Writing a Convenience Store Business Plan in Eleven Steps

Charmayne Smith reports:

"The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported about 25,900 general convenience stores in operation during 2008. These convenience stores range from small, limited inventory stores to large, high-volume locations. This fair amount of competition makes the convenience store business plan a necessity to ensure the store’s longevity and competitiveness...Create the general business description for your convenience store. List the registered name and business structure of your business...Use this section to summarize the convenience store’s financial outlook. Include a brief breakdown of the startup costs and equity needed for your store...Identify the products and services that your convenience store will provide. Include a description of its general merchandise, along with any additional services that the convenience store will provide...Break the items into categories and detail each service...Research the convenience store industry in your area as the information will assist you in completing a market analysis. Use resources such as Convenience Store News, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census and the Texas Grocery & Convenience Association for information. Seek assistance from the local U.S. Small Business Administration...if you encounter research difficulties...Begin the marketing analysis with an overview of the industry’s economic outlook. Explain the current and forecast state of your area’s convenience store industry, the overall economic climate of the area and the target market, or customer profile, of the store’s intended customers. Follow the overview with a detailed analysis of the convenience store industry, your convenience store’s target market...Include a competitive analysis. Display the number of convenience stores in your store’s area that will compete for the customer’s business. Identify your store’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Explain the strategies your business will use to compete with the competition while overcoming the identified weaknesses and threats...Develop a marketing plan that will create maximum visibility for your convenience store. Identify the signage you will use to attract customers. Explain how your store will create and maintain regular customers, as well as walk-in traffic. Explain the pricing that your convenience store will use for its products and services. Include a condensed products and services list in this section...Explain the convenience store’s organizational structure. Include an organizational chart for quick reference. Be sure to identify whether the staff are full-time or part-time employees. Include the salary information for each position, along with the costs for any benefits or training sessions...Provide details on your convenience store’s location and operations. Give an exact address if the location has already been secured. List the store’s hours of operations, including weekend and holiday hours...List the fixtures, equipment and furniture the store will need to operate efficiently, including cash registers, coolers and shelving. Identify the legal requirements that your store must meet and list them, along with their costs. Include requirements such as zoning laws, licensing and vending requirements, taxes and building lease information. List your supplier and merchandising information. Include each supplier’s costs, delivery fees and turnaround times...Complete a profit and loss statement, cash flow analysis, balance sheet and personal financial statement. Use forecast and projected figures if your store has yet to open for business. Make reasonable and attainable assumptions. Include easy-to-read charts of your projections for quick reference...Complete the executive summary and place it at the front of the business plan. Use this section to summarize the business plan’s information. Limit the executive summary to no more than two pages. Include a summary of the convenience store’s management team, mission statement and forecast sales goals."