government business plan template

Business Plan Template for Government Officials

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Government officials play a crucial role in shaping the future of our communities. To ensure their initiatives are successful, they need a solid business plan that outlines objectives, strategies, and action plans. That's where ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Government Officials comes in!

With this template, government officials can:

• Clearly define their goals and objectives for public programs and initiatives
• Develop comprehensive strategies to achieve those goals, taking into account available resources and budget constraints
• Create actionable plans with defined timelines and responsibilities

Whether it's promoting economic development, improving public services, or addressing social issues, ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Government Officials provides a structured framework to drive results and make a positive impact. Get started today and lead your community towards a brighter future!

Business Plan Template for Government Officials Benefits

Crafting a comprehensive business plan using ClickUp's template can provide numerous benefits for government officials:

• Streamlined communication and alignment of goals among government departments and agencies
• Clear identification of key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and measure success
• Enhanced transparency and accountability in the implementation of government programs and initiatives
• Facilitation of strategic decision-making based on data-driven insights and analysis
• Improved resource allocation and budget management for optimal utilization
• Empowerment of government officials to effectively communicate their vision and objectives to stakeholders
• Promotion of economic development and public welfare through effective planning and execution.

Main Elements of Government Officials Business Plan Template

To help government officials streamline their business planning process, ClickUp offers a comprehensive Business Plan Template designed specifically for government officials.

Key elements of ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Government Officials include:

• Custom Statuses: Keep track of the progress of each section of your business plan with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section to add relevant information and track the approval status of different sections of your business plan.
• Custom Views: Access different views such as Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide to gain a comprehensive understanding of your business plan, track its progress, and effectively communicate it to stakeholders.
• Collaboration Tools: Collaborate with your team and stakeholders using features like comments, mentions, task assignments, and real-time editing to ensure everyone is on the same page and contribute to the success of your business plan.
• Integrations: Seamlessly integrate with other tools and platforms used by government officials, such as Google Docs, Microsoft Office, and more, to enhance productivity and streamline your workflow.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Government Officials, you can effectively plan, execute, and track your government initiatives, driving economic growth and public welfare.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Government Officials

Writing a business plan can be overwhelming, especially for government officials. However, using the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, you can simplify the process by following these four steps:

1. Define your objectives and mission

Start by clearly defining the objectives and mission of your government office. What are you trying to achieve? What services or initiatives do you want to prioritize? By setting clear goals, you can create a roadmap for success.

Use the Goals feature in ClickUp to outline your objectives and track your progress.

2. Analyze the market and competition

Next, conduct a thorough analysis of the market and identify your competition. Understand the needs of your constituents and identify any gaps or opportunities that your office can address. This will help you position your office effectively and differentiate yourself from others.

Utilize the Table view in ClickUp to organize and analyze market research data, including competitor analysis and market trends.

3. Develop your strategies and action plans

Based on your objectives and market analysis, develop strategies and action plans to achieve your goals. Outline specific initiatives, programs, or policies that your government office will implement. Break down these plans into actionable steps and assign responsibilities to team members.

Create tasks and subtasks in ClickUp to outline your strategies and action plans, assign them to team members, and set due dates to ensure timely execution.

4. Monitor progress and make adjustments

Once your business plan is in motion, it's crucial to monitor progress regularly. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and measure the success of your initiatives. If necessary, make adjustments to your strategies or action plans to ensure that you stay on track and continue to meet your goals.

Utilize the Dashboards feature in ClickUp to create visual representations of your KPIs and monitor the progress of your government office in real-time.

By following these steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, government officials can develop a comprehensive and effective business plan that sets them up for success in serving their constituents.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Government Officials

Government officials can use the Business Plan Template for Government Officials in ClickUp to streamline their planning and implementation processes for government programs and initiatives.

To get started, 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 create a comprehensive business plan:

• Use the Topics View to organize your business plan by different topics or sections
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each task and ensure that everything is on track
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of the project timeline and help you manage deadlines effectively
• The Business Plan View provides a holistic overview of your entire plan, allowing you to see how different sections are interconnected
• The Getting Started Guide View will help you outline the initial steps and key considerations for implementing your plan

Customize your business plan template by adding the following custom fields:

• Reference: Use this field to link relevant documents, reports, or external resources to each task
• Approved: Indicate whether each task has been approved or not, ensuring accountability and transparency
• Section: Categorize each task into different sections or areas of focus, making it easier to navigate and prioritize tasks

Organize tasks into four different statuses: Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, To Do, to track the progress and status of each task accurately.

Update statuses as you progress through tasks to keep stakeholders informed of progress.

Monitor and analyze tasks to ensure maximum productivity and successful implementation of government programs and initiatives.

• Business Plan Template for Metalworkers
• Business Plan Template for Casino Employees
• Business Plan Template for Pharmacists
• Business Plan Template for Finance Teams
• Business Plan Template for Quantity Surveyor

Template details

Free forever with 100mb storage.

Free training & 24-hours support

Serious about security & privacy

Highest levels of uptime the last 12 months

• Product Roadmap
• Affiliate & Referrals
• On-Demand Demo
• Integrations
• Consultants
• Gantt Chart
• Native Time Tracking
• Automations
• Kanban Board
• vs Airtable
• vs Basecamp
• vs MS Project
• vs Smartsheet
• Software Team Hub
• PM Software Guide

• Executive Mosaic
• Executive Biz
• Executive Gov
• Submit your news
• Tuesday, May 14, 2024

How To Start A Government Contracting Business In 2022

• July 1, 2022

The entire commercial business industry was dealt with difficult cards for the past few years—from the COVID-19 shutdowns to the global supply chain disruptions. Countless small businesses closed their shutters for good, negatively impacting several industries. However, the government contracting industry stood its ground .

The stability in the face of uncertainty and the opportunity to earn lucrative profits are just some of the reasons why starting a government contracting business benefits you.

Table of Contents

What should your prepare to become a government contractor?

Evaluate whether government contracting aligns with your business goals.

The federal contracting industry is not an overnight miracle. Given how complicated this industry is, it requires patience, dedication, and strategy to make your business thrive in this industry.

Entering the federal contracting field unprepared will cost you. So before you decide to take the risk, make sure that this endeavor will be beneficial to your business’s overall growth. Study the pros and cons of government contracting, then measure it against your company’s goals. Once you have done that, see if this business opportunity plays to your strengths.

Seek government assistance for small businesses

The government contracting field is dominated by established government contracting firms. This may create an uneven playing field for small businesses, which is why government assistance programs, loans, and grants are available for qualified businesses.

The Small Business Administration ( SBA ), the official federal agency that promotes and protects small businesses, administers a number of contracting assistance programs, such as these:

8(a) Business Development Program

This program helps small businesses gear up to win local, state, and federal government contracts. Under the 8(a) program, small businesses can compete for set-aside contracts and participate in SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program.

Participating small businesses will also receive one-on-one training with Business Opportunity Specialists and procurement and compliance experts. They can help budding government contractors assess their business readiness in competing for federal contracts.

Women-Owned Small Business Program

Women still face discrimination in various industries. So to ensure female business leaders will have equal access to contracting opportunities, this program gives them the opportunity for more contracting opportunities through set-asides .

Additionally, certified women-owned small businesses and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses are given preferential consideration for open and full competition government contracts.

HUBZone Program

If your business is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone ( HUBZone ) and at least 35% of your employees reside in a HUBZone, you can apply for this federal assistance program. Small businesses under this program can compete for set-asides .

Veteran Assistance Programs

Retired veterans, particularly the service-disabled veterans who own small businesses, can apply for various assistance programs to kickstart their careers. Like other federal programs, veteran-owned small businesses are eligible to compete for exclusive government contracts for small businesses or set-asides .

Study your federal contracting market

Most businesses who enter the government contracting field want to earn ludicrous profits. But, the government contracting industry is a massive field, and shooting blindly will get you nowhere. If you want to make it big, you have to make a game plan—market research.

With that in mind, you must set your target federal agencies as early as possible. And once you have nailed down your prospective government agencies, you should dive deeper: study their demands and spending trends—and above all, get to know who you’ll be competing with.

For starters, you can get an overview of the government contracting field by checking previously awarded contracts at SAM.gov and viewing competitor profiles at Dynamic Small Business Search ( DSBS ). You can also use the forecast tool for contracting opportunities by the General Services Administration (GSA).

