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🤖 Free Business Plan Generator (AI-Powered)

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Writing a business plan can often feel like navigating through a dense forest without a map. You know your destination—securing investment, defining your business strategy, or setting clear objectives—but the path isn't always clear. Enter the AI-powered business plan generator, a tool designed to illuminate the way forward. This guide will walk you through the essentials of crafting a comprehensive business plan, touching upon the traditional elements that captivate stakeholders. In the final stretch, we'll introduce how an AI-powered business plan generator can streamline this process, making it more accessible and less time-consuming.

How to create a Business Plan

Now that you're familiar with the executive summary, let's tackle how you can create the rest of your business plan.

You can start manually by outlining your plan's structure and filling in the details step by step, or opt for a business plan generator to streamline the process.

Either method requires careful consideration of each section to ensure your plan is thorough and compelling.

Manual Methods for creating a Business Plan

You'll start with the Executive Summary, distilling your business idea into a compelling snapshot that captures attention.

Next, you'll outline your Company Overview, providing a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for.

Then, lay out your Business Objectives, Products and Services, and your Market Analysis Approach to build a solid foundation for your plan.

Executive Summary Essentials

Although it's often crafted last, the Executive Summary stands as the crucial opener of your business plan. It distills key aspects such as your mission, product highlights, and financial ambitions for quick investor insight. It encapsulates your company's essence for investors and maps out the business plan development milestones.

Ensure it crisply outlines your executive summary, underscoring the company's financial goals. This will help capture investors' attention right off the bat.

Company Overview

Begin your company overview by detailing your business's foundational elements, including its name, location, and the team driving its operations.

Here's what to include:

• A clear description of your business structure and ownership.
• The mission statement that defines your business's purpose.
• An outline of the products or services you offer.
• Background information that paints a picture of your company's history and objectives.

Business Objectives

To set your business on the path to success, start by defining clear and measurable objectives that reflect both your immediate and long-term aspirations.

Align your business objectives with strategic objectives to meet financial goals.

Conduct market research to fine-tune your target market strategies .

Ensure company goals are realistic and adaptable, setting a course for growth and market competitiveness.

Regular updates keep your plan relevant.

Products and Services

After setting clear business objectives, focus on articulating the core of your offering by detailing the products and services your business provides. Your description should also include:

• Unique features and benefits of each product or service.
• Specific products' competitive advantages.
• Your strategy for sales, distribution, and supply chain.
• Trademarks and market placement for your products and services.

Market Analysis Approach

A thorough market analysis is crucial for your business plan as it reveals the dynamics within your target market and guides your competitive strategy .

You'll identify potential customers, understand established market trends, and analyze how competitors differentiate themselves.

This knowledge shapes your sales plan and informs your marketing and sales efforts, highlighting opportunities in an otherwise crowded marketplace and showcasing your grasp of the competitive landscape.

Marketing and Sales Strategies

Crafting a marketing and sales strategy requires precise identification of your target customers to ensure your message resonates and spurs action. Here's how to proceed:

• Define your target market for the new product.
• Develop a pricing and sales channel approach.
• Design a marketing plan with promotional tactics.
• Analyze market trends to refine your strategy.

Stay focused on meeting customer needs and differentiating from competitors.

Financial Analysis and Projections

Diving into the financials, you'll need to gather historical data and conduct a thorough analysis of revenue streams , costs, and profit margins to inform your projections for the next three to five years.

Your financial plan hinges on these insights.

Operations Plan

To ensure your business runs like a well-oiled machine, start by mapping out your key operational processes and procedures. Your operations plan is a vital section of your business plan. Here's what to include:

• Outline technology's role in business operations.
• Develop a comprehensive staffing plan.
• Establish a robust inventory management system.
• Implement quality control measures to provide additional assurance of product or service excellence.

Funding Requirements

Having established the operational foundations of your business, let's now focus on determining the capital necessary to fuel your growth and operational needs.

Outline your funding requirements by presenting clear financial data, including projected income, balance sheets, and cash flows.

You'll need this to secure funding from venture capital firms or potential investors, ensuring they grasp how their capital will propel your business towards its targets.

Appendices and Exhibits

When crafting your business plan, don't overlook the appendices and exhibits; these sections provide the substantiating details that reinforce your proposal's integrity. Include:

Documents that outline key personnel qualifications and experience.

Details on intellectual property, such as patents.

Additional information for financial institutions, like credit histories.

Contracts, leases, or other legal documents relevant to your business.

Using a Business Plan Generator

You might wonder why you'd use a Business Plan Generator—these tools streamline the planning process, making it easier for you to focus on the core aspects of your strategy.

To get started, you'll follow a series of steps that help structure your executive summary, goals, and market analysis within a proven framework.

The benefits are clear: using a generator can save you time and provide you with a professional, investor-ready plan.

Steps to use the Business Plan Generator

To create a business plan using a generator, start by selecting a template that aligns with your industry and business type.

Here are the steps to use a business plan generator:

• Identify Your Business Details : Start by providing the name of your business and the industry it operates in. This foundational step sets the stage for the tailored guidance the generator can offer.
• Describe Your Offerings : Clearly articulate what products or services your business sells or offers. This will help the generator understand the value proposition of your business.
• Define Your Target Audience : Specify who your ideal customers are, including demographic information. Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating a focused and effective business plan.
• Outline Your Marketing Plan : Detail your strategies for promoting your business. This includes how you plan to reach your target audience and differentiate yourself from competitors.
• Detail Your Operational Strategy : Explain how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis. Include information on your supply chain, logistics, and any other operational details.
• Provide Financial Information : Input how much money you need to start your business and project how much revenue it will generate. This financial planning is critical for assessing the feasibility of your business idea.
• Set Business Objectives : List what you aim to achieve with your business in the short term and the long term. These goals will guide the direction of your business strategy.
• Click on Generate : After entering all the necessary information, click the "generate" button to create your personalised business plan. This plan will be tailored to the specifics of your business, providing a roadmap for success.

