personal business plan template

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Create a Personal Business Plan That You'll Really Use Develop a customized tool that will serve to focus you on your most important objectives. Write it in user-friendly prose so you'll check it weekly.

By Marty Fukuda • Oct 7, 2014

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Every successful business leader I've encountered is in some way a prolific goal setter. For this reason, the single most important piece of advice I give any aspiring entrepreneur or business professional is to figure out exactly what you want, document it on paper and then attack it every day.

A personal business plan is something that I develop each year to help me put my own advice into action. Creating a plan can clarify your objectives for the coming year but don't just shove it in drawer. It is something that should become weekly, if not daily, reading material.

Related: Why Business Leaders Must Set a Personal Mission

1. Start with a simple brainstorming list.

Break down your role in the company into small parts and be sure it's comprehensive. This could mean taking each department that you oversee or are involved in, and breaking it down into further segments. For instance, for my company's graphic-design department, I would create separate objectives for its leadership development, equipment and software needs, anticipated hiring, the continued education plan and efficiency.

2. Prioritize objectives.

Your brainstorming list probably contains an overwhelming number of potential starting points. The key is narrowing them down into a manageable and realistic number of goals. Since you'll review the finished personal business plan often, don't write a novel.

I made the mistake of developing a massive 100-page personal business plan that I never looked at. The very thought of reviewing it was scary. A user-friendly one- to two-page document will do the trick.

Take your brainstorming list and organize it according to the biggest potential impact. You'll also have some must-dos (if not tackled business will fall apart). Then you'll have some items that aren't necessary or don't require much of your focus and perhaps can be delegated.

My company's CEO, Duane Hixon, does a wonderful job of narrowing down his list into what he refers to as his "rocks." These are the biggest areas of impact, the areas to which a person should offer most of his or her attention. These will make up the heart of the personal business plan.

Related: How to Build a Business Plan For Your Personal Brand

3. Be specific.

Once you've narrowed things down to a handful of rocks, be sure the plan includes specifics that will allow you to measure and track progress. For this year's plan, one of my rocks was maintaining company culture while building the team. Obviously, this is a broad, difficult-to-measure objective. For my plan, I developed a strategy for accomplishing the mission by including more details such as creating a company culture slide show and a plan for both current employees and new hires.

4. Set challenges but be realistic.

A goal that doesn't take much effort to accomplish isn't really a goal. Setting an objective that has a slim chance of realization, however, amounts to little more than a hope and can leave you feeling discouraged. Aim for a perfect balance between the two -- something that stretches you but doesn't break you.

Related: Write a Winning Business Plan With These 8 Key Elements

5. Set deadlines.

The beautiful thing about your personal business plan is that it's yours. You don't have to wait until the start of a new year to create one. While I create a plan annually, that doesn't mean that each objective has a deadline that's one year out. Set a deadline no matter what it is to keep you focused and provide a call to action (as opposed to adopting an open-ended objective).

6. Share the plan.

I recommend that you show your plan to a colleage whom you respect. Ask for feedback. This individual may think of an angle you have not. Equally important, this person will hold you accountable. It's a lot tougher to hit the eject button on a plan after you've shared it with someone you respect. And everyone can use a cheerleader in the workplace from time to time.

I personally love it when an employee shares a plan with me. It shows initiative and forward thinking. There are few things more impressive than when an employee has clear-cut objectives and works hard to meet them.

7. Revisit the plan weekly.

Creating the plan is just the first step. Put the plan in a prominent spot where you're going to remember to review it or place reminders in your calendar.If you've got a great plan, it can and will inspire you every time you see it.

Related: Your Mission Statement May Be Utterly Useless or a Gold Mine

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How to Write a Personal Business Plan

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A personal business plan, sometimes called a personal development plan, is guided by the same principles as a corporate business plan. You write a personal business plan to review your personal goals relating to your career, family and financial development. But writing a personal business plan is only the first step in a process. Once it is written, execution requires reviewing the plan, modifying it and maintaining the discipline to stick to it.

Write a personal mission statement that expresses your core values and your ultimate goals for balance and happiness. Core values might include having a family and perhaps putting career second to children when the time comes. A mission statement is the basis for establishing goals and measuring your success.

List priorities regarding career and personal relationships and the responsibilities involved in each. For example, work is essential for providing a particular lifestyle, but how much are you willing to sacrifice time with friends and family to advance in your career?

Read through the priorities and look for ways to balance different components of your life. Write down goals for areas where you can improve balance between work, family, physical and spiritual growth and development. For example, if your life is running between work and family obligations, you might set a goal of having one hour of personal time daily.

Set deadlines for each goal, breaking it down into smaller components if needed. For example, if you want to compete in a triathlon, you may need to first establish smaller training parameters to work up to your ultimate goal. Break larger goals into smaller goals like running three miles per day and then increasing to five per day in four weeks.

Review the plan to ensure you are being realistic regarding your goals and steps. Make adjustments to the overall plan if you feel overwhelmed, but don't hesitate to raise your standards stage by stage. It may sound wonderful to increase income, have more personal and family time and start training for a triathlete, but all these together may be too much to incorporate into any one period. Take a step back and make baby-step adjustments.

• Fiscal Fizzle: Forget Business: Do YOU Need a Business Plan

With more than 15 years of professional writing experience, Kimberlee finds it fun to take technical mumbo-jumbo and make it fun! Her first career was in financial services and insurance.

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Business Plan Template for Personal Goals

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Setting personal goals and aspirations is a powerful way to create the life you desire. But just like a business, you need a plan to turn those dreams into reality. That's where ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Personal Goals comes in!

This template is designed to help individuals like you organize your thoughts, define your objectives, create actionable plans, and track progress towards achieving your personal milestones. With this template, you'll stay focused, motivated, and accountable, ensuring that every step you take brings you closer to your dreams.

Get started today and watch as your personal goals transform into tangible results!

Business Plan Template for Personal Goals Benefits

When using the Business Plan Template for Personal Goals, individuals can enjoy the following benefits:

• Structure: Organize your thoughts and ideas in a clear and logical manner
• Clarity: Define your personal objectives and outline the steps needed to achieve them
• Actionability: Create actionable plans with specific tasks and deadlines
• Progress Tracking: Monitor your progress towards your personal milestones
• Focus and Motivation: Stay focused and motivated by having a clear roadmap for success
• Accountability: Hold yourself accountable by regularly reviewing and updating your business plan

Main Elements of Personal Goals Business Plan Template

Stay on track with your personal goals using ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Personal Goals. Here are the key elements of this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of your goals with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do, keeping you organized and motivated throughout your journey.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Reference, Approved, and Section to add additional details, notes, and references to your goals, making it easier to stay organized and focused.
• Custom Views: Access different views like Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide to visualize your goals, track their status, create a timeline, and get started with a comprehensive business plan.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Personal Goals, you'll have all the tools you need to turn your aspirations into achievable milestones.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Personal Goals

If you're looking to create a solid business plan to help you achieve your personal goals, you're in the right place. Follow these six steps to effectively use the Business Plan Template in ClickUp:

1. Define your personal goals

Start by clearly defining your personal goals. What do you want to achieve? Whether it's starting a side business, launching a new product, or growing your personal brand, having a clear understanding of your goals will help you create a focused business plan.

Use the Goals feature in ClickUp to set and track your personal goals.

2. Conduct a SWOT analysis

Next, perform a SWOT analysis to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis will help you understand your current position and identify potential challenges and advantages that may impact your goals.

Create a Doc in ClickUp to document your SWOT analysis and keep track of your findings.

3. Research your target market

Get to know your target market by conducting thorough research. Understand their needs, preferences, and behaviors. This information will be crucial in crafting a business plan that aligns with your target audience.

Use the Table view in ClickUp to organize and analyze your market research data.

4. Develop your strategies and tactics

Based on your goals, SWOT analysis, and market research, develop strategies and tactics to achieve your objectives. Identify the key actions you need to take, such as marketing campaigns, product development, or networking opportunities.

Create tasks in ClickUp to outline your strategies and assign them to team members if applicable.

5. Set milestones and timelines

Break down your business plan into actionable milestones with specific timelines. Setting milestones will help you track your progress and stay motivated. Assign realistic deadlines to each milestone to ensure you stay on track.

Use Milestones in ClickUp to set and visualize your key milestones and deadlines.

