For easy business plan writing, the easiest way is to use an existing model.

You have already invested a lot of time and money to develop your business concept; you will not reinvent the wheel with a completely innovative business plan format. Instead, rely on a proven framework created by other entrepreneurs before you build a complete and effective plan.

Why is a business plan essential?

When you have a new project or are setting up a business, the temptation is great to dive straight into the action. However, taking the time to write a business plan and put your ideas on paper can help you in many ways:

• Evaluate the relevance of your business concepts. Whether you have one or more ideas for creating an e-commerce business, a solid business plan will help you refine your thinking and validate the viability of your project.
• Plan the next step. To begin a new project to expand an existing business, a business plan can allow you to understand the necessary actions better and identify the gaps to be filled.
• Clarify strategy, objectives, and tactics. A business plan will enable you to break down your large, abstract project into concrete steps. It can also help you refine your strategy and identify clear implementation tactics.
• Assess the work needed. Without a clear plan, budget overruns and delays are inevitable. A business plan allows you to measure the full extent of the work required and to adapt your investments accordingly, whether it is time or money.
• Recruit and associate. If you need to gain buy-in from potential employees or collaborators, a clear business plan is particularly helpful, especially at the start of your business. It offers a more precise vision of your business objectives, which allows partners to judge on pieces and decide whether or not they share your vision.
• Obtain funding. Obtaining funds from investors or a bank is one of the main reasons for creating a business plan.

Why use a business plan template?

A business plan can be formal or informal, depending on your needs. Even if you are used to jotting down a few ideas on the back of a piece of paper rather than writing very formal documents, a template or a draft business plan can bring you many advantages.

• No blank page anxiety. Even the most experienced copywriters can be intimidated by an empty page. Guidelines and an existing framework will help you get started and give you an outline to build on. Of course, you can always adapt the template to your needs.
• Specific advice for each part. If you’ve never attended a business course, you may never have created a SWOT analysis or a balance sheet. A template that tells you, in plain language, how to complete each section can help you skip the intimidating business jargon and create a comprehensive and effective plan.
• No omissions. You may not need to meet all areas of the template. But if you choose to omit a part, it will be because you didn’t need it and not because you forgot it.

Who can use this business plan template?

The template is designed to help you consider all the essentials for starting or growing a business. Its objective is to help you, as a new entrepreneur or small business owner, take into account all the components of running a company. It should also allow you to identify the functional areas you may have forgotten or in which you may need to train to support your growth.

That said, the template may not include some specific information or sections required by a potential investor or lender. So, if you are writing a business plan to obtain financing, find out from the banks or investors you plan to canvass to find out if they have a model to offer you to increase your chances of convincing them.

What are the main sections of the business plan template?

This free template includes the following sections:

• Operational summary. An overview summarizes all the important points on one page, usually written after the rest of the business plan.
• Presentation of the company. The display can include several sub-parts, from basic sections like the business model to the most significant parts like the vision and mission of your company.
• Market research. All the relevant data, from market analysis to target market size to detailed competitive analysis, determine your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.
• Products and services. What you sell, and the main characteristics of your products and services. If you do market research for your products, they will appear in this section of your business plan.
• Marketing plan. How do you plan to market your business to your customers, and what marketing strategy decisions have you made.
• Logistics and operational plan. All the steps are necessary for transforming raw materials into finished products and delivering products to customers.
• Financial plan. It would help if you detailed your current economic projections. This section should include three major financial reports: an income statement, a balance sheet, and a cash flow statement.

Our template offers each section an overview of the most important information and tips for finding the data and writing your pitch.

How to write a business plan using this free template?

In addition to the advice given in this free business plan template, here are some general strategies to help you develop a comprehensive and effective plan while making the most of your time.

• Know who you are writing for. Suppose you’re writing a business plan to help you see through your ideas and better understand your industry. In that case, you don’t necessarily need to provide the same level of detail and care as if you plan to send your business plan to investors. Clarify who your business plan is for and determine how much time you need to spend on it accordingly.
• Know your goals. To determine the scope of your business plan, you need to understand what you will use it for. If your goal is to use it as a roadmap for growing your business, you may need to spend more time on it than if your goal is to understand the competitive landscape of a new industry.
• Go step by step. Writing a 10-15 page document is not easy, so try to write one section at a time instead. Start with the sections that you think are the easiest to write, and then move on to the next ones. Write down the main ideas in list form in each section before you start writing. This will help organize your content and make the writing process easier.