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How to Write a Killer Business Plan: Your Step-by-Step Guide

By Danine Alati

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If you're wondering how to write a business plan, you’ve likely been considering launching your own design firm for quite a while. You have a ton of ideas—you’ve seen how others have done it, and you’re ready to take a crack at striking out on your own. But where to begin? When getting your new business off the ground, one of your initial steps should be learning how to write a business plan. It’s crucial to structure your ideas formally into a road map for your firm’s success. If you plan to seek funding for your company, you’ll need to draft a traditional business plan; if you’re self-funding, a simple outline will suffice. Scroll on to find AD PRO’s guide, filled with strategies and details on what to include.

Typically, business plans fall into one of three categories:

1. A one-page business plan

This document summarizes your business goals in a simplified format. It’s ideal for introducing your concept to potential investors, who may not have time to peruse a lengthy document. This easy-to-read format, viewable at a glance, is perfect for initial meetings, and it offers a substantial jumping-off point—though you may need a more detailed plan in the future.

2. A lean startup plan

Slightly longer than the one-page plan, this one includes a summary and a bulleted list that contains your firm’s financial information, business strategies, metrics, and forecasts. Since this type of business plan mainly functions as an internal tool, it’s not necessary to include all the sections and information of a formal traditional business plan (see below). This simple-to-navigate five- to 10-page document should contain your strategy, the tasks you need to complete to achieve your goals and their due dates, projected sales, spending, and cash flow. It’s advisable to update this plan regularly (at least twice a year), as it is intended to guide the growth of your company—and help keep all internal members of your team in the loop. As such, it should evolve organically as your business does.

3. An external business plan (a.k.a. a traditional standard plan)

You'll need to create a more formal business plan if you intend to share company information with key players: potential investors to fund your endeavor, banks to support loan applications, or even future employees. Since you’ll be using this document to explain your strategies for your business with those who may finance or join your company, you’ll want to clearly delineate your plan in detailed sections.

Where to begin?

Your business plan is a living document that will evolve with your business. It should plot out how your business will operate, state your goals, and precisely express your vision for your company. Regardless of the type of plan you opt to create, check out these solid tips before you begin drafting the document.

1. Keep it simple

No need to complicate the already stressful process of starting your own business by constructing a convoluted plan. Create a simple bulleted plan that cites goals and your strategies for achieving them, then update it as your company grows. If you choose to draft a traditional business plan, keep it to less than 40 pages. If you’re having trouble distilling the essence of your company down to 30-35 pages, consider hiring an expert to help you write it. Fit Small Business lists Wise Business Plans as its top-choice service, but keep in mind this argument about why it’s often better to do the writing yourself.

Even if you go with a traditional, external business plan, keep it concise. Cut to the chase as quickly and efficiently as possible—you don’t want to lose a potential investor out of boredom! And don’t spend too much time making your business plan pretty. As a designer, your instinct may be to focus on stunning graphics, and while they can indeed enhance the appearance of the document, the actual content is what’s most important. Use graphs, charts, and photos to break up the text and illustrate your message without obscuring it.

2. Know your audience

Tailor your business plan to suit your needs, and craft it so that the intended audience can clearly understand it. Avoid using lingo only an A&D professional would understand—especially if you intend to use the plan as a pitch to investors or for a loan application. Use straightforward rather than insider-y language to avoid alienating your target audience.

3. Know your competition

Never speak disparagingly about your competitors. Get familiar with who they are, know what they are doing well (and poorly), and make it evident in your business plan how you will distinguish your brand from the rest. What makes your company stand out against the competition? Perhaps your firm offers online design services, specializes in custom millwork, or provides clients with assistance from a personal account director. Highlight whatever sets you apart transparently in your business plan.

4. Keep it real

Keep your expectations in check and never inflate your financials. While we encourage you to think positively and believe that your business will succeed financially, do not overestimate your earning potential and revenue forecast. What services will you offer, and how much will you bill for them? What do comparable companies bill for similar services? Make your projections realistic, particularly if you are seeking funding. Explain your business model and how you plan to earn money, as well as the reasoning behind your figures. And be certain to root all financial information in solid facts.

5. Work backward

Figure out what you want to accomplish and by what date, and then backtrack from there. Consider: Where would you like your company to be financially one year from now? What revenue goals would you like to achieve by that time? Then determine what you must do in 12 months, six months, and three months to arrive at your objective in a timely fashion. Work these milestones into your business plan. You'll be pleased as you see results accumulate throughout the year—even more so when you realize your objective by your firm’s one-year anniversary.

6. Just get it started

Don’t let the task of drafting your business plan paralyze you. If you sit down to write and come up empty, start jotting down your ideas—remembering what inspired you to launch your company in the first place—and worry about shaping your formal business plan later.