Get familiar with FAR

The Federal Acquisition Regulation ( FAR ) is the playbook of every government contractor and contracting officer in the industry. FAR illustrates the rules and regulations governing the government’s acquisition of goods and services using public funds.

Understanding the intricate government contracting processes requires time, dedication, and effort. You can also consult a legal representative or federal contracting assistance centers to help you understand it better.

Study the government regulations on businesses

To qualify as a government contractor, your business must be compliant with federal, state, and local business regulations. There are around 90,000 business laws and regulations in effect right now. But you can learn the major business regulations that you should pay closer attention to.

Additionally, there are contracting assistance centers that can connect you with compliance experts. They will help you understand the legal implications of failing to follow the regulations and assess your business’s regulatory compliance.

What are the requirements to start a government contracting business?

Acquire the necessary business permits and licenses

As previously stated, the government is very particular about the companies it does business with. In addition to being a regulation-compliant business, it must possess the necessary licenses to prove its capabilities in performing the required services.

Register at SAM

SAM , or System for Award Management, is a one-stop platform for federal agencies and government contractors. On this website, government agencies can publish open contracts for bidding, and federal contractors can take a shot at bidding for the said contracts.

However, only SAM-registered entities can qualify for government contracts. You can view the complete list of requirements needed to register at SAM, but in general, here are the primary documents you have to prepare before your registration:

Unique Entity ID (UEI)

The federal government has finally moved away from requiring its contractors to request their DUNS Numbers. To streamline this process, government contractors can get their UEI at SAM.gov . Here is the guide on how you can request your UEI.

North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS Code)

NAICS Codes are a special set of codes representing your company’s industry. This code is used by contracting officers to identify the nature of your business and see if you fit the contract.

You can get your NAICS Codes by visiting this self-service website . Select which among the codes best describes your business. If your business belongs to two or more categories, you can select more than one NAICS Code.

Core Business Information

The Core Business Information refers to your business details, such as your business structure, physical and mailing address, organization start date, and more .

Financial Information

The government will ask for your financial information to know your preferred payment method. Additionally, the government will also use this to set up your Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

CAGE / NCAGE Code

The CAGE and NCAGE codes are identifiers assigned by the government, particularly by defense agencies. CAGE Codes are assigned to U.S. entities, while NCAGE Codes are awarded to businesses outside the U.S. and its territories.

The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code is automatically assigned to a U.S. entity after registering at SAM.gov . Meanwhile, non-U.S. entities should request their NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code before registering at SAM.gov .

Keep tabs on federal contracting opportunities

Once you have successfully registered your business at SAM.gov , you should now learn how to scout for contract opportunities. Fortunately, you don’t have to search high and low to explore the latest contract opportunities—you can do it at SAM.gov !

Back then, the federal government used the Federal Business Opportunities Website (FedBizOpps) to publish contract opportunities. But the government has integrated the functionalities of this website into the SAM.gov website for a more streamlined experience.

Explore subcontracting

The road to becoming a federal contractor can be challenging, especially for a green small business owner. But, businesses can try their hand first in subcontracting for prime contractors.

Subcontractors do not work directly with government agencies. Instead, they lend their specialized expertise to prime contractors to fulfill one area of a federal contract. The requirements to become a subcontractor are less demanding than a prime contractor , making contracting more accessible to small businesses.

Get your business known

Building a solid reputation and portfolio is crucial in this line of work. However, getting your business known by your target government agencies can be pretty daunting, especially if you don’t know where to begin. But we got your back!

Attend Networking Events

Being in the same room with other federal contracting giants can be overwhelming. But if you look at it from another angle, you will realize that you are surrounded by opportunities.

Networking , when done right, can give you access to a myriad of opportunities that grow your business and expand your vision as a leader. Contrary to popular belief, networking is not merely “politicking.” It means fostering meaningful relationships with your peers.

Build Social Media Presence

On top of attending networking events, you should not forget the power of the internet. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are excellent places to build your online presence and network with other contracting professionals.

Learn how to write bids for government contracts

Once you have laid out your foundations, the next thing you need to do is learn how to write bids for federal contracts. Winning a contract bid is your ticket to becoming a full-fledged federal government contractor. So, here are some bid writing tips that can help you finally board the plane of government contracting:

Choose federal contracts that align with your business’s strengths and goals

Sending out contract bids en masse in hopes of landing a single win is a wasteful endeavor.

Writing a contract bid proposal will consume time, money, and effort. Therefore, to write a winning contract bid, you must select which federal opportunities are most suited for your businesses.

Analyze the RFP document

The Request for Proposal (RFP) is among the ways the federal government solicits contract proposals.

The RFP document is usually a hundred-page document that states everything you need to know about a contract opportunity—timeframe, task, budget, and other related details. At a glance, reading through a hundred-page material might be too cumbersome. But, this will ultimately help you craft your proposal.

There are several factors to consider when reviewing this document, but you must pay closer attention to sections B, C, L, and M.

Strictly adhere to the instructions stated in the RFP

It pays to be detail-oriented in this phase of writing. In Section L of the RFP document, the requesting federal agency will lay out its detailed requirements for the proposal—from the document’s font style and size to the proper email address to which the proposal should be submitted.

Neglecting to follow their instructions can eliminate your contract proposal from the pool.

Create a bid outline

The next step of the writing process is to draft an outline. This will prevent your proposal from being derailed and, ultimately, speed up your writing.

When creating an outline for your proposal, consider several factors that the federal agency will look for, such as your business identity, capability statement, portfolio, and plan on how you will execute the contract.

Price your contract competitively

When pricing your goods and services, you should be in the know of its market prices. You can neither price it too low nor too high.

Price it cheap and you may endanger the financial stability of your company, and even cast doubt on your ability to deliver quality products and services. On the other hand, if you price it ludicrously, the federal government will simply look for other cost-efficient government contractors.

Going to the extreme ends of the spectrum will not do you any good. Keep in mind that the federal government is looking for contractors who can deliver quality work that falls within justifiable costs.

Review your proposal before submitting

The last thing you want is your contract bid to be discarded due to technicalities. To avoid this from happening, bring in a trusted set of eyes to review your federal contract bid to catch any errors and point out questionable details that you have missed out on before.

Learn the terms, the contract bid writing process, and how contracting officers will evaluate your proposal in this contract bid writing guide .

The federal government offers some of the best opportunities, especially for small companies. But to become eligible for these contract opportunities, you must first make the necessary preparations to become a government contractor. Once you have laid out your foundations, you should sharpen your writing skills to win a contract bid.

Video of the Day

Go to homepage business.govt.nz business.govt.nz

Business.govt.nz, in association with, how to write a business plan.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula to write a business plan. But there are some key things to consider. Check out our free templates — one for start-ups and a quick-focus template for growing businesses.

Tips for preparing a business plan

• Be clear and focused about what you want to achieve – this will help align your team so you’re all working toward the same thing.
• Choose the type of business plan that works for you – you may like to have a document, or a business canvas might work better.
• Keep it short, simple and easy to understand.
• Keep your goals realistic and relevant to what is going on in the economy and in your industry.
• Use Stats NZ’s Data for Business website to find useful business tools and statistics.
• Contact Stats NZ to get useful business data.
• Get out and speak with your customers to gain understanding of how your product works for them and whether it’s something they would pay for.
• Do a SWOT analysis to determine your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Ask your advisor or mentor to review your plan and give you feedback and suggested improvements.

Data for Business (external link) — Stats NZ

Call Stats NZ toll-free on 0508 525 525

Use this free template to help you write a great plan for launching your new business.

A business plan helps you set goals for your business, and plan how you’re going to reach them. When you’re starting out it’s a good idea to do a full and thorough business plan.

Quick-focus business plan

Quick-focus planning to make sure you work on the right things for your growing business - every day.

It’s important to take time to reflect on your business strategies and plan. It doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming task.

Implementing your business plan

• Keep your business plan as a living document – don’t leave it to gather dust on a shelf.
• Make sure it’s easily accessible and top-of-mind for you and your team.
• Reflect your goals in the day-to-day operations of your business.
• Outline the most practical and cost-effective way to achieve each goal – make a note of any extra resources you’ll need.
• Make it clear these goals are the top priority for the business.

SWOT your business, and your competition

A SWOT analysis is a great way to assess what your business does well, and where you’ll need to improve. It can also help you identify ways you can exploit opportunities, and to identify and prepare for potential threats to your business success.

Strengths and weaknesses are typically inside your business — what are you good at, what are you not so good at — while opportunities and threats are external factors.

