le business plan meaning

A business plan is an executive document that acts as a blueprint or roadmap for a business. It is quite necessary for new ventures seeking capital, expansion activities, or projects requiring additional capital. It is also important to remind the management, employees, and partners of what they represent.

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Creating a business plan is an indispensable part of any business. The main purpose of creating such a document is to attract prospective investors to provide capital to the enterprise. Therefore, the plan should cover all the important perspectives of a business – financial, operational, personnel, competition, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Business Plan Explained

Business plan writers are responsible for crafting the face of a business organization they hope to build. It cannot be easy because a business plan should be a versatile document that covers various perspectives and aspects of the business that the readers might expect.

It should talk about the company’s unique selling proposition ( USP ), business culture, and what the company is. Finally, and most importantly, it is not a static document. With the company’s growth, it needs to change by incorporating more relevant information and goals.

The outline of a business plan should be prepared from three perspectives – first, the market; second, the investors; and finally, the company. However, most plans tend to become business-oriented rather than focusing on the market and the investors. This might create a negative impression on the investors.

First, the entrepreneurs must understand a demand-supply gap from the market’s perspective. This gap can be the perfect opportunity for the company. Or maybe the company has an innovative product or service idea, which they believe will have a high demand. Either way, the market should accept the product.

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Enterprise Forum, 1978, investors are more likely to approve market-driven businesses rather than technology or service-driven ones.

Also, the plan should address the investors’ needs. What is in it for the investor? Since they invest a lot of money, they expect higher returns. Of course, no investor would demand profits upfront. But it’s important to tell them when they can expect returns and how much. So the business should provide them with the data on the estimated payback period .

Types of Business Plans

There are many types of business plans based on the size of the document and its scope.

First, depending on the size of the plan, there are traditional and lean start-up plans. The traditional plan is a lengthy document with more than 20 pages. It covers various facets of the business in such a way as to answer the different questions that may arise in the readers’ minds. But the disadvantage of this plan is that it might hold the readers’ concentration only for a limited time.

The lean start-up plan is a concise and brief version of an actual plan, usually consisting of a single page. The demerit of this plan is that it might be too small and not include all the important and relevant information. But the entrepreneurs must be ready to provide the investors with a detailed document if required.

The second classification is based on the scope of the plan. It can be a start-up plan for new businesses seeking capital or an internal plan to communicate with different departments on a new project. Other types based on scope include strategic, feasibility, operations, and growth.

A strategic plan can communicate how the business will achieve its goal, while a feasibility plan can focus on the feasibility of the company’s offerings. For example, the operations plan focuses on production and supply operations. In contrast, a business prepares the growth plan for its aspiring expansion projects, focusing on additional investments and financial projections .

The outline of a business plan should be carefully designed to incorporate all the focus points deemed essential by the audience. These are the elements of a business plan:

Presentation is as important as the content. Therefore, it is best to add graphs, pie charts, 3D models, and other visuals, which will enhance the presentation and understandability of the plan. In addition, factual data and simple statistical tools can make the plan look genuine and instill investor confidence.

Creating a business plan is more important due to the negative impression its absence can cause rather than the benefits it might provide. The impression is what matters when it comes to a plan. So, let’s understand the importance of making a good impression.

Perhaps the reason why most businesses make a plan is for the investors. These investors can be venture capitalists or financial institutions . For these investors, new ventures are like investments. Hence, before putting in money, they want to be sure if the investment will be worth it.

Therefore, presenting all the important details in an understandable format helps them realize the clarity and the level of commitment the entrepreneurs have towards their business. The business plan writer should also give due to the executive summary and financials while creating the plan.

Secondly, every business needs a blueprint based on which it operates. It should govern the functions of a business and especially in decision-making. Usually, when a plan is created before the enterprise starts functioning, it speaks about the business and what it stands for. Even after the business takes off and expands, it should stick to its roots, which would evolve with the company’s growth.

Making every stakeholder – employees, partners, suppliers, investors, etc. – aware of the plan would increase commitment and sense of belonging to the enterprise. This, too, is important to improve the productivity and contribution of everyone.

The elements of a business plan comprise an executive summary, company description, market research, competitive analysis, SWOT analysis, marketing strategy, operating plan, financial projections, etc.

Businesses create plans on their own by putting relevant content on paper and using their basic computer skills to make it look attractive. Ideally, plans are not expenses. Instead, they are created from the effort of the entrepreneurs.

All plans need not be highly visual. However, adequate data charts, graphs, 3-D models, etc., can make the document look attractive and creates an impression about the effort that has gone into furnishing the plan. It also increases the understandability of the document.

Businesses can draft plans for any period – maybe a year, three years, or just three months. Some plans are also created until the payback period. But it doesn’t mean that the plan is rendered useless after the expiry of the period. On the contrary, a company should always have a constantly updated plan better suited to evolving needs.

This article is a guide to Business Plan and its definition. Here, we explain its types, components, outline, and importance. You can also go through our recommended articles on corporate finance –

Comment rédiger un business plan en 2022 : le guide complet

Vous souhaitez lancer votre business ou vous tentez de décrocher un prêt pour votre entreprise ? Dans les deux cas, vous allez devoir rédiger un business plan. Si l’opération semble rébarbative, sachez que faire un business plan est un excellent moyen d’analyser votre idée de projet et de repérer d’éventuels problèmes que vous n’auriez pas vu. C’est l’opportunité d’étudier en profondeur tous les aspects de votre idée d’entreprise.

Cet article vous apprendra comment faire un business plan efficace pour votre projet d’entreprise. Nous aborderons les sujets suivants :

Qu’est-ce qu’un business plan ?

Comment faire un business plan ?

Tout savoir sur comment faire un business plan, c’est parti !

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Business plan : définition

Qu’est-ce qu’un business plan ? Il s’agit d’un document formel qui présente vos objectifs de développement et la stratégie pour les atteindre. Les études montrent que les entrepreneurs qui se lancent avec un business plan fondent des entreprises ayant plus de succès. C’est la clé d’une croissance équilibrée, vous guidant à travers les étapes de votre développement, limitant les risques et vous aidant à sécuriser des apports financiers (entre autres avantages). On parle parfois de plan d’affaire en français.

Faire un business plan : objectifs

La plupart des banques et institutions financières exigent que vous leur transmettiez un business plan détaillé pour obtenir des fonds . Puisque les business en dropshipping demandent peu de budget pour démarrer, vous n’avez peut-être pas besoin d’apport financier et ne voyez pas l’intérêt de faire un business plan.

Cependant, vous pourriez en avoir besoin pour enlever une limite un peu trop stricte sur votre carte de crédit alors que votre entreprise grandit, ou même pour ouvrir un compte bancaire. Cela varie d’une banque à l’autre.

Si vous développez votre entreprise, faire un business plan vous servira pour augmenter votre capital, créer une stratégie de croissance, trouver de nouvelles opportunités et limiter les risques. Il a été démontré que faire un business plan donne deux fois plus de chances d’obtenir des fonds et même de réussir.

Si vous démarrez une entreprise, utilisez votre business plan pour identifier les forces et les faiblesses de votre projet, communiquer votre vision aux autres et établir des prévisions justes.

Le business plan concerne tous les types d’entreprises. Il est ainsi possible de faire un business plan auto-entrepreneur.

Comment faire un business plan : les grandes étapes

Un business plan passe par 5 grandes étapes : établir des objectifs, rechercher des données, comprendre sa cible, choisir un format et rédiger.

Faire un business plan étape 1 : établir des objectifs

Il y a deux questions clés à se poser ici :

Aborder votre business plan dans cette perspective vous aidera à vous concentrer sur l’objectif final à travers le processus de rédaction. Cela guidera votre manière d’orienter votre business plan. C’est aussi un moyen d’établir des critères d’évaluation de votre succès.

Faire un business plan étape 2 : la recherche de données

Avant de rédiger votre business plan, rassemblez les informations et données dont vous aurez besoin. Cela comprend des informations sur votre marché et votre industrie – et notamment les chiffres clés et les grandes tendances

Ce sera beaucoup plus facile de démarrer avec toutes les informations à disposition, plutôt que de faire les recherches au fur et à mesure de votre progression.

Par exemple, si vous voulez lancer un business e-commerce, étudiez les chiffres e-commerce France . Votre business plan doit démontrer votre parfaite connaissance du marché.

Faire un business plan étape 3 : comprendre votre audience

Parce que les business plans peuvent servir différents objectifs, vous ne le présenterez pas forcément à la même audience. Il est important de s’adapter aux personnes qui vont le lire, de penser à ce que vous souhaitez obtenir d’elles et aux doutes que ces personnes pourraient avoir.

Ainsi, vous pouvez adapter votre business plan en fonction de ces différents objectifs. Votre audience détermine donc le type ou le format de business plan à utiliser. Ce qui nous amène au point suivant…

Faire un business plan étape 4 : choisir un format

Il existe actuellement deux types de business plans :

Si le business plan ne concerne que vous-même et vos collaborateurs, faites un business plan simplifié ou une version personnalisée de la version traditionnelle, avec seulement les sections dont vous avez besoin.

Si vous en avez besoin pour trouver des fonds ou pour d’autres objectifs, choisissez la version traditionnelle et complétez soigneusement toutes les parties en prêtant une attention particulière aux projections financières.

Faire un business plan étape 5 : rédiger !

Une fois vos objectifs bien définis, le marché analysé et votre cible identifiée, vous pouvez commencer à rédiger !

Alors, comment rédiger un business plan ? Un business plan contient généralement les information suivantes, dans un ordre qui peut varier :

Résumé du projet

Description de l’entreprise.

Produit et service

Étude de marché

Analyse swot.

Marketing et sales

Management et organisation

Pour vous aider à faire votre business plan, nous allons détailler chacun de ces éléments, avant de nous pencher sur les ressources pour trouver un exemple de business plan et un modèle business plan, notamment un modèle de business plan gratuit PowerPoint.

Avant cela, une remarque : tandis que vous rédigez votre business plan, prenez le temps non seulement d’analyser votre idée de business, mais également vous-même. Posez-vous les questions suivantes pour vous aider à faire le point sur votre entreprise au fur et à mesure :

Faire un business plan : les différentes parties

Voici comment rédiger chaque partie de votre business plan, avec les informations à inclure.

