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With the advent of the Internet, this business industry has grown with further progressions. However, running a business isn’t enough to make profit. You always require knowing the tweaks and tricks of running an effective business. For the beginners, simple business plan samples would help you to progress in this field with flying colors.

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• Attain the targeted circulation level.
• Control the costs when spending maximum on the subscription marketing in just one year.
• Monitor the response rates of the media executions.
• Follow-on the marketing of the book titles in the first half of the year or the first year.
• Attain the targeted advertising sale revenues.
• Quality editorial contents in every issue.
• Make the production and the distribution dates in the timely fashion for every issue.
• Entry Barriers are negligible or less
• SEO happens to be another factor
• Inclusion of professional outlook
• The tax benefits
• Publishing companies also provide democracy to the writers.
• Advice from experts
• Learning the laws
• Selecting the name and buying the domain

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Your Writer Platform

Build your platform. engage your fans. sell more books., your author business plan: a framework for the creative entrepreneur.

by Kimberley Grabas

Does the thought of writing a business plan make you wince?

You’ve been struggling valiantly through most of the non-writing, left-brained activities that have been thrust upon you as a modern writer – do you really need to go through the formality of crafting your “executive summary”, “sales forecasts” and “market analysis”?

Well…yes. (sorry)

But if you’d prefer to skip the spreadsheets in favour of a more “writer-friendly” planning process – because deep down you know you could use a bit more direction to move your writing career to the next level – you’re in luck!

I’ve designed this business plan framework with the creative entrepreneur in mind.

Yep, it’s still a business plan.

But I’ve tried to soften the corporate jargon, as well as give you ideas as to how you can use each section to grow your writing career.

I’ve also created a free downloadable workbook to guide you through the process and that you can complete at your own pace:

Click the image to download your free 30-page Author Business Plan workbook:

Prioritizing Your Business Plan To Get The Most Out Of Your Writing Career

It’s time to overcome your resistance to the idea that, as an author, your job is no longer just to write (if it ever was).

If you want to turn your passion for writing into a business, you’ll need to have a solid and strategic plan in place.

And a b usiness plan is simply a guide to what you hope to accomplish, how you plan to meet those objectives, and your financial projections based on these efforts.

It’s a field guide to your writing business – that you navigate with your readers in mind.

Here’s what you can expect a thorough business plan to help you accomplish:

It will help you to

• clarify and articulate a clear vision for your writing career, which will help guide your business actions and decisions
• nail down the specifics of what you need to get done to move your business forward
• share your strategies, priorities, and specific action points with others (agents, assistants, collaborators, or even your spouse)
• recognize and filter out the distractions, so you can concentrate only on those activities that will help you grow
• determine future needs ahead of time (software, skills, tech, or other resources) so that you can plan for the cost or time expenditure
• beat inertia and take confident action on those things you’ve determined will move your business forward
• notice opportunities to reward yourself for both small accomplishments and big wins

One of the most important (and often ignored) steps to effective goal setting and increased productivity, is to write your goals down and review them daily . This can be a game changer.

By dedicating the time to write your business plan – and review it frequently – you can change the trajectory of your writing career.

Developing Your Author Business Plan: The Key Components

Whether you are working toward a traditional publishing contract or self-publishing, a carefully crafted business plan will help you establish a plan of action, and guide how you will allocate your (often limited) resources.

A. BUSINESS VISION + AUTHOR BRAND

1. Mission Statement (Message)

Clarify your business values and vision. Define why you write and get very clear on the essence of your work–what problems are you solving or what desires are you satisfying? What is your promise to your reader and how will you deliver on that promise? (You can also include a “vision statement” that inspires you, and is a reminder of your purpose and your commitment to your writing career.)

2. Your Ideal Reader

Identify and define the group of people whom you wish to reach. How do they see themselves, and how does your work fit with that perception?  Who already ‘speaks your language’ or conversely, whom does your work speak to? We’ll be digging deeper into this in a later section of the business plan, so the information you gather will help to create a succinct description of your ideal reader here.

Related Content:  Identifying Your Target Audience: The Top 8 Mistakes Writers Make

3. Brand Personality and Culture

What is your brand story and personality? What do you want people to feel or experience when they read your book, a post on your blog, or see you speak at an event? What tone, colors, and visuals characterize your writing, and how does your branding reflect the purpose or message behind your work? What values, standards or best practices will you adhere to? What can your community of readers consistently expect from you in terms of your style, authenticity, voice, and professionalism? Make sure that your branding is relevant to the audience you seek, distinct and meaningful.

Related Content:  Discover and Build Your Author Brand

4. Career Goals, Objectives, and Expansion Plans

Many people do not even think of goals, and of those that do, very few write them down. Forbes reports a remarkable 10-year study about goal-setting carried out in the Harvard MBA Program.  Those students who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more (i.e., earned on average, 10 times as much as the other 97 percent of the class combined). So write down your goals and objectives. Make sure they’re both S.M.A.R.T and what you really want. Are you willing–and able–to sacrifice the time and effort required to achieve what you’ve outlined? How will you determine your success?

B. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION + PUBLISHING PLAN

1. Your Difference

This is your secret sauce or unfair advantage. Describe who you are as a writer, and how you will portray that uniqueness to your audience. How do you solve their problem or desire and why is it valuable to your readers? The goal here is to answer the question in your reader’s mind, “Why you?”. What sets your work apart from others in your genre or niche? Develop your “brand story”.

Related Content: How to Build Your Brand From Scratch (And Why You Need To)

2. Who Do You Serve

Describe your target audience (demographics, psychographics), and how you can help meet the needs, wants, and desires of that specific group. Often writers make the mistake of working on their projects in a vacuum – with no feedback, input, or even acknowledgment of the reader. Another conundrum authors face, is writing in multiple genres, which makes building a community even more challenging. Note if either (or both) of these are concerns you face, and how you will address them going forward.

Related Content:  Thinking About Writing in Multiple Genres? Here’s What You Need to Know

3. Production

In this part of your business plan, include your writing, editing, and publishing schedule. How many words per day will you write, and at what times? If editing, how many hours per week will you devote? How many books do you plan to publish (and launch) this year? How often will you post new content to your blog or social media? Also note your genre focus, project lengths, and additional projects (workshops, courses, presentations, etc.) you plan to produce per year.

4. Business Structure

What is your writing business structure (sole proprietor, publishing company, or LLC, for example)?  Are you traditionally published, self-published, a hybrid author, or not yet published? Describe the components of your business, like books (digital, print, audio), courses, seminars, workshops (in-person/virtual), speaking, and so on. Is your business primarily online or offline?

5.   Business Tasks + Schedule

It’s important that you treat your writing business as a business . So make a list of regular tasks (everything from sales tracking and accounting, to editorial calendars and words written per day), and add them to your calendar, Asana , your day planner, or whatever system works for you.

6. Distribution Channels

You’ve defined your audience, so now you need to determine how they want to be reached. Where are they already and what are other ways that they will find you? Think social media, email, traditional media, video, podcasts, conferences and events, website, clubs, Amazon and other retailers, and so on.

Click to download your free 30-page Author Business Plan workbook :

C. MARKET ANALYSIS

1. Bestselling Authors/Comparable Titles in your Genre or Niche

Identify bestselling authors, top bloggers, and other influencers in your niche or genre. Look for those that already have the audience you want to reach (search through social media, relevant keywords, Facebook, and other groups). Who are the movers and shakers? The up-and-comers? Start making a list, including their contact info, website, and email. (These people may also become your partners and allies in the future.)

2. Pricing Models

What pricing model(s) are currently being used in your genre or niche? What are readers used to paying for books, products, or services similar to yours?

3. “Competitor” Strengths and Weaknesses

Choose 3-5 authors from the list you made in section C. 1., and break down their strengths and weaknesses. How do they reach and promote to their audience? Are there any strategies that many of your competitors seem to use (for example, are most of them using email marketing strategies)? What are they doing well and what can they improve? What can you add to the mix that draws upon your unique skill set and brand? Use this knowledge to craft your own, well-rounded strategy.

4. Trends and Opportunities

Note current events and what’s new and noteworthy in the publishing world. Note predictions and future trends that may impact your writing or bottom line. Are there any collaboration or partnership opportunities that you wish to pursue, both within your topic area and with industries or businesses that reach the same audience as you?

D. AUDIENCE RESEARCH

1. Identify Your Ideal Reader

Knowing your target audience has come up several times in this business plan–and for good reason. It is absolutely vital to the growth of your writing career to have a firm understanding of the audience you wish to reach. This section of your business plan informs the other sections, and it’s where you will get crystal clear on who your ideal readers are through research and data (not through guessing or assumptions). (Follow the link below for instructions on how to create an ideal reader persona.)

2. Understand Their Needs and Desires

Your goal is to understand and articulate your readers’ problems or desires better than they can themselves. But remember, this is their most pressing problem or desire, not yours.  Don’t try to create desire or interest where there is none. Outline how you will share your work in a way that encourages people who are already interested, to take action. (To gain a deeper understanding of your audience, spend time and ask questions of your “real” readers, engage in “social listening”, conduct surveys and examine your Google Analytics.)

3. Differentiate Yourself and Your Work

Given what you now know about your target audience, what is the intersection between your unique talents and your readers’ needs or desires? What can they get from you and your work that they can’t get anywhere else?

4. Determine How to Engage With Your Readers

It is much, much easier to create interesting, relevant, and valuable content for your audience now that you know exactly what they are searching for . You can’t possibly develop a marketing and book promotion plan when you have no idea who might be most receptive to your message. How will you learn (and continue to learn) about your readers, but still stay connected to the reasons for creating the work that you do?

E. COMMUNITY AND PLATFORM BUILDING

1. Social Media Plan

What are your (and your readers’) preferred platforms? Where will you place your emphasis and what strategies will you use to develop visibility and interest for your writing? What will you share, how will you create it, when will you share it, and where will you share it, to get the most engagement? (Create a specific plan for each social media platform you’ll engage on).

Related Content:  Social Media Strategy for Authors Plus 4 Tweets to Never Send

2. Email List Building Plan

Developing a responsive email list is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business and stay connected with your readers. What strategies will you implement to grow your list? How often will you communicate with your subscribers, what will you share and what opt-in incentive will you develop to encourage sign-ups? 

Related Content: The Writer’s Guide to Building an Email List

3. Content Strategy

A content strategy is your publishing plan of action for what to create , how to create it, when to create it, and for whom to create it. Develop an editorial or content calendar to map out and keep track of your content plan o’ action. Ensure your “brand story” is woven into the content you share.

4. Speaking, Appearances, and PR Plan

Keynote speeches, personal appearances, and other speaking opportunities all allow you to connect with your readers and fans in real life . Add presentations, interviews, and other appearances you have booked (or plan to book) into your business plan. What strategies will you implement to increase bookings?

5. Reviews, Testimonials, and Endorsements

What steps will you take to encourage reviews (ARCs, email requests, build relationships with influencers, and book bloggers)? How will you gather testimonials and endorsements for your work? Keep in mind that relationships take time to develop, so ensure you include steps to build these connections and goodwill before you ask for something in return.

Related Content: How to Get Reviews For Your Book (Without Begging, Bribing, or Resorting to Subterfuge)

6. Engagement + Exclusivity

How will you ensure your readers feel special? Will you offer special perks, bonuses, and a sneak peek behind the scenes? Or, create a street team or other type of “membership” for your most avid supporters? How is what you have to offer different from other authors in your niche, and how can you add more value? 

7. Networking and Relationship Building

Who are people talking about, sharing content from, and influenced by? What strategies will you use to develop relationships with industry influencers, advocates, and supporters of your work? How do you plan to build connections with organizations, institutions, schools, bloggers, reviewers, businesses, and media outlets? 

F. OFFERINGS + MONETIZATION

1. Your Products and Services

What will you offer to your audience? Books (digital, audio, print, series, bundles), services (speaking engagements, teaching at conferences, and hosting workshops) courses, freelance work, or other products and programs that relate to your work? How will your readers benefit? How will it impact their lives? Given what you’ve discovered about your target audience, will they want, need or desire what you have to offer?

2. Pricing Strategy

What pricing strategy will you employ? Premium, freemium (free + premium), permafree, or discount pricing? Given your goals for your business, will your pricing strategy help you meet your objectives? Does your pricing meet or challenge genre standards? How will your target audience view your pricing? Map out your pricing structure for your books, services, courses or workshops, series, and bundles.

Related Content: Pricing 

3. Collaboration and Partnerships

Affiliate marketing, book bundles, co-writing, and cross-promotion (via email lists) are all great ways to boost your business, visibility, and sales. What methods will you use to develop partnerships and encourage collaborations with other authors?

G. MARKETING STRATEGY

1. Marketing and Promotion

In this section, outline the methods you’ll employ to market and promote your books, products, content, and brand. You’ll want to develop a separate book marketing strategy for each book, as well as an overall strategy that ties current projects together with future plans for your writing career.  

Related Content: 71 Ways to Promote and Market Your Book

2. Resource Commitment

Finding time to write is difficult enough, but your business won’t run itself. You need to schedule time and resources for both the writing side of your business and the marketing side (and then squeeze in family and personal commitments, too 😉 ). How much time, money and other resources are you prepared to realistically commit? 

Related Content:  The Big Question: How Can I Build My Platform and Still Have Time to Write?

3. Launch Strategies

Designing, organizing, and implementing a book launch action plan is not easy. There are a lot of moving parts, so it requires the careful preparation (and execution) of just the right mix of launch activities to propel your new book out into the world. Layered launch strategies (where you use the momentum from one launch to boost the next) can create urgency and excitement, and further establish your brand, message, and authority. What actions will you take to leverage the assets and relationships you’ve established through your marketing activities to promote an upcoming book?

Related Content: Launch Strategy for Authors

H. FINANCIALS

1. Monthly Expenses

Make an itemized list of all the things you will need for your business to run monthly (website, hosting and domain name, email marketing service, business cards and other promotional items, office supplies, membership dues, etc.). If you are saving for some larger future expense (computer, software, cover design ), then note this in your budget, as well.

2. Monthly Revenue

Record your monthly income from all sources related to your writing business (royalties, freelance work, affiliate income, speaking, etc.). At first, this may seem like an exercise in futility, but with a solid business plan in place, you’ll soon start to see your revenue streams grow. 🙂

3. Production Budget (Per Book or Project)

Copyediting , line editing, proofreading, formatting for publishing, formatting for print, cover art, copyright registration, ISBNs, review copies, shipping, and research costs can all be budgeted on a per-book basis. These input costs will help you determine the potential viability (and profitability) of each project. If you also have a website and blog, there may also be production costs for blog posts, email newsletters, and other items (image or graphic fees, costs for giveaways, apps or software, etc.).

4. Sales + Income Projections

If you’re just starting out, creating sales projections may be difficult to do, but it’s certainly a good habit to develop if you’d like to ensure you’re making good business decisions. Forecasting is vital to planning sales, marketing, and spending. (For a free Amazon sales rank tracker, try NovelR ank.com  or SalesRankExpress.com .)

I. ADDITIONAL GROWTH + EXPANSION STRATEGIES

1. Professional Development

Your talent is your best asset. Continuing to improve upon both your writing AND your business skills, is a wise investment. Use this section of your business plan to note any classes, workshops, or conferences you plan to attend, if you plan to find a critique partner or writer’s group to join, or even add specific books you plan to read (for genre or topic research, or to gain additional skills).

