A simple and easy to use guide to create Business plans as communication tools for diverse purposes

1. The Checklists
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2. We firmly believe that when innovation wins, everyone benefits: consumers, when
new products and services enter the market; entrepreneurs when new wealth is
created; shareholders when a good return on investments is achieved; employees/
consultants when rewarded for their value added, and public servants when
prosperity flourishes in our communities.
Most companies fail because they are not able to capture a market value large enough
to meet their obligations and reward shareholders.That is why we focus on strategies
that are market oriented.
“We hate to see
amazing
innovations fail!”
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3. Table of Content
Market Assessment - Checklist
Support your Unique Selling Proposition and Income Projections.
a What is the size of the market in units and dollar value? What are the
expected trends? What is the scope of the market?
a What is the company’s unique selling proposition? What problem
Page # Checklist Purpose does it solve and what are the key three value points? How are they
different from existing solutions or solutions that are expected to be
developed by existing suppliers? What are the two primary segment
definers of the market (it is not quality and price) and how other
existing suppliers fit into that segmentation?
5 Market Assessment Support your USP (Unique Selling
Proposition) and Income Projections a Who is the client (who pays the check)? Who is the customer (who uses
what your company sells)? How are the distribution channels?
a What are the price and sales conditions of your products and or services?
6 Sales Plan Create a Sales Roadmap to Follow and How do they compare with other existing alternatives? What resources
Evaluate does your company need to capture the market?
a What are the high value drivers and the low value drivers? What is your
7 Business Plan Convey Critical Messages to entry, lock in and growth strategy? How do you define your entry niche clients?
General Stakeholders
a How many actors or players are in the market (suppliers, clients,
customers, hird parties if appropriate)? What are the expected changes
8 Business Plan Increase Success Rate, in the composition of the market?
Own Financing Avoid Pitfalls a Who are the opinion leaders in the market? How do they reach your
potential clients?
9 Business Plan Create an ‘Ideal Fit’ Scenario
a What are the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for your
Angel Investing company (not just your product)?
10 Business Plan Convey a High Return (ROI) a How are the five market forces related: competitors, new entrants,
substitutes, clients and suppliers? How is your company positioned in
Venture Capital Fund Proposition the overall market, beyond the client/customer relationship?
a Who are your leads, and how have they perceived your company based
on the research? Can you use those leads to generate sales?
a What are the reasonable expectations of income?
a What are the characteristics of the new products and services that need
to be developed in the near future?
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4. Business Plan - Checklist
Convey critical messages to stakeholders.
Sales Plan - Checklist
Create a road map to follow up and evaluate. a What is the company’s mission? What are the products or services
offered, and what problem do they solve?
a What is the company’s unique selling proposition? What problem
does the company’s offerings solve and what are the tangible benefits
a Who is the ideal client? How many types of clients are in your
to its customers?
market? How many actors or players are in the market (suppliers,
clients, third parties if appropriate)
a What are the different sales channels? What expertise is required to
develop those channels?
a How are you capturing clients and selling to them?
a What are the price and sales conditions of your products and or services?
a What generates income? What are the price and sales conditions?
How do they compare with other existing alternatives?
a What are your competitive advantages and how do they it fit with
a What is the sales cycle? How do customers become aware of the
your potential clients’ needs?
company’s offerings (promotion and advertising) and what prompts a
purchase decision (sales)? How many steps of contact are needed to
a Who owns the company? What advantages do they have
secure a sale? How much time does the sales cycle last?
(experience, contacts, capital, education)?
a Who is managing the sales team? What follow up process is in place?
a Who participates in the managing team (who is in charge of sales,
How is sales force being empowered and rewarded? How is the learning
operations and administration )
from sales cycle recorded and fed back into the company’s processes?
a How much income will the company generate in 1, 2 and 3 years?
a What is the after sales process? Who provides delivery and support
after a sale is complete? How do clients and customers provide
a How much money will the company spend in 1, 2 and 3 years?
feedback? How is customer’s feedback transferred to operations
How much will be spent on investment and how much on running
and business development to generate new products and services?
operations?
a How is the sales manager providing information to management,
a How much money is the company raising? And under which
board members and shareholders?
conditions? How many shares and what % of equity will be issued?
a Who is the contact person and how long is the offer valid for?