Le résumé du projet est la première partie de votre business plan, c’est là que vous devez accrocher le lecteur. Chaque business plan débute de cette façon, même les plus basiques. Résumez tout votre business plan en une page, en soulignant les détails qui éveilleront la curiosité de vos investisseurs et soutiens potentiels.

Expliquez l’objectif de votre business, votre marché cible, ce qui vous différencie de la concurrence, dites-en un peu à votre sujet et sur les personnes au cœur de votre entreprise et présentez des projections réalistes sur le succès potentiel de votre entreprise.

Bien que cette partie soit la première de votre business plan, rédigez-la après avoir écrit tout le reste. Ce sera beaucoup plus facile parce que vous n’aurez plus qu’à ressortir les sections les mieux écrites pour les agencer dans votre première partie.

Cette partie devrait comprendre des détails basiques tels que :

Le concept de votre entreprise, votre philosophie et vos valeurs, votre vision, vos objectifs à court et long terme et les étapes de développement, ainsi qu’une rapide présentation de votre industrie, du marché, des perspectives et de vos concurrents devraient aussi être inclus dans la description de votre entreprise.

Produits et services

La section produits et services détaille ce que vous prévoyez de vendre aux consommateurs. Dans le cas d’un business plan dédié au dropshipping, cette section devrait expliquer quels produits tendance vous comptez vendre, le problème que ce produit résout pour vos clients, comment vous déterminez vos prix par rapport à vos concurrents, la marge commerciale attendue, les informations liées à la production et à la livraison.

Rappelez-vous d’inclure la proposition commerciale unique pour chaque produit ou catégorie de produits, comme les accords exclusifs avec des fournisseurs, la capacité d’obtenir des produits rares ou très demandés grâce à vos relations un service client personnalisé ou d’autres avantages.

Pour les business en dropshipping vendant des centaines voire des milliers de produits, détaillez les catégories principales de produits et le nombre d’articles que vous prévoyez de proposer dans chaque catégorie. De cette façon, il sera plus facile de visualiser l’ensemble de votre offre et de déterminer si vous avez besoin de plus de produits dans telle ou telle catégorie.

La section étude de marché de votre business plan vous permet de partager les recherches effectuées pour en apprendre plus sur votre clientèle, les acheteurs potentiels ou vos produits.

Votre audience voudra savoir si vous avez de solides connaissances sur votre industrie, le paysage concurrentiel et ceux qui devraient devenir vos clients.

Il est important de démontrer que le marché est assez dynamique pour accueillir vos produits, pour être compétitif et/ou faire un bon retour sur investissement .

Pour compléter la section étude de marché de votre business plan, vérifiez les ressources suivantes de votre industrie, de votre secteur et des recherches économiques locales :

L’ union des Français de l’étranger propose des ressources pour les gens qui souhaitent lancer une entreprise dans un pays étranger.

Les ambassades françaises de la plupart des pays disposent d’une section entreprise avec des informations pour les personnes souhaitant vendre à l’étranger. Cette section comportera un guide basique de démarrage, des liens vers des rapports ou des données économiques, des évènements professionnels et d’autres liens utiles pour une région en particulier.

Statista propose aussi des statistiques gratuites et payantes, ainsi que des études de plus de 18 000 ressources, incluant des rapports d’industrie, des rapports nationaux, des études de marché, des rapports prévisionnels et d’autres études de consommateurs.

Utilisez ces sites et d’autres pour en apprendre plus sur les projections de développement de votre industrie et de son potentiel. Vous pourrez aussi utiliser les réseaux sociaux tels que Facebook audience insights pour estimer la taille de votre marché cible sur le plus grand réseau social.

Un autre moyen de faire des recherches sur votre marché et vos produits consiste à utiliser Google Trends . Cet outil gratuit vous permet de voir à quelle fréquence sur une période donnée, les gens recherchent les produits que votre entreprise propose. Assurez-vous d’expliquer clairement comment votre business prévoit de capitaliser sur ces tendances.

Certains business plans comprennent également une analyse SWOT. Il s’agit d’une page qui résume les forces, les faiblesses, les opportunités et les menaces. Les forces et les faiblesses seront internes, tandis que les opportunités et les menaces seront externes.

En fonction de ce que révèle cette section, vous déciderez si oui ou non, vous souhaitez intégrer cette analyse dans votre business plan.

Marketing et ventes

Connaître son marché cible, c’est déjà la moitié du travail fait. Dans la section marketing et ventes, expliquez comment vous comptez atteindre votre cible et lui vendre vos produits. Présentez les stratégies marketing et communication que vous comptez utiliser pour faire connaître votre produit auprès de clients potentiels, le marketing de référencement, le marketing de réseaux sociaux , le marketing de contenu , l’ email marketing et les canaux publicitaires.

Si vous ne savez pas vraiment comment promouvoir vos produits, analysez vos concurrents pour trouver un peu d’inspiration. Étudiez les stratégies marketing de vos concurrents vous aidera à concevoir les vôtres pour développer une base clients et ainsi pousser votre business au niveau supérieur.

Faites une recherche Google avec les noms de vos concurrents pour trouver leurs sites Internet, leurs comptes sociaux et le contenu qu’ils ont créé pour promouvoir leurs produits. Regardez comment ils utilisent chaque canal pour attirer de nouveaux clients vers leur boutique en ligne.

Insérez dans votre business plan une description de la façon dont vous comptez convertir ces cibles en clients réels, grâce à vos messages marketing et de communication. Pour les boutiques en dropshipping, les conversions se passeront typiquement sur votre site Internet lorsque les visiteurs achètent vos produits.

Dans la partie management et organisation de votre business plan, décrivez la structure de votre entreprise. La plupart du temps, les entreprises sont déclarées sous forme demicro -entreprise (un fondateur), une société (deux ou plusieurs fondateurs) ou des coopératives.

Rédigez une présentation courte de chacun des membres clés de votre entreprise. Si vous êtes auto-entrepreneur, ajoutez les éléments de votre parcours professionnel qui vous aideront à gérer votre entreprise. Si vous avez un ou plusieurs partenaires et salariés, faites de même pour eux.

Pensez à cet exercice comme un excellent moyen d’évaluer les forces de chaque personne dirigeant votre entreprise. Lors de cette auto-évaluation, vous serez capable d’identifier les aspects de votre business qui seront faciles à gérer pour vous et ceux que vous feriez mieux de déléguer à des freelances , des partenaires, des employés ou des services sous-traitants. C’est aussi un bon moyen d’optimiser les forces de l’entreprise pour maximiser sa croissance.

Apports financiers

Dans le cas d’une start-up en dropshipping, il y a peu de chance que vous ayez besoin de trouver des fonds puisque l’attrait de ce modèle économique est justement le peu de fonds requis pour se lancer. Cela dit, si vous cherchez un prêt, c’est dans cette section que vous indiqueriez le montant souhaité, comment vous prévoyez de l’investir et comment vous voyez votre retour sur investissement.

Un autre moyen d’exploiter cette section consiste à analyser l’investissement que vous avez ou comptez obtenir lors du lancement ou du développement de votre entreprise. Cela devrait inclure tous les éléments : des ordinateurs pour gérer le site Internet aux frais mensuels pour d’autres services marketing ou commerciaux.

Projections financières

Dans les projections financières, partagez les prévisions de revenus et charges pour les cinq premières années de votre entreprise. L’idée ici est de montrer que le revenu escompté permettra d’atteindre rapidement un retour sur investissement, qu’il s’agisse de vos finances personnelles ou d’un apport au capital.

Si vous êtes à la recherche de fonds, vous aurez besoin de rentrer dans les détails concernant vos revenus, le budget prévisionnel, l’état des flux de trésorerie et les budgets d’investissement. Si vous n’avez pas besoin de fonds, vous ne perdrez pas votre temps à créer ce type de projections financières, qui vous permettront de faire des prévisions réalistes pour le futur de votre entreprise.

Annexe

L’annexe de votre business plan doit comprendre tout document supplémentaire que vous jugerez nécessaire, en fonction de votre business plan. Cela peut inclure, mais n’est pas limité à :

Si vous soumettez votre business plan dans le but d’obtenir des financements, contactez le prêteur pour connaître la documentation requise pour votre demande.

Business plan : exemple et modèle de business plan gratuit

Pour faire un business plan, le plus simple est souvent de se baser sur un exemple de business plan création d’entreprise ou un modèle de business plan gratuit. Alors, où trouver un business plan en ligne ? Quel site propose un business plan exemple concret ?

Voici quelques ressources très utiles pour faire un business plan, pour ne pas partir de zéro :

Logiciel business plan gratuit

Autre approche pour faire un business plan : utiliser un logiciel business plan gratuit. Si la plupart des logiciels de création de business plan sont payants, nous avons trouvé pour vous 2 solutions gratuites :

Ces 2 options de logiciel business plan gratuit devraient répondre à vos besoins.

Comme vous pouvez le voir, rédiger un business plan pour votre entreprise de dropshipping est un très bon moyen de valider votre idée d’entreprise, de percevoir les forces et les faiblesses de votre projet et de mettre toutes les chances de votre côté pour réussir votre aventure en tant qu’entrepreneur. Si vous ne l’avez pas déjà fait, prenez le temps de créer un business plan pour lancer ou développer votre business dropshipping en 2022 !

Découvrez d'autres conseils utiles sur comment faire un business plan dans cet article de Shopify.

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Lean Business Planning

Get what you want from your business.

What’s a Lean Business Plan?

Lean business planning starts with a lean business plan. The lean plan contains four essentials every business needs, and nothing else. It’s a streamlined core plan for running the business, not a document or detailed plan, full of descriptions, to be presented to investors or lenders. It’s to optimize management. Here’s what the lean business plan includes.

The principles apply to every business plan. Fight the fallacy of the formal plan. Start lean. Make it formal only when needed . Tweet

1. Strategy

Who you are, what you do, and for whom you do it. Ideally, the smaller your business, the more focused. Maybe you keep it in your head, always — and lots of us do that — but maybe you write it down. Simple bullet points. Just reminders.

Strategy without tactics is just puffery. Keep your strategy in mind — your focus, what you are and aren’t doing, for whom — as you develop specific action plans filled with tactics that make strategy matter. This is all about execution.

And don’t think of all this as a document. At least, not yet. Early on, it’s a matter of form following function; you keep it in bullet points, maybe orderly sections, but none of these plans are independent of all the others.