If it helps you to get started, begin with a simple one-page plan; you can always use that document as an outline and go back and fill in more details later. Remember: No one knows your business better than you do. Let your passion for starting your new company motivate you as you begin writing and don’t be afraid to let that emotion to come through in the final document. It will better convey your vision and help your readers understand what your small business is all about.

The essential components of a business plan

Now that you have an idea of what type of business plan will be right for your company and understand how to approach the task, the question remains: What do you need to include in your business plan? Entrepreneurs have varying ideas on what’s essential and what you can skip. But when starting your first-ever business, consider following the advice of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and make sure that your business plan contains these nine recommended sections.

1. Executive summary

As the single most important part of your business plan, the executive summary should pique the curiosity of your audience. It should be a brief synopsis of your company’s mission, your immediate as well as long-term goals, and your strategies for attaining these goals. Make it evident what exactly your business is: What’s the product or service? Why will your company be successful? What sets it apart from the competition? What do you plan to do differently? Get this information out there immediately. Also, include basic facts about your employees, leadership team, location, and financial statistics.

Sometimes investors will ask to see only your executive summary as they consider whether or not to grant you funding. If they are intrigued by what they read, they will ask for your entire business plan. So be sure to hit the highlights in the executive summary. And while this summary appears first in the document, it’s actually smart to write it last, since it encompasses all components of your plan, whittled down to a brief synopsis. Think of it as the whole document in a nutshell. Don’t let it exceed a page or two.

2. Company overview

Here’s where you go into detail about the concept behind your business, what you do, and what you plan to accomplish. What problem does your firm address? And what are your solutions? What target audience will your small business serve? Name specific businesses, design firms, organizations, and/or clients. Explain what you have to offer and what you’re selling. Be sure to use concrete examples and eliminate superfluous language. Outline what makes your company distinct from the competition. You’ve touched on this point in the executive summary, but go into specific detail in this section. It’s the place where you can toot your own horn—tastefully and succinctly, of course—so take advantage of the opportunity, play up your strengths, and sell your company.

3. Market research

Demonstrate that you understand your industry by doing comprehensive market analysis. Look for emerging trends and themes in the marketplace. Have a crystal-clear picture of who your customer is. Research your potential competitors, see what their strengths and weaknesses are, and determine how you can create more effective solutions. It’s critical that you stay on top of what the competition is offering.

When attempting to discern who your target audience is and who your ideal consumers are, a strong small business plan will identify market segments, the size of each, and additional segments that could be interested in your business. The typical way to distinguish market segments is to use a method called the TAM, SAM, and SOM approach, defined as:

• TAM: Your Total Available or Addressable Market. This group includes everyone you wish to reach with your product/service.

• SAM: Your Segmented Addressable Market or Served Available Market. This is the portion of the total available market you will target.

• SOM: Your Share of the Market. This is a category within your SAM that you will realistically reach in the early days of your business.

Once you establish your market segments, figure out who your ideal customer, or “buyer persona,” is within each segment. In this exercise, you should attribute specific demographics to your buyer persona—for example, a name, gender, income level, and preferences in the marketplace. This fictitious persona of your ideal customer will help you to better understand your consumer base, create stronger marketing and sales tools targeted to your consumer, and be able to attract the right type of client to your business.

4. Organization and management

Delineate your company’s business structure—whether it’s set up as a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, C-corp, or S-corp. Explain who is in charge, list your employees by job function, and elaborate on each person’s responsibilities. If you already have staff in place, include employees’ names and experiences, describe what each of your workers is contributing to your small firm, and how each will help it succeed. This is your opportunity to demonstrate how you’ve amassed a stellar team or explain your strategy for attracting and retaining one.

You know the old axiom: A company is only as good as its employees. Kathryn Minshew, CEO and cofounder of career-planning platform The Muse, elaborates on this tenet in a widely circulated piece of advice that was published in Colleen DeBaise's book, Inc.: Start a Successful Business : “The hard part is actually building the team that will embody your company culture and propel you forward.” This is a critical point: You must hire good people who understand your vision and who are dedicated to helping your small business flourish.

5. Description of products or services

Outline the products or services your company offers as specifically as possible. Focus first on what you will initially bring to market, rather than long-term plans. Though it’s exciting to speculate on just how big your company can become—after all, it’s that type of guts, vision, and big thinking that enabled you to launch your own business in the first place—there's no point in focusing too heavily on the distant future in the initial business plan.

You do, however, need to illustrate exactly what your company is offering, so spend a few paragraphs expanding on your concept for products and services. Discuss your service or product’s life cycle, be very specific about how it will impact consumers, and divulge whether you plan to file for copyrights or patents. Also, describe the research and development you plan to do to enhance your offerings in the near future.

