Free Business Plan Template for Small Businesses
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Why you need a business plan template
Writing a business plan can seem like a big task, especially if you’re starting a business for the first time and don’t have a financial background. After all, business plans have changed over the years, and what lenders and investors expect now is different than it was even just 10 years ago.
But using a free business plan template will help you:
- Develop a strategy for success
- Reduce the risk of starting a business
- Explore new business ideas
- Attract investors and get funding
Learn more about how you can get value out of your business plan and click the link above to download your free template.
What is included in this free business plan template?
This downloadable business plan template includes definitions, guidance, and examples for every business plan component needed to start, fund, and grow your business. Here are the sections covered in this download .
Executive summary
The brief summary of your business plan introduces everyone to your business, the problem you solve, and what you’re asking from your readers. It’s the first chapter of your business plan and the last thing you write once you have the details from your full plan.
- Company Purpose / Mission Statement : Briefly describe the business purpose or mission.
- Problem We Solve : Summarize the market need or problem addressed.
- Our Solution : Describe the product or service offered.
- Target Market : Identify the primary customer base.
- Team : Outline key team members.
- Financial Summary : Provide a brief overview of financial goals.
- Traction : Highlight initial sales or milestones.
- Funding Needed : Specify capital requirements if seeking funding.
Problem & solution
More than a simple description of your products and services – here you define the problem you’re solving and the value you provide. It’s also your chance to showcase any initial traction that shows you’re on the right track.
- Problem Worth Solving : Detailed description of the customer problem.
- Our Solution : Detailed description of the product or service.
- Traction : Evidence of market interest, such as sales or contracts.
- Intellectual Property/Patents : Outline any relevant IP or patents.
- Regulatory Requirements : Details on necessary government approvals.
- Future Products and Services : Potential future offerings.
Market analysis and target market
A detailed assessment of the market you intend to enter, including the size and value of the market, potential customer segments, and their buying patterns.
- Market Size & Segments : Define the size and characteristics of your target market.
- Market Trends : Consumer behavior and financial trends.
- Market Growth : Potential market size changes.
- Industry Analysis : Describe industry changes or trends.
- Key Customers : Identify any major customers.
- Future Markets : Potential market opportunities and strategy.
Competition
Show that you know who your competitors are, what advantages you have, and how you’re positioning your business to be competitive.
- Current Alternatives : Identify competitors in the market.
- Our Advantages : Describe strategic advantages over competitors.
- * Barriers to Entry (Optional): Discuss any barriers preventing new competition.
Marketing & sales
Describe how you’ll reach and sell to potential customers with a detailed sales plan and chosen marketing channels.
- Market Positioning : Define where your product or service fits in the market.
- Marketing Plan : Outline the strategy for reaching your target market.
- Sales Plan : Explain the sales strategy.
- Unique Value Proposition : What makes your offering unique.
- Pricing Strategy : Pricing compared to market alternatives.
- Distribution : How your product/service will reach customers.
- SWOT Analysis : Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
What makes your business run? Outline the day-to-day workflows and what needs to be set up for your business to deliver a product or service.
- Location & Facilities : Describe physical locations and facilities.
- Technology : Key technology crucial for the business.
- Equipment & Tools : Special equipment or tools required.
- Sourcing and Fulfillment : Description of sourcing and supply chain.
- Partners and Resources : Key partners and their contributions.
Milestones & metrics
Set goals for your business that include the dates and people responsible for accomplishing them. This is what you’ll use to manage responsibilities, track growth, and execute your larger strategy.
- Milestones : Specific goals and objectives with a timeline.
- Key Metrics : Performance indicators to gauge business health.
Company overview and team
Provide a brief rundown of the legal and structural components of your company, including your history, current team, and gaps you need to fill.
- Organizational Structure : Overview of the legal structure.
- Company History and Ownership : Brief history and ownership details.
- Management Team : Key team members and their qualifications.
- Management Team Gaps : Key positions needed for success.
Financial plan
Create well-structured and accurate financial statements to help you pitch to investors, land funding, and achieve long-term success. All without the help of a financial advisor or a degree in accounting.
- Projected Profit and Loss : Expected revenue, costs, and profitability.
- Projected Cash Flow : Cash inflows, outflows, and overall position.