It can be as simple as drawing a large square, and dividing it into four quadrants – one for each element of the SWOT analysis.

Think about what you, your team, and your business are good at – all the attributes that will help you achieve your goals, for example, what you (and your team) do well, any unique skills or expert knowledge, what you/your business do better than your competitors, good processes and systems, and where your business is most profitable.

Think about the things that could stop you from achieving your objectives. This might include what costs you time and/or money, the areas you or your company need to improve in, what resources you lack, which parts of the business aren’t profitable, poor brand awareness, disorganised processes, or a poor online presence. Think about what you can do to minimise your weaknesses.

Opportunities

Think about the external conditions that will help you achieve your goals. How can you do more for your existing customers, or reach new markets? Are there related products and services that could provide opportunities for your business, and how could you use technology to enhance your business?

Consider the external conditions that could damage your business's performance – things like what’s going on in your industry, and in the economy, the obstacles you face, the strengths of your biggest competitors, and things your competitors are doing that you're not. Think about how you could try to minimise or manage the threats.

Repeat the exercise for your competition too – it’ll help you identify areas where you can beat them, to fine-tune your niche market, and make sure you’re prepared to address the challenge they pose.

Refine and review

Craig Jackson has dabbled in business planning before. But when he set up his ice pop business Dr Feelgood, he decided to work with a mentor.

“She was instrumental to pushing us to a very healthy product. Our first business plan was 47 pages long. It came down to four pages, which distilled down what we were doing and how we look at it,” says Jackson.

“It’s really important to ask ‘do people want your product’ and then ‘are there enough of them to buy it’? Our market validation was me going around gas stations, cafes, dairies and looking in freezers and talking to freezer managers and talking to our friends.”

Jackson regularly reviews progress against his business plan. “We’ve hit all our targets, but have learnt a lot in the first six months of operating. Places I thought we’d really sell, we don’t, and places I thought we’d never go is where we’re going.”

Review your business plan

• Check how you’re tracking to reach key milestones in your business plan every month, and celebrate when these have been reached.
• Stay on top of industry trends and stay connected with your customers – this will help you keep ahead of any changes needed in your business.
• Update your business plan with any changes affecting your business or industry.

Tips on when business planning is right for your business

Tips on types of advice you’ll need

Common mistakes

Not being able to clearly articulate your business and the value it offers to customers.

Making assumptions about your customers rather than speaking with them.

Not reviewing and monitoring your business plan.

Setting unrealistic or uninformed targets.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the business.govt.nz monthly newsletter for news, advice and information from across government to save your business time and money.

You must enable JavaScript to submit this form

How helpful was this information?

"Rate this" is required

Related content

Research your market.

Knowing about your market and rivals is crucial, whether you’re starting, growing or well established.

Test if you’re ready to grow

Are you and your business ripe to expand? Take our self-assessment test and find out.

News for business

Get updates for small businesses from across government about new services, law changes and more.

Guide to starting a business

Business planning advice.

Whether you’re growing fast or new to business, expert advice can kick-start your planning.

At the end of your visit today, would you complete a short survey to help improve our services?

Thanks! When you're ready, just click "Start survey".

It looks like you’re about to finish your visit. Are you ready to start the short survey now?

Writing a business plan

A business plan documents your objectives and the strategies and structures you have in place for achieving them.

Your business plan should explain how you will manage all the important aspects of your business, from products and services to operational plans and finances.

Video: Writing a business plan

Watch our video on why you should write a business plan for your new or current business.

Topics include:

• why it's important to create and review a business plan
• the information to include in your business plan
• using a business plan to achieve your business goals
• downloading and completing our business plan template.

Use a business plan to:

• help you start a new business
• help you improve the performance of an existing business
• attract funding for an investment
• communicate business progress to stakeholders
• communicate business goals and objectives to internal staff members
• attract potential buyers for the business.

A business plan is a 'living' document, so it should evolve and change—think of it as an operating guide for your business throughout the start-up, operations and succession phases.

Download and write a full business plan

Download our free full business plan template and use the guidelines below to write a plan for your business.

There are also other templates available that may better meet your needs—visit business.gov.au .

You should customise your chosen template to suit your business and industry.

We explain below how you can start with a 1-page business plan to ease you into the process of completing the full business plan.

Business plan elements

The elements of your business plan will vary depending on:

• what phase your business is in (starting, running, selling)
• the industry your business is in
• how you choose to use the plan (e.g. for internal development purposes).

Every business plan will be different, but they will generally include similar elements. The sections of our business plan template are listed below—use these as a guide when completing it or as a reference when creating your own.

At the start of your business plan, include the following business details:

• business name
• date registered
• Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Australian Company Number (ACN) – if applicable
• tax file number (TFN)
• business address
• contact details
• website details
• social media details.

Read about choosing a business structure and getting the right licences and registrations .

This section provides an overview of the business concept. It should be attention-grabbing and succinct—the content will be covered in more detail in future sections.

While this is the first section of the plan, it can often help to write it last after the other sections have been finalised.

This helps to ensure that the executive summary covers all the key information within the plan.

It should define:

• what your business vision is
• what your legal structure is
• what products and services you offer
• who your customers are
• what sets you apart from your competitors
• how you will create a market for your products and services
• how you will operate
• what your financial projections are
• how your business or industry will evolve
• who owns or manages your business
• what your short-term and long-term goals are.

Refer to the corresponding sections in our free business plan template:

• 2.1 Products and services
• 2.2 Market analysis
• 2.3 Industry description and outlook
• 2.4 SWOT analysis

In this section, you should highlight your business products and services and describe what makes them unique, such as their:

• limitations
• cost and sale price.

You can also include details of any plans your business has to introduce new products and services.

Your market analysis should describe your target market (e.g. local, international) and target customers.

Add in the research you have done about your industry and the market trends.

In this section, you will also complete a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

Find out more about researching your market:

• planning and conducting market and customer research
• market research kit .
• 3.1 Current situation
• 3.2 Marketing objectives
• 3.3 Target segments
• 3.4 Competitor analysis
• 3.5 Brand positioning
• 3.6 Marketing programs
• 3.7 Marketing tactics
• 3.8 Key actions
• 3.9 Business controls

A business plan should include a high-level summary of your market research and analysis.

Starting with your current situation, complete your marketing objectives and analysis around your target market and your competitiveness.

Complete your customer and competitor profiles and develop a 1-page brand strategy .

These will help you prepare your marketing plan in section 3 of the template.

Your plan will include marketing tactics and an action plan. You will identify how you will set KPIs and report on your marketing effectiveness.

Learn about:

• branding your business
• writing a marketing strategy and plan .
• 4.1 Sales strategies
• 4.2 Sales analysis and forecast
• 4.3 Customer management

Explain your sales forecasts and targets in this section, and how you will manage customer records and payments. You should understand what sales strategies will work for you and the best channels to market your products or services .

You will also need to know what your current sales, volume and market share are and what you expect them to be for the next 2 years.

Learn about cash flow, invoices and payments and how to collect and store customer information for help with managing customers.

Regardless of your business or industry, you will need to prepare for operating some of your business online.

Note your digital and customer and data-protection strategies in your business plan. You could also include:

• the digital tools and resources that will be used in your business
• the people responsible for overseeing the digital strategy within the business
• details of any security considerations.

Complete a digital health check and learn how to create a digital strategy for your business .

• 6.1 Business structure
• 6.2 Contracts, licences and agreements
• 6.3 Intellectual property
• 6.4 Insurance
• 6.6 Employees
• 6.7 Financial
• 6.8 Legal and ethical trading
• 6.9 Risk management
• 6.10 Business continuity

In this section, record the legal and risk management considerations for your business.

Describe your business structure and the contracts you have now or could have in the future.

If you have a lease or are considering leasing premises, add the terms and conditions of the lease and any actions you need to take to your plan.

To complete the other legal section, learn about:

• legal requirements for businesses
• selecting the right business location
• business insurance
• intellectual property: the basics
• legal and ethical selling
• your responsibilities as an employer .

Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) if you need information about licences that relate to your business.

To identify the risks to your business, your business plan should also:

• outline and demonstrate that you have considered the risks to your business (a business risk analysis) and the possible consequences
• summarise the plans you have in place for overcoming these risks.

A risk matrix tool or risk management plan can be developed to help you analyse your business risks—read more about identifying and managing business risk .

You will also need to consider business continuity planning to prepare for unexpected situations.