Benefits of using a Business Plan Generator

Harnessing a business plan generator can significantly streamline the process, saving you both time and effort as you craft a detailed blueprint for your venture.

Here are the benefits:

• Provides a structured framework to write a business plan efficiently.
• Helps identify opportunities in new markets.
• Enhances financial literacy through budgeting and forecasting tools.
• Clarifies business objectives, aiding in communication with stakeholders.

Tips for Creating a Business Plan

When crafting your business plan these tips collectively form a comprehensive business plan, providing a roadmap for your business and presenting a compelling case to investors and lenders.

Here are the tips for creating a business plan:

• Articulate your mission and vision succinctly.
• Outline your offerings and financial ambitions.
• Provide a snapshot of your business's financial health and market potential.
• Clarify the business structure ( sole proprietorship , partnership, corporation).
• Highlight ownership details.
• Showcase key employees, emphasizing their expertise.
• Define short- and long-term goals for your business.
• Align goals with your strategic direction.
• Establish a direct link between financing needs and future growth.
• Describe your offerings and emphasize how they meet market needs.
• Support claims with market research.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of your competition.

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This not only makes your business plan more compelling and effective, but also ensures that key information is highlighted and easily accessible to your audience. Your business ideas deserve to be presented in the best light, and Piktochart AI makes that possible.

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Trusted by Industry Leaders

Nonprofits and NGOs

• Applying for grants and funding from donors and foundations.
• Illustrate impact on communities by showcasing progress on projects, beneficiary stories, and fund utilization, essential for donor reports and stakeholder updates.
• Reports on donation usage, program effectiveness, and organizational financial health.
• Analyze program data, helping to assess effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and inform future project planning and resource allocation.

Entrepreneurs and Startup Founders

• Create business plans to help in presenting a clear vision to investors and lenders, making it easier to secure funding.
• Provide a step-by-step guide for launching and growing the business, outlining goals, strategies, and timelines.
• Visualize results, customer demographics, and market trends, facilitating data-driven decision-making.
• Engaging, easy-to-understand reports for investors, showcasing business performance, ROI, and key metrics.

Corporate Executives and Managers

• Create long-term strategic planning and help in setting departmental goals that align with the overall corporate vision.
• Manage resources in budgeting, allocation, and prioritizing projects to ensure efficient use of company resources.
• Help in managing organizational changes, such as launching new products or entering new markets, by outlining detailed plans and expected outcomes.

Small Business Owners

• Create operation guideline for daily operations, helping in resource allocation and task management.
• Track performance with outlining benchmarks and KPIs to track business performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Helps in understanding the competitive landscape, target market, and customer needs, informing marketing and sales strategies.
• Highlight progress, identify areas for improvement, and facilitate effective improvement plans.

How to use AI to create a business plan

1. describe your type of business plan.

Describe the intent or use case of your business plan. Whether it’s for creating a growth strategy, expansion plan, funding plan, or operations plan. You can also input your existing content and let our AI algorithm visualize a customised business plan for you.

2. Select from our document templates

Piktochart AI will analyze your content to provide a variety of professionally designed business plan templates. Pick the one that best suits your message.

3. Customize in Piktochart Editor

Each template is completely customizable, giving you full control to tailor it to your brand’s unique identity. Choose fonts, colors, and design elements that perfectly align with your brand style. In addition, use our interactive chart and graph to transform complex data into clear, easily understandable visuals. Personalize every detail and make your business plan truly stand out.

4. Download and share

Once you’ve customized your business plan, export it in PNG or PDF formats (Pro subscription required). Share your polished, professional business plan with stakeholders seamlessly—whether digitally or in print. Make a strong impression and ensure your message is communicated effectively, no matter how it’s delivered.

AI-Powered Visualization for Any Topic

What kinds of business plans can be generated?

Startup business plan.

Think of this as your new business’s roadmap. It lays out your big idea, the market you’re entering, and how you plan to make it all work. It’s essential for attracting investors and guiding you through your early steps.

Strategic Business Plan

This plan is all about where you want your business to go in the long run. It outlines your big goals, the strategies you’ll use to achieve them, and how you plan to stay ahead of the competition.

Operational Business Plan

Here’s where you get into the nitty-gritty of running your business. This plan covers everything from production processes to daily tasks, ensuring that your operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Development Business Plan

If you’re developing a new product or service, this plan helps you chart out the steps from concept to launch. It includes research phases, development timelines, and strategies for introducing your new offering.

Growth Business Plan

When your business is ready to expand, this plan helps you map out how to grow. Whether you’re entering new markets or adding new products, it shows how you’ll manage the expansion and what resources you’ll need.

Non-Profit Business Plan

For non-profits, this plan outlines how you’ll achieve your mission and make an impact. It includes strategies for fundraising, managing operations, and engaging with the community to support your cause.

Discover other types of documents you can generate with Piktochart AI

Ready to use AI to create professional business plans?

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How many business plans can i generate, what are some tips to get better results for my generated business plans, how long does it take to create my business plan with ai, do i need to sign up for piktochart, why use an ai business plan generator, what are the rules that apply to my use of piktochart ai, what else can you create with piktochart ai.

How to Write a Small Business Plan: A Guide

• September 3, 2024

All businesses, regardless of size, need a robust business plan. 

Whether you’re a start-up, a mid-size company, or a mega-corporation, a business plan is essential to streamline operations and acquire capital. 

Of course, small business plans can be overwhelming to write, which is why many entrepreneurs either cut corners along the way or skip them altogether. 