6. Marketing and sales

Spelling out your complete sales and marketing strategy will provide you with a point of reference for the future. You’ll likely refer to this section and continue to tweak and update it as your company grows. Here, discuss how you plan to reach your target audience. Be sure that you have your buyer persona explicitly defined before doing this (see number 3 above).

Within the marketing strategy portion of your business plan, delineate how you plan to position your company to consumers and how you will deliver the goods and/or services you will offer. Include a positioning statement that expresses your essential value proposition and distinguishes your competitive edge. According to Bplans , a free online resource for entrepreneurs, your positioning statement needn’t be lengthy; Bplans recommends using this simple formula to construct your statement: “For [target market description] who [target market need], [this product] [how it meets the need]. Unlike [key competition], it [most important distinguishing feature].”

This sales and marketing section is the place to address product and service pricing. Although there is no exact science to setting your pricing, consider the following:

• You must break even. Plan to charge customers enough to cover your costs in creating and delivering goods or services.

• Plan for primary and secondary profit center pricing. You may decide to sell your product or services at cost or less-than-cost to offer an appealing price— but then require support or maintenance that would push the price over the amount that would make it profitable for you.

• Adhere to market rate. Your pricing should be aligned with what your audience expects. You’ll walk a fine line here: You don’t want to alienate potential customers with high pricing, yet you shouldn’t devalue your offerings with pricing that’s too low.

How you will promote and advertise your business should also be addressed in this section. Do you plan to rely on traditional advertising avenues, such as print media? Would an online platform better suit your business and reach your target audience? How about public relations? Outline how you'll get the word out about your new company.

You can also market yourself online through social media channels. It’s a business necessity to have an online presence, and deciding which social media platform will serve you best depends on your target audience. Consider your consumer demographic when deciding on where to focus your time and efforts. You’ll want to make sure to keep your brand message and voice consistent across all marketing, advertising, and promotional materials—in print and online.

7. Funding request

If you’re using your plan to seek funding, this section is where you clearly express how much you need and how you will use it. Will you opt for debt or equity? This is a question you should ponder ahead of time: Are you willing to relinquish equity in your company for the funds to get your business off the ground? What are the terms you’re seeking? What is the length of time in business that your request will cover? Make note of collateral you have to put against loans, if any. Be prepared to explain to potential investors in depth how you will use their funds. Paint them a picture in broad strokes, and highlight the major areas that need funding (for example, purchasing an inventory, funding a marketing budget, etc.).

8. Financial projections

Follow up your funding request with a detailed explanation of future financial plans. Investors want to believe they’re making a sound decision by supporting your business. When do you plan to pay off debt? Do you intend to build up your business and then sell it? Include projections for the next five years.

Don’t fret if you do not have a solid foundation in finance. It’s not as complex to create these financial projections as you might assume. This section is where you might employ some of your design savvy to create visuals such as charts and graphs to spice up otherwise dull financial details.

Your financial forecast should include the following (this information can be projected if your business is not yet established enough to have the actual documents):

• Income statement (a.k.a., profit and loss or P&L): This document essentially shows whether you’re making money. It includes a compilation of all your numbers and data, and shows your expenses deducted from your earnings to reveal whether you’re poised to be profitable.

• Cash flow statement: This statement differs from your P&L in that it’s the record of how much money you have in the bank at any given moment. In this document, you’ll calculate cash you have plus cash you receive minus cash you pay out, which equals your total cash flow. This cash flow statement helps you to understand at what points you may be low on cash (for example, while you’re waiting for a client to pay a bill), indicating that it may not be the optimal time to spend on non-urgent expenses. This document can help you determine how much funding you may need to get your small business up and running.

• Balance sheet: This statement helps determine the net worth of your company. It subtracts your assets and equity from your liabilities to arrive at your company’s net worth. From this balance sheet, investors can see the overall financial picture of your endeavor.

9. Appendix

Here you’ll include any requested documentation, such as résumés, reference letters, credit reports, permits, licenses, contracts, patents, or other legal paperwork. It’s also where you can add any supplemental information that an investor might want or need when considering whether or not to help you with funding.

Keeping these strategies in mind, you should be ready to get started on your business plan. This documentation is essential to plotting the future of your company, so it's important to spend time on it and make sure it represents you and your business in the best way possible.

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A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Killer Business Plan

A business plan is as important to a new business as a map is to a ship, or blueprints are to an architect. A written business plan will guide your actions and keep you focused on your short- and long-term goals.

Your business plan puts your aspirations into words (and charts), demonstrating to partners, investors and lenders why your venture can and will be a success. It details the path from your business today to your business three to five years down the road.

