Writing your business plan
What should be included in a business plan?
Although business plans vary in terms of length and scope, all successful business plans contain common elements. Here are the ones that should be included in any business plan.
The Executive Summary (Business Description)
The executive summary is an overview of the key points contained in your business plan and is often considered the most important section. Positioned at the front of the plan, it is usually the first section that a potential investor or lender will read, and may well be the only section to be read, if it is not properly prepared. This important summary should:
include highlights from each of the other sections to explain the basics of your business
be sufficiently interesting to motivate the reader to continue reading the rest of your business plan
be short and concise - no more than two pages long
Although the executive summary is the first section of the plan, you should write it last.
Identifying your Business Opportunity
This section of your business plan must clearly describe what your business is all about, that is, its products and/or services, and your vision for the business. It should include:
