Home
Business Start Up Blog
Pre-Start-Up Questions
Steps to Start a Business
Business Plan
Small Business Finance
Business Insurance
Business Structures
Your Office
Small Business Software
Marketing Your Business
Business Identity
Small Business Tips
Business Security
Start an Online Business
Value Links
Business Resources
Business Terms
Privacy Policy

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

Include Table of Contents in Business Plan Format

To create an easy-to-follow business plan format, include a table of contents page to tie in the whole document. In the table of contents, list the key sections and subsections.

Parts of a Business Plan

Here are the typical sections in a business plan format that you should consider including in your plan:

  1. Business Plan Cover
  2. Purpose of the Plan
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Executive Summary
  5. Description/Location of the Business
  6. Market Analysis
  7. Products and Services
  8. Organization and Management
  9. Marketing and Sales Management
  10. The Financials of the Business
  11. Appendices of Supporting Documents

There should be a 'caution' stamped on table of contents page saying "Handle with Care." You need to proofread and re-proofread this document, especially if it is going to a bank because they focus on things like words being misspelled and sections that are not where they are supposed to be. The tendency is to set up the table of contents early on, which is fine, however, the table of contents needs to be the last page read and each page number on the contents page needs to be checked. If on the contents page it says that "The Financials" are on page 20 and "The Financials" turn out to be on page 22, your banker will naturally wonder what else might be wrong with the numbers. Further, check that the titles used on the table of contents page match the titles used in the section of the document.

Besides being a well-thought-through document, your business plan must be error free.

Is Your Competition Using a Business Plan? Then You Should Too!

Here are the businesses that are heavily searched for business plan information, which suggests that these particular businesses may be heavier users of business plans than others. Is your industry on this list? If so, make sure you too do a business plan!

Here is the list: bakery, bank, beauty salon, bed breakfast, bowling alley, call center, car wash, catering, child care business, coffee shop, daycare, dental office, farm, fitness center, hair salon, hotel, insurance, internet café, internet, landscaping, law firm, martial arts, mortgage company, night club, online, photography, real estate investment, restaurant, retail outlets, tanning salon, web hosting, winery.

Sample Business Plans on the Internet

There are free sample business plans you can access on the internet. Here are some example business plans and free business plan templates you can use for reference.

  • Bplans.com Free sample business plan format.
  • Small Business Administration (SBA.gov) samples and examples will help you with strategic planning, essential elements of a good business plan, how to write a business plan, workshop, templates, FAQs and more.
  • About.com Business plan samples including a collection of business plans for you to look at.
  • Business.com Help in putting business plans together plus thousands of articles on small business issues including business plans.
  • SCORE.org Great assistance and mentoring in putting business plans together including examples, formats, templates, and outlines.

Business Plan Format to Business Plan Page


footer for business plan format page