Do think about strategic alignment. What you do with your tactics should flow from your strategy.

And what this means, specifically, is that you think all these factors through, and set down some plans, in writing but not fancy text, just bullets, so you can get back to them at least once a month to see how you’re doing. It might even be a bit like the classic business plan, covering topics like pricing and distribution — except that you do it for yourself. Keep it just big enough to run the business.

3. Forecasts of Sales, Costs, Expenses, and Cash

You can’t optimize management without managing the money. You need to forecast your basic business numbers because without the forecasts, you can’t track results and catch problems or capitalize on pleasant surprises.

Don’t worry too much about forecasting; just do it. If you can run a business, you can do a basic forecast of sales and costs. It’s not about being accurate; it’s about laying out realistic assumptions. Of course you’ll be wrong, but with good assumptions you can track how you were wrong, in what direction, and make regular corrections.

And you can’t plan a business without considering cash flow. Although for some simple businesses, cash flow is a matter of staying profitable, keeping sales above costs and expenses; for most businesses, it’s much more complicated because you don’t get paid exactly when you make the sale, and you have to buy things ahead of time. Being profitable doesn’t guarantee having money in the bank.

4. Execution: Assumptions, Milestones, Metrics, and Schedule

Tactics without concrete specifics are just wasted effort. None of what you have in tactics means anything without dates, deadlines, and specific task assignments. Here are the essentials:

Run, Review, Revise.

If you’re like me and most businesses, you start with a lean plan and then get going. Track the plan results, do your reviews, and revise often. Your first plan is done. Now execute.

You may have heard of the lean startup or lean manufacturing . It’s a set of ideas that started about 70 years ago, revolving around PDCA : plan-do-check-adjust . The idea came up first related to the auto manufacturer Toyota, as lean manufacturing; that goes back 70 years. It was also called “the Toyota way.” It was adopted later by by a collection of experts and authors, most notably Eric Ries and Steve Blank with their work on The Lean Startup . It’s a process of continuing improvement in steps, or cycles, each one involving plan, action, checking results, and revising the plan to start again.

That term “lean,” and the idea of continuous process, applies perfectly to business planning. It’s a shame that so many people think of a business plan as a document, the formal business plan; but good planning is a streamlined simple plan in a process that could be called PDCA, which I prefer to call PRRR: plan-run-review-revise .

Unless you have a business plan event

If you’re a business facing a business plan event , then your lean business plan is still most of what you need. Just add an executive summary and, if needed, market information, pitch deck, and whatever else is required.

This is important: form follows function. So of course you want a plan, no matter who you are or how big or how new your company is. However, that doesn’t mean everybody needs to have the full formal business plan with all the supporting information.

For example, you might be running or growing or starting your own one-person business. You feel very comfortable about knowing your customers and your market, and you have a strategy. Why are you writing all this down, formalizing it, making a big project that you don’t really need? No good reason. Planning is about the decisions it causes, not about showing off your knowledge.

You do what the business needs demand — no more, no less.

Business Plan

A summary document that outlines how and why a new business is being created

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a summary document that outlines how and why a new business is being created. New entrepreneurial ventures must prepare formal written documents to outline their long-term objectives and the means to be employed to reach said objectives. The business plan underlines the strategies that need to be adopted in order to reach organizational goals, identify potential problems, and devise custom solutions for them.

In addition, potential investors look at business plans to evaluate the risk exposure of a particular entrepreneurial venture. Startups that try to attract employees and investors use business plans to solidify their claims regarding the potential profitability of a particular business idea. Existing companies may use business plans to deal with suppliers or manage themselves more effectively.

Why Use a Business Plan?

Owing to the following benefits of a well-researched and comprehensive business plan, preparing one is highly recommended, but not a mandate.

1. Feasibility

Entrepreneurs use a business plan to understand the feasibility of a particular idea. It is important to contextualize the worth of the proposed product or service in the current market before committing resources such as time and money. It helps to expand the otherwise limited view of a passionate innovator-turned-entrepreneur.

2. Focusing device

Formulating a concrete plan of action enables an organized manner of conducting business and reduces the possibility of losses due to uncalculated risks. Business plans act as reference tools for management and employees as they solidify the flow of communication, authority, and task allocation.

3. Foresight

The process of preparing a business plan often creates many unintended yet desired results. It functions on the principle of foresight as it helps one realize future hurdles and challenges that aren’t explicit. It also brings a variety of perspectives on the forefront, eventually leading to a more comprehensive future plan of action.

4. Raising capital

A business plan is an effective way of communicating with potential investors, and the level of expertise and time used in preparing a business plan also gives professional credibility to entrepreneurs . It analyzes and predicts the chances of success for the investor and helps to raise capital.

Features of a Good Business Plan

1. executive summary.

The executive summary functions as a reading guide, as it highlights the key aspects of the plan and gives structure to the document. It must describe ownership and history of formation. It is an abstract of the entire plan, describes the mission statement of the organization, and presents an optimistic view about the product/service/concept.

2. Business Description

This section presents the mission and vision of an organization. Business descriptions provide the concept of one’s place in the market and its benefits to future customers. It must include key milestones, tasks, and assumptions, popularly known as MAT. Big ideas are redundant without specifics that can be tracked. Fundamental questions to be answered include:

3. Market Strategies

The market strategies section presents the target consumer group and the strategies needed to tap into it. It requires meticulous analysis of all aspects of the market, such as demography, cultural norms, environmental standards, resource availability, prices, distribution channels , etc.

4. Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis section aims to understand the entry barriers one could face due to other companies in the same or complementary sectors. The strengths of existing companies could be co-opted into one’s strategy, and the weaknesses of existing product development cycles could be exploited to gain a distinct advantage.

5. Design and Development Plan

It outlines the technical details of the product and its development cycle within the realm of production. In the sphere of circulation, it focuses on marketing and the overall budget required to reach organizational objectives.

6. Operations and Management Plan

The operations and management plan describes the cycle of business functions needed for survival and growth. It includes management functions such as task division, hierarchy, employee recruitment, and operational functions such as the logistics of the value chain , distribution, and other capital and expense requirements. The managers’ backgrounds must also be briefly included.

7. Financial Factors

The financials section should include the company’s balance sheet and cash flow projections. Financial data is imperative to provide credibility to any assertions or claims made about the future profitability of the business. The aim is to provide an accurate idea of the company’s value and ability to bear operational costs and earn profits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Writing a Business Plan

Additional Resources

CFI is the official provider of the Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA)™ certification program, designed to transform anyone into a world-class financial analyst.

In order to help you become a world-class financial analyst and advance your career to your fullest potential, these additional CFI resources will be very helpful:

Signing out of account, Standby...

Business Plan

By Entrepreneur Staff

Business Plan Definition:

A written document describing the nature of the business, the sales and marketing strategy, and the financial background, and containing a projected profit and loss statement

A business plan is also a road map that provides directions so a business can plan its future and helps it avoid bumps in the road. The time you spend making your business plan thorough and accurate, and keeping it up-to-date, is an investment that pays big dividends in the long term.

Your business plan should conform to generally accepted guidelines regarding form and content. Each section should include specific elements and address relevant questions that the people who read your plan will most likely ask. Generally, a business plan has the following components:

Title Page and Contents A business plan should be presented in a binder with a cover listing the name of the business, the name(s) of the principal(s), address, phone number, e-mail and website addresses, and the date. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a fancy binder or cover. Your readers want a plan that looks professional, is easy to read and is well-put-together.

Include the same information on the title page. If you have a logo, you can use it, too. A table of contents follows the executive summary or statement of purpose, so that readers can quickly find the information or financial data they need.

Executive Summary The executive summary, or statement of purpose, succinctly encapsulates your reason for writing the business plan. It tells the reader what you want and why, right up front. Are you looking for a $10,000 loan to remodel and refurbish your factory? A loan of $25,000 to expand your product line or buy new equipment? How will you repay your loan, and over what term? Would you like to find a partner to whom you'd sell 25 percent of the business? What's in it for him or her? The questions that pertain to your situation should be addressed here clearly and succinctly.

The summary or statement should be no more than half a page in length and should touch on the following key elements:

Description of the Business The business description usually begins with a short explanation of the industry. When describing the industry, discuss what's going on now as well as the outlook for the future. Do the necessary research so you can provide information on all the various markets within the industry, including references to new products or developments that could benefit or hinder your business. Base your observations on reliable data and be sure to footnote and cite your sources of information when necessary. Remember that bankers and investors want to know hard facts--they won't risk money on assumptions or conjecture.

When describing your business, say which sector it falls into (wholesale, retail, food service, manufacturing, hospitality and so on), and whether the business is new or established. Then say whether the business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, C or Sub chapter S corporation. Next, list the business' principals and state what they bring to the business. Continue with information on who the business' customers are, how big the market is, and how the product or service is distributed and marketed.

Description of the Product or Service The business description can be a few paragraphs to a few pages in length, depending on the complexity of your plan. If your plan isn't too complicated, keep your business description short, describing the industry in one paragraph, the product in another, and the business and its success factors in two or three more paragraphs.

When you describe your product or service, make sure your reader has a clear idea of what you're talking about. Explain how people use your product or service and talk about what makes your product or service different from others available in the market. Be specific about what sets your business apart from those of your competitors.

Then explain how your business will gain a competitive edge and why your business will be profitable. Describe the factors you think will make it successful. If your business plan will be used as a financing proposal, explain why the additional equity or debt will make your business more profitable. Give hard facts, such as "new equipment will create an income stream of $10,000 per year" and briefly describe how.

Other information to address here is a description of the experience of the other key people in the business. Whoever reads your business plan will want to know what suppliers or experts you've spoken to about your business and their response to your idea. They may even ask you to clarify your choice of location or reasons for selling this particular product.

Market Analysis A thorough market analysis will help you define your prospects as well as help you establish pricing, distribution, and promotional strategies that will allow your company to be successful vis-à-vis your competition, both in the short and long term.

Begin your market analysis by defining the market in terms of size, demographics, structure, growth prospects, trends, and sales potential. Next, determine how often your product or service will be purchased by your target market. Then figure out the potential annual purchase. Then figure out what percentage of this annual sum you either have or can attain. Keep in mind that no one gets 100 percent market share, and that a something as small as 25 percent is considered a dominant share. Your market share will be a benchmark that tells you how well you're doing in light of your market-planning projections.