6. Monitor and evaluate

Regularly monitor and evaluate your progress against your business plan. Keep track of key metrics and adjust your strategies as needed. Celebrate achievements and learn from any setbacks to continuously improve your approach.

Use Dashboards in ClickUp to visualize your key metrics and track your progress in real-time.

By following these steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, you'll be well on your way to achieving your personal goals and turning your dreams into a successful reality.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Personal Goals

Individuals who are setting personal goals and aspirations can use the ClickUp Business Plan Template for Personal Goals to stay organized and motivated on their journey to success.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to achieve your personal goals:

• Use the Topics View to brainstorm and organize your goals into different categories
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each goal, with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do
• The Timeline View will allow you to set deadlines and visualize your progress over time
• The Business Plan View will help you create a comprehensive plan for each goal, including strategies, resources, and milestones
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to use the template effectively
• Utilize the custom fields Reference, Approved, and Section to add additional details and track important information
• Update statuses and custom fields as you make progress and achieve milestones
• Monitor and analyze your goals to ensure you're on track and adjust your plans if needed.
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Personal Business Plan

Did you have a dream of one day owning your business ? If so, what was your dream about? When I was young, I always dreamed of owning my own business and seeing it flourish . I told myself that one day, I would be able to own a business that involved a hybrid of a coffee and tea shop with a library and a place where animal lovers could simply hang out. Of course that dream is still in the air as it takes a lot of planning and a lot of resources like financial and material resources to make it happen. Another thing to also take into consideration is to have your own plans. Not just one plan but if possible a lot of back up plans that go along with it. Even if your plan may seem or look fool proof, there is still a possibility that you may need to redo it or to have at least a back up plan along with your original plan. What am I even talking about? A business plan of course. Your personal business plan. The difference between a business plan and a personal business plan is found in the article below. So check it all out right now.

8+ Personal Business Plan Examples

1. personal financial business plan template.

2. Personal Trainer Business Plan Template

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What Is a Personal Business Plan?

A lot of people would associate a business plan to a business or a company. But they may never associate the term business plan with personal . However, you can make your own business plan, and it does not have to be focused on a business or a company that you own. It can also focus on you, your family life, personal life, and your development. So what is a personal business plan? A personal business plan is a tool . This tool helps you by giving you a tour, a guide or serves as a road map for you to know how and where you can start out by changing what you want to do in life, or to change something in your business to make it better. For this case, a personal business plan is more associated with how you view yourself and your goals to achieve them. The importance of a personal business plan is to simply help you. Help you by giving you directions. A step by step plan that shows you or how you want to see your future in specific years to come. To show if there is any development that you have made or none at all.

How to Write a Personal Business Plan?

Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that having a personal business plan can help you ? Apart from having a positive mindset, having a personal development plan or a personal business plan is also quite helpful. Though it may depend on how you perceive it and use it, but it really is a helpful tool. Something to help you get started on writing are these simple yet easy to do tips.

1. Get To Know What You Want to Write

What this means is, brainstorm. What do you want to write, what do you expect to write and what do you really want to see in your personal development? These are just basic questions to help you when you brainstorm on what you want to place in your personal business plan. The topics could range from family, your dreams, your goals, anything that is achievable. Start from there.

2. Set Your Goals and Objectives

Know your goals and know your objectives . Understand the factors when picking your goals. Always choose an attainable goal. In addition to that, always choose an attainable objective or a series of attainable objectives. This is going to be your guide when you choose what goal you want to achieve. So to make that happen, you must make it happen. It must be achievable. Something possible, not impossible.

3.  Make Your Goals Very Specific

One thing you may have noticed is why should you make your goals very specific ? The reason for this is because if you do not make your goals specific, you may end up getting frustrated or end up not bothering to achieve the goal you want. For this to be avoided, it is always best to make every single thing in your plan specific, especially your goals.

4.  Set Up Deadlines for Each Goal

In addition to the tips above, here is another tip I can give you. Set up deadlines . For each goal you plan on doing, set up a deadline. Not only will this encourage you to do better and to really find ways to achieve them, it also gives you a sense of accomplishment and responsibility. This is where your development should already be showing.

5. Update Your Progress Plan

Last but not the least, update on the progress you have made. Whether it be a huge milestone or a smaller and simple one. Each milestone you have made is considered progress and should be updated to your plan. This is to show you how far you have gone to reach the goal you decided to do and how far you still need to go and push through to achieve it.

What is a personal business plan?

A personal business plan can also be coined as a personal development plan. This kind of plan is used as a personal growth plan for a person. It helps by outlining your goals and objectives and to record every milestone that has been accomplished at a certain amount of time.

What can a personal business plan be used for?

A personal business plan can be used in a way to help you reach your full potential. It helps by showing you the steps and the things that you can do to reach it.

Is it difficult to make your own personal business plan?

Not at all. Planning on making your own business plan is quite easy. It only takes a few simple steps. To know more about these steps, you can simply check the How to write a personal business plan found in this article.

When you want your dreams to come true, you work hard for it. When you want your goals in life to be achieved, you work hard for it. But there are times that we often mistake what we think we can do to what we can actually do. Always remember that you can achieve those dreams if they are realistic and doable. As well as adding a personal business plan to the mix.

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The Best Free Business Plan Template For Individual Sales Reps

Published: August 14, 2023

Working in sales is challenging at times, and after a while, you may begin to feel fatigued or experience low motivation. Drafting a strategy using a sales business plan template can be just the thing to help refocus your goals.

As a sales rep or account executive , a business plan requires you to think about your efforts from a high level. Who are you targeting? What are your performance goals? How do you plan to achieve them? Not only will a high-level view of your audience and goals help you meet and exceed them, but it might even help you climb the sales career ladder .

Next, I'll share the key elements of a sales business plan as well as provide templates to help get you started.

Sales Business Plan Layout

Free business plan template, the sales plan.

• Individual Business Plan Examples
• High-Level Review
• Tactics and Actions
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Sales and Marketing Alignment
• Obstacles to Success
• Personal and Professional Development

Fill out this form to access your template.

Before writing your plan, doing a bit of work prior to getting started with a template will help you better organize the information you'll need to include. Here's a roadmap to help you brainstorm:

The essential document for starting a business -- custom built for your needs.

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I’ve found it easiest to start with the end in mind and work backward from there. Naturally, your goals will include your company’s expectations (i.e., quota), but why not go even further?

Be more specific. What do you want to achieve?

A promotion? A certain level of income? A certain number of conversions per month? X number of new clients acquired over the year? How about increasing your average deal size? Whatever it is, put it down in writing and build a plan to get yourself there.

It’s powerful to write down our goals. One year, I decided to write five goals on the whiteboard in my office. At year-end, I had hit four of them, including finally buying the classic car I have had my eye on for 30 years.

2. High-Level Review

Got your goals on hand? Great. Now take a few minutes to ponder the strategies you pursued previously. Which ones worked well and made sense to incorporate again this year? And which didn’t work at all and either need to be adjusted or scrapped altogether?

This review will be your guidepost as you create a strategy and action plan. Be honest with yourself during this reflection. Consider asking for feedback from managers, peers, and clients. You might even seek feedback from prospects who didn’t end up buying from you. What can you do better? Was there anything about your sales tactics that put them off ? Why did they choose a competitor over you?

If this all sounds vague, take a numbers approach to this review. Instead of reviewing your sales strategies , review how your numbers fared throughout the year — revenue generated, number of meetings, number of proposals, number of demos, close rate, and so on. (Your review will be even more telling and powerful if you combine that qualitative review with a quantitative one.)

3. A Strategy

Once you have articulated what you want to achieve, here are the next logical questions to ask:

• How will you do better to reach your goals?
• What new markets will you approach?
• Which customers and prospects will you target?
• How will you frame the sales conversation or sharpen your sales story?
• What new things will you try on the phone, online, or face-to-face?

See that review that we did in that last step? This is where it’ll come in handy. Having a clear idea of what worked and what didn’t will tell you what you should keep or remove from your new strategy. For example, if last year you sent follow-up emails three days after a demo, you could try sending follow-up emails two days this time. This is one of the tactics you could use.

That brings me to my next point. After creating a strategy, it’s time to come up with some tactics and take action.

4. Tactics and Actions

This section is critical because sales is a verb (it may not be in the dictionary, but in my book, it is).

The most well-intentioned goals and the soundest strategies mean nothing if you don’t know what steps to take to achieve them. So for this section of your plan, ask yourself, "What activities am I going to commit to?"