• 7.1 Location
• 7.2 Production
• 7.3 Current performance
• 7.4 Plant and equipment
• 7.6 List of major suppliers
• 7.7 Stock and inventory

This section will cover all you know about how you do things in your business—for example, your standard operating procedures and how to ensure the quality of your products and services.

To better understand your business operations, read about:

• business processes, procedures and standards
• choosing the right business location
• stock control: the basics .
• 8.1 Management and key personnel
• 8.3 Training
• 8.4 Recruitment
• 8.5 Succession planning

This section helps you note your current workforce structure and plan for the workforce you will have in the future as you grow, and for potentially passing the business to a successor.

Your business plan will detail your business's organisational structure (proposed or actual)—this is often shown as a diagram representing the business hierarchy, different roles within the business and how they relate to one another.

You should also consider succession planning, even if you haven't thought about how you would sell or pass on the business.

• workforce planning for small business
• training and developing staff
• passing a business to a successor .
• 9.1 Start-up costs
• 9.2 Profit and loss forecast
• 9.3 Cash flow forecast
• 9.4 Balance sheet
• 9.5 Financial ratios

Your business plan should include your business finance details—there is a separate business finance template you can also complete.

Summarise your key financial details, including:

• costs for establishing or operating the business
• sales needed to break even
• projected cash flow
• funding arrangements
• payment plans.

You can assess the financial performance of your business using financial ratios .

• 10.1 Review and update business goals
• 10.2 Make a schedule to review your actions

The final section of the business plan should include a set of actions to take before you review your business plan next, and check your progress. This should be over a 6–12 month period, based on the business goals outlined in your plan.

Set a regular review date for the actions and the business plan. Assess which actions have been completed, which remain outstanding and which require updating to help your business plan remain relevant.

Read about skills for running a business to consider ways to improve your time management and leadership.

Optional business plan elements

While not essential, the following can supplement your business plan.

Business vision statement and business values

A comprehensive business vision statement defines what your business does and why it is important.

This could be added in more detail in your business plan and referred to in your executive summary. Find out how to create a business vision .

Business values are the principles, beliefs, and standards of behaviour that guide your business. Including this in your plan will better reflect your goals for the business.

Customer journey strategy

This section could include details of your business's key customer service strategies.

Consider mapping out the intended customer journey—the intended path customers will follow when interacting with your business.

Start with a short business plan

A 1-page business plan can be a good place to start your business planning.

It can cover only high-level information about your business value proposition (i.e. why a customer would want to buy your products and services) and business model.

A one-page plan can include details about:

• your business vision and values
• projected income and expenses
• identified business risks
• the customer segments you intend to target
• the value proposition of your business
• channels that could be used to reach your target customers (e.g. direct or online marketing)
• your customer service plan
• how you will receive payment for products and services
• the activities needed to achieve your outcomes
• the resources you will need
• details of any partners you will use to provide goods and services
• the cost structure for your products and services (based on all items as listed in the plan).

You can search online for tools that can help you create this plan—for example, a value proposition canvas or business model canvas .

Once you are satisfied with this short business plan, you can use it as the basis for your full business plan.

Communicating your business plan

Communicating your business plan to your staff and stakeholders is essential for implementing it and achieving your business goals, even when starting out with a small team.

Some practical tips for communicating the plan include:

• being mindful of your audience—different communication styles will suit different audiences (e.g. you may be able to communicate more informally with your staff than with your stakeholders, board members or investors)
• choosing an appropriate format, time and place—you could hold a staff meeting, schedule a business plan review session and invite all staff and stakeholders to attend, or create an online presentation
• using clear, concise and simple language
• making time to get feedback from your staff and stakeholders.

Read about skills for running a business for tips on developing your communication skills.

Learn about managing people through change .

Review and update your business plan

You will need to regularly review your business plan to ensure that it is relevant, achievable and up to date with any changes in your business.

Consider reviewing your business plan:

• at regular intervals (e.g. quarterly or annually)
• after a business SWOT analysis has been completed
• when raising capital (e.g. approaching the bank for a loan or pitching to an investor)
• before implementing growth strategies or new products
• when new staff members are added to the team
• when implementing a new organisational structure
• before changes in the industry or to legislation
• when preparing to sell the business .

To help you review your own plan, ask yourself the following questions:

• What will the review schedule be?
• Is the plan up to date?
• Have the business goals changed?
• Is the plan still matched to the business goals?
• Are market trends changing?
• Have there been major political, environmental, social or technological changes that affect your business?
• Have there been significant changes in your finances or need for capital?
• Is the plan still 'fit for purpose'?

Business planning resources and tools

The following planning resources and tools below can help you compile and update your business plan to ensure your business is on track to meet its goals.

• Small business planning webinar recording
• Writing a marketing strategy and plan
• Identifying and managing business risk
• Business processes, procedures and standards
• Plan your business finances
• Market and customer research
• Choosing and working with business advisers
• Networking in business
• Ask a mentor – business planning

Learn more about business planning with free, online courses .

Resources for finding licences, permits and codes of conduct

Use the Business Launchpad to discover all your licensing needs, compiled in your own customised guide.

You can also search for licences, permits and codes of practice using the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS).

Learn about codes of conduct and codes of practices from:

• the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• WorkCover Queensland .
• Last reviewed: 8 Dec 2022
• Last updated: 1 Jun 2023

Benefits of a business plan

Your business plan outlines:

• your vision for the business
• the actions that will help you achieve it

When you are starting out, your business plan can help you to secure financing and investment. But your business plan does more than tell others what your plans are. A good business plan can help you test the feasibility of your new business idea, set operational and financial objectives, and make sure your business is manageable and effective.

You will need to revisit your business plan regularly as your business evolves and the business environment changes. These changes could include increased competition, advances in technology or the expectations of your customers.

What to include in your business plan

A clearly written business plan should include:

• the vision and direction of your business – where are you now and where do you want to be?
• a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis – a good business plan won't only identify ways to make your business idea work, it can also help you identify reasons why your idea might not work so you can address them before you invest time and money
• a force field analysis – for each issue identified in your SWOT analysis, identify the positives and negatives of each issue and the actions you will take to address the issue

Write your business plan

Whether your business is just starting out, you're looking to sustain or you're looking to grow, our guide to writing a business plan can help you clarify your goals, figure out your barriers and come up with a plan of action.

Video: How to write a business plan in 8 steps

View transcript.

Whether you're planning to start a business or have been running it for years, business planning is the key to your success. A business plan helps you get finance, gives you control and direction and helps you set priorities.

Step 1: Define your vision

When you start a business, you have a clear goal to achieve this vision. After some time, the clarity of your vision may become blurry. Writing down your vision will help you define it for your staff to identify with your mission. Where are you now? Where do you want your business to be in the future?

Step 2: Set your goals

Make your goals and objectives realistic. Plan your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals, including choosing your location; the number of customers you plan to reach and your customer demographics; your sales targets - revenue and profit margins; what you will outsource; your required staff numbers; and your growth strategy. Planning this strategy will help realise your dream and make your business thrive.

Step 3: Define your unique selling proposition

What makes you different from your competitors? Highlight the characteristics that make your business stand out from your competitors. Is there demand for your range of products or services? What can your business offer to increase demand?

Step 4: Research your market

Who are your competitors? What product range or services do they offer? Where are the gaps? Where is demand greater than supply and for which products or services? What are the current and future industry trends? How do you leverage these opportunities?

Conduct a SWOT analysis to explore the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats faced by your business; Think of all possible scenarios. List the issues and conduct a Force Field Analysis for each. This will help you determine clear actions to implement in order to address them.

Step 5: Know your customer

Do your research and define your target audience. Customers are spoilt by choice, so find out their buying habits. What does your ideal customer want? Get their feedback. Who are you targeting by age, gender, behavioural patterns or location? Find your niche.

Step 6: Set your marketing goals

Consider the product range and stock quantities to output or warehouse. Create a product development strategy. What is the price you should set to achieve your desired revenue? How will you handle distribution and delivery? What tools will you use for promotion?

Step 7: Define your marketing strategy

Include your chosen social media channels and engagement. How and where will you advertise - search engine marketing, print, radio or other media? Will you attend industry, trade or networking events?

Step 8: Talk to your accountant

Do your sums - are your financial goals and propositions realistic? How can you improve cash flow? How can you achieve your goals? Good business planning is a three-stage process:

• You PLAN for the future.
• You TRACK your progress.
• And you LEARN from your experience.