To avoid those situations, we’re going to take a high-level view of small business plans and explain  what they are ,  why they’re important , and  how you can write one . 

To that end, we will also provide several great templates to help you kickstart the process.

What Is a Small Business Plan ?

A small business plan is a  strategic document  that generally runs between 15–25 pages in length. 

If your business is straightforward, it could be as short as 10 pages, while more complex companies can have plans beyond 50 pages.

Though length varies, a standard business plan reveals three key facts about a company:

• Focus:  what your business does.
• Goals:  what your business hopes to achieve.
• Strategy:  how your business intends to get there.

So…what is a small business plan?

Simply put, it’s the  sum total of your company . It’s the heart and soul of your business—on paper. 

Within the structure of your small business plan, you can reveal your company’s story by detailing elements like your:

• Long-term goals.
• Marketing strategies.
• Financial projections.

Ideally, this document isn’t merely factual, it’s  compelling . After all, you won’t be the only one reading it.

Benefits of a Small Business Plan

Why should you spend your precious time developing a business plan?

After all, you could be refining your strategy for 2024, interviewing potential employees, and even wooing new investors. A little piece of paper can’t help you with any of that, right?

In fact, a carefully crafted small business plan can  enhance   operational clarity  and  attract investors/lenders/talent —all at the same time. 

There are internal  and  external benefits of a small business plan. 

From an internal perspective, a business plan compels you to objectively assess the status quo, identify persistent barriers, and declare major objectives for your team to pursue.

It’s not easy to do. Indeed, a business plan requires you to think hard. 

A business plan demands that you define your current position in the market, envision your ideal future, and reveal how you intend to reach that destination. In its best form, a business plan can be the  “north star” of your business —a blueprint for your short and long-term success. 

Externally speaking, the benefits are just as good (if not better).

After all, a business plan shows investors, lenders, and employees that you’ve already done the heavy lifting. They’ll see that  you understand the industry at large  and are ready for the next level.

Ultimately, a great business plan is  proof of potential profitability , and it plays a major role in convincing investors to join you on your journey.

8 Standard Elements of a  Small Business Plan

A business plan is like a long-form FAQ.

In other words, it helps answer the foundational questions often posed to businesses.

Though there are many explicit (and implicit) questions to consider, most business plans answer topics including:

• Who are your target customers?
• What products and services do you offer? 
• How do you define success?
• How much competition does your business face?
• Do you plan to sell the business at any point?
• What ROI can investors expect from supporting your business?

As you will see, these questions (and others) naturally emerge in the eight steps listed below. 

1. Executive Summary

On page one of your small business plan, you have the opportunity to provide a brief overview of your company. 

This is your  “elevator pitch, ” so it’s very important to make this section dynamic for the investors who will read it.  

Generally speaking, the executive summary should briefly include your mission statement, brand values, target market, goals, and products/services. 

2. Company Description

In this section, you’ll list essential facts including:

• Your company’s registered name.
• Your business model (e.g., B2C, B2B, B2B2C, etc.).
• Your business structure (e.g. corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.).
• Key personnel.
• Primary address.

Here, you can also provide a brief history of your business and articulate the “problems” your company aims to solve.

3. Business Goals

“What do we hope to achieve?”

That’s the primary question to ask (and answer) in this section. 

Maybe your goals are purely economic. Maybe they’re societally-focused or philanthropic. Maybe they’re a combination of the two.

Whatever you hope to achieve, use this section to  clearly define your overarching goals . 

And if you’re pursuing additional funding, be sure to illustrate how capital investments or loan products will make those goals more attainable. 

Be sure to articulate your exit strategy, so your investors know how they’ll get their ROI. 

4. Management and Organization

“Who’s on our team?”

This section prioritizes the  people who power your business .

Investors often value your staff just as much as your goals and products. Don’t hesitate to humanize key members of your team with headshots and biographies that emphasize their business experience, tenacity, and creativity. 

Investors who choose your business aren’t just supporting your service or product line. They’re investing in the people that bring your business goals to life. 

You can also use this section to expand on your specific business model and structure, as well as any key roles that you think you might need to hire down the line. 

5. Products and Services

Here, you’ll have  carte blanche  to describe the origins of your product(s).

Maybe you recognized a need and brought your product to market. Maybe you invented something people didn’t even  know  they needed. Maybe you simply made an existing product better than ever before.

Whatever your story may be, this section gives you the green light to hype up your products and the problems they solve. 

While revealing the benefits of your products, you can also use this section to detail other elements including:

• The core audience you serve.
• Your pricing models.
• How your products differ from the competition.
• Your production, manufacturing, and distribution processes.
• Any patents or proprietary technology your company might have.

Plus, if you have additional R&D underway (or any other prototypes in development), be sure to disclose that information. After all, these are signs of additional revenue streams and will be very appealing to investors. 

This section can also feature the distribution channels that get products from your facilities to your paying customers. 

6. Market Analysis 

“Who are our primary competitors?” 

Here, you have the opportunity to broaden the conversation and focus on the state of your industry (and the competition within it). 

You can do so in a variety of ways.

For starters, you can list strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) that your firm faces. You can run a detailed competitive analysis. Or, you can simply state that you’re focusing on an entirely underserved market. 

However you choose to structure this section, always ensure that your business positively contrasts against competitors in your vertical. Freely acknowledge the successes of others, but only from an educational perspective, not one of inferiority.

As an example: “While ABC Company did X well, we have raised the bar in this area thanks to…”

Name your competitors and include their social media accounts in this section. While it may seem counterintuitive, specifying your competition is a sign of strength and confidence.

7. Marketing Plan

“How will we attract, win, and keep our clients?” 

In this section, detail how you intend to sell and market your products/services. 

For example, you might prioritize TV commercials, social media campaigns, Google Ads, or some combination of all three. 

