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Sheet1Balance Sheet (Projected)Company
XYZBeginningProjectedProjectedProjectedas of
mm/dd/yyyy12/31/1912/31/2012/31/21AssetsCurrent
AssetsCash in bank$ -$ -Accounts receivable--Inventory--
Prepaid expenses--Other current assets--Total Current Assets$
-$ -Fixed AssetsMachinery & equipment$ -$ -Furniture &
fixtures--Leasehold improvements--Land & buildings--Other
fixed assets--(LESS accumulated depreciation on all fixed
assets)--Total Fixed Assets (net of depreciation)$ -$ -Other
AssetsIntangibles$ -$ -Deposits--Goodwill--Other--Total
Other Assets$ -$ -TOTAL Assets$ -$ -Liabilities and
EquityCurrent LiabilitiesAccounts payable$ -$ -Interest
payable--Taxes payable--Notes, short-term (due within 12
months)--Current part, long-term debt--Other current liabilities-
-Total Current Liabilities$ -$ -Long-term DebtBank loans
payable$ -$ -Notes payable to stockholders--LESS: Short-
term portion--Other long term debt--Total Long-term Debt$ -$
-Total Liabilities$ -$ -Owners' EquityInvested capital$ -$
-Retained earnings - beginning--Retained earnings - current--
Total Owners' Equity$ -$ -Total Liabilities & Equity$ -$ -
Totals are calculated automatically.
Make sure to enter this as a negative number!
Make sure to enter this as a negative number!
Sheet2
Sheet3
Twelve-month cash flowCash Flow (12 months)Enter Company
Name HereFiscal Year Begins:Jan-18Pre-Startup ESTJan-
19Feb-19Mar-19Apr-19May-19Jun-19Jul-19Aug-19Sep-19Oct-
19Nov-19Dec-19Total Item ESTCash on Hand (beginning of
month)0000000000000CASH RECEIPTSCash SalesCollections
fm CR accountsLoan/ other cash inj.TOTAL CASH
RECEIPTS00000000000000Total Cash Available (before cash
out)00000000000000CASH PAID OUTPurchases
(merchandise)Purchases (specify)Purchases (specify)Gross
wages (exact withdrawal)Payroll expenses (taxes, etc.)Outside
servicesSupplies (office & oper.)Repairs &
maintenanceAdvertisingCar, delivery & travelAccounting &
legalRentTelephoneUtilitiesInsuranceTaxes (real estate,
etc.)InterestOther expenses (specify)Other (specify)Other
(specify)MiscellaneousSUBTOTAL00000000000000Loan
principal paymentCapital purchase (specify)Other startup
costsReserve and/or EscrowOwners' WithdrawalTOTAL CASH
PAID OUT00000000000000Cash Position (end of
month)00000000000000ESSENTIAL OPERATING DATA (non
cash flow information)Sales Volume (dollars)Accounts
ReceivableBad Debt (end of month)Inventory on hand
(eom)Accounts Payable (eom)Depreciation
Totals are calculated automatically.
Instructions
Notes on Preparation
Note: You may want to print this information to use as
reference later. To delete these instructions, click the border of
this text box and then press the DELETE key.
Refer back to your Profit & Loss Projection. Line-by-line ask
yourself when you should expect cash to come and go. You have
already done a sales projection, now you must predict when you
will actually collect from customers. On the expense side, you
have previously projected expenses; now predict when you will
actually have to write the check to pay those bills. Most items
will be the same as on the Profit & Loss Projection. Rent and
utility bills, for instance, are usually paid in the month they are
incurred. Other items will differ from the Profit & Loss view.
Insurance and some types of taxes, for example, may actually be
payable quarterly or semiannually, even though you recognize
them as monthly expenses. Just try to make the Cash Flow as
realistic as you can line by line. The payoff for you will be an
ability to manage and forecast working capital needs. Change
the category labels in the left column as needed to fit your
accounting system.
Note that lines for 'Loan principal payment' through 'Owners'
Withdrawal' are for items that always are different on the Cash
Flow than on the Profit & Loss. Loan Principal Payment,
Capital Purchases, and Owner's Draw simply do not, by the
rules of accounting, show up on the Profit & Loss Projection.
They do, however, definitely take cash out of the business, and
so need to be included in your Cash plan. On the other hand,
you will not find Depreciation on the Cash Flow because you
never write a check for Depreciation. Cash from Loans
Received and Owners' Injections go in the "Loan/ other cash
inj." row. The "Pre-Startup" column is for cash outlays prior to
the time covered by the Cash Flow. It is intended primarily for
new business startups or major expansion projects where a great
deal of cash must go out before operations commence. The
bottom section, "ESSENTIAL OPERATING DATA", is not
actually part of the Cash model, but it allows you to track items
which have a heavy impact on cash. The Cash Flow Projection
is the best way to forecast working capital needs. Begin with
the amount of Cash on Hand you expect to have. Project all the
Receipts and Paid Outs for the year. If CASH POSITION gets
dangerously low or negative, you will need to pump in more
cash to keep the operation afloat. Many profitable businesses
have gone under because they could not pay the bills while
waiting for money to flow in. Your creditors do not care about
profit; they want to be paid with cash. Cash is the financial
lifeblood of your business.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i. EXECUTIVE Summary #
Company Information #
Market Opportunity #
financial data #
11. Company InFORmaTION #
111. EnvirnomentaL & Industry Analysis #
Environmental #
Industry #
1V. Product or Service #
V. Marketing Research & Evaluation #
Target Markets & Evaluation #
Market Trends #
Competition #
Market Share #
Marketing Plan-explain marketing strategy #
Pricing #
Promotion #
Distribution/place #
Service policy’s #
VI. Manufacturing & Operations Plan #
Geographic Location #
Facilities#
Make or Buy Policy #
Control Systems #
Labor Force #
V11. management Team #
Vi11. Timeline #
1X. Critical Risks & Assumptions #
X. Benefits to Community #
X1. Exit Stratgey #
XII. Financial Plan #
Sources & Uses of Funds #
Cashflow Statement #
Balance Sheet #
Profit & Loss statement (INCOME Statement) #
Dix Hills, New York 11746
BUS 461
BUSINESS SEMINAR
NAME
_________________________________________________
SCORE _____________
Business Plan
Grading Criteria
Points
Exemplary
10 points
Good
8 points
Satisfactory
6 points
Unacceptable
0 points
Cover Sheet,
Table of Contents
A clear articulate professional cover sheet & table of contents
was provided along with requested information.
A cover sheet & table of contents was provided along with
requested information.
A cover sheet & table of contents was provided
A cover sheet & table of contents was not provided or was
incomplete.
____
Executive Summary
Summary generated excitement, was brief, provided an
overview of the business and outlined main points.
Summary was brief, provided an overview of the business, and
outlined main points.
Summary was brief, provided an overview of the business, and
outline some main points.
Summary was brief and provided only an overview of the
business or an outline of main points.
____
Company Plan,
Environmental & Industry Analysis
A flawless description of the company plan & analysis of
environment and industry was effective.
Description of company plan & analysis of environment and
industry was given.
Description of company & analysis of environment and
industry, but w/o sufficient detail.
Description of company & analysis of environment and
industry was missing
____
Product /Service,
Marketing Research & Evaluation
A clear description of products/services and its unique features.
Clearly identified & described target markets, market trends and
competitors.
Described
product/service and
Described target mkt, mkt trends and its competitors.
Described
product/service and
Described target mkt, mkt trends and its competitors, but w/o
sufficient detail
Analysis failed to provide at least one aspect of required
information.
____
Operational Plan, Critical Risks & Assumptions, Timeline
Detailed information regarding operational plan, critical risks
& assumptions and timeline clearly stated.
Information was provided of operational plan, critical risks &
assumptions, and timeline plan.
Not all the information was provided of operational plan,
critical risks & assumptions, and timeline plan
Analysis failed to provide at least one aspect of required
information
Management Team/Exit Strategy/Benefits
To the Community
Member(s) of management team were identified & their
qualifications & experience described in a way that led
credibility to the business. A detailed exit strategy and benefits
were included.
Member(s) of management team were identified & their
qualifications & experience described in a way that led
credibility to the business. An exit strategy and benefits were
included.
Member(s) of management team were identified. An exit
strategy and benefits were included.
Analysis failed to provide all of the required information.
Financial Plan(include balance sheet, income statement and c/f
statement)
Possible finance sources were identified & business financial
outlook was described in detail. Statements were completed.
Possible finance sources were identified & business financial
outlook was described. Statements were completed.
Possible finance sources were identified & business financial
outlook was mentioned. Statements were completed.
Section failed to provide necessary financial statements..
Effectiveness & Detail
Plan was highly effective in describing the business and its
operations in great detail and it was obvious there were great
thought behind it.
Plan was effective in describing the business and its
operations in great detail and to have great thought behind it.
Plan described the business and its operations in some detail
with some thought behind it.
Plan lacked overall effectiveness, as it failed to describe
business effectively.
Professional Appearance,
Clarity & Organization and Grammar.
Plan was presented in an acceptable format (clearly organized)
and had no spelling or grammatical errors.
Plan was presented in an acceptable format (clearly organized)
and had few spelling or grammatical errors.
Plan was presented in an acceptable format (but not clearly
organized) and had few spelling or grammatical errors.
Plan wasn’t presented in an acceptable format and had many
spelling or grammatical errors.
Presentation
The presentation was smooth, polished, and organized.
Speakers spoke clear, avoided distracting filler words and made
frequent eye contact. Did not read directly from business plan.
The presentation flowed smoothly. Speakers were easy to
understand and occasionally made eye contact. Speakers did
not read directly from business plan
The presentation moved logically but wasn’t clear at all times
and made occasionally eye contact.
The presentation was disorganized resulting in difficulty of
understanding business. Speech was rushed or inarticulate.
Total Score
Dix Hills, New York 11746BUS 461
BUSINESS SEMINAR
BUSINESS PLAN BASICS
Business plans are the preferred mode of communication
between entrepreneurs and potential investors. Experienced
owners and managers of closely held businesses know that
business plans can also be an indispensable management tool.
Many entrepreneurs/business owners have found that just
completing the steps required to develop a business plan forces
them to introduce discipline and a logical thought process into
all of their planning activities. They have found that a properly
prepared business plan can greatly improve their company’s
ability to consistently establish and meet goals and objectives in
a way that best serves the companies owners, employees, and
investors.
A business plan should be a simply written representation of
where a company is going, how it will get there and what it will
look like once it arrives.
Not only should entrepreneurs write business plans but so
should all companies. Most companies who value business plans
are used at a minimum to:
1. Set goals and objectives for the company’s performance
2. Provide a basis for evaluating and controlling the company’s
performance.
3. Communicate a company’s message to middle managers,
outside directors, lenders and potential investors.
COVER SHEET: Serves as the title page of your business
plan.
· Name, address, and phone number of the company.
· Name, title, address, phone number of owners/corporate
officers.
· Month and year your plan was prepared.
· Name of preparer.
· Copy number of the plan.
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Quick reference to major topics
covered in your plan)
· You want the business plan to be as easy to read as possible.
An orderly table of contents will allow the reader to turn to the
desired section as needed.
I.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (or Statement of Purpose)
This is the thesis statement and states business plan objectives.
Should be 4 paragraphs 1 to 2 pages). Use the key word
approach (who, what, where, when, why, how, how much) to
summarize the following:
· Your Company (who, what, where, when).
· Who your management is and What their strengths are.
· What your objectives are and Why you will be successful.
· If you need a financing, why you need it, how much you need
and how you intend to repay the loan or benefit the investor.
Note: Do not write the executive summary (statement of
purpose) until you have completed your business plan! It is a
summary and reflects the contents of the finished plan.
I1.
THE COMPANY INFORMATION
What is included? This section should include a "summary
description of your business" statement followed by information
on the "administrative" end of your company.
A. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS
In a paragraph or two give a broad overview of the nature of
your business, telling when and
why the company was formed. Then complete the summary by
briefly addressing:
· mission (projecting short- and long-term goals)
· business model (describe your company's model and why it is
unique to your industry)
· strategy (give an overview of the strategy, focusing on short-
and long-term objectives)
· strategic relationships (tell about any existing strategic
relationships)
· SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats that your company will face, both internal and external)
B. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
· Address Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents
· Back up in Supporting Documents with registrations, photos,
diagrams, etc.
C. LOCATION
· Describe your projected or current location.
· Project costs associated with the location.
· Include legal agreements, utilities forecasts, etc. in Supporting
Documents.
D. LEGAL STRUCTURE
· Describe your legal structure and why it is advantageous for
your company.
· List owners and/or corporate officers describing strengths
(include resumes).
E. ACCOUNTING & LEGAL
· Accounting: What system will you set up for daily accounting?
Who will you use for a tax accountant? Who will be responsible
for periodic financial statement analysis?
· Legal: Who will you retain for an attorney? (Keep 'Murphy's
Law' in mind.)
F. INSURANCE
· What kinds of insurance will you carry? (Property & Liability,
Life & Health)
· What will it cost and who will you use for a carrier?
G. SECURITY
· Address security in terms of inventory control and theft of
information (online and off).
· Project related costs.
III.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
What is included? This section should include how your
business fits into larger contexts.
A. ENVIRONMENTAL
· Identify trends and changes happening at the national and
international level that may influence the future. Describe any
trends that are going on in your industry.
· Describe the opportunities that you have for your business.
Describe how your business can take advantage of
opportunities.
B. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
· Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics,
and niche market specifics).
· Industry demand
· Competition –identify major competitors (including their
locations) assessing their strengths and weaknesses or include a
SWOT analysis.
· Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends).
IV. PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
What is included? This section should include a "summary
description of your business describing your product or service.
· If you are the manufacturer and/or wholesale distributor of a
product: Describe your products. Tell briefly about your
manufacturing process. Include information on suppliers and
availability of materials.
· If you are a retailer and/or an e-tailer: Describe the products
you sell. Include information about your sources and handling
of inventory and fulfillment.
· If you provide a service: Describe your services List future
products or services you plan to provide.
V. MARKETING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
What is research and evaluation? This section presents evidence
that a market exists for your business.
A. TARGET MARKETS & MARKET SEGMENTATION
· Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics,
and niche market specifics).
B. MARKET TRENDS
· Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends).
1.
C. COMPETITION
· Competition –identify major competitors (including their
locations) assessing their strengths and weaknesses or include a
SWOT analysis
D. MARKET SHARE
· Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics,
and niche market specifics).
· Competition (describe major competitors assessing their
strengths and weaknesses.
· Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends).
· Market Research (describe methods of research, database
analysis, and results summary).
E. MARKETING PLAN
· General Description (budget % allocations on- and off-line
with expected ROIs).
· Method of Sales and Distribution (stores, offices, kiosks,
catalogs, d/mail, website).
· Packaging (quality considerations and packaging).
· Pricing (price strategy and competitive position.
· Branding.
· Database Marketing (Personalization).
· Sales Strategies (direct sales, direct mail, email, affiliate,
reciprocal, and viral marketing).
· Sales Incentives/Promotions (samples, coupons, online promo,
add-ons, rebates, etc.).
· Advertising Strategies (traditional, web/new media, long-term
sponsorships).
· Public Relations (online presence, events, press releases,
interviews).
· Networking (memberships and leadership positions).
· Description of Customer Service Activities.
· Expected Outcomes of Achieving Excellence.
VI. MANUFACTORING AND OPERATIONAL PLAN
What is included? This section should include detailed
information regarding operational plan including geographic
location, facilitates, control systems and labor force. .
VII.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
What is included? This section should state key individuals that
will help transform your vision into a successful business. An
organizational chart can be included.
A. MANAGEMENT
· List the people who are (or will be) running the business.
· Describe their responsibilities and abilities.
· Project their salaries.
· (Include resumes in Supporting Documents)
B. PERSONNEL
· How many employees will you have in what positions?
· What are the necessary qualifications?
· How many hours will they work and at what wage?
· Project future needs for adding employees.
VIII.
TIMELINE
What is included? This section should outline the
interrelationships and timing of the major events planned for
your business.
IX.
CRITICAL RISKS & ASSUMPTIONS
What is included? This section should include implicit
assumptions.
X.
BENEFITS TO COMMUNITY
What is included? This section should include (if any) the
economic impact, human development, and community
development.
XI.
EXIT STRATEGY
What is included? This section should include your succession
plan..
XII.
FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
The quantitative part of your plan. This section of the business
plan is the quantitative interpretation of everything you stated
in the organizational and marketing plans. Do not do this part of
your plan until you have finished those two sections.
Financial documents are the records used to show past, current,
and projected finances. The following are the major documents
you will want to include in your Business Plan. The work is
much easier if they are done in the order presented because they
build on each other, utilizing information from the ones
previously developed.
A. SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL NEEDS (needed only if you
are seeking financing)
This is an outline of the following information:
(1) Why you are applying for financing.
(2) How Much capital you need.
B. LOAN FUND DISPERSAL STATEMENT (needed only if
you are seeking financing)
You should:
(1) Tell How you intend to disperse the loan funds.
(2) Back Up your statement with supporting data.
C. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET -THREEYEAR INCOME
PROJECTION
Projection of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth of your
company at end of next fiscal year.
Shows the condition of the business as of a fixed date. It is a
picture of your firm's financial condition at a particular moment
and will show you whether your financial position is strong or
weak. It is usually done at the close of an accounting period.
Contains: (1) Assets, (2) Liabilities and (3) Net Worth.
D. PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT (INCOME
STATEMENT)- THREE-YEAR INCOME PROJECTION
Shows your business financial activity over a period of time
(monthly, annually). It is a moving picture showing what has
happened in your business and is an excellent tool for assessing
your business. Your ledger is closed and balanced and the
revenue and expense totals transferred to this statement.
E. CASH FLOW STATEMENT- THREE-YEAR PROJECTION
Shows the amount of cash generated and used by a company in a
given period.
XIII.
APPENDIX (SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS)-this section isn’t
included in the grading criteria. Not crucial to the business plan
but can be of interest to potential investors and creditors.
This section of your plan will contain all of the records that
back up the statements and decisions made in the three main
parts of your business plan. The most common supporting
documents are:
A. PERSONAL RESUMES
Include resumes for owners and management. A resume should
be a one-page document. Include: work history, educational
background, professional affiliations and honors, and a focus on
special skills relating to the company position.
B. OWNERS' FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
A statement of personal assets and liabilities. For a new
business owner, this will be part of your financial section.
C. CREDIT REPORTS
Business and personal from suppliers or wholesalers, credit
bureaus, and banks.
D. COPIES OF LEASES, MORTGAGES, PURCHASE
AGREEMENTS, ETC.
All agreements currently in force between your company and a
leasing agency, mortgage company or other agency.
E. LETTERS OF REFERENCE
Letters recommending you as being a reputable and reliable
business person worthy of being considered a good risk. (both
business and personal references)
F. CONTRACTS
Include all business contracts, both completed and currently in
force.
G. OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS
All legal papers pertaining to your legal structure, proprietary
rights, insurance, etc. Limited partnership agreements, shipping
contracts, etc.
H. MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS
All other documents which have been referred to, but not
included in the main body of the plan. (For example, location
plans, demographics, competition analysis, advertising rate
sheets, cost analysis, etc.).
PUTTING YOUR PLAN TOGETHER
When You Are Finished: Your Business Plan should look
professional, but the potential lender or investor needs to know
that it was done by you. A business plan will be the best
indicator that can be used to judge your potential for success. It
should be no more than 30 to 40 pages in length, excluding
supporting documents. If you are seeking a lender or investor:
Include only the supporting documents that will be of
immediate interest to the person examining your plan. Keep the
others with your own copy where they will be available on short
notice. Have your plan neatly bound at your local print shop or
in blue, black or brown covers purchased from the stationery
store. Make copies for each lender or investor you wish to
approach. Do not give out too many copies at once, and keep
track of each copy. If you are turned down for financing, be
sure to retrieve your business plan.
KEEP YOUR BUSINESS PLAN UP-TO-DATE
Your plan will be beneficial only if you update it frequently to
reflect what is happening within your business. Measure your
projections against what actually happens in your company. Use
the results to analyze the effectiveness of your operation. You
can then implement changes that will give you a competitive
edge and make your business more profitable.
Business Plan Guide - 8
Business Plan Guide
to accompany
Small Business Management:
Entrepreneurship and Beyond
6th Edition
Timothy S. Hatten
Colorado Mesa University
Elements of the Business Plan
Suggested length
Cover Page 1 page
Table of Contents 1-2 pages
I. Executive Summary 1-2 pages
A. Mission Statement
B. Company Information
C. Market Opportunity
D. Financial Data
II. Description of Your Company and Industry3-5 pages
A. Company Background and History
B. The Industry
III. Description of the Product or Service 3-4 pages
A. Description of the Product or Service
B. Competitive Advantages
IV. Market Research and Evaluation 2-4 pages
A. Markets
B. Market Trends
C. Competition
D. Market Share
V. Marketing Plan 12-15 pages
A. Market Strategy
B. Product
C. Pricing
D. Promotion
E. Place
F. Service Polices
VI. Manufacturing and Operations Plan 5-6 pages
A. Production
B. Geographic Location
C. Facilities
D. Make or Buy Policy
E. Control Systems
F. Labor Force
G. Training
H. Staffing Plan
Suggested length
VII. The Management Team 2-4 pages
A. Identification of Key People
B. Succession Plan
C. Management Philosophy
D. Business/Organizational Structure
E. Identification of Firms Assisting the Company
VIII. Timeline ……………………………..1 page or a table
A. Key Events
IX. Critical Risks and Assumptions 2-4 pages
A. Risk Management Strategies
X. Benefits to Community 1 + pages
A. Economic Development
B. Community Development
C. Human Development
XI. Exit Strategy 1 page
XII. Financial
Plan………………………………………………………….. 3 pages
of text (and appropriate spreadsheets)
A. Sources and Uses of Funds
B. Financial Practices
C. Cash Flow Statement
D. Cash Budget
E. Profit and Loss Statement
F. Breakeven Analysis
G. Financial Ratios
H. Intangibles--Intellectual Property
Appendices (as needed)
……………………………………………….Varies by
appendix
A. Resumes/Biographies of Key Personnel
B. Advertising Samples
C. Organizational Chart
D. Customer Profiles
E. Competitor Profiles
F. Product Profiles
G. Site Study and Store Layout
H. Financial Statements
I. Global Issues
I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For help in completing this section, check SBMEB pp. 86-87.
Suggestions for writing Executive Summary section
1. Think of this one- to two-page overview as the
business plan in miniature. While there are a number of sections
to it, each may only be a few sentences or paragraphs long.
Note the example Figure 4.1(a) on page 88 is a way to condense
information.
2. Write this section of the business plan last. Some will
tell you to write it first to help focus your effort to build
confidence as you tackle the plan, etc. Good reasons all. But in
terms of economy of effort it will take far less time if you write
it last. As you write the body of the plan, try highlighting key
ideas/sentences in the various sections. Use these to write your
Executive Summary. Also, as a summary of the key elements,
you can’t really write it before you have all the key elements,
which you won’t have until you’ve done a significant amount of
work on the business plan.
3. Logically, we’ve placed the Executive Summary first
- that’s where it will appear in the final document- but you
should really write it after you’ve written and revised the entire
plan.
4. This is your opportunity to make a good first
impression. Often investors decide in a few minutes, while
reading the Executive Summary, whether to read on and/or
invest. This is the critical element of the business plan.
Therefore:
· make it concise; two pages maximum in length.
· emphasize only the important elements of the business.
· make the financial request clear. How much is needed, how
will it be used in the business, and how/when will it be repaid?
· write to capture the readers’ attention, to spark enthusiasm for
your business.
5. Investors want to know who your attorney and
accounting firms are. If you don’t have them, establish the
relationships now.