One of the most important things to remember is that a business plan is a living document. Just as your business evolves over time, so too should your plans. Set reminders in your calendar to revisit your plan every 3, 6 or 12 months. It's important to revise your goals according to your current status as changes occur over time. Make planning part of your business. It doesn't have to be onerous and it doesn't have to be done in solitude. Make it fun, get creative, and include others in your process.

For more information on business planning, visit business.vic.gov.au where you can access tools, workshops and resources to help you plan for your success.

Create your one-page action plan

A one-page action plan is an overview of the current situation, where you want to be and what you need to do to get there. It's also a practical way to record the outcomes of the planning process.

A one-page action plan has the following elements:

• 'Now' analysis – Summarise your current situation and issues in 4 or 5 points.
• 'Where' analysis – What is your vision? What is your competitive advantage? What are your key objectives?
• Strategies – What are the 3 or 4 key strategies you need to work on over the next 12 months? You can draw these from the SWOT analysis in your business plan.
• Action plans – List about 3 or 4 of the most important actions to complete to help achieve your strategies. You can draw these from the analysis of your key issues and strategies in your business plan.
• Timing – State when you aim to achieve the result and who is responsible for each task. These should be in priority order and are critical for accountability.

Get help in person

If you’re a first time business owner then you might need help working out how to action some of the steps you want to take. This might mean talking to an accountant, other business owners, a mentor, business coach or joining an industry group or your local chamber of commerce.

There's plenty of support available in Victoria to help you upskill and put you on the right track:

• Try one of our mentoring services or workshops .
• Get free advice and speak to subject matter experts with the Small Business Bus .

8 Business Plan Templates You Can Get for Free

8 min. read

Updated April 10, 2024

A business plan template can be an excellent tool to simplify the creation of your business plan. 

The pre-set structure helps you organize ideas, covers all critical business information, and saves you time and effort on formatting.

The only issue? There are SO many free business plan templates out there. 

So, which ones are actually worth using? 

To help remove the guesswork, I’ve rounded up some of the best business plan templates you can access right now. 

These are listed in no particular order, and each has its benefits and drawbacks.

What to look for in a business plan template

Not all business plan templates are created equal. As you weigh your options and decide which template(s) you’ll use, be sure to review them with the following criteria in mind:

• Easy to edit: A template should save you time. That won’t be the case if you have to fuss around figuring out how to edit the document, or even worse, it doesn’t allow you to edit at all.
• Contains the right sections: A good template should cover all essential sections of a business plan , including the executive summary, product/service description, market/competitive analysis, marketing and sales plan, operations, milestones, and financial projections. 
• Provides guidance: You should be able to trust that the information in a template is accurate. That means the organization or person who created the template is highly credible, known for producing useful resources, and ideally has some entrepreneurial experience.
• Software compatibility: Lastly, you want any template to be compatible with the software platforms you use. More than likely, this means it’s available in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or PDF format at a minimum. 

1. Bplans — A plan with expert guidance

Since you’re already on Bplans, I have to first mention the templates that we have available. 

Our traditional and one-page templates were created by entrepreneurs and business owners with over 80 years of collective planning experience. We revisit and update them annually to ensure they are approachable, thorough, and aligned with our team’s evolving best practices.  

The templates, available in Word, PDF, or Google Doc formats, include in-depth guidance on what to include in each section, expert tips, and links to additional resources. 

Plus, we have over 550 real-world sample business plans you can use for guidance when filling out your template.

Download: Traditional lender-ready business plan template or a simple one-page plan template .

Brought to you by

Create a professional business plan

Using ai and step-by-step instructions.

Secure funding

Validate ideas

Build a strategy

2. SBA — Introduction to business plans

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers two different business plan templates along with a short planning guide. 

While not incredibly in-depth, it’s enough to help you understand how traditional and lean plans are structured and what information needs to be covered. The templates themselves are more like examples, providing you with a finished product to reference as you write your plan.

The key benefit of using these templates is that they were created by the SBA. While they may provide less guidance, you can be assured that the information and structure meet their expectations.

Explore: The SBA’s planning guide and free templates

3. SCORE — Planning workbook

SCORE’s template is more like a workbook. It includes exercises after each section to help you get your ideas down and turn them into a structured plan.

The market research worksheets are especially useful. They provide a clear framework for identifying your target market and analyzing competitors from multiple angles. Plus, they give you an easy way to document all the information you’re collecting.

You will likely have to remove the exercises in this template to make it investor-ready. But it can be worth it if you’re struggling to get past a blank page and want a more interactive planning method.

Download: SCORE’s business plan template

4. PandaDoc — A template with fillable forms

PandaDoc’s library offers a variety of industry-specific business plan templates that feature a modern design flair and concise instructions. 

These templates are designed for sharing. They include fillable fields and sections for non-disclosure agreements, which may be necessary when sending a plan to investors.  

But the real benefit is their compatibility with PandaDoc’s platform. Yes, they are free, but if you’re a PandaDoc subscriber, you’ll have far more customization options. 

Out of all their templates, the standard business plan template is the most in-depth. The rest, while still useful, go a bit lighter on guidance in favor of tailoring the plan to a specific industry.

Explore: PandaDoc’s business plan template library  

5. Canva — Pitch with your plan

Canva is a great option for building a visually stunning business plan that can be used as a pitch tool. It offers a diverse array of templates built by their in-house team and the larger creative community, meaning the number of options constantly grows.

You will need to verify that the information in the template you choose matches the standard structure of a traditional business plan. 

You should do this with any template, but it’s especially important with any tool that accepts community submissions. While they are likely reviewed and approved, there may still be errors.

Remember, you can only edit these templates within Canva. Luckily, you only need a free subscription, and you may just miss out on some of the visual assets being used. 

To get the most value, it may be best to create a more traditional planning document and transfer that information into Canva. 

Explore: Canva’s business plan gallery

6. ClickUp — The collaborative template

Out of all the project management tools that offer free business plan templates, ClickUp’s is the most approachable.

Rather than throwing you into all the features and expecting you to figure it out—ClickUp provides a thorough startup guide with resource links, images, and videos explaining how to write a plan using the tool. 

There’s also a completed sample plan (structured like an expanded one-page plan) for you to reference and see how the more traditional document can connect to the product management features. You can set goals, target dates, leave comments, and even assign tasks to someone else on your team. 

These features are limited to the ClickUp platform and will not be useful for everyone. They will likely get in the way of writing a plan you can easily share with lenders or investors. 

But this is a great option if you’re looking for a template that makes internal collaboration more fluid and keeps all your information in one place.

Sign Up: Get a free trial of ClickUp and explore their template library

7. Smartsheet — A wide variety of templates

I’m including Smartsheet’s library of templates on this list because of the sheer number of options they provide. 

They have a simple business plan template, a one-page plan, a fill-in-the-blank template, a plan outline, a plan grading rubric, and even an Excel-built project plan. All are perfectly usable and vary in visual style, depth of instructions, and the available format.

Honestly, the only drawback (which is also the core benefit) is that the amount of templates can be overwhelming. If you’re already uncertain which plan option is right for you, the lengthy list they provide may not provide much clarity.

At the same time, it can be a great resource if you want a one-stop shop to view multiple plan types.

Explore: Smartsheet’s business plan template library  

8. ReferralRock affiliate marketing business plan

I’m adding ReferralRock’s template to this list due to its specificity. 

It’s not your standard business plan template. The plan is tailored with specific sections and guidance around launching an affiliate marketing business. 

Most of the template is dedicated to defining how to choose affiliates, set commissions, create legal agreements, and track performance.

So, if you plan on starting an affiliate marketing business or program, this template will provide more specific guidance. Just know that you will likely need to reference additional resources when writing the non-industry sections of your plan.

Download: ReferralRock affiliate marketing business plan template

Does it matter what business plan template you use?

The short answer is no. As long as the structure is correct, it saves you time, and it helps you write your business plan , then any template will work. 

What it ultimately comes down to, is what sort of value you hope to get from the template. 

• Do you need more guidance? 
• A simple way to structure your plan? 
• An option that works with a specific tool?
• A way to make your plan more visually interesting?

Hopefully, this list has helped you hone in on an option that meets one (or several) of these needs. Still, it may be worth downloading a few of these templates to determine the right fit. 

And really, what matters most is that you spend time writing a business plan . It will help you avoid early mistakes, determine if you have a viable business, and fully consider what it will take to get up and running. 