Though there are many marketing channels available, it’s important to be very specific with what you intend to use (and how much you plan to spend on marketing). 

Details matter : while it’s easy to promise results, this section shows investors that you have a tangible plan to follow through.

8. Financial Plans and Projections

This last section will  differ depending on the age of your business .

For example, if you’re an established firm, you’ll be able to include  your key financial documents  like your balance sheet, profit-and-loss statement, and cash flow statement. 

However, if you’re a start-up, you will likely need to prioritize financial targets and estimates until your business statements are in order.

Beyond documentation, it’s also important to include a sales forecast for the next 12 months (or longer, if possible). This is a great way to get investors excited about partnering with your business.

If you’re seeking additional funding, make your official request in this section and include  what  you need,  why  you need it, and  how  it will help you actualize your goals. The more specific you are, the better. 

3  Small Business Plan  Templates

If you’re overwhelmed, we have great small business plan resources. 

These three (free!) templates provide great entry points to build a plan that you’re proud of:

• Small Business Administration (SBA) : a “traditional” business plan.
• SCORE (an SBA non-profit) : 11 business plan worksheets.
• Forbes Magazine : a “simple” business plan template.
• SBA’s lean template : can be completed in under an hour and is generally contained within a single page. 

While we encourage you to use these templates as a starting point, we also recommend that you deviate from them as you recognize new opportunities for personalization—the best small business plans will always come from  you and your unique voice .

Investors, lenders, and top talent are routinely reviewing your competition’s business plans. Make sure that you and your team stand out from the crowd.

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Do small business plans require considerable upfront work? 

Absolutely, but keep your eyes on the prize and remember the benefits that they provide. 

With a solid business plan, you’ll be able to streamline internal operations, define your team’s goals, and attract top investors, lenders, and talent. 

Plus, as your business matures, you will have ample opportunity to refine your business plan through all stages of growth. After all, your business plan isn’t a fixed epitaph—it’s an  evolving document  that helps you stay on target to achieve your most ambitious goals. 

At  uLink Business , we’re dedicated to linking your small business to the world at large. More specifically, we specialize in making international business payments as seamless as possible. 

Reach out  to learn more and get started.

Working on a business plan

Whether you’re starting a business or already running one, our guide will help you evolve and support your business plan effectively.

• An introduction to business plans
• The benefits of a business plan
• What should your business plan include?
• Presenting your vision
• Ongoing business planning
• Contact Business Gateway advisers

1. An introduction to business plans

Whether you’re starting a business or already running one, creating a business plan is key.

We recognise that starting a business plan can be daunting when you’re facing a blank piece of paper. That’s why we’ve developed a template of a business plan structure for you to use, along with a handy guide to take you through every section of the document. The guides ask explicit questions, designed to help you collate all the business information you need to develop a full and comprehensive plan of action. Once you understand how to make a business plan, you’ll see the benefits of having these key pieces of information collated.

2. The benefits of a business plan

Externally, there are many key benefits to creating and managing a solid business plan. Primarily, it can help secure finance, funding and measure success. It does this by giving you a clear way to present other stakeholders such as lenders, investors and potential partners with your business plan outline, your aims and how you’ll achieve them.

And it also has benefits internally. Such as helping you spot potential pitfalls before they happen, efficient finance structuring, developing your business and measuring your success.

For more information, download our Business Plan Guide.

3. What should your business plan include?

When creating a business plan, it should include:

• An outline of your business, its aims and objectives and whatever products or services you provide – this is called an executive summary.
• An overview of the market in which you operate.
• Who is involved in your business.
• Your short term and longer-term objectives.
• Your resources and any need for external funding.
• Your strategies for selling your product/service.
• Your strategies for marketing your product/service.
• Financial forecasts.

For more information, download our Business Plan Template.

4. Presenting your vision

You want your plan to make an impact and leave a positive impression.

Keep it short and concise. Make it readable and confident.

Keep the presentation professional.

Clearly describe what your business does and set out your vision for your business. This includes who you are, what you do, what you have to offer and what the market you’re entering looks like. See our Market Reports for more information . Make sure your plan is realistic. Once you have prepared your plan, use it. If you update it regularly, it will help you keep track of your business' development.

5. Ongoing business planning

As your business grows and changes, your business plan should become a business growth plan. Although it might seem like more work, it follows the same business plan structure as your original and will keep your business on the right track, help avoid unpleasant surprises, enable you to be more flexible, and help you adapt to changing circumstances. And we all know that change is inevitable – whether that be the market, your employees, the political climate, or your personal circumstances.

It’s called the business planning cycle. How you choose to handle it is up to you and what’s right for your business. It could be monthly, quarterly or every six months, and you can decide which key people you want to be involved. However, we recommend an ongoing process that keeps you on top of everything. By regularly assessing your performance against the plans and targets you’ve set, you’re more likely to reach the goals in your business growth plan. See our setting targets and key performance indicators guide for more information.

6. Contact Business Gateway advisers

Our two downloads will help you in creating a business plan, and completing it to the best of your ability. You can also get in contact with your local Business Gateway office and our Advisers will be able to provide further guidance such as refine your business plan and discuss development plans.

Get the support you need right now

You can connect with us through the contact form, call us or contact your local Business Gateway office.

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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.

Big Data Startup Business Plan Template

Create a professional Big Data Startup business plan with our customizable Startup Business Plan Template.

Virtual Assistant Business Plan

Strategize your way to success with this customizable AI virtual assistant business plan template.

Virtual Reality (VR) Business Plan

Our free virtual reality (VR) business plan helps you customize your document and create a winning strategy to land investors.

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Laundromat Business Plan

Create your success roadmap with a laundromat business plan template, designed to arrange the essentials of the laundry business.

5-Year Business Plan Template

Empower your path to long-term success with our 5-year business plan template.