You'll also have to describe your positioning strategy. How you differentiate your product or service from that of your competitors and then determine which market niche to fill is called "positioning." Positioning helps establish your product or service's identity within the eyes of the purchaser. A positioning statement for a business plan doesn't have to be long or elaborate, but it does need to point out who your target market is, how you'll reach them, what they're really buying from you, who your competitors are, and what your USP (unique selling proposition) is.

How you price your product or service is perhaps your most important marketing decision. It's also one of the most difficult to make for most small business owners, because there are no instant formulas. Many methods of establishing prices are available to you, but these are among the most common.

You'll also have to determine distribution, which includes the entire process of moving the product from the factory to the end user. Make sure to analyze your competitors' distribution channels before deciding whether to use the same type of channel or an alternative that may provide you with a strategic advantage.

Finally, your promotion strategy should include all the ways you communicate with your markets to make them aware of your products or services. To be successful, your promotion strategy should address advertising, packaging, public relations, sales promotions and personal sales.

Competitive Analysis The purpose of the competitive analysis is to determine:

The first step in a competitor analysis is to identify both direct and indirect competition for your business, both now and in the future. Once you've grouped your competitors, start analyzing their marketing strategies and identifying their vulnerable areas by examining their strengths and weaknesses. This will help you determine your distinct competitive advantage.

Whoever reads your business plan should be very clear on who your target market is, what your market niche is, exactly how you'll stand apart from your competitors, and why you'll be successful doing so.

Operations and Management The operations and management component of your plan is designed to describe how the business functions on a continuing basis. The operations plan highlights the logistics of the organization, such as the responsibilities of the management team, the tasks assigned to each division within the company, and capital and expense requirements related to the operations of the business.

Financial Components of Your Business Plan After defining the product, market and operations, the next area to turn your attention to are the three financial statements that form the backbone of your business plan: the income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet.

The income statement is a simple and straightforward report on the business' cash-generating ability. It is a scorecard on the financial performance of your business that reflects when sales are made and when expenses are incurred. It draws information from the various financial models developed earlier such as revenue, expenses, capital (in the form of depreciation), and cost of goods. By combining these elements, the income statement illustrates just how much your company makes or loses during the year by subtracting cost of goods and expenses from revenue to arrive at a net result, which is either a profit or loss. In addition to the income statements, include a note analyzing the results. The analysis should be very short, emphasizing the key points of the income statement. Your CPA can help you craft this.

The cash flow statement is one of the most critical information tools for your business, since it shows how much cash you'll need to meet obligations, when you'll require it and where it will come from. The result is the profit or loss at the end of each month and year. The cash flow statement carries both profits and losses over to the next month to also show the cumulative amount. Running a loss on your cash flow statement is a major red flag that indicates not having enough cash to meet expenses-something that demands immediate attention and action.

The cash flow statement should be prepared on a monthly basis during the first year, on a quarterly basis for the second year, and annually for the third year. The following 17 items are listed in the order they need to appear on your cash flow statement. As with the income statement, you'll need to analyze the cash flow statement in a short summary in the business plan. Once again, the analysis doesn't have to be long and should cover highlights only. Ask your CPA for help.

The last financial statement you'll need is a balance sheet. Unlike the previous financial statements, the balance sheet is generated annually for the business plan and is, more or less, a summary of all the preceding financial information broken down into three areas: assets, liabilities and equity.

Balance sheets are used to calculate the net worth of a business or individual by measuring assets against liabilities. If your business plan is for an existing business, the balance sheet from your last reporting period should be included. If the business plan is for a new business, try to project what your assets and liabilities will be over the course of the business plan to determine what equity you may accumulate in the business. To obtain financing for a new business, you'll need to include a personal financial statement or balance sheet.

In the business plan, you'll need to create an analysis for the balance sheet just as you need to do for the income and cash flow statements. The analysis of the balance sheet should be kept short and cover key points.

Supporting Documents In this section, include any other documents that are of interest to your reader, such as your resume; contracts with suppliers, customers, or clients, letters of reference, letters of intent, copy of your lease and any other legal documents, tax returns for the previous three years, and anything else relevant to your business plan.

Some people think you don't need a business plan unless you're trying to borrow money. Of course, it's true that you do need a good plan if you intend to approach a lender--whether a banker, a venture capitalist or any number of other sources--for startup capital. But a business plan is more than a pitch for financing; it's a guide to help you define and meet your business goals.

Just as you wouldn't start off on a cross-country drive without a road map, you should not embark on your new business without a business plan to guide you. A business plan won't automatically make you a success, but it will help you avoid some common causes of business failure, such as under-capitalization or lack of an adequate market.

As you research and prepare your business plan, you'll find weak spots in your business idea that you'll be able to repair. You'll also discover areas with potential you may not have thought about before--and ways to profit from them. Only by putting together a business plan can you decide whether your great idea is really worth your time and investment.

More From Business Plans

Financial projections.

Estimates of the future financial performance of a business

Financial Statement

A written report of the financial condition of a firm. Financial statements include the balance sheet, income statement, statement of changes in net worth and statement of cash flow.

Executive Summary

A nontechnical summary statement at the beginning of a business plan that's designed to encapsulate your reason for writing the plan

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Business plan : définition

Si c'est la première fois que vous devez rédiger un business plan, vous devez vous poser un certain nombre de questions : qu’est-ce qu'un business plan, a quoi sert-il, comment le rédiger, etc.

Si c'est le cas vous êtes au bon endroit, cet article introductif à pour but de vous expliquer en détails la définition d’un business plan.

Définition d'un business plan : en deux mot qu'est-ce qu'un business plan?

Un business plan est un document synthétique qui permet à un entrepreneur de présenter de manière simple et efficace les tenants et aboutissants de son projet.

Il doit présenter de façon argumentée le besoin de financement et le potentiel de rentabilité du projet ainsi que la vision du futur dirigeant concernant son entreprise.

Définition d'un business plan : à quoi sert le business plan?

Le business plan a trois objectifs principaux. Il permet de :

Définition d'un business plan : que contient un business plan?

Si la définition d’un business plan est la même, le contenu du business plan quant à lui varie en fonction du type de projet. Vous devez toutefois - a minima - évoquer dans ce document :

Définition d'un business plan : qui doit le rédiger?

Il est important que ce soit l'équipe dirigeante qui rédige elle-même le business plan et cela pour une raison très simple : seuls les dirigeants ont une connaissance suffisante du marché et de l'activité de l'entreprise pour pouvoir rédiger un plan réaliste.

Définition d'un business plan : quand le rédiger?

Il est essentiel de faire le business plan après avoir effectué votre étude de marché. Ne le faîtes pas trop en amont, lorsque vos idées n’en sont qu’à leurs prémices. Faîtes-le quand le projet est déjà mature et que vous avez suffisamment d'éléments tangibles pour créer un plan basé sur du concret et pas seulement des hypothèses.

Définition d'un business plan : comment le rédiger?

Un moyen efficace de rédiger votre business plan est d'utiliser un logiciel spécialisé.

En effet, les logiciels de business plan possèdent de nombreux avantages :

The Business plan shop propose l'un des meilleurs logiciels de business plan du marché. Spécialement conçu pour les créateurs d’entreprise, il vous permet de concevoir facilement votre business plan, en bénéficiant d’un maximum de conseils. Si cela vous intéresse, vous pouvez l'essayer gratuitement en cliquant ici .

Voilà vous devriez maintenant avoir une meilleure compréhension de la définition d'un business plan. N'hésitez pas à nous faire part de vos réactions dans les commentaires.

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What is a Business Plan?

Home » Accounting Dictionary » What is a Business Plan?

Definition: A business plan is a detailed written steps and goals defined to guide a business’ course of action from its initial stages. A business plan provides a complete description and projection of the company as well as its core strategies and expected results.

What Does Business Plan Mean?

The creation of a new organization or a new business requires coherent actions in order to achieve the desired outcomes. Following a business plan allows to link actions and resources to objectives and measurable goals. This plan can be used internally like a roadmap for the owner but also can be a requirement when looking for funding or partners.

A business plan is generally a precise, short document that commonly contains the following sections: executive summary, business description with its products or services, marketing plan, operational plan and financial plan with its forecasted financial statements for the first years of operation, often five to ten years. The initial business plan is later substituted by annual or bi-annual strategic plans.

Mark Tilson is a young professional that wants to start a new business. He has the idea of providing an innovative maintenance service to medium-size manufacturing companies but he needs funds to implement it. Mr. Tilson therefore decided to write a business plan to present the idea to some potential capital partners. He though that the ideas were already clear but soon realized that more analysis and pre-launching work was required.

How many employees the company will have? How the company will market its services? How much money the initial investment requires? How much profit the company is expected to generate at the end of the fifth year of operation? These and other questions must be answered and coherently written in the business plan. Finally, Mr. Tilson improved his ideas, presented the plan and found the required partner.

1 What Does Business Plan Mean?

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How Companies Make Money

What Is a Business Model?

Understanding business models, evaluating successful business models, how to create a business model.

Business Model FAQs

The Bottom Line

Learn to understand a company's profit-making plan

Katrina Ávila Munichiello is an experienced editor, writer, fact-checker, and proofreader with more than fourteen years of experience working with print and online publications.

Investopedia / Laura Porter

The term business model refers to a company's plan for making a profit . It identifies the products or services the business plans to sell, its identified target market , and any anticipated expenses . Business models are important for both new and established businesses. They help new, developing companies attract investment, recruit talent, and motivate management and staff.

Established businesses should regularly update their business model or they'll fail to anticipate trends and challenges ahead. Business models also help investors evaluate companies that interest them and employees understand the future of a company they may aspire to join.

Key Takeaways

Business Model

A business model is a high-level plan for profitably operating a business in a specific marketplace. A primary component of the business model is the value proposition . This is a description of the goods or services that a company offers and why they are desirable to customers or clients, ideally stated in a way that differentiates the product or service from its competitors.

A new enterprise's business model should also cover projected startup costs and financing sources, the target customer base for the business, marketing strategy , a review of the competition, and projections of revenues and expenses. The plan may also define opportunities in which the business can partner with other established companies. For example, the business model for an advertising business may identify benefits from an arrangement for referrals to and from a printing company.

Successful businesses have business models that allow them to fulfill client needs at a competitive price and a sustainable cost. Over time, many businesses revise their business models from time to time to reflect changing business environments and market demands .

