Professional Documents
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Business Plan Guide
Business Plan Guide
Business Plan Guide
(i) INTRODUCTION
Although numerous organizations are in business of granting or lending money, these
agencies will not release their funds just because you have a viable business idea. They need
to be provided with well written and convincing document presenting your plans. They
require proposals that show what you have in mind is a priority, feasible, cost effective and
fit with your own. It is now time to sit down and put your analysis and propositions on paper
and to
2. WHAT WRITE IT
It is written by the owner of the business and reflects the entrepreneurs experience, goals,
objective, thoughts, visions, philosophy and research into the opportunity he hopes to pursue.
3. WHY PLAN?
Plan helps one to see whether entrepreneur’s vision is realistic and workable. It says
specifically what you need to do in order to turn your vision into a business reality.
Its plan for:
Strategic vision opening a new business or expanding an existing one.
A document for obtaining capital from financiers and investors.
It is used for measuring performance and evaluation.
Forms a basis for managing every aspect of business operation.
Used in motivation and in motivation and involving employees.
Therefore a plan keeps you thinking on target, creatively and concentrating on your power on
reaching your goals.
NOTES
1. COVER PAGE
Make an appropriate design of your own. Must be presentable, appealing to the eyes.
Must be well spiral bound with a hard cover and must include:
Title of the document, name of business, address applicable, name of presenter, index number,
institution, to who presented, date of presentation.
2. TABLE OF CONTENT
Code Content Page
1.0 CHAPTER ONE BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
1.1 Business name.
1.2 Business location and address.
1.3 Form of ownership.
3. DEDICATION
It is a statement of compliment to a person, organization, institution that inspired you
towards attainment of your goals in schoolwork, business or in general life. Could be a
statement of one line and not exceeding a paragraph.
4. DECLARATION
This is a statement declaring a swearing in that the work presented to KNEC is your original
work not copied and has never been presented to any examining body for an award of
certification.
5. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Statement of thanks or gratitude to all those people who give support in one way or the other
e.g. moral, financial, access to data etc in two or one paragraph.
6. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Should have relevant sub-titles e.g. business description, marketing plan, organization plan,
production/operation plan and financial plan.
It must be brief and convincing highlighting the key point of investment opportunity. It
should be clear and to the point using short phrases and simple language.
Although the executive summary is the last phase of preparing your business plan, it will be
placed at the beginning of the business plan report. It is limited to a maximum of two pages
when typed.
PREPARATION
Read the whole report noting the key points of your report, summarize these points to fit in one
or two pages without watering down the content of the report.
KEY POINTS
Name of the proposed business, when business is expected to start, location of the business,
legal form of business, nature of the business e.g. making retail or service and specific product
or services, key business goal, entry and growth strategic.
MARKETING PLAN
Name your primary customer group.
Market growth potential and market share a entry, year one, year two and year three.
How many competitors offering the same proposed products or services direct competitors?
State your competitors’ weakness.
State your strategies to gain competitive advantage.
Major costs in production and pricing policy.
How to advertise and promotional methods.
Distribution methods.
FINANCIAL PLAN
How much money needed to develop your business opportunity and its intended use?
How did you intend to finance business venture? i.e.
Loan source kshs………………………………………….
Loan Kshs………………………………………………..
State sources of borrowing, duration of payment, interest to pay and securities needed.
What will be your return on investment?
What is your overall assessment?
APPENDICES
Is any reference documents that support your business plan. All supporting documents should be
readable and understandable. Importance:
(i) It demonstrates that you have done a significant amount of thinking, land working in all
areas of venture.
(ii) Exhibit credibility to your plan.
(iii) Allows the read visualize your plan, visions and goals.
EXAMPLES
A. COMPANY AND PRODUCT / SERVICE SUPPORT MATERIAL
Photos of products / services, equipment, tools and facilities.
Patents, trademarks, service marks and copyrights documents.
F. OTHERS
Meaning and definition of terms used in the report.
Forms for delivery note, local purchase order, invoice, receipts price list etc.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
This is the first phase in preparing a business plan. The preparation of a business plan requires
a clear understanding of the nature of the proposed business in terms of purpose, type, status
and location. Also it describes how you intend to make entry to the market and outlines plans
for growth.
1.1 BUSINESS NAME
What is the name of the proposed business?
Explain the business name and how the name was derived e.g. base on:
Business location
Combination of owner’s name.
Business products/services offered.
Associated with somebody or something.
Emerging issues.
When do you intend to start your business?
Design your business logo (Trade mark) and explain its feature.
State your business slogan (motto or philosophy) and explain it.
1.5 PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Which product or service will you offer.
List and describe your product or services in details.
Explain other benefits customers will obtain from each product/services e.g. convenience,
economy, comfort, durability, usage flexibility, servicing and warranties of product / services.
1.7 INDUSTRY
Into which industry does your venture fall?
Name the type of industry into which your business is based e.g. agricultural, motor vehicle,
building, general engineering, clothing, electrical and electronics, beer industry, sports and
entertainments, hotels and restaurants, leather works.
Outline the characteristics of the industry.
(a) Capital requirements low or high.
(b) Kind of technology – labour intensive or capital intensive.
(c) Level of technology – modern, outdated/obsolete sophisticated or simple.
(d) Sizes of firms in the industry i.e. small, medium or large, average.
(e) Seasonal factors experience in the industry.
(f) Current trends in the industry i.e. growing, declining, stable etc.
