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45 + Business Plan Templates
Do you need help writing your business plan? Wise Business Plans have created over 45 free business plan templates for nearly all industries to assist you in writing your business plan. There are also tips on how to write your business plan and answers to key sample questions.
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A business plan template will help you to:, introduce your company and make your idea sell, plan your metrics for success and how you will achieve it, how you will stand out from the competition, see if you are fulfilling all legal formalities, strong start with thoughtful financial projections, create buyer persona, business plan templates by business category, why do you need a business plan.
A business plan gives detailed information about your business goals, your strategy for achieving those goals, and how much time you will take in the process.
Creating a business plan will help you in the following ways:
- Understand your target market and a strategy to reach your target audience
- Detect any mistake in your business idea and attend to it before opening your business
- You may find new opportunities and more effective ways of conducting business
- You will think hard about your competition and refine your idea
- You will spot challenges better and you will face those challenges well-prepared
- Your business plan tells your employees, investors, and partners that you are determined to your business idea
- You will calculate your business’s breakeven point and profitability and you will know how much capital you need to reach the breakeven point
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Why Should You Start with a Business Plan Template?
A business plan is a lengthy and fairly detailed document. It starts with a summary of your business and goes on to explain your products and services, and your financial, production, & operational plan.
Stay on Track with Template
A business template helps you stay on track and follow the accepted practices of business plan writing. If you lose the business plan structure, the potential lenders or investors may think you are an amateur.
Easy & Effective
Most business plan templates, like ours, come with some explanation about every section. When you are filling in the data, you can use the short descriptions with each section to fill in the data correctly. A well-structured and well-written business plan makes you stand out before lenders and investors.
Beginner Friendly
If you are not already a pro at writing a business plan , it is better to use a template. A standard business plan has more or less 9 sections and many subsections in a certain order. Messing up the order or missing detail will make your business plan incoherent.
Traditional Business Plan vs Lean Business Plan
When we search for a free business plan template, we usually see a traditional business plan.
Traditional Business Plan
- Long and detailed document
- Sections and subsections for every detail
- Discusses your goals and strategy to achieve those goals at length
- Investors and lenders will require this business plan to consider your business idea
Lean Business Plan
- Short and concise version of a business plan
- Only 1-2 sentence introduction to each business plan section
- Introduce your goals and strategy with only a statement
- Expandable, you can turn it into a full-length business plan
- Mostly used by lean startups & small businesses who won’t need any funding
- Potential lenders and investor may request more detail
What Does This Business Plan Template Achieve?
Our free business plan template is to help you create a business plan easily. We have business plan templates in Word and PDF formats for both traditional business plans and lean business plans.
With the help of this free business plan template, you will be able to create a comprehensive business plan within a few hours.
We have also included a section on how you can convince potential investors and venture capitalists to invest in your business idea. We believe that a business plan should help you win investment for your business.

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How to Use This Free Business Plan Template?
Download a free business template, preparing any missing data, check if you have all the data ready, fill in the template as per instructions stated in each section, read your business plan the next day with fresh eyes, a gap makes it easier to spot any mistakes, if possible, get feedback from a trusted person, your business plan is ready, free: business plan examples.
Do you need help creating a business plan? Check out these six free, proven business plan examples from different industries to help you write your own.
How our business plan template helps you write a world-class business plan?
When you have a business plan template, writing a business plan is fairly easy. You will just need to commit to the task for a few hours if you have the necessary data already.
Writing a business plan may take more time if you are starting with a clean slate, i.e. the idea just came into your mind and you started writing a business plan.
There are nine sections to a traditional business plan .
Executive Summary
Company description, market analysis, organization and management, service or product line, marketing and sales, funding request.
- Financial Projections
It is not important to stick to the exact business plan outline ; you can move the sections as you deem necessary. However, it is recommended to keep all nine sections of the business plan template.
Introduce your company briefly and tell why your business idea will be a success. Your executive summary is essentially a short version of your business plan.
Try to make the executive summary a stand-alone document as many investors and lenders will evaluate your business idea solely on that. If they like your executive summary, they will ask for a complete business plan or pitch.
A good executive summary will include:
- An overview of your business idea
- Product or Service detail
- Information about the target market
- Information about your team
- Financial Plan
- Operations Plan
- Funding requirement
Write an executive summary after completing your business plan. Since it is a summary of your business plan, you will be able to write it better at the end.
Free: Executive Summary Examples
Download the free business plan executive summary examples to make writing one easy for you!
The company overview section of a business plan is the place to talk about your company’s strengths.
You can talk about the competitive advantage your company has in the market. Discuss how your company will solve a specific problem and what organizations, consumers, or customers it will serve.
Your market analysis includes how you are positioned in the market, who your potential customers are and how they will benefit from your product or service. You will make a good point if you are precise and your analysis is based on data and reality.
Talk about your market dynamics like what are trends in your target market and how it is changing over time. This will help you understand the long-term outlook of your business.
Give information about your organization and structure and key people in it. You will need to give details of the legal structure of your company. Is your company an LLC , partnership firm, sole proprietorship , or corporation?
Include your organizational chart in it to help investors and lenders understand your company. Show how each team member adds to the success of your business idea. If you can include resumes of your key people, that would be great.
Pro Tips: Learn how to write a management team section in business plan .
Explain the product or service in your business plan you are going to offer. Talk about the benefits of your product. If you have plans for intellectual property like TradeMarks, copyrights, or patents, discuss that here.
If you have a research and development plan for your product or service, tell your readers about that in this section.
Marketing and sales are dynamic. You can only lay out the first marketing plan to bring in initial sales.
Talk about how a sale will happen. How you will attract the customers and how you will maximize customer lifetime value. Marketing and sales are directly linked to your financial forecast, make sure both align
Pro Tips: Learn how to write a sales and marketing plan in a business plan .
Outline how much funding will you need for the next five years and where you will use it.
Try to be specific here. When you are asking for funding, make sure you tell about:
- How much funding will you need in the next five years
- Where you will spend this money (like will you buy machinery, equipment, pay salaries, do marketing, etc)
- Talk about the terms you will offer like equity or debt
- How you will pay your debts
Bonus Tip: Explore the 14 common funding sources for your small business.
Sales and Financial Projection
Financial project is one of the business plan sections that will be most pondered upon. Financial projections make the case for your business’s financial success.
The financial projections will include a balance sheet , income statement , and cash flow statement . If you are already running a business, you can include current financial statements. You will include forecast financial statements for your business if you are just starting.
Make 5 years financial projections. Make the financial projections and forecast financial statements for the first year with even shorter intervals like quarterly or biannually.
Try to keep your financial projections close to reality.
Pro Tips: Learn how to create a financial plan in a business plan .
The appendix is the place to enter information that you could not enter elsewhere.
Include any missing data chart, terms definition, legal notes, or tables here. Marketing material, key employees’ resumes, permits, leases, and market study data will also be added to the appendix.
Bonus Tip: Learn what to include in a business plan appendix when writing a business plan.
What is a lean business plan and how to write one?
A lean business plan is a concise business plan that outlines and gives a straightforward management plan. A lean business plan is made for internal use but it can be expanded into a lengthy, traditional business plan.
A lean business plan is also called a lean start-up business plan, startup business plan, lean startup format business plan, or lean canvas business plan.
How to write a Lean Business Plan?
Writing a lean business plan is fairly easy. Since it is a short, one-page business plan and you are making it for yourself or your business partners, you do not need to include lengthy details.
A lean business plan will have a one or two-sentence introduction to each section. For example, the executive summary in a lean business plan may only talk about your target customer and how you are a good fit for them.
A variation of a lean business plan is a lean canvas business plan. The difference between a lean business plan and lean canvas business is that the lean canvas business plan is visually appealing. A lean canvas business plan deconstructs your startup business plan and makes it easy to understand.
We have included a lean startup business plan template in PDF and Google Docs. You can download our free lean business plan template below.
Need help writing your business plan?
If you need help in writing a business plan for your idea, we can help. Here is how:
- Learn how to write a business plan in our business plan writing guide.
- Check out our collection of sample business plans for different industries; you will surely find a business plan for your business idea.
- Hire our expert business plan writers and get your business plan done professionally with the help of our business plan writing services . Or get our business plan template here.
Recommended: For good impression on your reader visit our page on business plan cover examples
How to win investments and capital with your business plan?
The ultimate goal of your business plan is to win you the investment and resources.
Any business plan template will do the job for you when your only goal is to understand your business and how you will run it. This may be the case when you are all in all of your business.
You are starting a business with a plan to expand and scale. Any business idea worth scaling will need more money and other resources than you may have. You will need to pitch your idea to venture capitalists and investors. For that, your business plan must address them and answer their questions.
Here are Five checks you can implement to make your business plan more investor-friendly and win investments with a business plan.

