Key to your company's success are the relationships you forge with other businesses. In this section of your business plan you'll focus on businesses that cooperate with your own.

Suppliers

Suppliers who are able to meet your needs reliably and at the right price are essential. Suppliers include any business whose products or services you need to provide your offering to customers.

If you're starting up, list the kinds of suppliers you'll need, and describe how you intend to find potential suppliers and establish relationships with them.

If you run an established business, list your key suppliers, the type of product or service you buy from them, and their credit terms.

Be sure to think about what would happen if you lost one or more of your key suppliers. How easily could you replace them? What other suppliers would you turn to? Also, consider how and when you order and receive products or services from suppliers. Can anything be improved?

Alliances

Alliances are special relationships you have with other businesses, associations or societies that complement your products or services with their own. Usually the arrangement is mutually beneficial, allowing your business to reach new customers or better serve exsiting ones.

List alliances your business has or is considering, detailing the purpose and terms of each.