Wondering about statistical charts for business plans? What kind to develop in support of your plan, or which tables have the least value for your presentations? Viewed broadly, there are two types of statistical charts that go into business plans: figures and images in support of your market opportunity (“infographics†or pie graphs showing market share, for example) and financial tables that visually represent some important element of the pro forma model included in your plan. Both are important, though they serve separate functions. Your plan should include charts where appropriate in the narrative, but only where they relate directly to what the plan is stating. Some examples of good statistical charts:
• A Census table showing how many school-age children live within 5, 10, and 15 miles of your daycare
• A table from the Labor Bureau showing household spending on groceries, when you're opening a market
• An e-commerce graphic plotting growing online sales that your website could capitalize on
• A pie graph illustrating the share of the market currently held by competitors
Now you might not be able to get all of this information, and your plan can certainly be considered complete without having it. The business plan is however a visual document, and it can't hurt to aid the reader by including elements that make the narrative easier to digest. For the financial portion, you can state your benchmarks in writing of course, but the chart and table format is the most common way to present your finished data. Need help with either piece of the plan? MasterPlans has access to some of the best statistics databases for market research available, and our proprietary financial model gives your business plan every key chart and table it needs. Call today to learn more about how we can make your business plan tell the perfect story. (877) 453-2011.