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Whether it’s a traditional plan or a lean startup document, your business plan should cover everything someone would want to know about your business. What is your value proposition? Why is now a good time for a business like yours? And how much will you and your potential investors or lenders stand to gain if everything goes to plan?

Now that we’ve established how important a business plan is, how do you write one? The idea of writing a blueprint that carries your business five years down the road can sound intimidating to some, but a business plan is only as complicated as you make it.

Let’s discuss what information your plan needs, what format it should have, and what additional steps you need to take to write an expert-level business plan.

Related: Why It’s Important to Keep Your Business Plan Flexible

What’s in a business plan.

There isn’t an exact formula for what a business plan should look like. You can and should give the concept your personal spin.

That said, there are areas that most business plans cover, in varying amounts of detail. According to the Small Business Administration , they are as follows:

1. Executive summary

This general overview tells readers what your company is and why they should expect it to succeed. This piece of the puzzle is arguably the most important part of the plan—if someone reads this and doesn’t want to keep going, you’ve lost them.

Typically, an executive summary is about a page and contains these six things:

• Mission statement : What is your company and what are your goals?
• General company information : Include the state your company was incorporated in, the names of its founders and employees, and any physical locations.
• Highlights : Even if your business is brand new, you should have some highlights to discuss. What kind of early traction do you see? What opportunities are on the horizon?
• Products and services : What do you actually sell or do?
• Financial goals : Do you have aspirations of obtaining a business loan, a grant or other additional funding? Include those goals here.
• Future plans : You’ll get into this more later, but give a synopsis of where you see the business headed.

Though your executive is the first page of the business plan, you may find it easier to write after you finish everything else.

2. Company description

Now that you’ve set the scene, go in-depth into the details of your company. Answer questions like:

• What does your company do, and how does it do that differently than its competitors?
• What market or kind of customer will you cater to?
• What is your strength as a business?

Be specific in this elevator pitch of your business.

3. Market analysis

Your business doesn’t exist in a bubble—it needs to thrive within its industry, alongside (and in spite of) its competitors. Your market analysis will be an examination of the market you’re entering, demonstrating your mastery of the details, emerging trends and themes.

A good market analysis includes:

• Industry description : The history, size and largest players of your industry.
• Target market overview and characteristics : Who are you specifically targeting, and what do you know about them as customers?
• Target market size and growth potential : Is this target market big enough for sustained business? Is there potential for further growth?
• Your market share potential : How much of this market do you think you can corner?
• Market pricing and promotional strategies : Research should tell you how much you can reasonably expect to charge for your goods or services.
• Potential barriers to entry : Discuss potential issues such as changing technology or lack of available talent in certain areas. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns—it will make them easier to address.
• Research on competitors : What strengths and weaknesses does your competition possess, and how can you join them at the top of your field?

4. Business organization

In this section, describe how your company will be structured from a logistical and legal standpoint.

Logistics-wise, you should have an organizational chart that describes who is in charge of what in your company. Even if it’s just you or you and a few employees, lay out each person’s responsibilities as well as backgrounds and experience. You can also describe any pressing hiring needs.

In addition, include information about your company’s legal structure here. Are you a sole proprietorship, LLC, or S Corp ? This helps investors or lenders understand what legal protections you may or may not have in place.

5. Product development plan

Describe your products or services here. What need do they fulfill and why will customers want to buy or obtain them, particularly over the products or services of competitors?

Of course, your product isn’t just an item on a shelf. This section is also for detailing sourcing and fulfillment, intellectual property rights, the current status of your products (are they still in development or ready to ship?), and your future plans for growth and improvement.

6. Marketing and sales plan

The best business idea in the world won’t succeed if no one knows about it or can’t get their hands on it. That’s where marketing and sales come into play.

When discussing marketing, you need to focus on two key points: positioning and promotion. Positioning includes your branding, which is more than just your logo and name; it also includes your company culture and reputation. Promotion is your plan for making people aware of your business, from where you’ll advertise to potential content marketing practices.

For sales, describe how a sale will actually happen. Who will make sales, what tools will they use, and what is the overarching strategy for obtaining, converting and maintaining leads?

7. Financial plan and projections

Here, you’ll discuss both your current and future financial situation. For brand new businesses, you won’t have data or income statements to demonstrate, but you will be expected to make projections and forecasts of your future success.

Make projections for your business for a minimum of 12 months into the future, but preferably for three to five years down the line, as well. Don’t worry: You can (and should!) make adjustments to this document as variables change; the goal is to create a baseline that you can then exceed—or, conversely, fail to exceed, and understand why.

8. Funding request

Financing is a common need for new businesses, as the startup costs for new ventures can be much higher than inexperienced entrepreneurs understand. Even small, home-based businesses can often require thousands in startup capital . If you need funding, say so in your plan.

