Aspiring entrepreneurs who are researching how to start a business will likely be advised to write a business plan. However, few resources actually provide business plan examples to guide you in writing your own business plan.
Here are some real business plan examples to help you write your business plan.
7 Business Plan Examples: Section by Section
The example business plan in this article follows the following sample template:
- executive summary. An overview of your business.
- Company Profile. A more detailed explanation of your business and why it exists.
- Market analysis. Research-based information about your industry and target market.
- products and services. What you are offering in exchange for money.
- marketing plan. Promotional strategies to introduce your business to the world and increase sales.
- Logistics and operations planning. Everything that goes on behind the scenes to make a business function properly.
- Financial planning. A breakdown of the numbers to show you what you need to get started and prove the feasibility of profitability.
executive summary
The executive summary is a page that provides an overview of the rest of your business plan. It is easiest to save this section for last.
In this free business plan template, the executive summary is four paragraphs and takes up just over half a page.
Company Profile
You can also reuse your company description elsewhere, such as on your About page, social media profile pages, or other properties where your small business needs a boilerplate description.
The soap brand ORRIS's About Us page has a blurb that can easily be repurposed into the About Us section of your business plan.
You can also dig deeper into your company profile and include the following sections, like we did with Paw Print Post.
- Business structure. This section provides an overview of how to register your business as an LLC, sole proprietorship, corporation, or other type of business. “Paw Print Post will be operated as a private business run by owner Jane Matthews.”
- Nature of business. “Paw Print Post sells unique, one-of-a-kind digitally printed cards that are customized with your pet's unique footprint.”
- industry. “Paw Print Post operates primarily in the pet industry and sells products that are also classified as part of the greeting card industry.”
- Background information. “Jane Matthews, founder of Paw Print Post, has a long history in the pet industry and animal care, and recently trained as a graphic designer. We're trying to capture a niche market: customizing your pet's footprints without having to rely on traditional (and cumbersome) options like plaster-casting them or using pet-safe inks. It's a unique greeting card with their own 'signature' stamped on it.”
- business goals. “Jane is preparing to launch Paw Print Post at the Big Important Pet Expo in Toronto to disseminate information to both industry participants and consumers. , Jane aims to generate $150,000 in annual revenue from selling Paw Print Post's signature greeting cards and has expanded into two new product categories.”
- team. “Jane Matthews is the only full-time employee at Paw Print Post, but she hires contractors as needed to support her workflow and fill gaps in her skillset. has an ongoing agreement for 5 hours per week of virtual assistant support with Virtual Assistants Pro.”
Your mission statement may also appear here. Passionfruit shares a mission statement on their company's website, and a business plan example would work well as well.
market analysis
Market analysis consists of research on supply and demand, target demographics, industry trends, and competitive environment. You can also perform a SWOT analysis and include it in your business plan.
Here is an example of a SWOT analysis for an online tailored shirt business.
You can also perform a competitive analysis as part of the market research component of your business plan. This will give you an idea of who you're up against and give you ideas on how to differentiate your brand. A competitive advantage audit looks like this:
Products and services
This section of your business plan describes what products and services you sell to your customers. Here's what we wrote in the Footprints post:
marketing plan
It's always a good idea to have a marketing plan before launching your business. A marketing plan tells you how to spread the word about your business and is also an important element of your business plan.
At Paw Print Post, we focused on the 4 P's: Price, Product, Promotion, and Place. However, you can take a different approach to your marketing plan. You can leverage your existing marketing strategy or break it down into different marketing channels. No matter what approach you take, your marketing plan should explain how you intend to promote your business and products to potential customers. It's okay to go to a higher level here.
Logistics and operational planning
For Paw Print Post, we researched suppliers, production, facilities, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory.
financial planning
A financial plan provides a breakdown of sales, revenue, profits, expenses, and other relevant financial metrics related to the financing and profitability of your business.
The financial plan for e-commerce brand Nature's Candy provides a graphical breakdown of projected revenue, expenses, and net income.
Next, dig deeper into the financials, including:
- funding needs
- Projected income statement
- Projected balance sheet
- Projected cash flow statement
You can use this financial planning spreadsheet to create your own financial statements such as income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
Types of business plans and what to include in each
Overview material
A one-page business plan should be high-level and easy to understand at a glance. All sections should be included, but be sure to cut and summarize them.
- Executive Summary: Truncated
- Market analysis: summary
- Product and Service Overview
- Marketing Plan: Overview
- Logistics and Business Planning: Overview
- Finance: Overview
to start
A startup business plan is for a new business. These plans are typically created and shared to secure external funding. Therefore, the emphasis is not only on finance, but also on other sections that determine the feasibility of the business idea, for example, market research.
- executive summary
- Company Profile
- Market analysis: Detailed analysis
- Products and services
- marketing plan
- operation
- Finance: Details
internal
An internal business plan is meant to get your team on the same page and aligned towards the same goals.
- executive summary
- Company Profile
- market analysis
- Products and services
- marketing plan
- Logistics and operational planning
- finance
strategic
A strategic or growth business plan is a longer-term, holistic view of your business. As such, forecasts tend to be more forward-looking and growth and revenue targets may be higher. Basically, you should use all the sections you would use in a regular business plan and build on each one.
- executive summary
- Company Profile
- Market analysis: comprehensive outlook
- Products and Services: For Launch and Expansion
- Marketing Plan: A Comprehensive Perspective
- Logistics and operational planning: a comprehensive perspective
- Finance: Comprehensive outlook
Feasibility
A feasibility business plan is a type of pre-business plan, and many people simply refer to it as a feasibility study. This plan basically lays the foundation and validates that it's worth the effort to create a complete business plan for your idea. Therefore, the main focus will be on research.
- Company Profile
- market analysis
- Products and services
- Logistics and operational planning
- finance
Additional resources to test your ideas:
Set yourself up for success as a business owner
Building a good business plan serves as a roadmap that you can use when launching your e-commerce business and achieving each of your business goals. A business plan creates accountability for entrepreneurs and synergy between teams, regardless of the business model.
Start your e-commerce business and set yourself up for success with an intentional business planning process and the sample business plan above to guide your unique path.
Business Plan Example Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a simple business plan?
To create a simple business plan, start with a summary that provides an overview of your business and plan. This is followed by sections detailing the company description, market analysis, organizational and management structure, products or services, marketing and sales strategies, and financial projections. Each section should be concise and clearly explain your strategy and goals.
What is the best format to write a business plan?
The best business plan format presents your plan clearly and methodically, making it easier for potential investors to understand your business model and goals. Always start with an overview and end with an appendix with financial information or additional data.
What are the four important elements of a business plan?
- Executive Summary: A concise overview of the company's mission, goals, audience, and financial goals.
- Business Description: A description of the company's purpose, operations, products and services, target markets, and competitive environment.
- Market Analysis: Analysis of the industry, market trends, potential customers, and competitors.
- Financial planning: A detailed description of a company's financial projections and strategy.
What are the three points of a business plan?
- Concept: The concept should describe the purpose of your business and provide an overall overview of what you are trying to achieve.
- Content: Your content should include details about the products and services you offer, your target market, and your competitors.
- Cash Flow: The cash flow section should include information about expected cash inflows and outflows, such as capital investments, operating costs, and revenue projections.
