Business Toolkit

The documents in our toolkit are designed as a tool to understanding what it entails to set up and begin your business. There are fact sheets and guide documents to assist you with your Financial forecasting and writing your business plan, as well as marketing and researching your business idea.  If you have any questions please email us on businessdevelopment@breckland.gov.uk

A guide to setting up a business

This guide will give you an outline of what you need to do to set up your business. It covers everything from researching your business, to putting together your financial forecast and business plan.

A Guide to Setting Up a Business (PDF, 467 KB)(opens new window)

The Business Plan - an outline

This document is to assist you with thinking what detail/information you would need before you write your Business Plan. It will give you the opportunity to think, redo, research and think again before you start writing your final Business Plan.

The Business Plan - An Outline (Word doc, 77 KB)(opens new window)

Researching your idea - quick notes

Here you will find a bit more detail than in the overall guide document.

Researching Your Idea - Quick Note (PDF, 154 KB)(opens new window)

Business Plan Financials - how to

This financials document gives you a step by step guide on how to complete the Business Plan Financials Worksheet. The last page of this document explains what each part of the spreadsheet is (such as a Tab, a Cell) to make it clearer when completing it.

Business Plan Financials - How To (PDF, 224 KB)(opens new window)

Business Plan Financials Worksheet

The various tabs on the Financial spreadsheet, enable you to concentrate on each aspect of the various stages you must take when setting up a business. Starting at the bottom left tab, Personal Finance, and progressing through each of the tabs in sequence will ensure that you end up with a profit and loss statement, acceptable to most finance providers.

Business Plan Financial Worksheet (Excel spreadsheet, 43 KB)

Business insurance fact sheet

This document provides a quick overview of various types of insurance that may be required for your business.

Business Insurance Fact Sheet (PDF, 178 KB)(opens new window)  

Marketing methods - hints and tips

You will need to have some idea of what marketing is, why you need it and how to go about finding what works best. This will give you an idea of how to approach your marketing plan.

Marketing Methods - Hints and Tips (PDF, 275 KB)(opens new window)

Marketing Action Plan

In order that businesses can start with a clear and concise workable marketing plan, it is essential that every aspect of the plan is documented. Never leave something as important as marketing to chance

Marketing Action Plan (Word doc, 71 KB)(opens new window)

Business Continuity - guide and template

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is to assist you in recording how you will respond to an emergency or a disruption. Here, we have provided you with a guide on what you should be thinking about and how to put it in your plan, as well as a template for you to use:

• Business Continuity Guide (PDF, 146 KB)(opens new window)
• Business Continuity Template (Word doc, 70 KB)

For more information from other partner organisations, which can assist with more in-depth advice on starting a business and other funding options, please review more information on the Business page.