Focus on the Market
Investors are interested in knowing if your business idea will be a good fit for the market. After all, there are listening to your pitch in the hopes of a good investment opportunity. Think hard about how your business idea is market-driven and what is the market size, sales, and profit potential of your product or service. This will help your potential investors assess your idea’s chances of success.

Show user Benefit
Your business plan should show the user’s benefit. It should emphasize how the user will benefit from it and how soon the product will pay for itself in terms of reduced costs or added benefits. The quicker the product pays for itself, the higher the chances for its success. Also, investors will be interested in such a business idea.

Explore Market’s Interest
You will need to demonstrate the user benefit. You can do that by showing satisfied customers. The representative customers for your product prove the market worth of your business idea. If there are no users for your product or service at the moment, you can give it at a discount or even for free to some potential customers and obtain written feedback. It will show if your product/service is market-ready.

Document your Claims
When documenting your claims, you will have to face tough questions. Some assumptions about your business may not stand firm. Your claims must be data-backed. For example, if you are aiming your product or service at small or medium businesses, your target market is not all the 17 million small-medium businesses registered. Your actual market will depend on the specifics of your product/ business details and the size of the market may be smaller than you think. When investors read your claims and they can right away dismantle that claim, your chances of getting funding or investment may diminish. Construct your claims based on proven data and make sure you can defend them.

Address Investors’ Concerns
Investors attend to your business plan with a certain mindset. We have briefly discussed investors’ chief concerns here. Investors want to know how soon they will start getting a return on their investment. They want to know what and when they can cash out their investment. Mostly, venture capitalists and investors make money when a business goes public or is sold to another company. You can tell the investors about cashing out in your financial projections section. Make reasonable projections about your business. You may be carried away by your naive optimism when writing your business plan but the investors will not. The profitability and growth projections should not deviate much from the norm. Unless it is an altogether new invention, your business idea may not reshape the entire industry. If your product or service is still in the development phase, consider launching and testing it before going to the investors. If a segment of your target industry uses it, you will be better able to assess the success of your product or service. You will need to pay the price for the investment in terms of a share in the company ownership. Investors’ expected compound return rate can vary between 35% to 60% over 5 years and they may demand a share in the company accordingly. With good business ideas and strong management teams, the profit expectations are better and investors may settle for less. However, for immature ventures, the investors may demand a more significant share to ensure their desired return.
Free vs Paid Business Plan Template
WiseBusinessPlans offers free as well as paid business plan templates. Both templates come with their advantages and disadvantages.
If your business is cash-strapped, a free business plan may serve you better. Although you will face some challenges, you can create a functional business plan with a free template too.
Free Business Plan Template
WiseBusinessPlans offer free business plan templates, business plan samples , business plan writing guides and tutorials. You can learn and develop a top-notch business plan with the help of our free resources.
Free business plans templates are suitable for people who don’t need any loans or investments.
Free business plan templates are created in a way that everyone can use them. Mostly, they have a set pattern and even if you put unique data, you may not get a perfect, investor-ready business plan.
Another drawback of a free business plan template is the pre-filled, sometimes dummy, data in the template. If you are not careful, you may forget to replace this data with actual data about your business.
Paid Business Plan Template
A paid business plan, or template, is your way to go when you need funding for your startup.
Getting a paid business plan template comes with advantages like customized data and good graphics.
When your business idea is backed by real data, you are more likely to convince lenders and investors to give you funding.
A good business plan writing service may be expensive but its comparative cost is little if you get funding.
Interested in getting a paid business plan template? Explore these options.
WiseBusinessPlans
WiseBusinessPlans offer professional, paid business plan templates . You can hire our MBA business plan writers and consultants or buy an investor-ready business plan template.
LivPlan is a business plan-making software. It gives you step-by-step instructions. It also helps with creating financial statements, financial forecasting, and KPIs. The price starts at $15 per month.
BizPlan is similar to LivPlan. It is cloud-hosted and gives you a walk-through experience of creating a business plan. The annual plan costs $20.75 per month.
GoSmallBiz is another business plan software with the added advantage of tutorials and how-to videos. You can learn as you go and make a business plan fit for securing investments or loans. The price starts at $15 per month.
If you only need help with your financial plan section in a business plan, Enloop may be a great choice for you. Enloop generates detailed financial forecasts for your business idea. Monthly price starts at $11 per month.
Looking to Build Business Credit?
Build your business credit quickly with an easy approval net 30 account from Wise Business Plans. Or check out the top 10 net 30 vendors to find the best one for you to help build your business credit .
Frequently Asked Questions
A business plan helps you prepare for launching your business. It gives you a clear plan and roadmap to achieve your goals.
A business plan is a very important document. It introduces your business to your potential investors, shareholders, and lenders. A business plan also helps you apply for credits and loans by effectively presenting your business.
Attracting investment and getting loans at the start of your business can be tough. When you have an excellent business plan, you can convince then investors and lenders of your potential and secure their support.
A business plan does not only talk about goals and promises. The more accurate and factual your business plan is, the more reliable it will appear. With dedicated effort, you can convince anyone that your business's financial success is only a matter of time. Our free business plan template will help you achieve that.
Your business plan length will vary as per your unique needs.
For small businesses that solve a problem for a small market segment and they do not need a lot of funding, a short business plan may work fine. In the case of a traditional business plan, the length may be anywhere between 15-20 pages.
For medium and large businesses or businesses that can potentially serve a large market segment and their growth prospects are good, they will need a business plan that fully explains their business idea. A typical business plan length for such business can be anywhere between 30-50 pages.
For startup businesses, a one page lean startup business plan will cover everything in 1-2 pages.
Anyone starting a business , looking to secure funding for expansion of their business, or understanding the business thoroughly will need a business plan.
A business plan prepares you for making your business idea a financial success. It can help you spot any weaknesses and unidentified opportunities.
Even if you are not going to ask for funding or investment for your business, writing a business plan will up your chances for success by 30%.
( 2 Burke, A., Fraser, S., & Greene, F. J. (2010). The multiple effects of business planning on new venture performance. Journal of Management Studies, 47(3), 391-415.)
The best business plan template is the one that serves your needs well.
A traditional business plan template is good for convincing investors and securing funding; a lean startup business plan is good for understanding a business idea quickly and taking action fast.
Generally speaking, hiring a business plan writer may not be the best idea. Writing your business plan is an opportunity for you to understand your business plan in greater depth. A business plan writer may be able to get all things right and make a complete business plan but your understanding of your business idea will not increase.
Also, writing a business plan is easier than ever with the help of a free business plan template. Our business plan template guides every step of the process. You will only need to gather information and write it down.
The chief advantage of business planning software is that it makes the business plan writing process more interactive. The experience is similar to filling out a PDF business plan template with the same outcomes.
An award-winning business plan is written by professional writers. We have MBA-qualified business plan writers at Wise Business Plans.
Download our ultimate Business Plan Template
We will show you some real-world business plan examples so you may know how to write your own, especially if you are seeking a bank loan or an outside investment and need to use SBA-approved formatting.
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Contact us today for a free consultation, collaborate.

