Business Plan Layout

I have been looking at various ways to present a business plan and what pieces of information need to be included.

EXAMPLE 1

1. Executive Summary: Write this last. It’s just a page or two of highlights.
2. Company Description: Legal establishment, history, start-up plans, etc.
3. Product or Service: Describe what you’re selling. Focus on customer benefits.
4. Market Analysis: You need to know your market, customer needs, where they are, how to reach them, etc.
5. Strategy and Implementation: Be specific. Include management responsibilities with dates and budgets. Make sure you can track results.
6. Web Plan Summary: For e-commerce, include discussion of website, development costs, operations, sales and marketing strategies.
7. Management Team: Describe the organisation and the key management team members.
8. Financial Analysis: Make sure to include at the very least your projected Profit and Loss andCash Flow tables.

EXAMPLE 2

Expanded business plan outline

Here’s an expanded full business plan outline, with details you might want to include in your own business plan.

1.0 Executive Summary
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Mission
1.3 Keys to Success

2.0 Company Summary
2.1 Company Ownership
2.2 Company History (for ongoing companies) or Start-up Plan (for new companies)
2.3 Company Locations and Facilities

3.0 Products and Services
3.1 Product and Service Description
3.2 Competitive Comparison
3.3 Sales Literature
3.4 Sourcing and Fulfillment
3.5 Technology
3.6 Future Products and Services

4.0 Market Analysis Summary
4.1 Market Segmentation
4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy
4.2.1 Market Needs
4.2.2 Market Trends
4.2.3 Market Growth
4.3 Industry Analysis
4.3.1 Industry Participants
4.3.2 Distribution Patterns
4.3.3 Competition and Buying Patterns
4.3.4 Main Competitors

5.0 Strategy and Implementation Summary
5.1 Strategy Pyramids
5.2 Value Proposition
5.3 Competitive Edge
5.4 Marketing Strategy
5.4.1 Positioning Statements
5.4.2 Pricing Strategy
5.4.3 Promotion Strategy
5.4.4 Distribution Patterns
5.4.5 Marketing Programs
5.5 Sales Strategy
5.5.1 Sales Forecast
5.5.2 Sales Programs
5.6 Strategic Alliances
5.7 Milestones

6.0 Web Plan Summary
6.1 Website Marketing Strategy
6.2 Development Requirements

7.0 Management Summary
7.1 Organizational Structure
7.2 Management Team
7.3 Management Team Gaps
7.4 Personnel Plan

8.0 Financial Plan
8.1 Important Assumptions
8.2 Key Financial Indicators
8.3 Break-even Analysis
8.4 Projected Profit and Loss
8.5 Projected Cash Flow
8.6 Projected Balance Sheet
8.7 Business Ratios
8.8 Long-term Plan

EXAMPLE 3

The Executive Summary

While appearing first, this section of the business plan is written last. It summarizes the key elements of the entire business plan. (Executive Summary Example)

The Industry

An overview of the industry sector that your business will be a part of, including industry trends, major players in the industry, and estimated industry sales. This section of the business plan will also include a summary of your business's place within the industry. (Business Plan Example: Industry Section)

Market Analysis

An examination of the primary target market for your product or service, including geographic location, demographics, your target market's needs and how these needs are being met currently.

Competitive Analysis

An investigation of your direct and indirect competitors, with an assessment of their competitive advantage and an analysis of how you will overcome any entry barriers to your chosen market.

Marketing Plan

A detailed explanation of your sales strategy, pricing plan, proposed advertising and promotion activities, and product or service's benefits.

Management Plan

An outline of your business's legal structure and management resources, including your internal management team, external management resources, and human resources needs.

Operating Plan

A description of your business's physical location, facilities and equipment, kinds of employees needed, inventory requirements and suppliers, and any other applicable operating details, such as a description of the manufacturing process.

Financial Plan

A description of your funding requirements, your detailed financial statements, and a financial statement analysis.

EXAMPLE 4

1.The nature of your business

1. Business name

2. Business activity

What do you do?

3. Mission statement

Please insert your mission or value statement here

4. Business objectives

· What are you plans to achieve your sales target in the first 12 months?

· What new products or services will you introduce in the following two years to grow your business?

· What is your long term / 5 year goal?

5. The people in the business

· How many people are employed?

· What are their roles?

6. What is the structure of your business?

· Describe the organisation – draw a diagram if appropriate

7. What is the legal status of your business?

· Is it Limited Company or partnership, social enterprise, cooperative or are you a sole trader?