Related Content: 39 Things to Remember When Struggling to Build Your Writing Career

2. Paid Advertising and Other Paid Options

Paid advertising, hiring a publicist, or anything else that requires cold hard cash upfront–without a guarantee of return–may not be on the top of your priority list. However, if you are considering some paid options, ensure you note your strategies here. Tracking your return on investment may be easier for some options than others, but it’s always wise to note your efforts and results.

3.   Repurposing

Continuously developing new content can take a lot of effort. Get more mileage out of the excellent content you produce (articles, newsletters, blog content, short stories, guides, updates, videos, etc.) by repurposing it into something fresh. You can change the format, share it on different mediums, turn a book or post into a course or workshop, and reach all new audiences. How will you stretch and repurpose each piece of content you create?

Related Content:  Create Great Content? How to Get More From It Through Repurposing

4. Outsourcing

Wise outsourcing can not only increase your efficiency and help level the playing field, but it allows you to focus on the core of your business–your writing. If you decide to outsource, determine what tasks you’ll pay someone else (editors, virtual assistants, designers, accountants, etc.) to handle.

Writing Your Author Business Plan Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

Kudos to you for making it this far! It may seem like a daunting task to compile your business plan, but I assure you it is well worth the effort.

Plus, your plan can be developed over a period of time and doesn’t have to be nailed down all in one sitting.

A business plan is fluid and ever-evolving. As new info comes in, circumstances change, or as results and analysis dictate, adjust your business plan accordingly. Remove sections from this plan that you feel don’t apply, and add sections that you feel are more relevant to your specific business needs.

Review and re-examine your plan on a regular basis to help keep yourself–and your writing career–on track.

And be sure to reward yourself when you’ve reached certain milestones and objectives. You’ll have most certainly earned it!

Questions? Comments? Please share your thoughts below.

Reading through your posts can be long and tedious, especially for people like me who always take notes. But in the end, it’s worth it. Thanks for another awesome post.

Yes, I’m nothing if not thorough… 😉

That’s why I’ve included the workbook – all the info, without the need to write it all down yourself.

This is just awesome .. Love it!!

Happy to hear it, Ashima. Hope you can put the plan to good use! 😉

Thanks so much, Kimberley! This is super helpful and so timely — my community of Queens, NY, is conducting a business plan competition with nice prize money. Glad to have your insights and guidance in the final days of preparation.

http://www.queensbooks.nyc

My pleasure John! 🙂

I was hoping to grab this fabulous download, but when I entered my email address and went through to the next page, the error message said the pdf could not be found. I thought this was because I was on mobile, but I tried several times on my PC and it still was appearing as not found.

My apologies Kieran – there is a bit of a glitch with the media file. Shoot me a quick email (Kim-at-YourWriterPlatform.com) and I’ll send it to you directly.

Authors with Platforms Sell Books.

It’s that simple.

Get on the Insiders List to receive the free Quick Start Guide to Building Your Writer Platform , exclusive content via email, and instant access to a growing library of downloadable resources.

Privacy Overview

How to Start a Publishing Company

Publishing is the act of producing and distributing literature, music rights, video games, and information. The industry is made up of many types of publishing companies. Some companies publish materials for wider public consumption, while others cater to niche markets.

Create a Free Logo

Enter your brand or company name to get started.

How to Start a Publishing Company — Checklist Download

This free checklist will help you set up your own publishing company.

Publishing Company Business Plan — Free Template

This template will help you to build your business plan from gathering vital information to presenting it professionally.

How to Start a Publishing Company:

A step-by-step guide on how to create a publishing company.

Decide on a type of publishing.

Choose what sort of publishing company you want to start..

The first step in starting a publishing company is in deciding what and how it will be publishing. Consider the options below.

Trade: Aims for wider public consumption. Companies that publish magazines, newspapers, popular music, popular video games, and books for the general reading public all fall into this category.

Academic and educational: Focuses on research and educational material. Academic research journals and syllabus-oriented textbooks fall into this category.

Independent and regional: Made up of small presses focusing predominantly on materials of local or regional interest, such as local histories and tourism pamphlets.

Boutique: Specializes in narrow, niche markets. Small presses publishing genre-specific fiction fall into this category, for example.

Self-publishing: The creator of the material pays the publishing costs and plays a much bigger role in the process.

Electronic: Offers an alternative to traditional publishing, sharing content across digital platforms only.

Name your business.

Come up with a name..

Give your company a name. There are a number of things to consider when naming your publishing company to successfully convey the values and mission of your brand, but you'll want to be creative. A unique name will set your company apart from the rest and will make it easier later when securing a domain name.

Think specifics: What genre are you working in? What subject, and for what age groups?

Revisit values: What are your business's core values? And what values does your market hold as important?

Your name should be easy to remember, spell, and say.

Check availability.

Use the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s trademark search tool to see if your name isn't already in use.

Follow this guide on How to Check Business Name Availability for a more thorough check.

Trademark your business name.

If you have decided on a publishing company business name, secure a trademark so that no one else takes it. You can register a trademark at www.uspto.gov .

Go to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website .

Click on "Trademarks."

Click on "Trademark basics."

Make sure you fully understand what is required of you.

Click on "Apply for a trademark."

Register on the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).

Pick a distribution model.

Consider the print-on-demand model..

Check to see if print-on-demand works for the publishing you're doing, your goals, and your budget. With this model, nothing is printed before-hand. Someone purchases your publication online, the order is sent to the printer, and then sent to the customer.

Without having to print ahead of time and store inventory in a warehouse, print-on-demand is less risky and requires a lower investment in each title. However, the cost of printing is higher per unit .

Consider the traditional distribution model.

Find out whether printing ahead of time and storing publications in a warehouse fits the kind of publishing you do, your budget, and your goals.

While this model does allow for bulk printing and ensures consistently good quality , it is expensive upfront because it carries storage, returns, and shipping fees.

Consider the direct-to-reader model.

Consider whether cutting out most of the distribution chain and selling digital publications directly to readers through an online sales page makes sense for your company.

There are very little upfront costs and risks with this model, but a comprehensive marketing strategy is needed .

Create a publishing company business plan.

Write the business description section..

Leave a page for the executive summary, which should be written last, and start with the business description section. This section includes legal structure, location, the expected launch dates of publications, and all sources of revenue.

Write the operations and management section.

After describing your business, move on to describe the leadership and management structures. This section includes the backgrounds of all members of your leadership team and demonstrates why they are a good fit. Include information about the major departments such as editorial, sales, legal, operations, etc.

Run through your marketing strategy.

Once you've finished discussing your leadership, break down your business's marketing strategy. Include information about your target market, genre, and promotional outlets.

Do a full SWOT analysis and include the information about your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in this section.

Write about your competition.

Unpack in detail industry revenues for the last few years, paying attention to growth. Then describe what you know about other publishing houses in your area. In particular, note what aspects of their business may be in direct competition with yours.

Talk about your financials.

Discuss your start-up expenses, sources of funding, financial operations, revenue projections, and break-even point.

The better you know your competition and target market, the more accurately you will predict your first-year revenue.

Share your future plans.

Describe any plans you have for your company. Once it has covered all opening costs and is able to maintain strong cash flow, what is next? You can include hiring more people, publishing a few other titles, expanding the office building, creating an app, etc.

You don't need to be as detailed as in the rest of the business plan. A few details will be fine.

Now write your executive summary.

Now that you've written your business plan, it should be easier to distill everything into a snappy, thoughtful, evocative executive summary.

Include your mission statement.

List anything about your company that helps to distinguish it from the rest.

Focus on investment opportunities.

• Form a legal entity.

Choose one of four legal structures for your company.

For professional, financial, and tax purposes, set up your company as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability corporation (LLC), or corporation.

Independent publishing companies generally go with setting up a limited liability corporation to avoid personal liability and double taxation. It is also more flexible in terms of ownership and profit distribution.

Sole Proprietorship: A business that is owned and operated by just one person, who is then solely responsible for tax and liability issues.

Partnership: Two or more partners who share the business's tax and responsibilities.

Limited Liability Corporation (LLC): An entity that protects owners from liability, while passing taxes on to them. May use corporate or partnership tax rules.

Corporation: A distinct legal entity that assumes all liability and is taxed as a business at corporate tax rates. Has members and shareholders.

Secure start-up financing.

Approach a bank or government program..

Meet with your local bank to find out more about small business loans, or find a qualified lender that offers SBA loans .

Choose an option with interest rates that aren't too high.

Pitch to investors.

Sell equity in your business to interested investors. Investors give you money in exchange for part ownership.

Apply for a business credit card.

Approach a bank and apply for business credit. Interest rates for credit cards are high but are an option for a short term injection of capital.

Try crowdfunding.

Create a crowdfunding campaign to reach as many people as possible and offer them something for their financial help.

• Purchase insurance.

Find coverage against libel and copyright lawsuits.

Buy several types of insurance including Media Liability Insurance, Publisher's Perils Insurance, and Business Interruption Insurance.

Search for an insurance company that offers packages designed particularly for publishers.

• Find an office.

Lease commercial real estate.

If your home office won't suffice, start looking for an office space to rent. You'll need to take a serious look at your budget before approaching an agent.

Buy International Standard Book Numbers.

Buy an isbn number from an isbn service..

Help buyers and sellers identify your business as the publisher of a given book by buying a unique ISBN for each title. You can buy an ISBN from any number of ISBN services. A single ISBN costs between $18.00 and $150.00. Buying them in bulk often brings the price per number down.

They can be used for e-books, but aren't necessary.

• Hire employees or freelancers.

Recruit the talent you need.

If you have started your company to self-publish, you'll play most of the roles found in the average publishing company. For a larger operation, you'll need help to produce, market, and distribute your published materials. You can decide to employ fulltime or make use of freelancers to fulfill different functions. Such functions include editing, sales, design, public relations, and bookkeeping.

Use hiring software to streamline the process of posting jobs, accepting applications, scheduling job interviews, and sending out final job offers. Or you can connect to freelancers through gig-economy platforms such as Upwork .

Approach a staffing agency. They often have access to large talent pools and can, therefore, reach more candidates.

Advertise your publishing company.

Create a company website..

Register a domain name and build a site that explains who you are and what you offer. Use a website builder to design a website or pay an expert to help you. Having a website increases your visibility, discoverability, and legitimacy.

Start social media accounts for your business.

Facebook and Twitter pages, in particular, will make it easier for people to engage with you. Be sure to keep these pages active and don't underestimate the value of engaging directly.

Publish a blog.

Keep your website active and full of fresh, topical, and interesting information by publishing a blog. They're a great way to showcase your authors, books, magazines, newspapers, and games, and give you a strong platform for conveying your values, approaches, and mission.

Join your local publisher's association.

Become a member of your local publisher's association. This will give you access to exclusive events, professional development, networking opportunities, and the latest industry intelligence. It will also increase your company's visibility and credibility as a serious business.

Publishing Company Metrics:

Contribution margin per book sold..

The contribution margin in book publishing is the earnings from each title after all the variable costs accrued in the production and distribution of the book have been covered.

It is important to calculate the contribution margin from each book because it tells you how much each sale contributes towards paying your fixed costs and establishes a benchmark for how many books you need to sell before turning a profit.

Here are the three steps for calculating the contribution margin for each book:

Book list price x number of books sold = total sales.

Total sales - variable costs = total contribution margin.

Total contribution margin/number of books sold = contribution margin per book.

A book sells for $16 and a total of 10,000 are sold. This adds up to the total sales of $160,000.

Take the $160,000 total sales and subtract the associated variable costs, which for this example come to $100,000. This gives you a total contribution margin of $60,000.

Now, divide the $60,000 total contribution margin by the 10,000 books sold, and you have your contribution margin per book: $6.

Each book you've sold has contributed $6 towards paying your fixed costs. If all your fixed costs have been paid, then each book is contributing $6 towards your profit.

List price: The price on the cover of the book in the bookstore or online store.

Variable costs: Retailer discount, distribution, paper, printing, binding, cover design, cover art, line editing, copy editing, text design, layout, proofreading costs, marketing, and royalties.

Fixed costs: Rent, salaries, insurance, licenses, permits, property tax, utilities, etc.

Expert Advice on Starting a Publishing Company:

Must-reads before starting a publishing company:.

• Book Business: Publishing Past, Present, and Future by Jason Epstein.
• The Self-publishing Manual by Dan Poynter.
• Publishing for Profit by Thomas Woll.
• The Book Publishing Industry by Albert Greco.
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White.
• The Chicago Manual of Style by The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff.

Publishing Logos

How do I start my own publishing company?

• Decide on the type of publishing .
• Name your company.
• Choose a distribution model.
• Create a business plan.
• Secure financing.

What does a publishing company do?

Publishing companies produce and distribute literature, music, games, and information.

How much does a publishing company make?

It is difficult to say how much publishing companies make on average. According to the latest Association of American Publishers (AAP) report , the book publishing industry had estimated revenue of $258 billion in 2018.

What is an independent publishing company?

Independent publishing companies are small companies that are not part of large conglomerates or multinational corporations. The terms "indie press," "small press," and "independent press" are all used to describe these businesses.

How much does it cost to publish a book?

It costs anywhere from $0 to $50,000 or more. You could literally post a book to a free blogging site like WordPress, or you can have it printed on fine paper, distributed around the world, and heavily marketed.

How do publishers make money?

Publishers take a small percentage of every sale after paying retail, distribution, author, production, and overhead costs. This percentage ranges between 5% and 12%.

How do I get an ISBN?

You can buy an ISBN from Bowker , an official source of ISBNs in the U.S.

How much do publishers pay authors?

Publishers often pay authors an advance on predicted sales and then pay royalties on every book sold. Royalties can follow a sliding scale such as up to 10 percent on the first 5,000 books sold, 20 percent on the next 5,000, and so on.

How do I start an online publication?

• Pick a topic.
• Choose a name.
• Do market research.
• Secure a domain name .
• Build a website.
• Build your team.
• Generate content.
• Monetize the site.

How do I start a music publishing company?

• Decide on the type of music.
• Find an office and recording studio.
• Hire employees.

How do publishing companies work?

Book publishing companies and music publishers buy the rights to produce and sell the works of authors and musicians and pay them royalties on each unit sold.

How much does it cost to start a publishing company?

It costs between $50.00 and $500.00 to register your company. After that, there are advertising costs, rent, and the expenses associated with getting an initial product out to market. These costs can range from thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the size of your operation.

How much money does a publisher make?

Publishers make between $60,000 and $280,000 a year, according to our research. Publishers salaries depend on the type and size of the publishing company.

Does every book have an ISBN number?

Every edition of a book should have its own unique ISBN.

How much does it cost to get an ISBN number?

A single ISBN costs between $18.00 and $150.00.

Do authors pay publishers?

Not traditionally, no. Publishers pay authors royalties on sales.

Does your business need media liability insurance?

Yes, if your business needs media liability insurance to protect itself against libel, plagiarism, and invasion of privacy lawsuits.

How much does media liability insurance cost?

Media liability insurance policies cost $2,500.00 a year on average but can cost as little as $500.00 a year.