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Simple Business Plan Template (2023)
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Updated: Dec 16, 2022, 11:45pm

Table of Contents
Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.
While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.
Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.
Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting.
Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.
Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.
Download free template as .docx
Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.
1. Your Mission or Vision
Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.
- What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
- Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
- Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
- Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
- How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?
These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.
2. Offer and Value Proposition
This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.
As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.
For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

3. Audience and Ideal Customer
Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.
There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.
Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.
However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.
4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing
Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.
Revenue Streams
Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.
For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:
- Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
- Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
- Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
- E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
- Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
- Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
- Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
- Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs
Sales Channels
Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.
The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:
- Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
- E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
- Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
- Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location
Channels that support other income streams might include:
- Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
- Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
- E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
- Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
- Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
- Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress
Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.
However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations
This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.
Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:
- Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
- Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
- Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
- Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
- Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.
6. Financial Forecasts
Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.
Cost Forecast
Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:
Gross Profit Projections
This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.
Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:
Bottom Line
Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.
Is there a template for a business plan?
Yes, you can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.
What does a simple business plan include?
A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.
How can I create a free business plan template?
Start with this free simple business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.
What basic items should be included in a business plan?
When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business, an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.
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Krista Fabregas is a seasoned eCommerce and online content pro sharing more than 20 years of hands-on know-how with those looking to launch and grow tech-forward businesses. Her expertise includes eCommerce startups and growth, SMB operations and logistics, website platforms, payment systems, side-gig and affiliate income, and multichannel marketing. Krista holds a bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at Austin and held senior positions at NASA, a Fortune 100 company, and several online startups.
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Professional Business Plan Template to Customize

- Create a comprehensive business plan.
- Easily customize your slides to fit your needs.
- Showcase data with 40+ chart options.
Chosen by brands large and small
Our business plan maker is used by over 18,235,768 marketers, communicators, executives and educators from over 120 countries that include:

Powerful Presentation Features That Help You Shine
Visme’s free business plan template was built by designers for non-designers to help you write a business plan that your audience will love, without needing an eye for design.
Professional business plan templates
Create a presentation or document business plan quickly and easily with Visme's template options. Customize each page or slide to fit your vision and information to pitch to cofounders or investors. Get started today.

Data visualization made easy
Tell your story with the data to match using easy-to-customize charts and graphs. Select from 40+ chart and graph visualizations and find the one that proves your point clearly. Upload static data or connect to Google sheets for live data.

Customize every aspect of your presentation with your own images and text
Convey the exact mood you desire for your business plan with over a million images, thousands of icons, dozens of charts and data widgets to visualize information in an engaging way. Apply a color scheme to all your slides with one click. Add animation effects, transitions, interactivity, pop-ups, rollovers and third-party content to support your business case.

Apply our simple business plan template to give you a head start.
Our business plan software lights the way as you sort through the important elements of creating a business plan. Inject your own creativity into your presentation using our vast library of icons, photos and animations, or keep it simple and clean. Each slide of the sample business plan will help your audience understand key elements of your business.

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Finished your business plan and ready to share with the world? Visme’s business plan template makes it easy to publish, download and get feedback on your design. Simply download as a high resolution image or PDF, or publish it to the web and send a link to access it.
What is a Business Plan ?
A business plan is a written document or presentation that allows business leaders to share the business potential and goals, as well as your plans for the future. The business plan is a key step in working towards getting investors looking at your product.
If you're looking to flesh out a new business idea or venture in order to get cofounders or investors on board, you need a business plan. Get started with one of our templates to give you a starting point and framework for your own plan.

Why do I need a business plan?
Writing a business plan is a key step in securing funding and convincing high level executives that your business is worth their time. A well-executed business plan is crucial to the success of a business and it’s one of the first steps you should take.
Make Your Business Plan Stand Out
Take your business to new heights with a beautifully designed business plan. Our tools put the power of visual communication in the hands of entrepreneurs and business owners, no matter their level of design skills.
MAKE IT ENGAGING
Highlight your business’ unique selling point with interactive hotspots and rollover effects. Capture the attention of investors and stakeholders with interactive content.

VISUALIZE YOUR DATA
Charts & graphs.
Showcase in-depth data, statistics, and financial projections in a unique way. Harness the power of data visualization with Visme’s professional infographics, charts and graphs.

MEASURE THE IMPACT
Gain insight into the impact of your business plan with an analytics report. Track how many people have viewed your business plan and gauge its effectiveness.
How to Make a Business Plan in 5 Steps
If you are wondering how to write a business plan, you’ve come to the right place. Instead of starting your business plan from scratch, use our business plan templates to get you going in no time.
Learn more about creating your own business plan presentation or document by going through our step-by-step tutorial below or watching this quick video.
- Log into your Visme dashboard or create a new account, then click Create New Project.
- Access our business plan templates by searching for “Business Plan” in the search box.
- Select the template, then customize the content for your business.
- Update any charts and graphs to reflect your business goals.
- Once all your content is added, customize colors, logos, icons and more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It’s 100% free to make a business plan with Visme. You can also download your plan as a JPEG for free. To download as a PNG, PDF or PPTX, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan.
Visme has 40+ charts and diagrams available to our users. Use multiple types in your business plan to find the best way to display your information in a clear way.
Absolutely! Your brand kit can be used to customize any type of template or design inside Visme’s editor. To create a brand kit, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan.
Yes! All templates within Visme are infinitely customizable, not just business plan templates. You can pick a starting point for your design and edit each and every aspect of it to fit your vision.
You sure can! All the images are available for both personal and commercial use, so feel free to use any photo from the stock photo library within your label.

