If you’re thinking about opening a new venture, but you don’t want to get into this statistic, learn how to put together a business plan.
What is the business plan?
The business plan is a strategic tool that works as a guide that can be used when opening a new business or also in restructuring.
It is important to remember that the information must be based on market analysis, research and real calculations.
How important is the Business Plan? See how it can help you!
When starting a new project, it is important to have guidance on the path to be followed. And, this is precisely where the business plan will come in handy.
A well-aligned planning makes you have a better idea of every project, understand the market in which you operate, customers and suppliers, this tool will help you:
- discover the next steps to grow;
- anticipate positive and negative situations;
- foresee problems and already seek solutions;
- compare what was planned and what is being done to adjust what went off course.
Now that you know the reasons for making a business plan, let’s see how to put one together?
How to make a business plan – step by step to build yours!
There are several ways to put together a business plan, from the most complex, which encompass several topics, to the most simplified versions.
In this sense, you can choose the methodology that best fits your goals.
As this is your first business plan, we recommend using the Canvas template, which allows for a complete analysis in a compact format!
Learn step by step how to create yours.
The document must include the following information:
- Segment;
- Value offer;
- Relationship with customers;
- Channels;
- Main activities;
- Key Features;
- Key partnerships;
- Cost structure;
- Revenue sources.
- Get to know each item better:
1) Segment
Let’s start with the definition of the operating segment. Who are the customers you will serve? Create a complete persona, with a description of the characteristics of the audience and the pains you want to solve.
Example: our audience is made up of people who have pets, work from home, belong to a certain social class and live in the intended service perimeter.
2) Value proposition
What will your business offer to solve the problem identified in the previous item? This answer is the value proposition of your enterprise. In short, explain what you do and how you do it.
Example: a home veterinary care service with whatsapp scheduling for customers who cannot go to professionals.
3) Relationship with customers
Here, we will describe how and where you engage with your audience. If you are going to create your own website or just use social networks. Also, try to describe how you intend to serve customers in each channel.
Example: Appointments will be made on whatsapp and on social networks, we only ask questions and present the service.
4) Channels
How does the customer buy and receive the product or service offered? Add all the options you want to use, such as marketplace, online store, physical store, resellers, etc.
Example: the sales channel is Whatsapp, responsible for scheduling, but the service is offered by the veterinarian who goes to the place. It is also a channel to consider.
5) Main activities
What are the activities we need to carry out to deliver what we said in the value proposition? It is with this question that we find the items that should fill this column. But watch out! Stick to what is really essential.
Example: doing marketing campaigns, answering appointments on whatsapp and buying medical equipment.
6) Main Features
What does your business need to carry out its main activities? These are the features that should go into this column. Make a list of everything you need.
Example: veterinarian, transport vehicle, medical equipment, masks and gloves.
7) Main partnerships
In this step, we will list who are the people who make your business possible. Who helps you deliver the customer value proposition?
Example: the representative offering medical equipment, his contact at the examination laboratory and the professional responsible for marketing (if outsourced).
8) Cost structure
At this point, we will ask the following question: how much do we need to income Planning for the structure to work?
It is also important to price the time income Planninged. Our tip is to calculate your salary and divide it by the hours worked, discovering the value of your hour/work and applying it to the cost structure.
Example: the car that will be used by the veterinarian to get around, special clothing for the care and payment of the professional.
9) Sources of revenue
List everything you earn from the business, it doesn’t have to be just money. Customer base, technical learning, notoriety, etc. must also count.
But, as we know, retirement profit is essential, so talk about your revenue model, which is nothing more than how you make money.
Keep control of your business in the palm of your hand
Taking control of your business is not easy. But with the business plan you can manage a good part of the company structure.
In addition to the plan, your business can count on John Labunski to take care of day-to-day processes. Don’t get lost in spreadsheets and various systems.
It is an all-in-one application capable of speeding up tasks such as:
- real-time front-end control;
- product registration and control;
- inventory management;
- control of customer contacts;
- sales management, including short-term sales;
- creation of Online Store;
- issuance of invoices;
- extracting sales reports.