Wondering who the business plan contributors ought to be in your organization? It hinges in part on how big your company is, what information you want (or need) conveyed in the document, and the sort of audience to which you'll be making your presentation. If you need to bring your business plan in front of a board of directors or corporate oversight committee, it would be a good idea to gather as much information as possible from a broad swath of decision makers in your organization. On the other hand, if your company simply needs a line of credit extended and the bank said they needed to see a business plan first, you'll probably be okay having one or two key people who are good writers and modelers piece together a working draft.
• No matter what course you choose, make sure the contributors can reasonably predict:
• Revenues and expenses over a 3-5 year period
• Target market growth
• Industry trends and risks that might emerge
• The best marketing and/or partnership avenues for your business
• The personnel plan with hiring timelines, milestones, and salaries
Any business plan, no matter how many cooks are in the kitchen, should identify your target market opportunity and the likely customer base you will serve going forward. The market analysis should include a section on the market need, the industry as it currently stands, and the major competitors you face. What companies offer the same services or products that you do, where are they located, what are their weaknesses? Are there indirect players or other threats (contraction, regulatory issues, etc.) that might impact your business? Make sure this information flows into your pro forma model, which should indicate as closely as possible the amount of money you can reasonably expect to generate in the near future. Call MasterPlans if you need help – we have been writing custom business plan for almost a decade and our team can collaborate with yours seamlessly: (877) 453-2011.
