Business plan checklist

  • Impress potential investors
  • Straightforward guidance on what to include
  • Covers special requirements for potential share investors

Use this business plan checklist to help you create a strong business plan that you can show potential investors to raise funds for your business.

A carefully thought out, well presented and persuasive business plan is an important part of any money-raising strategy for your business. It is important that your business plan is comprehensive too. Professional investors will expect it to include information about a variety of things specific to your business: not just your vision, but details of the market, the people involved alongside you and financial details.

Download this easy to use business plan checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything important and give your business the best chance of impressing investors and securing funding.

Q&A

  • When should I use this document?

    This business plan checklist is designed to help you if you are considering raising money for your business. Potential investors will expect you to have a business plan and will likely decide whether or not to start serious discussions with you on the basis of the information in it.

    Use this business plan checklist to help you create a bespoke business plan before you start any discussions with possible investors.

    If you already have a business plan, this checklist can help you ensure that you have covered all the ground that investors will expect. If your plan was not written recently, look it over and think carefully about whether it needs changes to bring it up to date.

  • What does this document cover?

    The business plan checklist covers everything you need to create a compelling business plan to convince investors to put money into your business.

    It sets out a standard structure for your business plan and includes guidance on how to write about the main areas of content that investors will want to see, including:

    • details of your business to date and your future plans;
    • specifics about your market;
    • the people on board;
    • a financial summary; and
    • your future plans and what you are looking to raise.

    There are specific additional matters you need to cover if you are looking for share investors, and/or are planning to apply for tax reliefs under SEIS or EIS. This checklist guides you through those too.

  • Why do I need this document?

    A good business plan is absolutely vital to successful fund raising for your business. It should be much more than just a factual recounting of the basics of your business. It needs to be a persuasive document that stands out to an investor or lender with little time to really engage with the detail of your business.

    This business plan checklist will really help you get to grips with what it takes to write an effective and professional business plan.

  • Where can I find out more?

    For detailed information on what steps you need to take before you start looking to raise funds, see Preparing a business to raise money.

    Be cautious when approaching potential investors and sending them confidential information about your business. It may be sensible to protect yourself by asking them to sign a non-disclosure agreement promising to keep the details of your discussions and the information you send them a secret. See Financing non-disclosure agreement for a hand template that you can customise to your circumstances.

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