How do bookstores get their books?

Bookstores order books directly from publishers and distributors, but they also receive books from wholesalers.

What is an ISBN?

An ISBN is a 13-digit number used to help buyers and sellers identify your business as the publisher of a given book. Each title requires its own ISBN. They can be used for e-books, but aren't necessary.

What genre of books sells the most?

The top three best-selling genres are Romance/Erotica, Crime/Mystery, and Religious/Spiritual, in that order.

Can I be my own music publisher?

Yes, you can set up a music publishing company to publish your original music.

What is a micro-publisher?

Publishers with total revenues below a certain level are considered to be micro-publishers. Publishers publishing for a specific micro-market and those creating predominantly digital content shared across social media platforms, email, and public websites are also forms of micro-publishers.

How much money can you make from a self-published book?

Self-published authors can earn up to 35 percent on every printed book sold, and as high as 70 percent on every ebook sold.

How long does it take to publish a book?

According to our research, it can take anywhere from three weeks to six months. The process includes writing, editing, production, printing, and binding.

What goes into a business plan for a publishing company?

• Executive summary.
• Company description.
• Products and services.
• Marketing plan.
• Operational plan.
• Management description.
• Financial plan.

Related Articles

How to start a social media marketing agency, how to write a business letter, how to write a business proposal, how to start a production company.

Magazine Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Magazine Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their magazine companies. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a magazine business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Magazine Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your business plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Magazine Business

If you’re looking to start a new magazine business, or grow your existing magazine publishing company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the revenue growth of your business in order to improve your chances of success. Your business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Magazine Companies

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a magazine business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financial projections are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Personal savings is the other most common form of funding for a new magazine business. Venture capitalists will usually not fund a magazine business, but they might consider funding a one with a national presence, but never an individual location. This is because most venture capitalists are looking for millions of dollars in return when they make an investment, and an individual location could never achieve such results.  With that said, using a savings account and bank loans are the most common funding paths for magazine businesses.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write an effective business plan for a magazine business.

If you want to start a magazine business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Each of the key components of a magazine publishing business plan are detailed below:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a digital magazine business that you would like to grow, or are you starting an online magazine business?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the magazine industry. Discuss the type of business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target audience. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of magazine businesses:

• Entertainment magazine : this type of magazine business focuses on topics such as arts, culture, fashion and leisure
• Academic and professional magazine: this type of magazine business focuses on subjects like finance, health, or science
• Home and living magazine: this type of magazine is devoted to cooking, home decorating, etc.
• Business magazine: this type of magazine typically focuses on business people, companies, emerging business or technology trends, etc.
• Digital magazine: this type of magazine is accessible via an electronic device, whether it be a smartphone, tablet, or computer. An internet connection is required to access or download the content, but once downloaded, it is available for viewing offline.
• Online magazine: this type of electronic magazine is similar to a digital magazine, but typically comes with fewer features. An internet connection is required to access the content.

In addition to explaining the type of magazine startup you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, number of positive reviews, number of annual subscriptions, etc.
• Your legal business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the magazine industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the magazine industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

• How big is the magazine industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your magazine business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: advertisers, consumers of varying ages and with varying interests, and authors.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of magazine business you operate. Clearly, business people would respond to different marketing promotions than teens, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most magazine businesses primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other magazine businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes social media platforms, other reading material, or alternative leisure activities. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other magazine businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be house flippers located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What interest or niche do they specialize in?
• What formats are their publications available in?
• How often is the magazine published?
• What is their pricing strategy (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide better articles, features, and/or photos?
• Will you provide more opportunities for guest authors?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a magazine business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of magazine company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to printed magazines, will you offer a digital version?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your magazine company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your magazine business located near a distribution center, or in an area known as a “hub” for the content you specialize in, etc. Discuss how your location might be ideal for attracting and retaining customers.

Promotions : The final part of your magazine marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local websites
• Social media marketing
• Local radio advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your magazine business, including selling ad space, creating quality content, finding contributors, designing each issue, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to land your 10 th major magazine advertising account, or when you expect to have 5,000 subscribers, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your magazine distribution to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your magazine business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing magazine businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in publication or marketing or successfully running small businesses.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you publish one issue per month or four? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your magazine business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a magazine business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or the wireframe for your digital publication.  

Putting together a business plan for your magazine business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the magazine industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful magazine business.  

Magazine Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my magazine business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Magazine Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of magazine business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a magazine business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of magazine businesses?

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Magazine business plan?

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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

PublishingState.com

Creating a Business Plan for a Publishing Company

Table of contents, introduction, defining the business plan, key components of a publishing business plan, attracting investors with a strong business plan, key reasons for creating a business plan for a publishing company:, conduct thorough market research, define your company’s mission and objectives, describe your products and services, the legal structure and ownership, outline your marketing plan, project financials and funding needs, describe your management team, convey the essence of your business, emphasize financial highlights, discuss your goals and objectives, keep it concise, highlight your qualifications, include a call-to-action, key financial statements, financial analysis, presenting the financials, professionalism, consistency, persuasiveness.

This write-up will dive into the crucial yet often overlooked topic of creating a business plan for a publishing company. Yes, business plans can seem tedious. But stick with me because mastering this fundamental skill can differentiate between a floundering startup and a successful, sustainable publishing business.

Here’s the truth: every publisher needs a clear, thoughtful business plan. Starting a publishing company is no small task. As a strategic document, the business plan serves as your company’s roadmap, keeping you focused and helping you achieve short- and long-term goals. Without it, you’re flying blind, a recipe for failure in the competitive publishing landscape.

With some effort and guidance, you can learn how to craft a winning business plan tailored specifically to the publishing industry. When done right, your business plan will:

• Convey your company’s mission and objectives
• Identify your target audiences and map out strategies to reach them
• Allow you to forecast growth and expenses realistically
• Impress potential investors and partners

By the end of this writing, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to create a polished, persuasive plan to launch and grow your publishing dreams.

Let’s get started.

The Basics of Creating a Business Plan for a Publishing Company

A business plan is an essential strategic document that outlines the goals, objectives, and tactics needed to launch and grow a successful publishing company. At its core, a business plan serves as a roadmap that guides essential decisions and aids in securing funding from investors.

A publishing company’s business plan clearly defines the company’s mission, target audience, products and services, marketing strategy, and financial projections. It provides an in-depth analysis of the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The plan should be comprehensive yet concise – typically 15-30 pages long.

While the exact structure can vary, most publishing business plans contain the following key sections:

• Executive Summary – A high-level overview of the key elements of the plan.
• Company Description – Details about the company’s history, ownership structure, and team.
• Products and Services – A description of existing and planned books, journals, etc.
• Market Analysis – Research into target audience, competitors, and industry trends.
• Marketing Plan – Strategies for promoting and distributing publications.
• Operations Plan – Resources, processes, and infrastructure required.
• Financial Plan – Past financials, sales forecasts, expense projections, and funding requirements.

One of the primary purposes of creating a detailed business plan is to secure startup funding and investment capital. Investors want a realistic plan for how their money will enable the publishing company to generate profits.

A well-crafted business plan instills confidence by thoroughly understanding the industry’s competitive landscape and showcasing a path to sustainability and growth.

Why You Need a Business Plan for Your Publishing Company

A clear vision and effective strategy are crucial for any successful publishing company. A well-crafted business plan allows you to define your company’s purpose, set goals, and map out a strategy to achieve them. Without a plan, it’s easy to lose focus or be swayed by passing trends instead of pursuing activities that align with your core mission.

A business plan is also invaluable for identifying your target demographic and developing marketing campaigns that resonate with them. Market research and analysis can give insight into your audience’s needs and interests. This enables you to tailor your content acquisition, packaging, pricing, and promotions to maximize engagement and sales.

Examining the financial viability of your publishing company is another key reason to create a business plan. You can assess if your company model is sustainable by projecting sales, costs, and profit margins over time.

A business plan allows you to spot potential cash flow issues or shortfalls in advance so you can modify your strategy. It also provides essential documentation if you seek funding from banks or investors.

In summary, a well-crafted business plan is crucial for any publishing company to clarify its vision, engage its audience, and evaluate its financial prospects. The planning process provides an invaluable opportunity to analyze your company’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth.

With a solid plan, you can pursue your publishing goals strategically and purposefully.

• Define your company’s mission and objectives
• Identify your target audience and develop effective marketing strategies
• Assess the financial viability and profitability potential of your company
• Create a roadmap to guide your growth and decision-making

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Business Plan for a Publishing Company

Creating a comprehensive business plan is essential for any new publishing company. A clear roadmap can help you secure funding, attract investors, and guide your strategy. Here is a step-by-step guide to crafting a winning business plan:

Before anything else, you need to understand your target market inside and out. Research reader demographics, analyze competing publishers, identify gaps and opportunities in the market, and determine where your company fits in the competitive landscape. A data-driven approach is key.

Now that you know your market, clearly define your company’s mission statement, vision, and SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) objectives. Outline short-term and long-term goals for the first 1-3 years. This will provide direction and focus.

Provide an overview of the types of books and services you plan to offer. Will you publish fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, or a mixture? What value do you bring to authors and readers? You want to convey what makes your offerings unique.

This business plan section should detail the legal structure you’ve chosen for your publishing company. Common structures include sole proprietorship , partnership, limited liability company (LLC) , or corporation. Each has pros and cons, so consult a legal advisor or business consultant to determine the best fit for your situation. For instance, a sole proprietorship is the simplest form but offers no personal liability protection. An LLC provides liability protection without the formalities of a corporation. A corporation is more complex but allows for outside investors and protects personal assets from business liabilities. Here’s what you need to include in this section: 1. Legal Structure: Clearly state the legal structure of your company. If it’s an LLC, specify whether it’s member-managed or manager-managed. If it’s a corporation, note if it’s an S corporation or a C corporation . 2. Ownership Information: List all owners and their percentage ownership. If there are multiple owners, describe their roles and responsibilities. If you plan to seek external investment, mention the equity share available for investors. 3. Registration Details: Include information about where your company is registered, the date of registration, and any relevant registration numbers. 4. Licenses and Permits: Detail any necessary licenses and permits you must obtain. This might include a business license, sales tax permit, or ISBN registrar for a publishing company. 5. Intellectual Property: Discuss how you plan to protect your intellectual property, such as copyrights for the books you publish. By clearly defining your publishing company’s legal structure and ownership, you’ll provide potential investors with crucial information about the risks and rewards associated with investing in your business.

An effective marketing plan is vital to the success of your publishing company. It outlines your strategies and tactics to reach your target audience, promote your products, and ultimately drive sales. Here’s how you can create a comprehensive marketing plan: 1. Define Your Marketing Objectives

Start by identifying what you want to achieve with your marketing efforts. This could be increasing brand awareness, reaching a new audience segment, boosting book sales, or attracting high-quality authors. Make sure these objectives align with your overall business goals. 2. Identify Your Target Audience

Use the information from your market research to define your target audience. Include demographic information like age, gender, education level, and psychographic details such as interests, values, and reading habits. 3. Understand Your Competition

Analyze your competitors’ marketing strategies. What are they doing well? Where are there gaps that your company can fill? This understanding can help shape your marketing approach. 4. Position Your Brand

Define your unique selling proposition (USP) – what sets your publishing company apart. This could be the type of books you publish, the authors you work with, your editorial standards, or your innovative marketing techniques. 5. Choose Your Marketing Channels

Determine which marketing channels will be most effective for reaching your target audience. This might include social media, email marketing, content marketing (blogs, podcasts, videos), public relations, events, and advertising. Consider both online and offline channels. 6. Develop Your Promotional Strategy

Outline your tactics to promote your books and engage your audience. This could include book launch events, author interviews, book signings, giveaways, social media campaigns, email newsletters, and more. 7. Set Your Marketing Budget

Determine how much you’re willing to spend on marketing activities. Remember to factor in website development, advertising, event hosting, and content creation costs. 8. Measure Your Success

Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your marketing efforts. These might include the number of books sold, website traffic, social media engagement, email open rates, or event attendance. 9. Plan for Adjustments

Marketing is an iterative process. Be prepared to adjust your strategies based on the results you’re seeing. Keep track of what works and doesn’t, and be flexible. Remember, your marketing plan isn’t set in stone. It should evolve as your business grows, your audience changes and new marketing trends emerge. Regularly review and update your plan to ensure it remains effective and aligned with your business goals.

Provide projected sales, costs, profit margins, and funding requirements. Analyze expected revenues and expenses. This will demonstrate the viability and profitability of your publishing company.

Introduce your experienced leadership team and their qualifications. This gives investors confidence in your ability to execute your plan. This step-by-step guide will help you create a rock-solid business plan tailored specifically for a publishing startup. With clear goals, thorough market research, and financial planning, you’ll be poised for success.

Crafting the Executive Summary for Your Publishing Company’s Business Plan

The executive summary is one of the most critical parts of a business plan. It provides a high-level overview of your publishing company and business proposal as an introduction for potential investors and partners. Here are some tips for crafting an impactful executive summary:

Briefly explain what your publishing company does, your target audience and market, and your competitive advantage. This helps readers quickly understand your business model and value proposition.

Include key financial projections and metrics like expected revenues, profit margins, break-even point, and return on investment. These numbers showcase the money-making potential of your publishing company.

Outline your short-term and long-term goals and how you plan to achieve them through your publishing initiatives and content. This demonstrates strategic thinking and planning.

The executive summary should be about 1-2 pages at most. Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary details. Focus on grabbing attention and interest.

Briefly summarize your team’s skills, experience, and expertise to showcase why you are the right people to lead this publishing company.

End your executive summary with a call to action, inviting readers to further discuss investment opportunities or partnership potential. This compels them to engage further.

With these tips, you can craft an executive summary that piques interest in your full business plan. Remember to make it skimmable, focused, and persuasive. This summary could make or break whether potential investors dig deeper, so perfect it!

Financial Projections and Analysis for Your Publishing Company’s Business Plan

Creating accurate financial projections is critical to any publishing company’s business plan. These projections allow you to forecast expenses, sales, and profitability over the next several years. While financial projections require some guesswork, they should be based on thorough market research and realistic assumptions.

Every business plan should include the following core financial statements:

• Income statement – Projects your revenue and expenses, allowing you to calculate net profit.
• Balance sheet – Provides a snapshot of your assets, liabilities, and equity.
• Cash flow statement – Helps determine your publishing company’s cash inflows and outflows.

Once you’ve prepared these statements, the next step is to analyze the data to assess your company’s financial viability. Here are some key aspects to evaluate:

• Profitability – Examine your net profit margin to determine the profitability of your publishing company.
• Liquidity – Assess your cash flow and current ratio to measure your company’s ability to pay debts.
• Leverage – Calculate financial leverage ratios to determine how your company finances its operations.
• Operating efficiency – Use activity ratios to evaluate how well your company utilizes its assets.

Conducting this financial analysis will provide invaluable insight into the economic feasibility of your publishing business. It enables you to identify potential issues and adjust your projections as needed.

When including your financial statements in the business plan, summarize the key points in the main document and provide the full projections as appendices. Use charts, graphs, and tables to present the financial data in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format.

Well-prepared financial projections are hugely important for attracting investors to your publishing startup. Master this complex but essential aspect of the business planning process.

