IMAG0041, a photo by duelin markers on Flickr.
Ah, our final week in the series! The Supporting Documents section of your business plan contain all the documents you mentioned in the body of your plan, but "include as the final attachment or even as a separate document, depending on who is reading your plan". Garrett Sutton states in Writing Winning Business Plans, "these are all the documents that can help convince the readers of your plan that your business is worth their time and money. These documents need to stand alone; so they should be introduced or referenced in their corresponding sections first, then arranged simply and finally, either attached to the final plan or offered as a separate document.... Supporting Documents give credence to your arguments, back up your numbers, show how you came to your decisions, and how you'll make your plan work.
Include the following documents in this section:
- resumés
- letters of reference
- personal finances
- leases
- contracts
- other legal documents: copyrights, patents, trademark, insurance policies, articles of incorporation
- other attachments: demographic information, maps, etc.
- glossary of industry terms
- product information
- additional/more specific marketing data
- marketing materials
- financial analyst reports
- newspaper and magazine articles
- company history
- press releases
- web pages"
Sutton also mentions keeping a notebook and folder to gather ideas and clippings. I have fallen behind in that aspect also, but there's no time like the present. I'd like to thank the internet for allowing me to save important emails, do some postdated research, so to speak, and allowing for apps like Dropbox and Flipboard where I can leave important clippings. Plus there's nothing like a deadline to motivate - WIBO Business Plan Competition, here I come!
Until next week...
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