Appendix commonly includes charts, photos, resumes, licenses, patents, legal documents and other additional materials that support analysis and claims made in the main body of a business plan document around market, sales, products, operations, team, financials and other key business aspects.
The appendix is the perfect place to showcase a wide range of information, including:
After reviewing the appendices, the reader should feel satisfied that the statements made throughout the main body of a business plan are backed up by sufficient evidence and that they got even fuller picture of the business.
The fastest way to pull the Appendix chapter together is to keep a list of any supporting documents that come to mind while you are in the process of writing the business plan text.
For example, while writing about the location of your business, you may realize the need for a location map of the premises and the closest competitors, demographic analysis, as well as lease agreement documentation.
Recording these items as you think of them will enable you to compile a comprehensive list of appendix materials by the time you finish writing.
Remember to keep copies of the original documents.
For your inspiration, below is a pretty exhaustive list of supporting documentation that typically gets included in the business plan appendix. But please do not feel like you have to include everything from the list. In fact, you definitely shouldn’t!
The purpose of the appendix is to paint a fuller picture of your business by providing helpful supporting information, not to inundate yourself or the readers of your business plan. So, take care to only include what is relevant and necessary.
1. Business formation legal documents (e.g., business licenses, articles of incorporation, formation documents, partnership agreements, shareholder agreements)
2. Contracts and legal agreements (e.g., service contracts and maintenance agreements, franchise agreement)
3. Intellectual property (e.g., copyrights, trademark registrations, licenses, patent filings)
4. Other key legal documents pertaining to your business (e.g. permits, NDAs, property and vehicle titles)
5. Proof of commitment from strategic partners (e.g., letters of agreement or support)
6. Dates of key developments in your company’s history
7. Description of insurance coverage (e.g. insurance policies or bids)
8. Highlights of relevant industry and market research data, statistics, information, studies and reports collected
9. Results of customer surveys, focus groups and other customer research conducted
10. Customer testimonials
11. Names of any key material customers (if applicable)
12. List of major competitors
13. Research information collected on your competitors
14. Competitive analysis
15. Branding collateral (e.g., brand identity kit designs, signage, packaging designs)
16. Marketing collateral (e.g., brochures, flyers, advertisements, press releases, other promotional materials)
17. Social media follower numbers
18. Statistics on positive reviews collected on review sites
19. Public relations (e.g., media coverage, publicity initiatives)
20. Promotional plan (e.g., overview, list and calendar of activities)
21. List of locations and facilities (e.g., offices, sales branches, factories)
22. Visual representation of locations and facilities (e.g., photos, blueprints, layout diagrams, floor plans)
23. Location plan and documentation related to selecting your location (e.g., traffic counts, population radius, demographic information)
24. Maps of target market, highlighting competitors in the area
25. Zoning approvals and certificates
26. Detailed sales forecasts
27. Proof of commitment from strategically significant customers (e.g., purchase orders, sales agreements and contracts, letters of intent)
28. Any additional information about the sales team, strategic plan or process
29. Product or service supporting documentation – descriptions, brochures, data sheets, technical specifications, photos, illustrations, sketches or drawings
30. Third-party evaluations, analyses or certifications of the product or service
31. Flow charts and diagrams showing the production process or operational procedures from start to finish
32. Key policies and procedures
33. Technical information (e.g., production equipment details)
34. Dependency on third-party entities (e.g., materials, manufacturing, distribution) – list, description, statistics, contractual terms, rate sheets (e.g., sub-contractors, shippers)
35. Risk analysis for all major parts of the business plan
36. Organizational chart
37. Job descriptions and specifications
38. Resumes of owners, key managers or principals
39. Letters of reference and commendations for key personnel
40. Details regarding human resources procedures and practices (e.g., recruitment, compensation, incentives, training)
41. Staffing plans
42. Key external consultants and advisors (e.g., lawyer, accountant, marketing expert; Board of Advisors)
43. Board of Directors members
44. Plans for business development and expansion
45. Plan for future product releases
46. Plan for research and development (R&D) activities
47. Strategic milestones
48. Prior period financial statements and auditor’s report
49. Financial statements for any associated companies
50. Personal and business income tax returns filed in previous years
51. Financial services institutions’ details (name, location, type of accounts)
52. Supporting information for the financial model projections, for example:
53. Debt financing – documentation regarding any loans, mortgages, or other debt related financial obligations
54. Equity financing – capital structure documentation (e.g., capitalization table, 409A, investor term sheets, stock and capital related contracts and agreements)
55. Personal finance – information regarding owners’ capital and collateral (e.g., Personal Worth Statement or Personal Financial Statement, loan guarantees, proof of ownership)
Business plan is finished by summarizing the highlights of the plan in an Executive Summary section located at the beginning of the document. The business plan document itself is finished by an Appendix section that contains supporting documentation and references for the main body of the document.
A bibliography is a list of external sources used in the process of researching a document, such as a business plan, included at the end of that document, before or after an Appendix. For each source, reference the name of the author, publication and title, the publishing date and a hyperlink.
Supporting documents in a business plan appendix include graphs, charts, images, photos, resumes, analyses, legal documents and other materials that substantiate statements made in a business plan, provide fuller picture of the business, or were specifically requested by the intended reader.
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