Editing and Proofreading Your Business Plan

Thorough editing and proofreading are crucial when creating a business plan for a publishing company. This is because your business plan is more than just an internal document—it’s a tool to persuade investors, partners, and other stakeholders that your publishing company is a viable investment. Here are some reasons why meticulous editing and proofreading are essential:

A well-edited business plan reflects professionalism and attention to detail. It shows that you take your business seriously and are committed to excellence in all work areas. Remember, first impressions matter. Your business plan may be the first interaction a potential investor or partner has with your company. Any errors or inconsistencies can create a negative impression.

Editing ensures that your ideas are communicated clearly and effectively. It helps you eliminate unnecessary information, clarify complex concepts, and structure your content logically. A clear, concise business plan is easier to read and understand, which increases its persuasive power.

Proofreading helps you catch and correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors. Even small mistakes can undermine the credibility of your business plan. They can also lead to misunderstandings or confusion about key details, such as financial projections or marketing strategies.

Consistent terminology, tone, and style create a cohesive, professional-looking business plan. They make your document easier to read and understand and reinforce your brand identity.

Ultimately, your business plan must convince readers that your publishing company is a good investment. Effective editing and proofreading help you build a compelling case by ensuring your arguments are clear, your evidence is accurate, and your language is persuasive. In conclusion, thorough editing and proofreading are vital steps in creating a business plan for a publishing company. By dedicating time and attention to these tasks, you can enhance the clarity, accuracy, consistency, and persuasiveness of your business plan, increasing your chances of securing investment and achieving your business goals.

In this post, we’ve covered a lot of ground on mastering the art of creating a business plan for a publishing company. Let’s recap some of the key takeaways:

A solid business plan is essential for any publishing company looking to succeed. It helps you clarify your vision, objectives, and strategies. A good business plan is your roadmap to profitability and growth. Remember, even the largest publishers in the world were once a small start-up.

When crafting your business plan, conduct thorough market research, analyze the competition, set realistic goals, and project financials. The executive summary should capture the essence of your business plan and excite investors.

Creating financial projections will demonstrate the viability of your publishing company. Include key statements like your income, balance, and cash flow statements.

With your clear business strategy in a well-written plan, you can secure funding, hire the right talent, and effectively market your books to the right readers.

Don’t let the business plan writing process intimidate you. Please start with the essential components we outlined, do your research, and get feedback from mentors. The hard work you put into your business plan will pay off tremendously.

Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight. Stay committed to your goals and keep moving forward one step at a time. With focus and perseverance, you can master the art of business planning and make your publishing company dreams a reality.

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Home / Book Publishing / How to Start a Publishing Company: 2024 Guide

How to Start a Publishing Company: 2024 Guide

You can start your own publishing company with these simple steps:

• Develop a business structure (usually an LLC)
• Choose the name and location for your company
• Register your business
• Obtain your EIN and set up a business banking account

Want more detail? Keep reading. This article is detailed, informative, and easy to comprehend — even for someone who was as legally inept as I used to be.

• If you should set up a publishing company
• The benefits of setting up a publishing company
• How to set up a publishing company

Table of contents

• What does a publishing company do?
• Should you start a publishing company?
• Benefits of Starting Your Own Publishing Company
• When should you start a publishing company? 
• 6 Steps for Starting a Book Publishing Company
• Setting up a Publishing Company with MyCompanyWorks
• WCU’s Publishing MA Program
• And don’t forget to check out my podcast where I spoke with my lawyer about publishing business structure.

A publishing company sells and distributes books (and magazines, newspapers, digital content, etc.) They may contribute to the editing process to ensure their published content is up to snuff. The publishing company decides what kind of marketing (and where to advertise) will best help sell their books.

Starting your own book publishing company is a crucial step in boosting your author brand, selling other people's books, or protecting yourself and your assets.

For many people, establishing your own company can be confusing, tedious, and downright painful. To be honest, it’s a lot of work.

Thankfully, this step-by-step guide will help you determine if you should start a publishing company and show you how to achieve such a daunting task.

Let me make 2 disclaimers:

• Although I have a lot of experience setting up LLCs, including my own book publishing company, I am by no means a lawyer or CPA and cannot speak on their behalf. If you have any questions, it is best to seek legal advice before moving on. This article does not constitute legal advice and should not substitute for the advice of an attorney.
• Some of the paperwork and legal steps listed in this article are pertinent to the US only. Each country will have its own laws for setting up such things. Many of the steps and recommendations below will be relevant to your startup, no matter which country you’re in.

There are 3 primary reasons to start a publishing company:

• Financial protection

Of course, there are many reasons to start a publishing company, but these are the big three. For example, if you want to publish other people’s books, you can do that without an LLC. But if you do establish an LLC, you are protected and legitimate.

With today’s publishing platforms, you don’t have to start a publishing business to publish your own work or even other people’s stories.

However, starting a publishing company has several advantages. Here’s a more detailed list of reasons you may want to establish your own publishing business:

• Conveys professionalism and expertise
• Protects yourself, your work, and your personal assets in case of a lawsuit
• Manages of your intellectual property
• Allows for certain tax write-offs
• Maintains control over your work
• Gives you access to more than one Amazon KDP account
• Shifts your mindset from a hobby writer to a business owner
• Fulfills your dream of being The Boss/CEO/Founder of your own publishing company
• Establishes a legal entity to contract co-writing and licensing properly
• Facilitates future opportunities to publish books by other authors

How do publishing companies make money? Publishing companies make money by taking in book sales, minus the royalties they pay out to authors and other artists. Royalties are 100% negotiable.

There are 6 excellent benefits to starting your own publishing company:

• Tax benefits, write-offs, and more
• Liability protection
• Increased credibility
• Ability to expand your brand
• Double the number of KDP accounts
• Co-writing and licensing

Of course, I could go on and on about the benefits — like being your own boss. But I’ll just take you through the main benefits, then along to the step-by-step process.

1. Tax Benefits, Write-Offs, & Wealth Building

Yes, there are tax benefits to having your own book publishing company. When April 15th approaches, you can write off a surprising number of business expenses.

A company helps you differentiate between your personal income and business income. All those business write-offs may save you a lot of money during tax season.

If you have your own company, I recommend getting a tax accountant (the fee for whom is a tax-deductible expense) to help prepare your taxes. During the year, an accountant can help you make the best choice in certain situations to take full advantage of the tax code.

The most common tax-deductible business expenses:

• Salaries, wages, and contract labor
• Most insurance policies
• Vehicle expenses
• Office internet
• Supplies and office expenses
• Business meals
• Advertising and marketing
• Accounting fees
• Interest on the business-related debt
• Conferences
• Rented office space
• Home office
• Property purchased for business use
• Depreciation on that property

Saving money on taxes isn’t just about short-term gain. The benefits of establishing a publishing company allow you to see this business as an opportunity to build wealth and plan for retirement.

2. Liability Protection

Starting your own publishing company gives you a certain level of liability protection. If someone sues you for writing-related reasons and you have an LLC, they cannot attack your personal assets — only the company’s assets. There are some cases of copyright infringement though, where the author would be held liable for their actions, but in total there is much more protection for such things.

If you don’t have a company and your book, product, or service gets sued, then your personal finances and a public record will be absolute fair game.

Although it’s rare, lawsuits happen.

Vocabulary time: LLC stands for Limited Liability Company.

Ask me about my own experience getting sued. It was a false claim from a competitor looking to knock my book off the shelf. The world is full of jerks who are willing to lie and cheat the system (shocking, I know).

Starting a company gives you legal liability protection and distinguishes between the business’s finances and your personal finances. The courts, or collection agencies, would not be allowed to come after you — only your company’s assets.

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3. Increased Credibility

When you start your own publishing company, it gives you increased credibility. Even though self-published authors are legitimate, having your own LLC sounds more legit and offers you and collaborators more legal protection.

Sharing that you’re a self-published author can be intimidating — you might have a fear that others will hear that you self publish and assume you couldn’t get published by a “real agency.” 

But sharing that you have your own publishing company, through which you publish your books, gives you a sense of legitimacy.

Credibility isn’t just important for your sense of accomplishment, though. Collaborators, authors, and business partners may also be more likely to work with an established publishing company.

4. Ability to Expand Your Brand

Starting your own publishing business improves your ability to expand your author brand .

Author branding is convincing someone to read your book over anyone else’s. This involves establishing credibility, proving your creativity, and maintaining a professional image that doesn’t distract from those books you worked so hard on.

This process is related to book positioning: convincing someone that your book is right for them. Good author branding makes book positioning easier and vice-versa.

Also, having a publishing company can make it easier to collaborate with other authors . Each author has access to each other’s audiences, expanding both author brands.

Having a publishing company not only adds legitimacy to your career but also allows you to maintain control over your book marketing and lets you expand your author brand in so many other little ways.

5. Double the Number of KDP Accounts

Another added benefit to starting a publishing company is that you’ll be able to create another Amazon KDP account and remain within your rights.

Amazon's Terms Of Service (TOS) state that an author can only have one KDP account.

However, the cool part of owning your own publishing company is that your company would have its own EIN and bank account, which allows it to open its own KDP account within the TOS of Amazon.

So the first account is your personal account, and the second one is the company’s publishing account. Two accounts come with the added benefit of increased author pages through Author Central, and therefore more exposure and the use of more pen names .

6. Co-writing & Licensing

Starting your own publishing company lets you co-write with another person or license another individual’s work while maintaining legal protection, liability protection, and legitimacy.

Going through a publishing company is the preferred method of contracting with others to bind with legitimate operating agreements legally. So it’s good to have your own company.

Having a publishing business becomes your platform for licensing and contracting future opportunities, such as co-writing or publishing someone else’s work.

Keep this in mind for later when we discuss naming your company .

You should start a publishing company if you have over $2,000 in book sales, want to protect your personal assets, want to publish other people’s books, and/or want to take full advantage of the US tax code.

I'll be real with you — not everyone should do this.

If you're just starting off or still see writing as a side gig or a hobby, then don't add the extra steps of starting a company to your already-busy schedule. Instead, focus on writing your book and nailing your marketing.

If you meet any one of the below requirements, I recommend you create a publishing company:

• You make more than $2,000 a month in book sales.
• You write in technical areas or health areas that could put you at risk of legal action.
• You want to publish other people's books.
• You're selling more than just books, such as courses, physical products, etc.
• You're an American citizen, but you live outside of the US and want a base of operations.

If you don’t meet any of these requirements, I recommend not starting your own publishing company.

So you've decided this is what you want to do. Now it’s time to actually start your own business!

Here is a step-by-step guide for starting a book publishing company:

• Evaluate your business goals.
• Develop a business structure.
• Choose a name for your business.
• Choose a location.
• Make it official.
• Grow your team.

That gives you a good idea of what to expect, but let’s dive into the nitty-gritty. I’ll detail each of these 6 steps below.

Step 1 : Evaluate Your Business Goals

The first step in starting your own publishing company is to evaluate your business goals. You need to figure out what your business’s point is — a business plan, of sorts.

A lot of you reading this want to publish your own books through your own publishing company. That’s great. You evaluated your business goals. But go beyond that. Write down a list of goals you can reach for.

For many of us, the goal is to provide extra legal protection and tax breaks.

For some, the goal is to encourage author collaboration or co-author ventures.

It’s smart to estimate what kind of income you plan on bringing in. This helps you plan ahead and lets you compare end-of-year income to expected income.

Ultimately, where do you see your publishing company headed in the next 5-10 years? It’s nice to have business goals set in place so you can aim for specific goals.

Step 2 : Develop a Business Structure 

Before you can start creating your own ebook or book company, you need to decide which type of business structure you would like to make.

There are many different types of businesses. Each has its own pros and cons.

• Corporation : A corporation is a group authorized to manage the company as a single entity. This includes stockholders, a board of directors, officers, company bylaws, etc. Establishing a corporation (S-Corp or C-Corp) requires a great deal more formalities and paperwork than the other items on this list.
• Sole proprietorship : This is a business owned and operated by a single person under their personal Social Security number rather than an EIN (Employer Identification Number). This is the simplest business form, though not the safest. The individual is personally liable in lawsuits. It’s wiser to get the liability protection of an LLC.
• Partnership : This is when multiple people (or entities) officially agree to manage/operate a business together. 
• Limited Liability Company : A Limited Liability Company (LLC) protects assets like a corporation, but with the pass-through tax benefits of a partnership or sole proprietorship.

Most self-publishers end up creating a Sole Proprietorship or an LLC. Here’s a great article that discusses in more depth the difference between a Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC .

In the end, the Limited Liability Company (LLC) is the best one for most book publishers.

An LLC is more flexible in how profit distribution and ownership are organized. It combines the features of a corporation and a sole proprietorship.

A corporation is a lot more rigid in its rules of operation than an LLC.

The controlling document in an LLC is called the “operating agreement.” You may write up this agreement in a myriad of different ways to suit your needs.

For example, your operating agreement may be where you create rules for how money comes in and goes out or for “successor members” (anyone who takes over after you).

An LLC has another benefit: It allows you to tax it as a Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or S-Corporation. Basically, an LLC is the best of all worlds and fits nicely in the self-publishing business structure.

Chances are, your favorite authors or bloggers often use an LLC to protect their brand and business.

Before you decide which is best for you, do some additional research on each.

To find out more about each type, you can check out the IRS’s resource page on business structure .

Should I set up an S corporation?

Yes, you should set up an S corporation. In other words, you should charter an LLC, then file paperwork that tells the IRS to treat your LLC as an S corporation.

• Business charter — A corporation and a Limited Liability Company (LLC) are business charters issued by state governments and may have state income tax implications.
• Tax election — Subchapter S or an S Corp tax election is paperwork you file with the IRS for the unique tax treatment of a corporation or an LLC.

A business charter and tax election are tools to protect and preserve the wealth you create from your writing. The takeaway is that the S-Corp election would be something you do after you charter your company.

Authors should elect to have their LLC treated as an S Corporation. This is part of a broader tax optimization strategy and wealth creation. Instead of your company paying income tax, the company’s net income passes on to its shareholders to claim it on their personal taxes.

Yet you are still provided with liability protection.

Step 3 : Choose a Name for Your Business

It’s critical to choose a good name for your business that clearly says what you’re about, doesn’t potentially confuse your audience, and isn’t already trademarked or used in your area.

You may consider using your name or your genre, like “Chesson Publications” or “Space Pants Press.” It is a good idea to have backup names ready in case your first choice is not available.

There are 3 things to consider before choosing your business name:

• Make sure it’s not trademarked by anyone.
• Check that it’s not already used by someone in your state if you’re in the U.S.
• Do not use the words “corporation” or “inc.” unless you set up your business as a corporation.

If you’re setting up a Sole Proprietorship, you’ll likely file a DBA (doing business as), also called a “trade name registration” or “fictitious name.”

The good news is that the name availability is state-specific. This means that even though a company called “Intergalactic Press” is registered in New York, you can still use the name if it hasn’t been registered in the state you use to file.

How do you check if your company name is taken? Check to see if your company name is taken by going to your respective state’s name search, by typing “Secretary of State business name search (Name of the selected state)” into Google.

The desired website is often the first result. Start hunting to see if your potential business name is available.

Step 4 : Choose A Location

In setting up the business, you're going to need to choose the State you set up the company in and the actual place of business.

