All business plans must have a transmittal document, a cover page, an executive summary, and a Works Cited page. The body should contain the following elements:

1. Overview: Describe the key components of your business plan, the formal structure of your business, and key information about the owners and management team. If you are requesting financial support from an investor, this section should conclude with a up-front statement of how much you are requesting over what term of time.

2. Product/Service: Provide details about the products or services that will be sold, including information such as the uniqueness of your product/service, the features and benefits, and any patents or proprietary information.

3. Marketing: Identify the target market for your product or service, the size of your potential market, any competitors, pricing structure, potential sales projections, how you will sell your product or service, and how you will advertise or market your business.

4. Operational Information: Provide information on what type of facilities or buildings you will need, the location of your business, any special services you will need (e.g. special water or power requirements), and general information about day-to-day operations (e.g. key seasons, business hours of operation).

5. Management: Provide an overview of the organizational structure, identifying the people who are involved in managing your business and background information about the experience and skills of each of these people.

6. Personnel: Provide a list of employees (if any), other than the owner or manager, including job descriptions, wages, and required skills.

7. Supporting Players: Identify key individuals involved in the planning of your business such as your accountant, banker, lawyer, a business consultant, and insurance company.

8. Budget Projections Costs and Project Funding: Identify the costs associated with starting the business, the sources of revenue or income, and any sources of business funding (e.g. bank loans, investment capital).

9. Financial Projections: Provide details regarding Three Year Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Statement projections. (Since it is often a hypothetical business that you create in WRIT 465, these may be "fantasy" numbers.)

10. Additional Information: Other types of information may include a personal net worth statement, business research data, demographic information, etc. Traditionally these go in Appendices to the business plan.