Business Plan

Summary

Or what people call the executive summary. Rule No 1: The executive summary is written when the rest of the plan is complete. The rest of the plan isn't complete; hence, no summary!

About

As of the 1st of June the company has started but has no legal background and isn't trading at the current time (ie, we haven't sold anything yet!).

We predict that we will have some limited stock by mid July at the latest. How extensive this range of stock item will be will be decided just before booking depending on available funds at the time.

Customers will be buying the product initially via a choice of two payment mediums; google checkout and paypay. Terms are similar on each for charges, and payments are available in a banks account within (roughly) 5 working days.

After the customer places and order and gains clearance from paypal or google, the products order will be despatched within 24hrs. In some cases this could mean that customers would recieve their packages upton 48hrs after placing their order. These timings are a worse case scenario and would be clearly stated on any sales.

During the startup of the company, internet hosting services will be performed at our homes/offices. Stock will also be held in these locations and any personal collections fro customers will be only availble with prior confirmation with CopterX (uk). We will not have a publicily available 'shop' to come and view the items.

Promotion/Marketiing

Even with an intial invester into CopterX, we aim to keep all our costs to a bare minimum. In line with this, our budget for advertising will be very targeted and very small!

One part of the budget would be allocated to Google Adverts for some keywords where we wouldn't normally appear.

A small budget could be allocated to a few adverts in one of the specialist magazines (ie, Remote Helicopter World?).

The obvious; "Press Releases" to anyone that will print them :)

We have ordered a sample batch of swash plate levellers of our own design (Thanks 'Ken' for all the engineering skills!). We think it's a better product that some other similar tools and we will try further variations to expand this sector. (size; matterial; p&amb;p).

After the first batch of swash plate levellers are made, we will put a couple in the shop to test out our shopping cart and as our 'first product'. The rest of the prototypes will be given away to the first x number of users that register with the site totally foc with not catches.

We have the 'copterx.co.uk' name. This name alone is getting us noticed in Google searches. To actually confirm news of attaining exclusive distributor rights for the uk with stock available and a working website would open the opertunity a good initial interest.

Sales and Planning

We have been talking to the manufacturers direct and they are willing to give us the privalige of becoming and exclusive distributor or the uk (after we buy our initial stock levels!)

Our website is doing very well, even though we are building it at this moment. The site has been available for the internet to see since the 1st of June. In this time we have see a steady rise in the number of visits a day to 10; not record breaking, but not too bad for 7 days!

Also! In this 7 day frame; we have had 3 enquiries about when the prices will be displayed, when will the stock be in and where in the uk the business is trading from.

These visits to the site could be increased by carefully, controlled, advertising with google adwords or printed magazines/papers. The range of helis, parts and services will be increased steadily for the first three years.

Our prices will be governed by what other resellers are selling the same, or similar, products for. We plan for our prices to be equal to, or just less than, the same product with shipping to a uk residance.

We also want to supply other trade suppliers with items that they do not hold much quantity of. Maybe some suppliers could be asked to have a trial promotional stock of items on a sales or return basis in order to promote the CopterX brand

Future Plans

The primary goal of the company is to have the minimal amount of costs and the maximum revenue of the sale price. The shop will be self sustaining in terms of profitability.
The main bread and butter of the company will be supplying CopterX helis and CopterX spare parts to customers. As an another source of revenue we will be developing a small range of our own parts and accessories.

Our first plan is going very well; a swash leveling tool (more details to follow). This is the tool to have to balance the swash plate when your setting a heli up.
We have just recieved our third prototype. Wow; compared to the last two this one is just perfect; it's so good that I have given the original (bought at 9pounds) and a spare mailshaft to the company that made the prototype; a few more are on their way :)

After we have the swash leveller product in sufficent stock numbers, we will create a battery warning system and get this manufactuered to our design.

Following on from the battery warning system, we will then produce some led lighting systems for heli's. This will help people to have to fun flying at nighttime!

The next project would be far more adventurios. We plan on designing and automated helicopter; based on CCPM copters of a resonable size.
This technology can then be sold as a automated teacher (rescuer!) when your learning; it could be used to fly the heli full automated on a preset course; or simply strap a camera on the take ariel digital photos of any angle by just commanding the heli where to go.

People

The two main people that will be involved on a day to day basis will be Chris and Steve. Both are mature students at DMU university and are using their 'gap year' to build CopterX (uk).

Further information on specific team members and how to contact them can be found on the People Page.