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Tool #9
Business Plan
A business plan explains the objectives and goals of an enterprise and outlines
how it will achieve these objectives. Business plans have no standard format, but
a simple one should at least include the following sections: General Background,
Business Description, Market Description, Marketing Plan, Operations & Production
Plan, Financial Plan.
Be concise, but specific. Make it as practical as possible for the people who will
use it to guide their decisions and action in the short and the long term, and on
a day-to-day basis.
If you have used the previous tools given in this guidebook, you will find that you
already have some of the information needed in the business plan. So while it
looks like a lot of work, don’t worry, you have done almost half of it.
Business Name:
Date Prepared:
Prepared by: (Include all the names of those involved in creating this business
plan.)
I. General Background
This part describes why the enterprise was established, its aims and objectives,
and the overall strategy to achieve these.
II. Business Description
In a short paragraph, describe what the business is all about, its product and/or
service, and how it addresses the target market’s needs in a unique and marketable
way.
III. A. Market Description
Developing the enterprise CHAPTER II
Here, you discuss the market situation, from general to a detailed description of
the enterprise’s target market segments, the competition and the industry and
its trade practices. If you have completed the Market Research (Tool #3), all you
have to do is review it and insert it here.
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