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How to write a bankable

Self-Employment:
From Dream to Reality!

Training and Consultancy Department

Nsanje Hills Training Institute
Bernard Mwase (BA, DS | Zaou Course Notes | Facilitator
Mobile Phone (+ +260 - 966 -836- 022/972- 836 -022/955-839-133
Email: [email protected] |WhatsApp: +260966836022

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 Table of contents
Executive summary
(Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful)
1. Introduction
Title page
Name of business and your name.
Your address and telephone number.
Write the words “Business Plan” on the title page.
Table of contents
Pages should be numbered.
General description of the business
Describe the business you want to start.
What services or products will you offer?
Where will you locate?
Explain why you choose this business.
What are the skills and experiences you bring to the business?
What are your goals for the business?
What is your action plan to achieve these goals?
2. Marketing
Product or service description
What is your product/service?
What is the demand for your product/service?
Market description
Who is your customer?
How do you know?
Describe any market research by industry experts or any research you have done
Is your business idea a fad or a trend?
How will your market grow or change over the next few years?

Competition
List your competitors and identify their strengths and weaknesses
Compare prices, product quality, etc.
What advantages will your business have over the competition?
Selling strategy
How will you sell your product or service?
What is your pricing strategy?
What advertising will you do?
What promotions will you do?
How will your product or service be delivered?
3. Organization
Quality control
How will you ensure the quality of your products or services?
Legal structure

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 In what legal form will you do business?
Why is this form best for you?
If more than one person is in the business, include agreements.
Insurance
What insurance will your business carry?
Management
How will your business be managed on a day-to-day basis?
Who will be responsible for monthly financial reports?
How will management change in the future?
How will your business records be maintained?
4. Advisors
Who is your accountant?
Who is your accountant?
Who are the people you can turn to for good advice?
Other issues
Discuss any other issues pertinent to your business
5. Financial plan
What equipment or supplies will you need?
What are your resources?
What financing will you need?
Cash-flow projections
Monthly: Use “best guess,” “high side,” and “low side” numbers.
Operating budget
Provide “what-if” statements
If you are using your business plan to request a loan, you should also include the
following:
Supporting material
Brochures, business cards, summary of market research, references from people-
who know you or the business
Purpose and amount of the loan
An exact Kwacha (or dollar) amount you want to borrow for the business and a description of
how you will use the money.
Explanation of your personal credit
If you have had any credit problems, acknowledge them and explain how you have
resolved the problem.

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Introduction to the course
First thing first!

To begin with, it is important to establish that it’s impossible to know everything you need to before
going into business.

The sheer amount of information is overwhelming. On the other hand you should figure out what
you need to know before starting the business and then plan to continue learning. This is the reason
wise counsellors always urge us to ‘Learn (earn) to plan and plan to learn (earn).’

The keywords: ‘Learn to plan and plan to learn!’

The question that still requires further answering is, but how?
Keep your earn to the ground, meaning listen attentively to what people in your community
related to their need which could be an answer to your dream of setting up an enterprise,
and this is what is referred to as scanning the environment, of course among other ways
such as research, brainstorming, etc.
More importantly, writing a business plan, a process which leads to business success is a -
must-do even before you start any activity leading to your actual [act or doing- performance
of] enterprise startup process.
Proper planning allows you to try out your business on paper with no financial risk. Your plan
is your road map: It tells you where you should be at any given time, when you are
succeeding, when you need to make adjustments, even when it’s time to get out.
If you are like most people, the more you read about business plans, the more confused you
became, but worry not because this course has been planned to cater for all categories of
people, and more so simplified to every body`s level of comprehension..
There are several different business plan outlines to choose from, all with different sections.
Some outlines use questions, while others use big business words. And the main thing many
people draw from these “helps” is that a business plan is very complicated. But it doesn’t
have to be. A business plan can be a simple, effective tool for planning, financing, and
growing your business.
Before we discuss what a business plan should look like, take a look at why a business plan is
important to your success.
It has been widely thought that a business plan is written mainly to raise finances from
financial houses in either loan, grants or partnerships. As factual as this notion is, however,
the primary purpose for a business plan is that it helps your team and investors understand
your vision for the company. Your plan will outline your goals and can help your team make
decisions or take action on your behalf. Based n tis truth, you are, as the owner of a business

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encouraged to share your business plan with employees to align your full staff toward a
collective goal or objective for the company. In a nutshell, a business plan is a roadmap1 for the
business.
The primary purpose of a business plan is to help the owner (or organisation) figure out
where you want to go with your business and how you will get there. Writing a business plan
helps you set your direction and determine a winning strategy. Sourcing for funds is a
secondary purpose.
Of course, in addition,
● A business plan can give you the confidence to start your business, or it can help
you realize that your business idea is not a good one. Before you make the final
decision, you need to think through the answers to many questions about your product
or service, your customers, your pricing, your marketing, and your potential cash flow.
Your business plan gives you a process for answering those questions in an organized
and logical way.
● After you start your business, you can refer back to your business plan to keep you
focused on the next task. A business plan is never finished. It changes as circumstances
in your business change. You can use it as a guide to build and manage a successful
business.
● A business plan is a small business’s best tool for raising money. Most financial
institutions will insist on a business plan to evaluate your idea. Your business plan gives
the loan officer information about you and your idea and allows him or her to evaluate
your business’s creditworthiness.
● A business plan can be a marketing tool. As you write your business plan, you will
have a clearer picture of your business. This will help you explain what services or
products your business will provide, who your customers will be, and what your goals
are for the business. Have your employees read your business plan so they understand
what you want to accomplish?
Main objective of the course

The course shall explain in the most simplistic fashion to course participants every step
required to producing bankable business plan, as the course title reads. At the end of the
course each participant would have had copy of a complete plan for their future use.

1
Guide: A plan or guide for something.

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