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Business Plan Template for Small Businesses, Startups, and Entrepreneurs
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- Instructions included More than just a template, you’ll learn how to write a winning business plan
- SBA-lender approved format Your plan will be in the format lenders and investors expect
- Fill-in-the-blanks simplicity You don’t need to be an expert, this template makes business planning easy
- 100% free We’re here to help you succeed in business, no strings attached
Start your business plan today
Why you need a business plan.
- Develop a strategy for success
- Reduce the risk of starting a business
- Explore new business ideas
- Attract investors and get funding
Why you should start with a business plan template
- Helps organize your thoughts.
- Provides guidance, instructions, and examples so that you’re not stuck looking at a blank page.
- Gives you an investor-ready and SBA-approved business plan format.
- Speeds up the planning process.
- Oh, and it’s 100% free!
What is included in this business plan template?
- Company Purpose
- Problem We Solve
- Our Solution
- Target Customers
- Financial Summary
- Funding Needed
- Competition
- Intellectual Property/Patents
- Milestones/Roadmap
- Target Market
- Market Trends
- Industry Analysis
- Key Customers
- Sales Channels
- Marketing Activities
- Pricing Strategy
- Positioning
- SWOT Analysis
- Company Structure
- Management Team
- Projected Profit & Loss
- Projected Balance Sheet
- Projected Cash Flow Statement
- Use of Funds
- Exit Strategy
- Additional Documentation
Free business plan template PDF download
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Business Plan Excel
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Ecommerce Business Plan Template
Used 5,076 times
Prepared by:
[Sender.FirstName] [Sender.LastName]
[Sender.Title] [Sender.Company]
[Sender.Phone] [Sender.Email]
Business Overview
[Sender.Company] is headquartered at [Sender.StreetAddress] , [Sender.City] , [Sender.State] [Sender.PostalCode] and operates in the (industry) . [Sender.Company] was founded in (month, year) by (Founder.Name).
[Sender.Company] seeks to offer (a general description of specific products or services to be offered) in response to what management has identified as a clear market need.
Products and Services
[Sender.Company] will sell (specific products or services to be sold). The products sold by [Sender.Company] will stand apart from the competition due to (explain the unique selling proposition of the product to be sold). [Sender.Company] will also provide (describe any supplementary products or services offered).
Website Design
[Sender.Company] will develop a website whose key elements will include the following:
About section explaining the company's mission
Database of products
Shopping cart system
Help and FAQ pages
The website will be built by an established development firm and designed by an accomplished web designer, with the process supervised by [Sender.Company] 's designated supervisor.
Management Team
[Sender.Company] is led by (Manager.Name) who has been in the e-commerce industry for (number) years.
Previously, (Manager.Name) worked as (job title) at (previous company) and acquired in-depth knowledge of the e-commerce industry as well as the (industry name) industry and the needs of the mass consumer.
Industry Analysis
[Sender.Company] has conducted a thorough analysis of the industry and discovered the following statistics that bode well for the business:
(Provide point-by-point statistics that illustrate the opportunity for your business e.g., growth projections for the e-commerce industry and your specific niche, consumer survey results, cost projections, etc.)
Customer Analysis
[Sender.Company] ’s target market is comprised primarily of (describe your ideal customer) .
The demographics of these customers are as follows:
The average income of $XX, XXX
XX% work in (industry)
XX% (married/single)
The median age of XX years
Strong desire for (a specific type of product/service you sell)
Competitor Analysis
There are numerous competitors in the industry in which [Sender.Company] will operate. The most noteworthy competitors consist of:
(List 2-3 competitors and include a brief description of their history, the scope of their businesses, and some noteworthy facts and stats.)
Competitive Advantage
[Sender.Company] is positioned for success because:
There are a limited number of competitors.
There's no one selling the exact product/service that [Sender.Company] offers.
The management team is seasoned and has a strong track record of success.
The product/service is on trend, and the industry is growing.
Marketing Strategy
[Sender.Company] plans to leverage several strategical prongs to achieve success in its marketing strategy.
Brand Strategy
[Sender.Company] will consistently focus its marketing efforts on the brand's unique value proposition, consisting of:
(Describe what makes your product or service stand apart from your competitors)
Promotional Strategy
(List some of the channels or methods your company will use to promote itself, e.g., SEO, email marketing, paid advertising, social media outreach, affiliates, etc.)
Pricing Strategy
[Sender.Company] 's pricing, is based on comprehensive market research, and it has been determined that our pricing is fair and attractive compared to competitor offerings.
(State the specific pricing or the general price range of products to be offered.)
Operational Plan
[Sender.Company] has determined that the following roles are essential for the success of the company:
(List some of the departments and roles that will need to be in place to operate the business.)
[Sender.Company] believes it is reasonable to expect completion of the following milestones at the following times:
(State when you expect the milestone to be completed.)
(Briefly describe what the milestone is e.g., the website goes live, marketing campaigns launch, products ship, etc.)
Financial Projections
[Sender.Company] is seeking total funding of $(amount) to launch its business. The capital will be used for (state what funding will be used e.g., building the website, hiring personnel, working capital, marketing, etc.)
Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:
Hiring a content production team: approximately $(amount of money)
Marketing: approximately $(amount of money) design/build and startup business expenses: approximately $120,000
[Sender.Company] 's financial projections for the next (number) years are as follows:

Business Plan Templates
Make Sure You Have an Elaborate Road Map for Your Business with Template.net’s Free Printable Business Plan Templates. Choose Your Appropriate Template Sample Online with Professionally-written Content Including a Premade Mission Statement, Product and Service Details, Company Information, Leadership, Financial Information, and Growth Plans that You can Edit to Your Specific Requirements. See more
How to Write a Business Plan

Free Business Plan Template, Printable, Download
With the tough business competition environment nowadays, it’s essential that your business survives whatever the risks it faces. Template.net helps you ensure your business has an effective strategy for growth and survival with our free business plan templates. Choose your business plan template format in simple, lean, or one-page examples that come with prewritten original content and executive summaries that you can edit with our document editor tool. Make your business plan for your startup or nonprofit organization’s marketing, sales, or investment requirements. All template samples are downloadable for free.
Edit Business Plan Online for Free and Download
Choose from different kinds of business plan examples for small businesses, startups, construction companies, real estate agencies, restaurants, fashion clothing stores, cafes, bakeries, salons, coffee shops, or photography studios. Get template samples in one-page or detailed outlines that are useful for corporate entities. Edit your business plan online and download for free anytime.

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Business Plan
Define and communicate the vision for your business with this business plan template for Word. This business plan template includes guidance on what makes a great plan using a new coffee shop as an example. Fill in this simple business plan template with the details of your business for a stunning plan you can present to your stakeholders and potential clients.

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Business Plan Templates
Plans, strategies, roadmaps – Businesses rely on these things to gain perspective on what’s about to happen. Milestones laid down in strategic and careful planning for growth and expansion, visions of where the company’s headed 10 years from now, goals that should meet timelines, all these require a smart, prudent and calculated planning.
Whether you’re a startup, an SMB, or close to a Fortune 500, a solid business plan is crucial. And of course, writing business plans is a huge task. But, what if you needed something that requires input from others though? Say, an online form or a PDF template where responses from your colleagues and managers matter? Well, here’s a collection of PDF templates for business planning.
These are beautifully designed templates, specifically tailored for businesses and companies who don’t know where to start. The hard part was already done and that’s designing the template. These will serve as boilerplates for whatever milestone your business needs. You won’t need to worry on building something from scratch, you just need to focus on the content. Some of these templates will contain or collect executive summaries, opportunities, expectations, execution, financial plans, forecasts, the whole nine yards.
Business plan templates help give a clear vision of what lies ahead. They help you get things organized, planned out, and help you check off items from your to-do list more efficiently.