For example, you’ll have X number of face-to-face conversations per month or make Y prospecting calls per week. Whatever the activities are, they should drive what ends up on your calendar on a daily or weekly basis.

Let's say your goal is to make more sales in a shorter time. Include the resources and tools you'll use to achieve that goal in your business plan. In this case, one option would be to use a CRM database to help you keep track of your prospects and eliminate manual data entry (e.g., logging emails and calls), ultimately increasing your efficiency.

5. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Action is action, but if there’s no way to measure its success, you won’t know what worked and what didn’t. You’ll therefore want to put metrics in place to monitor your progress. I recommend setting target numbers for the following KPIs:

• Raw number of deals closed
• Close ratio
• Revenue per account
• Customer retention rate
• Calls and emails
• Quotes or proposals

Remember, set a target number for each of these metrics. That way, you have something to reach toward. You can manually keep track of this information or use dedicated sales software . Or you can ask your manager to give you the performance data.

6. Sales and Marketing Alignment

You know what you want to do, how you’re going to do it, and which metrics you want to track. As you carry out your strategy, be sure to align your efforts with the efforts of your company’s marketing team.

Aligning your sales plan with a whole other department may sound over-the-top, but hear me out: sales teams depend on marketing teams to deliver leads. Even when you’re prospecting, marketing has likely identified the types of companies — and the best job titles — you should use for outreach.

When those leads get to your desk, it’s time to sell to them in a way that continues the nurturing process that marketing started. Say the lead was acquired when they downloaded an ebook on how to improve their productivity. When that lead gets assigned to you, propose your company’s product as a solution. Don’t try to sell it as if you don’t know the person and why they’re there.

It’s helpful to have a CRM that keeps track of your leads’ marketing-related activity. That way, you know which pages they’ve visited, what they’ve downloaded, and whether they’ve reached out to your company before. When carrying out your sales strategy, do so in a way that can fulfill the promises extended by marketing. Take a look at the content on your website, your company’s slogan, and your buyer personas . Use this information to create the perfect pitch.

After, connect with the marketing team to let them know whether that was a good lead or whether the buyer personas and the content on the website need adjustment. If your team does not meet regularly with marketing, bring the issue to your manager. Marketing and sales alignment is critical for your plan’s success.

But there are other obstacles to look out for, too — and you must have them.

7. Obstacles to Success

This is a unique addition I haven’t seen in many plans, but I think it’s an important component. This is where you lay out what could prevent you from reaching your goals and highlight areas where you might need some help. The truth is that you likely know what will get in the way of your success. So instead of using these obstacles as excuses later, point them out at the beginning.

Think carefully: What obstacles will keep you from succeeding?

Do you need new tools or different technology? More flexibility? Better internal support? Put it down in writing now. That way, when you present your plan to your manager (and I strongly encourage you to present your plan to your manager and maybe even a few peers), you give them a chance to support you.

They can either remove the obstacle or tell you it can't be removed in the short term. Either way, it’s in your best interest to declare these potential pitfalls now so that they’re not excuses down the road.

8. Personal and Professional Development

This is another important aspect of the business plan that's often overlooked. I regularly see salespeople fail because they’ve stopped learning and growing.

Many have become stale. Others are bored and ineffective from deploying the same techniques year after year. You wouldn’t go to a doctor that didn’t read medical journals and was treating patients with the same protocol he used twenty years ago, would you?

So commit to growing as a sales professional this year. What are you going to do to grow in your career?

What conferences are you going to attend? Which books are you going to read? Which sales blogs will you follow?

Now, once you have the layout for your sales business plan solidified, you must do two things:

• Get it down on paper - You’re more likely to achieve goals if you write them down. Just trust me on that.
• Get more specific - Using an actual business plan template can prompt you to think deeper about your motivation and action plan.

Below is a free business plan template you can use to get started.

Start building your business plan with this free template.

Featured Resource: Free Business Plan Template

Click Here to Download the Template

Your goal is to think like a business. I’ll teach you how to adapt each section of this general business plan to fit your role as a sales representative.

Business Plan Sections Explained

1. the business opportunity.

The business opportunity is an overview of why you’re doing what you’re doing, who you’re doing it for, and what you hope to achieve. Include your mission statement as a sales representative and why you’re working with the leads and accounts you chose.

In a typical business plan, this section is called an executive summary and highlights the most crucial information for readers. This means you can get creative and inspirational with it, summarizing the information that will motivate you most.

2. Company Description

The company description can refer to the organization(s) you sell for, or you can consider yourself the business being described. Because this is a personal document, choose the format that will most benefit you.

Keep in mind that there are a few elements to include in this section:

3. Company Purpose

This is a short description of the business, providing a high-level overview of who they are, what they offer, and who they offer it to. You might consider creating multiple purposes if you sell on behalf of more than one organization or outlining your purpose as a salesperson.

4. Mission Statement

A mission statement is a formal summary of the aims and values of an organization. If you’re making multiple company descriptions, include one for each organization. You can also include a personal mission statement for why you’ve chosen this organization and how you plan to support their success.

For example, say I’m a sales rep for an editorial company. My mission statement might be “to reach out to writers suffering from imposter syndrome and encourage them to consider editorial help so they can publish with confidence … and inspire future writers who dream of doing the same.”

5. Core Values

Use the core values for the organization(s) you work for, why you chose them, and how they will manifest in your interactions with prospects. For example, HubSpot’s values are humility, empathy, adaptability, remarkableness, and transparency.

If your organization doesn’t have clear core values defined, feel free to come up with your own that will serve as your modus operandi. Three to five values are what you want to have.

6. Product & Service Lines

This section will include:

• Product or service offerings - What are the lines you’re trying to sell, and what functionality does each have?
• Pricing model - How much does each product or service cost prospects, how much commission do you make for each sale, and what parameters do you have for discounts or special deals?

Outline this information in an easy-to-scan table.

In a typical business plan, this would manifest as an overview of the company and all the key leadership roles. However, the most relevant information could be key contacts at your company or companies you sell to, including your sales and marketing contacts (if applicable). If you’re filling out the template to create your sales plan, you’d simply include yourself.

8. Industry Analysis

In this section, you’ll take a look at the state of the industry, including your company’s competitors and your prospect’s competitors. You’ll ask:

• Is the market in growth or decline?
• Who are your competitors?
• What edge do they have over your product?
• How can you get your prospects to buy into the product you’re selling instead?

Your sales manager might already have answers for you or relay new information as it becomes available.

If you’re filling out a business plan to understand your prospects, you’ll want to answer similar questions:

• Who are their competitors?
• What challenges are they looking to solve?
• Is their industry in decline, and if so, can your product help them grow during this decline?

9. Target Market

This will manifest in your business plan as an overview or outline of whom you’re targeting, including general demographics and psychographics. You might want to include:

• Business title
• Location and language
• Pains or problems they're looking to solve

Consider consolidating this information and creating dedicated buyer personas .

10. Buyer Personas

Buyer personas are fictional representations of individuals within your target market. The best practice is to create a buyer persona for each “type” of customer you serve. You can do so using HubSpot’s Make My Persona tool and exporting the information into your business plan.

If you’re filling out the template for a prospect, come up with a buyer persona for the target audience they serve.

11. Location Analysis

Where is the geographic location of your target market? Explain why you’ve chosen the location and the benefits of it. Do the same for your prospects and customers if you’re using the template for them.

Here’s a template you can use:

[Organization name] serves [Location] because [reason]. We found that one of the key drivers of a successful acquisition is [key element], which means our target buyers tend to be in [more specific location descriptor]. We plan to tap into this market by [method].

This might manifest as something like:

“Editorial Company serves authors throughout the United States because editorial work can be done online with virtual meetings and file sharing. We found that one of the key drivers of a successful acquisition is participation in online writing groups, which means our target buyers tend to be active in social media circles. We plan to tap into this market with inbound marketing.”

12. Implementation Timeline

In this section, a business typically specifies how long it will take for its operation to be up and running. They take logistics, partnerships, and other operational elements into account. For your sales plan, you might specify an implementation timeline for various checkpoints, including software adoption, sales-marketing meetings, and more.

Say you told your sales manager you need sales software to keep track of the KPIs you identified earlier. You should take into account the time it will take for that CRM to be purchased and distributed to your team.

If you’re filling out the template to understand a prospect, consider laying out a timeline that specifies when they’ll buy the product, when you’re to follow up with them, and so on.