If you need additional guidance, check out our library of planning resources . We cover everything from plan formats , to how to write a business plan, and even how to use it as a management tool . 

If you don’t want to waste time researching other templates, you can download our one-page or traditional business plan template and jump right into the planning process.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Kody Wirth is a content writer and SEO specialist for Palo Alto Software—the creator's of Bplans and LivePlan. He has 3+ years experience covering small business topics and runs a part-time content writing service in his spare time.

Table of Contents

• Qualities of a good template
• ReferralRock
• Does the template matter?

Related Articles

3 Min. Read

5 Fundamental Principles of Business Planning

2 Min. Read

How Long Should a Business Plan Be?

6 Min. Read

Business Plan vs Business Model Canvas Explained

10 Min. Read

14 Reasons Why You Need a Business Plan

The Bplans Newsletter

The Bplans Weekly

Subscribe now for weekly advice and free downloadable resources to help start and grow your business.

We care about your privacy. See our privacy policy .

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

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

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Society and culture
• Community and society
• Libraries: alternative delivery models toolkit
• Department for Culture, Media & Sport
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Stage 7: business plan

Published 28 March 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/libraries-alternative-delivery-models-toolkit/stage-7-business-plan

1. Overview

This section sets out the process and areas to consider when developing a business plan. Producing a business plan provides an opportunity to plan, in detail, the way in which the alternative delivery model (ADM) will operate and will be a guiding document for the new delivery model in its first few years of development.

A business plan is typically needed when the identified preferred option requires a change in delivery model to be led by the in-house team. This could be a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC), Public Service Mutual (PSM), joint venture or in-house with re-engineering.

If the preferred option is to outsource the service, the next step will not be to produce a business plan. Instead you will need to develop a service specification along with documents to support the relevant procurement process (such as a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and an Invitation to Tender).

The importance of engaging stakeholders in developing the business plan should not be underestimated. While this may take more time, it will create broader buy-in to a shared vision and smooth the journey of transition in the months to come.

2. Why develop a business plan?

The business plan is a useful document that allows stakeholders to understand what the new delivery model will do and how it will operate. The document will also serve as a future reference for the library service’s management team, enabling them to test the service’s development against the original vision. It is good practice for organisations to repeat the business planning process every 3 to 5 years. It may be helpful to link the period of your initial business plan to that of the initial contract (for example 3 or 5 years).

The process of developing a business plan is relatively fluid. Although it is a written document, the content for each section should be thought through before being documented. It can be helpful to use workshop sessions for this process, which also allow for stakeholder input. In addition to workshops, a certain level of research and desk-work is required to complete elements such as the market analysis and the financial model.

We have a 5 year business plan and annually produce a service plan for the year ahead which is shared with and approved by the council. Plans for the future include:

• expanding and developing new and attractive services for current and new users of our existing provision in Devon and potentially expanding our reach geographically by bidding to run other library services
• growing our technology services through expansion of our Fab Lab model into other libraries and environments, including local schools
• expanding our local, national and international partnerships with a wide range of complementary organisations to innovate and enhance our service offer
• increasing our reach and impact by developing libraries as spaces for high quality arts and culture
• developing new models through research into the social value of libraries and our wide range of services
• developing our own infrastructure as an independent organisation, we already have our own financial system and, over the medium term, will have our own payroll and HR systems and an independent IT infrastructure

Libraries Unlimited

3. business plan structure.

Typical areas covered in a business plan are outlined below. We have developed a (downloadable) business plan template (including guidance notes) that can help you to develop your business plan.

Vision and purpose

This section describes what the new delivery model wants to achieve, and how it will do this. It also helps to define the identity of the new organisation for both staff and customers.

Our business plan has also always been informed by our own ambitions and the way we align resources to deliver these. This is bigger than a business plan for divestment, and wider than the council’s vision, which was by necessity informed by its statutory duties.

It also confirmed the need for expert commissioning - a strong client for the council when agreeing the transition, and commissioning when the service is being provided independently. Suffolk Libraries IPS

This section describes the external market in which the delivery model will operate. This should be considered at a number of levels (locally, regionally and nationally) and will include aspects which you will have started to already develop during the case for change and case for externalisation. These are:

• likely demand for the service
• analysis of typical customers
• competitor analysis
• PESTLE analysis - looking at external factors that may influence the market
• SWOT analysis - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

A clear and concise description of the services that will be intended to be delivered by the new delivery model. This may include both the initial services (delivered at the point of go-live) alongside future services to be developed. It may be helpful to describe services in terms of the way they will be experienced by different stakeholders, including library users, Friends Groups, the council and the local community.

Developing your future service profile is an important part of the business planning process. As libraries provide a wide range of service, it’s not easy to look at each service from a commercial perspective. It’s often difficult to accurately map demand for services and understand the true cost base and benefits realised by each service. This is ongoing for us as part of our overall development of the organisation.

We worked hard during set-up to determine a clear vision and purposes for our organisation and in our first year, we have become much more aware of the true costs of the different services we provide. Both these activities are helping us to make decisions about which services we should invest or disinvest in. However, we also weigh up the social value of our services when taking decisions so that we don’t inadvertently cause a negative impact on the difference our libraries make to individuals and local communities.

Organisational form

This section will consider key questions including the legal form of the new organisation, its governance and management, and how any surpluses will be used. We strongly recommend that you access expert legal advice when considering your legal form.

Consider the intended membership of your board of directors, the intended role of each director, and who from your senior management team should have a position on the board by right of their position within the delivery model (for example the ex-officio director).

We opted for a conventional legal form, a company limited by guarantee and registered charity. This allows us to have staff and community members as members, be governed by a board of trustees, and ensure 100% of any surplus generated is reinvested into library services. This form facilitates a more entrepreneurial, commercial approach but within clearly defined parameters of public benefit.

If offers transparency as a tried and tested model, well recognised by funders and partners and gives us flexibility in how we operate. It allowed us to apply for registered charity status which in turn ensures the organisation qualifies for business rates relief; and means we can access funding we may not otherwise be able to.

This section will introduce the proposed leadership team for the delivery model, and consider the staffing structure. You should also consider training needs of both the leadership team and the future workforce.

Bring in some independent commercial experience and get good HR and employment advice on all the processes your undertake. Think about:

• which terms and conditions you might want to change - do you want to keep public sector terms on sickness and any enhanced payments?
• whether you want to stay with the national employer negotiations, if not you can create your own with your own methods of awards and recognition

Suffolk Libraries IPS

Stakeholders.

This section will identify and prioritise a range of stakeholders that are important to the new delivery model. This could vary from council commissioners to library users. A clear engagement strategy for influencing these stakeholders should be outlined. A (downloadable) stakeholder mapping and communication planning template has been provided to support you during this process.

Quality assurance and monitoring

This section should outline the delivery model’s approach to assuring high-quality services to its customers, considering aspects such as risk management and performance management of contracts held by the delivery model.

This section should set out the practical resources that will be needed to deliver services. This section should include enabler and infrastructure elements, including:

• premises and office space
• equipment and resources
• legal requirements and quality standards
• partnerships with other agencies and/or suppliers
• external advisors
• supporting functions (such as IT, HR and payroll)

It should also include consideration of assets and staff.

This is a crucial section of the business plan which will come under close scrutiny if you decide to seek external or grant funding. It will need to demonstrate that you have considered how the financial management of the delivery model will work, and show that the organisation is forecasted to be financially sustainable over the medium term. The content of this section will include summary financial projections, based on your 5 year financial model.

There is a contradiction between the need for a strong financially robust business plan that convinces the council that there are both short and long term savings, whilst trying to reassure staff in relation to terms and conditions and not gambling on a windfall of external grants, donations and income generation. Our approach was to be realistic in the hard savings.

Inspire Culture, Learning and Libraries

We recommend that you access specialist VAT advice to consider any VAT implications for your new delivery model.

Understand how your services’ finances will be different from being in the council. Work with external accountants as soon as possible. Be clear about where you will generate income from and be realistic about the possibilities.

York Explore

This section outlines a plan showing activities required from the sign-off of the business plan to the go-live date for the new organisation. Special consideration should be given to timescales and dependencies relating to technical aspects of the process, including the consultation process, setting up a pension scheme, transferring assets, establishing the company as a legal entity, and setting up support systems (such as IT, HR and payroll). For further information please refer to Stage 8 - Transition .

This final section should capture risks, their anticipated impact, and the actions that have been identified to mitigate and manage them.