Strategic Plan
Focus on the future and keep your company moving forward with Jotform’s Strategic Plan Template. Simply fill in the attached form with your company overview, delve deeper with a SWOT analysis, and finish off by determining your strategic goals, actions, and financial plans. Our fully-customizable template converts submitted information into polished PDFs, which you can download, print, or share instantly.

Single Page Business Plan
A single page business plan is just as it sounds: a summary of business objectives displayed on a single page.

Operational Plan
This Operational Plan Sample is structured with important details for your organization. It comes ready to print, but you can simply edit the fields by putting your own organization information.

Marketing Brief
Managing a marketing campaign or promotion is a challenging task. You need to have a marketing plan in order to execute the campaign smoothly with the time and budget provided. Creating a Marketing Brief is very beneficial because it summarizes the marketing strategy for a specific campaign.If you are in the advertising agency or part of the marketing department, then this Marketing Creative Brief Template is for you. This well-designed template contains the client information, project information, and the marketing materials that will be used. The project details explain the project title, description, objectives, target audience, budget overview, advertising guidelines, and competitors.

Glamping Business Plan
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Lean Business Model Canvas
See your business from a new perspective with Jotform’s Lean Business Model Canvas Template. Simply fill in a short form with problems your business could solve, how they are currently being solved in the market, and how your company can uniquely work to solve these problems. Our template instantly converts the information into polished PDFs you can download or print for your next big meeting.Our Lean Business Model Canvas Template already looks professional, but you can personalize it further to match your business. Jotform PDF Editor lets you rearrange form fields or add your company logo at the touch of a button! By instantly converting your business model into an accessible PDF format, our Lean Business Model Canvas Template can help you see the bigger picture and determine how to take your business to the next level.

Business Model Canvas
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Creative Brief
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What are the seven parts of a business plan?
- Executive summary. This is an overview of your business plan. The executive summary should include your company’s offerings, mission, goals, and projections. Think of it as the elevator pitch for your business plan. If you can’t get investors interested here, it’s unlikely they’ll want to keep reading.
- Company description and history. Describe your business’s legal structure and history in addition to what you do. If you just started this business, you may replace company history with your leadership team’s experience. The purpose of this section is to explain the company structure and build confidence in the people running the company.
- Products and services. Talk about what your company offers, whether that’s products, services, or a combination of the two. Describe your products and services in detail. Explain what makes your offering unique, what your profit margins are, what kind of demand you’re seeing for it, etc.
- Market and competitor research. Investors want to know if there’s demand for your offering. Describe the target market and how your product or service benefits potential customers. Include projections of where the industry is headed over the next few years. Additionally, detail your competitors and how saturated the market is.
- Sales and marketing strategy. This part of the business plan explains how you’ll promote your product. Outline elements such as your ideal customer profile (ICP) as well as your marketing channels, budget, and methods.
- Operations and logistics. Explain how you’ll source materials if you sell products as well as the technology you need to deliver such products and services. Also, provide details about your team, like how many people you’ll need and how you’ll manage employees.
- Financial plan and projections. It’s crucial to prove that your business will be financially viable. For this, you’ll need revenue and expense projections. Many investors want to see sample account statements, balance sheets, and cash flow projections.
How do you write a business plan?
Your business plan should be a realistic roadmap that helps you build a successful company. When writing it, take a balanced approach so that you’re not blind to the potential pitfalls and risks. You’ll draft each of the seven sections previously discussed.
Tackling these sections can be overwhelming, so some people like to start with a one-page business plan that includes short paragraphs for each element. Another way to give yourself a head start is by working from a business plan template. Once you have a good start, you can expand each section to make a compelling case for your business.
Can I write a business plan myself?
Yes, you can. However, depending on your writing experience and goals, you may want outside help. If the business plan is for internal use with the purpose of improving business functions, you’ll likely be OK tackling it alone. But if you’re trying to secure funding from a bank or investors, a professional business plan writer can give you a leg up.
Even if you decide to do it yourself, have a trusted friend or business mentor review your plan and provide feedback. An objective point of view will help you refine your work.
What are the four types of business plans?
- One-page or mini business plan. The one-page option is a great way to improve the focus of your business plan and highlight the essential elements. It can be an effective way to workshop your company’s plan or quickly give others a rundown of your entire business.
- Traditional business plan. The traditional business plan is more in-depth than its one-page counterpart and will be more thorough in each section (often, plans exceed 40 pages). For example, it may contain detailed financials, branding samples, and competitive research documents.
- Business model canvas (BMC). The business model canvas is a more visual representation of your business architecture. It includes sections for infrastructure, offering, customers, finances, etc. Many businesses find the BMC appealing since it can be summarized in a single page.
- Strategic business plan. The strategic business plan can have different purposes, like proving feasibility, discussing planning operations, or projecting growth. It will outline the company’s goals, its strategy for reaching them, and the company structure. The main difference between this and the traditional plan is its focus on specific strategic initiatives.
What are the common mistakes in business plans?
- Poor writing. Sloppy writing may suggest that you’re not serious about your business or you lack the needed professionalism.
- Unrealistic expectations. While you should be optimistic about your business, if your financial projections reflect your hopes more than reality, people may hesitate to back your business.
- Lack of supporting documentation. People reviewing your business plan want to see how you back up your claims. You can include research docs, sample financials, and estimates to make your case.
- Failing to define the target audience. For a successful marketing plan, you need to define your target audience. Investors and financial institutions need to see if you’re confident about who you’re selling to.
- Unbalanced. It’s important to lay out the risks and potential upsides. This analysis shows investors that you’re considering the whole picture regarding your business.
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Free Business Continuity Plan Template, Examples Word & Excel
A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a crucial document that outlines the strategies and procedures an organization should follow in the event of a disaster, interruption, or other disruption. Whether it’s a natural disaster, cyber attack, or other unforeseen event, a well-prepared BCP can help minimize the impact on the organization and help it quickly recover its operations.
Having a BCP in place helps ensure that essential functions and services are maintained, and the organization is able to continue providing products and services to its customers, even in the face of adverse conditions. In this article, we will discuss the key components of a BCP, how to develop and implement one, and why it is essential for the long-term success and survival of any organization.
Table of Contents
Why is a business continuity plan important?