Car Wash Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your car wash business with our customizable plan template.

Airbnb Business Plan Template

Unlock your path to success with our Airbnb business plan template, made to guide you in structuring the fundamental aspects of your Airbnb business.

Clothing Line Business Plan

Use this free and customizable clothing line business plan to appeal to investors and set up your fashion brand.

Gym Business Plan Template 

The Panda tips in this gym business plan template guide you through the process of researching and presenting information necessary to secure funding and partners for your business.

Handyman Business Plan Template

Start a new handyman business using a well-researched handyman business plan template to meet your goals faster.

Vending Machine Business Plan Template

If you’re starting a new vending machine business, a well-rounded vending machine business plan can improve your chances of success.

Bar Business Plan Template

Create your path to success with our bar business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to help entrepreneurs organize the bar business.

Massage Therapy Business Plan

This massage therapy business plan template helps you cover the basics of starting or expanding a massage business.

Bed and Breakfast Business Plan Template

Use a complete bed and breakfast business plan template to set up your business for growth and success.

Catering Business Plan

Chart your path to success with our catering business plan template designed to help entrepreneurs organize their catering business.

Event Venue Business Plan Template

Launch and grow your event venue with our customizable business plan template.

Event Planning Business Plan 

Prepare your event planning business for success with our ready-to-fill and easily downloadable event planning business plan template.

Rental Property Business Plan

Develop a rental property business plan tailored to serve as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs to organize their rental business.

Coaching Business Plan Template

If you want to grow your new or existing coaching business, use our free coaching business plan template as a roadmap to success.

Lawn Care Business Plan

Use a comprehensive lawn care business plan template that includes guidance and all critical information.

T-shirt Business Plan Template 

Craft a winning T-shirt business plan in a structured business format that attracts investors and funding.

Candle-Making Business Plan Template

Use a candle-making business plan template to get together all of the information you need to ensure that your candle business succeeds.

SBA Business Plan Template

Use our free and fully customizable SBA business plan template to get started when writing a successful proposal for an SBA loan.

Cleaning Business Plan Template

Discover a hassle-free way to document a roadmap for your cleaning business with this free business plan template.

Real Estate Business Plan Template

Start off your new real estate business on the right foot by using a real estate business plan template to ensure your goals, visions, and finances are sorted.

Trucking Business Plan Template

Empower your journey to success with our trucking business plan template, designed as a valuable tool to organize the essentials of your trucking business.

Food Truck Business Plan Template

Find a fully customizable, free food truck business plan template that helps you create an effective proposal for interested investors.

Simple Business Plan Template

This simple business plan template walks you through the stages of establishing a successful business or seeking funding.

Solar Farm Business Plan

Give your solar farm business the best start by creating a professional business plan to keep your company on the right track.

Ecommerce Business Plan Template

This Ecommerce Business Plan Template is tailored particularly to e-commerce companies, and all you require to do is add the elements related to your business.

Accounting Firm Business Plan

Use this Accounting Firm Business Plan to achieve your goals. Accounting firms are comparable to other industries and need the Business Plan to help their development.

Campground Business Plan Template

This PandaDoc Campground Business Plan Template has all the essential information to help you develop a successful business strategy.

Firewood Business Plan

This Firewood Business Plan Template perfectly outlines the company structure of a probable firewood venture. It highlights the budgets needed to start and manage the unique business.

Funeral Home Business Plan

A Funeral Home Business Plan covers detailed data on the courtesies offered by the company, market analysis, administration strategies, personnel procedures, budget and financing plans, and other applicable topics.

Community Center Business Plan

You can use this Community Center Business Plan Template, it is perfect for anyone desiring to open and run a society center. It gives the center’s owner an outline of areas that must be disseminated with the investors to earn an acquisition.

Gas Station Business Plan

Take the first step towards success in the fuel industry with our professionally crafted Gas Station Business Plan template.

Beauty Supply Store Business Plan

This Beauty Supply Store Business Plan Template covers all the appropriate sections needed to invest in a beauty supply store. The template will help you to raise money for your business.

Flower Shop Business Plan Template

The Flower Shop Business Plan Template is organized to help you achieve the awareness of various investors to invest in your company.

Electrical Contractor Business Plan

This Electrical Contractor Business Plan template include information about the services you offer, who your target consumers are, why they should prefer you over your opponents and how much capital you require to get started.

Car Dealership Business Plan

A Car Dealership Business Plan is a detailed plan that will help you take your business to the next level. Use this template to create your plan.

Farm Business Plan

Farm Business Plan gives an overview of the company, including corporation history, owner backgrounds, creations and more. Use this template to quickly develop your farm company plan.

Consultant Business Plan Template

An example of a document outlining your strategy for launching or expanding your consulting firm is a Consultant Business Plan Template. The essential elements include a summary of the company, team, sector, rivals, target audience, and an operations and marketing strategy.

Construction Company Business Plan

The objectives and tactics of a construction company are described in a business plan for a construction company. For the creation of your business plan, use this Construction Company Business Plan Template.

Fashion Business Plan Template

Structural and action plans for a fashion firm are laid out in the fashion business plan template.

Daycare Business Plan

The creation of a business strategy is the first step in starting a daycare. Use this Daycare Business Plan Template to describe your company’s objectives, as well as your target market, potential rivals, and your financing strategy.

Convenience Store Business Plan

Do you need a Convenience Store Business Plan Template? This plan includes all the details and information needed to secure funding for a convenience store.

Startup Business Plan Template

We offer you the steps and the tools to create a fantastic business plan. Attract investors with this sleek and free startup business plan template.

Business Plan Template

This business plan template is a great tool for your startup to customize to reflect your strong qualifications, experienced team, and marketable business idea.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document that helps small business owners determine the viability of their business idea. Combining market research and financial analysis, a professional business plan helps startup CEOs and potential investors determine if the company can compete in the target market.