6. Are there any international considerations for your
business, either as potential markets or potential competitors?
Resources needed to write your Executive Summary
Start with a draft copy of the completed business plan with
spreadsheets. Writing is ALWAYS made better by going
through revisions. Lacking that, you will need the following
items:
1. A paragraph-long mission statement worked out in
advance.
2. Historical information on the company, when it was
started, by whom, etc.
3. Quantified company-level goals and objective(s).
4. Biographies or resumes of the management team with
their unique strengths highlighted.
5. Product/service description materials.
6. Market research information on the potential market
and target market.
7. A justified estimate of the capital you need and a plan
for repaying it. How much is needed and how did you determine
the amount?
8. Financial data on:
size of the market in units and dollars.
projected revenues, profits, assets, and liabilities.
Read the questions under each heading. Choose which questions
will apply to your business plan. Then write any notes, your
responses to the questions, etc., in the box that follows the
questions.
Mission Statement
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 66-67
(mission statement), pp. 55-56 (corporate ethical
responsibilities), and pp. 222-223 (for capital requirements).
1. Why does your company exist?
To serve a customer, to make a profit (of course), but why else?
2. What are the guiding principles or values for your
company?
How will you do business?
What is your position on the environment, diversity, community
responsibility, etc.?
What is your responsibility to your customers, to your
investors?
Company Information
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 76-78
(setting objectives) and pp. 69-75 (competitive advantage).
1. Objectives - What is it that you want to accomplish,
and by when? They should be stated in such a way that their
accomplishment creates a competitive advantage.
Do you have any international aspirations?
2. What is/are your competitive advantage(s)?
3. Company history – give the background of the
company.
4. The management team--who are you, and who are
your key people?
Market Opportunity
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93-95,
276-278.
1. What is the expected size and growth rate of your
market?
2. What is your fundamental marketing strategy?
Cost leadership.
Differentiation.
Focus.
Or....
3. What relevant industry trends should your investors
know about, early in this plan?
Financial Data
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 97-103,
222-226.
1. The financial request
How much do you want? How will you use it?
How much debt and equity? Number of investors sought?
What are the terms of the deal you are offering investors?
What return are you offering?
2. Tables
Summary of 3 years actual, 3 years projected
Actual 20xx Projected 20xx
Revenue _____ _____
Net Income _____ _____
Assets _____ _____
Liabilities_____ _____
Net Worth _____ _____
Summary of Financing
Current Amount Amount Needed
Debt _____ _____
Debt with Warrants _____ _____
Convertible Debentures _____ _____
Stock--Preferred and Common _____ _____
II DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY AND INDUSTRY
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 92-93,
91-92.
Suggestions for writing this section
1. The following sections are where you elaborate and
explain the information provided in the Executive Summary. Be
sure to cover in more depth everything you raise in the
Executive Summary.
2. Accuracy and realism are important here.
Do you know how your company and your product/services are
perceived relative to competitors? Describe the areas that are
rock solid and those that are shaky.
3. Write this section of the business plan first. Use it to
remind yourself of where you’ve done well and what didn’t
work.
Your initial draft should be thorough, with no detail left
unmentioned.
Once you’ve written this, then review and edit.
4. Emphasize the accomplishment of significant
objectives.
You want the business to be attractive but not “too good to be
true.”
5. Don’t forget it is also important to reveal any key
negatives, problems, or failures.
Every investor knows there is a downside.
Be honest about yours. It will build trust.
It shows a realistic approach to doing business.
6. It is very important that this section shows how your
company is different from others.
It is also critical that you demonstrate to your investors that you
have substantial evidence to support your claims.
7. If you provide a service, be certain your reader
understands what that service is and how it is used by your
customers.
8. Be succinct. The industry portion provides
background for later portions of the plan.
Clarify market attractiveness.
Describe key success factors.
Leave elaboration for later.
Resources needed to write this section
1. A history of your company including why and how
you started. Note key events.
Show key events and dates.
Consider putting it into chart form.
2. Your charter, tax papers, or incorporation papers that
show the legal form you’ve chosen.
3. Have a product specification sheet or FAB (features,
advantages, benefits) sheet on the product/service.
4. Be able to state your competitive advantage in a
paragraph or less. If you can do it in a sentence, that’s even
better. See pages 66-68.
5. A list of your objectives, preferably in quantified
terms.
6. A list of key success factors, such as: price, quality,
durability, dependability, technology, etc.
Be sure to identify key factors as they pertain to your
product/service. A generic list is a warning flag to investors.
7. An assessment of your intangible assets.
Your Company
1. A history of operation. (Even for a startup, you have
some ‘history.’)
The legal form of the company.
Why does your company exist?
Describe in some detail what your company does and how it
satisfies customer needs.
How did you choose the product or service you sell?
What significant successes have you had? What significant
failures or losses have you experienced?
Concentrate on the successful accomplishment of past
objectives, but be honest about the risk.
2. Highlight significant financial and operational events.
When did they happen?
Why were they significant?
3. Intangible assets.
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp.
146-147.
Goodwill.
Established name/reputation.
The Industry
1. Explain the nature of the industry.
Overview of the historical development of the industry.
Note any special events, governmental action, or economic
events that have altered the industry in the last ten years. Don’t
make a laundry list; note the most important events only.
Provide industry data such as market size, growth trends, and
competitive strength of major firms in the industry.
Are there seasonal fluctuations in demand?
Address the importance and impact of strategic issues such as:
ease of entry and exit, ability to achieve economies of scale,
cyclical nature of the economy or sales cycle, etc.
What are industry trends regarding the use of technology?
How does the future look for the entire industry?
Are there any international issues? Are companies moving
offshore? Are international competitors coming into the
industry?
2. Who could compete with you by offering either a
competitive product or by offering a substitute for your
product?
3. What is the current state of the art in the industry?
How does your product/service reflect this current state or
exceed it?
What do you need: what will you do to succeed in your chosen
market?
What are the current applications of your product/service?
What are the potential applications of your product/service?
III DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 291-
295.
Suggestions for writing this section
1. This is what your business is all about, the product or
service that you offer the market.
Describe all products or services in terms of benefits customers
seek.
2. Investors want to know what makes your products
different, why customers will buy from you.
Price.
Differentiation.
Quality.
3. Along with product or service differences investors
want to know what gives you an edge, a competitive edge
regarding your products. This topic is covered later as well, but
write here how your products or product line contributes to your
competitive advantage.
4. Be careful to explain how your customers use your
product or service. Do not assume that it is apparent to
investors.
5. While you are writing to raise capital for now, think a
bit into the future.
What new applications or uses are there for your product?
6. If you provide a service, be certain your reader
understands what that service is and how it is used.
Resources needed to write this section
1. Profiles and data on each of your products or service.
2. A target market description emphasizing the benefits
customers want.
3. Have a product specification sheet or FAB (features,
advantages, benefits) sheet on the product/service.
4. Be able to state the competitive advantage of each.
5. A new product development plan with timeline.
6. A Boston Consulting Group matrix or similar matrix
depicting viability of each existing product and product line.
7. An assessment of where each product is in the
product life cycle.
Description of the product/product line.
1. Reference the appropriate appendix for diagrams,
photos, and/or technical data.
Describe in terms of features that distinguish the product (line)
from competitors.
Identify the needs/benefits that the features meet for your target
market.
2. Product growth potential.
Where is each product in terms of the product life cycle (PLC)?
How are you managing the PLC for each product?
3. Applications of the product/product line.
How is it used?
How else might it be used? How could that/those use(s) be
exploited?
What potential new products might these suggest?
4. Planned new products.
What new products?
Why are you developing them?
When do you plan to bring them out?
What target market(s)?
Competitive Advantage(s)
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 12-14,
296-7.
1. How will you build your competitive advantage?
Close relationship to customers.
Devotion to quality.
Attention to convenience.
Innovation.
Dedication to customer service.
Flexibility.
2. What is the basis of your competitive advantage?
What is the economic forecast for your geographic area for the
next year, the next five years?
IV MARKET RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93-95,
281-286.
Suggestions for writing this section
1. In real estate the key is location, location, location.
In a business plan the key is evidence, evidence, evidence. The
content here will make or break your plan. This shows whether
you know what you are writing about or not.
2. There are a number of resources available to the small
businessperson that are either free or relatively inexpensive.
Trade associations and journals.
Chamber of Commerce.
Competitors’ sales literature.
People--customers and sales representatives.
3. Venture capitalists look for a well-thought-out plan.
Thoroughness here demonstrates the degree of effort of thought
and “homework” done on the business.
Be specific when describing the target market. Explain in detail.
Document, prove, cite evidence.
4. Write in terms of benefits sought by the customer as
much as possible. Customers buy benefits.
5. Be enthusiastic and realistic when describing the
potential market. No one can capture 100% of any market.
6. The market research you present here is critical. You
need solid evidence to back up your business plan. While
market research may be a relatively brief part of this section, it
is the backbone of your plan.
Don’t hesitate to use others’ studies. There are numerous
marketing publications, journals, and government/academic
studies available in local libraries on almost any market
segment.
Your local Chamber of Commerce may have a
demographic/economic/socio-graphic study for your community
or region as a service to local small business.
7. You may identify your market a number of ways. Be
sure the way you choose fits your business and product/service.
Demographics--quantifiable characteristics: age, income,
education, gender, etc.
Psychographics--interests, values, beliefs, etc.
Sociological--family structure, ethnic values, etc.
Geographics--location, location, location.
8. What you write here will be important to your
marketing plan, your timeline, and the explanation of critical
risks sections of the rest of your plan.
9. Don’t forget to do a thorough job of competitor
analysis as well as looking at your markets.
10. Your responses to the competitors should be
customer-focused responses.
Resources needed to write this section
1. A copy of your Executive Summary, to ensure that
you now detail everything you mentioned there and that you
don’t add anything that should also be referenced in the
Executive Summary.
2. Any market research studies you’ve conducted or
secondary market research you’ve collected about your business
and market.
3. A customer profile consisting of a picture or verbal
description of your target market. Advertising professionals
often create a portfolio, complete with a picture of their
‘”typical customer” in order to keep focused and in tune with
the customer.
4. A copy of your company goals and objectives, to
ensure your marketing effort stays in line with your company
strategy.
5. An outline of your competitive advantage(s).
6. A competitive profile on each important competitor
which includes:
Why they are a competitor.
Sales volume in units and dollars and market share.
Their apparent market strategies.
A SWOT analysis of each competitor.
Their competitive style--aggressive, conservative, etc.
Probable future actions in your market.
7. An analysis of your competitors’ advantages over you
in the following categories:
Price.
Performance.
Durability and versatility.
Speed or accuracy.
Ease of: a) use; b) maintenance; and c) installation--including
cost of installation.
Product features including size or weight and styling or
appearance.
8. An analysis of your advantages over your competitors
in the same categories listed above.
Markets
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 273-
281.
1. What market research have you conducted or found
about your customer?
Detail either the sources of your information or how you
deduced it.
2. Who are the potential buyers for your products?
Describe the customer according to any of the following or any
combination:
demographics.
psychographics.
sociologically.
geographics.
3. How many potential customers are there?
What percentage can you realistically capture?
This is critically important to the justification of the financial
forecasts that will follow.
4. Why do they buy?
What is their primary purchase criterion: price, quality,
availability, convenience, or...?
Are there price tiers in the target market?
What features do they seek? What benefits do they want?
Do they have a preference as to how and where they buy? How
strong is it? How will you change it?
5. What are the potential annual purchases?
How do the customers decide to buy?
How often do they buy?
What is the buying cycle? Is there seasonality to your market?
Is demand tied to any other product/service, i.e. online music
sales to MP3 player sales?
6. What do they buy?
Price--how much will changes in price affect your customers’
purchases? Important to know in advance.
Quality--will they pay more for better quality?
Image-- is brand name important?
Are customers brand loyal?
7. Describe the overall market
Does the research show a profitable market for your business,
product/service? (Remember size or lack of service to a market
does not automatically imply opportunity. No one may be
serving that market for a reason.)