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is important for several reasons:
Protects against disruptions: Disruptions , such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and other unforeseen events, can have a significant impact on an organization’s operations and financial stability. A BCP helps organizations prepare for and respond to these disruptions, minimizing their impact and reducing the risk of financial loss.
Maintains essential operations: A BCP outlines the procedures and strategies needed to maintain essential operations during disruptions. This can help organizations continue providing products and services to their customers, even in the face of adverse conditions.
Improves resilience: By having a BCP in place, organizations can become more resilient in the face of disruptions. They can respond more effectively to adverse events and get back to normal operations more quickly.
Increases confidence: A well-prepared BCP can increase confidence among employees, customers, and stakeholders that the organization is prepared for and can respond to disruptions. This can improve the organization’s reputation and help build trust with its stakeholders.
Meets regulatory requirements: In some industries, having a BCP is a regulatory requirement. A well-prepared BCP can help organizations meet these requirements and avoid potential legal and financial consequences.
Supports long-term success: A BCP is an investment in the long-term success and stability of an organization. By preparing for and responding to disruptions, organizations can reduce the risk of financial loss, maintain essential operations, and enhance their resilience.
In conclusion, a Business Continuity Plan is a critical component of an organization’s overall risk management strategy. It helps organizations prepare for and respond to disruptions, minimize their impact, and support long-term success and stability.
Benefits of a Business Continuity Plan
Having a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place provides several benefits for organizations, including:
Minimizes disruption: A BCP helps an organization minimize the impact of disruptions by providing a roadmap for responding to and recovering from adverse events. This can help minimize downtime, reduce the risk of financial loss, and ensure that essential functions and services are maintained.
Increases confidence: Having a BCP in place can increase confidence among employees, customers, and stakeholders that the organization is prepared for and can respond to disruptions. This can improve the organization’s reputation and help build trust with its stakeholders.
Improves planning and preparedness: The process of developing and implementing a BCP can help organizations identify potential risks and vulnerabilities and develop strategies to mitigate them. This can improve overall planning and preparedness, and help the organization better manage the impact of disruptions.
Enhances resilience: A BCP can help organizations become more resilient in the face of disruptions. By having plans and procedures in place, organizations can respond more effectively to adverse events and get back to normal operations more quickly.
Business Continuity Types
There are several types of Business Continuity plans , including:
Disaster Recovery Plan: This type of BCP focuses on recovering an organization’s IT systems and data in the event of a disaster, such as a fire, flood, or earthquake.
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP): This type of BCP outlines the procedures and strategies needed to maintain essential operations in the event of a disruption, such as a power outage, transportation strike, or pandemic.
Pandemic Plan: This type of BCP focuses specifically on preparing for and responding to pandemics, such as the spread of a virus that affects large populations.
Cybersecurity Plan: This type of BCP focuses on protecting an organization’s IT systems and data from cyber-attacks, such as malware, phishing, and ransomware.
Supply Chain Plan: This type of BCP focuses on ensuring the continuity of the organization’s supply chain, including the sourcing of raw materials, production processes, and delivery of products and services.
Crisis Management Plan: This type of BCP focuses on preparing for and responding to crisis events, such as a natural disaster, cyber-attack, or major security breach.
Each type of BCP has its own unique focus and goals, but they all share the same goal of helping organizations prepare for and respond to disruptions, minimize their impact, and support long-term success and stability. Organizations may choose to develop multiple BCPs to address different types of disruptions, or they may choose to develop a comprehensive BCP that covers all aspects of their operations.
Key features of an effective business continuity plan (BCP)
An effective Business Continuity Plan (BCP) should have the following key features:
Risk Assessment: A thorough risk assessment that identifies the potential risks and disruptions that could affect an organization’s operations is critical to the development of an effective BCP. The risk assessment should consider both internal and external risks, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and supply chain disruptions.
Clear Objectives: The BCP should have clear and well-defined objectives that outline the organization’s goals and objectives in the event of a disruption. The objectives should be aligned with the organization’s overall risk management strategy and mission.
Detailed Procedures: The BCP should include detailed procedures that outline the steps needed to maintain essential operations during disruptions. The procedures should be clear, concise, and easy to follow, and they should be reviewed and tested regularly to ensure their effectiveness.
Assigned Responsibilities: The BCP should clearly assign responsibilities for various aspects of the plan, such as data backup, incident response, and communications. This helps ensure that everyone involved knows their role and responsibilities in the event of a disruption.
Communication Plan: The BCP should include a comprehensive communication plan that outlines the steps needed to keep employees, customers, and stakeholders informed during disruptions. The communication plan should include multiple methods of communication, such as email, text, and social media, and it should be tested regularly to ensure its effectiveness.
Testing and Maintenance: The BCP should be regularly tested and maintained to ensure its effectiveness. This includes conducting regular table-top exercises and simulations, as well as updating the plan to reflect changes in the organization’s operations, technology, and risk profile.
Involvement of Key Stakeholders: Key stakeholders, such as employees, customers, and suppliers, should be involved in the development and testing of the BCP. This helps ensure that the plan is well-aligned with the organization’s operations and that it has buy-in from all relevant parties.
In conclusion, an effective BCP should be well-aligned with the organization’s risk management strategy and mission, and it should include clear and well-defined objectives, detailed procedures, assigned responsibilities, a comprehensive communication plan, regular testing and maintenance, and involvement of key stakeholders.
How to Write a Business Continuity Plan
Writing a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a critical component of an organization’s overall risk management strategy. A BCP helps organizations prepare for and respond to disruptions, minimize their impact, and support long-term success and stability. The following is a step-by-step guide to help you write an effective BCP:
Step 1: Conduct a Risk Assessment
The first step in writing a BCP is to conduct a thorough risk assessment. A risk assessment helps you identify the potential risks and disruptions that could affect your organization’s operations. The risk assessment should consider both internal and external risks, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and supply chain disruptions. The risk assessment should be based on the organization’s operations, technology, and risk profile, and it should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure its effectiveness.
Step 2: Define Objectives
Once you have completed the risk assessment, you need to define the objectives for your BCP. The objectives should be clear, concise, and well-aligned with the organization’s overall risk management strategy and mission. The objectives should outline the goals and priorities for the organization in the event of a disruption, and they should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.
Step 3: Develop Detailed Procedures
The next step is to develop detailed procedures that outline the steps needed to maintain essential operations during disruptions. The procedures should be clear, concise, and easy to follow, and they should be reviewed and tested regularly to ensure their effectiveness. The procedures should cover all aspects of the organization’s operations, including data backup, incident response, and communications, and they should be based on the organization’s risk assessment and objectives.
Step 4: Assign Responsibilities
The BCP should clearly assign responsibilities for various aspects of the plan, such as data backup, incident response, and communications. This helps ensure that everyone involved knows their role and responsibilities in the event of a disruption. The responsibilities should be based on the organization’s operations, risk profile, and objectives, and they should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure their effectiveness.
Step 5: Develop a Communication Plan
The BCP should include a comprehensive communication plan that outlines the steps needed to keep employees, customers, and stakeholders informed during disruptions. The communication plan should include multiple methods of communication, such as email, text, and social media, and it should be tested regularly to ensure its effectiveness. The communication plan should be based on the organization’s operations, risk profile, and objectives, and it should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.
Step 6: Test and Maintain the BCP
The BCP should be regularly tested and maintained to ensure its effectiveness. This includes conducting regular table-top exercises and simulations, as well as updating the plan to reflect changes in the organization’s operations, technology, and risk profile. The BCP should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure its relevance and effectiveness, and it should be communicated to all relevant parties, such as employees, customers, and suppliers.
Step 7: Involve Key Stakeholders
Key stakeholders, such as employees, customers, and suppliers, should be involved in the development and testing of the BCP. This helps ensure that the plan is well-aligned with the organization’s operations and that it has buy-in from all relevant parties. Key stakeholders should be kept informed of the BCP, and they should be trained on their role and responsibilities in the event of a disruption.
Q: Who is responsible for developing and maintaining a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?
A: The responsibility for developing and maintaining a BCP typically falls on the organization’s risk management or crisis management team. However, the involvement of key stakeholders, such as employees, customers, and suppliers, is also critical to ensure the effectiveness of the BCP.
Q: How often should a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) be updated?
A: A BCP should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. This may include updates in response to changes in the organization’s operations, technology, and risk profile, as well as regular testing and simulation exercises.
Q: How does a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) differ from a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)?
A: A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a type of BCP that focuses specifically on restoring critical IT systems and data after a disaster. A BCP, on the other hand, is a comprehensive plan that outlines how an organization will continue its essential operations in the event of any type of disruption, including disasters.
Q: What should be included in a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?
A: A BCP should include an assessment of the organization’s critical functions, resources, and dependencies, as well as a comprehensive set of procedures and processes for responding to and recovering from a disruption. It should also include a clear communication plan and information on key stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers.
Q: Can a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) be too comprehensive?
A: While it is important to have a comprehensive BCP, it is also important to ensure that the BCP is practical and feasible to implement. A BCP that is too complex or detailed may be difficult to implement, particularly in a crisis situation, and may not provide the level of support and guidance that the organization needs.
Q: How can organizations test their Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?
A: Organizations can test their BCP through various methods, including tabletop exercises, simulation exercises, and full-scale testing. The testing process helps organizations identify and address any gaps or weaknesses in their BCP and ensure that it is effective and feasible to implement in a real-life situation.
Q: How can organizations ensure the confidentiality of their Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?
A: Organizations can ensure the confidentiality of their BCP by limiting access to the BCP to authorized personnel only and implementing appropriate security measures, such as encryption and password protection. It is also important to regularly review and update the BCP to ensure that it remains relevant and up-to-date.
Q: Can a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) be outsourced?
A: Yes, an organization can outsource the development and maintenance of its BCP to a specialized consulting firm. This can be particularly beneficial for organizations that do not have the internal resources or expertise to develop and maintain a comprehensive BCP.
Q: How can organizations ensure the continuity of their supply chain in the event of a disruption?
A: Organizations can ensure the continuity of their supply chain in the event of a disruption by building resilience into their supply chain, including having backup suppliers, alternative sourcing strategies, and contingency plans in place. Organizations can also engage in regular communication with their suppliers and customers to understand their risk profiles and ensure that they are prepared for a potential disruption.
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Free Business Plan Template and Examples for Startups (2023)
- by Desirae Odjick
- Starting Up
- Nov 9, 2022
- 10 minute read

