Woodworking Business Plan

Starting a woodworking business can be a highly profitable enterprise with a lot of flexibility however it is important that you plan it carefully. Having a woodworking business plan will allow you to borrow funds from investors or the bank in order to get you started. In this guide you will learn what you need to have in your woodworking business plan.

Executive Summary

Your business plan should start with an executive summary. This will outline the purpose of your enterprise, for example to sell handcrafted wooden furniture, and how you will achieve this goal. It should be brief and to the point.

Basic Business Information

Here you will list basic information about your business. This should include the hours of operation, how long you have been in business, your contact details such as your phone number, email address and website. This does not need to be extensive but should cover the essentials of your business operation.

Products or Services Offered

Here you will give a summary or the products or services you will be offering. For example if you were producing hand crafted wooden jewellery boxes you might describe the wood that is being used in the construction as well as the techniques that you use to produce these boxes.

Management and Organization Details

This is where you will list who the management is for your business. If you are at this point the only person involved in the company then this will simply be you. If you have others working in the company detail the organization structure of your enterprise. Below this list the ownership structure of the business. This is whether your are running a sole proprietorship, partnership or a limited liability company.

Marketing Plan

This is where you include how you are going to get your customers. This is one of the most important parts of your woodworking business plan because without customers you don’t have a business. For example if you are going to have a mail order side to the business you might include direct mail as a marketing method. If you are going to advertise in home and garden magazines this could be another marketing method. List these in bullet point form so they are easy to understand.

Plan of Operations

Think of this as how you are going to spend a day at your business. How will work get done, from taking orders through to delivery? This can really help you to understand how your business will work and any potential problems or room for improvements.

Financial Projections

If you are planning on borrowing money then this is a very important section. If you are already in business and have a track record of earnings you can include that here. You can then extend out to the future based on your previous growth.

The key to a successful business plan is to include all of the information that is pertinent but no extraneous information. It should be clear and to the point so that even someone who is not familiar with the woodworking industry can follow it.