Location and size, in number of customers and sales dollars. Is
the market growing?
Growth rate, trends.
Provide a table of projected industry sales in this market.
Project your market share, best case, worst case, most likely
case. (This is important to your financial forecasts later.)
Year Year Year Year Year
20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX
Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Best Case Percent Growth
Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Most Likely Case Percent Growth
Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Worst Case Percent Growth
Projected ____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Market Share
Market Trends
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93, 96-
97, 322-327 .
1. How might the economy affect sales of your
product/service?
What is the economic forecast for your geographic area for the
next year, the next five years?
2. How might government programs, policies, or
legislation affect your industry, business, or product/service?
3. How might technological factors affect your
product/service sales?
4. What social/cultural factors might impact your sales?
Changing demographics of market segment: aging, moving,
increasing/decreasing incomes.
Changing social structure, i.e., increase in single working
parents, might result in an increased need for quick, inexpensive
prepared meals that can be heated and eaten.
Changing values.
5. How will you track these trends? How will you
continually evaluate customer needs?
Competition
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 63, 69-
75.
1. Who are your primary existing competitors?
List the top 3 or 4, with a sentence explanation of why each is a
competitor. (Region, price, similar product, etc.) to accompany
Figure 3.3 in SBM:EB p. 70.
Identify the price leader, quality leader, and service leader.
2. Conduct a Strength and Weakness Analysis on each
primary competitor.
How will you counter their advantages/strengths, exploit their
weaknesses?
3. What distinguishes their product/service from yours?
Features and Benefits.
Price.
Product performance.
Other relevant product attributes.
4. What are their apparent strategies in developing the
market? Product development.
Pricing.
Distribution.
Promotion.
5. What are your company’s comparative strengths and
weaknesses?
6. Who are your potential competitors?
Why would they enter your market(s)?
When would they enter your market(s)?
How might they enter, position themselves?
7. What are the barriers to entry for new competitors?
(Not all will apply: which are key?)
Economies of scale--a new company will not have the cost
efficiencies of an established firm.
Product differentiation--strong brand identification or customer
loyalty can be a problem.
Capital requirements--is there a significant up-front cost:
physical plant, inventory, equipment, etc.?
Switching costs--to the customer. Sometimes with system-type
products, the customer must change more than just one item.
Regulatory environment--are there regulations, federal, state, or
local, that are difficult to meet?
Market Share
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 274-278.
1. Quantify, where possible and appropriate, i.e.,
amount of revenue, size of market share, etc.
2. Sales forecast
What is the nature of the sales cycle: long or short, simple or
complex?
Provide, in chart form, your sales forecasts for the current year,
next year, for a total of five years out.
What is the average sale?
Forecast projections in terms of best case, worst case, most
likely case.
Project sales in terms of units, revenues--gross and net.
See Appendix H1 at the end of this document for templates.
Sales Forecast Table
Year Year Year Year Year
20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX
Best Case
Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Units _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Most Likely Case
Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Units _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Worst Case
Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Units _____ _____ _____ _____ ____
V MARKETING PLAN
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 346-
351.
Suggestions for writing this section
1. This is a strategy and tactics section. You need to
detail your marketing strategy for each component and then
offer how you will accomplish it.
Example of a price strategy “…to be the low cost provider to
our customer market through discount pricing and incentive
programs.”
Example of a price-related action plan (to be detailed in a later
section) “During our peak season we will under-price
competitors by 10%. During the months of _____ to _____, our
slow period, we will use a rebate incentive program directed to
distributors to encourage their “pushing” of XYZ product line.”
2. Remember, strategy is simply explaining your
company’s overall approach for achieving growth and profits.
3. Tailor this section to your business. Some sections
are not relevant to a manufacturing business, others to a service
business, etc.
4. Be sure to review what you have written so far so that
your actions here match your earlier projections.
5. In this section, you need to deal with both marketing
and selling.
Marketing is the identification of your customer.
Selling is convincing those customers to buy from you.
Resources needed to write this section
1. A copy of your mission statement, goals, and
objectives.
2. A cost analysis for each product/product line.
3. Your media budget and plan.
4. If you are a manufacturer, an outline of your
production plan.
5. If you are a service business, a list of your suppliers
with any special qualities.
Market Strategy
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp.177,
296-7.
1. Briefly review your overall marketing strategy as
stated in your Executive Summary.
Cost leadership.
Differentiation.
Focus.
2. What marketing tactics will you use?
Market penetration, market development, product development,
market segmentation.
Product
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 291-
297.
1. Describe the level of product satisfaction for which
you are striving. See Figure 12-1 SBM:EB p. 291
Core benefit.
Generic product.
Expected product.
Augmented product.
Potential product.
2. What type of new products will you develop?
New to the world.
New product lines.
Additions to existing lines.
Improvements, revisions, or new uses of existing products.
Repositioning.
Cost reductions.
3. Packaging.
Is this an issue for your products?
How does it affect your cost structure?
Are there environmental issues to consider?
Pricing
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94, 346-
360.
1. What is your pricing strategy?
How price sensitive is the market?
Low cost, premium pricing, . . . .?
Why this strategy?
2. How is pricing determined?
Costs plus.
ROI.
Competitive parity.
3. What are your margins? How will you make a profit?
Promotion
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94, 364-
372.
1. How will you attract customers? What type of
advertising promotion will you use?
National versus regional/local.
Print or electronic.
What promotions will be used?
Trade shows.
Direct marketing.
Public relations.
2. Advertising plan.
What media will you use? Why?
How will you use public relations in your promotion plan?
Scheduling plans.
3. Budget.
What percentage of sales will you spend on promotion?
What budgeting method will you use? Why?
Refer to detailed budget in your appendices.
4. Consider including samples in your appendices.
advertising copy
brochures
5. How will you assess the effectiveness of your
promotional efforts?
Place
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94-5,
319-327 (location analysis), 453-459 (wages and incentive
programs).
1. How will you distribute your products?
Your own sales force.
Independent sales representatives.
Agents or brokers.
2. How will you compensate the sales force?
3. How will you structure the sales force, their
territories, the product lines, etc.?
4. Sales plan.
Sales budget--how did you determine your budget? Task and
objective method, parity, or . . . .?
Sales philosophy--how will your sales force approach the
customer?
Refer to detailed budget in your appendices.
5. Transportation.
Types.
Costs.
Means--company vehicles, rail, truck, etc.
Service Policies
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 91, 291-
293.
1. What will be your customer service/product service
policies?
Warranties.
Handling of customer problems.
2. How will you identify and track your most important
service issues as they develop?
VI MANUFACTURING AND OPERATIONS PLAN
For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 95, 471-
473.
Suggestions for writing this section
1. This portion of your plan applies to your product. If
you are a service company, some sections, such as facilities,
control systems, labor force, etc., apply to you, but not all.
2. Investors are looking for:
the age and condition of your facilities and equipment.
the rationale for …
How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan: The
Components of a Financial Section
A financial forecast isn't necessarily compiled in sequence. And
you most likely won't present it in the final document in the
same sequence you compile the figures and documents. Berry
says that it's typical to start in one place and jump back and
forth. For example, what you see in the cash-flow plan might
mean going back to change estimates for sales and expenses.
Still, he says that it's easier to explain in sequence, as long as
you understand that you don't start at step one and go to step six
without looking back--a lot--in between.
• Start with a sales forecast.
Set up a spreadsheet projecting your sales over the course of
three years. Set up different sections for different lines of sales
and columns for every month for the first year and either on a
monthly or quarterly basis for the second and third years.
"Ideally you want to project in spreadsheet blocks that include
one block for unit sales, one block for pricing, a third block that
multiplies units’ times price to calculate sales, a fourth block
that has unit costs, and a fifth that multiplies units times unit
cost to calculate cost of sales (also called COGS or direct
costs)," Berry says. "Why do you want cost of sales in a sales
forecast? Because you want to calculate gross margin. Gross
margin is sales less cost of sales, and it's a useful number for
comparing with different standard industry ratios." If it's a new
product or a new line of business, you have to make an educated
guess. The best way to do that, Berry says, is to look at past
results.
• Create an expenses budget.
You're going to need to understand how much it's going to cost
you to actually make the sales you have forecast. Berry likes to
differentiate between fixed costs (i.e., rent and payroll) and
variable costs (i.e., most advertising and promotional expenses),
because it's a good thing for a business to know. "Lower fixed
costs mean less risk, which might be theoretical in business
schools but are very concrete when you have rent and payroll
checks to sign," Berry says. "Most of your variable costs are in
those direct costs that belong in your sales forecast, but there
are also some variable expenses, like ads and rebates and such."
Once again, this is a forecast, not accounting, and you're going
to have to estimate things like interest and taxes. Berry
recommends you go with simple math. He says multiply
estimated profits times your best-guess tax percentage rate to
estimate taxes. And then multiply your estimated debts balance
times an estimated interest rate to estimate interest.
• Develop a cash-flow statement.
This is the statement that shows physical dollars moving in and
out of the business. "Cash flow is king," Pinson says. You base
this partly on your sales forecasts, balance sheet items, and
other assumptions. If you are operating an existing business,
you should have historical documents, such as profit and loss
statements and balance sheets from years past to base these
forecasts on. If you are starting a new business and do not have
these historical financial statements, you start by projecting a
cash-flow statement broken down into 12 months. Pinson says
that it's important to understand when compiling this cash-flow
projection that you need to choose a realistic ratio for how
many of your invoices will be paid in cash, 30 days, 60 days, 90
days and so on. You don't want to be surprised that you only
collect 80 percent of your invoices in the first 30 days when you
are counting on 100 percent to pay your expenses, she says.
Some business planning software programs will have these
formulas built in to help you make these projections.
• Income projections.
This is your pro forma profit and loss statement, detailing
forecasts for your business for the coming three years. Use the
numbers that you put in your sales forecast, expense
projections, and cash flow statement. "Sales, lest cost of sales,
is gross margin," Berry says. "Gross margin, less expenses,
interest, and taxes, is net profit."
• Deal with assets and liabilities.
You also need a projected balance sheet. You have to deal with
assets and liabilities that aren't in the profits and loss statement
and project the net worth of your business at the end of the
fiscal year. Some of those are obvious and affect you at only the
beginning, like startup assets. A lot are not obvious. "Interest is
in the profit and loss, but repayment of principle isn't," Berry
says. "Taking out a loan, giving out a loan, and inventory show
up only in assets--until you pay for them." So the way to
compile this is to start with assets, and estimate what you'll
have on hand, month by month for cash, accounts receivable
(money owed to you), inventory if you have it, and substantial
assets like land, buildings, and equipment. Then figure out what
you have as liabilities--meaning debts. That's money you owe
because you haven't paid bills (which is called accounts
payable) and the debts you have because of outstanding loans.
• Breakeven analysis.
The breakeven point, Pinson says, is when your business's
expenses match your sales or service volume. The three-year
income projection will enable you to undertake this analysis. "If
your business is viable, at a certain period of time your overall
revenue will exceed your overall expenses, including interest."
This is an important analysis for potential investors, who want
to know that they are investing in a fast-growing business with
an exit strategy.
How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan: How to
Use the Financial Section
One of the biggest mistakes business people make is to look at
their business plan, and particularly the financial section, only
once a year. "I like to quote former President Dwight D.
Eisenhower," says Berry. "'The plan is useless, but planning is
essential.' What people do wrong is focus on the plan, and once
the plan is done, it's forgotten. It's really a shame, because they
could have used it as a tool for managing the company." In fact,
Berry recommends that business executives sit down with the
business plan once a month and fill in the actual numbers in the
profit and loss statement and compare those numbers with
projections. And then use those comparisons to revise
projections in the future.
Many advisors also recommend that you undertake a financial
statement analysis to develop a study of relationships and
compare items in your financial statements, compare financial
statements over time, and even compare your statements to
those of other businesses. Part of this is a ratio analysis. She
recommends you do some homework and find out some of the
prevailing ratios used in your industry for liquidity analysis,
profitability analysis, and debt and compare those standard
ratios with your own.