A business plan is the secret to starting a business successfully.
The easiest way to simplify the work of writing a business plan is to start with a business plan template.
You’re already investing time and energy in refining your business model and planning your launch—there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to formatting your plan. Instead, to help build a complete and effective plan, lean on time-tested structures created by entrepreneurs and startups who have come before you.
Free: Business Plan Template
Business planning is often used to secure funding, but plenty of business owners find writing a plan valuable, even if they never work with an investor. That’s why we put together a free business plan template to help you get started.
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What our business plan template includes
This template is designed to ensure you’re thinking through all of the important facets of starting a new business. It’s intended to help new business owners and entrepreneurs consider the full scope of running a business and identify functional areas they may not have considered or where they may need to level up their skills as they grow.
That said, it may not include the specific details or structure preferred by a potential investor or lender. If your goal with a business plan is to secure funding , check with your target organizations—typically banks or investors—to see if they have business plan templates you can follow to maximize your chances of success.
Our free business plan template includes seven key elements typically found in the traditional business plan format:
- Executive summary: This is a one-page summary of your whole plan, typically written after the rest of the plan is completed. The description section of your executive summary will also cover your management team, business objectives and strategy, and other background information about the brand. You may consider including a mission statement here.
- Market analysis: A well researched business plan should also analyze the market you hope to reach with your business idea. This section includes everything from estimated market size to your target markets and competitive advantage. It’ll include a competitive analysis of your industry to address competitors strengths and weaknesses.
- Products and services: What you sell and the most important features of your products or services. It’ll also include any plans for intellectual property, like patent filings or copyright. If you do market research for new product lines, it’ll show up in this section of your business plan.
- Marketing plan: How you intend to get the word out about your business, and what strategic decisions you’ve made about things like your pricing strategy. It also covers potential customers’ demographics, sales plan, and your metrics and milestones for success.
- Logistics and operations plan: Everything that needs to happen to turn your raw materials into products and get them into the hands of your customers.
- Financial plan: It’s important to include a look at your financial projections, including both revenue and expense projections. This section includes templates for three key financial statements: an income statement, a balance sheet, and a cash-flow statement . You can also include whether or not you need a business loan and how much it’ll be.
In our business plan template, each section includes an overview of the most important information to cover and guidelines on how to approach writing and researching each one.
Professional business plan example
We’ve filled out a sample business plan as a companion to our template, featuring a fictional ecommerce business . We’ve noted where—and how—an entrepreneur could add more details to expand on their business plans, depending on their goals.
Our fictional business creates custom greeting cards with your pet’s paw prints on them, and the founder of the business is writing a plan to help understand the target market, as well as the logistics and costs involved, to give themselves the best chance of success before they launch.

