If you are starting a vending machine business, or contemplating joining a franchise, it is likely that you will require a business plan at some point. The experts at Pro Business Plans have helped hundreds of vending machine companies to prepare plans for investment and strategy. This article provides information about what they include and how they are structured.
There are several things to consider if you are starting a new vending machine company which will impact its performance. Among the most important are the location, products sold, and stocking process.Some vending machine companies operate at the distribution level and others at the retail level by leasing and placing the machines in strategic locations. Therefore, it is important to demonstrate how your vending machine company is unique as it compares to the existing market competitors.
The business model of a vending machine company is based upon several factors, each of which contributes to the forecast of profitability. Among the most important qualities of the business model is the location in which the vending machines will be distributed and the supply chain process . This will outline the strategy for both revenue and profit generation.
The location of a vending machine is vital to its long-term success. A vending machine based in a busy airport is hardly comparable that in a small five-person office. Therefore, it is important to demonstrate the location strategy for a vending machine company, or the details of a specific location if the vending machine is to be placed within a specific area.
A vending machine business plan is structured upon several factors including how the products will be procured, stored, handled, and distributed. Some vending machine companies work with intermediaries to facilitate in the process, whereas others have a vertical supply chain .
The marketing section of a vending machine business plan will depend upon the unique nature of the industry. For instance, some companies may benefit the most from customer development, whereas others may focus on consumer level marketing such as videos in their POS system for more advanced automated retail machines. The nature of the marketing strategy should reflect the business model and designed to convert the target customer.
Most vending machine companies will need to be able of effectively performing business development roles such as enterprise sales, strategic partnerships , and vendor relationship management. Therefore, it is important to have a strategic plan in place to acquire an effective team and manage them in a way that maximizes sales.
Marketing at the consumer level is about what to stock and how to promote it. Consumers in one area, such as a university campus, may have a much higher preference for energy drinks than another, such as a vending machine in Europe that sells juice or office that sells coffee. The product must meet the market and the promotions in and around the vending machine must support the environment.
The financial forecast section of a vending machine business plan outlines the projected profitability and risk based on a set of detailed and conservative assumptions. Banks will likely require at least three to five-years of financial projections and investors will perform deep dive research regarding all aspects of the assumptions. Therefore, it is advantageous to organize conservative, yet optimistic long-term projections.
The revenue forecasts section should be based upon the projected capacity of the machines relative to foot traffic in the vicinity. For instance, a small vending machine’s sales that requires very little attention compared to a large automated retail machine in a high traffic area. The nature of these revenue forecasts is to untangle the speculation and determine specific figures that are rational, reasonable, and conservative.
The budget of a vending machine business plan is generally based on comparable figures of similar vending machine companies. However, the ideal budget estimates are derived from market quotes from service providers, wholesalers, and any intermediaries charging markup fees. It is important to form reasonable and conservative budget forecasts so that your company does not need to re-visit the deal table with investors or banks .
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