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5. Business Plan for Angel Investing - Checklist
Business Plan for Own Financing - Checklist Create an ideal fit scenario.
Increase your success rate, avoid pitfalls.
About the company:
a What is the company’s legal structure? Who owns the company?
About the company:
a What is the company’s legal structure? Who owns the company?
About the market:
About the market: a What market’s need(s) is the company solving?
a What market’s need(s) is the company solving? a What are the company’s competitive advantages, how do they fit with the
ideal clients’ needs and the current offerings from competitors?
a What are the company’s competitive advantages, how do they fit with the a
ideal clients’ needs and the current offerings from competitors? What is the size of the market and the trends for the next 5 years?
a What is the size of the market and the trends for the next 5 years?
a How is the company capturing clients and selling to them?
a How is the company evaluating market information, selecting and a What are the price and sales conditions?
capturing clients?
a What are the sales conditions, including price? About the team:
a Who manages or will manage the company, specifically in terms of:
sales/marketing, operations/production, and administration/finance.
About the team:
a What help is needed at board or management level? a What expertise and contacts is needed from an angel investor?
a Who is in charge of sales/marketing, production, finance and personnel? a Who is on the board of directors and the board of advisors?
a How do owners make strategic decisions?
About Operations:
a What is the process for creating products or services?
About Operations:
a What is the process for creating products or services? a How is intellectual property protected?
a How is intellectual property protected?
About finances:
a How much income will the company generate in 1, 2 and 3 years?
About finances:
a How much income will the company generate in 1, 2 and 3 years?
a How much money will the company spend in 1, 2 and 3 years? Of this
how much will be investment and how much working capital?
a How much money will the company spend in 1, 2 and 3 years?
Of this how much will be investment and how much working capital?
a How much money is the company raising?
a What is the return on investment? a Who will manage the finances of the business?
a What is the exit strategy for the angel investor?
a Who is the contact person and how long is the offer valid for?
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6. Summary
Business Plan for Venture Capital Funding - Checklist
Convey a high return proposition.
About the company:
a What is the company’s mission?
a What is the company’s legal structure?
a What are the products or services offered? What problem do they
solve? As you can see there are subtle differences. KNOW the audience and the purpose of
the document and be as concise as possible. In Strategy, more is less. Keep to the core,
About the market: so you will have enough time to get the crucial things done.
a How does the company generate income?
a How many actors or players are in the market (competitors, suppliers, Here is to your success,
clients, third parties –distributors, collaborators- if appropriate)?
a What is the size of the market and the trends for the next 5 years?
Alicia Castillo Holley and the team at the Wealthing Group
a Who is the ideal client?
a How many types of clients are?
a How is the company capturing clients and selling to them?
a What are the price and sales conditions?
a What are the company’s competitive advantages, how do they fit with
the ideal clients’ needs and the current offerings from competitors?
About the team:
a Who owns the company or will own the company and what experience
they have that is relevant to the mission of the company.
a Who manages or will manage the company, specifically in terms of:
sales/marketing, operations/production, and administration/finance.
“Everybody wins
About Operations: when innovation
a How are products / services created? How much time and money is wins.”
spent on production?
a What is the intellectual property?
About finances:
a How much income will the company generate in 1, 2 and 3 years?
a How much money will the company spend in 1, 2 and 3 years? Of this,
how much will be investment and how much working capital?
a How much money is the company raising? What are the conditions of
the investment: number and types of shares, % of equity, pre and post
investment value of the company?
a Who is the contact person and how long is the offer valid for?
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7. The Alicia Castillo Wealthing Group specializes in taking innovations into markets. More information, list of
clients, testimonials, white papers and clear expectations from our services are available at our web
www.wealthing.com.
The Alicia Castillo Wealthing Group Pty Ltd is a member of Babson Founder’s Club.
The company supports non-for profits in the area of entrepreneurial education around the world.
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