Now that you’ve shown your financial expectations, explain how an infusion of funds (whether via investment or a loan) will help put you on the path to success. How much funding will you need over the next five years, and why? Where in the business will you invest these funds? This way, investors and lenders will know what you expect from them.

9. Appendix

A good business plan will include an appendix that provides supporting documents, materials, contracts, permits, licenses, resumes, credit histories and any other important information. This is also a good place for charts, graphs and other points of reference.

How should you format your business plan?

There are two ways that businesses choose to format their business plan. You may choose to have two versions, or just one.

Traditional business plans have a standard structure and typically span a dozen or more pages due to their detailed analyses, as described above. Though they require more work upfront, you can rest assured once the plan is completed that you’ve got a thorough outline.

Lean startup business plans are usually one or two-pages that summarize the most important elements of your business plan. They may have many of the same sections that a traditional plan has, but they’re truncated to give readers a brief overview rather than a deep dive into your business. Other topics that a lean startup plan might cover include key business partnerships, key resources and customer relationships.

Lenders and investors typically ask for a traditional business plan, but a lean startup plan may be a good place to begin if you expect major aspects of your business to change, or just want to create a quick document that explains the fundamentals.

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How do you write the best possible plan.

Let’s say you’ve written what you consider to be a strong business plan for your new business. You’ve covered all the topics above, formatted everything nicely, and want to present it to potential investors. What else can you do to make sure it makes an impact?

Here are a few additional tips on writing an excellent business plan:

Research exhaustively

You should know everything you possibly can about your business and the industry you want to impact. As much time as you spend actually writing, you should spend even more on research, planning and interviewing.

Make it adaptable

A good business plan will be accessible to anyone, from investors to family members. But that doesn’t mean it needs to stay the same for every audience: If you’re presenting your business plan to a lender, give more emphasis to your financial projections; for investors, play up the value of your team.

A business plan isn’t carved in stone: It can be altered at any time. Just don’t present alternate financial projections—you should have solid math and theory behind your numbers.

Make it personal

Business plan writing doesn’t have to be staid and boring. Use your business plan as a vehicle for expressing your passion for your new business. If you are able to explain why you care, others will care as well.

Whether your business plan is traditional or lean, whether it’s for your own reference or to woo investors, and whether it’s one page or 50 pages, just know that you need one. Your new venture likely won’t survive without a plan in place for its present and future, so get writing before you get down to business.

Originally published Jan. 28, 2019.

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How to Make a Killer Business Plan Presentation (+Templates)

Learn how to make a business plan presentation with tips for slide design, structure, and engaging examples, as well as templates to bring your vision to life.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What slides should a business plan presentation include?

• Opening slide
• Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
• Business overview
• The challenge you're addressing
• Market analysis
• Your solution
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Team composition
• Funding request and allocation

Your business plan presentation needs to be as strong as your idea

Having a well-crafted business plan is crucial, but if it's not presented effectively, it's like having a treasure map that no one can read.

Even the best ideas can fall flat if they're not communicated clearly, potentially burying your chance of getting your business off the ground.

Remember, presenting a business plan is more than just sharing facts and figures. It's about engaging your audience, whether they're investors or stakeholders, and making them believe in your vision.

But don't worry, you're not alone in this. This guide is here to help you master the art of business plan presentation. You'll learn how to structure your presentation, design slides that captivate, and conclude in a way that leaves a lasting impact and drives action.

Let's dive in!

What to include in a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is your chance to delve deep, showcasing not just the what and the how, but also the why of your business. It's your strategic playbook that can persuade investors, guide your team, and set the foundation for your business's success.

11 essential slides of a business plan presentation:

Opening slide: Set the tone with an engaging first impression.

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define what sets your business apart.

Business overview: Offer a concise snapshot of your company.

The challenge you're addressing: Describe the problem your business solves.

Market analysis: Demonstrate your understanding of the industry and market trends.

Your solution: Detail how your product or service addresses the problem you’ve identified.

Marketing and sales strategy: Outline your approach to winning and keeping customers.

Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specify your objectives and how you’ll measure success.

Team composition: Introduce key team members, their roles, and expertise.

Funding request and allocation: Explain your financial requirements and how the funds will be utilized.

Next steps: Guide the reader on the next steps after reviewing your plan, whether it's a meeting request, further discussion, or a specific action you want them to take.

What does a business plan presentation look like?

In today's fast-paced business world, static business plan presentations are losing their edge. Imagine having to constantly pinch and zoom on a mobile device just to see the details. It's frustrating and distracting.

People also get disengaged when faced with walls of text. They're there to hear a story, not read a novel.