The State of the Business

States issue articles of organization for LLCs (articles of incorporation in the case of a corporation). The first step in location selection is the state of the organization.

For those thrifty business people looking for tax breaks or lower annual registration costs, you may have heard about incorporating in states like Wyoming and Nevada .

A word of caution: The state where you reside and do most of your work expects to be paid income tax . If you live and work in California, setting up an LLC in Nevada doesn’t get you out of California’s income tax.

In fact, doing an out-of-state charter can cost you more money as most states need you to register “foreign entities” to legally do business in the state. Some states are more lenient than others.

Remember, the primary purpose of setting up an LLC is to have the legal separation and protections that come with it. Don’t blow that by not having the appropriate registrations in the state you actually live/work in.

Place of Business

Now that you know your business state, you need a physical place of business where work actually happens.

When setting up an LLC, many self-publishers will make their personal home their place of business since they need a physical place of business. However, this may cause problems down the road.

The address of your business has to be a physical location where legal documents can be served. If you list your home as your place of business, your private information will become public.

In some states, while the owner’s name will be confidential, there must be a registered agent on the public record. You can be your own registered agent in most states, but your own name will be on public record along with your address.

Don’t list your personal home address as your place of business. Do the following instead:

• Rent a Physical Location: Renting a physical location may be nice if you actually need to go somewhere to do your work — for example, if your personal home is a distraction. I don't need to explain that renting is very costly and not a viable option for most of us.
• Get a UPS Mailbox: Most states do not allow you to put a P.O. Box number on the application. Luckily, you can get a UPS mailbox number that looks like a regular address. By choosing this option, you will need to show up in person to set up the mailbox. Once you set up your mailbox, you can have them forward your mail to your real address.
• Use A Registered Agent: Just about every state has registered agents that will act as your office for you. There is a fee associated with this, but it usually includes setting up your LLC as part of the service. This will eliminate your name as the registered agent being on the public record.
• Set up a Virtual Office: Personally, virtual offices are my favorite option. They’re professional offices that give you a specific mailing address, collect your mail, forward it to you, and can be your Registered Agent (an extra level of personal protection). Furthermore, most virtual offices will give you a 1-800 number and record and send your voicemail to you electronically. This option is excellent for those who travel or reside in a state with extraordinarily high business tax rates. You can set it up from your home in a different state or from a foreign country — such as Sri Lanka, as I did.

Step 5 : Make It Official 

Now that you’ve identified your business goals, business structure, business name, and business location, it’s time to make this official!

Below are 7 quick steps to making your new business official:

• Register your business.
• Obtain your Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• Set up a business bank account.
• Set up an accounting system.
• Register your domain name.
• Create a publisher's KDP account on Amazon.
• Schedule an annual business meeting and take minutes.

1. Register your business.

You have 2 main options on how to register your business:

• Do all the required registration and paperwork yourself . Each state has different requirements, so I can’t walk you through those specific steps.
• Or keep it simple and use the services like My Company Works or GovDocFiling to get your publishing company started fast and make sure it’s done right.

And just like that, you could be a President/Owner/Founder of your very own small business!

How much does it cost to start a publishing company? Costs to start a publishing company vary from state to state. Generally speaking, the lowest fees are $50, and the highest is $800. There are usually annual fees due each year. If you plan to use a registered agent, then expect additional fees for those services. Most authors see somewhere from $200-$500 a year in fees.

Some authors need to maintain extra levels of confidentiality — perhaps because of the genre they write in or their personal preference.

Certain states like Wyoming keep member information confidential. Only the registered agent is public, so you could set up a company there and use a registered agent.

In some cases, you may need to create two LLCs to form a legal barrier between you and the public. This doubles the cost of starting a business, but it might be necessary to give you the confidentiality you desire.

Now that you've become an official business in the eyes of the government, it's time to take specific actions to ensure you're a legitimate business. You need to do certain things to get the most out of your publishing company and ensure its legitimacy.

2. Obtain your EIN.

An Employee Identification Number (EIN) is used to identify a business entity. Also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, an EIN is a 9-digit number that the IRS uses during tax season.

Upon registering your business, you'll get an EIN — like a Social Security number for businesses. When you have an EIN, ensure the documentation for any accounts that you've set up are associated with this number.

3. Set up a business bank account.

To keep your personal income and the business’s financials separate, you need to have a business bank account. Separation of personal funds from business funds is essential.

You may set up an account with a traditional brick and mortar bank or an alternative online banking service like PayPal.

4. Set up an accounting system.

Whether you hired a professional accountant or are keeping detailed Google Sheets, you have to keep track of your financials from the very beginning. And it has to be perfect. All those I’s dotted and those T’s crossed.

Two popular options for accounting software include Quickbooks and Wave Financial . 

5. Register your domain name.

People need to be able to Google your business. You don’t want those leads to go to waste. That’s the main reason you need to register your domain name — a URL.

A professional author website is the best way to tell people about your business and your books.

Official social media accounts also help like Instagram , LinkedIn, Facebook , etc.

6. Create a publisher's KDP account on Amazon.

If you've published books before on your own personal account and you want them to be in the business' account, then you need to do one of two things:

• Change your personal account to the business' by changing the necessary information in your settings to reflect the company (address, EIN, etc.).
• Make a new KDP account and move your books to it.

As per Amazon's TOS, a person is not allowed to have 2 accounts. But don't worry. You have an account, and your business has an account. Those are 2 accounts you control, which is still in compliance with Amazon’s TOS.

7. Schedule an annual business meeting and take minutes.

If you're an LLC or Corporation, you must have at least 1 annual business meeting a year and ensure you document it and place it as your minutes.

Without this, your legitimacy as a company wanes.

For example, my wife and I will schedule a dinner once a year on the company's dime, have a business meeting, and take detailed minutes.

8. Publish a book.

This is the whole reason for a publishing company! Imagine how sweet it will be when you publish that first book.

Whether it’s a children’s book , a biography , a mystery , a short story , an ebook only, or print-on-demand, you’re now a part of the publishing industry.

You need to purchase an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) for each work to sell books. An ISBN is an internationally-recognized 13-digit number that is supposed to simplify sales and distribution. Bowker is the official ISBN agency for the US and Australia.

Step 6 : Grow Your Team

You're now a full-fledged publishing company! With your business made official, it's time to grow your team. (If you intend to be the sole employee of the company or the only author represented by the company, then you’ve already finished the last step.)

Who do you need on your team? Here are some possibilities for expanding your publishing company beyond just yourself:

• A dedicated accountant
• Other authors you can now publish
• Freelancers for cover art , formatting, editing , web design, etc.
• Marketing or social media specialists to maintain your online presence

Look for authors whose works you’re interested in publishing. You can even split royalty through your new, legitimate publishing house.

If your newly minted publishing company manages co-authored projects, you'll have an extra challenge ahead of you.

Calculating royalties and dividends owed can be a hassle — especially if those need to be split up in any way. However, the good folks over at Draft2Digital have created a solution for that exact situation.

While PublishDrive led this charge with PublishDrive Abacus , Draft2Digital is our choice for book distributors, and they also have this revolutionary program in the publishing world. You can read their announcement here .

This program allows the authors to:

• Calculate royalties between co-authors
• Provide each contributor with detailed reports
• And streamline the entire accounting process

This program is geared entirely towards publishing groups that publish on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

In order to be part of the royalty split program, your books do have to be enrolled on Draft2Digital, even for platforms like Amazon. But the headache it saves you could easily be worth the cost of the commission D2D takes.

See also our review of Draft2Digital .

If going through all the steps above to form your publishing company sounds like a lot of work, you can significantly simplify the process (for an added fee, of course) with a company like MyCompanyWorks , which is a business that helps you set up your own business.

While MyCompanyWorks doesn't take all the work out of the process (you'll still have to do things like visit your bank to set up a business bank account), it does make the process a lot easier.

Here is a brief walkthrough to get started:

From the homepage, you can hover over Order Now then select Form an LLC .

Then you select the state the you want to register under, as well as the desired package.

MyCompanyWorks also has a lot of additional services, some of which are useful (like “Prepare S-Corporation Election”).

Next, you begin inputting your information. I won't screenshot everything here (because it's a lot), but it includes your contact info, your name for the LLC, the list of people that manage the company, and the information needed to get your Federal Employer Identification Number.

MyCompanyWorks walks you through the entire process easily, and before you know it, you'll have a business ready to go!

Resources For Setting Up a Publishing Company

Check out these fantastic resources for setting up your own publishing company. I personally use or have used most of these.

Setting up an LLC, Corporation, or Sole Proprietorship can feel daunting. If you're like me, then you probably conduct plenty of research before carrying out such a monumental task.

Before I jumped into setting up my LLCs, I did a bunch of research.

Get a Master’s degree in Publishing with this Publishing MA program.

If you're looking to create a legitimate company publishing many books and want to take yours to the next level, then perhaps a formal education in publishing is right for you.

Western Colorado University offers a full-fledged Publishing MA program , one of the only such programs to embrace indie publishing.

It is a 1-year program (from July to July) and only requires you to spend two weeks in the gorgeous Colorado mountains while the rest of the course is taught online.

It is equally balanced between traditional publishing and indie.

Students will engage in innovative projects, such as:

• Developing the concept for an anthology (which pays pro rates)
• Soliciting submissions
• Reading the slush pile and choosing the stories
• Issuing contracts
• Editing pieces
• Designing and producing a book and its cover
• Publishing that book
• Making a marketing plan

As the final project, students will select a public-domain classic, acquire the text, and work through every stage of producing and releasing the book via a mid-sized publisher (WordFire Press), which will list their name on the copyright page.

The program is run by the award-winning and legendary science fiction author, Kevin J. Anderson, who personally teaches all the courses. Kevin has 56 national or international bestsellers and 23 million copies in print in 30 languages.

His publishing company, WordFire Press, has released nearly 350 titles from 95 authors in ebook, trade paperback, hardcover, and audio. He is a highly qualified publishing professor.

If you are interested in taking this program, you need to act fast. The program fills up quickly every year, so don't delay!

More Info on Starting a Publishing Company

Need more info? Here are a few articles I found useful when I was doing my original research on starting my own publishing company:

• List of Resources for Setting Up a Publishing Company : This quick guide is great for the terminology and list of resources in each of the steps.
• How to Form an LLC by WSJ : Who better to give you more information than the Wall Street Journal in setting up your own company?
• 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Setting Up Your Corporation or LLC : What more can I say from that title than make sure you don't make any of these mistakes.
• Pat Flynn's Personal Details on Setting Up His LLC : Pat Flynn of SmartPassiveIncome.com does an excellent job explaining why and how he did his LLC setup.
• Nuts and Bolts: Nitty-Gritty Details, Incorporating, and Taxes : This one is my favorite.

Are you ready to start a publishing company?

With a few hundred dollars and some spare time, you are ready to start your own publishing company and establish legitimacy, legal liability protection, and valuable tax breaks.

Thanks to services on the Internet, it is easier than ever to set up your own book publishing LLC or Corporation.

Although annual costs persist each year, the benefits of starting your very own publishing company will quickly outweigh this.

Better taxes, increased personal security, and more publishing capabilities were the main reasons I started 3 different LLCs to support my entrepreneurial habits.

Now that you know how to start your very own publishing company , get started and become a book publisher today!

If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to ask me. Leave a comment below to tell me what you found most helpful.

But do remember that I am not a lawyer — just an experienced entrepreneur.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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Amazon advantage vs amazon seller central: sell your own print books, book idea validation mastery: is your book idea a bestseller, the 3 best courses on selling books direct to readers, sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

155 thoughts on “ How to Start a Publishing Company: 2024 Guide ”

Publishing companies often have a symbol for their company. Since they offer a service, this begs for trademarking the images used by the company.

Do you have suggested links or a blog piece on trademarking?

BTW: Good, solid content and suggested strategies on starting a publishing company. I appreciated your work; you are my “pathfinder!” =rds

Thank you for this information. I created an LLC for my coaching business and plan on publishing under the same LLC vs having two companies. That being said, my business isn’t structured as a publishing house. Will that be an issue?

It shouldn’t be.

I appreciate the wealth of knowledge in this article. I do have one question though.

If someone creates a new llc for their publishing company does that mean when creating the new kdp account we can avoid using our own name and instead only use the business name?

Dave, how do you move your books to a new KDP account? Wouldn’t you have to republish?

I’ve changed everything in my personal account to my business tax and business info, in the meantime, both on KDP, Smashwords, and D2D.

Is there a legal way to transfer ownership of books from ME to my business?

Yup – unpublish and republish. Although a cleaner way is to switch the current account info to the new account, keeping all your books there, like it sounds like you did. As for legal, I made mark in my LLC book that the ‘assets’ were transferred over to the company. (Again, not legal advice nor am I a lawyer).

Fantastic and valuable article. Thank you so much. I will definitely have to go to the LLC route. Thankfully, I have a bit of reading to do before I have to get busy with that.

I already have my company name, domain name, website, and logo, I just need to handle all the legalities of it.

Comments are closed.

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Home » business plan template » How to Start a Publishing Company

How to Start a Publishing Company

Updated 04/12/2020

There are plenty of reasons that you may be thinking about starting a publishing company — perhaps you yourself are an author, or perhaps you’d simply like to promote and market great content. Read on for essential advice on starting a publishing company.

With all of today’s mediums for reading and consuming written content, it’s no wonder that you might be considering starting a publishing company. Of course, you’ll first need to decide what exactly you’re interested in publishing — books? magazines? zines? and of what category? The choices are endless — maybe you love art and photo books, or poetry, or you’re interested in learning more about the e-book business. You probably already have an idea of this, but it’s important to know all of the details for your business plan — a document that will also detail your financing, company structure, growth plan, and many other factors. Fortunately, we’ve got a free business plan templates available for download.

In 2020, the global revenue of the book publishing industry is projected to reach around 123 billion USD, with the United States, China, and Germany as the industry’s leading markets. If you’re thinking of starting a publishing company, there’s really no better time !

Starting a Publishing Company

As we mentioned, there are loads of different kinds of material you may want to publish. Along with more evident markets like novels, contemporary non-fiction, art, etc., you also have considerable markets for textbooks, trade publications such as scientific journals, and even self-published material if you’re an author yourself. The best advice is to choose the market that you’re already passionate about — if you have special expertise in something, for example, it’s a good jumping-off point for the mainline of your publishing company.

You’ll have to decide whether your enterprise will be a sole proprietorship, an LLC, a partnership, or a corporation. Much of this will depend on factors such as whether you’ll be buying or renting property for a storefront or press for physical books versus operating online from home or a co-working space, for example. You’ll also need to consider if you’re starting a publishing company with partners or alone, and whether you’ll be taking out a substantial loan to start your business. For more information on this point, you can check out our articles on business structures and starting up in the  United States , the UK , and France .

Regardless of the structure you choose, you’ll need to register your business with your national tax authority, and of course, choose a name. Choosing an appropriate name for your publishing company is important in creating an initial brand contact for your publishing company and making yourself more eye-catching on the market.

