Prepare a business plan

Your operations

Your business plan also needs to outline your operational capabilities and any planned improvements.

There are certain areas you should focus on.


Location

  • Do you have any business property?
  • What are your long-term commitments to the property?
  • Do you own or rent it?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of your current location?

Producing your goods and services

  • Do you need your own production facilities or would it be cheaper to outsource any manufacturing processes?
  • If you do have your own facilities, how modern are they?
  • What is the capacity compared with existing and forecasted demand?
  • Will any investment be needed?
  • Who will be your suppliers?

Management-information systems

  • Have you got established procedures for stock control, management accounts and quality control?
  • Can they cope with any proposed expansion?

Information technology (IT)

  • IT is a key factor in most businesses, so include your strengths and weaknesses in this area
  • Outline the reliability and the planned development of your systems