Instructions for the Business Plan Project.

1. HANDOUT: THE BUSINESS PLAN INSTRUCTIONS APPLIED COMMUNICATIONS
The Business Plan
Overview of What Should Be Included in Your Binder
I. Cover Page
II. Table of Contents
a. Company Summary
b. Services
c. Market Analysis
d. Advertising Strategy
e. Financial Plan
Details About Each Section
I. Cover Page
a. Company Name, address, website address, company owners
Company Name - Include logo (should take up a large portion of the page) and your slogan
Website address – research to make sure it’s not taken
You are the company owners – include your position in the company (CEO, CFO, COO, etc.)
II. Table of Contents – See II above (it’s just a list with page numbers)
a. Company Summary
Describe your company, who you are, and where you operate
One well-written paragraph
b. Services
Describe the product or service you offer, how they are provided and by whom
Plan for future offering
One to two well-written paragraphs
c. Market Analysis
SWOT analysis - chart
Target group description and explanation about why you are targeting this group – one well-
written paragraph
Interest survey – chart/graph
Competition Interview – typed interview in q-and-a format
d. Advertising Strategy
Medium used
Written overview of your strategy
One or two well-written paragraphs
e. Financial Plan
List sources of startup funding – where are you getting it from and how will you obtain it
A list of sources with one well-written paragraph following each source in the list
Adapted from: "Business Plan Template." Palo Alto Business Plans. 10 Oct. 2009
<www.bplans.com/business_plan_template/business_plan_template.pdf>.