A business plan cover page tells the reader whose plan it is and how to reach you. Put the business name, a one-line description, the owner's name, address, phone and email, the date, and who the plan was prepared for. If you are already registered, add your DTI business name registration details. Keep it to one clean page with no long text.
What goes on the cover page
The cover page is not decoration. A loan officer may have dozens of files on the desk, and your cover is how they find yours again. Include:
- Business name, exactly as registered with DTI or SEC, or the name you plan to register.
- A one-line description, like "Neighbourhood bakery selling pandesal and breads".
- Logo, if you have one. Leave it out rather than using a rushed design.
- Owner or owners, with full names and roles.
- Business address, including barangay, city and province.
- Phone and email you check every day.
- Date of this version of the plan.
- Prepared for, such as the name of the bank, cooperative, school or investor.
- Registration details if you have them, such as your DTI business name registration and TIN.
- A confidentiality line if the plan includes figures you do not want shared.
Worked example: a bakery cover page
Example: cover page text for a bakery in Iloilo City. This is an illustration with placeholders. Replace every bracket.
[BUSINESS NAME] BAKESHOP / Neighbourhood bakery selling pandesal, loaf bread and local pastries / Business Plan / Prepared for: [name of bank or cooperative] / Prepared by: [owner's full name], Owner / [Street], Barangay [name], Iloilo City, Iloilo / [mobile number] · [email] / DTI Business Name Registration No.: [number] / Version date: [month day, year] / Confidential. Prepared for the named recipient only.
Notice the order: the name and what the business does come first, then who it is for, then how to reach you, then the details. If you have not registered yet, leave the registration line out or write "DTI registration in process" rather than inventing a number.
Layout tips
Use one or two fonts and plenty of white space. Centre the business name near the top in larger type. Put contact details lower down. Print on plain white paper unless the reader asks otherwise. If you submit a PDF, name the file with your business name and the date, so it is easy to find.
After the cover, most plans add a table of contents, then the executive summary. For plans under ten pages, a short table of contents is still helpful because it shows the reader the plan is complete.
Common mistakes
- No date, so readers cannot tell an old version from a new one.
- A business name that does not match the DTI registration.
- Missing phone or email, or a number that nobody answers.
- Long slogans or mission statements crammed onto the cover.
- Invented registration numbers before you have registered.
- Sending the same cover to every lender without changing "Prepared for".
When you update the plan
Change the version date every time you change a number. Keep old versions in a folder. If a lender asks a question about figures, you will know which version they have. This also helps when you renew your permits each year and want to compare your plan with what happened.
Cover page checklist
- Use the exact registered business name
- Add a one-line description of what you sell
- List the owner's full name and role
- Include the full address with barangay and city
- Add a phone and email you check daily
- Write the version date
- Name who the plan is prepared for
- Add DTI registration details only if you have them
Questions people ask
- Does a business plan need a cover page?
- For a lender, school or investor, yes. It identifies the plan and tells them how to contact you. For your own use, it is optional but still helps you track versions.
- Should I put my TIN on the cover page?
- You can if you are already registered with BIR and the reader needs it. Many owners leave it off the cover and include their BIR certificate of registration in the appendix instead.
- What if I have not registered my business name yet?
- Use the name you plan to register and write "DTI registration in process", or leave the line out. Check that the name is available first with a DTI name search.
- Do I need a logo?
- No. A clean cover with the business name in clear type is fine. A logo can be added later.