Interactive presentations, on the other hand, bring your business plan to life. They encourage audience participation, adapt to the flow of discussion, and make complex ideas more digestible and memorable.

You can see what an interactive business plan presentation looks like below:

How to turn a business plan into a presentation

Transforming your business plan into a presentation is a crucial step in bringing your vision to life. It's not just about having a plan; it's about presenting it in a way that resonates with investors and partners.

Start by distilling the essence of your plan, focusing on key points like your mission, market analysis, and financial projections. Use engaging visuals and a clear narrative to make complex information accessible.

For detailed insights on how to write a business plan , check out our guide.

How to make a business plan presentation in 6 easy steps

Crafting a business plan is about blending vision and strategy into a narrative that captivates your audience. With Storydoc's AI business presentation maker, creating this narrative becomes intuitive and easy.

In the guide below, we'll show you how to turn your plan into an engaging presentation in 6 simple steps. Stick around to see how seamlessly Storydoc can bring your business story to life.

1) Describe your presentation’s objective

Kick things off by sharing with our AI the type of business plan you're looking to create. This is like setting the GPS for your journey, ensuring every part of your plan is aligned with your end goal.

2) Give an overview of yourself, your organization, and your offering

Introduce the essence of your business - who you are, what your company stands for, and the unique value of what you offer. This sets the stage for a personalized and relevant presentation.

3) Select a suitable design template

Dive into our collection of design templates and pick one that resonates with your business's personality.

4) Tailor your business plan presentation to your needs

Now, here’s where you add your personal touch. Fill in your details, tweak the design, and watch the magic happen as the template adapts to your content. This is where your business plan presentation starts to take on a life of its own.

Then, you can either upload your own multimedia elements or sit back as our AI assistant generates some for you.

5) Add personalized elements

Next up, sprinkle in some personalization. It works just like personalizing a newsletter - you can insert dynamic variables that automatically fill up with your recipient's data.

This level of customization not only makes your presentation feel tailor-made for each reader but also adds a layer of engagement. As a matter of fact, it can get 68% more people to read your deck in full , and share it internally 2.3x more often!

6) Review and refine your business plan presentation

Finally, take a step back and review your plan. Ensure it looks good, flows well, and clearly conveys your message.

The beauty of Storydoc is that it's a living document – if you spot a mistake or need to update information after sharing, you can. You're in control, ensuring your audience always sees the most polished and up-to-date version of your business plan presentation.

Business plan design principles to turn average into impressive

Designing a business plan presentation is about more than just putting words on a page; it's about creating an experience that captures and holds attention. In today's digital age, the way you present your plan can be just as important as the content itself.

Let's explore how to design a business plan presentation that stands out in the modern business landscape.

1) Move from static to interactive

Gone are the days of static, text-heavy business plan presentations. Today's plans are interactive, engaging readers with clickable elements, dynamic charts, and even embedded videos.

This interactivity not only makes your plan more interesting but also allows readers to engage with the content in a more meaningful way.

Here's a great example of an interactive business plan presentation:

2) Use scroll-based design

Forget the hassle of pinching and zooming on a PDF. A scroll-based design, similar to a modern website, offers a fluid reading experience.

It's straightforward and aligns with how we naturally consume content online, making your business plan presentation easier and more enjoyable to read.

Here's an example of scroll-based design:

3) Make sure your business plan presentation is mobile-friendly

With so many people reading on their phones, your business plan presenttion needs to look good on any device.

Responsive design means your plan is easily readable on a phone, tablet, or computer, ensuring that your message is clear no matter how your audience accesses it.

4) Shift from local files to online documents

Step away from traditional Word docs or PDFs and embrace online documents. They're great for sharing, updating in real time, and collaborating with others.

Plus, they're accessible from anywhere, which is perfect for busy investors who are always on the move.

For more information, check out our comparison of the best business plan document types .

5) Embrace visual storytelling

Use visuals like infographics and charts to tell your business's story. They can turn complex data into easy-to-understand, engaging information. A well-placed visual can often do a better job of explaining your points than text alone.

Here's a great example of visual storytelling:

Best business plan software

Selecting the right tool to create your business plan presentation is vital for any startup. To ease your journey, I've compiled a list of the top business plan software, each designed to cater to different needs.

From comprehensive platforms guiding you step-by-step to dynamic tools that add interactive elements to your presentation, there's something for every entrepreneur.

The best business plan software currently available:

LivePlan.com

BizPlan.com

Upmetrics.co

GoSmallBiz.com

Business Sorter

MAUS Master Plan Lean

For a deep dive into each tool and to find the one that best fits your business's needs, explore our detailed guide to the best business plan software .