When evaluating a company as a possible investment, the investor should find out exactly how it makes its money. This means looking through the company's business model. Admittedly, the business model may not tell you everything about a company's prospects. But the investor who understands the business model can make better sense of the financial data.

A common mistake many companies make when they create their business models is to underestimate the costs of funding the business until it becomes profitable. Counting costs to the introduction of a product is not enough. A company has to keep the business running until its revenues exceed its expenses.

One way analysts and investors evaluate the success of a business model is by looking at the company's gross profit . Gross profit is a company's total revenue minus the cost of goods sold (COGS). Comparing a company's gross profit to that of its main competitor or its industry sheds light on the efficiency and effectiveness of its business model. Gross profit alone can be misleading, however. Analysts also want to see cash flow or net income . That is gross profit minus operating expenses and is an indication of just how much real profit the business is generating.

The two primary levers of a company's business model are pricing and costs. A company can raise prices, and it can find inventory at reduced costs. Both actions increase gross profit. Many analysts consider gross profit to be more important in evaluating a business plan. A good gross profit suggests a sound business plan. If expenses are out of control, the management team could be at fault, and the problems are correctable. As this suggests, many analysts believe that companies that run on the best business models can run themselves.

When evaluating a company as a possible investment, find out exactly how it makes its money (not just what it sells but how it sells it). That's the company's business model.

Types of Business Models

There are as many types of business models as there are types of business. For instance, direct sales, franchising , advertising-based, and brick-and-mortar stores are all examples of traditional business models. There are hybrid models as well, such as businesses that combine internet retail with brick-and-mortar stores or with sporting organizations like the NBA .

Below are some common types of business models; note that the examples given may fall into multiple categories.

One of the more common business models most people interact with regularly is the retailer model. A retailer is the last entity along a supply chain. They often buy finished goods from manufacturers or distributors and interface directly with customers.

Example: Costco Wholesale

Manufacturer

A manufacturer is responsible for sourcing raw materials and producing finished products by leveraging internal labor, machinery, and equipment. A manufacturer may make custom goods or highly replicated, mass produced products. A manufacturer can also sell goods to distributors, retailers, or directly to customers.

Example: Ford Motor Company

Fee-for-Service

Instead of selling products, fee-for-service business models are centered around labor and providing services. A fee-for-service business model may charge by an hourly rate or a fixed cost for a specific agreement. Fee-for-service companies are often specialized, offering insight that may not be common knowledge or may require specific training.

Example: DLA Piper LLP

Subscription

Subscription-based business models strive to attract clients in the hopes of luring them into long-time, loyal patrons. This is done by offering a product that requires ongoing payment, usually in return for a fixed duration of benefit. Though largely offered by digital companies for access to software, subscription business models are also popular for physical goods such as monthly reoccurring agriculture/produce subscription box deliveries.

Example: Spotify

Freemium business models attract customers by introducing them to basic, limited-scope products. Then, with the client using their service, the company attempts to convert them to a more premium, advance product that requires payment. Although a customer may theoretically stay on freemium forever, a company tries to show the benefit of what becoming an upgraded member can hold.

Example: LinkedIn/LinkedIn Premium

Some companies can reside within multiple business model types at the same time for the same product. For example, Spotify (a subscription-based model) also offers free version and a premium version.

If a company is concerned about the cost of attracting a single customer, it may attempt to bundle products to sell multiple goods to a single client. Bundling capitalizes on existing customers by attempting to sell them different products. This can be incentivized by offering pricing discounts for buying multiple products.

Example: AT&T

Marketplace

Marketplaces are somewhat straight-forward: in exchange for hosting a platform for business to be conducted, the marketplace receives compensation. Although transactions could occur without a marketplace, this business models attempts to make transacting easier, safer, and faster.

Example: eBay

Affiliate business models are based on marketing and the broad reach of a specific entity or person's platform. Companies pay an entity to promote a good, and that entity often receives compensation in exchange for their promotion. That compensation may be a fixed payment, a percentage of sales derived from their promotion, or both.

Example: social media influencers such as Lele Pons, Zach King, or Chiara Ferragni.

Razor Blade

Aptly named after the product that invented the model, this business model aims to sell a durable product below cost to then generate high-margin sales of a disposable component of that product. Also referred to as the "razor and blade model", razor blade companies may give away expensive blade handles with the premise that consumers need to continually buy razor blades in the long run.

Example: HP (printers and ink)

"Tying" is an illegal razor blade model strategy that requires the purchase of an unrelated good prior to being able to buy a different (and often required) good. For example, imagine Gillette released a line of lotion and required all customers to buy three bottles before they were allowed to purchase disposable razor blades.

Reverse Razor Blade

Instead of relying on high-margin companion products, a reverse razor blade business model tries to sell a high-margin product upfront. Then, to use the product, low or free companion products are provided. This model aims to promote that upfront sale, as further use of the product is not highly profitable.

Example: Apple (iPhones + applications)

The franchise business model leverages existing business plans to expand and reproduce a company at a different location. Often food, hardware, or fitness companies, franchisers work with incoming franchisees to finance the business, promote the new location, and oversee operations. In return, the franchisor receives a percentage of earnings from the franchisee.

Example: Domino's Pizza

Pay-As-You-Go

Instead of charging a fixed fee, some companies may implement a pay-as-you-go business model where the amount charged depends on how much of the product or service was used. The company may charge a fixed fee for offering the service in addition to an amount that changes each month based on what was consumed.

Example: Utility companies

A brokerage business model connects buyers and sellers without directly selling a good themselves. Brokerage companies often receive a percentage of the amount paid when a deal is finalized. Most common in real estate, brokers are also prominent in construction/development or freight.

Example: ReMax

There is no "one size fits all" when making a business model. Different professionals may suggest taking different steps when creating a business and planning your business model. Here are some broad steps one can take to create their plan:

Instead of reinventing the wheel, consider what competing companies are doing and how you can position yourself in the market. You may be able to easily spot gaps in the business model of others.

Criticism of Business Models

Joan Magretta, the former editor of the Harvard Business Review, suggests there are two critical factors in sizing up business models. When business models don't work, she states, it's because the story doesn't make sense and/or the numbers just don't add up to profits. The airline industry is a good place to look to find a business model that stopped making sense. It includes companies that have suffered heavy losses and even bankruptcy .

For years, major carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, and Continental built their businesses around a hub-and-spoke structure , in which all flights were routed through a handful of major airports. By ensuring that most seats were filled most of the time, the business model produced big profits.

However, a competing business model arose that made the strength of the major carriers a burden. Carriers like Southwest and JetBlue shuttled planes between smaller airports at a lower cost. They avoided some of the operational inefficiencies of the hub-and-spoke model while forcing labor costs down. That allowed them to cut prices, increasing demand for short flights between cities.

As these newer competitors drew more customers away, the old carriers were left to support their large, extended networks with fewer passengers. The problem became even worse when traffic fell sharply following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 . To fill seats, these airlines had to offer more discounts at even deeper levels. The hub-and-spoke business model no longer made sense.

Example of Business Models

Consider the vast portfolio of Microsoft. Over the past several decades, the company has expanded its product line across digital services, software, gaming, and more. Various business models, all within Microsoft, include but are not limited to:

A business model is a strategic plan of how a company will make money. The model describes the way a business will take its product, offer it to the market, and drive sales. A business model determines what products make sense for a company to sell, how it wants to promote its products, what type of people it should try to cater to, and what revenue streams it may expect.

What Is an Example of a Business Model?

Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are some of the largest examples of retail companies. These companies acquire goods from manufacturers or distributors to sell directly to the public. Retailers interface with their clients and sell goods, though retails may or may not make the actual goods they sell.

What Are the Main Types of Business Models?

Retailers and manufacturers are among the primary types of business models. Manufacturers product their own goods and may or may not sell them directly to the public. Meanwhile, retails buy goods to later resell to the public.

How Do I Build a Business Model?

There are many steps to building a business model, and there is no single consistent process among business experts. In general, a business model should identify your customers, understand the problem you are trying to solve, select a business model type to determine how your clients will buy your product, and determine the ways your company will make money. It is also important to periodically review your business model; once you've launched, feel free to evaluate your plan and adjust your target audience, product line, or pricing as needed.

A company isn't just an entity that sells goods. It's an ecosystem that must have a plan in plan on who to sell to, what to sell, what to charge, and what value it is creating. A business model describes what an organization does to systematically create long-term value for its customers. After building a business model, a company should have stronger direction on how it wants to operate and what its financial future appears to be.

Harvard Business Review. " Why Business Models Matter ."

Bureau of Transportation Statistics. " Airline Travel Since 9/11 ."

Microsoft. " Annual Report 2021 ."

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Comment réussir son business plan ?

Lecture : 7 minutes

Document détaillant les points clés de votre projet de création ou de reprise d'entreprise, le business plan est un outil incontournable pour structurer votre projet et convaincre d'éventuels acteurs (notamment les banquiers et financeurs) de vous aider dans votre projet. Mais savez-vous quand et comment le réaliser ? Les clés pour comprendre !

Qu’est-ce qu’un business plan ?

Le business plan ou « plan d’affaire » est le document qui détaille, lors de la création ou la reprise d’une entreprise, l’ensemble du projet ainsi que l’évolution attendue de l’entreprise et de son activité, durant les premières années de son existence.

Dans le business plan il est utile, voire indispensable, de détailler un certain nombre d’éléments :

À quel moment réaliser le business plan ?

Le business plan est un aboutissement dans le montage du projet.

Il est rédigé après l’ étude de marché , après avoir fixé le business model , et après avoir décidé de la forme juridique de l’entreprise .

C’est le document qui récapitule et concrétise le projet.

Business plan / business model : quelle différence ?

À ce titre, business plan et business model sont liés : le business model (ou ses éléments principaux) est repris dans le business plan.

Quelle est l’utilité du business plan ?

Le business plan intervient après l'étude de marché, le business model et l'élaboration de la stratégie commerciale et opérationnelle.

Pour autant le business plan est fondamental pour votre projet car c'est lui qui fait la synthèse de ces différents éléments et c’est grâce à lui que vous allez pouvoir communiquer. En effet, il s’agit avant tout d’un outil de communication , qui peut s’avérer indispensable pour convaincre d’éventuels partenaires de rejoindre ou soutenir le projet : financeurs, distributeurs, partenaires commerciaux, etc.