"This is all for your benefit," she says. "That's what financial
statements are for. You should be utilizing your financial
statements to measure your business against what you did in
prior years or to measure your business against another business
like yours."
If you are using your business plan to attract investment or get a
loan, you may also include a business financial history as part
of the financial section. This is a summary of your business
from its start to the present. Sometimes a bank might have a
section like this on a loan application. If you are seeking a loan,
you may need to add supplementary documents to the financial
section, such as the owner's financial statements, listing assets
and liabilities.
All of the various calculations you need to assemble the
financial section of a business plan are a good reason to look
for business planning software, so you can have this on your
computer and make sure you get this right. Software programs
also let you use some of your projections in the financial
section to create pie charts or bar graphs that you can use
elsewhere in your business plan to highlight your financials,
your sales history, or your projected income over three
years."It's a pretty well-known fact that if you are going to seek
equity investment from venture capitalists or angel investors,
“many advisors say, "they do like visuals."

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Sheet1Balance Sheet (Projected)Company XYZBeginningProjectedProjec.docx

  • 1. Sheet1Balance Sheet (Projected)Company XYZBeginningProjectedProjectedProjectedas of mm/dd/yyyy12/31/1912/31/2012/31/21AssetsCurrent AssetsCash in bank$ -$ -Accounts receivable--Inventory-- Prepaid expenses--Other current assets--Total Current Assets$ -$ -Fixed AssetsMachinery & equipment$ -$ -Furniture & fixtures--Leasehold improvements--Land & buildings--Other fixed assets--(LESS accumulated depreciation on all fixed assets)--Total Fixed Assets (net of depreciation)$ -$ -Other AssetsIntangibles$ -$ -Deposits--Goodwill--Other--Total Other Assets$ -$ -TOTAL Assets$ -$ -Liabilities and EquityCurrent LiabilitiesAccounts payable$ -$ -Interest payable--Taxes payable--Notes, short-term (due within 12 months)--Current part, long-term debt--Other current liabilities- -Total Current Liabilities$ -$ -Long-term DebtBank loans payable$ -$ -Notes payable to stockholders--LESS: Short- term portion--Other long term debt--Total Long-term Debt$ -$ -Total Liabilities$ -$ -Owners' EquityInvested capital$ -$ -Retained earnings - beginning--Retained earnings - current-- Total Owners' Equity$ -$ -Total Liabilities & Equity$ -$ - Totals are calculated automatically. Make sure to enter this as a negative number! Make sure to enter this as a negative number! Sheet2 Sheet3 Twelve-month cash flowCash Flow (12 months)Enter Company Name HereFiscal Year Begins:Jan-18Pre-Startup ESTJan- 19Feb-19Mar-19Apr-19May-19Jun-19Jul-19Aug-19Sep-19Oct- 19Nov-19Dec-19Total Item ESTCash on Hand (beginning of month)0000000000000CASH RECEIPTSCash SalesCollections fm CR accountsLoan/ other cash inj.TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS00000000000000Total Cash Available (before cash
  • 2. out)00000000000000CASH PAID OUTPurchases (merchandise)Purchases (specify)Purchases (specify)Gross wages (exact withdrawal)Payroll expenses (taxes, etc.)Outside servicesSupplies (office & oper.)Repairs & maintenanceAdvertisingCar, delivery & travelAccounting & legalRentTelephoneUtilitiesInsuranceTaxes (real estate, etc.)InterestOther expenses (specify)Other (specify)Other (specify)MiscellaneousSUBTOTAL00000000000000Loan principal paymentCapital purchase (specify)Other startup costsReserve and/or EscrowOwners' WithdrawalTOTAL CASH PAID OUT00000000000000Cash Position (end of month)00000000000000ESSENTIAL OPERATING DATA (non cash flow information)Sales Volume (dollars)Accounts ReceivableBad Debt (end of month)Inventory on hand (eom)Accounts Payable (eom)Depreciation Totals are calculated automatically. Instructions Notes on Preparation Note: You may want to print this information to use as reference later. To delete these instructions, click the border of this text box and then press the DELETE key. Refer back to your Profit & Loss Projection. Line-by-line ask yourself when you should expect cash to come and go. You have already done a sales projection, now you must predict when you will actually collect from customers. On the expense side, you have previously projected expenses; now predict when you will actually have to write the check to pay those bills. Most items will be the same as on the Profit & Loss Projection. Rent and utility bills, for instance, are usually paid in the month they are incurred. Other items will differ from the Profit & Loss view. Insurance and some types of taxes, for example, may actually be payable quarterly or semiannually, even though you recognize them as monthly expenses. Just try to make the Cash Flow as realistic as you can line by line. The payoff for you will be an
  • 3. ability to manage and forecast working capital needs. Change the category labels in the left column as needed to fit your accounting system. Note that lines for 'Loan principal payment' through 'Owners' Withdrawal' are for items that always are different on the Cash Flow than on the Profit & Loss. Loan Principal Payment, Capital Purchases, and Owner's Draw simply do not, by the rules of accounting, show up on the Profit & Loss Projection. They do, however, definitely take cash out of the business, and so need to be included in your Cash plan. On the other hand, you will not find Depreciation on the Cash Flow because you never write a check for Depreciation. Cash from Loans Received and Owners' Injections go in the "Loan/ other cash inj." row. The "Pre-Startup" column is for cash outlays prior to the time covered by the Cash Flow. It is intended primarily for new business startups or major expansion projects where a great deal of cash must go out before operations commence. The bottom section, "ESSENTIAL OPERATING DATA", is not actually part of the Cash model, but it allows you to track items which have a heavy impact on cash. The Cash Flow Projection is the best way to forecast working capital needs. Begin with the amount of Cash on Hand you expect to have. Project all the Receipts and Paid Outs for the year. If CASH POSITION gets dangerously low or negative, you will need to pump in more cash to keep the operation afloat. Many profitable businesses have gone under because they could not pay the bills while waiting for money to flow in. Your creditors do not care about profit; they want to be paid with cash. Cash is the financial lifeblood of your business. TABLE OF CONTENTS i. EXECUTIVE Summary # Company Information # Market Opportunity #
  • 4. financial data # 11. Company InFORmaTION # 111. EnvirnomentaL & Industry Analysis # Environmental # Industry # 1V. Product or Service # V. Marketing Research & Evaluation # Target Markets & Evaluation # Market Trends # Competition # Market Share # Marketing Plan-explain marketing strategy # Pricing # Promotion # Distribution/place # Service policy’s # VI. Manufacturing & Operations Plan # Geographic Location # Facilities# Make or Buy Policy # Control Systems # Labor Force # V11. management Team # Vi11. Timeline # 1X. Critical Risks & Assumptions # X. Benefits to Community # X1. Exit Stratgey # XII. Financial Plan # Sources & Uses of Funds # Cashflow Statement # Balance Sheet # Profit & Loss statement (INCOME Statement) # Dix Hills, New York 11746
  • 5. BUS 461 BUSINESS SEMINAR NAME _________________________________________________ SCORE _____________ Business Plan Grading Criteria Points Exemplary 10 points Good 8 points Satisfactory 6 points Unacceptable 0 points Cover Sheet, Table of Contents A clear articulate professional cover sheet & table of contents was provided along with requested information. A cover sheet & table of contents was provided along with requested information. A cover sheet & table of contents was provided A cover sheet & table of contents was not provided or was incomplete. ____ Executive Summary
  • 6. Summary generated excitement, was brief, provided an overview of the business and outlined main points. Summary was brief, provided an overview of the business, and outlined main points. Summary was brief, provided an overview of the business, and outline some main points. Summary was brief and provided only an overview of the business or an outline of main points. ____ Company Plan, Environmental & Industry Analysis A flawless description of the company plan & analysis of environment and industry was effective. Description of company plan & analysis of environment and industry was given. Description of company & analysis of environment and industry, but w/o sufficient detail. Description of company & analysis of environment and industry was missing ____ Product /Service, Marketing Research & Evaluation A clear description of products/services and its unique features. Clearly identified & described target markets, market trends and competitors. Described product/service and Described target mkt, mkt trends and its competitors. Described product/service and Described target mkt, mkt trends and its competitors, but w/o
  • 7. sufficient detail Analysis failed to provide at least one aspect of required information. ____ Operational Plan, Critical Risks & Assumptions, Timeline Detailed information regarding operational plan, critical risks & assumptions and timeline clearly stated. Information was provided of operational plan, critical risks & assumptions, and timeline plan. Not all the information was provided of operational plan, critical risks & assumptions, and timeline plan Analysis failed to provide at least one aspect of required information Management Team/Exit Strategy/Benefits To the Community Member(s) of management team were identified & their qualifications & experience described in a way that led credibility to the business. A detailed exit strategy and benefits were included. Member(s) of management team were identified & their qualifications & experience described in a way that led credibility to the business. An exit strategy and benefits were included. Member(s) of management team were identified. An exit strategy and benefits were included. Analysis failed to provide all of the required information. Financial Plan(include balance sheet, income statement and c/f statement) Possible finance sources were identified & business financial outlook was described in detail. Statements were completed. Possible finance sources were identified & business financial outlook was described. Statements were completed. Possible finance sources were identified & business financial
  • 8. outlook was mentioned. Statements were completed. Section failed to provide necessary financial statements.. Effectiveness & Detail Plan was highly effective in describing the business and its operations in great detail and it was obvious there were great thought behind it. Plan was effective in describing the business and its operations in great detail and to have great thought behind it. Plan described the business and its operations in some detail with some thought behind it. Plan lacked overall effectiveness, as it failed to describe business effectively. Professional Appearance, Clarity & Organization and Grammar. Plan was presented in an acceptable format (clearly organized) and had no spelling or grammatical errors. Plan was presented in an acceptable format (clearly organized) and had few spelling or grammatical errors. Plan was presented in an acceptable format (but not clearly organized) and had few spelling or grammatical errors. Plan wasn’t presented in an acceptable format and had many spelling or grammatical errors. Presentation The presentation was smooth, polished, and organized. Speakers spoke clear, avoided distracting filler words and made frequent eye contact. Did not read directly from business plan. The presentation flowed smoothly. Speakers were easy to understand and occasionally made eye contact. Speakers did not read directly from business plan The presentation moved logically but wasn’t clear at all times and made occasionally eye contact. The presentation was disorganized resulting in difficulty of
  • 9. understanding business. Speech was rushed or inarticulate. Total Score Dix Hills, New York 11746BUS 461 BUSINESS SEMINAR BUSINESS PLAN BASICS Business plans are the preferred mode of communication between entrepreneurs and potential investors. Experienced owners and managers of closely held businesses know that business plans can also be an indispensable management tool. Many entrepreneurs/business owners have found that just completing the steps required to develop a business plan forces them to introduce discipline and a logical thought process into all of their planning activities. They have found that a properly prepared business plan can greatly improve their company’s ability to consistently establish and meet goals and objectives in a way that best serves the companies owners, employees, and investors. A business plan should be a simply written representation of where a company is going, how it will get there and what it will look like once it arrives. Not only should entrepreneurs write business plans but so should all companies. Most companies who value business plans are used at a minimum to: 1. Set goals and objectives for the company’s performance 2. Provide a basis for evaluating and controlling the company’s performance. 3. Communicate a company’s message to middle managers, outside directors, lenders and potential investors.
  • 10. COVER SHEET: Serves as the title page of your business plan. · Name, address, and phone number of the company. · Name, title, address, phone number of owners/corporate officers. · Month and year your plan was prepared. · Name of preparer. · Copy number of the plan. TABLE OF CONTENTS (Quick reference to major topics covered in your plan) · You want the business plan to be as easy to read as possible. An orderly table of contents will allow the reader to turn to the desired section as needed. I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (or Statement of Purpose) This is the thesis statement and states business plan objectives. Should be 4 paragraphs 1 to 2 pages). Use the key word approach (who, what, where, when, why, how, how much) to summarize the following: · Your Company (who, what, where, when).