13. Marketing Plan

If your organization is an inbound sales organization with a marketing department, you might include your marketing and sales service-level agreement (SLA) in this section.

On the other hand, if you’re responsible for cold outreach and prospecting, this section might be helpful to complete on your own. The elements you’ll need to consider are:

Positioning Strategy

• How is this product or service unique and unbeatable compared to its competitors?
• Why are potential buyers going to be interested in the product or service?
• How will you address the buyer persona’s biggest challenges and goals?

Acquisition Channels

• What are your main lead acquisition channels (e.g., search engine marketing, event marketing, blogging, paid advertising, etc.)?
• What do you plan to prioritize this year for lead acquisition?

Tools and Technology

• What tools or systems are you equipped with (e.g., CMS , marketing automation software , etc.)?

14. Financial Considerations and Funding Required

This section is likely more suited for sales reps who are commission-only. You’ll want to consider how much financial collateral will be your responsibility as you sell for the organization. You’ll want to outline:

• Startup costs
• Sales forecasts
• When you'll break even
• Profit and loss projections

These things can be estimated and calculated in Excel and then imported into the template. There’s also a section on the funding required, but you won’t need to fill it out as an individual sales representative. And since your prospects have already secured funding or are established firms, you won’t need to fill this out to understand their business.

Now, finally, we’ve reached the sales plan. This will be done in a separate worksheet — a Google Doc or Word document that you can continue to edit as you evolve in your sales role. You will likely be able to draw on your experience to outline the following:

Sales Methodology

• How will you reach and engage with new leads?
• Are you pursuing an inbound or outbound sales strategy?
• Why does your prospecting strategy make sense for your business?

Sales Organization Structure

• Who do you report to within the organization?
• Is there a marketing department and existing SLA between the departments?
• How are leads qualified?

Sales Channels

• What are your main customer acquisition channels (e.g., online purchasing, through a rep, on location, via email, etc.)?
• What tools or systems are you equipped with (e.g., CMS, live chat , etc.)?

We've covered the different parts of a sales reps' business plan, but what does one of these plans actually look like? Here are five amazing examples of individual business plans for sales reps.

Individual Business Plan Examples for Sales Reps

1. individual development plan.

Image Source

An individual development plan (IDP) is a document that you would make to identify your goals and objectives to your employer. After identifying your goals, ensure that your objectives follow the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal framework. Lastly, for each action, assign a target date. While it does not need to be a specific day of the year, set your timeline by quarters of the year — as seen in the above example.

In addition to the long-term and short-term goals that the above example from Simplicable demonstrates, the resources required section is another useful component of the individual development plan. It directly informs your employer that you require support to achieve the goals and objectives that will ultimately benefit the entire company.

2. Medical Sales Business Plan

Automotive sales business plans are slightly more challenging than other business plans because there are a lot of factors to consider. When building your plan, you need to start with an analysis. It includes an analysis of your company, industry, customers, and competitors.

Once you have included in-depth analysis, focus on demonstrating your ideas with the four Ps of marketing . The four Ps of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion.

First, outline your focus products. Second, discuss price. You can include current pricing and any proposed changes. Further analysis would include how these prices stack up against competitors and how they affect your customers.

Third, concentrate on your location. This information should detail how your location either adds or decreases traffic and propose solutions for the latter. Lastly, recommend promotions. In the automotive industry, customers are always looking for the best deal.

You also have to be very visible with your marketing. Possibly one of the most important sections of your automotive sales business template, include a detailed course of action for promotional ideas and plans.

4. Territory Business Plan

A territory business plan should cover your sales territory. Historically, sales territory is the division of geographical regions for assignments to sales representatives. These representatives are responsible for all customers or clients within that area. This template from Slide Team is for convenience stores, but it can be adapted to suit your business type.

Now, industry, sales potential, and customer type affect territory business planning. An example of customer type is focusing your territory planning on individuals with the same median income. Instead of using geography, this alternative can lead to more strategic success.

When creating a territory business plan, you want to start by analyzing your business goals and objectives. As you build your plan, include an analysis of your prospects and a SWOT analysis . It’s a planning technique that identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This information will allow you to propose strategies for sales territories and devise an action plan.

5. Quarterly Business Plan

Creating a business plan for an entire year can be too complex. By separating the year into quarters, you can make your business strategy more actionable. Quarterly business planning is when you set goals and objectives and measure performance after each quarter. Typically, the year segments into Quarter 1 (January 1 to March 31), Quarter 2 (April 1 to June 30), Quarter 3 (July 1 to September 30), and Quarter 4 (October 1 to December 31).

Quarterly business planning focuses on short-term goals that ultimately help fulfill any long-term goals. Your quarterly business plan should include your focus areas, metrics for determining success, and your action plan.

Crush Your Sales Goals with a Business and Sales Plan

With the plan I’ve shared, you'll be prepared to take on any goal or challenge in your career. Consider it a gift to yourself that keeps on giving. Use your plan like a living document, review it weekly, and make tweaks as necessary along the way. Let it dictate what makes it onto your calendar. At year-end, you will be amazed at what you accomplished and thankful you invested the time to do this now.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Advantages of Having a Business Plan

• A well-written business plan allows you to see a better picture of the whole business.
• A business plan helps you focus on the right things and the most important things. And you will be able to allocate your time and resources strategically.
• A good business plan helps in keeping track on the flow of income, and if problems are identified, the business will be able to adjust to it easily.
• A business plan can be used to set targets for new collaborators, and you may choose parts of your plan to communicate with those collaborators.

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• Research on businesses that offer similar services and learn about their mistakes so you can do the opposite.
• Make your business plan clear, concise, and direct to the point.
• Seek assistance from other people, if possible, those who have written their own business plans and learn from them.
• Know your target clients and adapt to their interests and preferences.

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Personal Training Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Personal Training Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their personal training companies. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a personal training business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Personal Training Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your personal training business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Personal Training Business

If you’re looking to start a personal training business or grow your existing personal training company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your personal training business to improve your chances of success. Your personal trainer business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Personal Training Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a personal training business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for personal training companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a personal training business.

If you want to start a personal training business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The business plan outline below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your personal training business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of personal training business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a personal training business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of personal training businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the personal training industry.
• Discuss the type of personal training business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of personal training business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of personal training businesses:

• Mobile personal trainer: This type of business involves traveling to the client’s home, a park, or another location that is convenient for the client to provide personal training sessions.
• In-home personal trainer: This type of business is operated out of the trainer’s own home. This type of business may be great for trainers that have their own equipment.
• Online personal trainer: This type of business involves providing training one-on-one or group sessions online live or via pre-recorded webinars.
• Gym trainer: This type of personal training business operates out of a gym that allows the trainer to work with their own clients at the gym.

In addition to explaining the type of personal training business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of sessions provided with positive outcomes, reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the personal training industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the personal training industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your personal trainer business plan:

• How big is the personal training industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your personal training business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your personal trainer business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of personal training business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other personal training businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes other types of trainers, coaches, gyms, and fitness programs. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of personal training business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for clients to acquire your services?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a personal training business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of personal training company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide lifestyle training, boot camps, or performance training services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your personal training company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your personal training business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone gym, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your personal training marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your personal training business, including answering calls, planning and providing training sessions, billing customers and collecting payments, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth session, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your personal training business to a new city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your personal training business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing personal training businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a personal training business or successfully running a small fitness class.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you see 5 clients per day, and/or offer group training sessions? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your personal training business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a personal training business:

• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your gym location lease or testimonials from happy customers.

  Summary Writing a business plan for your personal training business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the personal training industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful personal training business.  

Personal Training Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my personal training business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your personal training business plan.

Where Can I Download a Personal Trainer Business Plan PDF?

You can download our Personal Trainer business plan PDF  here. This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

How Do You Start a Personal Training Business?

Starting a personal training business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Personal Training Business
• Create Your Personal Training Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Personal Training Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Personal Training Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Personal Training Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Personal Training Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Personal Training Business Equipment
• Develop Your Personal Training Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Personal Training Business
• Open for Business

  OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how a Growthink business planning advisor can create your business plan for you.   Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Free Google Slides Business Model Canvas Templates

By Courtney Patterson | May 8, 2024

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These customizable Google Slides business model canvas templates are tailored for entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts, and strategic planners. Download any template to help you develop and refine your business model, establishing a solid base for growth and innovation. This collection includes a  Lean business model canvas template , a  social enterprise business model canvas template , a  tech startup business model canvas template , and more.

