Twelve Steps to a Successful Business Plan
Description                Industry Analysis                    Marketing Plan               Operations Plan         Development Plan   Financial Plan   Other Plan Components
Step 1   Assess Concept                                                                                                                                           Concept Assessment:
                                                                                                                                                                  Seven sentence marketing plan,
                                                                                                                                                                  profitability analysis
Step 2   Begin Industry             Industry/Marketing Analysis:                                                                                                  Product description:
         Analysis                   Investigate and define industry                                                                                               Features, strengths, pricing
                                    and marketplace                                                                                                               strategy
Step 3   Begin Marketing Plan       Customer Analysis:                   Target Market                                                                            Mission Statements:
                                    Market needs and benefits                                                                                                     Mission and vision for your
                                    analysis                                                                                                                      business
Step 4   Begin Operations Plan      Competitor Analysis:                 Product / Service Strategy   Scope of Operations:
                                    Identity competitive position                                     What to do internally
                                                                                                      What to contract out
Step 5   Begin Development
         Plan
Step 6   Build Strategies
Step 7   Forecast Costs &
         Revenues
Step 8   Create Financials
Step 9   Determine Funding
         Needs
Step     Formulate an Offering
10
Step     Publish your Plan
11
Step     Present your Plan
12
The Seven Sentence Marketing Plan
1. Purpose – what do you do, what do you want to do.
2. Prime Benefit/Advantage – one thing you do better than anyone else.
3. Target Audience(s) – who are your customers and potential customers
4. Weapons – what resources do you have to communicate
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Twelve Steps to a Successful Business Plan
5. Niche – a one-word description of your uniqueness
6. Identity – what is your personality as a business
7. Budget – how much can you spend
Example
1. We are the number one provider of high-end shoes in Boone County.
2. We have a broad selection of the most popular shoes backed up with unequalled personal service.
3. Our customers can afford to spend more on shoes and appreciate one-on-one attention.
4. We have a customer database that allows us reach out regularly to good customers and a referral program that encourages them to refer friends to us.
5. Trendy
6. We have the best shoes in the latest styles sold by the friendliest people.
7. We will spend 4% of gross revenues on marketing.
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