Au-delà de son utilité en « externe », le business plan permet aussi en interne de piloter le développement de l'entreprise et de constater d’éventuels écarts par rapport aux prévisions initiales.

Les 10 conseils pour réaliser votre business plan

CCI Business Builder , le site des Chambres de commerce et d’industrie spécialisé dans l’accompagnement des entrepreneurs donne 10 conseils aux entrepreneurs pour réaliser leur business plan (cliquez sur les bandeaux rouge pour ouvrir le texte) :

1 - Valorisez l'équipe

Il s’agit de présenter les compétences de l’équipe dirigeante ainsi que les personnes aux postes clés de l’entreprise : connaissance du marché, compétences métier, etc...L’objectif est de démontrer que les personnes impliquées sont compétentes pour mener à bien le projet .

Mentionnez également les personnes consultées en externe pour monter le projet et n’hésitez pas à témoigner de la prise en compte de leurs remarques pour enrichir votre projet, notamment votre business model.

2 - Présentez la valeur ajoutée de votre service/produit pour le client

Les clients n'achètent pas un produit / service seulement parce qu'il est bon ou parce qu'il est meilleur que les autres, mais avant tout parce qu’il répond à leur besoin , leur rend un service , leur crée du plaisir .

Pour cela le business plan doit mettre en lumière la fiabilité de votre étude de marché (qui peut être annexée au business plan) et votre parfaite connaissance des cibles que vous privilégiez .

En résumé, à la lecture de votre business plan, il doit être possible de comprendre la pertinence et la solidité de votre positionnement sur le marché.

3 - Faites preuve de réalisme

Le lecteur de votre business plan doit c omprendre que vos stratégies opérationnelles sont cohérentes avec les attentes de votre cible et votre business model . À ce titre, le business plan reprend tout ou partie du business model.

Mais faites preuve de réalisme : sur-estimer ou sous-estimer volontairement certains paramètres peut vous desservir.

4 - Mentionnez les difficultés éventuelles

Le business plan doit aussi faire apparaître les éventuelles difficultés ou risques du projet : une compétence encore manquante dans votre équipe, des éventuelles difficultés de gestion ou avec un sous-traitant, etc.

L’important est que vous rassuriez les lecteurs du business plan en démontrant votre lucidité vis-à-vis de ces défis et en indiquant comment vous comptez les surmonter.

5 - Présentez les choses simplement mais clairement

Dans une grande majorité de cas, le principal lecteur de votre business plan est le financeur potentiel du projet. Ce dernier n’est pas forcément un spécialiste de votre domaine d’activité, de plus, vous n’êtes probablement pas le seul projet auquel il est susceptible d’apporter son concours.

C’est pourquoi votre business plan, doit être présenté très clairement , et cela dès le début du document. Le lecteur doit appréhender très rapidement :

6 - Soyez synthétique

7 - Expliquez et justifiez les données chiffrées

Toutes les données chiffrées que vous indiquez dans vos prévisionnels financiers doivent être justifiées .

Par exemple, l’évaluation du nombre de clients potentiels doit être basée sur des données fiables, recueillies par exemple par le biais d’une étude de marché, d'une enquête de terrain.

8 - Ne négligez pas la présentation de votre document

Le business plan doit refléter votre projet, à ce titre il se doit d’être clair, lisible, ordonné, cohérent...sur le fond comme sur la forme .

Il est fortement conseillé de réaliser un sommaire avec des chapitres, des titres et intertitres, ainsi que des annexes et éventuels schémas pour rendre votre propos plus agréable à lire.

N’hésitez pas à faire relire votre business plan à une ou plusieurs interlocuteurs extérieurs avant de la finaliser. De même une synthèse d’une ou deux pages est recommandée (voir ci-dessous).

9 - Rédigez une synthèse

Vos lecteurs ne sont pas toujours des spécialistes de votre domaine d’activité, de même vous n’êtes peut être pour eux qu’un projet parmi d’autre et ils ne pourront donc pas y consacrer trop de temps, du moins en première approche.

C’est pourquoi il est conseillé de rédiger une ou deux pages de synthèses particulièrement soignées.

Grace à cette seule synthèse, le lecteur doit être capable de savoir ce que vous vendez, à qui, combien et pourquoi vous allez probablement réussir.

10 - Adaptez votre business plan en fonction de votre interlocuteur

Le business plan n’est pas un document figé ! Il serait d’ailleurs plus correct de parler « des » business plan d’une entreprise.

En effet, le business plan est présenté ou transmis à des acteurs très différents qui n’ont pas les mêmes points d’attention. Un banquier sera bien évidemment très attentif aux données chiffrées (besoin en fonds de roulement, durée prévue du remboursement, montant de l’emprunt demandé, les garanties, etc.), alors qu’un investisseur sera lui plus attentif au résultat net ou au seuil de rentabilité, et un distributeur aux volumes de vente.

Prévoyez donc d’établir plusieurs versions du business plan , adaptées à chacun de vos différents interlocuteurs.

Les conseils en vidéo

Profitez également des conseils (en vidéo) d'Adil Maldou, du réseau d'appui aux entrepreneurs BGE :

Version textuelle (cliquer pour ouvrir)

Qu'est-ce qu'un business plan ?

Adil Maldou, conseiller en création d'entreprise ( BGE ) : « Le business plan est un document de synthèse qui récapitule le parcours de l'entrepreneur, le marché et le secteur d'activité envisagé, les besoins au démarrage et leur financement, ainsi que la rentabilité de la future activité. »

Qui doit préparer ce business plan ?

« Tout porteur de projet, futur créateur ou futur repreneur, doit préparer ce document, dans le but de se fixer des objectifs mensuels et trimestriels, et pouvoir développer au mieux son activité. »

De quoi se compose un business plan ?

« Un business plan comprend la présentation de l'entrepreneur et de ses éventuels associés, la présentation de son secteur d'activité au niveau national et au niveau de sa zone de chalandise et sa stratégie commerciale. Dans un second temps, ce document comprend toute une partie financière : les besoins pour démarrer l'activité et comment les financer ; mais aussi les questions de rentabilité, avec les ventes prévisionnelles face aux charges prévisionnelles. Le porteur de projet finira par évoquer son statut juridique, fiscal et social. »

Quelle est l'utilité d'un business plan ?

« Le business plan permet en premier lieu au créateur d'entreprise de se fixer des objectifs : quel montant sera fait le premier mois, le deuxième mois, le troisième mois... Et voir si cela est rentable par rapport aux charges. Le business plan, en tant que document de synthèse et document commercial, va aussi être présenté aux futurs financeurs, comme les banques, les organismes proposant des prêts à taux zéro ou les business angels. C'est le passeport pour obtenir des financements. »

Business plan : comment le rédiger ?

Le business plan peut être rédigé par l’entrepreneur, ou avec l’aide de professionnels et/ou d’outils dédiés. Voici les modalités généralement utilisées :

Business plan : faîtes-vous accompagner !

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What Is a Business Plan: An Introductory Guide

An introductory guide to explain what a business plan is, why you need it (and how it helps), key components, how long it should be, how to write it, who needs to see it, and much more..

May 16th, 2018 | By: The Startups Team | Tags: Planning

Introduction

It’s been said that a goal without a plan is just a wish.

In the same way, a startup idea without a business plan is little more than just that: an idea — no matter how earth-shatteringly innovative that idea might be.

Whether you’ve committed to starting a business for the first time or you’re still tiptoeing around the idea , chances are you’ve described your startup concept to your friends or family. And chances are you’ve been told by someone that having a well-thought-out business plan in place is absolutely vital for every entrepreneur.

But what you might not have been told was why having a business plan is so important, what critical elements to include, how much of it to include, and how to put it all together in a way that gets potential investors fired up about your idea and eager to get involved.

If that’s the case, then you’re in luck — we’re about to break all of this down for you step by step.

If you'd like to see some samples - we've got 4 awesome business plans for you here.

Business Plan, Defined

First things first. What is a business plan, exactly?

Quite simply, a business plan is a detailed roadmap of your business — a written document that communicates to readers and potential investors what your business goals are and the steps that you plan on taking to achieve them.

You’ll often hear startup origin stories that begin with Founders sitting at a bar or in a restaurant when suddenly they’re struck by that “aha!” moment of inspiration and begin furiously scribbling down their concept on a cocktail napkin.

This has become something of a romanticized idea in the startup world. But if you’ve had an experience similar to this, then you’ve got the makings of a business plan in its most basic, stripped-down form. And while the shorter, one-page business plan can be ideal in certain situations (more on that later), fleshing out a hastily-scrawled cocktail napkin blueprint into a comprehensive, actionable business plan requires a bit more work (and fewer drinks).

We say “actionable” because the very best business plans do more than just inform readers about what your company does — they excite and persuade them about jumping on the opportunity to get involved (and mutually benefit) in helping your company succeed.

How do you do this?

By answering at a very high level the big, fundamental questions your readers will have about your business going in. These questions fall into two key categories: the WHY questions and the HOW questions.

The WHY Questions:

The HOW Questions:

In the process of answering these questions, your business plan should illustrate that your company has:

Why You Need a Business Plan (And How it Can Help You)

Making sure that you have a polished business plan at the ready might seem like one of those things that you’re just kind of expected to do as a Founder. But it really is about more than just going through the motions. You’ve been beaten over the head with the assertion that you need one of these things.

Now here’s a few reasons why.

A. To Optimize Your Strategies

Laying out your objectives and researching your market helps you uncover trends that could help or harm your forward progress and allow you to tailor your growth strategies accordingly.

B. To Give You Direction

A business plan can help you organize your ideas so you can figure out which goals to set, which to prioritize, and how to reach them without spreading yourself too thin.

C. To Convince Investors To Fund Your Business

Investors want to see evidence for why they should risk their time and money in your business and how they’ll recoup their investment. Your business plan helps you make that case.

D. To Secure A Business Loan

If you’re trying to secure a business loan from the bank, if the lender doesn’t already request it (which they probably will), you can bolster your loan application using your business plan.

E. To Forge Strategic Alliances

Your plan can be used to communicate specific parts of your business to lock down potential partnerships.

F. To Sell Your Business

In the event that you find yourself in acquisition discussions, your business plan can be instrumental in helping the buyer better understand the best possible price for the sale of your business .