When starting a publishing company, you’ll need to register for an ISBN, or International Standard Book Number. An ISBN is a 13-digit number attached to your publication that’s essential for identifying you as the official publisher of the book, as well as other information like the publication’s language. The price of an ISBN varies, and is also connected to how many titles you plan to publish; there’s a quota under each number, and once you hit this quota you’ll need to apply for another ISBN. You can find your regional ISBN agency in this directory . 

Get publishing !

The most exciting part of starting a publishing company is, of course, publishing your first work! Once you’ve decided upon what kind of material you’ll publish (and of course, conducted in-depth market research in order to make sure that you really know your market and what they’re looking for in their content!) you’ll need to decide upon a first work or a first few works that you’ll publish. You can put out a call for submissions, or perhaps you already have the material on hand. Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to calculate the costs of promoting the material, graphic design, printing it (how many copies, on what materials) or paying to make it available as an e-book, and paying the author.

Communicating with the Author

You’ll need to be in close communication with the author of the work for several reasons. The work will need to be proofread, edited, designed (layout, or mise en page ), either by yourself, an employee, or a freelancer, and you’ll also need to draw up a contract with the author. For this, as well as for other considerations, it’s always a good idea to have a reliable attorney to whom you can turn. The contract with the author should include clauses on intellectual property and ownership rights around the work, the author’s advance and royalties on sales, and the terms, rights, and requirements of the publication. Keep in mind that you’ll probably need to pay your author an advance on their work, and this should also be included in the contract. Make sure that the title of the work as well as its content has not been used and will not cause intellectual property conflict, and keep in mind that you’ll need to consider fact-checking if you decide to publish non-fiction work.

Carefully research the printing company that you intend to work with if you’re printing physical works. The quality of the objects you produce plays a significant part in whether customers are interested in buying your product, and the quality of the materials and the skill of your printer are important factors here. Especially if you’re publishing a magazine, you’ll want to establish a good relationship with your printer, as you’ll be there on a repetitive basis no matter how periodically you decide to publish. You’ll also need to get in contact with bookstores and online retailers who will be interested in selling your work, and you’ll need to take any potential commissions into account when you consider how much profit your endeavor stands to generate.

If you’d like to publish e-books, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is a fantastic option for authors and publishers around the world. Y ou can check out the easy process here , and have your work on the market within just a few days.

Marketing the work will be essential — no one will read it if they haven’t heard about it! Word of mouth is a wonderful tool for publishing companies, but you’ll need to make preliminary efforts to get the word out about your product. Take advantage of tools like social media, and consider making video interviews with your author and following any promotional tours or readings carefully. Making your potential audience feel connected to the work you’re publishing will be important to its success. And while you’re here, you can take a look at our Marketing and Communications sections for useful articles that will help you market your work’s way to booming success. 

Starting a publishing company, or any company really, is not for the faint of heart. However, having the ability to promote and sell great material, all while creating a growing business, is an exceptionally rewarding endeavor. With the numerous options and business schemes available to publishers in 2018, it’s a fantastic time to get involved.

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Publishing Company Business Plan Template

Explore Options to Get a Business Plan.

Are you interested in starting your own publishing company Business?

Choosing a Business Name

Finding investment, licensing and regulations, resources and staffing, marketing strategies, setting up technology infrastructure, financial management, setting up distribution channels, risk management, strategies for growth.

Why write a business plan?

• Business Plans can help to articulate and flesh out the business’s goals and objectives. This can be beneficial not only for the business owner, but also for potential investors or partners
• Business Plans can serve as a roadmap for the business, helping to keep it on track and on target. This is especially important for businesses that are growing and evolving, as it can be easy to get sidetracked without a clear plan in place.
• Business plans can be a valuable tool for communicating the business’s vision to employees, customers, and other key stakeholders.
• Business plans are one of the most affordable and straightforward ways of ensuring your business is successful.
• Business plans allow you to understand your competition better to critically analyze your unique business proposition and differentiate yourself from the market.
• Business Plans allow you to better understand your customer. Conducting a customer analysis is essential to create better products and services and market more effectively.
• Business Plans allow you to determine the financial needs of the business leading to a better understanding of how much capital is needed to start the business and how much fundraising is needed.
• Business Plans allow you to put your business model in words and analyze it further to improve revenues or fill the holes in your strategy.
• Business plans allow you to attract investors and partners into the business as they can read an explanation about the business.
• Business plans allow you to position your brand by understanding your company’s role in the marketplace.
• Business Plans allow you to uncover new opportunities by undergoing the process of brainstorming while drafting your business plan which allows you to see your business in a new light. This allows you to come up with new ideas for products/services, business and marketing strategies.
• Business Plans allow you to access the growth and success of your business by comparing actual operational results versus the forecasts and assumptions in your business plan. This allows you to update your business plan to a business growth plan and ensure the long-term success and survival of your business.

Business Plan Content

• Executive Summary
• Company Overview
• Industry Analysis
• Consumer Analysis
• Competitor Analysis & Advantages
• Marketing Strategies & Plan
• Plan of Action
• Management Team

The financial forecast template is an extensive Microsoft Excel sheet with Sheets on Required Start-up Capital, Salary & Wage Plans, 5-year Income Statement, 5-year Cash-Flow Statement, 5-Year Balance Sheet, 5-Year Financial Highlights and other accounting statements that would cost in excess of £1000 if obtained by an accountant.

The financial forecast has been excluded from the business plan template. If you’d like to receive the financial forecast template for your start-up, please contact us at [email protected] . Our consultants will be happy to discuss your business plan and provide you with the financial forecast template to accompany your business plan.

Instructions for the Business Plan Template

To complete your perfect publishing company business plan, fill out the form below and download our publishing company business plan template. The template is a word document that can be edited to include information about your publishing company business. The document contains instructions to complete the business plan and will go over all sections of the plan. Instructions are given in the document in red font and some tips are also included in blue font. The free template includes all sections excluding the financial forecast. If you need any additional help with drafting your business plan from our business plan template, please set up a complimentary 30-minute consultation with one of our consultants.

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Publishing Company Business Plan Template FAQs

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10 Free Business Plan Templates in Word, Excel, & ClickUp

Praburam Srinivasan

Growth Marketing Manager

February 13, 2024

Turning your vision into a clear and coherent business plan can be confusing and tough. 

Hours of brainstorming and facing an intimidating blank page can raise more questions than answers. Are you covering everything? What should go where? How do you keep each section thorough but brief?

If these questions have kept you up at night and slowed your progress, know you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve put together the top 10 business plan templates in Word, Excel, and ClickUp—to provide answers, clarity, and a structured framework to work with. This way, you’re sure to capture all the relevant information without wasting time. 

And the best part? Business planning becomes a little less “ugh!” and a lot more “aha!” 🤩

What is a Business Plan Template?

What makes a good business plan template, 1. clickup business plan template, 2. clickup sales plan template, 3. clickup business development action plan template, 4. clickup business roadmap template, 5. clickup business continuity plan template, 6. clickup lean business plan template, 7. clickup small business action plan template, 8. clickup strategic business roadmap template , 9. microsoft word business plan template by microsoft, 10. excel business plan template by vertex42.

A business plan template is a structured framework for entrepreneurs and business executives who want to create business plans. It comes with pre-arranged sections and headings that cover key elements like the executive summary , business overview, target customers, unique value proposition, marketing plans, and financial statements.  

A good business plan template helps with thorough planning, clear documentation, and practical implementation. Here’s what to look for:

• Comprehensive structure: A good template comes with all the relevant sections to outline a business strategy, such as executive summary, market research and analysis, and financial projections 
• Clarity and guidance: A good template is easy to follow. It has brief instructions or prompts for each section, guiding you to think deeply about your business and ensuring you don’t skip important details
• Clean design: Aesthetics matter. Choose a template that’s not just functional but also professionally designed. This ensures your plan is presentable to stakeholders, partners, and potential investors
• Flexibility : Your template should easily accommodate changes without hassle, like adding or removing sections, changing content and style, and rearranging parts 🛠️ 

While a template provides the structure, it’s the information you feed it that brings it to life. These pointers will help you pick a template that aligns with your business needs and clearly showcases your vision.

10 Business Plan Templates to Use in 2024

Preparing for business success in 2024 (and beyond) requires a comprehensive and organized business plan. We’ve handpicked the best templates to help you guide your team, attract investors, and secure funding. Let’s check them out.

If you’re looking to replace a traditional business plan document, then ClickUp’s Business Plan Template is for you!

This one-page business plan template, designed in ClickUp Docs , is neatly broken down into the following sections:

• Company description : Overview, mission, vision, and team
• Market analysis : Problem, solution, target market, competition, and competitive advantage
• Sales and marketing strategy : Products/services and marketing channels
• Operational plan : Location and facilities, equipment and tools, manpower, and financial forecasts
• Milestones and metrics: Targets and KPIs

Customize the template with your company logo and contact details, and easily navigate to different sections using the collapsible table of contents. The mini prompts under each section guide you on what to include—with suggestions on how to present the data (e.g., bullet lists, pictures, charts, and tables). 

You can share the document with anyone via URL and collaborate in real time. And when the business plan is ready, you have the option to print it or export it to PDF, HTML, or Markdown.

But that’s not all. This template is equipped with basic and enterprise project management features to streamline the business plan creation process . The Topics List view has a list of all the different sections and subsections of the template and allows you to assign it to a team member, set a due date, and attach relevant documents and references.

Switch from List to Board view to track and update task statuses according to the following: To Do, In Progress, Needs Revision, and Complete. 

This template is a comprehensive toolkit for documenting the different sections of your business plan and streamlining the creation process to ensure it’s completed on time. 🗓️

If you’re looking for a tool to kickstart or update your sales plan, ClickUp’s Sales Plan Template has got you covered. This sales plan template features a project summary list with tasks to help you craft a comprehensive and effective sales strategy. Some of these tasks include:

• Determine sales objectives and goals
• Draft positioning statement
• Perform competitive analysis
• Draft ideal customer persona
• Create a lead generation strategy

Assign each task to a specific individual or team, set priority levels , and add due dates. Specify what section of the sales plan each task belongs to (e.g., executive summary, revenue goals, team structure, etc.), deliverable type (such as document, task, or meeting), and approval state (like pending, needs revisions, and approved).

And in ClickUp style, you can switch to multiple views: List for a list of all tasks, Board for visual task management, Timeline for an overview of task durations, and Gantt to get a view of task dependencies. 

This simple business plan template is perfect for any type of business looking to create a winning sales strategy while clarifying team roles and keeping tasks organized. ✨

Thinking about scaling your business’s reach and operations but unsure where or how to start? It can be overwhelming, no doubt—you need a clear vision, measurable goals, and an actionable plan that every member of your team can rally behind. 

Thankfully, ClickUp’s Business Development Action Plan Template is designed to use automations to simplify this process so every step toward your business growth is clear, trackable, and actionable.

Start by assessing your current situation and deciding on your main growth goal. Are you aiming to increase revenue, tap into new markets, or introduce new products or services? With ClickUp Whiteboards or Docs, brainstorm and collaborate with your team on this decision.

Set and track your short- and long-term growth goals with ClickUp’s Goals , break them down into smaller targets, and assign these targets to team members, complete with due dates. Add these targets to a new ClickUp Dashboard to track real-time progress and celebrate small wins. 🎉

Whether you’re a startup or small business owner looking to hit your next major milestone or an established business exploring new avenues, this template keeps your team aligned, engaged, and informed every step of the way.

ClickUp’s Business Roadmap Template is your go-to for mapping out major strategies and initiatives in areas like revenue growth, brand awareness, community engagement, and customer satisfaction. 

Use the List view to populate tasks under each initiative. With Custom Fields, you can capture which business category (e.g., Product, Operations, Sales & Marketing, etc.) tasks fall under and which quarter they’re slated for. You can also link to relevant documents and resources and evaluate tasks by effort and impact to ensure the most critical tasks get the attention they deserve. 👀

Depending on your focus, this template provides different views to show just what you need. For example, the All Initiatives per Quarter view lets you focus on what’s ahead by seeing tasks that need completion within a specific quarter. This ensures timely execution and helps in aligning resources effectively for the short term.

This template is ideal for business executives and management teams who need to coordinate multiple short- and long-term initiatives and business strategies.

In business, unexpected threats to operations can arise at any moment. Whether it’s economic turbulence, a global health crisis, or supply chain interruptions, every company needs to be ready. ClickUp’s Business Continuity Plan Template lets you prepare proactively for these unforeseen challenges.

The template organizes tasks into three main categories:

• Priorities: Tasks that need immediate attention
• Continuity coverage: Tasks that must continue despite challenges
• Guiding principles: Resources and protocols to ensure smooth operations

The Board view makes it easy to visualize all the tasks under each of these categories. And the Priorities List sorts tasks by those that are overdue, the upcoming ones, and then the ones due later.

In times of uncertainty, being prepared is your best strategy. This template helps your business not just survive but thrive in challenging situations, keeping your customers, employees, and investors satisfied. 🤝

Looking to execute your business plan the “lean” way? Use ClickUp’s Lean Business Plan Template . It’s designed to help you optimize resource usage and cut unnecessary steps—giving you better results with less effort.

In the Plan Summary List view, list all the tasks that need to get done. Add specific details like who’s doing each task, when it’s due, and which part of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) it falls under. The By Priority view sorts this list based on priorities like Urgent, High, Normal, and Low. This makes it easy to spot the most important tasks and tackle them first.

Additionally, the Board view gives you an overview of task progression from start to finish. And the BMC view rearranges these tasks based on the various BMC components. 

Each task can further be broken down into subtasks and multiple checklists to ensure all related action items are executed. ✔️

This template is an invaluable resource for startups and large enterprises looking to maximize process efficiencies and results in a streamlined and cost-effective way.

The Small Business Action Plan Template by ClickUp is tailor-made for small businesses looking to transform their business ideas and goals into actionable steps and, eventually, into reality. 

It provides a simple and organized framework for creating, assigning, prioritizing, and tracking tasks. And in effect, it ensures that goals are not just set but achieved. Through the native dashboard and goal-setting features, you can monitor task progress and how they move you closer to achieving your goals.

Thanks to ClickUp’s robust communication features like chat, comments, and @mentions, it’s easy to get every team member on the same page and quickly address questions or concerns.

Use this action plan template to hit your business goals by streamlining your internal processes and aligning team efforts.

For larger businesses and scaling enterprises, getting different departments to work together toward a big goal can be challenging. The ClickUp Strategic Business Roadmap Template makes it easier by giving you a clear plan to follow.

This template is packaged in a folder and split into different lists for each department in your business, like Sales, Product, Marketing, and Enablement. This way, every team can focus on their tasks while collectively contributing to the bigger goal.

There are multiple viewing options available for team members. These include:

• Progress Board: Visualize tasks that are on track, those at risk, and those behind
• Gantt view: Get an overview of project timelines and dependencies
• Team view: See what each team member is working on so you can balance workloads for maximum productivity

While this template may feel overwhelming at first, the getting started guide offers a step-by-step breakdown to help you navigate it with ease. And like all ClickUp templates, you can easily customize it to suit your business needs and preferences.

Microsoft’s 20-page traditional business plan template simplifies the process of drafting comprehensive business plans. It’s made up of different sections, including:

• Executive summary : Highlights, objectives, mission statement, and keys to success
• Description of business: Company ownership and legal structure, hours of operation, products and services, suppliers, financial plans, etc.
• Marketing: Market analysis, market segmentation, competition, and pricing
• Appendix: Start-up expenses, cash flow statements, income statements, sales forecast, milestones, break-even analysis, etc.

