The Different

Elements of a
Business plan
“ A Goal without a
plan is just a Wish

~Antoine De Saint-Exupery

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 Business
Plan
A business plan is a description of the business,
a road map that will help you get to your desired
destination. It gives you an idea of the obstacles
that lie ahead and can point out possible
alternate routes.

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Elements of Business
Plan
1.Executive Summary 1.Marketing Strategy
2.Company Description 2.Management Summary
3.Products or Services 3.Financial Analysis
4.Market Analysis

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 Executive
1 Summary
Executive
Summary
Executive summary should appear
first in your business plan. It should
summarize what you expect your
business to accomplish. Since it’s
meant to highlight what you intend to
discuss in the rest of the plan,

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The executive summary for a
business plan should include:
▸ Your business name and location
▸ Products and/or services offered
▸ Mission and vision statements
▸ The specific purpose of the plan (to secure
investors, set strategies, etc.)

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2
Company
Description
Company
Description
The business description usually begins with
a short description of the industry. When
describing the industry, discuss the present
outlook as well as future possibilities. You
should also provide information on all the
various markets within the industry,
including any new products or developments
that will benefit or adversely affect your
business. 

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The company description
should feature:
▸ The legal structure of your business (corporation, sole
proprietorship, etc.)
▸ A brief history, the nature of your business, and the needs or
demands you plan to supply
▸ An overview of your products/services, customers, and
suppliers
▸ A summary of company growth, including financial or market
highlights
▸ A summary of your short- and long-term business goals, and
how you plan to make a profit

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 Products or
3 Services
 Product or
Services
The products and services section of your
business plan outlines your product or
service, why it's needed by your market,
and how it will compete with other
businesses selling the same or similar
products and services.  

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This section should include:

▸ A detailed description of your product/service that

emphasizes customer benefits
▸ An explanation of the market role of your
product/service and advantages it has over competitors
▸ Information about the product/service's life cycle
▸ Relevant copyright, patent, or trade secret data
▸ Research and development activities that may lead to
new products and services

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4
Market Analysis
Market Analysis
A market analysis is a quantitative
and qualitative assessment of
a market. It looks into the size of
the market both in volume and in
value, the various customer segments
and buying patterns, the competition,
and the economic environment in
terms of barriers to entry and
regulation.

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Market analysis should
include:
▸ A sketch of targeted customer segments, including size
and demographics of each group
▸ An industry description and outlook, including statistics
▸ Historical, current and projected marketing data for
your product/services
▸ A detailed evaluation of your competitors, highlighting
their strengths and weaknesses

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5
Marketing
Strategy
Marketing
Strategy The marketing strategy section of your
business plan builds upon the 
market analysis section. The marketing
strategy outlines where your business fits
into the market and how you will price,
promote, and sell your product or service.
It can also act as a source of important
information for potential investors who
are analyzing your business.

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This section should include:
▸ An explanation of how you’ll promote your business to
customers and enter the market
▸ Details about costs, pricing, promotions, and
distribution/logistics
▸ An explanation of how the company will function,
including the operations cycle (from acquisition of
supplies through production to delivery)
▸ Information on sources of labor and number of
employees
▸ Data on operating hours and facilities

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6
Management
Summary
Management
Summary
The management summary section of
your business plan describes how
your business is structured,
introduces who is involved, outlines
external resources and explains how
the business is managed..

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Include the following:
▸ An organizational chart with descriptions of
departments and key employees
▸ Information about owners, including their names,
percentage of ownership, extent of involvement within
the company and a biography listing their background
and skills
▸ Profiles of your management team, including their
names, positions, main responsibilities and past
experience
▸ List of any advisors, such as board members,
accountants, and attorneys
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6
Financial Plan
and Projections
Financial Plan and
Projections
The financial analysis section of a 
business plan should contain the data
for financing your business for the
present, what will be needed for
future growth, and an estimation of
your operating expenses.

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Some of the important financial statements that
should be part of your plan include:
▸ Historical financial data (if you own an established
business), including income statements, balance sheets
and cash flow statements for the past three to five years
▸ Realistic prospective financial information, including
forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow
statements and capital expenditure budgets for the next
five years
▸ A brief analysis of your financial data, featuring a ratio
and trend analysis for all financial statements

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