· Why have you chosen this status – what are the advantages

2. Resources

1. Products or services

· Describe the range of goods/services you are selling

Say what percent of turnover each will provide ( e.g. boutique – 20% clothing, 60% jewellery, 20% hats)

2. What resources do you require?

· What equipment do you need (e.g. office equipment and furniture, display and lighting for a shop, studio equipment, company car / van)

· How much will these cost ? ( to the nearest £3,000 )

3. How much stock do you need any stock to start your business?

(e.g. clothes for a boutique, food for a café, books for a book shop)

· How much will your sales stock cost ? (to the nearest £3,000)

3. Prices

1. How have you worked out your prices?

· State what your pricing strategy is

2. How do your prices compare with your competitors?

· Name 3 competitors and give evidence of their prices

4. Customers

1. What evidence do you have that anyone will buy your product / service?

· Is it a popular product / service currently provided by lots of others

· Is your idea completely new?

· Is there increasing demand for your product / service?

2. Who are these people?

· Use segmentation to describe your typical consumer

· If yours is B2B – describe the market sector (e.g. retail, food, leisure, SMEs, local bands, entertainment industry)

3. Where are they?

· It may help to include diagrams or maps

4. How many are there of them?

· This must be described in numbers form. (e.g. population, tourist visitor numbers, number of local bands, number of retail outlets)

5. Why would they buy from you rather than anyone else?

· Provide a SWOT analysis to show that you have analysed your strengths and weaknesses in comparison to your potential competitors

6. How much will the average customer spend with you?

How often will they spend that amount with you?

Will your sales fluctuate due to external forces ( e.g. seasons or cultural / sporting events)

5. How will you promote your business?

1. How will you advertise your products / services?

(advertising is not compulsory)

2. What other marketing methods would be effective for you?

Personal Selling

Promotions

Public relations

Direct Marketing (Targeted marketing)

Internet

6. Total set up costs

1. Legal costs

What legal costs might you incur in setting up your business, on protecting your intellectual property, registering with Companies House ( if appropriate) or using a solicitor to look at your contracts?

2. Resources

How much Capital expenditure in the first year?

How much will you spend on materials and goods for sale for the first 6 months ( Direct Costs)

How much will be spent on bills and overheads for the first 6 months (Indirect costs)

3. Marketing

Cost of promoting your business for the first year

4. How will you finance the business start up?

Name a suitable source for the kind of funding you need.

If it’s a grant – give evidence that your are eligible. You are NOT eligible for Prince’s Trust

7. How will you monitor your progress>

1. Financial control

· What systems will you use to monitor finances?

· What methods will you use to monitor your position in the market?

LECTURE 6 - Dont just get a Job

It has 'never been easier to start your own company' and the risk is lower due to the way the creative industries have been made - individuals - 87% of creative industries are organised in companies of 10 people or less.

For the expression of 'start a business' please also read;
- become a freelance designer
- be a practising artist
- start a collective with other creatives
- start a creative commune in a squat

JONNIE CUPCAKES - itsbongoboy.com

ISSUES he talked about

- Why start a business - be passionate - something that drives you from within otherwise it wont be something you wont put your heart and soul into.

- Collaboration - Disney, Warner Bros - go to the top then work down - you want the best for your business. What have you got to lose?

-  4 P's - Product is T-shirt, Price is regular and limited editions, Promotion - USA tour and Place - fanticy bakery on sterioid

- Getting ripped off - copyright matters

- Marketing - brand, longevity, scarcity

- Risk - Take a chance, learn from mistakes

- Overseas trade = London


GETTING STARTED
Starting business...they think it takes luck, a clever idea, or just knowing the right people. That's not true. It's about you.'
It comes down to you - if they like you - you wont get the account if you and the client don't click

UK GROWING BUSINESS says

• Do what you love
• Start your business while you are still a student or still employed
• Dont do it alone - get advice, dont be an island
• Write a business plan
• Do the research
• Get professional help
• Get legal and taxi issue rights first time (what you will have to pay right from the start)

START YOUR BUSINESS says

• Come up with a good business idea
• write a business plan
• chose a winning name for your business
• chose a legal status for your business

BIT START & BETTER BUSINESS

• think about why you are starting a business
• look at the company structure
• think about the skills you NEED not just the skills you have got
• Funding
• Competition
• Marketplace - customers - understand it and know exactly what they are about - network with them
• Business plan
• staff
• seek professional advice
• biggest causes of failure
• If you can afford it - employ people who are more clever than you are. 

BUSINESSS PLAN

• a bussiness plan is a written statement of your bussiness, where you want to go and how you want to achieve this
• activity and skills required, mission and values
• Resources and equipment needed (overheads)
• Marketing - 4 Ps - how you are going to promote it, what lengths are you going to go to. 
• Money, Finance needed, Budgeting, Money Management

IN SHORT - how are you going to pay it back / build business?

• what are you going to do
• what is the value proposition
• what resource you need
• how much it will cost to get it started
• how will you pay for it
• who are your target customers

WHY DO YOU NEED ONE?