Who Needs a Business Plan?

A lot of people assume that the only businesses that need business plans are startups seeking funding, and that once they’ve secured said funding their business plan gets stuffed into a filing cabinet where it lives out the rest of its days collecting dust.

Not entirely. So who needs a business plan?

A. Startups Seeking Funding

If you’re a startup with the chief goal of raising capital to fund your growth, then yes, as previously mentioned, a business plan is a must. Simply having one doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get funding. But not having one reduces the likelihood precipitously.

B. Established Companies Managing Their Business

Unlike startups, existing businesses use business plans more with an eye toward guiding the business and accelerating and tracking growth. Established businesses also use business plans to convince buyers to acquire the company or to bring potential partners or employees into the fold.

How to Choose the Right Kind of Business Plan

Depending on your growth stage and what you intend on using it for, business plans can come in a few different form factors.

If you’re a startup looking to raise investment capital, for example, your business plan is going to look a bit different than that of an established company more concerned with internal strategic planning and actually running the business.

Let’s take a quick look at a handful of the most common examples.

A. Standard Business Plan

If your goal is to convince investors to financially back your business, the standard business plan — or “external business plan”, as it’s sometimes called — is the most commonly-requested iteration you’ll need.

Standard business plans are much more fine-tuned and focused on showing investors how your vision translates into big returns versus an internal business. For our purposes, we’ll be focusing our discussion strictly on the standard business plan for this article.

B. One-Page Business Plan

The one-page business plan is essentially an executive summary — in other words, the TL;DR version of your business plan where you distill down each of the core sections of your business plan to a paragraph or two, giving investors an at-at-glance look at the key takeaways.

The one-pager is a great asset to break out when you establish early discussions with a potential investor. Investors are incredibly busy, so the one-pager is a perfect go-to when you’re trying to spark interest and set the stage for more in depth discussions about your business after you’ve made first contact.

C. Internal Business Plan

As its name implies, internal business plans generally stay within the confines of the office and are meant to act essentially as a management tool to help business owners set and meet goals.

Internal business plans are less concerned with covering things like team overview or outlining the problem you’re solving and more geared toward business strategy, which milestones to reach next, budgeting, and forecasting. This kind of business plan tends to be used more frequently by more established companies than startups.

The Key Components of a Business Plan

Whether you’re starting a brewery, launching a cryptocurrency business, or setting up a subscription box service for your homemade cupcake operation, there are several common elements that are absolute musts to include in virtually every business plan — regardless of your industry.

These include:

A. Executive Summary

Your Executive Summary is essentially a brief overview of your business plan as a whole. The goal is to break down each key section into a sentence or two to convey a birds-eye view of your business and prepare the reader for the content to come.

B. Company Description

The Company Description will serve as a “big idea” statement that introduces your company, what it does, and why it matters. It conveys to your readers the direction your company is going, and the scope of the business you’re building.

Every great product or service starts with a clear and specific problem that it’s setting out to solve. What problems do your target customers face that your product/service solves for them?

If you don’t articulate the problem you’re solving really well, then the solution (and rest of your plan) falls by the wayside.

D. Solution

Once you’ve explained the painful problem you’re setting out to solve, highlight how your product/service connects back directly to that problem and solves it beautifully.

E. Market Size

F. Product (How it Works)

Give readers an overview of your company’s products and services, their key features, with a special emphasis on what makes them unique from existing solutions in the market.

G. Revenue Model

H. Operating Model

While your Revenue Model explains the ways you’re going to make money, your Operating Model is all about the clever ways you’re going to manage costs and efficiencies to earn it.

I. Competitive Analysis

Identify other similar companies working in your same space:

J. Customer Definition

Define your customer to help readers get a crystal clear understanding of who is most likely to use and buy your product:

K. Customer Acquisition

L. Traction

List any accomplishments that signal to readers that your company is making moves:

M. Management Team

Introduce your team and how you’ll work together to bring the business to life. Each team member bio should include:

O. Financials

Determine what assumptions you need to target in order to make the business viable. Typical assumptions include:

How Long Should Your Business Plan Be?

To get a better sense of what a 21st century business plan is, it’s best to look at what it’s not. Or, more specifically, what it’s not anymore.

When most people think about a business plan, the first thing that usually comes to mind is an incredibly dense, 50-plus-page manifesto that’s as hard to write as it is to read.

There’s a reason why people think this. It’s because for a long time, that’s pretty much what a business plan was. Thankfully for the writer and the reader, that’s no longer the case.

At a certain point, it became clear that the number of investors who actually took the time (let alone had the time) to read these glassy eye-inducing paperweights front to back was approximately 0.

Which is why the modern business plan as we know it today is far more concise — a mere fraction of the length of its long-winded predecessor.

A good rule of thumb is shooting for around 15 pages.

This should give you more than enough room to provide color to each of the required sections of your business plan while also leaving some room for visual elements to break up the copy and make your business plan much more digestible (and aesthetically engaging) for readers.

If you find yourself exceeding 20 pages, there’s probably opportunities where you can go back through your plan and eliminate redundant or superfluous information.

How to Approach Writing a Business Plan

Remember sitting at your computer back in college, opening up a blank word document, and staring at the blinking cursor as you tried mustering the courage and motivation to dive into your final essay?

For a lot of Founders, that’s kind of what it feels like getting ready to commit their business plan to paper, but even more daunting.

The thing is, if you approach this with a solid understanding of what information you need to cover, how to cover it, and how to make everything flow properly, it doesn’t have to be .

Here are some useful tips to help you get organized and give you the confidence to tackle this head on .

A. Nail The Research First

Going into this knowing everything there possibly is to know about the market you will be competing in, who your audience is, and how you will make money will always be the first step in the business planning process.

Conducting the necessary fact gathering will also help you prove or disprove any assumptions you have about your market fit — either validating what you initially thought, or telling you it’s time to go back to the drawing board.

B. Create a Business Plan Outline

We talked before about the key components that you’ll want to include in your business plan. Instead of jumping in willy-nilly, draft a very basic outline of each of the sections that you will touch on in your business plan.

Not only will this make it significantly easier to stay laser focused on only detailing the relevant information you need for each specific section, but it will help the writing process feel much more manageable by breaking it up into bite-sized pieces.

C. Organize Your Goals and Objectives

Start dividing up all of the information that you need to include in your business plan by section.

The best way to do this is by thinking about each section as if it were comprised of a series of questions that your readers will want answered.

For example, in the Customer Acquisition section, some of the key questions you want to address are:

Once you’ve laid this out for each section, you now have a good jumping-off point to go in and start shedding light on each of these key questions .

Business Planning Tools

Whether you’re doing this for the first time or the tenth time, building a plan from scratch is time and energy-consuming.

Luckily, there are some great business planning software tools available online designed to make this whole business planning process a whole lot easier for you.

In fact, we’ve got one of them!

Our business planning software lets you break down this big undertaking into bite-sized pieces that you can complete in any order you like and in collaboration with your team.

All of the most important sections of a business plan are conveniently built into drag-and-drop templates. Plus, you get everything you need to generate investor-ready financial reports — balance sheets, income statements, break even analysis, you name it.

You can even share your finished product with investors online. You should check it out if you need a leg up with this.

Who Needs to See Your Business Plan (and When)?

Congratulations!

You’ve overcome the odds and succeeded in what frequently proves to be an insurmountable task for many startups: you’ve reached out to a prospective investor and they actually got back to you saying that they’re interested in learning more about your project.

If you find yourself in the fortunate position of pitching an investor, this is precisely the right time to have your business plan on hand.

Most of the time, you’ll start by providing a pitch deck — a presentation (PowerPoint, Keynote) version of your business plan highlighting the most basic elements of your plan in a handful of highly visual slides.

Most investors will want to start here because it’s much quicker to read up front than poring over your business plan.

Assuming that you’ve blown your pitch out of the water and have the investor(s) on the edge of their seat, they may ask for the longer-form narrative to start getting into the nitty-gritty of your plan — which you will be able to easily provide courtesy of your finely-tuned business plan.

The Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Business Plan

If you’re learning this stuff for the first time, it might feel a bit overwhelming being asked to remember which specific pitfalls to avoid here and which strategies to follow there.

To make this all a bit more digestible and help you stay on the right track, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top dos and don’ts to keep in mind when you launch into writing your business plan.

We’ve thrown a ton of information at you in this crash course introduction to the business plan. You should now have a fairly good grasp of what a business plan is, what goes into it, and how to use it to maximum effect.

The key thing to take away here is to remain calm and not rush this. Business planning isn’t something that you just casually knock out in a day and walk away with the perfect finished product your first time around.

Founders can spend numerous cycles repositioning their strategies based on discoveries made during research, rethinking how to best boil down their vision and value proposition, and refining their overall story. Such is the nature of the ever-evolving business plan.

As you dive into crafting your own business plan, remember that you’re not alone in this. We’ve got a boatload of other great resources created specifically to help you conquer this every step of the way!

About the Author

The startups team.

Startups is the world's largest startup platform, helping over 1 million startup companies find customers , funding , mentors , and world-class education .

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What Is A Business Plan? – Meaning & Components

One question which many entrepreneurs don’t get right is ‘ what is a business plan?’ . While it is fairly easy to answer it theoretically, a business plan is a lot more than just a write-up that tells about the business’s goals when you get into the practical aspect of running a startup . It isn’t just stating your goals and the means to achieve them but stating how your business is going to work as a whole.

A business plan is an important aspect of the startup process and should be crafted carefully before preparing your pitch deck and putting yourself in front of the investors.

What Is A Business Plan?

A business plan is a written document that outlines the goals of the business and a roadmap of how to achieve them. It is the written description of your business’s future.

While many first-time entrepreneurs consider a business plan to be similar to what a preamble is to a constitution, but there’s a big difference. A business plan isn’t just an introduction to what the business is about. It is a written document explaining what the business will be after a certain period of time.

Simply stated, a business plan is a guide that conveys your business goals (both long-term and short-term), the business strategies you’ll use to achieve them, the problems and competition that you’ll face and the ways to solve and overcome them, the people you’ll involve in your business, the organisational structure, the marketing and the positioning strategies, and the amount of funds you’ll require for the same.

