based Business
Vision and Goals
Choose Your Market Wisely
Think You’ll Need Venture Capital?
Bootstrap It
Use Wisdom When You Write Your Business Plan
Rapid Development
Stay Small and Agile
Business Model
It Is Still a Service
Personnel Plan
Marketing Strategy

Part 5: Getting the Money You Need

26: Applying for a Business Loan
Preparing a Small Business Loan Application
After the Loan Application
Unseen Decision Makers
The Loan Officer’s Role
Plan Ahead
Work with the System
Supporting Documents Needed for a New Commercial Business Loan
The Loan Application Process for a Commercial Business Loan
Small Business Administration Loans
Alternative Financing Options
Franchise Financing

27: Getting Funding from Investors, Family, and Friends
Get a Loan or Sell Equity
Finding Money
Make a List of Investors
Should I Ask for More Money Than I Need to Create a Cushion?
Be Professional in Your Business Dealings
Choosing an Investor

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