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. What Is A Business Plan?. Objectives. To develop a document that presents a picture of the business, where the business is going, and how it will get there To understand the organization of a business plan. Which Way?. “If you don’t know where you’re going, you may end up
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. What Is A Business Plan?
Objectives • To develop a document that presents a picture of the business, where the business is going, and how it will get there • To understand the organization of a business plan
Which Way? “If you don’t know where you’re going, you may end up somewhere else.” -Casey Stengel
What Is A Business Plan? • A document that conveys your organization’s prospects and growth potential. It describes: – You and your products and services – The market and your role in it • Shows you are committed to achieving a vision • Good follow-up to developing a strategic plan • Keeps focus on end product
Format of the Business Plan • Title Page • Executive Summary • Vision/Mission and Goals • Current Position • Strategic Analysis • Implementation • Projections
Executive summary • Written last • Maximum of two pages • Major points of each section
Vision/Mission & Goals • Where is the business headed? • What do you want the business to achieve? • What time frame?
Current Position • How do you describe the farm? • History: important milestones • Products/services: What? How much? • Resources: Who owns what? What is their reward? • Management: Who? What do they do? • Organizational Structure: Who’s the boss? • Marketing: What tools? What customers? • Ownership Structure: Legal form?
Strategic Analysis • What opportunities and threats does the business face? • What are our strengths and weakness? • What do we do better than others? • What strategy will we use?
Implementation • For each business unit • What size? • What resources will be needed? • How will the resources be acquired? • How will product/service be marketed? • What performance targets will be set?
Projections • What numbers can we put behind our plan? • What assumptions have we made? • What do we expect for our ROA and ROE? • What is our contingency plan? • What will we do in an emergency?
Be sure that . . . • Your goals are tied to your vision • You can point to major opportunities • You’re prepared for threats • You’ve described your customers • You know your strengths/weaknesses • Your strategy makes sense • Your data is accurate • You’re really ready for change • Your plan is clear, concise, and current
Keep in mind that. . . • This is an opportunity to work on the business • This is important and difficult work but not urgent • The value of the work will increase as you share, review, and update the business plan
Now what? • Share your plan judiciously • Live it • Revisit and revise