Fillable Printable Small Business Plan Form
Fillable Printable Small Business Plan Form
Small Business Plan Form
Business Plan
Writing a business plan forces you to think logically and
methodically about your business model and assess its
chances of survival and assesses the viabil ity of your idea. It
also helps clarify to other potential business partners where
the business is headed. It will also assist you when
approaching a bank for finance.
It’s much better to do this before you begin business than to find out afterward s yo ur business
idea was unrealistic! A business plan is a living docu ment and will need to be updated. Follo wing
are a number of key questions that you need to answer, to build a successful business plan.
Remember, accounta nts may also assist with the preparation of a plan. You can complete the
boxes provided in bullet point form, or visit www.anz.com/australia/business… to downl oad a
copy if you wish to type your answers.
Business Background
Key products
Describe your key produ cts and services. Exactly what are you
going to provide? Be as specific as possible.
The purpose of the business
Briefly describe the purpose of your
business, including why you want to sta rt it. Explain the market you’ ve identified and
your competit ive advantage (what gives you an edge over competitors?).
Business structure
What is the structure of the business going to be? In
other words are you going to trade as a sole trade r, partnership or a company?
The history
Briefly outline the history of your business or your idea. Don ’t get
carried away – just a few lines on the history of your business idea and the major events
that have shaped it are sufficient.
Your location
Where will your business be located? Explain why.
Personal characteristics
What makes you think that you are suitable
to run your own busin ess? Outline the personal traits that you believe you have, that will
convince others that you h ave what it takes. Includ e any personal background
information such as previous experience, qualifications or personal qualities.
Your industry
Describe briefly your industry. For example, is your industry
fast-growth or mature? Is it labour intensive or knowle dge intensive (such as software
program m ing)?
Each industry will have particular characteristics (for example tourism has seasonality,
retail location and manufac turing distribution).
Business Support
Your team
Briefly describe your staff (if you have them) an d your support
network. For example you may have an accountant assisting you, suppliers, family or
friends, other small business owners or staff.
Suppliers
Who are the main suppliers (businesses that you will be buying
materials or i nventory from)?
Your Business Market
Customers
Outline the major targeted market(s) for your business. What
specific types of custom ers are most likely to buy off you?
Customer assumptions
Explain in more detail why you think the
customers yo u outlined are likely to buy from you? What evidence do you have?
Promotion
How do you intend to get the customers you have outlined to buy off
you?
Be as specific as you can and cover your advertising, promotion, word of mouth tactics
and just how you intend to get customer awareness.
Market research
Outline here what market research you’ve comple ted. The
better your understanding of your customers and thei r changing needs, the better your
business.
Market potential
Estimate the market potential for your product or service.
How much do you think the business could turn over in the first year?
Market potential assumption
Explain exactly how you’ve arrived at
this estimate (such as market research, your trading history or trial marketing).
Competitors
Analyse the strength of your competition. Remember you
ALWAYS have competition. If not directly, then indirectly, for people’s disposable dollar.
Competitor assumptions
Outline any assumptions you have made
about your competitors, including what they are likely to do once you start your
business.
Your Business Environm ent
Outside influences
You need to consider all the things that might impact
on your business from the outside. For example, major trend s, international changes,
technology impacts, regulations that mi ght change etc.
SWOT analysis
Outline a ‘SWOT’ analysis of your business (strengths, weaknesse s, oppo rtunities and
threats). It provides an overview of what you see the best parts of your business are and
the worst parts.
Describe below the strengths of your business such as what gives your business a
competitive edge over the competition.
Outline the weaknesses of your business. You need to identify these so you can
overcome them. Wea kne sses could include lack of capital and re sources, lack of skilled
or trained staf f, vulnerability to competition, poor market penetration, poor bu siness
systems, etc.
What are the major opportunities you se e for your bu siness? For example, exporting
opportunities, new market segments, online e-commerce potential, franchising your
busine ss model, etc.
What are the possible threats? Threats could be new technol ogy leapfrogging you,
changing markets, ne w competitors, external crises, changes to your customer base,
etc.
Distribution channel
Explain below your current distribution chann els.
For example, do you market direct to other businesses (like many manufacturers), or
direct to cons umers (like retailers), or do you use commission salespeople, agents,
distributors, etc?
Use of technology
Use of technology an d e-commerce. Use this
opportunity to explain how you use (or plan to use) email, a website, e-co mmerce and
technology (such as improved communications) to sp eed up your business, lowe r costs,
keep in closer contact with your cu stomers, d rive online sales, access new markets here
and overseas, etc.
Business systems
Detail below the business and management systems
you currently have in place (or are planning) that will enable you to carry out your
business plan and achieve your goals. A good way to run your business is to imagine
you are going to sell or franchise your business tomorrow. What systems would you
need to have in place or documented to make that process as si mple and efficient as
possible?
Finally, if you are applying for Bank finance, there are four main reasons
applications get turned down. Outline how you intend to solve each of them.
1. The idea is untested
Outline the evidence you have that the idea will
work, especially if the business is a ne w idea, or new to the area.
2. No experience
Discuss the experience of the industry you have, or the
training you will undertake.
3. No management ability
Outline your previous business
management or training experience.
4. They need 100% finance
Show what you have put into the
busine ss idea so far such as the hours spent on research, product or se rvice testing,
cash on prod uct testing, travel, time planning etc.
Key Assumptions
Lastly, is there any other information that you believe to be vital for your busine ss? Are
there any other key assumptions that you have made that need to be outlined, so
someone reading your business plan will have a clear idea of what you intend to do and
how?
This document is intended to provide general information only and should not be relied upon in substitution for professional legal and financial advice.
While due care has been taken in preparing this document, no warranty as to the accuracy of the information contained within this document is given.
No liability is accepted by any member of the ANZ Group of companies for any error or omission, or any loss caused to any person relying on the
information contained in this document, except where such liability cannot be excluded.
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