General

• SIC numbers for your industry (so we can do our industry research)
• Company history
• Type of company (corporation, LLC, partnership etc.)
• Date and place of incorporation
• Ownership and if stock, number of shares authorized,
• Any industry data you think is pertinent
• Biographies (or resumes) for key executives and directors of both companies.
• Three sets of company brochures (please send as soon as possible.)

• Market Analysis

• Do you have information regarding customers’ preferences, buying behavior, etc?
• What attracts customers to your business?
• Where do they perceive value?
• What are customers’ "wants" and "needs"?
• What are customers’ concerns?
• What gaps are not currently being addressed in the market?

• Identification of Suitable Target Market Segments

  Customer Segments

• Who are your present customers?
• Who are your potential customers?

• Product or Service Segments

• What products do you offer?
• Which target segments?

• Geographic Segments

• US market?
• Canadian market?
• European market?
• Asia-Pacific market?
• Other?

• Competitor Analysis

• Summarize your competitors’ product offering.
• How have your competitor(s) set their pricing?
• What market segments are your competitors targeting?
• What is different or better about your competitors product or business?
• List of current competitors.

• • Table of competitors as follows:

Name

Location

Sales Volume

Strengths

Weaknesses

• Please supply information about the product or service they offer
• What are the benefits or attributes that your products or service offer which your competitors don’t offer/
• Do you need to do some market research to define who future potential customers could be?

• SWOT Analysis (Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats)

• The SWOT analysis is a detailed summary of the current state of the business in the context of its internal environment (strengths & weaknesses) and the external environment (opportunities & threats)

• Internal Environment

• Focus of Strengths/Weaknesses analysis
• Products - What are the strengths/weaknesses of your product offerings?
• Capacity - Is this a problem or a strength. Will the business need to expand?
• Financial status - Does the business have a strong financial base or is cash flow going to be an issue in the first twelve months? Do you have another source of income?
• Management style/experience - Does the management team communicate well, have relevant experience to generate sales? Do you need to improve in this area?

• External Environment

• Focus of Opportunities/Threats Analysis
• Competition - Who are your competitors? What market share do they have?
• Legal - Do you have product liability insurance? Any legal issues which might affect your product or service?
• Social - What are the business’s social responsibilities and opportunities? Public image?
• Technology - How will the business adapt to changes in technology, such as computer systems, e-commerce, new equipment and manufacturing improvements, etc.?

• Market Strategy

• How do you intend to market your business?

• Product Definition Statement

• What are the product or services attributes and benefits?
• What are your competitor’s product or service attributes and benefits?

• Promotion Strategy

• What type of marketing strategy do you use? Please outline in detail any marketing plan that you have prepared.
• Do you use advertising opportunities such as brochures, newsletters
• Do you have a welcome script for telephone inquiries?
• Do you have any marketing or advertising material that you can include?

• Public Relations Opportunities

• Does the business support any local charities? Sport clubs or schools?

• Pricing Strategy

• Product image - High-end or inexpensive?
• Competitors’ product pricing?

• Analysis of Current Site Attributes

• Are you using your current space effectively?
• Do you want to change the layout of your plant?
• Please supply a simple plan of your plant, if possible.
• Do you want to carry out any renovations or improvements to the current plant?
• Have you carried out any changes to exterior or interior of the plant in the last 5 years? What changes did you make?
• Describe the area in general terms (for example, industrial area, residential, retail shopping strip etc.).

• Operational Strategy

• Do you have a computer database? Have you developed a customer and supplier database?
• Customer communication processes (live & telephone)?
• How will inventories be maintained?
• What are your time frames for achieving goals.

• Human Resources

• Job descriptions?
• What rates are they paid? Are they commission-based?
• Do you to offer any training to staff such as Customer Service training?
• Outline which staff work during specified business hours and at what pay rates.
• Do you have an ESOP?
• Executive compensation?
• Do you have any employment contracts?

• Financial Analysis

• List stockholders and percentages.
• List stock option or warrant agreements.
• How long has the business been operating?
• Please describe the terms of purchase of any acquisition(s).
• How much was paid in Goodwill?
• Did you have to take out a business loan to purchase or commence the business? (Please supply details on loans related to the business.)
• Do you lease your current premises? If yes, how much do you pay per week or month?
• Please provide details on major suppliers.
• Are you happy with their service and/or prices?
• How much do you pay to your suppliers per week or month?
• Have you tried other suppliers?
• Are you involved in any contractual agreements with a supplier or distributor?
• Please include cost estimates of production.
• Please list your accountant's name and address.
• Please list corporate legal adviser name and address.
• If you are marketing a product range, give estimates of sales per month for each product
• Please include a list of assets currently held in the business, such as vehicle, computer, facsimile etc., and the value of each asset.
• Please provide 5-year projections.

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