Google Slides Simple Business Model Canvas Template

Download the Simple Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides 

When to Use This Template:  Use this streamlined business model canvas template during dynamic strategy meetings or brainstorming sessions. It's particularly useful for entrepreneurs, startups, and educators looking for a fast way to kick-start planning, facilitate workshops, or clarify ongoing business strategies. 

Notable Template Features:  This template efficiently outlines key aspects of a business model, such as value propositions, target customer segments, and critical operations. The user-friendly layout ensures swift updates and engaging team discussions, making it an essential resource for visualizing and refining strategic plans. 

Access this complimentary collection of  free business model canvas templates to effectively visualize your business's fundamental elements. 

Google Slides Lean Business Model Canvas Template

Download the Sample Lean Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides 

Download the Blank Lean Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides

When to Use This Template:  Ideal for high-velocity environments, this Lean business model canvas template with or without sample data allows forward-thinking innovators to expedite the testing and validation of their business concepts. It focuses on refining the pivotal aspects of a business strategy to adjust based on real-time market responses. 

Notable Template Features:  This template highlights critical Lean startup principles, including the alignment of solutions with customer problems, compelling value propositions, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Its interactive and flexible design makes it a vital resource for teams striving for continual progress. Download the sample version for a pre-filled template, or try the blank version to fill in the sections with your own data.

Google Slides Business Capability Model Template

Download the Business Capability Model Template for Google Slides  

When to Use This Template:  Use this template to streamline your strategic planning. It is designed to help organizations assess and outline their core business functions and capabilities so that they can synchronize business strategies with operational strengths and identify areas for investment. 

Notable Template Features:  Across multiple dynamic slides, this template facilitates a thorough analysis of business capabilities, from day-to-day operations to customer interaction tactics. Its organized layout allows for a methodical review of your company's strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities, improving communication and strategic alignment across teams and sectors. 

Google Slides Social Enterprise Business Model Canvas Template

Download the Social Enterprise Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides

When to Use This Template:  This Google Slides template is ideal for social enterprises and mission-driven organizations that need to strategize how to balance social impact with financial viability. Use this template in brainstorming sessions or strategic planning meetings to navigate the challenges of creating social value and financial stability. 

Notable Template Features:  This template emphasizes integrating social objectives with core business functions. It includes dedicated sections for outlining social missions, evaluating impact, and building community relationships. Its comprehensive design enables you to map out both the social and economic facets of your business. 

Google Slides Customer-Focused Business Model Canvas Template

Download the Sample Customer-Focused Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides  

Download the Blank Customer-Focused Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides  

When to Use This Template:  Use this customer-focused template with or without sample data when you're fine-tuning or developing a business strategy with a strong emphasis on customer insights. The template is particularly effective at turning customer needs into unique market positions and customized experiences.

Notable Template Features:  Specially crafted to highlight the role of customer perspectives in strategic planning, this template features dedicated areas for detailing customer journeys, preferences, and the feedback process. It offers a comprehensive examination of how your business model caters to customer demands, prioritizing customer satisfaction and active engagement in every strategic move.

Google Slides E-Commerce Business Model Canvas Template

Download the E-Commerce Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides  

When to Use This Template:  Try this e-commerce template when you need to elevate your presence in the digital retail space. Ideal for strategizing the launch of a new online store or refining the operations of an existing one, this template facilitates a detailed examination and improvement of an online shopping journey, from the first interaction to follow-up after sales. 

Notable Template Features:  Tailor-made for the nuances of e-commerce, this template provides a guide for strategizing around online consumer behaviors, digital marketing tactics, and logistical operations. It covers crucial strategic e-commerce activities, such as enhancing the customer experience, streamlining payment systems, and ensuring effective customer support. 

Google Slides Tech Startup Business Model Canvas Template

Download the Tech Startup Business Model Canvas Template for Google Slides

When to Use This Template:  Use this tech startup template during critical phases of brainstorming and entering the market or as you adjust your tech enterprise to meet the changing needs of the industry. It's designed to help you better understand the relationship between your technological innovations and market requirements.

Notable Template Features:  Adapted for the unique challenges and opportunities of the tech sector, this template emphasizes research and development, intellectual property management, and strategies for gaining users. It offers a comprehensive layout for mapping out how your tech solutions align with market expectations, with a focus on ensuring scalability, security measures, and innovation.

Related Templates

Explore these complimentary Google Slides templates rooted in business model canvas methodologies. Tailored to boost your strategic business planning, these resources emphasize strategic planning, market analysis, value proposition clarification, and customer journey mapping. 

Free SWOT Analysis Templates for Google Slides

Make use of these  free SWOT analysis templates for Google Slides to better understand your organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, allowing for new strategic initiatives and insightful decision-making. 

Free Google Slides Project Management Templates

These  free Google Slides project management templates offer users an intuitive way to organize, track, and present project details, timelines, and milestones, enhancing project visibility and team collaboration. 

Free Brand Presentation Templates

See this collection of  free brand presentation templates for resources to help you seamlessly integrate and showcase your brand's identity in your business model canvas, enhancing how you communicate your value proposition and market positioning. 

Free Marketing Report Templates

Take a look at these  free marketing report templates for help analyzing and presenting your marketing efforts and ensuring that they align with the strategies outlined in your business model canvas. 

Free Change Management Strategy Templates

Check out these  free change management strategy templates to help you effectively plan and execute organizational changes, ensuring they align with your strategic objectives. 

Free Go-to-Market Strategy Templates

Explore these  free go-to-market strategy templates when you need a targeted strategic approach for launching a product or service. 

Free Project Timeline Templates

Dive into these  free project timeline templates to help you map out the key milestones and timelines for your strategic initiatives, aligning them with the broader goals outlined in your business model canvas. 

Free Annual Plan Templates and Yearly Planning Templates

Discover these  free annual plan templates and yearly planning templates to assist you in setting annual goals and strategies that are in harmony with your long-term objectives. 

Free Google Timeline Templates

Check out these  free Google timeline templates to help you effectively visualize and plan the chronological development and execution of the strategies outlined in your business model canvas. 

Refine Your Business Models with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

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Personal Trainer Business Plan

If you are a personal trainer or want to become one, chances are that you’d want to start your own business at some point in your career.

Having your business gives you autonomy and lets you work with clients you’d want to work with. It also helps your day become more flexible.

A personal trainer business plan can help you work through every aspect of your business.

If you are planning to be a personal trainer, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample personal trainer business plan created using Upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.

Before you start writing your business plan, spend as much time as you can reading through some examples of the gym and fitness-related business plans .

Industry Overview

The personal trainer industry stood at a market size of 12.9 billion dollars in 2021 and isn’t about to slow down any time soon.

The increase in demand for personal trainers is due to the increasing number of people who prefer to work out at home.

Also, with the pandemic and social distancing norms, people working out at home with personal trainers has only increased.

And although it might seem relatively simple to start working as a trainer, you need to keep multiple things in mind to have a stable source of income.

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Things to Consider Before Writing a Personal Trainer Business Plan

Do your research.

Research is an extremely important aspect of starting any business. It helps you understand what you are getting yourself into. It helps you understand every aspect of your data better and make better strategic decisions as per the same.

Hence, conducting market research before getting started is important.

Know your target market

Knowing what your customers want , who they are, what influences their decision, how they do they avail services, and even what social media sites they use the most is important to serve your target audience better.

Hence, try to know as much as possible before getting started. It helps you have an edge over everyone else.

Decide upon a business structure

You could either set up a facility or start providing services at your client’s home, but having a business structure is essential. Your business structure would decide the amount you pay in taxes, the paperwork you’ll have to do, as well as the liability on your personal assets.

Look into all options you have and pick the structure that fits your business needs the best.

Pick the type of services you’ll provide

You can either provide services from a facility, at home, or even through online mediums now. Consider what fits your client’s and business needs the best before picking the type of your services.

Each type of service has its pros and cons. Hence, it is important to consider what type of services you should go for before getting started.

Write Your Business Plan

Having a business is in no way a cakewalk. From managing your finances to promoting your services you’ll need a plan for everything.

Reading some sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for and also it will show you the different sections that different entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.

We have created this personal trainer business plan example for you to get a good idea about how a perfect personal trainer business should look like and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.