Interactive business plan presentation templates

The pressure to get your business plan presentation right can be overwhelming. After all, in many cases, you only get one shot to impress.

These business plan presentation templates offer a framework that takes care of the structure and design, allowing you to focus solely on fleshing out your strategy.

Whether you're pitching to investors, partners, or stakeholders, these templates give you the confidence that your plan is presented in the best possible light.

Grab one and see for yourself.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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What Makes a Killer Business Plan

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Some businesses don’t plan to fail—they fail to plan. But the successful ones can identify what resources they have, what goals they want to accomplish, and how they’re going to get there. Essentially, those are the makings of an effective plan. Here are five key elements that you should consider when creating a killer plan for your small business.

Why It’s So Important

Killer business plans aren’t just a “nice-to-have.” They can help you:

• Secure financing – Lending institutions want to assess your ability to make good on a loan. Your plan helps them do that by demonstrating your knowledge of key success factors.
• Measure progress – Plans help provide mile markers for your business. It’s the standard by which you can look back and see how far you’ve come.
• Use resources wisely – Most businesses don’t have unlimited resources. A plan can help you make better decisions about where you spend resources to achieve the goals you set.

5 Essential Elements for a Killer Plan

Successful business plans commonly adhere to a few best practices. These five elements are found in many of them:

• Executive Summary –This is the first and often the most important section. It’s where the reader (or investor) will decide whether it’s worth reading on to find out more. So be brief, compelling and to the point. Talk about what your business is, what you want to accomplish, why you think it will be successful, and what you need to make it happen. Some find it easier to write this last so the detail that follows supports it.
• Target Market – Provide a deep profile of your potential customers and the market. Describe how desirable the market is and what’s missing. Look at factors like who’s the competition, what’s the current/future size of the market and how much of that could you capture, what profit margins you expect, and what barriers exist (e.g., regulatory requirements). Some include supporting quotes from interviews with potential customers.
• Your Offering – Describe what product or service you plan to provide. Why it’s better than what’s out there now? How far along are you in its development? For example, is it at the idea stage, have you test marketed it or is it already at market. Include details about any arrangements you have with potential suppliers and whether you have secured any intellectual property rights.
• Game Plan – Given the analysis you did on the market and what you can uniquely offer, this is your chance to describe how you’d do it. Some refer to this as the marketing plan. It should include your strategy for establishing yourself in the market, making your product/service available, and growing your business. It will also describe your promotional strategy to get and keep customers.
• You – You can have the best analysis, a dynamite offering and stellar promotion but if you don’t have the right leadership, you may not succeed. In this section, sell yourself and any other individuals who will run the business. Describe any previous entrepreneurial success, special skills/contacts, education, or community involvement. Quantify your achievements to demonstrate results (e.g., 5 percent increase annually in net customer acquisition).

For More Information

The Small Business Administration offers a free Business Plan Tool . It’s a step-by-step guide through these elements and more. When it’s completed, you can also discuss next steps with a counselor or mentor from one of their partner organizations like SCORE or the Women’s Business Center.

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Subscribe for exclusive access, how to write a business plan (tips, templates, examples).

Written by Jesse Sumrak | May 14, 2023

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Business plans might seem like an old-school stiff-collared practice, but they deserve a place in the startup realm, too. It’s probably not going to be the frame-worthy document you hang in the office—yet, it may one day be deserving of the privilege.

Whether you’re looking to win the heart of an angel investor or convince a bank to lend you money, you’ll need a business plan. And not just any ol’ notes and scribble on the back of a pizza box or napkin—you’ll need a professional, standardized report.

Bah. Sounds like homework, right?

Yes. Yes, it does.

However, just like bookkeeping, loan applications, and 404 redirects, business plans are an essential step in cementing your business foundation.

Don’t worry. We’ll show you how to write a business plan without boring you to tears. We’ve jam-packed this article with all the business plan examples, templates, and tips you need to take your non-existent proposal from concept to completion.

Table of Contents

What Is a Business Plan?

Tips to Make Your Small Business Plan Ironclad

How to Write a Business Plan in 6 Steps

Startup Business Plan Template

Business Plan Examples

Work on Making Your Business Plan

How to Write a Business Plan FAQs

What is a business plan why do you desperately need one.

A business plan is a roadmap that outlines:

• Who your business is, what it does, and who it serves
• Where your business is now
• Where you want it to go
• How you’re going to make it happen
• What might stop you from taking your business from Point A to Point B
• How you’ll overcome the predicted obstacles

While it’s not required when starting a business, having a business plan is helpful for a few reasons:

• Secure a Bank Loan: Before approving you for a business loan, banks will want to see that your business is legitimate and can repay the loan. They want to know how you’re going to use the loan and how you’ll make monthly payments on your debt. Lenders want to see a sound business strategy that doesn’t end in loan default.
• Win Over Investors: Like lenders, investors want to know they’re going to make a return on their investment. They need to see your business plan to have the confidence to hand you money.
• Stay Focused: It’s easy to get lost chasing the next big thing. Your business plan keeps you on track and focused on the big picture. Your business plan can prevent you from wasting time and resources on something that isn’t aligned with your business goals.