The sample is set up to help you get a sense of each section and understand how they apply to the planning and evaluation stages of a business plan. If you’re looking for funding, this example won’t be a complete or formal look at a business plan, but it will give you a great place to start and notes about where to expand.
Before you write your own, read through the following business plan example . You can download a copy in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and use it to inspire your own planning.
Download the business plan example (.doc)
Lean business plan example
A lean business plan format is a shortened version of your more detailed business plan. It’s helpful when modifying your plan for a specific audience, like investors or new hires.
Also known as a one-page business plan, it includes only the most important, need-to-know information, such as:
- Company description
- Key members of your team
- Customer segments
- Marketing plan
Want to create a lean business plan? Read Trimming It Down: How to Create a Lean Business Plan .
A good business plan helps you operate successfully
It’s tempting to dive right into execution when you’re excited about a new business or side project, but taking the time to write a solid business plan and get your thoughts on paper allows you to do a number of beneficial things:
- Test the viability of business ideas. Whether you’ve got one business idea or many, business plans can make an idea more tangible, helping you see if it’s truly viable.
- Plan for your next phase. Whether your goal is to start a new business or scale an existing business to the next level, a business plan can help you understand what needs to happen and identify gaps to address.
- Clarify marketing strategy, goals, and tactics. Writing a business plan can show you the actionable next steps to take on a big, abstract idea. It can also help you narrow your strategy and identify clear-cut tactics that will support it.
- Scope the necessary work. Without a concrete plan, cost overruns and delays are all but certain. A business plan can help you see the full scope of work to be done and adjust your investment of time and money accordingly.
- Hire and build partnerships. When you need buy-in from potential employees and business partners, especially in the early stages of your business, a clearly written business plan is one of the best tools at your disposal. A business plan provides a refined look at your goals for the business, letting partners judge for themselves whether or not they agree with your vision.
- Secure funds. Seeking financing for your business—whether from venture capital, financial institutions, or Shopify Capital —is one of the most common reasons to create a business plan.
Should you use a template for a business plan?
A business plan can be as informal or formal as your situation calls for, but even if you’re a fan of the back-of-the-napkin approach to planning, there are some key benefits to starting your plan from an existing outline or template.
- No blank-page paralysis. A blank page can be intimidating to even the most seasoned writers. Using an established business planning process and template can help you get past the inertia of starting your business plan, and it allows you to skip the work of building an outline from scratch. You can always adjust a template to suit your needs.
- Guidance on what to include in each section. If you’ve never sat through a business class, you might never have created a SWOT analysis or financial projections before. Templates that offer guidance—in plain language—about how to fill in each section can help you navigate sometimes-daunting business jargon and create a complete and effective plan.
- Knowing you’ve considered every section. In some cases, you may not need to complete every section of a startup business plan template, but its initial structure shows you you’re choosing to omit a section as opposed to forgetting to include it in the first place.
Tips for creating a successful business plan
There are some high-level strategic guidelines beyond the advice included in this free business plan template that can help you write an effective, complete plan while minimizing busywork.
- If you’re writing a business plan for yourself in order to get clarity on your ideas and your industry as a whole, you may not need to include the same level of detail or polish you would with a business plan you want to send to potential investors. Knowing who will read your plan will help you decide how much time to spend on it.
- Know your goals. Understanding the goals of your plan can help you set the right scope. If your goal is to use the plan as a roadmap for growth, you may invest more time in it than if your goal is to understand the competitive landscape of a new industry.
- Take it step by step. Writing a 10- to 15-page document can feel daunting, so try to tackle one section at a time. Select a couple of sections you feel most confident writing and start there—you can start on the next few sections once those are complete. Jot down bullet-point notes in each section before you start writing to organize your thoughts and streamline the writing process.
Once you’ve done the strategic work, it’s time to put it into action and write your plan. Download the business plan template and review our guide on writing a business plan for additional information.
Maximizing your business planning efforts
Planning is key to the financial success of any type of business , whether you’re a startup, non-profit, or corporation.
To make sure your efforts are focused on the highest-value parts of your own business planning, like clarifying your goals, setting a strategy, and understanding the target market and competitive landscape, lean on a business plan outline to handle the structure and format for you. Even if you eventually omit sections, you’ll save yourself time and energy by starting with a framework already in place.
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Business plan template faq, what is the purpose of a business plan, how do you write a business plan.
- Choose a business plan format, such as traditional or a one-page business plan.
- Find a business plan template.
- Read through a business plan sample.
- Fill in the sections of your business plan.
What are the 7 sections of a business plan?
- Executive summary
- Market analysis
- Products and services
- Marketing strategy
- Logistics and operations plan
- Financial statements and projections
What is the best business plan template?
About the author.
Desirae Odjick
Desirae is a senior product marketing manager at Shopify, and has zero chill when it comes to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
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Home » 2023 Calendar Templates » February 2023 Calendar Templates
February 2023 Calendar Templates
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Business plan templates offer step-by-step instructions and prefabricated slides for your executive summary, company overview, financial plan, and more. You'll even find a business plan template for specific industries including business plan templates in Word for healthcare providers, professional services, and retail.
Download Rebecca's business plan Download Andrew's business plan Lean startup format You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly, your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.
Business Plan Templates: 9 FREE Samples - 2022 Updated Home Templates Business plan templates From competitive analysis to financial projections, business plans give your new business a roadmap for success. Download one of our free business plan templates and take your company to the next level. What is a business plan?
Business plan templates Starting your own business? Get focused and organized, so you can track your goals and achieve them. Learn how to craft a comprehensive business plan using free, editable templates on Canva. Skip to end of list Clothing Business Plans Restaurant Business Plans Small Business Plans Startup Business Plans Simple Business Plans
Business plan templates Business plan templates Let these informative and polished templates guide you through creating your business plan. Business plan presentation PowerPoint Business plan (Design) Word Business Plan Word Small business startup checklist Word Professional services marketing plan PowerPoint Home business startup checklist Word
In this article, we've compiled a variety of simple business plan templates, all of which are free to download in PDF, Word, and Excel formats. On this page, you'll find a one-page business plan template, a simple business plan for startups, a small-business plan template a business plan outline, and more.
This template contains all the essential aspects of a business plan in a concise and scannable format, including the organizational overview, purpose, promotional plan, key objectives and success metrics, fundraising goals, and more. Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template - PDF
Our free business plan template is to help you create a business plan easily. We have business plan templates in Word and PDF formats for both traditional business plans and lean business plans. With the help of this free business plan template, you will be able to create a comprehensive business plan within a few hours.
Create a business plan with templates in Word: Start with a template Download these templates from the Office Templates site to create your plan: Fill in your Business plan. Analyze your market with the Business market analysis template. Detail your financials in a Financial plan.
To download an editable one-page business plan template, follow the steps below: Start by opening your browser and going to the WPS Template store. Next, sign up using your email credentials. Once signed in, go to the top search bar and write a one-page business plan.
Business plan template: There's an easier way to get your business plan done. Trending Entertainment & Recreation Business Plans Entertainment Film & Television View All 57 Events Business Plans Event Planning Weddings View All 16 Farm & Agriculture Business Plans Agri-tourism Agriculture Consulting View All 15 Finance & Investing Business Plans
Get Your Free Simple Business Plan Template Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help...
Visme's free business plan template was built by designers for non-designers to help you write a business plan that your audience will love, without needing an eye for design. Professional business plan templates Create a presentation or document business plan quickly and easily with Visme's template options.
Free business plan template PDF download Click here to download the pdf version of the Bplans Business Plan Template. The PDF will allow you to review the sections described above and includes additional guidance to help you complete each section. Free business plan template for Microsoft Word
2023 US calendar with holidays Excel: here is a customizable and dynamic calendar, free to download and easy to print. This template includes US National Holidays. If you are looking for a 2023 Excel calendar to note down your meetings, appointments, events, business trips, vacations or things to do, well we have the perfect template ….
E-commerce business plans give an overview of what the management team expects to accomplish with the business and offer reasons why the readers should consider investing. This e-commerce business plan template is tailored specifically to e-commerce businesses, and all you need to do is add the details of your company.
Sample Business Plan Powerpoint Presentation Template Free Real Estate Website Business Plan Template Business Sales Action Plan Template 30 60 90 Day Business Plan Template General Contracting Company Business Plan Template Free Online Book Store Business Plan Template Small Business Plan Template Construction Business Plan Template
Business Plan. Define and communicate the vision for your business with this business plan template for Word. This business plan template includes guidance on what makes a great plan using a new coffee shop as an example. Fill in this simple business plan template with the details of your business for a stunning plan you can present to your ...
Business plan templates help give a clear vision of what lies ahead. They help you get things organized, planned out, and help you check off items from your to-do list more efficiently. ... Free, easy-to-customize template. Fill out on any device. Collect e-signatures. Save time with automation tools. E-Sign Business Plan. Use Template Preview ...
Free Printable Calendar » Free Business Continuity Plan Template, Examples Word & Excel Free Business Continuity Plan Template, Examples Word & Excel. A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a crucial document that outlines the strategies and procedures an organization should follow in the event of a disaster, interruption, or other disruption ...
Download free business plan templates and find help and advice on how to write your business plan. Business plan templates Download a free business plan template on The Prince's...
Our free business plan template includes seven key elements typically found in the traditional business plan format: Executive summary: This is a one-page summary of your whole plan, typically written after the rest of the plan is completed. The description section of your executive summary will also cover your management team, business ...
Welcome to our February 2023 Calendar Templates category! Here, you'll find a variety of customizable calendar templates to help you plan and organize your month. Our templates are available in a range of styles and formats, including PPTX and Google Slides. You can choose from designs that feature cute illustrations, minimalistic layouts, or ...