Typically, a good business plan consists of the following:

• Executive summary
• Company description
• Mission statement
• Product and services
• Marketing plan
• Operations plan
• Management organization
• Financial plan
• Conclusion & appendix

Every section involved in a business plan is designed to help startup businesses reach their target market.

A business plan asks founders and entrepreneurs to detail their business strategy in a step-by-step process that makes sense from an operational perspective. This is essential if a startup is seeking a business loan or an investment from a venture capital firm.

However, even small businesses that are already economically viable can benefit from creating a business plan, since it encourages business owners and their management teams to examine their business model and reevaluate the best ways to reach their target customers.

Should I use a business plan template?

Yes.  If you’ve never written one, a business plan can be challenging to write.

Creating a successful plan that you can use to grow your small business can require weeks of market analysis and financial preparation. You may spend time using Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint in order to create documentation which better supports our operational decisions.

However, almost every professional business plan is structured in the same way and most ask for the same information. Because of this, using a business plan template is advisable to save time, money, and effort.

Business plan templates for free

Rather than spending time trying to figure out how to write a business plan , use a free template as a guide to completion.

Business plan templates from PandaDoc can help you reach an effective go-to-market strategy even faster by asking you to provide all the relevant information you need when creating an effective business plan.

Grab a free template to get started!

Frequently asked questions

How many pages should my business plan be.

This depends on the kind of business plan you need to write and how you intend to use the plan that you create.

For example, a plan for a small business seeking potential investors or a business loan will need to provide income statements, cash flow statements, and a balance sheet (usually for a three-year or five-year forecast period).

These financial statements can be omitted if a small business owner isn’t seeking funding and is instead planning to use their business plan as a guiding document for themselves and their management team members.

Some business plans may only run a few pages. Fully-developed business plans can be as long as 50 pages. Much of this depends on the type of business, the operational strategy, and the level of detail that goes into developing the business plan.

Who needs a business plan?

Every business should have a business plan. This is an essential guidance document for any founder or CEO.

Good business plans help a company determine the viability of its place in the market and can help the business develop better strategies for differentiating itself from its competitors.

Business planning also forces business owners to evaluate their marketing strategy, the cost of customer acquisition and retention, and how they plan to grow their business over time.

What is the best business plan template?

Business plans come in all shapes and sizes. The best business plan template for your business is one that you understand and that matches the size and legal structure of your operation.

If you’re a sole proprietor, a business plan template designed for a big corporation probably doesn’t make sense. However, a business plan that helps you build an effective roadmap to grow your business while protecting your intellectual property is a good starting point.

PandaDoc offers specialized business plan templates for common industries along with tips to help you get started with business planning.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

No. You’ll find freelance writers and business strategy companies out there who are happy to write your business plan for a fee.  These resources can guide you through the process, but you should write (or be heavily involved in) the creation of your business plan.

The reason for this is simple: You know the most about your business, and your business needs you to succeed.

A writer can work with you to make your business plan sound better to investors, and a consultant can help you fill in knowledge gaps — like how to conduct a SWOT analysis — and point out weaknesses in your plan. But, at the end of the day, you need to use the business plan to pitch investors and run your business.

Those ideas and guiding principles aren’t something you can outsource.

Should I use business planning software?

Software isn’t required when creating an effective business plan. Most business planning software is designed to help you navigate the outlining and writing process more effectively.

You don’t need software to write a professional business plan, but a solid template can help you get started. Download a free template from PandaDoc today and take your business to the next level.

Get started with PandaDoc today

Business Services Business Plans and Resources

Written by Dave Lavinsky

In the realm of business services, a well-structured business plan is not just a document but a fundamental building block for success. It serves as a crucial roadmap for navigating the complexities of the market, a strategic tool for decision-making, and a persuasive artifact for attracting investors and partners.

Below, we offer an extensive selection of business plan examples specifically tailored for the business services sector, encompassing areas such as consulting, marketing, legal, and administrative services. These plans are designed to provide comprehensive insights into establishing a competitive edge, optimizing operational efficiency, and achieving financial sustainability. Each example is a testament to the importance of thorough market research, strategic planning, and detailed financial forecasting in creating a resilient and profitable business service enterprise. This resource is indispensable for entrepreneurs and business leaders aiming to launch or grow their services in a highly competitive and service-driven marketplace.

Marketing & Advertising Business Plans and Resources

Advertising Agency Business Plan Template How to Start an Advertising Agency Affiliate Marketing Business Plan Template Amway Business Plan Template Amway Business Plan PDF Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template Sample Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan PDF Network Marketing Business Plan Template SEO Business Plan Template Social Media Marketing Business Plan Template Social Media Marketing Business Plan PDF

Consulting & Professional Services Business Plans and Resources

Coaching Business Plan Template Coaching Business Plan PDF Consulting Business Plan Template Sample Consulting Firm Business Plan How to Start a Consulting Business Consulting Business Plan PDF HR Consulting Business Plan Template IT Consulting Business Plan Template IT Consulting Business Plan PDF Project Management Business Plan Template Coworking Space Business Plan Template Recruiting Company Business Plan Template How to Start a Recruiting Company Recruiting Company Business Plan PDF Security Business Plan Template How to Start a Security Company Business Professional Organizing Business Plan Template

Creative & Design Services Business Plans and Resources

3D Printing Business Plan Template How to Start a 3D Printing Business Graphic Design Business Plan Template How to Start a Graphic Design Business Graphic Design Business Plan PDF Photography Business Plan Template Sample Photography Business Plan How to Start a Photography Business Photography Business Plan PDF Print Shop Business Plan Template Screen Printing Business Plan Template How to Start a Screen Printing Business Website Design Business Plan Template How to Start a Website Design Business