Personal Trainer Business Plan Outline

This is the standard personal trainer business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Market Validation
• Short-Term (1 -3 Years)
• Long Term (3-5 years)
• Mission statement
• Keys to success
• Fitjets – 3-Year Financial Highlights
• Company Ownership/Legal Entity
• Interior Operating Facilities
• Hours of Operation
• Startup summary
• Exercise Instruction and Demonstration
• Fitness Consultation
• Planning & Monitoring Exercise Programs
• Planning & Monitoring Nutrition Programs
• Customer Service
• US Fitness Market Size
• Market Trends
• Online Fitness Market Trends
• Fitjets Market Distribution
• Comparison Table
• Competitive Advantage
• SWOT analysis
• Marketing and Promotion Programs
• Positioning Statement
• Marketing Channels
• Pricing strategy
• Organization chart
• Management Team
• Hiring plan
• Important Assumptions
• Brake-even Analysis
• Profit Yearly
• Gross Margin Yearly
• Projected Cash Flow
• Projected Balance Sheet
• Business Ratios

After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this personal trainer business plan example into your business plan and modify the required information and download your personal trainer business plan pdf or doc file. It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Download a sample personal trainer business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free personal trainer business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your personal trainer business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

Related Posts

Personal Trainer Financial Plan

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Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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10 Powerful Excel Project Management Templates for Tracking Anything

P roject management templates are an essential tool for replicating successful projects. With Microsoft Excel's free templates, you can turn your simple spreadsheets into powerful project management tools.

In this article, you'll find some of the most useful and free Microsoft Excel project management and project tracking templates you'll want to use for your next project.

Microsoft Excel Project Timeline Templates

Let's take a look at the best Microsoft Excel project management templates.

We cover both native and third-party templates here. To find the pre-installed Excel spreadsheet templates, open Excel and search for the respective keyword from the New document screen.

If you're already in Excel, go to File > New to bring up the template search. Check the Managing Microsoft Excel Templates section below for more details.

Excel comes with several timelines and Gantt chart templates provided by Microsoft, but it also integrates templates from Vertex42, one of the most popular third-party resources for spreadsheets.

1. Work Plan Timeline

The Work Plan Timeline template is suitable for a basic project with multiple phases. When you enter your data into the worksheet, the roadmap will update automatically. This template comes pre-installed in Microsoft Excel 2016 and up.

2. Date Tracking Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are a staple in every project manager's toolset. They help you visualize the flow of your tasks and track progress.

With this template, you can create a comprehensive Gantt chart with minimal effort. Just enter each task, complete with a description, who it's assigned to, a percentage to indicate progress, a start date, and allocated days until completion. This template is a Microsoft Excel default.

3. Milestone and Task Project Timeline

If you want to integrate milestones into a basic timeline, this template provided by Vertex42 is ideal. It combines the best elements of a Gantt chart, i.e. the visualization of the task flow, with milestones hovering above the timeline.

Just fill in the respective tables to populate the visual. You can find this template by searching in Excel.

Excel Project Plan Templates

A project plan is a document that may require Excel charts, but is otherwise composed in Microsoft Word. For basic projects, however, you may get away with only a Microsoft Excel document.

4. Simple Gantt Chart

When you search Excel's template repository for project plan templates, you'll mainly find different Gantt chart variations, including this Simple Gantt Chart from Vertex42. What sets it apart from the Gantt chart above is the inclusion of project phases. This template is included in Microsoft Excel.

5. Event Planner Template

A project plan really isn't something you typically put together in Excel. However, if you are planning a small project, like a party, you just need a one-page template that lists the essential tasks and lets you define a schedule and a budget. This template from Office Templates Online is a great start.

Excel Project Tracker Template

A search for a tracker will bring up a wild mix of personal and business-related Excel spreadsheet templates for tracking. However, you can narrow down your search by selecting categories that relate to the project management task you're dealing with.

6. Activity-Based Cost Tracker

This tracking template can help you get an overview of direct, indirect, and general and administrative product costs.

7. Project Tracking Template

This Vertex42 template is essential if you are handling multiple different clients, projects, and/or deliverables. It combines project details, expenses, task statuses, and due dates.

Business Plan Templates

Microsoft Excel 2016 had its own category for business plans. You could search for the keyword business and select the Business Plans category on the right.

In Excel 2019 and onwards, you can perform either query, but the latter misses some templates, while the former might be overwhelming. We recommend looking into the following.

Business Plan Checklist

Creating a business plan can be a complex project in and of itself. This checklist will help you cover all your bases by guiding you through the process using a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis.

Note that you'll find two similar templates in Excel, but they're both identical SWOT analysis checklists, differing only in their formatting.

Startup Expenses

This template is a great starting point for a budding business owner who needs some help with projecting the costs of their endeavor. The template will guide you through the most common assets and services your new business might require.

Once you've filled in all the potential expenses, you'll have a much better idea of how much funding you'll need to raise to get your business up and running. For more business plan templates , take a look at our dedicated article.

Search for Online Templates

Couldn't find the exact project management template you need in Excel? Turn to a third-party online resource for a wide selection of Excel spreadsheet templates. We recommend the following sites.

This website has a few great project management templates for Microsoft Office 2003 and up. The site notes that its templates are mostly related to project scheduling. Anything more complicated might require Microsoft Project or other project management software.

On the page dedicated to project management , you'll find a list of useful material, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Project Budgeting
• Critical Path Method

Each page contains a quick rundown of what the template does, one or more templates, and further tips and tricks for the respective project management tool. It's a great resource for budding project managers.

TidyForm has a respectable selection of Microsoft Excel project management templates. The most popular categories are listed on the homepage. If you can't immediately spot what you need, switch to the Business section or try the search feature.

When you scroll to the bottom of a section, you'll see a list of popular categories and related categories. This can be helpful when trying to find just the right template. We recommend the following pages:

• Project Budget
• Project Proposal
• Work Breakdown Structure

Still looking for the perfect template? You might have to create custom Excel templates to get exactly what you want.

Managing Microsoft Excel Templates

First, let's see what templates you already have installed in Microsoft Excel. For the purpose of this demonstration, we've used Excel 2019, but the procedure is similar in Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 2016.

Default Templates

When you start up Microsoft Excel, the first window you see will contain a search field for online templates. When you're starting from an existing workbook, go to File > New to arrive at the same view.

Microsoft Excel comes with a selection of pre-installed templates. They are listed underneath the search field. You can pin your favorite ones by clicking the respective symbol in the bottom right of the listing.

Search Online for More Project Templates (Excel 2016)

Searching for the type of template you need is the fastest way to locate it. For example, if you search for the term "project," you may also see template categories listed next to the templates that match your search. The category feature no longer appears in Excel 2019.

Narrow Down Your Search (Excel 2016)

A neat feature is that you can narrow down your search by selecting multiple categories. This helps you exclude templates that may match your keyword, but not your desired category. On the downside, you may find that the perfect template is not available in Microsoft Excel.

Preview & Create Your Template

When you click a template, you'll see a preview with a brief description of what the template provides. You can also pin the template from its preview; the symbol sits in the top right.

To download and use a template, click the Create button, which will open a new Microsoft Excel workbook with the template pre-filled.

Template Ready, Set, Go

Now that you have all the project management templates you could ever need, maybe you're interested in additional tools, tips, and tricks. For example, you could build a custom interactive Excel dashboard to manage data within your projects. The possibilities are endless.

More From Forbes

Cash Flow: Essential Tips For Sustaining Your Small Business

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Running a small business is a delicate balancing act, where decisions often straddle the fine line between success and failure. Amid the excitement of delivering quality products, expanding your brand, and pleasing customers, one truth that remains paramount is that cash is queen .

Running out of cash can have devastating consequences for small businesses, often triggering a cascade of challenges that threaten their very survival. Without sufficient cash reserves, a business can quickly become unable to meet payroll, pay suppliers, or cover critical operating expenses, resulting in halted operations and potential layoffs.

The inability to fulfill financial commitments can severely damage relationships with suppliers and clients, leading to strained partnerships and loss of future business opportunities.

Additionally, cash shortages might force business owners to resort to costly high-interest loans or emergency financing, further compounding the financial strain. In the worst cases, a lack of cash can prompt insolvency, pushing businesses into bankruptcy or closure. Therefore, ensuring a steady and reliable cash flow is paramount to safeguarding the stability and longevity of any small business.

Why is Cash So Important?

1. operational stability.

The most fundamental aspect of cash is its ability to keep your business operating smoothly. With sufficient cash flow, you can easily meet payroll, pay for inventory, and handle regular operating expenses without breaking a sweat. Without this liquidity, even a thriving business can quickly fall apart if unable to meet these obligations.