The table of contents makes it easy to move to different sections of the document. And the text placeholders under each section provide clarity on the specific details required—making the process easier for users who may not be familiar with certain business terminology.

No business template roundup is complete without an Excel template. This business plan template lets you work on your business financials in Excel. It comes with customizable tables, formulas, and charts to help you look at the following areas:

• Highlight charts
• Market analysis
• Start-up assets and expenses
• Sales forecasts
• Profit and loss
• Balance sheet
• Cash flow projections
• Break-even analysis

This Excel template is especially useful when you want to create a clear and visual financial section for your business plan document—an essential element for attracting investors and lenders. However, there might be a steep learning curve to using this template if you’re not familiar with business financial planning and using Excel.

Try a Free Business Plan Template in ClickUp

Launching and running a successful business requires a well-thought-out and carefully crafted business plan. However, the business planning process doesn’t have to be complicated, boring, or take up too much time. Use any of the above 10 free business plan formats to simplify and speed up the process.

ClickUp templates go beyond offering a solid foundation to build your business plans. They come with extensive project management features to turn your vision into reality. And that’s not all— ClickUp’s template library offers over 1,000 additional templates to help manage various aspects of your business, from decision-making to product development to resource management .

Sign up for ClickUp’s Free Forever Plan today to fast-track your business’s growth! 🏆

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Self Publishing Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Are you looking to start a self-publishing business but are not sure where to begin? With the right business plan template and guidebook, you can create an effective, winning strategy! The #1 Self Publishing Business Plan Template & Guidebook provides an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for developing a plan tailored to fit your individual needs and goals. Learn how this must-have tool can help you make your self-publishing dream a reality!

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Self Publishing Business [11 Steps]

How to Write a Self Publishing Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your self publishing business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your self publishing business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a self publishing business:

Our mission is to empower aspiring authors by offering an efficient, cost-effective self-publishing process that results in high-quality books. We strive to provide the best self-publishing services to our authors and help them turn their dreams into reality.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Self Publishing Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your self publishing business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your self publishing business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your self publishing business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your self publishing business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a self publishing business?

• Computer and printer
• Writing software
• Design software (e.g. Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator)
• ISBN/Barcode/Library of Congress numbers
• Paperback and hardcover book covers
• Self-publishing service provider (e.g. CreateSpace, IngramSpark, Lulu)
• Marketing and promotional materials (e.g. business cards, postcards, flyers)
• Copyright registration or licensing permits if needed

5. Management & Organization of Your Self Publishing Business.

The second part of your self publishing business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your self publishing business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Self Publishing Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a self publishing business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a self publishing business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your self publishing business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your self publishing business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your self publishing business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Self Publishing Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a self publishing business.

A business plan for a self publishing business can provide structure and guidance when setting up the business, presenting data, and making decisions. It can also be used to attract investors and demonstrate the viability, objectivity, and profitability potential of the business. Additionally, a comprehensive business plan can help you stay on track and measure your progress as you launch and grow your self-publishing business.

Who should you ask for help with your self publishing business plan?

It is recommended to speak to a business consultant or a lawyer who has experience in helping with self publishing business plans. It may also be helpful to consult with other authors who have self-published their own books. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great resource for small business owners and can help provide information, resources, and advice to help create the right plan for your self-publishing business.

Can you write a self publishing business plan yourself?

Yes, it is possible to write a self publishing business plan yourself. Although it can be a lengthy and complicated process, it can be done. A sound business plan begins with research into the industry, market analysis, and understanding of what makes a successful business. You should also determine your goals and objectives, create strategies for achieving those goals, assess potential risks and create financial models. Additionally, you should be sure to document your sales and marketing strategies and have a plan for distribution. Lastly, you need to create an action plan so that you have a timeline of when each piece of your plan will be implemented. Writing a self-publishing business plan may involve some trial and error but with the right research and guidance there is no reason why it can't be done!

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

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Business Analysis Publishing Business Plan

Start your own business analysis publishing business plan

The Wonderkind

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Our Mission : Our mission is to tap into the brightest young minds of today and tomorrow by empowering them to research the trends, themes, and technological advances that are prevalent among college students and decipher how these phenomena translate into the investing dynamics of the stock market.

Description of the Business Concept : We will offer bright, motivated college students who are passionate about business and investing a forum to gain real business experience by empowering them to analyze trends, themes, and companies and write about them outside of the classroom. The original thoughts and ideas of these business-minded wunderkinds will be available on the Internet at our website: www.thewonderkind.com and in a hard copy newsletter printed quarterly and mailed to subscribers. We are an informational publishing company which provides analysis citing key trends in various industries to our subscribers. The Wonderkind’s focus allows students to discuss business matters most relevant to them and their Wall Street analyst counterparts-–current market and product trends, social issues, and general stock market dynamics-–and decipher how these phenomena translate into current investment opportunities. Our analysts are independent from the biases created due to the investment banking relationships between traditional Wall Street firms and their clients. Interested readers from across America will be able to access the collaborative findings of The Wonderkind by subscribing via the website for a monthly fee of $12.95 or $129.95 per year. This flat fee includes unlimited access to our online database, including email interaction with our analysts, as well as our quarterly newsletter, which provides the top articles and analyses in a printed form.

Opportunity and Strategy : The founding partners will rely upon their own investment wisdom and perspicacity as well as that of their network of peers from other schools from across the country to create the initial knowledge base. This foundational base will be used as a marketing tool to encourage motivated students from any university to submit their own original investment ideas to be considered for publication on the website and newsletter of The Wonderkind. We believe that motivated students will flock to this opportunity to gain exposure and honor through publication on the website as well as in the quality periodical without the need for other monetary compensation. Judging from the quality of investment analyses submitted we would look to recruit additional full-time writers and compensate them accordingly. As our subscriber base continues to grow, so will the number and quality of articles submitted by students.

The Wonderkind has a range of possible recruitment and implementation methods including the Internet; promotion via official college and university newsletters and magazines; with business and entrepreneurial departments at other schools; and lastly, through friend and family networking and support.

Target Market : Subscribers of The Wonderkind will be motivated to gain exposure to the pulse of collegiate America. The Wonderkind’s target market consists of:

• Business professionals who enjoy a multitude of information sources.
• College students with business, finance, or marketing interests.

Competitive Advantage : Our competitive advantage is two fold:

• There is currently no other investment publication that taps into the collective collegiate intellect.
• Our internship would be offered during the school year as well as during the summer.
• Because our internship would be performed electronically, students will not need to relocate nor arrange for lodging.

The Wonderkind’s uniqueness stems from its planned creation of an elite team of college students who embody America’s most technologically savvy and dynamic generation of youth. College students of today command more respect from business professionals and society at large than ever before. With the incredible success stories of college entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Sean Fanning, everyone seems to have an interest in the pulse of the collegiate America.

Economic Potential : Our five year projected models indicate over one million dollars in annual revenue. Additional value-added services and cross marketing initiatives could become accretive to our bottom line beginning two years out.

Management : Both founding partners, Frank Peanut and Jacob Sweller have unique resumes and background experiences. They each bring to the table distinct personal qualities that will complement one another as they manage and grow their business.

Frank Peanut is majoring in finance and is ranked in the top 5% of his class. His past experience includes being mentored under the guidance of two hedge fund managers in Minneapolis. Frank currently serves as the Co-fund Manager of the Investment Club at school responsible for approximately $400,000 in assets. Frank has been managing his own personal funds in the equity markets since the age of 14. His future plans after graduation entail working in the Investment Banking industry for a short duration and then attending graduate school.

Jacob Sweller is on track to receive a dual degree in finance and government. Jacob, enrolled in the Honors Program, scored a 1500 on the SAT exam and is currently ranked in the top 10% of his class. While at school, Jacob has been extremely active in the business arena and has directed business-consulting presentations to the Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking firm as well as McKinsey & Co. consulting firm.  Jacob has received over 30 prestigious awards in academics and athletics over the past few years. Jacob currently serves as the Co-fund Manager of the Investment Club responsible for approximately $400,000 in assets.

The Offering : We propose to offer a large minority stake in The Wonderkind in exchange for our desired financing to cover start-up costs associated with promotion of our services, and business infrastructure. We are open for negotiations.

Risks : While any start-up company investment necessitates a high degree of risk, we are committed to using any funds received conservatively and wisely. However, The Wonderkind is not an Internet company. We are an informational publishing company which provides services citing key trends in various industries to our customers. We have decided to utilize the Internet for distribution purposes because it is the most cost efficient method.

1.1 100 Word Summary of Business Venture

The Wonderkind is an informational publishing company whose focus allows exceptionally bright students with business/investing interests to discuss business matters most relevant to them and their Wall Street analyst counterparts–current market and product trends, social issues, and general stock market dynamics-–and decipher how these phenomena translate into current investment opportunities.  Our analysts are independent from the biases created due to the investment banking relationships between traditional Wall Street firms and their clients.

Team leaders and contact personnel:

Frank Peanut:  [email protected].  Office: (555) 589-3432

Jacob Sweller:  [email protected].  Office: (555) 589-3453

1.2 Objectives

We will offer bright, motivated students who are passionate about the stock market a forum to gain real business experience by allowing them to analyze companies and write about them outside of the classroom.

Our objectives for growth in our subscriber base are as follows:

1.3 Mission

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Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

1.4 Keys to Success

The following is a list of crucial steps in which we will take:

• Recruit qualified college students from around the country and properly integrate their research into our services.
• Ensure that the content we publish is truly original and unique in all aspects.
• Convince investors and interested readers of the quality and differentiated content of our service.
• Market our concept to institutional interests at the collegiate level and in business to ensure that more than just individual subscribers endorse it.
• Retain existing subscribers and persuade them to recommend our service to others.
• Keep our costs minimized to ensure self-sufficiency and longevity in all operations.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

The Wonderkind is an informational publishing company comprised of the best and brightest college students with business/investing interests. The Wonderkind’s focus allows students to discuss business matters most relevant to them and their Wall Street analyst counterparts-–current market and product trends, social issues, and general stock market dynamics-–and decipher how these phenomena translate into current investment opportunities. Our analysts are independent from the biases created due to the investment banking relationships between traditional Wall Street firms and their clients. Student analysts will offer a unique perspective in the following areas: 

• Company analysis and recommendation.
• Business and investment issues from the perspective of generation Y.
• Current market and product trends/themes prevalent on the college campus.
• What’s happening now in collegiate America and business today?

An online edition and hard-copy newsletter will be available to subscribers for $12.95 per month or $129.95 per year.

2.1 Company Ownership

The Wonderkind will be a privately owned, operated, and funded partnership.

2.2 Start-up Summary

At this time, we anticipate minimal start-up related costs associated with our company. We plan on devoting a substantial amount of our personal time and utilizing already existent resources available to us at little or no cost. Our website is hosted and maintained by Vista.com for a monthly charge of $50. However, through a special partnership with Vista we will receive Web hosting and developing capabilities free of charge for the first year. Marketing and business infrastructure expenses will be the primary source of cash outflow during the beginning stages of growth.

2.3 Company Locations and Facilities

The primary operations of The Wonderkind will take place in New York, NY. Because all activities and information can be tracked and maintained using a personal computer and the Internet, we will not need exclusive office space until our operations have reached a scale in which dedicated office space is necessary.

The Wonderkind will publish a website and newsletter that provides product, market trends, and theme analysis, company insight, and interesting business issues impacting society from the collegiate perspective. The angle that we address business and societal issues from is unique in that it is representative of today’s and tomorrow’s top college students opinions. The interests of today’s college generation indicates broader themes that will eventually transform society as a whole. The Wonderkind offers bright, motivated students who are passionate about business and/or the stock market a forum to gain real business experience by allowing them to analyze companies and trends and write about them outside of the classroom. The original thoughts and ideas of these wunderkinds will be available on the Internet at our website: www.thewonderkind.com and in a hard copy newsletter printed quarterly.

3.1 Competitive Comparison

The Wonderkind is a collection of the best young financial minds in the U.S. These people see trends and issues in the market that the Wall Street analysts fail to realize. In addition, our analysts do not have the investment banking ties that create a major bias in the Wall Street analysts’ opinion. Certain trends cannot be read in yearly reports and can only be realized at the earliest moments by those with a feel for the future of trends in business and technology. In addition, our analysts are willing to perform the more hands-on research carried out by the Wall Street analyst of thirty years ago. This kind of research could include actually eating at a restaurant with the intent of judging the quality of food service. Or perhaps visiting the local mall and witnessing the consumer traffic at Abercrombie & Fitch vs. The Gap vs. J. Crew. If a hot new MP3 player is creping into the popular music scene, then college students with an astute wit will detect the trend first. Our team of college students will be the Wall Street analysts and business professionals of the future. The Wonderkind provides a forum for these brilliant students to voice their observations and ideas before they become biased by their investment banking counterparts.

The Wonderkind’s uniqueness stems from its creation of an elite team of college students who embody America’s most technologically savvy and dynamic generation of youth. College students of today command more respect from business professionals and society at large than ever before. With the incredible success stories of college entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Sean Fanning, everyone seems to have an interest in the pulse of the collegiate America.

Our competitive advantage is two fold:

• There is currently no other business/investment publication that taps into the collective collegiate intellect.
• We will appeal to motivated college students who are frustrated with the lack of response and organization of internship programs at large corporations.
• Because our internship would be performed electronically, students will not need to relocate nor arrange for lodging.

3.2 Sales Literature

Nearly all needed sales literature will be produced in-house using personal computer desktop publishing software such as Microsoft Publisher. We will outsource all of our printing needs. Sales literature will consist of brochures that can be passed out in person or mailed to our initial list of prospective clients. In addition we will publish performance reports including graphs and charts from our analysts using software such as Microsoft Excel.

3.3 Future Services

After creating the initial knowledge base for our business and we have a growing base of subscribers to our service, we will explore opportunities to further personalize the relationships between our subscribers and our analysts/writers. Our analysts will become available via email communication to subscribers who wish to further discuss the ideas presented by the writer. We will also explore the possibilities of adding additional channels of more consistent communication between subscribers and writers. One possibility for a future channel would be aimed at the corporate recruitment division of firms seeking top collegiate talent. The Wonderkind could become a means to establish an early link between corporations and students.

3.4 Technology

The Wonderkind will be heavily reliant upon the use of the Internet as a means for publishing its website and communicating with clients through email. We feel that technology will be utilized strictly to our advantage and we currently do not see any competitive threats resulting from the advent of new technologies. This mentality is subject to change and will be reevaluated continually in the future.

3.5 Fulfillment

The core value of The Wonderkind will lie in our analysts’ role as the brightest and most motivated college students in the country. The Wonderkind is different from other informational publishing services in that it represents collegiate America. Furthermore, value of this company will lie in the experience, education, dedication, and willingness of the analysts and owners to go out on a limb to observe the most pressing trends and tech themes prevalent today. Sound, unbiased analysis of these market trends, themes, and investment ideas, will be our objective.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

Subscribers of The Wonderkind will be motivated to gain exposure to the pulse of collegiate America. The Wonderkind’s target market consists of business professionals who enjoy a multitude of information sources.