4. Intended outcomes/outputs

Once you have developed the full business plan for the new delivery model, it should be formally signed off by the council. This ensures that key stakeholders are appropriately sighted on the vision for the new organisation and understand how it intends to operate.

5. Lessons learnt and critical success factors

The CEO’s of the current library service delivery models have identified the following learning points in relation to the business planning process:

Independent advice from a business consultancy was incredibly valuable because it was the robustness of the business plan that enabled us to give confidence to internal council decision-makers, particularly those in finance and legal departments. We learnt a whole raft of new skills that we hadn’t needed before because the wider council took care of it for us. More than anything the process showed us how important it would be to bring new skills into the organisation once it was established.

The most challenging aspect was quickly obtaining the information that we needed in order to plan effectively. You need to pull together up-to-date information from across different council departments and often this was information that hadn’t been needed before.

There was dedicated council support for us initially, but it soon became clear we needed our own and it had to be independent. Paying for it has to be part of the transition and set up process. It’s important to get independent contractual, HR and employment advice from organisations which have a strong background in charitable, public contracts or commercial ventures. Conflicts of interest will arise during your discussions with the council, so accessing independent support is crucial.

The next section covers the eighth stage of the process - planning and undertaken transition to a new model

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey .

How to Build a Detailed Business Plan That Stands Out [Free Template]

Updated: March 29, 2022

Published: March 11, 2022

While starting a company may seem easier now than ever before, entrepreneurs have an uphill battle from the moment they start a business. And without a clear, actionable business plan for selling, marketing, finances, and operations, you're almost destined to face significant challenges.

This is why crafting a business plan is an essential step in the entrepreneurial process.

In this post, we'll walk you through the process of filling out your business plan template, like this free, editable version :

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template.

We know that when looking at a blank page on a laptop screen, the idea of writing your business plan can seem impossible. However, it's a mandatory step to take if you want to turn your business dreams into a reality.

That's why we've crafted a business plan template for you to download and use to build your new company. You can download it here for free . It contains prompts for all of the essential parts of a business plan, all of which are elaborated on, below.

This way, you'll be able to show them how organized and well-thought-out your business idea is, and provide them with answers to whatever questions they may have.

Free Business Plan Template

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

• Outline your idea.
• Pitch to investors.
• Secure funding.
• Get to work!

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Building a Successful Business Plan

In the next section, we'll cover the components of a business plan , such as an executive summary and company description. But before we get to that, let's talk about key elements that should serve as building blocks for your plan.

For some entrepreneurs, the thought of writing a business plan sounds like a chore — a necessary means to an end. But that's a bad take.

A solid business plan is a blueprint for success . It's key to securing financing, presenting your business, outlining your financial projections, and turning that nugget of a business idea into a reality.

At the core, your business plan should answer two questions: why your business and why now?

Investors want to know why your business is entering the market, i.e. what problem it's solving and how it's different from what's currently out there. They also want to know why now is the right time for your type of product or service.

At a minimum, your plan should:

• Be more realistic than idealistic: Too often, business plans focus too much on how things could be instead of how they are. While having a vision is important, your plan needs to be rooted in research and data.
• Legitimize your business idea : If an idea fails on paper, it's a signal to go back to the drawing board. In doing so, you avoid losing precious time or money chasing an unrealistic idea.
• Position your business for funding: To get your business off the ground, chances are you'll need financial backing. Even with a solid business idea, investors, lenders, and banks still need convincing. An effective business plan will outline how much money you need, where it's going, what targets you will hit, and how you plan to repay any debts.
• Lay the foundation: Investors focus on risk – if anything looks shaky, it could be a dealbreaker. Ideally, your business plan will lay down the foundation for how you'll operate your business — from operational needs to financial projections and goals.
• Communicate your needs: It's nearly impossible to communicate your needs if you don't know what they are first. Of course, a business’ needs are always changing — but your plan should give you a well-rounded view of how your business will work in the short and long term.

So back to the question of why and why now – consider three things:

• Your industry – How does your product or service fit within your industry? Are you targeting a specific niche? Where do you see the industry going in the next five to 10 years?
• Your target audience – Who are you targeting? What challenges are they facing? How will your product or service help them in their daily lives?
• Your unique selling proposition (USP) – What sets you apart from your competitors? Is it your product/service features? Your company values? Price?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you'll be equipped to answer the question: why your business and why now.

How to Build a Business Plan

• Executive Summary
• Company and Business Description
• Product and Services Line
• Market Analysis
• Marketing Plan
• Legal Notes
• Financial Considerations

Featured Resource: Free Business Plan Template

1. cover page.

Your business plan should be prefaced with an eye-catching cover page. This means including a high-resolution image of your company logo, followed by your company's name, address, and phone number.

Since this business plan will likely change hands and be seen by multiple investors, you should also provide your own name, role in the business, and email address on the cover page.

At the bottom of this page, you can also add a confidentiality statement to protect against the disclosure of your business details.

The statement can read as follows: " This document contains confidential and proprietary information created by [your company name]. When receiving this document, you agree to keep its content confidential and may only reproduce and/or share it with express written permission of [your company name] ."

Remember to keep your cover page simple and concise — and save the important details for other sections.

Why it matters: First impressions are everything, and a clean cover page is the first step in the right direction.

Example of a Cover Page

2. Executive Summary

The executive summary of your business plan provides a one- to two-page overview of your business and highlights the most crucial pieces of your plan, such as your short-term and long-term goals.

The executive summary is essentially a boiled-down version of your entire business plan, so remember to keep this section to the point and filled only with essential information.

Typically, this brief section includes:

• A mission statement.
• The company's history and leadership model.
• An overview of competitive advantage(s).
• Financial projections.
• Company goals.
• An ask from potential investors.

Why it matters: The executive summary is known as the make-or-break section of a business plan. It influences whether investors turn the page or not — so effectively summarizing your business and the problem it hopes to solve is a must.

Think of the Summary as a written elevator pitch (with more detail). While your business plan provides the nitty-gritty details, your Summary describes — in a compelling but matter-of-fact language — the highlights of your plan. If it's too vague, complicated, or fuzzy, you may need to scrap it and start again.

Example of an Executive Summary Introduction

"The future looks bright for North Side Chicago, particularly the Rock Hill Neighborhood. A number of high-end commercial and residential developments are well on their way, along with two new condo developments in nearby neighborhoods.

While the completion of these developments will increase the population within the neighborhood and stimulate the economy, the area lacks an upscale restaurant where residents and visitors can enjoy fine food and drink. Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will provide such a place."

3. Company & Business Description

In this section, provide a more thorough description of what your company is and why it exists.

The bulk of the writing in this section should be about your company's purpose – covering what the business will be selling, identifying the target market, and laying out a path to success.

In this portion of your business plan, you can also elaborate on your company's:

• Mission statement
• Core values
• Team and organizational structure

Why it matters: Investors look for great structures and teams in addition to great ideas. This section gives an overview of your businesses' ethos. It's the perfect opportunity to set your business apart from the competition — such as your team's expertise, your unique work culture, and your competitive advantage.

Example of a Values/Mission Statement

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will be the go-to place for people to get a drink or bite in an elegant, upscale atmosphere. The mission is to be North Side's leading restaurant, with the best tasting food and the highest quality service."

3. Product & Services Line

Here's where you'll cover the makeup of your business's product and/or services line. You should provide each product or service's name, its purpose, and a description of how it works (if appropriate). If you own any patents, copyrights, or trademarks, it's essential to include this info too.

Next, add some color to your sales strategy by outlining your pricing model and mark-up amounts.

If you're selling tangible products, you should also explain production and costs, and how you expect these factors to change as you scale.

Why it matters: This section contains the real meat of your business plan. It sets the stage for the problem you hope to solve, your solution, and how your said solution fits in the market.

There's no one-size-fits-all formula for this section. For instance, one plan may delve into its ability to market in a more cost-effective way than the competition, whereas another plan focuses on its key products and their unique features and benefits.

Regardless of your angle, it's critical to convey how your offerings will differ from the competition.

Example of a Product/Service Offering

"The menu at Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will focus on Moroccan cuisine. The stars of the menu (our specialties) are the Moroccan dishes, such as eggplant zaalouk, seafood bastilla, tagine, and chickpea stew. For those who enjoy American dishes, there will also be a variety of options, from burger sliders and flatbread pizza to grilled steak and salads.

The food at Jay Street will have premium pricing to match its upscale atmosphere. During the summer months, the restaurant will have extra seating on the patio where clients can enjoy a special summer menu. We will be open on all days of the week."