- Projected Balance Sheet : Expected assets, liabilities, and equity balances.
- Use of Funds : Allocation of funds if raising capital.
- Exit Strategy : Plan for eventual business exit.
While not required, this last section of your business plan is a great place to drop in additional documents that support and strengthen the rest of your plan.
How do you write a simple business plan?
If you’re exploring a business idea and don’t plan to pursue funding, then you actually don’t need to write a traditional business plan. Instead, opt for a one-page plan , which is far easier to create but just as effective.
To write a simple one-page business plan, follow the same core sections as a traditional plan. But instead of lengthy paragraphs and multiple pages covering each area of your business, stick with single sentences and bulleted lists.
If a one-page plan sounds like a better option, download our free simple one-page business plan template to get started.
Start your business plan today
Whether you're writing a business plan to validate your business idea, secure funding, or grow your existing business – our free business planning template will help you achieve your goals.
Business plan template FAQ
What file formats are available for this business plan template?
Our business plan template can be downloaded in a number of common file formats including Google Docs, Microsoft Word (doc.x), or as a free business plan PDF .
Can you print out this template for a business plan?
This is a printable template—no matter if you download it as a pdf or word document, or access via Google Docs. The business plan template is pre-formatted and structured to fit lender and investor standards, but can be edited and adjusted to suite your needs before printing. Just be aware that any changes may unintentionally break the template, so make sure to review before printing.
Why should I start with a business plan template?
You should start with a good business plan template (like this one) to avoid having to make guesses about what to include in your business plan and how to structure the document. This template helps you organize your thoughts, and provides guidance, instructions, and examples to create an investor-ready and SBA-approved business plan format. It really speeds up the planning process. Oh, and it's 100% free!
Can I write a business plan myself?
You can absolutely write a business plan by yourself. Millions of entrepreneurs have been in your exact situation and have been able to write complete, detailed, and useful business plans. By using a template, you can speed up the writing process, avoid costly mistakes, and write your business plan without having to pay for additional support.
What are the steps to write a business plan?
The steps to write a business plan include:
- Defining the opportunity: Explain the problem your business solves, the solution you offer, your target market, and the competitive landscape.
- Describing how you'll execute: Outline your marketing and sales strategies, operational plan, milestones, and success metrics.
- Adding company details: Provide information about your business structure, ownership, and team.
- Creating a financial plan and forecasts: Include detailed financial statements, forecasts, and funding requirements.
- Adding supplementary info to your appendix: Add any additional information, such as resumes, permits, and other relevant documents.
- Summarizing your plan: While it may be first, do your executive summary last. In it, you'll briefly summarize your business, highlighting key points such as mission, product/service, and basic financial information.
For additional information, check out our full step-by-step guide to write a business plan .
How many hours does it take to write a business plan?
It can take as little as 30-minutes to write a fully functioning business plan. However, if you need to create a more detailed business plan it can take multiple hours to actually write the full document. To save yourself time, be sure to pick an appropriate plan type for your intended use case. Additionally, do any necessary research and collect your notes and other documentation beforehand so that you can focus all your effort on writing your business plan.
How can I write a simple business plan?
To write a simple business plan it's best to use a one-page business plan format. A one-page business plan includes all of the same components as a more detailed business plan but is designed to fit on a single page—making it more useful as an internal planning tool. If you still want to use a traditional business plan template, just focus on using bulleted lists and short sentences while writing to create a simpler business plan.
Is writing a business plan easy?
Writing a business plan can be easy if you use the right tools, understand your business, and come in prepared to write your business plan. Using a template can make writing a business plan easier. Additionally, if you focus on just getting your information down quickly, with the expectation that you'll revisit and revise your plan, you can speed up and simplify the process .
Can someone else write my business plan for me?
Yes, you can hire a professional business plan writer to write your business plan for you. Working with a professional can be especially useful if you're still struggling to write your business plan even when using a template for your business plan. Just be prepared to talk about your business, provide the appropriate details, and review the finished plan to be sure it actually reflects your business. If you need help vetting professional business plan writers, check out our free resource to help you ask just the right questions of potential plan writers.
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Simple Business Plan Templates
By Joe Weller | April 2, 2020
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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. We also include a business plan sample and the main components of a business plan to help get you started.
