So I would
like to share a few business plan formats which although are standard in their
own right still have one or more limitations. It is up to the business plan
writer using each format to address the lapses and make the business plan as
presentable and effective as possible.
First Sample Business Plan Format (Lavinsky’s Template)
- Executive Summary
- Company Overview
- Industry Analysis
- Customer Analysis
- Competitive Analysis
- Marketing Plan
- Operations Plan
- Management Team
- Financials
- Appendix
Source: www.growthink.com
This business plan format is detailed and very organized
but stereotypical and assumes that business operating climate is stable which
is not so in Nigeria. Therefore you may use this in a fairly stable industry in
Nigeria or in countries where the business environment is well regulated and
stable. In comparison to the next sample formats I would rate this higher.
Second
Sample Business Plan Format (SBA’s Template)
- Executive Summary
- Company Description
- Market Analysis
- Organisation and Management
- Service or Product Line
- Marketing and Sales
- Funding Request
- Financial Projections
- Appendices
This is a well-researched business plan format
designed for small businesses in the US and Canada looking for funding either from government
sanctioned financier or venture capitalists. The business plan developed from
this is simple but the main disadvantage is that it doesn’t look at unstable
economic climates where government policies are inefficient, it is weak on implementation
planning and risk analysis. It also doesn’t focus on manufacturing industries
and seems more suitable for services and retail.
Third
Sample Business Plan Format (Bplans.com’s Template)
- Executive Summary
- Company Summary
- Products
- Market Analysis Summary
- Strategy and Implementation Summary
- Management Summary
- Financial Plan
- Appendix
Source: www.bplans.com
This is the most widely used business plan format I have
come across. Some business plan competitions I know of have had most of their submitted
business plans using this format. The Format is simple to use and flexible but
there is a little consideration about business risks, environmental challenges
etc. I believe this business plan format is not very persuasive in that the
title for each section leaves little room for capturing strong ideas.
Fourth Sample Business Plan Format (Entrepreneur Mag’s Template)
- Executive summary
- General Company description
- The opportunity
- Industry and Market
- Overall Business strategy
- The management team
- Marketing plan
- Operational plan
- Financial plan
- Appendix
Source: Entrepreneur
Magazine
This is a very good business plan format to work
with. It is a very adaptable format that will work in almost any country, any
industry and at any scale. The contents allow for additions of strong
compelling ideas and even a novice business plan writer with excellent research
skills will find this format very useful.
Fifth
Sample Business Plan Format (Business First’s Template)
- Executive Summary
- Enterprise Description
- Product or Service Description
- Industry Analysis
- Competition Analysis
- Swot Analysis
- Marketing Sub-Plan
- Operations Sub-Plan
- Human Resources Sub-Plan
- The Budget
- Liquidity
- Financial Sub-Plan
- Selected Options and Critical Measures
- Milestone Schedule
Source: www.businessfirst.com.mt
From this selection, this is the most detailed, best
organized and most technical business plan format. It is ideal for large scale
and highly technical business ventures and requires deep managerial
understanding to present. This business plan fits into a proper ‘MBA Standard
Business Plan’ and requires plenty of research and analysis. But it is too
technical for use with Nigerian SMEs and although it is adaptable I won’t
recommend it for Nigerian entrepreneurs except those who are seeking overseas
funding and technical partnerships.
Want
to write a business plan that covers all the necessary loose ends and presents
persuasively? Give me a call: 0803 206 4106 or email me: paulonwueme@gmail.com for details