4. Market Analysis

It helps to reference your market research documentation in this section, like a Porter's Five Forces Analysis or a SWOT Analysis ( templates for those are available here ). You can also include them in your appendix.

If your company already has buyer personas, you should include them here as well. If not, you can create them right now using the Make My Persona Tool .

Why it matters: Having an awesome product is, well, awesome — but it isn't enough. Just as important, there must be a market for it.

This section allows you to dig deeper into your market, which segments you want to target, and why. The "why" here is important, since targeting the right segment is critical for the success and growth of your business.

It's easy to get lost (or overwhelmed) in a sea of endless data. For your business plan, narrow your focus by answering the following questions:

• What is my market? In other words, who are my customers?
• What segments of the market do I want to target?
• What's the size of my target market?
• Is my market likely to grow?
• How can I increase my market share over time?

Example of a Market Analysis

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant will target locals who live and work within the Rock Hill Neighborhood and the greater North Side Chicago area. We will also target the tourists who flock to the many tourist attractions and colleges on the North Side.

We will specifically focus on young to middle-aged adults with an income of $40,000 to $80,000 who are looking for an upscale experience. The general demographics of our target market are women between 20 to 50 years old.

A unique and varied Moroccan-American menu, along with our unique upscale atmosphere, differentiates us from competitors in the area. Jay Street will also set itself apart through its commitment to high-quality food, service, design, and atmosphere."

5. Marketing Plan

Unlike the market analysis section, your marketing plan section should be an explanation of the tactical approach to reaching your aforementioned target audience. List your advertising channels, organic marketing methods, messaging, budget, and any relevant promotional tactics.

If your company has a fully fleshed-out marketing plan, you can attach it in the appendix of your business plan. If not, download this free marketing plan template to outline your strategy.

Free Marketing Plan Template

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

• Pre-Sectioned Template
• Completely Customizable
• Example Prompts
• Professionally Designed

Why it matters: Marketing is what puts your product in front of your customers. It's not just advertising — it's an investment in your business.

Throwing money into random marketing channels is a haphazard approach, which is why it's essential to do the legwork to create a solid marketing plan.

Here's some good news — by this point, you should have a solid understanding of your target market. Now, it's time to determine how you'll reach them.

Example of a Marketing Plan Overview

"Our marketing strategy will focus on three main initiatives:

• Social media marketing. We will grow and expand our Facebook and Instagram following through targeted social media ads.
• Website initiatives. Our website will attract potential visitors by offering updated menus and a calendar of events.
• Promotional events. Jay Street will have one special theme night per week to attract new clients."

6. Sales Plan

It doesn't matter if your sales department is an office full of business development representatives (BDR) or a dozen stores with your products on their shelves.

The point is: All sales plans are different, so you should clearly outline yours here. Common talking points include your:

• Sales team structure, and why this structure was chosen.
• Sales channels.
• Sales tools, software, and resources.
• Prospecting strategy.
• Sales goals and budget.

Like with your marketing plan, it might make sense to attach your completed sales plan to the appendix of your business plan. You can download a template for building your sales plan here .

Why it matters: Among other things, investors are interested in the scalability of your business — which is why growth strategies are a critical part of your business plan.

Your sales plan should describe your plan to attract customers, retain them (if applicable), and, ultimately, grow your business. Be sure to outline what you plan to do given your existing resources and what results you expect from your work.

Example of a Sales Plan Overview

"The most important goal is to ensure financial success for Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant. We believe we can achieve this by offering excellent food, entertainment, and service to our clients.

We are not a low-cost dining option in the area. Instead, the food will have premium pricing to match its upscale feel. The strategy is to give Jay Street a perception of elegance through its food, entertainment, and excellent service."

7. Legal Notes

Your investors may want to know the legal structure of your business, as that could directly impact the risk of their investments. For example, if you're looking for business partners to engage in a non-corporation or LLC partnership, this means they could be on the line for more than their actual investment.

Because this clarification is often needed, explain if you are and/or plan to become a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, LLC, or other.

You should also outline the steps you have taken (or will need to take) to operate legally. This includes licenses, permits, registrations, and insurance.

The last thing your investor wants to hear after they've sent you a big chunk of change is that you're operating without proper approval from the local, state, or federal government.

Why it matters: The last thing your investor wants to hear after they've sent you a big chunk of change is that you're operating without proper approval from the local, state, or federal government.

Example of Legal Notes

"Jay Street Lounge and Restaurant is up-to-date on all restaurant licenses and health permits. Our business name and logo are registered trademarks, presenting the possibility of expanding locally."

8. Financial Considerations

Ultimately, investors want to know two things:

• When they will earn their money back.
• When they will start seeing returns on their initial investment.

That said, be clear, calculated, and convincing in this section. It should cover:

• Startup costs.
• Sales forecasts for the next several months/quarters.
• Break-even analysis for time and dollars.
• Projected profit and loss (P&L) statement.

Facts and figures are key here, so be as specific as possible with each line item and projection. In addition, explain the "why" behind each of these sections.

However, keep in mind that information overload is a risk, especially when it comes to data. So, if you have pages upon pages of charts and spreadsheets for this section, distill them into a page or two and include the rest of the sheets in the appendix. This section should only focus on key data points.

Why it matters: One of the most important aspects of becoming "investor ready" is knowing your numbers. More importantly, you need to understand how those numbers will enhance your business.

While it's easy to write a number down on paper, it's more important to understand (and communicate) why you need capital, where it's going, and that your evaluation makes sense.

Example of Financial Projections

"Based on our knowledge and experience in the restaurant industry, we have come up with projections for the business.

Starting with an expenditure of $400,000 in year 1, we forecast sales of $1,500,000 and $2,800,000 for years two and three. We expect to achieve a net profit of 15% by year three."

9. Appendix

A detailed and well-developed business plan can range anywhere from 20 to 50 pages, with some even reaching upward of 80.

In many cases, the appendix is the longest section. Why? Because it includes the supportive materials mentioned in previous sections. To avoid disrupting the flow of the business plan with visuals, charts, and spreadsheets, business owners usually add them in the last section, i.e. the appendix.

Aside from what we've already mentioned – marketing plan, sales plan, department budgets, financial documents – you may also want to attach the following in the appendix:

• Marketing materials
• Market research data
• Licensing documentation
• Branding assets
• Floor plans for your location
• Mockups of your product
• Renderings of your office space or location design

Adding these pieces to the appendix enriches the reader's understanding of your business and proves you've put the work into your business plan without distracting from the main points throughout the plan.

Why it matters: An appendix helps the reader do their due diligence. It contains everything they need to support your business plan.

Keep in mind, however, that an appendix is typically necessary only if you're seeking financing or looking to attract business partners.

Use a Business Plan Template to Get Started

Writing a business plan shouldn't be an insurmountable roadblock to starting a business. Unfortunately, for all too many, it is.

That's why we recommend using our free business plan template. Pre-filled with detailed section prompts for all of the topics in this blog post, we're confident this template will get your business plan started in the right direction.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Calculate Your Lead Generation Goals [Free Calculator]

What Are Direct Costs & How Do They Differ From Indirect Costs?

How to Write a Business Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide [Examples + Template]

9 Handy Business Calculators That’ll Make Your Life Easier

The Definition of CAC [In Under 100 Words]

How to Calculate Next Month's Lead Gen Goal [Quick Tip]

How to Calculate the Value of Your Social Media Followers [CALCULATOR]

A Simple Calculator to Determine Your Monthly Traffic & Leads Goals [Template]

How to Calculate & Track a Leads Goal That Sales Supports

2 Essential Templates For Starting Your Business

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

Language selection

• Français fr

Planning a business

Assessing your readiness, choosing a business structure, market research and writing a business plan.

Most requested

• [Top task hyperlink]

Services and information

Developing your business idea.

Turning your idea into a profitable business model

Types of business ownership

Determining whether incorporation, partnership or sole proprietorship is right for your business

Writing a business plan

How to write a successful business plan

Business plan template

Download templates and examples of a business plan and financial plan

Choosing a location for your business

What to consider when selecting a commercial space for your business

Researching your target market

Get the demographic data you need to better understand your potential customers and their needs

[Feature hyperlink text]

Brief description of the feature being promoted.

On social media

• Facebook: CanadaBusiness
• Twitter: @CanadaBusiness
• Instagram: cdnbusiness
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Page details