Franchise Business Plan
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Required outline
This outline must be followed and every section must be titled. Additional subsections are allowed. The body begins with the Executive Summary (page 1); the title page and table of contents are not numbered.
- I.Executive Summary
One- to three-page summary of the business model.
- II.Business History, Background and Objectives
The franchise company; short- and long-term objectives; major successes; challenges; requirements to franchise.
- III.Business Environment
How economy, population, interest rates and employment factors may affect the business.
- IV.Products and/or Services
List and describe the products/services offered.
- V.Present Market
Geographic/customer market, growth potential, current pricing policy, and any seasonal adjustments.
- VI.Competition
Primary competitors with strengths/weaknesses; your advantages and disadvantages versus them.
- VII.Marketing Plan
Existing marketing techniques and the strategies/tools you will use to promote the business.
- VIII.Management and Organization
Management team strengths/weaknesses, development and succession plans, and future staffing needs.
- IX.Business Resources
Operating equipment, suppliers/terms, outside resources, quality control, labor availability, training, staffing and an org chart.
- X.Financial Plan and Data
Sales/profit trends, capital strategy/timing, a two-year projected operating statement and a one-year projected cash-flow statement.
- XI.Conclusion
Specific request for financing; summary of supporting points.
- XII.Bibliography
Required. List every source of information used in the entry. Each section, including this one, must be titled.
- XIII.Appendixoptional
Optional. Exhibits that support the entry but are not important enough for the body (sample surveys, letters, background data). If included, its pages are numbered too.
Penalty Point Checklist
Judges deduct these points before scoring. The scanner checks all of them automatically. Rules shown are the ICDC defaults — your district or association may vary.
Must be signed by all participants and the chapter advisor and placed in front of the written entry. Only physical or digital signatures count — typed names in a font are not accepted. Do not number this page.
The body is limited to 20 pages, plus the title page and table of contents. The appendix counts toward the 20.
All pages are numbered in sequence starting with the executive summary and ending with the final appendix page. Do not use separate/blank pages between sections or as section title pages.
The entry follows the outline in the Written Entry Guidelines for the event. Each section must be titled. Additional subsections are permitted.
Must be typed and use 8½ × 11-inch pages. Handwritten corrections, notes, charts and graphs are penalized.