• To focus your efforts
• set some clear objectives
• to enable you to track your growth
• to raise finance
• attract collaborators

WHERE TO GIND A BUSINESS PLAN

• high street bank
• the arts coucil
• www.businessballs.com
• businesslink.gov.uk

WHERE TO FIND FUNDING

• by helping others to get grants - lateral thinking - if you know of a community or non profit organistion that could use your experties that they could get help for - think about what they might need - this would then pay you a fee. It may also pay you to aquire a piece of equipment or software to do the project with and this is something you could hold onto afterwards. 
• crowd funding
• we this this
• cooperative

INCOME SRREAMS

• Piavet commissions
• free lance design work
• workshops

WHAT STATUS - status is determined by - what you chose to do with your profits

• profitable grown of the business
• increasing income fo rthe people in the business
• have just enough noney to be able to continue practising
• share the profits with everyone in the business
• give all the profits to charity
• use profits to fund community projects 
• share profits with customer / members. 

A LIST OF LEAL STATUS TYPES

• sole trader
• partnership
• limited company
• limited liable partnership
• public limited company
• social enterprise

LEGAL STATUS

• determins how the business is run
• what records much be kept
• wheather you should be registered with companies house or not
• how much tax you pay 
• how you pay your employees and how yourself
• can affect your ability to borrow money

TAXATION IN THE UK

This is the money that educates us, protects us, keeps us healthy and enables economic growth. This is what makes a western society.

TAX TYPE

- personal

- tax allowance - £7.475

TAX BANDS

- tax bands

• 0 - 35,000 = 20 %
• 35,001 - 150,000 = 40%
• 150,000 + = 50 %

NIC's - National Insurance contributions

• Class 2 - self employed - weekly £2.50
• Or monthly direct debit
• Class 4 (self employment) collected annually on taxi return
• 9 % of profits up to £42,475
• +2% over £42,475
• Class 1 (paid on behalf of employees) 3.7 %

PARTNERSHIP

• run by two or more people
• share of profits
• share of debts
• share needs

LIMITED COMPANY 

• directors and shareholders liability for debts is limited to their % of ownership
• you are employee of the company
• corporation tax will be paid on profits. 

LIMITED COMPANY LIABILITIES

• NIC payments
• Corporation tax payments
• VAT payments

CORPORATION TAX

• turnovers of less than £300, 000 - 21%

VAT

• 20% on all goods and services
• 5% on 
• childrens car seats
• some property renovations
• insulation
• gas & electricity supplies
• feminine hygene products
• nicotine patches

VAT EXEMPT

• admission charges
• building sales and rental
• burrial and cremation
• health sercies
• sight tests
• postal servies
• tolls

LECTURE 7 - Dont get ripped off

You are the only one who has the right to make the copies etc of your work - if you work for a company then you are working off their copy rights. How are you going to prevent people (as a young creative person) not to rip off your ideas. 

• Leeds college of art pays for a licence so that we can photocopy books  - so we can 'steal' apparently. Huge amount of money. If artists have their work registered or an ISBM number then they may receive a small payment. 

• The spilling of your mind - your ideas weather you are a; wrighter, designer, artists, game producers, film makers, bar cocktail maker - anything that you could offer to sell. 

NEW INVENSIONS

• only that things that are new and work in a new way - electronic, chemical things e.g. machinary, software, medicines.
• This is the first patent - henry mill took out the first copyright. Until then all the writers were in alphabetical order. He re-arranged with vouls and most used letters sda;fljkdf;asdlkjf
• 
  

• Record your ideas otherwise you wont get a penny out of it

• If you want to register you trademark you have to have the logo, specific colours and the TM which means that it shows that it is under investigation. 
• Once it has been proven that no one else has something like that in the industry then it is 'registered' - R.
• Macdonalds probably has 100's of different trademarks which apply to different places and different products
• Logos - are a sign image which shows the values, performa,ce service, history and quality of a brand. It is a single image which you can see on a product and you can instantly understand what kind of promise lies behind the brand. In China they don't have any means to regularly police people who produce fake goods / miss represent the values and quality of brands. Here and in the US it is very strongly policed. 

• HEINZ is more complicated - strange shape, curved HEINZE, exact shade - these are all registered - so no other company can use that colour with other canned beans product
• Guinness - shape of the glass, the image, gold leafing and the typeface.

• Something that appears to be new - the re-arrangement of the features so that it appears to be new. 
• The kettle - they have reistered the decorative features to how it appears. They haven't changed the product - just registered the decorative features. 
• Apple would have rights for the software - every curve / size of screen would be registered. Apple is a registered trademark

Check on the interlectual property catalogue before going too far down the line of designing somehting and check that it hasn't already been done. 

COPYRIGHT

Covers all the things that you create - it covers all the things that you create and you don't need to register it. 

2 infringes on 2 parts - it is a copy of an orignal photo and also he uses Obamas typeface.