III. The Market

This section is designed to provide enough facts to convince an investor, potential partner or other reader that your business has enough customers in a growing industry, and can garner sales despite the competition. It is one of the most important parts of the plan, taking into account current market size and trends, and may require extensive research. Many of the sections that follow – from manufacturing to marketing to the amount of money you need – will be based on the sales estimates you create here. Look in the toolbox for samples and worksheets that will help you create what you need.

• Customers
• Market Size and Trends
• Competition
• Estimated Sales