View video blog here - http://www.proformablog.com/business-plan-basics/ Building a business plan is no small task. It takes an unbiased approach, a willingness to devote time to research, and an understanding that the plan is never complete. Here are the basics to building a business plan from the ground up.

2. Business Plan Outline
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3. 1. Executive Summary
2. Company Description
3. Industry Analysis & Trends
4. Target Market
5. Competition
6. Strategic Position & Risk Assessment
7. Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy
8. Operations
9. Social Responsibility
10. Development, Milestones & Exit Plan
11. Financials
Business Plan Outline

4. • 50,000 view of your business
including your mission, vision
and purpose
• Think of the scenario that your
CEO is giving a high-level
explanation of your business
in 60 seconds
Executive Summary

5. • 10,000 view of your business
including strengths, weakness
and executive level staff
• Detail the leadership team,
resources and how you plan to
go to market
Company Description

6. • Highlight the direction of your
industry including current
trends in growth and decline.
This analysis may give you an
idea of current opportunities
available to your business
Industry Analysis & Trends

7. • Identify your target audience
and how you can focus on the
customers that have a need
for your products or services.
This should include
demographics, geographics
and socioeconomic status
Target Market

8. • Review your competition
including success and failures,
and how you can leverage
them to increase your
opportunities
Competition

9. • Differentiate yourself from your
competition – why are you
different or better?
• Review of risks including legal
repercussions, governing
policies, insurance needs and
coverage
Strategic Position & Risk Assessment

10. • Once your target marketing is
identified, hone in on specific
socioeconomic, demographic and
geographic information to ensure your
marketing efforts make a positive
impact and lasting impression
• Channel marketing focus to reach
your audience where they spend the
most amount of time – social media,
direct-mail, telephone, email, etc.
Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy

11. • Define the infrastructure of
your business including
technology, facility and
location, equipment, staff and
accounting
• Create a management
structure to identify which
executives are required to
achieve your business goals
Operations

12. • What social responsibilities
does your business abide by;
eco-friendly, paperless,
sustainability?
• Think about your carbon
footprint and how it impacts
your business, community and
customers
Social Responsibility

13. • 1, 3 and 5 year plans to achieve
milestones set by the business so your
staff has something to work towards
• Develop an exit plan that details, no
matter how far down the road, what
happens when the business transitions
ownership. Will it be handed to a family
member, will an employee be groomed
to take over or will an outside hire be
brought in to carry on the business? All
valid considerations
Development, Milestones & Exit Plan

14. • If you have an existing business,
review past financials as a starting
point to create future financial goals
including operations and sales
goals
• If you’re starting a new business,
start with any available industry
financials to give you an idea of
revenues and expenses
Financials

15. • SWOT Analysis
– Internal – Strengths & Weaknesses
– External – Opportunities & Threats
• PRIME Analysis
– Product
– Resources
– I – meaning, you, the business owner
– Marketing
– Economics
BONUS!

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