Many entrepreneurs spend hours preparing and writing their business plans. However, do not pay much attention to the cover page. This is a big mistake.
The business plan cover page can create a strong first impact. It sets the platform for how investors or readers will engage with your document.
In this article, we will understand the importance of a cover page and how you can design one yourself.
What is a Business Plan Cover Page & Why is it Necessary to Design it?
The cover page is an integral part of the business plan. It is the first page of your business plan that highlights the key information of your company like a company logo, company name, address, and other key information.
By looking at the business plan cover page, a banker or investor can get a quick idea about the purpose of the presented document.
Your business plan cover should be neat, clean, attractive, and professional enough to draw your reader’s attention.
Whether you are writing a business plan, marketing plan, or business proposal, the cover page is an essential part of all.
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What to include in the Business Plan Cover Page?
There is no specific rule about what to include and what not on your cover page. But we have prepared some essential information that you should not miss including in it.
1. Company Logo
Your company logo will be the first and most essential section that will draw your reader’s attention immediately, so you must include your company logo on your cover page.
A neat-clean, high-quality logo should be used to make your business plan cover page look like a professional cover page. It should be placed at the top of your business plan cover page.
Placing the logo on the business plan cover page sets a strong brand association that focuses a reader’s attention throughout the document.
2. Company Name
The second most important section of the cover page after the company logo is your company name. You will always want your reader to remember your company name through the document reading process.
Your company name font should be readably bold and should be the largest font on the page so that it stands out from the rest of the information on the business plan cover page.
3. Business Tagline or Motto
A business tagline is a short catchy marketing slogan that is usually written with a company name or brand and is also sometimes used to indicate key features of your business. Some businesses use a tagline to show what they do and how they are different from the competition.
If you want your readers to understand your business, then a tagline plays a crucial role. Usually, a memorable tagline can excite an investor or reader that they will take a special interest while reading your business plan.
4. Branding Color
Brand color is most important in establishing trust and confidence in your customers. Your brand color will speak more than you can think about your business. Also, the right use of colors can increase your brand value by creating a strong visual identity in the industry.
Most successful companies have a strong association with their logos and brand colors. Their colors always tend to reflect their branding, even when they don’t include any text on them.
Brand color can help in establishing trust and familiarity by evoking the right emotions in your reader’s brains and sending the right message to them. Also, your brand color should be integrated into your business plan everywhere, like titles, subtitles, features, images, etc to make your business plan template more attractive.
5. Plan Title and Plan Year
The plan title will give a clear idea about what the presented document is about, whether it is a business plan, marketing plan, business expansion plan, recovery plan, or anything else.
The plan title is the notable feature of the cover page and should be in large font size. Immediately, the reader should know the purpose of the presented document.
There is no rule about which should be of the largest font size, “Company Name” or “Plan Title” as both have their benefits. It is the owner’s choice to decide what they want to highlight on the cover page for their document.
Also, readers will want to learn about what is the business plan creation time or what will be the execution time for the presented document. Thus it is important to specify the plan year on your cover page.
It should be written relatively in a smaller size and frequently below the plan title.
6. Prepared By
The “Prepared By” section is used to specify who is presenting the document and it should be the name of the company CEO, President, Owner, or sometimes another key person.
This information will help the reader to know about the key person in the company and whom they should contact in the case for more information.
7. Contact Information
Contact information contains the information reader can use to contact the person specified in the “Prepared By” section. This information includes the company’s physical address, phone number, email address, and company website.
Contact information should always be on the business plan cover page. It lets the reader learn who is presenting the document and how to contact that person.
8. Confidentiality Statement
While it is not required, you may want to include a confidentiality statement on the cover page. Or just state “Confidential” to let the reader know that this document is confidential and not directed to share with others without the owner’s consent.
The confidentiality statement on your cover page will look like this:
Example of Confidentiality Statement
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Tips to Make a Cover Page Remarkable
Now, that you know what to include in a cover page of the business plan, let’s see how to make it memorable:
Check the formatting
Before presenting or submitting your business plan to the readers, make sure the formatting (spacing, fonts, size, color) everything is consistent. This will increase the readability and help your audience to understand the things you want to deliver.
Keep it all simple
Keep your cover page for a business plan free from any clutters. The design should be classy and elegant. It should sync with the goals of your business. Ensure consistency by using the same brand color for both your business’ branding and cover page.
Review—Re-review
Double-check the cover page for any typos or grammatical errors. The better option is to have another person review it. This way, he/she will find the mistakes that you might be missing out on.
How to Design a Business Plan Cover Page?
Upmetrics gives you a beautifully designed business plan cover page template with no work on your side. Industry experts recommend our cover pages. Thus, you can trust us for your cover page without any doubts.
You can use a cover page theme that suits the personality of you and your business. Upmetrics comes with professionally designed cover pages that immediately transform the reader’s plain business plan reading experience into an interesting opening.
Upmetrics provides a feature where you can control which information and section you want to highlight on the cover page. Also, you can remove any section that you feel is not necessary for your cover page.
We also allow you to upload your own custom cover page design, so you can personalize your business plan with the cover page of your choice. So, wait no more, and start designing your cover page!