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 MARKETING PLAN
This is the strategy created with the purpose of reaching as many customers as possible for a
given area. This will enable you describe your market opportunity and challenges will also
enable you describe the marketing strategies statics and policies required to exploit the
2.1 INTRODUCTION
What are your marketing goals: These are the objectives you intend to achieve in the given
market. State your marketing goals for the first three years. Focus on: -
(a) Number of customers to be served.
(b) Volume of business profits per month.
(c) Gross income and number of contracts.
2.2 CUSTOMERS
A person or organization that buys goods or services from the business.
Who are your target customers e.g.
(a) Wholesalers, retailers, individual customers.
(b) Institutional, future customers.
i) They are women, they are child bearing age 14–45 years.
ii) Have babies of expectant, do not have baby feeders, have certain incomes to buy.
This description helps you count the number of people likely to buy and also the number of
units you are likely to sell in that market area.
What will the customers be looking for? i.e. benefits that customers will derive from the
products or services e.g. performance, economy, convenience, comfort, safety durability etc.
When will the customers purchase? i.e. time of the day, week, month or season.
2.4 COMPETITION
Who are your object competitors?
Identify them by name, address and location in relation to your business.
What is the market share of each competitor?
What are your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses? You could focus on: -
Product superiority – Quality, price advantage – fair, number of employees, number of brands.
Sales
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
2.5 METHODS OF PROMOTIONS AND ADVERTISEMENTS TO ATTRACT AND
MAINTAIN CUSTOMERS
(I) PROMOTION METHODS
Which promotional campaigns will you use?
E.g. making product/services attractive, extra services to offer.
Business appearance/decorations/writings on the inside or outside.
Sales promotions e.g. road shows etc.
Which method will you employ on a regular basis?
How will you measure effectiveness of your promotional campaigns?
CHAPTER THREE
SUMMARY PERSONNEL
iii. Promotions
Explain the policy concerning the upward mobility of workers from one rank to another
within the business e.g. education and experience, hard work and ability, loyalty, family-
links etc.
iv. Remunerations
State the procedure of motivating the employees e.g.
Working hours – Normal, shift, overtime.
Code of conduct – Rules and regulations, leave and time offs.
Allowances – hours, transport, suspension and appraisal, rights and privileges.
Other benefits e.g. loans, legal requirements.
State the nature of the legal measures, where to obtain them and the amount charged as legal
fee.
What external support service will you require to successfully run your business? e.g.
banking, insurance, consultancy lawyer, postage; suppliers repair and maintenance,
telephone.
Identify the name and address of the organization or person who will provide these services
and at what cost.
Organization structure.
Explain how your business is organized, draw an organization structure: focus on the
following: -
Departments/sections, decision making process, communication methods, meetings.
CHAPTER FOUR
State the activities that will ensure achievement of the stated standards:
Consider quality, proper tools and equipment, security, motivated employee, good working
conditions etc.
Who shall be in charge of quality control, inspection and monitoring?
Tabulate summary of quality control.
Example:
Number of direct workers x cost per hour x number of weeks or months = ……………..
No. of direct workers x per cost per hour x number of weeks or months = ……………...
State education level needed for your employees/workers.
State activities in production process as well as support or indirect labour jobs. Note one
personnel can be assigned multiple jobs.
Focus on:-
Stock of raw material if in production.
Stock of goods for sale if on operation.
How much are you going to invest in stock?
How frequent will you be carrying stock taking?
What is your stock cycle’s i.e. minimum value of stock to be maintained at any given
time?
Months
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Cash inflows
Collection debtors
Other specify
Cash purchases
Creditors payments
Rent
Salaries
Telephone
Electricity
Advertisement
Repair/Maintenance
Traveling / Transport
Others – Specify
Net cash
Cumulative Cash
NET CASH
Summary
Income statement for ………………….business for the year…………………….
Items Amount Ksh. Amount Ksh.
Cash sales:
Credit sales, totals ales, cost of goods sold, beginning inventory, purchases, total cost of
goods sold, gross profits.
Expenses:
Salaries/wages, advertisements, transport, maintenance and repair, loan payments,
licenses, rent, insurance, others-specify.
Total expenses:
Net profits before tax, Net profits after tax.
SUMMARY OF NET INCOME FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS
NET CASH
ASSETS – These refers anything that the business owns that has monetary value? Assets are
classified as either current or fixed assets.
CURRENT ASSETS
This includes cash at hand or in the bank and all those assets that can be converted into cash
within one year e.g. debtors, accounts receivables, stocks or material stocked or finished
products etc.
FIXED ASSETS
These include items that the business has acquired and are expected to last for a long time
usually more than one year e.g. land, buildings, equipments, furniture, machines, vehicles
etc.
LIABILITIES
Anything the business owes others. They are claims against assets of the business. They are
classified as their current or long term.
CURENT LIABILITIES
Are debts that must be paid within one year e.g. creditors, bank overdrafts, salary arrears,
short-term loans etc.
NET CASH
Comments
NET CASH
Comments ……………………………
Total amount of loan to pay (principal loan and interests) Ksh 190,200/=
NOTES
1. Equity must be more than 20% and more than 60% of the total.
2. Equity or loan can be in cash, materials tools or machines and equipments.
3. Security refers to some property pledged by the borrower to a lender to be used in the
event of default e.g. land building, vehicle, chattel mortgages guarantors etc.
4. Guarantee and undertaking to pay another person’s debts in s=case of default.
5. Grand period – the duration allowed by the lender to make use of money before you
start paying back.
6. Loan payment schedule shows amount paid per year that encloses principle plus
interest. It m may be broken to nominally quarterly or semi annually.
REFERENCES