  • 11. · Who your management is and What their strengths are. · What your objectives are and Why you will be successful. · If you need a financing, why you need it, how much you need and how you intend to repay the loan or benefit the investor. Note: Do not write the executive summary (statement of purpose) until you have completed your business plan! It is a summary and reflects the contents of the finished plan. I1. THE COMPANY INFORMATION What is included? This section should include a "summary description of your business" statement followed by information on the "administrative" end of your company. A. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS In a paragraph or two give a broad overview of the nature of your business, telling when and why the company was formed. Then complete the summary by briefly addressing: · mission (projecting short- and long-term goals) · business model (describe your company's model and why it is unique to your industry) · strategy (give an overview of the strategy, focusing on short- and long-term objectives) · strategic relationships (tell about any existing strategic
  • 12. relationships) · SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that your company will face, both internal and external) B. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY · Address Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents · Back up in Supporting Documents with registrations, photos, diagrams, etc. C. LOCATION · Describe your projected or current location. · Project costs associated with the location. · Include legal agreements, utilities forecasts, etc. in Supporting Documents. D. LEGAL STRUCTURE · Describe your legal structure and why it is advantageous for your company. · List owners and/or corporate officers describing strengths (include resumes). E. ACCOUNTING & LEGAL
  • 13. · Accounting: What system will you set up for daily accounting? Who will you use for a tax accountant? Who will be responsible for periodic financial statement analysis? · Legal: Who will you retain for an attorney? (Keep 'Murphy's Law' in mind.) F. INSURANCE · What kinds of insurance will you carry? (Property & Liability, Life & Health) · What will it cost and who will you use for a carrier? G. SECURITY · Address security in terms of inventory control and theft of information (online and off). · Project related costs. III. ENVIRONMENTAL AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS What is included? This section should include how your business fits into larger contexts. A. ENVIRONMENTAL · Identify trends and changes happening at the national and
  • 14. international level that may influence the future. Describe any trends that are going on in your industry. · Describe the opportunities that you have for your business. Describe how your business can take advantage of opportunities. B. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS · Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics, and niche market specifics). · Industry demand · Competition –identify major competitors (including their locations) assessing their strengths and weaknesses or include a SWOT analysis. · Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends). IV. PRODUCTS OR SERVICES What is included? This section should include a "summary description of your business describing your product or service. · If you are the manufacturer and/or wholesale distributor of a product: Describe your products. Tell briefly about your manufacturing process. Include information on suppliers and availability of materials. · If you are a retailer and/or an e-tailer: Describe the products you sell. Include information about your sources and handling of inventory and fulfillment. · If you provide a service: Describe your services List future products or services you plan to provide.
  • 15. V. MARKETING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION What is research and evaluation? This section presents evidence that a market exists for your business. A. TARGET MARKETS & MARKET SEGMENTATION · Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics, and niche market specifics). B. MARKET TRENDS · Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends). 1. C. COMPETITION · Competition –identify major competitors (including their locations) assessing their strengths and weaknesses or include a SWOT analysis D. MARKET SHARE · Target Market (identify with demographics, psychographics,
  • 16. and niche market specifics). · Competition (describe major competitors assessing their strengths and weaknesses. · Market Trends (identify industry trends and customer trends). · Market Research (describe methods of research, database analysis, and results summary). E. MARKETING PLAN · General Description (budget % allocations on- and off-line with expected ROIs). · Method of Sales and Distribution (stores, offices, kiosks, catalogs, d/mail, website). · Packaging (quality considerations and packaging). · Pricing (price strategy and competitive position. · Branding. · Database Marketing (Personalization). · Sales Strategies (direct sales, direct mail, email, affiliate, reciprocal, and viral marketing). · Sales Incentives/Promotions (samples, coupons, online promo, add-ons, rebates, etc.). · Advertising Strategies (traditional, web/new media, long-term sponsorships). · Public Relations (online presence, events, press releases, interviews). · Networking (memberships and leadership positions). · Description of Customer Service Activities. · Expected Outcomes of Achieving Excellence. VI. MANUFACTORING AND OPERATIONAL PLAN
  • 17. What is included? This section should include detailed information regarding operational plan including geographic location, facilitates, control systems and labor force. . VII. MANAGEMENT TEAM What is included? This section should state key individuals that will help transform your vision into a successful business. An organizational chart can be included. A. MANAGEMENT · List the people who are (or will be) running the business. · Describe their responsibilities and abilities. · Project their salaries. · (Include resumes in Supporting Documents) B. PERSONNEL · How many employees will you have in what positions? · What are the necessary qualifications? · How many hours will they work and at what wage? · Project future needs for adding employees.
  • 18. VIII. TIMELINE What is included? This section should outline the interrelationships and timing of the major events planned for your business. IX. CRITICAL RISKS & ASSUMPTIONS What is included? This section should include implicit assumptions. X. BENEFITS TO COMMUNITY What is included? This section should include (if any) the economic impact, human development, and community development. XI. EXIT STRATEGY What is included? This section should include your succession plan..
  • 19. XII. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS The quantitative part of your plan. This section of the business plan is the quantitative interpretation of everything you stated in the organizational and marketing plans. Do not do this part of your plan until you have finished those two sections. Financial documents are the records used to show past, current, and projected finances. The following are the major documents you will want to include in your Business Plan. The work is much easier if they are done in the order presented because they build on each other, utilizing information from the ones previously developed. A. SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL NEEDS (needed only if you are seeking financing) This is an outline of the following information: (1) Why you are applying for financing. (2) How Much capital you need. B. LOAN FUND DISPERSAL STATEMENT (needed only if you are seeking financing) You should:
  • 20. (1) Tell How you intend to disperse the loan funds. (2) Back Up your statement with supporting data. C. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET -THREEYEAR INCOME PROJECTION Projection of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth of your company at end of next fiscal year. Shows the condition of the business as of a fixed date. It is a picture of your firm's financial condition at a particular moment and will show you whether your financial position is strong or weak. It is usually done at the close of an accounting period. Contains: (1) Assets, (2) Liabilities and (3) Net Worth. D. PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT (INCOME STATEMENT)- THREE-YEAR INCOME PROJECTION Shows your business financial activity over a period of time (monthly, annually). It is a moving picture showing what has happened in your business and is an excellent tool for assessing your business. Your ledger is closed and balanced and the revenue and expense totals transferred to this statement. E. CASH FLOW STATEMENT- THREE-YEAR PROJECTION
  • 21. Shows the amount of cash generated and used by a company in a given period. XIII. APPENDIX (SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS)-this section isn’t included in the grading criteria. Not crucial to the business plan but can be of interest to potential investors and creditors. This section of your plan will contain all of the records that back up the statements and decisions made in the three main parts of your business plan. The most common supporting documents are: A. PERSONAL RESUMES Include resumes for owners and management. A resume should be a one-page document. Include: work history, educational background, professional affiliations and honors, and a focus on special skills relating to the company position. B. OWNERS' FINANCIAL STATEMENTS A statement of personal assets and liabilities. For a new business owner, this will be part of your financial section.
  • 22. C. CREDIT REPORTS Business and personal from suppliers or wholesalers, credit bureaus, and banks. D. COPIES OF LEASES, MORTGAGES, PURCHASE AGREEMENTS, ETC. All agreements currently in force between your company and a leasing agency, mortgage company or other agency. E. LETTERS OF REFERENCE Letters recommending you as being a reputable and reliable business person worthy of being considered a good risk. (both business and personal references) F. CONTRACTS Include all business contracts, both completed and currently in force. G. OTHER LEGAL DOCUMENTS All legal papers pertaining to your legal structure, proprietary
  • 23. rights, insurance, etc. Limited partnership agreements, shipping contracts, etc. H. MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS All other documents which have been referred to, but not included in the main body of the plan. (For example, location plans, demographics, competition analysis, advertising rate sheets, cost analysis, etc.). PUTTING YOUR PLAN TOGETHER When You Are Finished: Your Business Plan should look professional, but the potential lender or investor needs to know that it was done by you. A business plan will be the best indicator that can be used to judge your potential for success. It should be no more than 30 to 40 pages in length, excluding supporting documents. If you are seeking a lender or investor: Include only the supporting documents that will be of immediate interest to the person examining your plan. Keep the others with your own copy where they will be available on short notice. Have your plan neatly bound at your local print shop or in blue, black or brown covers purchased from the stationery store. Make copies for each lender or investor you wish to approach. Do not give out too many copies at once, and keep track of each copy. If you are turned down for financing, be sure to retrieve your business plan. KEEP YOUR BUSINESS PLAN UP-TO-DATE
  • 24. Your plan will be beneficial only if you update it frequently to reflect what is happening within your business. Measure your projections against what actually happens in your company. Use the results to analyze the effectiveness of your operation. You can then implement changes that will give you a competitive edge and make your business more profitable. Business Plan Guide - 8 Business Plan Guide to accompany Small Business Management: Entrepreneurship and Beyond 6th Edition Timothy S. Hatten Colorado Mesa University Elements of the Business Plan Suggested length Cover Page 1 page Table of Contents 1-2 pages I. Executive Summary 1-2 pages
  • 25. A. Mission Statement B. Company Information C. Market Opportunity D. Financial Data II. Description of Your Company and Industry3-5 pages A. Company Background and History B. The Industry III. Description of the Product or Service 3-4 pages A. Description of the Product or Service B. Competitive Advantages IV. Market Research and Evaluation 2-4 pages A. Markets B. Market Trends C. Competition D. Market Share V. Marketing Plan 12-15 pages A. Market Strategy B. Product C. Pricing D. Promotion E. Place F. Service Polices VI. Manufacturing and Operations Plan 5-6 pages A. Production B. Geographic Location C. Facilities D. Make or Buy Policy E. Control Systems F. Labor Force G. Training H. Staffing Plan Suggested length
  • 26. VII. The Management Team 2-4 pages A. Identification of Key People B. Succession Plan C. Management Philosophy D. Business/Organizational Structure E. Identification of Firms Assisting the Company VIII. Timeline ……………………………..1 page or a table A. Key Events IX. Critical Risks and Assumptions 2-4 pages A. Risk Management Strategies X. Benefits to Community 1 + pages A. Economic Development B. Community Development C. Human Development XI. Exit Strategy 1 page XII. Financial Plan………………………………………………………….. 3 pages of text (and appropriate spreadsheets) A. Sources and Uses of Funds B. Financial Practices C. Cash Flow Statement D. Cash Budget E. Profit and Loss Statement F. Breakeven Analysis G. Financial Ratios H. Intangibles--Intellectual Property Appendices (as needed) ……………………………………………….Varies by appendix A. Resumes/Biographies of Key Personnel B. Advertising Samples C. Organizational Chart D. Customer Profiles E. Competitor Profiles F. Product Profiles G. Site Study and Store Layout
  • 27. H. Financial Statements I. Global Issues I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For help in completing this section, check SBMEB pp. 86-87. Suggestions for writing Executive Summary section 1. Think of this one- to two-page overview as the business plan in miniature. While there are a number of sections to it, each may only be a few sentences or paragraphs long. Note the example Figure 4.1(a) on page 88 is a way to condense information. 2. Write this section of the business plan last. Some will tell you to write it first to help focus your effort to build confidence as you tackle the plan, etc. Good reasons all. But in terms of economy of effort it will take far less time if you write it last. As you write the body of the plan, try highlighting key ideas/sentences in the various sections. Use these to write your Executive Summary. Also, as a summary of the key elements, you can’t really write it before you have all the key elements, which you won’t have until you’ve done a significant amount of work on the business plan. 3. Logically, we’ve placed the Executive Summary first - that’s where it will appear in the final document- but you should really write it after you’ve written and revised the entire plan. 4. This is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Often investors decide in a few minutes, while reading the Executive Summary, whether to read on and/or invest. This is the critical element of the business plan. Therefore: · make it concise; two pages maximum in length. · emphasize only the important elements of the business. · make the financial request clear. How much is needed, how will it be used in the business, and how/when will it be repaid? · write to capture the readers’ attention, to spark enthusiasm for your business.
  • 28. 5. Investors want to know who your attorney and accounting firms are. If you don’t have them, establish the relationships now. 6. Are there any international considerations for your business, either as potential markets or potential competitors? Resources needed to write your Executive Summary Start with a draft copy of the completed business plan with spreadsheets. Writing is ALWAYS made better by going through revisions. Lacking that, you will need the following items: 1. A paragraph-long mission statement worked out in advance. 2. Historical information on the company, when it was started, by whom, etc. 3. Quantified company-level goals and objective(s). 4. Biographies or resumes of the management team with their unique strengths highlighted. 5. Product/service description materials. 6. Market research information on the potential market and target market. 7. A justified estimate of the capital you need and a plan for repaying it. How much is needed and how did you determine the amount? 8. Financial data on: size of the market in units and dollars. projected revenues, profits, assets, and liabilities. Read the questions under each heading. Choose which questions will apply to your business plan. Then write any notes, your responses to the questions, etc., in the box that follows the questions. Mission Statement For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 66-67 (mission statement), pp. 55-56 (corporate ethical responsibilities), and pp. 222-223 (for capital requirements). 1. Why does your company exist?
  • 29. To serve a customer, to make a profit (of course), but why else? 2. What are the guiding principles or values for your company? How will you do business? What is your position on the environment, diversity, community responsibility, etc.? What is your responsibility to your customers, to your investors? Company Information For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 76-78 (setting objectives) and pp. 69-75 (competitive advantage). 1. Objectives - What is it that you want to accomplish, and by when? They should be stated in such a way that their accomplishment creates a competitive advantage. Do you have any international aspirations? 2. What is/are your competitive advantage(s)? 3. Company history – give the background of the company. 4. The management team--who are you, and who are your key people? Market Opportunity For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93-95, 276-278. 1. What is the expected size and growth rate of your market? 2. What is your fundamental marketing strategy? Cost leadership. Differentiation. Focus. Or.... 3. What relevant industry trends should your investors know about, early in this plan? Financial Data For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 97-103, 222-226. 1. The financial request
  • 30. How much do you want? How will you use it? How much debt and equity? Number of investors sought? What are the terms of the deal you are offering investors? What return are you offering? 2. Tables Summary of 3 years actual, 3 years projected Actual 20xx Projected 20xx Revenue _____ _____ Net Income _____ _____ Assets _____ _____ Liabilities_____ _____ Net Worth _____ _____ Summary of Financing Current Amount Amount Needed Debt _____ _____ Debt with Warrants _____ _____ Convertible Debentures _____ _____ Stock--Preferred and Common _____ _____ II DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY AND INDUSTRY For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 92-93, 91-92. Suggestions for writing this section 1. The following sections are where you elaborate and explain the information provided in the Executive Summary. Be sure to cover in more depth everything you raise in the Executive Summary. 2. Accuracy and realism are important here. Do you know how your company and your product/services are perceived relative to competitors? Describe the areas that are rock solid and those that are shaky. 3. Write this section of the business plan first. Use it to remind yourself of where you’ve done well and what didn’t work. Your initial draft should be thorough, with no detail left
  • 31. unmentioned. Once you’ve written this, then review and edit. 4. Emphasize the accomplishment of significant objectives. You want the business to be attractive but not “too good to be true.” 5. Don’t forget it is also important to reveal any key negatives, problems, or failures. Every investor knows there is a downside. Be honest about yours. It will build trust. It shows a realistic approach to doing business. 6. It is very important that this section shows how your company is different from others. It is also critical that you demonstrate to your investors that you have substantial evidence to support your claims. 7. If you provide a service, be certain your reader understands what that service is and how it is used by your customers. 8. Be succinct. The industry portion provides background for later portions of the plan. Clarify market attractiveness. Describe key success factors. Leave elaboration for later. Resources needed to write this section 1. A history of your company including why and how you started. Note key events. Show key events and dates. Consider putting it into chart form. 2. Your charter, tax papers, or incorporation papers that show the legal form you’ve chosen. 3. Have a product specification sheet or FAB (features, advantages, benefits) sheet on the product/service. 4. Be able to state your competitive advantage in a paragraph or less. If you can do it in a sentence, that’s even better. See pages 66-68. 5. A list of your objectives, preferably in quantified
  • 32. terms. 6. A list of key success factors, such as: price, quality, durability, dependability, technology, etc. Be sure to identify key factors as they pertain to your product/service. A generic list is a warning flag to investors. 7. An assessment of your intangible assets. Your Company 1. A history of operation. (Even for a startup, you have some ‘history.’) The legal form of the company. Why does your company exist? Describe in some detail what your company does and how it satisfies customer needs. How did you choose the product or service you sell? What significant successes have you had? What significant failures or losses have you experienced? Concentrate on the successful accomplishment of past objectives, but be honest about the risk. 2. Highlight significant financial and operational events. When did they happen? Why were they significant? 3. Intangible assets. For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 146-147. Goodwill. Established name/reputation. The Industry 1. Explain the nature of the industry. Overview of the historical development of the industry. Note any special events, governmental action, or economic events that have altered the industry in the last ten years. Don’t make a laundry list; note the most important events only. Provide industry data such as market size, growth trends, and competitive strength of major firms in the industry. Are there seasonal fluctuations in demand? Address the importance and impact of strategic issues such as:
  • 33. ease of entry and exit, ability to achieve economies of scale, cyclical nature of the economy or sales cycle, etc. What are industry trends regarding the use of technology? How does the future look for the entire industry? Are there any international issues? Are companies moving offshore? Are international competitors coming into the industry? 2. Who could compete with you by offering either a competitive product or by offering a substitute for your product? 3. What is the current state of the art in the industry? How does your product/service reflect this current state or exceed it? What do you need: what will you do to succeed in your chosen market? What are the current applications of your product/service? What are the potential applications of your product/service? III DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 291- 295. Suggestions for writing this section 1. This is what your business is all about, the product or service that you offer the market. Describe all products or services in terms of benefits customers seek. 2. Investors want to know what makes your products different, why customers will buy from you. Price. Differentiation. Quality. 3. Along with product or service differences investors want to know what gives you an edge, a competitive edge regarding your products. This topic is covered later as well, but write here how your products or product line contributes to your competitive advantage. 4. Be careful to explain how your customers use your
  • 34. product or service. Do not assume that it is apparent to investors. 5. While you are writing to raise capital for now, think a bit into the future. What new applications or uses are there for your product? 6. If you provide a service, be certain your reader understands what that service is and how it is used. Resources needed to write this section 1. Profiles and data on each of your products or service. 2. A target market description emphasizing the benefits customers want. 3. Have a product specification sheet or FAB (features, advantages, benefits) sheet on the product/service. 4. Be able to state the competitive advantage of each. 5. A new product development plan with timeline. 6. A Boston Consulting Group matrix or similar matrix depicting viability of each existing product and product line. 7. An assessment of where each product is in the product life cycle. Description of the product/product line. 1. Reference the appropriate appendix for diagrams, photos, and/or technical data. Describe in terms of features that distinguish the product (line) from competitors. Identify the needs/benefits that the features meet for your target market. 2. Product growth potential. Where is each product in terms of the product life cycle (PLC)? How are you managing the PLC for each product? 3. Applications of the product/product line. How is it used? How else might it be used? How could that/those use(s) be exploited? What potential new products might these suggest? 4. Planned new products. What new products?
  • 35. Why are you developing them? When do you plan to bring them out? What target market(s)? Competitive Advantage(s) For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 12-14, 296-7. 1. How will you build your competitive advantage? Close relationship to customers. Devotion to quality. Attention to convenience. Innovation. Dedication to customer service. Flexibility. 2. What is the basis of your competitive advantage? What is the economic forecast for your geographic area for the next year, the next five years? IV MARKET RESEARCH AND EVALUATION For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93-95, 281-286. Suggestions for writing this section 1. In real estate the key is location, location, location. In a business plan the key is evidence, evidence, evidence. The content here will make or break your plan. This shows whether you know what you are writing about or not. 2. There are a number of resources available to the small businessperson that are either free or relatively inexpensive. Trade associations and journals. Chamber of Commerce. Competitors’ sales literature. People--customers and sales representatives. 3. Venture capitalists look for a well-thought-out plan. Thoroughness here demonstrates the degree of effort of thought and “homework” done on the business. Be specific when describing the target market. Explain in detail. Document, prove, cite evidence. 4. Write in terms of benefits sought by the customer as
  • 36. much as possible. Customers buy benefits. 5. Be enthusiastic and realistic when describing the potential market. No one can capture 100% of any market. 6. The market research you present here is critical. You need solid evidence to back up your business plan. While market research may be a relatively brief part of this section, it is the backbone of your plan. Don’t hesitate to use others’ studies. There are numerous marketing publications, journals, and government/academic studies available in local libraries on almost any market segment. Your local Chamber of Commerce may have a demographic/economic/socio-graphic study for your community or region as a service to local small business. 7. You may identify your market a number of ways. Be sure the way you choose fits your business and product/service. Demographics--quantifiable characteristics: age, income, education, gender, etc. Psychographics--interests, values, beliefs, etc. Sociological--family structure, ethnic values, etc. Geographics--location, location, location. 8. What you write here will be important to your marketing plan, your timeline, and the explanation of critical risks sections of the rest of your plan. 9. Don’t forget to do a thorough job of competitor analysis as well as looking at your markets. 10. Your responses to the competitors should be customer-focused responses. Resources needed to write this section 1. A copy of your Executive Summary, to ensure that you now detail everything you mentioned there and that you don’t add anything that should also be referenced in the Executive Summary. 2. Any market research studies you’ve conducted or secondary market research you’ve collected about your business
  • 37. and market. 3. A customer profile consisting of a picture or verbal description of your target market. Advertising professionals often create a portfolio, complete with a picture of their ‘”typical customer” in order to keep focused and in tune with the customer. 4. A copy of your company goals and objectives, to ensure your marketing effort stays in line with your company strategy. 5. An outline of your competitive advantage(s). 6. A competitive profile on each important competitor which includes: Why they are a competitor. Sales volume in units and dollars and market share. Their apparent market strategies. A SWOT analysis of each competitor. Their competitive style--aggressive, conservative, etc. Probable future actions in your market. 7. An analysis of your competitors’ advantages over you in the following categories: Price. Performance. Durability and versatility. Speed or accuracy. Ease of: a) use; b) maintenance; and c) installation--including cost of installation. Product features including size or weight and styling or appearance. 8. An analysis of your advantages over your competitors in the same categories listed above. Markets For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 273- 281. 1. What market research have you conducted or found about your customer? Detail either the sources of your information or how you
  • 38. deduced it. 2. Who are the potential buyers for your products? Describe the customer according to any of the following or any combination: demographics. psychographics. sociologically. geographics. 3. How many potential customers are there? What percentage can you realistically capture? This is critically important to the justification of the financial forecasts that will follow. 4. Why do they buy? What is their primary purchase criterion: price, quality, availability, convenience, or...? Are there price tiers in the target market? What features do they seek? What benefits do they want? Do they have a preference as to how and where they buy? How strong is it? How will you change it? 5. What are the potential annual purchases? How do the customers decide to buy? How often do they buy? What is the buying cycle? Is there seasonality to your market? Is demand tied to any other product/service, i.e. online music sales to MP3 player sales? 6. What do they buy? Price--how much will changes in price affect your customers’ purchases? Important to know in advance. Quality--will they pay more for better quality? Image-- is brand name important? Are customers brand loyal? 7. Describe the overall market Does the research show a profitable market for your business, product/service? (Remember size or lack of service to a market does not automatically imply opportunity. No one may be serving that market for a reason.)
