Gas Station Business Plan and SWOT Analysis

Gas Station Business Plan, Marketing Plan, How To Guide, and Funding Directory

The Gas Station Business Plan and Business Development toolkit features 18 different documents that you can use for capital raising or general business planning purposes. Our product line also features comprehensive information regarding to how to start a Gas Station business. All business planning packages come with easy-to-use instructions so that you can reduce the time needed to create a professional business plan and presentation.

Your Business Planning Package will be immediately emailed to you after you make your purchase.

Product Specifications (please see images below):

  • Bank/Investor Ready!
  • Complete Industry Research
  • 3 Year Excel Financial Model
  • Business Plan (26 to 30 pages)
  • Loan Amortization and ROI Tools
  • Three SWOT Analysis Templates
  • Easy to Use Instructions
  • All Documents Delivered in Word, Excel, and PDF Format
  • Meets SBA Requirements

Gas stations are an essential part of any economy given that they provide the energy necessary to power fuels and trucks. While this industry has undergone changes over the past 20 years and will continue to undergo changes as vehicle technology is modified – the demand for fueling and gas stations is not expected to decline any time in your future. The barriers to entry for a new gas station are very high given the substantial amount of assets need to be purchased as well as a location that needs to be specially designated for gas station. The startup costs associated with a gas station are considered moderately high given that a capital investment of $500,000 to well over $2 million is generally necessary in order to maintain a properly licensed gas station facility and convenience store. Typically, the gross margins generated from fuel sales range anywhere from 1% to 10% depending on how the gas station acquires its fuel inventories. Many franchised destinations often have these operations maintained by the franchisor. For independent stations, these businesses will frequently obtain their inventories on a wholesale basis and earning moderate gross margin on the sales. The bulk of a gas station’s profits come from convenient store sales.

Almost all financial institutions are willing to place capital with a properly zoned gas station. Of course, any entrepreneur looking to get into this industry needs to have a properly developed business plan. This business plan should include a three-year profit and loss statement, cash flow analysis, balance sheet, breakeven analysis, and business ratios page. Special attention should be paid to the fact – again – that the convenience store is the primary profit center for the business and will most likely consist of the revenues necessary in order to pay down any underlying debt service obligation. Be on the financial information, a full analysis of the local market and economy should be included. This includes demographic analysis of population, population size, population density, number of travelers through the region, median household income, and median family income. An examination of all competitors should be included given that many times cities and states will frequently have gas stations located near each other so that in the event of a spill or other accident large areas are not polluted. There are very specific zoning laws as relates to fueling stations within the United States. As such, a thorough analysis of any new area that has been zoned for a gas station should also be included in the business plan.

A gas station marketing plan is limited in nature given that most of these businesses benefit by being close to each other and having substantial signage. In fact, most gas stations only maintain a very minimal marketing campaign in order to keep people aware of the brand name of the business. Usually, most marketing campaigns that are geared for a gas station focus substantially on the convenience store items that are available for sale. This is one of the ways that these businesses are able to remain profitable at all times given that convenience store items carry a much higher gross profit than the sales of fuel.

A gas station SWOT analysis discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that are normally associated with these businesses. As it relates the strengths, even in times of economic recession most gas stations are able to remain profitable and cash flow positive. As it relates to weaknesses, these businesses have profitability that is highly subject to fluctuation given that the cost of fuel changes on a daily basis. As such, it is very important for gas station entrepreneur to understand these risks and work with the fuel wholesaler in order to ensure that a gross margins generated all times when a fuel-cell is made. Additionally, these businesses do have moderately high ongoing operating costs especially as it relates to payroll. For opportunities, many gas station owners will look to expand their convenience store operations as this is the largest profit center for the business. Also, many gas station owners will to establish additional locations throughout the life of the corporation. As it relates to threats, gas stations are under increasing pressure to provide electrical hookups now for vehicles that operate on a hybrid or solely electric basis. This is going to be one of the continued trends of these businesses are going to have to deal with given that many more vehicles these days operate solely electric capacity. As such, this risk can be mitigated if he convenience stores associated so that people will wait at the location while the vehicle was charging. This trend is expected continue in perpetuity.