Technology & IT Services Business Plans and Resources

Call Center Business Plan Template How to Start a Call Center Business Cybersecurity Business Plan Template Drone Business Plan Template Managed Service Provider Business Plan Template IT Business Plan Template Metaverse Business Plan Template How to Start a Metaverse Business

Logistics & Operations Business Plans and Resources

Amazon FBA Business Plan Template Courier Business Plan Template How to Start a Courier Business Courier Business Plan PDF Distribution Company Business Plan Template Wholesale Business Plan Template How to Start a Wholesale Business Drop Shipping Business Plan Template How to Start a Drop Shipping Business Errand Service Business Plan Template Junk Removal Business Plan Template How to Start a Junk Removal Business Warehouse Business Plan Template How to Start a Warehouse Business Warehouse Business Plan PDF

Maintenance & Cleaning Services Business Plans and Resources

Commercial Cleaning Business Plan Template Janitorial Business Plan Template Landscaping Business Plan Template Sample Landscaping Business Plan How to Start a Landscaping Business Landscaping Business Plan PDF Cleaning Service Business Plan Template Sample Cleaning Service Business Plan How to Start a Cleaning Service Business Monthly Expenses of Cleaning Service Business How much Does a Cleaning Service Business Makes Cleaning Service Startup Costs Cleaning Service Business Plan PDF

Manufacturing & Production Business Plans and Resources

Manufacturing Business Plan Template Machine Shop Business Plan Template

Administrative & Support Services Business Plans and Resources

Law Firm Business Plan Template How to Start a Law Firm Business Law Firm Marketing Plan Concierge Services Business Plan Template Notary Public Business Plan Template How to Start a Notary Public Business Professional Organizing Business Plan Template Staffing Agency Business Plan Template Sample Staffing Agency Business Plan How to Start a Staffing Agency Staffing Agency Business Plan PDF Virtual Assistant Business Plan Template How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business Freelance Writing Business Plan Template

Publishing Business Plans and Resources

Magazine Business Plan Template How To Start a Magazine Business  

How to Make a Business Plan: 9 Easy Steps to a Solid Financial Plan

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Twenty years ago, I was starting a new business. I had started businesses before, but nothing on the scale of this startup. Back then, I didn’t have the online resources to the degree I do today. But every piece of information I found told me that to be successful, I had to start with a business plan.

A business plan is a detailed document that outlines your business idea, its market potential, and the strategy for execution. I learned that every entrepreneur and business owner needs a business plan to attract potential investors, secure lenders, and ensure the successful growth of their new business.

With tools like ChatGPT, making a business plan has never been easier, but I’ll outline every step of the process so that you understand the why and how of a business plan.

Let’s get started!

Why do you need a business plan?

A complete business plan is a guide for business owners, detailing plans and outlining the milestones for reaching business goals. It allows you to share your findings with lenders and investors, as well as the all-important stakeholders who are helping to create this new business. It contains detailed market research and analysis, two of the most important tasks you must explore before you start any business. These help to identify target customers or ideal users for your product, service, app, or software. They also expose any competitive advantages you may have over other businesses. 

The business plan is the who, what, when, why, and how of your business.

It provides well-thought-out financial projections and demonstrates the business’s vitality and potential to generate profit to your stakeholders, future lenders, and investors.

9 steps to create a business plan

Creating a business plan is a critical step for entrepreneurs aiming to establish a successful business. Each section of your business plan should be thoroughly researched beforehand and documented in a clear, concise manner. While this is a high-level document, you should avoid heavy-handed business jargon, unless it’s technically appropriate. Be mindful of the varying audiences that will go through your business plan. 

Here’s a friendly and straightforward guide to help you craft a comprehensive business plan. Let’s go into each part of a business plan and its specific purpose.

Step 1. Write the executive summary

Let’s do the fun part! Summarize the key points of your business plan in the executive summary. This is the hook for your document. Doing this part right will ensure the whole document is read completely by potential investors and stakeholders until the end. Because this will be at the beginning of your business document, it sets the stage for your entire plan.

The summary provides a brief overview of your business, including both the mission statement and value proposition , and states the clearest benefit that customers receive in return for giving you their business. 

Craft the company description

Include the company description in the executive summary.

Use as many details as you can to explain your business idea, the type of business, and its legal structure (e.g., S-Corp, LLC). Here you will also want to speak to the company history (or origin story), and the products or services offered. Include information about your management team and their qualifications and credentials. If this is a single member-managed LLC, this is a good place to talk about yourself and what you bring to the company.

The stakeholders and investors want to know that those running the company are stable and trustworthy, have no conflicts of interest, and will be looking out for the welfare of the company and its shareholders.

Step 2. Analyze the market and create a plan

Thoroughly conduct market research on your consumer base and customer segments . This helps you decide who to market to and how to pursue them. To do this correctly, you must conduct a competitive analysis to understand your rivals and gather demographic details to find out who your customers are. 

You also must identify market trends that impact your industry. For example, imagine building a new search engine and knowing nothing about Google. Ignorance about your society’s business trends or innovations can hurt your reputation and impede your growth. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date on global happenings.

If you present this information clearly in your business plan, it’ll create a picture of the current market landscape and show opportunities as well as potential roadblocks. This will demonstrate to stakeholders and investors how your business will meet the needs of the target audience you’ve introduced them to.

This is one of the more difficult parts of your business plan. If you’ve never used artificial intelligence (AI), now might be the time to open ChatGPT or Google Gemini and start plugging in questions about your target market, or use other software tools like Semrush to research your competitors.

Market research and the marketing plan

Conduct market research. If you can’t afford to have someone do it for you, try doing it yourself on a budget . From the data you receive, analyze your target market and customer segments. Gather intel about your competitors. Use this data to decide on your business strategy.