4.1 Market Segmentation

We will target business professionals who enjoy a range information sources. These people could include buy/sell-side Wall Street analysts or other marketing managers at companies with an interest in consumer trends. The perspective offered by college students is truly separate from the bombardment of traditional business periodical sources. The interests of today’s college generation indicates broader themes business professionals need to be aware of.

4.2 Market Trends

The most relevant trend to the success of The Wonderkind is the continuing recognition of college business persons. No longer are the top Wall Street analysts and managers the only voices being heard. After the astounding success stories of college students such as Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Sean Fanning, everyone seems to have an open ear to the collective collegiate conscious.

Another important trend originating in the last few years results from the “Fair Disclosure Act” which was created by the S.E.C. This act states explicitly that companies must disclose all information to the general investing public at the same time as releasing information to Wall Street analysts. In other words, individual investors can be present in the same conference calls with management along with Wall Street analysts effectively leveling the playing field for individual investors.

Another critical market influence on the investing public deals with the separation of the Wall Street research analysts from their investment banking counterparts. The inherent biases of investment banking research is being realized by the investing public. Investors want unbiased fundamental research to make decisions.

4.3 Market Growth

J. P. Morgan estimates that that 18 million Americans used online brokerages in 2000. This number is expected to increase to 27 million users with online accounts by the year 2003. J. P. Morgan also projects European online accounts to increase from 3.9 million in 2000 to an estimated 17 million accounts by 2003, an anticipated average annualized growth of over 60%. We mention the European statistics here because we expect some foreign investors to utilize The Wonderkind’s service as a concise, interactive, and cost-efficient method of gaining insight into the American markets. This trend indicates that more people are investing without the aid of a traditional broker. Such people, whether they be college students or business professionals, need supplementary research and information to make their investment decisions.

4.4 Service Business Analysis

The online investment research industry consists of a handful of all-inclusive websites that touch on nearly all realms of financial activity. Next, there are numerous lesser-known websites and newsletter services that take a more limited approach, specializing in various aspects of the financial markets.

The Wonderkind’s biggest challenge will be to establish itself as a quality niche service in an arena already filled with a wealth of information.

4.4.1 Business Participants

To our knowledge, there is no other company that offers the same services as The Wonderkind. However, there are several virtual businesses that charge fixed monthly rates for their analysts’ suggested portfolios along with periodic email newsletters. These companies will certainly be competition. However, we believe that The Wonderkind offers many competitive advantages over these more automated market information services. The uniquely powerful collection of extremely smart college students that we plan to create will separate us from these other standardized information services.

4.4.2 Distributing a Service

The Wonderkind will be distributed via Internet subscriptions and mailed newsletters, which will be promoted via our marketing campaigns. The highly scalable knowledge-based platform on which we will operate, will allow us to efficiently leverage our business to a large audience. In addition, we will be able to communicate with our clients via our website, email, and telephone.

4.4.3 Main Competitors

The Wonderkind is removed from these otherwise comparable sites because of our collection of the best and brightest young minds representative of the American collegiate pulse:

1. All-inclusive online financial services:

Already established financial sites such as Yahoo! Finance, CBS MarketWatch, MSN MoneyCentral, The Street.com, and Fool.com certainly could be grouped in the same industry as The Wonderkind. We also group any information provided by discount brokers into this category as well. These services provide market research, daily articles, charts, quotes, and much more. We certainly recognize the breadth and reputation of these sites. However, our object will not be to take away market share from this group. Instead we will strive to serve as a desired supplementary informational service.

2. Reputable and focused companies:

3. Stock Picking Services/Technological Forecasting

Persons such as George Gilder and Michael Murphy have set up subscription-based revenue models similar to what we will strive to achieve for The Wonderkind.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

We plan to collect an extensive network of bright and talented college students as writers and analysts. We will gather student representatives from schools across the nation. The position of writer and analyst for The Wonderkind will become more coveted than an internship because of the manner in which our newsletter will provide students with a voice to be heard. Lastly, the college community has a perspective and insight that the overall investing world needs to hear.

5.1 Value Proposition

Subscribers have access to the stock ideas and societal trend/theme analysis generated by our analysts. In addition, subscribers will have access to a more personalized form of communication with our advisors regarding their own investment ideas as well as further exploration into those ideas already put forth by our analysts.

While traditional stockbrokers and Wall Street Analysts are biased in their buy/sell recommendations due to their financial incentives being aligned with the quantity of trading and preconceived investment banking relationships rather than the soundness of individual investment decisions, The Wonderkind analysts remain independent and unbiased in their advice. The Wonderkind analysts have no incentives other than to offer practical stock picking and trend/theme analysis based upon independent and thorough research.

5.2 Competitive Edge

The Wonderkind is a collection of the best young financial minds in the U.S. These people see trends and issues in the market that the Wall Street analysts fail to realize. In addition, our analysts do not have the investment banking ties that create a major bias in the Wall Street analysts’ opinion. Certain trends cannot be read in yearly reports and can only be realized at the earliest moments by those with a feel for the future of trends in business and technology. Furthermore, our analysts are willing to perform the more hands-on research carried out by the Wall Street analyst of thirty years ago. This kind of research could include actually eating at a restaurant with the intent of judging the quality of food service, or perhaps visiting the local mall and witnessing the consumer traffic at Abercrombie & Fitch vs. The Gap vs. J. Crew. If a hot new MP3 player is creeping into the popular music scene, then college students with an astute wit will detect the trend first. Our team of college students will be the Wall Street analysts and business professionals of the future. The Wonderkind provides a forum for these brilliant students to voice their observations and ideas before they become biased by their investment banking counterparts.

The Wonderkind’s uniqueness stems from its elite team of college students who embody America’s most technologically savvy and dynamic generation of youth. College students of today command more respect from business professionals and society at large than ever before.

5.3 Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy for The Wonderkind will focus on our differentiation by virtue of representation of college students and their opinions and advice. We seek out the brightest and most motivated students at colleges and universities around the country. The name ‘The Wonderkind’ is a play on the German and American word wunderkind, which describes a person of remarkable talent or ability who achieves great success or acclaim at an early age especially in business.

5.3.1 Promotion Strategy

Our most effective means of gaining exposure to a wide audience will come as a result of communicating with the business/entrepreneurial offices at the top 100 universities in the country. We will look to establish permanent links with these institutions in order to generate interest for student writers as well as publicity from university publications. Also, we will be mailing brochures and information to selective lists of potential subscribers and investors.

Our promotion strategy will be in-line with our main competitive advantage from a business perspective: our ability to contain costs. We will rely upon inexpensive forms of publicity that reach a large number of potential clients. Examples of such publicity will manifest in the form of articles written for student-business publications. One publication in which we have already contacted regarding our proposal is Business Today magazine. Business Today is the largest and most influential student-run publication in the country and is distributed widely to over 200,000 subscribers nationwide.

It is our assumption that one effective means of promoting our service will come by word-of-mouth from all people connected with our service including our analysts, writers, and customers. We expect that networks of friends and family will represent a portion of our initial cliental base and that word of mouth will continue to spread. We will be offering incentives for clients to sign up their friends and colleagues. This incentive will take the form of credit toward our existing services for referring clients. We will reward two free months of service for each new subscriber that is referred by an existing subscriber.

5.3.2 Positioning Statement

The Wonderkind will be positioned as an alternative form of investment advice designed to offer an enjoyable and energetic source of investment advice from an otherwise unrecognized group of people–college students. We provide investment advice from those who will be making the rules in the future. Ultimately, we fall into the category of an  informational publishing service utilizing the Internet as well as traditional paper printing methods of distribution.

5.3.3 Pricing Strategy

While we believe that our services are premium in quality, we have decided to offer them for a flat monthly charge. We believe that we should enter the market with a pricing strategy that is focused on convincing possible clients to give us a try. If we were to initially charge a much higher amount, possibly more in-line with the quality of service our clients will be receiving, we may experience a more difficult time selling to new clients. Once we have established ourselves in the eyes of our clients, we will begin raising our prices accordingly.

We will initially charge a fee of $12.95/month or $129.95/year for our basic service which provides access to all articles and content on our website in addition to a quarterly newsletter mailed to the subscriber.

5.4 Sales Strategy

We imagine that our sales strategy will be a natural follow up from our marketing strategy. Once we have attracted users to our website, the natural progression will be to retain them as subscribers. The majority of this process will be carried out through the website itself. The website will describe the specific benefits of subscribing to our service as well as address any questions prospective subscribers may have. We will give prospective subscribers a sample of the services offered by The Wonderkind. Sample articles and abridged articles will be available free of charge by accessing our website at www.thewonderkind.com. We will make an extraordinary effort to accommodate new subscribers in the beginning and throughout the duration of his or her subscription. We will strive to familiarize our subscribers with our services both on the website and through the comprehensive quarterly newsletter.

5.4.1 Sales Forecast

Our objectives for growth in our subscriber base are as follows:

Assuming our yearly subscription fee of $129.95, projected subscriber bases translate into yearly revenue projections of:

For fiscal accounting purposes, this plan begins in June even though we do not expect to receive income from subscriptions until January of the following year. In the seven months between these dates, we will be carrying out an aggressive marketing campaign to attract both subscribers and contributors.

5.5 Strategic Alliances

Once we have established The Wonderkind as a viable entity, we will begin to evaluate strategic alliances and co-marketing initiatives. One possibility for a future alliance exists in another student-operated investment service called WallStreetProdigy.com which offers recommended stock portfolio analysis via its website. WSP offers analysis and live quotes for all stock picks and represents some of the best investing students in universities and colleges in the U.S. However, for now, our main focus will be on building the foundation of The Wonderkind alone.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The initial management team consists of the founders, Frank Peanut and Jacob Sweller. As we grow, we will be looking to recruit exceptionally qualified students. Both partners are currently taking on as much responsibilities as possible and working together on a number of critical issues.

6.1 Organizational Structure

Frank Peanut and Jacob Sweller will remain full-time partners for the short term. We will look to expand our organizational structure of student networks very shortly and have already contacted a select few potential analysts for The Wonderkind. These students come from universities including: University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, and Duke University.

6.2 Management Team

Both founding partners have unique resumes and background experiences. They each bring to the table distinct personal qualities that will complement one another as they manage and grow their business.

Jacob Sweller is on track to receive a dual degree in finance and government. Jacob, enrolled in the Honors Program, scored a 1500 on the SAT exam and is currently ranked in the top 10% of his class. While at school, Jacob has been extremely active in the business arena and has directed business-consulting presentations to the Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking firm as well as McKinsey & Co. consulting firm. Jacob has received over 30 prestigious awards in academics and athletics over the past few years. Jacob currently serves as the Co-fund Manager of the Investment Club responsible for approximately $400,000 in assets.

6.3 Management Team Gaps

Our management team identified insufficient expertise in Web development as an area of concern. While both Frank Peanut and Jacob Sweller have some experience with HTML hard coding and building basic Web pages, neither has the expertise to develop the website that they had originally envisioned.

Several solutions to this problem were evaluated:

•  Bringing in a third partner to specialize entirely in building and maintaining the company’s website.
•  Hiring a professional Web-development team to build and host a custom website.
•  Partnering with Vista.

Vista.com is a revolutionary e-Business Infrastructure Provider (eBIP) delivering a fully automated and integrated infrastructure platform for corporations to rapidly deliver e-business services to their small- and medium-size business customers. Vista will be providing us with an all-inclusive solution to develop our Web-based business. We are able to access a full range of tools through a Web browser platform from any computer terminal with Internet access. In addition, Vista will be hosting our site and managing a range of smaller details related to maintaining a business on the Web. They have provided us with the tools necessary to implement a fully enabled e-commerce site that has many features including customer database management, password protected content filled areas, email management, and a myriad of other back office applications that will prove extremely useful and necessary. While Vista has empowered us to create our website on our own, they also have customer support and technical specialists available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in the event that we need assistance with any area of our site. We feel that in choosing to setup our business with Vista, we have effectively filled the Web design gap that initially existed. Vista should allow for our growth and expansion plans as we envision them.

6.4 Personnel Plan

The Writers : Our writers will be students who submit articles for publishing on The Wonderkind website and newsletter. Only select articles that embody the quality and spirit of The Wonderkind will be published. The writers will not be paid but will gain the opportunity to be promoted to analyst status through exceptional written articles.

The Analysts : An analyst is defined as a consistent writer for The Wonderkind. These analysts will represent the best of our writers and will be true investment wunderkinds. We estimate that each analyst will make approximately $400 per month. Each analyst will be paid X amount of dollars per customer for every month plus a monthly commission determined by the analyst’s quality of service provided to the customers. We estimate the average commission at about $100 monthly for the first year.

The Wonderkind will not have any personnel during the initial stages of operation, during which the partners of the company will handle all services and site operations. We plan to employ 10 full-time analysts by the end of year one. By year three we plan to have 25 analysts on payroll. The table below indicates the payroll provided by The Wonderkind. Not all analysts are expected to produce articles for our company every month.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

We want to finance growth mainly through free cash flow. We recognize that this means we will have to grow more slowly than we might like. We think that this strategy of more conservative financial management makes sense since we are not trying to create a conglomerate financial company, rather one that focuses on what we believe to be our core competencies and interests. We believe in financing opportunities that add value to our company from a cost/benefit analysis perspective. However, we will not blindly invest our resources in endeavors that do not have a high likelihood of bearing fruit in the future.

7.1 Important Assumptions

Our most important assumption is regarding the arrangement we have obtained with Vista whereby we are in essence being subsidized 100% for the first year. Vista, nonetheless, currently charges regular paying customers $100/month or $599/year.

7.2 Key Financial Indicators

We foresee steadily rising service revenues starting in June of 2001. Our initial objectives for client retention should lend itself directly to our sales forecasts. It is important to note that these goals as stated are extremely subjective to change once we begin operating and acquire a better feel for our market.

7.3 Break-even Analysis

By the beginning of the second year, assuming that we pay the costs related to Vista’s services, and assuming 10 analysts on the payroll, the Break-even Analysis below shows what is needed in sales to break even.

7.4 Projected Profit and Loss

The Wonderkind should be a profitable entity following the first year. This is possible because of our minimal start-up expenses and projections for consistent sales growth. Also, our arrangement with Vista for a full year’s worth of service free of charge is a substantial financial subsidy. The primary expenses incurred will be marketing and payroll. Marketing expenses will include printing fees for brochures to be distributed and other promotional initiatives.

The following table shows the Projected Profit and Loss for The Wonderkind.

7.5 Projected Cash Flow

The following chart and table show the Projected Cash Flow for The Wonderkind.

7.6 Business Ratios

The Industry standard ratios are for the Other Management Consulting service industry, NAICS code 541618. A quick comparison between the industry standards and Wonderkind shows that our company is in a class all by itself. Therefore, some explanation is necessary. First of all, because it is primarily an Internet company, all sales will be on credit. This means that the company has a very high amount of accounts receivable. In addition, the company has a very high gross margin for the same reasons. Furthermore, because it is a service company utilizing currently owned assets, the company has few long-term assets. We expect the company to have a decreasing net worth as the sales growth slows down, however it may seem abnormally high for some time.

7.7 Projected Balance Sheet

The table below is the Project Balance Sheet.

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