Simple Business Plan Template
Download Simple Business Plan Template
Word | PDF
This simple business plan template lays out each element of a traditional business plan to assist you as you build your own, and it provides space to add financing information for startups seeking funding. You can use and customize this simple business plan template to fit the needs for organizations of any size.
One-Page Business Plan Template
Download One-Page Business Plan Template
Excel | Word | PDF | Smartsheet
Use this one-page business plan to document your key ideas in an organized manner. The template can help you create a high-level view of your business plan, and it provides easy scannability for stakeholders. You can use this one-page plan as a reference to build a more detailed blueprint for your business.
For additional single page plans, take a look at " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."
Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Download Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Business Plan Template
Use this fill-in-the-blank business plan template to guide you as you build your business plan. Each section comes pre-filled with sample content, with space to add customized verbiage relevant to your product or service.
For additional free, downloadable resources, visit " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."
Simple Business Plan for Startup
Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word
This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders. Keep all your information organized with this template, which provides space to include an executive summary, a company overview, competitive analysis, a marketing strategy, financial data, and more. For additional resources, visit " Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples ."
Simple Small-Business Plan Template
Download Simple Small-Business Plan Template
This template walks you through each component of a small-business plan, including the company background, the introduction of the management team, market analysis, product or service offerings, a financial plan, and more. This template also comes with a built-in table of contents to keep your plan in order, and it can be customized to fit your requirements.
Lean Business Plan Template
Download Lean Business Plan Template
This lean business plan template is a stripped-down version of a traditional business plan that provides only the most essential aspects. Briefly outline your company and industry overview, along with the problem you are solving, as well as your unique value proposition, target market, and key performance metrics. There is also room to list out a timeline of key activities.
Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template
Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan. Simplify or expand this outline to create the foundation for a business plan that fits your business needs.
Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Download Simple Business Planning Template with Timeline
Excel | Smartsheet
This template doubles as a project plan and timeline to track progress as you develop your business plan. This business planning template enables you to break down your work into phases and provides room to add key tasks and dates for each activity. Easily fill in the cells according to the start and end dates to create a visual timeline, as well as to ensure your plan stays on track.
Simple Business Plan Rubric Template
Download Simple Business Plan Rubric
Once you complete your business plan, use this business plan rubric template to assess and score each component of your plan. This rubric helps you identify elements of your plan that meet or exceed requirements and pinpoint areas where you need to improve or further elaborate. This template is an invaluable tool to ensure your business plan clearly defines your goals, objectives, and plan of action in order to gain buy-in from potential investors, stakeholders, and partners.
Basic Business Plan Sample
Download Basic Business Plan Sample
This business plan sample serves as an example of a basic business plan that contains all the traditional components. The sample provides a model of what a business plan might look like for a fictional food truck business. Reference this sample as you develop your own business plan.
For additional resources to help support your business planning efforts, check out “ Free Strategic Planning Templates .”
Main Components of a Business Plan
The elements you include in your business plan will depend on your product or service offerings, as well as the size and needs of your business.
Below are the components of a standard business plan and details you should include in each section:
- Company name and contact information
- Website address
- The name of the company or individual viewing the presentation
- Table of Contents
- Company background and purpose
- Mission and vision statement
- Management team introduction
- Core product and service offerings
- Target customers and segments
- Marketing plan
- Competitive analysis
- Unique value proposition
- Financial plan (and requirements, if applicable)
- Business and industry overview
- Historical timeline of your business
- Offerings and the problem they solve
- Current alternatives
- Competitive advantage
- Market size
- Target market segment(s)
- Projected volume and value of sales compared to competitors
- Differentiation from competitors
- Pricing strategy
- Marketing channels
- Promotional plan
- Distribution methods
- Legal structure of your business
- Names of founders, owners, advisors, etc.
- Management team’s roles, relevant experience, and compensation plan
- Staffing requirements and training plans
- Physical location(s) of your business
- Additional physical requirements (e.g., warehouse, specialized equipment, facilities, etc.)
- Production workflow
- Raw materials and sourcing methods
- Projected income statement
- Projected cash flow statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Break-even analysis
- Charts and graphs
- Market research and competitive analysis
- Information about your industry
- Information about your offerings
- Samples of marketing materials
- Other supporting materials
Tips for Creating a Business Plan
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a business plan. Below, you’ll find top tips to help simplify the process as you develop your own plan.