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‘fallout’ dethroned in amazon prime video’s top 10 list by a new offering, tonight s updated northern lights forecast here s where you could see aurora borealis, 2. business agility.

Cash provides the agility to quickly pivot in response to market shifts. Imagine an unexpected opportunity arises: a new technology trend, a profitable partnership, or an underpriced piece of equipment. If you've got sufficient cash reserves , you're positioned to seize these opportunities immediately.

3. Debt and Interest Management

Having strong cash flow helps your business avoid debt traps. Instead of resorting to expensive loans with high-interest rates, which can eat away at profits, you can utilize your cash reserves for growth or to ride out challenging periods.

4. Customer and Supplier Relationships

The importance of cash isn’t just inward-facing. Your business partners, vendors, and suppliers value clients who pay on time. Healthy cash flow ensures your business maintains positive relationships and secures favorable terms. This can even lead to discounts or extended credit, which are advantageous.

Practical Cash Management Tips

• Monitor Cash Flow Regularly : Use financial software or spreadsheets to track cash flow, identifying trends and potential shortfalls before they become significant problems.
• Keep a Cash Reserve : Aim to set aside enough cash to cover three to six months of operating expenses as an emergency fund. This ensures that unforeseen setbacks don’t derail your operations.
• Negotiate Payment Terms : Work with suppliers to secure favorable terms. If possible, negotiate longer payment periods while offering discounts to customers who pay early.
• Avoid Unnecessary Expenses : Differentiate between necessary and nice-to-have expenses. Stay lean in your spending, especially when cash flow is tight.
• Plan for Seasonality : If your business is cyclical, ensure you build up extra cash reserves during peak seasons to carry you through quieter periods.
• Seek Professional Advice : A financial strategist or accountant can help you develop a tailored cash management strategy to keep your business on firm footing.

The bottom line is that no business, small or large, can thrive without careful cash management. It’s not just about having cash in hand today but being prepared for tomorrow. Whether you have a startup or managing a decades-old family business, nurturing a culture of cash flow vigilance ensures stability, growth, and the ability to weather any storm. Remember, in the world of small business, cash is queen. Treat it with the care it deserves.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit . As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and I also guide established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

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• Best for large loan amounts
• Best for good credit
• Best for lower credit scores
• Best for credit card consolidation
• Best for small loan amounts
• Online Loans FAQs
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Best Online Loans of May 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate personal loans to write unbiased product reviews.

An online loan works like this: You apply to borrow a certain amount of money. The lender will show which offers you qualify for based on factors such as your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and ability to repay the loan. The best online personal loans will offer a variety of term lengths and low interest rates.

Some lenders have minimum credit score requirements that might make you ineligible for one of their loans. Others may allow you to get a loan with a poor credit score, but could saddle you with high interest rates as a result. If you're going to borrow money with an online loan, make sure you understand how much it will cost you each month, and that you have a plan to pay it back.

The Best Online Loans: Convenience and Smart Solutions

Advantages of online lending.

Online lenders can stand out from their brick-and-mortar counterparts by providing convenience and competitive rates. The qualification and application process is typically very streamlined, allowing you to apply and get your loan funded entirely online.  Many online lenders also offer very quick turnaround times, with some able to get you your money either the same day or the day after it's approved.

Types of Loans Available Online

In addition to personal loans, many online lenders offer a range of other types of loans. These include student loans , business loans, and auto loans.

You can also find home loans like mortgages and home equity lines of credit online through providers such as Rocket Mortgage and Ally .   

Best Online Personal Loans

If you want to use an online loan provider for a personal loan, here are a few of the best places to start your search.

Best for large loan amounts: LightStream Personal Loan

Best for good credit: sofi personal loan, best for lower credit scores: avant personal loan, best for credit card consolidation: payoff loan™, best for small loan amounts: upstart personal loan, best online personal loan company reviews.

The best online personal loans offer the convenience of signing up from home, plus quick access to funds. We chose the best online loans by looking at lenders' trustworthiness across sites like the Better Business Bureau, and by focusing on the following features: loan term options, loan amounts offered, interest rates, and minimum credit score.

0.50% discount on regular rates with AutoPay

6.99% to 25.49% (with AutoPay discount, rates vary by loan purpose)

$5,000 to $100,000

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Competitive APR
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Approval decisions should come shortly after applying
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Loans can be funded the same day
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Wide range of borrowing amounts and terms
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No fees
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only available to people with good credit
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No pre-approval option

LightStream offers some of the lowest rates on personal loans out there, provided you have a great credit score. The lender also has loans of up to $100,000 and can supply you with funding on the same day you apply and are approved.

• Loan amounts range from $5,000 to $100,000
• Loan term lengths range from 2 to 12 years
• Apply online and you'll receive a response shortly during business hours.
• Receive your funds as soon as the same day
• Loans are made by Truist Bank, member FDIC

LightStream's online loans are best for those with good credit. While you can qualify for a loan with a minimum score of 660, you won't be able to take advantage of LightStream's lower rates without a score of around 800. The lender also has slightly more stringent eligibility requirements than some of our other top picks, including several years of credit history, stable income, and few or no payment delinquencies on your credit report.

If you're looking to borrow a large sum of money, LightStream's maximum loan amount of $100,000 is significantly higher than most of the other lenders on our list. Its minimum APR is one of the lower on our list of top picks, reducing the overall cost of your loan.

LightStream Personal Loan Review

0.25% AutoPay interest rate discount and a 0.25% direct deposit interest rate discount

8.99% - 29.49% fixed (with all discounts)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High maximum loan limit
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Unemployment protection
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No fees required
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High minimum credit score requirement
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High minimum loan amount
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No in-person support

SoFi is a strong personal loan lender for those with high credit scores — you'll get perks like unemployment protection and no fees required. The best personal loan for you depends on your credit score, which will determine what you qualify for and can lower your rate.

• Loan term lengths range from 2 to 7 years
• Usually receive your money in a few business days after your application is approved
• Unemployment protection if you lose your job during your loan repayment, allowing you to apply for a three-month forbearance, up to a total of 12 months
• Loans are made by SoFi Lending Corp.

SoFi has the highest minimum credit score requirement of any lender on our list. You'll need at least a credit score of 680 to get one of its personal loans online. But if you do qualify, you may like the lender's low rates, high range in loan amounts, and unique perks.

Even if your credit history isn't immaculate and you aren't eligible for SoFi's lowest rate, the company's maximum APR is the lowest on our list. SoFi offers a higher maximum online loan amount than most other lenders, allowing you to take out up to $100,000.

Additionally, the company has no origination fees required and has no late payment penalty, lowering the overall cost of your loan. If you lose your job through no fault of your own, SoFi also has an unemployment protection program. If approved for the program, SoFi will put your loans into forbearance, suspending your monthly payments. It's worth noting that interest will continue to accrue on your loan when it is in forbearance. 

SoFi Personal Loan Review

Offers emergency, home improvement, and debt consolidation loans

9.95% to 35.99%

$2,000 to $35,000

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Funds generally deposited by the next business day
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No prepayment penalty
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Multiple types of fees
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High maximum APR
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Low maximum loan limit

Avant Personal Loan is a good personal loan provider, especially if you have a lower credit score and need to receive your loan money quickly. Just be prepared to pay a high APR if you do have a low score.

• Loan amounts range from $2,000 to $35,000
• Loan term lengths range between 2 to 5 years
• Administration fee of up to 4.75%, which will be deducted from your loan proceeds when the loan is funded, and late fee that varies by state
• Loans made by WebBank, member FDIC

Avant is one of the easier lenders to qualify for on our list. Its minimum credit is just a guideline, not a requirement, but most borrowers who get Avant's personal loans online have a credit score between 600 and 700. However, you can likely get a lower rate elsewhere if you have a high credit score. The best 0% APR credit cards  may also offer a lower APR, provided you're eligible. 

If you are looking for a smaller loan, Avant's $2,000 minimum is lower than most comparable lenders. Avant funds online loans quickly — if the company approves your loan by 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, funds are often put into your account by the next business day.

Avant also has excellent customer service hours, with its phone line open at least 13 hours every day of the week. The lender also has a strong mobile app, which is something not all lenders offer. 