Now you’ll choose the methods for your marketing, like social media or direct mail, and develop a marketing strategy to reach the target market you identified based on your market research. If you’re using social media, identify which platforms you’ll focus your attention on. Learn how to fully capitalize on your platform of choice and decide whether you’ll only try to reach your customers organically, or targeted means such as paid ads.

Include in the documentation your pricing strategy and other marketing activities like direct mail or email marketing. 

Step 3. Define your business idea and vision

With the market research done, you’ll next want to document your business idea, putting down every detail of the processes and procedures involved in selling your product or service. Then, create a mission statement and reveal your vision for your business. Identify the type of business. Lastly, create your unique value proposition (UVP) to prove how you stand out from your competitors.

Business goals and a strategic plan

Ambition is the lifeblood of any business. To boost your momentum as you work out the kinks of the business, outline your short-term and long-term goals. Look at successful business models and chart their progress and breakthroughs, so that you can gain a sense of how to reach your business ideals accordingly. Include specific milestones — maybe ones that you look forward to for the joy of the reward, or perhaps for the challenge in achieving it — and let your plan lay down the roadwork to your goals.

Brainstorm what you want for your business and outline your goals. Next, set up milestones to use as a roadmap. Finally, include a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). This document is invaluable. The main objective of a SWOT analysis is to help you gain a complete understanding of all the factors involved in making business decisions. By completely assessing your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you can make confident and informed choices.

Step 4. Detail your product or service offering

Now let’s dive into your product or service.

Describe what you’re selling and document it in detail, highlighting any unique features, patents, or intellectual property. If you’ve done a market analysis, explain how your products or services will meet the needs of your target customers.

Knowing your product or service is key and solid research will help define the strength of the product. Imagine you’re going on Shark Tank and you need to be prepared to answer any question asked by the Sharks. Your investors will be looking at your business in much the same way, so be prepared.

Step 5. Design a sales plan

Develop a comprehensive sales strategy. Explain the data behind your pricing, the channels in your marketing plan, and how you’ll reach your target customers — all these pieces work together to really get the ball rolling, and there are so many ways to get people’s attention on your business if your plan has a savvy sales plan. 

Because it’s so easy to organically market to your audience through mediums such as social media, your initial efforts should either involve creating a presence on one or more social media platforms or using alternative marketing solutions. I’d suggest you pick the platform that best represents your market and focus on that. From there, you can gauge interest and engagement and look to diversify your social media or marketing avenues further!

Step 6. Prepare financial projections

Projections help you see where you’ll be financially at points in the future and provide needed information for your and your investors’ future funding endeavors. Depending on how aggressive your funding goals are, you may want to get the stakeholders to sign off sooner than later. 

It’s been said before that if it’s not written down, it means nothing, so provide an income statement , balance sheet , and cash flow statement to demonstrate the financial stability and profitability of your business.

Step 7. Plan your operations

When you create the operational plan, you’ll detail your supply chain, production processes, and the daily operations of a smooth-running business. Make sure you identify key players and the supply or production partners involved in your business.

Operating plan

No doubt by now you’ve thought about countless details when it comes to running your business. Document every process and explain the day-to-day operations of your business in your operating plan . This document should include specific information on your supply chain, production processes, and operational workflows.

Step 8. Create a funding proposal

Now’s the time to detail your funding requirements and how the funds will be used. This is how investors and funding agencies recognize your needs and what you’re asking for to ensure future growth. In your proposal, you will need to talk about methods and strategies, a budget, and a statement of need. 

If you plan on applying for grants in the future you may want to do some deep research into how to write a grant proposal .

Step 9. Compile and review your plan

Gather all the needed sections of your business plan into one master document. Spend some time rereading, reviewing, and revising the plan to ensure clarity and accuracy. Make sure everything you’ve written is in alignment with your business goals. 

Additional business tips

Seek feedback from stakeholders.

Revise your business plan accordingly. Before you finalize anything, everyone who matters to your business should weigh in and give advice and guidance, which you can use to revise your business plan accordingly. revise and document.

Regularly update your business plan 

Reflect changes in the market or in your business structure. Throughout its life, your business will change and pivot based on its progress and your response to the ups and downs. The business plan document should change with it, serving as an up-to-date guide.

Use artificial intelligence

Don’t be afraid to use AI to help you gather and create the documentation for your business. While you do need to ensure that the output from the AI is accurate with thorough fact-checking, chatbots like ChatGPT are invaluable for gathering research, creating outlines, and checking and revising your finalized documents. It’s also good for creating example documents so you don’t have to work from a blank page. 

Twenty years ago, I was looking for answers, and they were a lot harder to find than they are these days. Now, you can ask Google or Siri anything and have ChatGPT help you create a business plan from scratch that can, after a little tweaking, be used as the document that drives your business.

Quicken has made the material on this blog available for informational purposes only. Use of this website constitutes agreement to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Quicken does not offer advisory or brokerage services, does not recommend the purchase or sale of any particular securities or other investments, and does not offer tax advice. For any such advice, please consult a professional.

About the Author

Jason Weiland

Writer, founder of  Singularity Management Group, LLC , and advocate for coloring outside the lines,  Jason Weiland  thrives where business meets technicolor living. He loves challenging the idea of ‘normal’ and expanding our ability to express our authentic selves.

Disrupting unforgiving landscapes of tech bros and Ivy League entitlements wherever he finds them, Jason envisions a world in which business is a place for everyone — where different is good, and alternative equals remarkable.

If you’re looking to break free from imbalance, embrace innovation, and explore professional behaviors that promote mental health and wellness, he’d love to chat.

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• Investing & Retirement
• Managing Debt
• Personal Finance
• Planning for Taxes
• Small Business & Rentals