- Use a business plan template (you can choose from the variety above), or refer to the previous section to create a standard outline for your plan.
- Modify your outline to reflect the requirements of your specific business. If you use a standard business plan outline, remove sections that aren’t relevant to you or aren’t necessary to run your business.
- Gather all the information you currently have about your business first, and then use that information to fill out each section in your plan outline.
- Use your resources and conduct additional research to fill in the remaining gaps. (Note: It isn’t necessary to fill out your plan in order, but the executive summary needs to be completed last, as it summarizes the key points in your plan.)
- Ensure your plan clearly communicates the relationship between your marketing, sales, and financial objectives.
- Provide details in your plan that illustrate your strategic plan of action, looking forward three to five years.
- Revisit your plan regularly as strategies and objectives evolve.
- What product or service are we offering?
- Who is the product or service for?
- What problem does our product or service offering solve?
- How will we get the product or service to our target customers?
- Why is our product or service better than the alternatives?
- How can we outperform our competitors?
- What is our unique value proposition?
- When will things get done, and who is responsible for doing them?
- If you need to obtain funding, how will you use the funding?
- When are payments due, and when do payments come in?
- What is the ultimate purpose of your business?
- When do you expect to be profitable?
To identify which type of business plan you should write, and for more helpful tips, take a look at our guide to writing a simple business plan .
Benefits of Using a Business Plan Template
Creating a business plan can be very time-consuming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. Finding the right template for your business needs can be beneficial for a variety of reasons.
Using a business plan template — instead of creating your plan from scratch — can benefit you in the following ways:
- Enables you to immediately write down your thoughts and ideas in an organized manner
- Provides structure to help outline your plan
- Saves time and valuable resources
- Helps ensure you don’t miss essential details
Limitations of a Business Plan Template
A business plan template can be convenient, but it has its drawbacks — especially if you use a template that doesn’t fit the specific needs of your business.
Below are some limitations of using a business plan template:
- Each business is unique and needs a business plan that reflects that. A template may not fit your needs.
- A template may restrict collaboration with other team members on different aspects of the plan’s development (sales, marketing, and accounting teams).
- Multiple files containing different versions of the plan may be stored in more than one place.
- You still have to manually create charts and graphs to add to the plan to support your strategy.
- Updates to the plan, spreadsheets, and supporting documents have to be made in multiple places (all documents may not update in real time as changes are made).
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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.
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Powerful business plan templates
Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion..
Put your ideas to work with simple templates for every business plan
Every successful business took a lot of planning to get there, and these templates will be cornerstones of your future success. Whether you're looking to attract new business, pitch your services or reimagine your company, with these simple, customizable templates at your fingertips you can turn complexity into something tangible. These templates can become marketing assets or simply remain internal touchpoints for your team. And as your dreams change, you'll always have this template to refer to – it's easy to change what exists on paper. If you're a small business, focusing on your niche can help you dominate in your field, and you can forge a plan to figure out exactly what that niche might be and how to target your ideal customer . When it's time to share your vision with stakeholders, craft a presentation that outlines your plan succinctly and with style. Let these templates from Microsoft Designer be your partner in business strategy for years to come.
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All our business plan templates are free for you to edit in whichever way you like. Just click on your selected design and customize away on our editing dashboard. We have intuitive drag-and-drop tools to aid you in the process, making you seem like a graphic design expert.
Download Sample Business Plan Templates for free. Use our f professional templates to impress your investors with a clear and focused plan today!
Download a free fill-in-the-blank business plan template in Google Doc, Microsoft Word, and PDF formats. Includes expert guidance to help fill out each section. Why you need a business plan template Writing a business plan can seem like a big task, especially if you’re starting a business for the first time and don’t have a financial ...
Apr 2, 2020 · Download Startup Business Plan Template — Word. This business plan template is designed with a startup business in mind and contains the essential elements needed to convey key product or service details to investors and stakeholders.
Create an effective plan for your business in minutes with our free business plan templates. Download a template to get started.
Powerful business plan templates Plan for the future, no matter what your business plans are or the size of your business with these designs and templates. Whether it's just one big project or an entire organization's worth of dreams, these templates will keep you and your company on track from ideation to completion.