Main

Market Analysis-All You Need To Know

Posted on by Patricia Carter

Counting on your business plan to convince funders and other supporters to take you seriously, you must have a firm grip on the market you intend to serve.  In our experience consulting individuals looking for business grants for women owned companies, showing intimate marketplace intelligence conveys confidence.

The section of your business plan that deals with market analysis ought to illustrate your market and industry knowledge fully together with all your findings and conclusions after research. This section is usually presented immediately after the description of your company. There are a number of things that a market analysis ought to have.

One of these things is the industry description and outlook. You will have to describe in detail your industry including the current size of the industry, its growth rate and other characteristics and trends that are associated with it. These include projected growth rate and life cycle. In this section you also need to list the major groups of customers that the industry attracts.

The other thing that you have to include in your market analysis is information about the market you are targeting. Ensure that you narrow your target market to a size that you can easily manage. Most businesses will make the grave mistake of trying to appeal to too many target markets and as a result waste valuable time and resources.

Some of the information you can perform research related to your market include its distinguishing characteristics. This includes the critical needs of the potential customers and whether or not they are being met. It also encompasses the demographics of the group, where they are located and whether there are seasonal or cyclic buying trends that may have effects on your business.

You also need to research the size of the primary target market. This is important as it gives you a vague idea of the market that you should expect for your product. In addition to size, you can also research the amount of purchases that market participants make every year and the forecasted growth in the size of the market.

The amount of market share that you can gain is also very important to include in your market analysis. This is the percentage of customers that you expect to obtain from a certain geographic area. You will need to have evaluated calculations towards the answer and the calculations should be explained logically in a manner that is easy to understand.

While compiling your market analysis, you should come up with a competitive analysis. This analysis identifies your competition by service or product line. In this analysis, you will have to analyze vital aspects of the competition like their market share. Firms that have larger market shares tend to be more of a threat to your business.

Other aspects of your competition that you ought to analyze include their strengths and weaknesses, your window of opportunity to enter the market and any barriers to your entry into the market. These barriers may be in the form of changing technology or high cost of investment.

Main

Crafting Your Company Description

Posted on by Patricia Carter

Company Description

This section of your strategic business plan supplies a high-level overview regarding the particular unique components associated with the organization. This is equivalent to an extended elevator pitch plus can help readers as well as possible investors rapidly comprehend the actual objective of your company and also its unique idea.

Exactly what to Include in Your Company Description

IMG_1221

    • Summarize the characteristics of the business and also list the marketplace needs which you are trying to meet.
    • Explain exactly how your solutions and services meet these kinds of demands.
    • Catalog the suitable customers, establishments or corporations which the firm will serve or will serve.
    • Explain the particular competitive benefits which you think will make your enterprise a success such as your location, expert personnel, efficient procedures, or perhaps capacity to be able to bring value for your customers.

Next, you’ll will need to proceed on to the Industry Examination part of your plan.

Business Planning

Your Executive Summary – The Last Thing is the Most Important

Posted on by Patricia Carter

The executive summary is regarded as the most crucial part of your business plan. This section in a nutshell tells your reader exactly where your small business is, exactly where you desire to take it, and the reason your current small business approach will be successful. If you are trying to get funding, the executive summary is actually also your initial opportunity to get hold of a potential investor’s interest.
IMG_0891
The executive summary ought to high light the particular advantages associated with your entire plan and consequently always be the actual very last portion you produce. Having said that, it commonly appears first in your business plan document. For individuals seeking small business grants for women and minorities, the first impression left by your executive summary becomes especially critical.

Exactly what to Incorporate within Your Executive Summary

Listed below are various important points that your executive summary really should have dependent on the stage of your company.

In the event You Are actually an Established Enterprise

In the event that you are an established enterprise, be sure to include the following information:

  • The Mission Statement – This explains what your organization is all about. It ought to be between several sentences and a paragraph.
  • Firm Information – Include a short statement that covers when the enterprise was formed, the names of the actual founders along with their tasks, the number of workers, and your small business location(s).
  • Growth Highlights – Incorporate examples of organization growth, such as financial or marketplace highlights (by way of example, “XYZ Corporation increased profits and share of the market year-over-year since its organization). Graphs along with charts can be helpful in this particular part.
  • Your Products/Services — Briefly summarize your products and solutions or services your company offer.
  • Financial Info – If you are in search of loans, incorporate any info pertaining to your existing bank and investors.
  • Review long term plans – Explain where you would want to take your company.

Aside from the mission statement, all of the information within the executive summary ought to be covered in a concise style and kept to 1 page. The executive summary is usually the initial part of your business plan many people will probably see, consequently each statement must count.

If You Are a Startup Company or New Enterprise

In the event that you are only starting a company, you won’t have as much details as an established company. Instead, focus upon your practical knowledge as well as background along with the decisions that guided you to begin this particular particular company.

Show that you’ve done complete industry evaluation. Include details about a demand or gap within your target market, and how your particular alternatives can fill it. Persuade the reader that you can have great results in your target marketplace, and then deal with your upcoming plans.

Bear in mind, your Executive Summary may be the final thing you actually generate. Therefore the actual initial section of your business plan which you will deal with is actually the Business Description segment.