Avant Personal Loan Review

The minimum rate for loan amounts above $15,000 is 11.75% APR

11.72% - 17.99% fixed

$5,000 to $40,000

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Competitive interest rates
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No prepayment or late fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Low minimum credit score requirement
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Origination fees
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Slow access to funds
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited loan purpose
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not available in all states

A Happy Money Payoff Loan personal loan is a great option for those with good credit scores who are eligible for the lender's lowest APR. However, borrowers can only use the funds to consolidate credit card debt.

• Loan amounts range from $5,000 to $40,000
• Origination fee anywhere between 0% and 5%
• Won't be able to get a loan from Happy Money if you live in Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, or Nevada
• Can only use for credit card debt consolidation
• Loans made by one of Payoff's lending partners

Happy Money® could be another good option for an online loan if you have a lower credit score, as its minimum requirement of 640 is relatively low. If you have a good credit score, the company also offers one of the lowest APRs of lenders on the list. 

Happy Money's Payoff online loans are specifically designed to help borrowers eliminate high-interest credit card debt. This means you are limited in what you can use your loan for — you should choose a different lender if you aren't aiming to consolidate credit card debt. 

The company doesn't charge any prepayment fees or late fees, but may charge an origination fee between 0% to 5%. Happy Money also has one of the slowest money transfer times of any online loan company, as it takes between two to five business days to have money deposited in your account. 

Happy Money Personal Loan Review

You can prepay your loan at any time with no fee or penalty

6.40% - 35.99% fixed

$1,000 to $50,000 (borrowers in four states are subject to higher minimum loan amounts: Massachusetts: $7,000, Ohio: $6,000, New Mexico: $5,100, Georgia: $3,100)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Small minimum loan amounts
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Quick loan fund disbursement
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only three and five year terms
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Potential for high origination fees

Upstart could be the right lender if you have a strong work and education history, but you have a low credit score or limited credit history. The best personal loan for you depends on your credit score, which will determine what you qualify for and can lower your rate.

• Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $50,000. However, borrowers in four states are subject to higher minimum loan amounts: Massachusetts: $7,000, Ohio: $6,000, New Mexico: $5,100, Georgia: $3,100
• Loan term lengths are either 3 or 5 years
• Can have origination fees up to 8%
• Considers employment and education history when making loan approval decisions
• Loans are made through one of several Upstart-powered bank partners

You may qualify for an online loan more easily with Upstart than with some of the other lenders on our list — the minimum credit requirement for Upstart is 600. As a result, if your credit score is low, you might end up paying a high APR and could potentially get a better deal elsewhere. 

Upstart offers the smallest loan amount of all the lenders on our top picks, so if you just need a little cash to tide you over, this could be the lender for you. Additionally, the company usually funds loans within one business day, which is useful if you need your money fast. 

Upstart Personal Loan Review

Online Personal Loan Lender Trustworthiness

Whether you're interested in taking out a $5,000 loan  or a  $20,000 loan , finding the right lender can help improve your experience and increase the likelihood of success with your online personal loan application. We've only selected providers of online loans with no public controversies in the last three years. We've also compared each institution's Better Business Bureau  score.

The BBB, a non-profit organization focused on consumer protection and trust, measures businesses based on factors like their responsiveness to consumer complaints, truthfulness in advertising, and clarity about business practices. Here is each company's score:

All of our top picks for online loans are rated A or higher by the BBB. Keep in mind that a high BBB score does not guarantee a positive relationship with a lender, and that you should continue to do research and talk to others who have used the company to get the most comprehensive information possible. 

What Makes an Online Loan the 'Best?'

Finding the best fit for an online loan.

To find the best choice for your individual situation, take stock of the factors that are most important to you before you apply for a personal loan online.

Competitive Rates & Fees

Many borrowers prioritize the lowest loan interest rate when choosing a lender. You can find a very wide range of APRs between lenders. Since the interest rate determines how much you'll ultimately repay, it's important to compare online loans offered by a wide range of lenders.

You'll also want to make sure you understand any fees the lenders charge, including application fees, origination fees, and late fees. These can add a significant amount to the total cost of your loan. Many online lenders charge low fees or none at all.

Speed and Convenience

Borrowers may find it faster and easier to take out a loan from an online lender. Many offer a prequalification process, which enables you to get an idea of the interest rate, terms, and other features of a loan you might qualify for without any impact on your credit score. Online lending platforms also frequently have useful loan calculators and other tools you can use to research before you apply for an online loan. The best online personal loan lenders also tend to have very fast funding times, with some able to get the money into your account the same day your application is approved.

Customer Experience

Remember that with an online lender, there's very little human contact during the process. And when you do have questions or need assistance, it often comes from automated chatbots. If you have a lot of questions and prefer the human touch to address concerns about your individual situation, you might be better off applying for a loan in person at a bank or credit union.

Best Online Loans FAQs

Reputable online lenders use the same encryption and security measures as banks. Always verify a lender's reputation and customer reviews.

Yes, the rates offered by online lenders are often better than those you'll find at a bank. Online lenders have lower overhead costs, which can translate to more competitive rates for borrowers.

Some online lenders offer same-day or next-day funding. The speed depends on their processes and your loan type.

You do not need perfect credit to get an online loan. While the best rates go to those with strong credit, many online lenders cater to a wider range of credit profiles.

No, it is not difficult to apply for loans online. Online lenders focus on user-friendly applications. Many offer pre-qualification to check your potential rates with no impacton your credit score.

Why You Should Trust Us: Our Methodology

Personal Finance Insider's mission is to assist smart people in making the best decisions possible with their money. With that in mind, we compared many different online loans, digging into the fine print so you don't have to. We evaluated several factors to determine the best lenders, including:

• Annual percentage rates: The lower the interest rate you have to pay on your online loan, the better. So we focused on lenders who have solid rates for people with fair or better credit histories.  
• Loan term length:  We looked for online loans with a variety of repayment lengths. 
• Loan amount range:  We know some people are looking for a small amount of cash, while others are looking to take out a substantial amount. We found lenders with a variety of minimum and maximum loan amounts to best fit your needs.  
• Minimum credit score: Depending on your credit score , you may be eligible to take out an online loan from some lenders and may not qualify with others. We picked lenders with a range of minimum credit scores so you have options no matter your credit history.
• Trustworthiness:  Borrowing from an honest lender is often a top priority for many people. We made sure each lender had an A or above grade from the Better Business Bureau to provide the most transparent lenders possible.

See our full ratings methodology for online loans and personal loans » 

OneMain Financial Personal Loan disclosure: Not all applicants will be approved. Loan approval and actual loan terms depend on your ability to meet our credit standards (including a responsible credit history, sufficient income after monthly expenses, and availability of collateral) and your state of residence. If approved, not all applicants will qualify for larger loan amounts or most favorable loan terms. Larger loan amounts require a first lien on a motor vehicle no more than ten years old, that meets our value requirements, titled in your name with valid insurance. APRs are generally higher on loans not secured by a vehicle. Highly-qualified applicants may be offered higher loan amounts and/or lower APRs than those shown above. OneMain charges origination fees where allowed by law. Depending on the state where you open your loan, the origination fee may be either a flat amount or a percentage of your loan amount. Flat fee amounts vary by state, ranging from $25 to $500. Percentage-based fees vary by state ranging from 1% to 10% of your loan amount subject to certain state limits on the fee amount. Visit  omf.com/loanfees  for more information. Loan proceeds cannot be used for postsecondary educational expenses as defined by the CFPB's Regulation Z such as college, university or vocational expense; for any business or commercial purpose; to purchase cryptocurrency assets, securities, derivatives or other speculative investments; or for gambling or illegal purposes. Borrowers in these states are subject to these minimum loan sizes: Alabama: $2,100. California: $3,000. Georgia: $3,100. North Dakota: $2,000. Ohio: $2,000. Virginia: $2,600. Borrowers in these states are subject to these maximum loan sizes: North Carolina: $9,000 for unsecured loans to all customers, $9,000 for secured loans to present customers. Maine: $7,000. Mississippi: $15,000. West Virginia: $14,000. Loans to purchase a motor vehicle or powersports equipment from select Maine, Mississippi, and North Carolina dealerships are not subject to these maximum loan sizes. Example Loan: A $6,000 loan with a 24.99% APR that is repayable in 60 monthly installments would have monthly payments of $176.07. Time to Fund Loans: Funding within one hour after closing through SpeedFunds must be disbursed to a bank-issued debit card. Disbursement by check or ACH may take up to 1-2 business days after loan closing.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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