  • 39. Location and size, in number of customers and sales dollars. Is the market growing? Growth rate, trends. Provide a table of projected industry sales in this market. Project your market share, best case, worst case, most likely case. (This is important to your financial forecasts later.) Year Year Year Year Year 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Best Case Percent Growth Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Most Likely Case Percent Growth Revenues _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Worst Case Percent Growth Projected ____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Market Share Market Trends For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 93, 96- 97, 322-327 . 1. How might the economy affect sales of your product/service? What is the economic forecast for your geographic area for the next year, the next five years? 2. How might government programs, policies, or legislation affect your industry, business, or product/service? 3. How might technological factors affect your product/service sales? 4. What social/cultural factors might impact your sales? Changing demographics of market segment: aging, moving, increasing/decreasing incomes. Changing social structure, i.e., increase in single working parents, might result in an increased need for quick, inexpensive prepared meals that can be heated and eaten.
  • 40. Changing values. 5. How will you track these trends? How will you continually evaluate customer needs? Competition For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 63, 69- 75. 1. Who are your primary existing competitors? List the top 3 or 4, with a sentence explanation of why each is a competitor. (Region, price, similar product, etc.) to accompany Figure 3.3 in SBM:EB p. 70. Identify the price leader, quality leader, and service leader. 2. Conduct a Strength and Weakness Analysis on each primary competitor. How will you counter their advantages/strengths, exploit their weaknesses? 3. What distinguishes their product/service from yours? Features and Benefits. Price. Product performance. Other relevant product attributes. 4. What are their apparent strategies in developing the market? Product development. Pricing. Distribution. Promotion. 5. What are your company’s comparative strengths and weaknesses? 6. Who are your potential competitors? Why would they enter your market(s)? When would they enter your market(s)? How might they enter, position themselves? 7. What are the barriers to entry for new competitors? (Not all will apply: which are key?) Economies of scale--a new company will not have the cost efficiencies of an established firm. Product differentiation--strong brand identification or customer
  • 41. loyalty can be a problem. Capital requirements--is there a significant up-front cost: physical plant, inventory, equipment, etc.? Switching costs--to the customer. Sometimes with system-type products, the customer must change more than just one item. Regulatory environment--are there regulations, federal, state, or local, that are difficult to meet? Market Share For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 274-278. 1. Quantify, where possible and appropriate, i.e., amount of revenue, size of market share, etc. 2. Sales forecast What is the nature of the sales cycle: long or short, simple or complex? Provide, in chart form, your sales forecasts for the current year, next year, for a total of five years out. What is the average sale? Forecast projections in terms of best case, worst case, most likely case. Project sales in terms of units, revenues--gross and net. See Appendix H1 at the end of this document for templates. Sales Forecast Table Year Year Year Year Year 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX 20XX Best Case Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Units _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Most Likely Case Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Units _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Worst Case Dollars _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Units _____ _____ _____ _____ ____
  • 42. V MARKETING PLAN For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 346- 351. Suggestions for writing this section 1. This is a strategy and tactics section. You need to detail your marketing strategy for each component and then offer how you will accomplish it. Example of a price strategy “…to be the low cost provider to our customer market through discount pricing and incentive programs.” Example of a price-related action plan (to be detailed in a later section) “During our peak season we will under-price competitors by 10%. During the months of _____ to _____, our slow period, we will use a rebate incentive program directed to distributors to encourage their “pushing” of XYZ product line.” 2. Remember, strategy is simply explaining your company’s overall approach for achieving growth and profits. 3. Tailor this section to your business. Some sections are not relevant to a manufacturing business, others to a service business, etc. 4. Be sure to review what you have written so far so that your actions here match your earlier projections. 5. In this section, you need to deal with both marketing and selling. Marketing is the identification of your customer. Selling is convincing those customers to buy from you. Resources needed to write this section 1. A copy of your mission statement, goals, and objectives. 2. A cost analysis for each product/product line. 3. Your media budget and plan. 4. If you are a manufacturer, an outline of your production plan. 5. If you are a service business, a list of your suppliers with any special qualities. Market Strategy
  • 43. For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp.177, 296-7. 1. Briefly review your overall marketing strategy as stated in your Executive Summary. Cost leadership. Differentiation. Focus. 2. What marketing tactics will you use? Market penetration, market development, product development, market segmentation. Product For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 291- 297. 1. Describe the level of product satisfaction for which you are striving. See Figure 12-1 SBM:EB p. 291 Core benefit. Generic product. Expected product. Augmented product. Potential product. 2. What type of new products will you develop? New to the world. New product lines. Additions to existing lines. Improvements, revisions, or new uses of existing products. Repositioning. Cost reductions. 3. Packaging. Is this an issue for your products? How does it affect your cost structure? Are there environmental issues to consider? Pricing For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94, 346- 360. 1. What is your pricing strategy? How price sensitive is the market?
  • 44. Low cost, premium pricing, . . . .? Why this strategy? 2. How is pricing determined? Costs plus. ROI. Competitive parity. 3. What are your margins? How will you make a profit? Promotion For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94, 364- 372. 1. How will you attract customers? What type of advertising promotion will you use? National versus regional/local. Print or electronic. What promotions will be used? Trade shows. Direct marketing. Public relations. 2. Advertising plan. What media will you use? Why? How will you use public relations in your promotion plan? Scheduling plans. 3. Budget. What percentage of sales will you spend on promotion? What budgeting method will you use? Why? Refer to detailed budget in your appendices. 4. Consider including samples in your appendices. advertising copy brochures 5. How will you assess the effectiveness of your promotional efforts? Place For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 94-5, 319-327 (location analysis), 453-459 (wages and incentive programs). 1. How will you distribute your products?
  • 45. Your own sales force. Independent sales representatives. Agents or brokers. 2. How will you compensate the sales force? 3. How will you structure the sales force, their territories, the product lines, etc.? 4. Sales plan. Sales budget--how did you determine your budget? Task and objective method, parity, or . . . .? Sales philosophy--how will your sales force approach the customer? Refer to detailed budget in your appendices. 5. Transportation. Types. Costs. Means--company vehicles, rail, truck, etc. Service Policies For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB p. 91, 291- 293. 1. What will be your customer service/product service policies? Warranties. Handling of customer problems. 2. How will you identify and track your most important service issues as they develop? VI MANUFACTURING AND OPERATIONS PLAN For help in completing this section, check SBM:EB pp. 95, 471- 473. Suggestions for writing this section 1. This portion of your plan applies to your product. If you are a service company, some sections, such as facilities, control systems, labor force, etc., apply to you, but not all. 2. Investors are looking for: the age and condition of your facilities and equipment. the rationale for …
  • 46. How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan: The Components of a Financial Section A financial forecast isn't necessarily compiled in sequence. And you most likely won't present it in the final document in the same sequence you compile the figures and documents. Berry says that it's typical to start in one place and jump back and forth. For example, what you see in the cash-flow plan might mean going back to change estimates for sales and expenses. Still, he says that it's easier to explain in sequence, as long as you understand that you don't start at step one and go to step six without looking back--a lot--in between. • Start with a sales forecast. Set up a spreadsheet projecting your sales over the course of three years. Set up different sections for different lines of sales and columns for every month for the first year and either on a monthly or quarterly basis for the second and third years. "Ideally you want to project in spreadsheet blocks that include one block for unit sales, one block for pricing, a third block that multiplies units’ times price to calculate sales, a fourth block that has unit costs, and a fifth that multiplies units times unit cost to calculate cost of sales (also called COGS or direct costs)," Berry says. "Why do you want cost of sales in a sales forecast? Because you want to calculate gross margin. Gross margin is sales less cost of sales, and it's a useful number for comparing with different standard industry ratios." If it's a new product or a new line of business, you have to make an educated guess. The best way to do that, Berry says, is to look at past results. • Create an expenses budget. You're going to need to understand how much it's going to cost you to actually make the sales you have forecast. Berry likes to differentiate between fixed costs (i.e., rent and payroll) and variable costs (i.e., most advertising and promotional expenses),
  • 47. because it's a good thing for a business to know. "Lower fixed costs mean less risk, which might be theoretical in business schools but are very concrete when you have rent and payroll checks to sign," Berry says. "Most of your variable costs are in those direct costs that belong in your sales forecast, but there are also some variable expenses, like ads and rebates and such." Once again, this is a forecast, not accounting, and you're going to have to estimate things like interest and taxes. Berry recommends you go with simple math. He says multiply estimated profits times your best-guess tax percentage rate to estimate taxes. And then multiply your estimated debts balance times an estimated interest rate to estimate interest. • Develop a cash-flow statement. This is the statement that shows physical dollars moving in and out of the business. "Cash flow is king," Pinson says. You base this partly on your sales forecasts, balance sheet items, and other assumptions. If you are operating an existing business, you should have historical documents, such as profit and loss statements and balance sheets from years past to base these forecasts on. If you are starting a new business and do not have these historical financial statements, you start by projecting a cash-flow statement broken down into 12 months. Pinson says that it's important to understand when compiling this cash-flow projection that you need to choose a realistic ratio for how many of your invoices will be paid in cash, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and so on. You don't want to be surprised that you only collect 80 percent of your invoices in the first 30 days when you are counting on 100 percent to pay your expenses, she says. Some business planning software programs will have these formulas built in to help you make these projections. • Income projections. This is your pro forma profit and loss statement, detailing forecasts for your business for the coming three years. Use the numbers that you put in your sales forecast, expense
  • 48. projections, and cash flow statement. "Sales, lest cost of sales, is gross margin," Berry says. "Gross margin, less expenses, interest, and taxes, is net profit." • Deal with assets and liabilities. You also need a projected balance sheet. You have to deal with assets and liabilities that aren't in the profits and loss statement and project the net worth of your business at the end of the fiscal year. Some of those are obvious and affect you at only the beginning, like startup assets. A lot are not obvious. "Interest is in the profit and loss, but repayment of principle isn't," Berry says. "Taking out a loan, giving out a loan, and inventory show up only in assets--until you pay for them." So the way to compile this is to start with assets, and estimate what you'll have on hand, month by month for cash, accounts receivable (money owed to you), inventory if you have it, and substantial assets like land, buildings, and equipment. Then figure out what you have as liabilities--meaning debts. That's money you owe because you haven't paid bills (which is called accounts payable) and the debts you have because of outstanding loans. • Breakeven analysis. The breakeven point, Pinson says, is when your business's expenses match your sales or service volume. The three-year income projection will enable you to undertake this analysis. "If your business is viable, at a certain period of time your overall revenue will exceed your overall expenses, including interest." This is an important analysis for potential investors, who want to know that they are investing in a fast-growing business with an exit strategy. How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan: How to Use the Financial Section One of the biggest mistakes business people make is to look at their business plan, and particularly the financial section, only
  • 49. once a year. "I like to quote former President Dwight D. Eisenhower," says Berry. "'The plan is useless, but planning is essential.' What people do wrong is focus on the plan, and once the plan is done, it's forgotten. It's really a shame, because they could have used it as a tool for managing the company." In fact, Berry recommends that business executives sit down with the business plan once a month and fill in the actual numbers in the profit and loss statement and compare those numbers with projections. And then use those comparisons to revise projections in the future. Many advisors also recommend that you undertake a financial statement analysis to develop a study of relationships and compare items in your financial statements, compare financial statements over time, and even compare your statements to those of other businesses. Part of this is a ratio analysis. She recommends you do some homework and find out some of the prevailing ratios used in your industry for liquidity analysis, profitability analysis, and debt and compare those standard ratios with your own. "This is all for your benefit," she says. "That's what financial statements are for. You should be utilizing your financial statements to measure your business against what you did in prior years or to measure your business against another business like yours." If you are using your business plan to attract investment or get a loan, you may also include a business financial history as part of the financial section. This is a summary of your business from its start to the present. Sometimes a bank might have a section like this on a loan application. If you are seeking a loan, you may need to add supplementary documents to the financial section, such as the owner's financial statements, listing assets and liabilities.
  • 50. All of the various calculations you need to assemble the financial section of a business plan are a good reason to look for business planning software, so you can have this on your computer and make sure you get this right. Software programs also let you use some of your projections in the financial section to create pie charts or bar graphs that you can use elsewhere in your business plan to highlight your financials, your sales history, or your projected income over three years."It's a pretty well-known fact that if you are going to seek equity investment from venture capitalists or angel investors, “many advisors say, "they do like visuals."