Importance of A Business Plan

You need a business plan if you run a business. There are no exceptions to the type or age of the business and unlike what many people say, business plans are not limited to startups. Even if you’re running a 20-year-old business, it’s not late to write a business plan and dedicate your resources to your ultimate business goal.

That being said, a business plan is almost a necessity for startups as it helps entrepreneurs break the uncertainty into meaningful pieces and projections. It helps them to present their vision in a language investors and the world understand – which includes sales forecasts, marketing strategies , competitive strategies , milestones, expense budget, partners and employees, and the short-term and long-term goals.

The business plan is an important guide that forces you into disciplined thinking. It gives you a direction to move to and explains to the world what you are here for. Here are the four reasons why a business plan is important for your startup:

Direction & Future Vision

A business plan defines what the business intends to be over time. It includes a detailed description of the customer, the market, and the competition, and gives direction to all the current and future strategies and steps.

Almost all prospective investors and banks require entrepreneurs to prepare a business plan for their startups . The stats, facts, and figures in the business plan make it easy for them to decide whether the team and their business have the potential to earn a profit in the long run or not.

With a vision set for the future, it becomes easy to manage ideas and people to achieve what’s desired.

Partnerships & Alliances

A business plan helps in the smooth execution of the planned business model as it helps to get in the desired partners by explaining their clear roles and the future vision to them.

Components Of A Business Plan

The business plan should be clear and concise. A person outside of your industry should be able to understand it. It should contain all the key information about your startup from what your product is about to how much money you require to build it. Here are the 11 key elements that should be included in every business plan:

The Startup Process

We know how important your dream business is to you. Therefore, we’ve come up with an all in one guide: The Startup Process to help you turn your vision into reality.

A startup consultant, digital marketer, traveller, and philomath. Aashish has worked with over 20 startups and successfully helped them ideate, raise money, and succeed. When not working, he can be found hiking, camping, and stargazing.

What Is A Business Plan? - Meaning & Components

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Who should write a business plan, pros and cons of a business plan, the anatomy of a business plan, .css-1rpxuvi{position:absolute;left:0;top:-85px;} what is a business plan, definition of a business plan.

A business plan is a strategic document which details the strategic objectives for a growing business or startup, and how it plans to achieve them.

In a nutshell, a business plan is a written expression of a business idea and will describe your business model, your product or service, how it will be priced, who will be your target market, and which tactics you plan to use to reach commercial success.

Whilst every enterprise should have a plan of some sort, a business plan is of particular importance during the investment process. Banks, venture capitalists, and angel investors alike will need to see a detailed plan in order to make sound investment decisions — think of your plan as a way of convincing them your idea is worth their resources.

Roadmapping From A to Z

Business plans can also be useful as a guide to keeping a new business on track, especially in the first few months or years when the road ahead isn’t too clear.

Starting a business isn’t an exact science. Some companies organically develop out of trial and error, while others are plotted out from start to finish.

So if you’re asking whether your company needs a lengthy business plan, the answer would be ‘no’. That said, there are definitely a few situations in which writing a plan makes sense and can help increase the chances of a business becoming successful:

For tech startups with no trading history, such as SaaS companies, a business plan can be an invaluable tool for securing long-term funding.

In situations when the market is new and untested — or simply volatile — it can be very helpful to have a business plan to refer back to when the road ahead isn’t clear.

For those who have an exciting business idea but haven’t necessarily distilled it down into black-and-white. Writing a business plan is a great way to look at a concept from all angles and spot any potential pitfalls.

How to write a business plan?

The most important step in writing a business plan is to identify its purpose.

Who are you trying to attract with it, and why?

Here are a few key pointers for writing a business plan:

Are you looking to secure a bank loan, get funding from private investors, or to lure skilled professionals to join you?

Include a brief history of your business, the concept, and the products or services. Keep it professional and transparent.

Don’t exaggerate your experience or skills, and definitely don’t leave out information investors need to know. They’ll find out at some point, and if they discover you lied, they could break off their involvement. Trust is crucial.

Explain what the product or service your business offers in simplistic terms.

Watch out for complex language and do whatever you can to prevent readers from becoming confused.

Focus on the benefits the business offers, how it solves the core audience’s problem(s), and what evidence you have to prove that there is a space in the market for your idea. It’s important to touch on the market your business will operate in, and who your main competitors are.

Another essential aspect of writing an effective business plan is to keep it short and sweet. Just focus on delivering the crucial information the reader has to know in order to make a decision. They can always ask you to elaborate on certain points later.

Still, deciding whether or not a business plan will benefit you at this stage of your venture?

Let’s look at a few reasons why you might (or might not) want to write a business plan.

A business plan will help you to secure funding even when you have no trading history. At the seed stage, funding is all-important — especially for tech and SaaS companies. It’s here that a business plan can become an absolute lifesaver.

Your business plan will maintain a strategic focus as time goes on. If you’ve ever heard of “mission creep”, you’ll know how important an agreed can be — and your business plan serves exactly that purpose.

Having a plan down in black and white will help you get other people on board . Again, with no trading history, it can be hard to convince new partners that you know what you’re doing. A business plan elegantly solves this problem.

Your business plan can cause you to stop looking outward. Sometimes, especially in business, you need to be reactive to market conditions. If you focus too much on your original business plan, you might make mistakes that can be costly or miss golden opportunities because they weren’t in the plan.

A lot of time can be wasted analyzing performance. It’s easy to become too focused on the goals and objectives in your business plan — especially when you’re not achieving them. By spending too much time analyzing past performance and looking back, you may miss out on other ways to push the business forward.

So, you’ve decided to write a business plan — a great choice!

But now comes the tricky task of actually writing it.

This part can be a little frustrating because there is no one-size-fits-all template appropriate for all business plans. The best approach, in fact, is to look at common ingredients of a business plan and pick out the ones that make sense for your venture.

The key elements of a great business plan include:

An overview of the business concept . This is sometimes referred to as an executive summary and it’s essentially the elevator pitch for your business.

A detailed description of the product or service. It’s here that you’ll describe exactly what your core offering will be — what’s your USP , and what value do you deliver?

An explanation of the target audience. You need a good understanding of who you’ll be selling your product or service to, backed up by recent market research.

Your sales and marketing strategy. Now that you know who you’re targeting, how do you plan to reach them? Here you can list primary tactics for finding and maintaining an engaged client base.

Your core team . This section is all about people: do you have a team behind you already? If not, how will you build this team and what will the timeline be? Why are you the right group of people to bring this idea to the market? This section is incredibly important when seeking external investment — in most cases, passion can get you much further than professional experience.

Financial forecasts . Some investors will skim the executive summary and skip straight to the finances — so expect your forecasts to be scrutinized in a lot of detail. Writing a business plan for your eyes only? That’s fine, but you should still take time to map out your financial requirements: how much money do you need to start? How do you plan to keep money coming in? How long will it take to break even ? Remember, cash is king. So you need a cash flow forecast that is realistic, achievable and keeps your business afloat, especially in the tricky first few years.

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LE in Business Meaning

The LE meaning in Business terms is "Latest Estimate". There are 25 related meanings of the LE Business abbreviation.

LE on Business Full Forms

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does le stand for business.

LE stands for Light Endurancw in Business terms.

What is the shortened form of Leaf-Eater in Business?

The short form of "Leaf-Eater" is LE for Business.

LE in Business . Acronym24.com . (2022, March 8). Retrieved March 4, 2023 from https://acronym24.com/le-meaning-in-business/ Copy Citation

Last updated March 8, 2022

Business plan : définition et synonymes

Définition du mot business plan.

Le business plan est un document écrit permettant de formaliser un projet d'entreprise. C'est la seconde étape du processus de création d'une société qui est réalisée après l'évaluation du projet. Le business plan peut également être utilisé lors du développement de nouvelles activités dans une société préexistante. Il est essentiellement utilisé afin de collecter des financements auprès des investisseurs .

Pour être compris par tous, le business plan doit être à la fois concret et cohérent. Il doit présenter l'ensemble des actions qui seront conduites par l'entreprise (où elle va), les moyens utilisés pour y parvenir (comment elle y va) et la période estimée pour atteindre les objectifs fixés. Il appuie également sur les spécificités du projet afin de le démarquer des autres business plans reçus par les investisseurs potentiels. Le business plan peut également être présenté à un banquier pour justifier et appuyer une demande d' emprunt .

Synonyme(s) du mot Business plan

Plan d'affaires, plan de développement

Lien : réaliser un business plan

Définition du mot Business plan Le business plan est un document écrit permettant de formaliser un projet d'entreprise. C'est la seconde étape du processus de création d'une société qui est réalisée après l'évaluation du projet. Le...

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A business plan is a document that summarizes the operational and financial objectives of a business. It is a business's road map to success with detailed plans and budgets that show how the objectives will be realized. Keep reading to learn the basic components of a business plan, why they're useful, and how they differ from an investment plan.
LE Business Abbreviation Meaning
Business LE abbreviation meaning defined here. What does LE stand for in Business? Get the top LE abbreviation related to Business.
LE
Louisiana Eastern (railroad) LE. Laser Engineer. showing only Business & Finance definitions ( show all 74 definitions) Note: We have 30 other definitions for LE in our Acronym Attic. new search. suggest new definition.
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A business plan is an executive document that acts as a blueprint or roadmap for a business. It is quite necessary for new ventures seeking capital, expansion activities, or projects requiring additional capital. It is also important to remind the management, employees, and partners of what they represent.
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The lean business planning method is about taking small steps, consistent tracking, and frequent course corrections. The lean plan itself only includes what adds value to management, without waste. The plan itself is lean, small, streamlined for internal use only, just big enough for optimizing the business.
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Definition: A business plan is a detailed written steps and goals defined to guide a business' course of action from its initial stages. A business plan provides a complete description and projection of the company as well as its core strategies and expected results. ... A business plan is generally a precise, short document that commonly ...
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The LE meaning in Business terms is "Latest Estimate". There are 25 related meanings of the LE Business abbreviation. Limited Entry Penetrating or perforating only part of the pay zone. Usually done to control water or gas entry or to assist in ball sealer action in selective treatments. Laser Engraving Laser engraving is a process used to etch ...
Business plan : définition et synonymes
Le business plan est un document écrit permettant de formaliser un projet d'entreprise. C'est la seconde étape du processus de création d'une société qui est réalisée après l'évaluation du projet. Le business plan peut également être utilisé lors du développement de nouvelles activités dans une société préexistante.