Beyond the reasoning, let’s look at what the data says:

• Simply writing a business plan can boost your average annual growth by 30%
• Entrepreneurs who create a formal business plan are 16% more likely to succeed than those who don’t
• A study looking at 65 fast-growth companies found that 71% had small business plans
• The process and output of creating a business plan have shown to improve business performance

Convinced yet? If those numbers and reasons don’t have you scrambling for pen and paper, who knows what will.

Don’t Skip: Business Startup Costs Checklist

Before we get into the nitty-gritty steps of how to write a business plan, let’s look at some high-level tips to get you started in the right direction:

Be Professional and Legit

You might be tempted to get cutesy or revolutionary with your business plan—resist the urge. While you should let your brand and creativity shine with everything you produce, business plans fall more into the realm of professional documents.

Think of your business plan the same way as your terms and conditions, employee contracts, or financial statements. You want your plan to be as uniform as possible so investors, lenders, partners, and prospective employees can find the information they need to make important decisions.

If you want to create a fun summary business plan for internal consumption, then, by all means, go right ahead. However, for the purpose of writing this external-facing document, keep it legit.

Know Your Audience

Your official business plan document is for lenders, investors, partners, and big-time prospective employees. Keep these names and faces in your mind as you draft your plan.

Think about what they might be interested in seeing, what questions they’ll ask, and what might convince (or scare) them. Cut the jargon and tailor your language so these individuals can understand.

Remember, these are busy people. They’re likely looking at hundreds of applicants and startup investments every month. Keep your business plan succinct and to the point. Include the most pertinent information and omit the sections that won’t impact their decision-making.

Invest Time Researching

You might not have answers to all the sections you should include in your business plan. Don’t skip over these!

Your audience will want:

• Detailed information about your customers
• Numbers and solid math to back up your financial claims and estimates
• Deep insights about your competitors and potential threats
• Data to support market opportunities and strategy

Your answers can’t be hypothetical or opinionated. You need research to back up your claims. If you don’t have that data yet, then invest time and money in collecting it. That information isn’t just critical for your business plan—it’s essential for owning, operating, and growing your company.

Stay Realistic

Your business may be ambitious, but reign in the enthusiasm just a teeny-tiny bit. The last thing you want to do is have an angel investor call BS and say “I’m out” before even giving you a chance.

The folks looking at your business and evaluating your plan have been around the block—they know a thing or two about fact and fiction. Your plan should be a blueprint for success. It should be the step-by-step roadmap for how you’re going from Point A to Point B.

How to Write a Business Plan—6 Essential Elements

Not every business plan looks the same, but most share a few common elements. Here’s what they typically include:

• Executive Summary
• Business Overview
• Products and Services
• Market Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• Financial Strategy

Below, we’ll break down each of these sections in more detail.

1. Executive Summary

While your executive summary is the first page of your business plan, it’s the section you’ll write last. That’s because it summarizes your entire business plan into a succinct one-pager.

Begin with an executive summary that introduces the reader to your business and gives them an overview of what’s inside the business plan.

Your executive summary highlights key points of your plan. Consider this your elevator pitch. You want to put all your juiciest strengths and opportunities strategically in this section.

2. Business Overview

In this section, you can dive deeper into the elements of your business, including answering:

• What’s your business structure? Sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, etc.
• Where is it located?
• Who owns the business? Does it have employees?
• What problem does it solve, and how?
• What’s your mission statement? Your mission statement briefly describes why you are in business. To write a proper mission statement, brainstorm your business’s core values and who you serve.

Don’t overlook your mission statement. This powerful sentence or paragraph could be the inspiration that drives an investor to take an interest in your business. Here are a few examples of powerful mission statements that just might give you the goosebumps:

• Patagonia: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
• Tesla: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
• InvisionApp : Question Assumptions. Think Deeply. Iterate as a Lifestyle. Details, Details. Design is Everywhere. Integrity.
• TED : Spread ideas.
• Warby Parker : To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.

3. Products and Services

As the owner, you know your business and the industry inside and out. However, whoever’s reading your document might not. You’re going to need to break down your products and services in minute detail.

For example, if you own a SaaS business, you’re going to need to explain how this business model works and what you’re selling.

You’ll need to include:

• What services you sell: Describe the services you provide and how these will help your target audience.
• What products you sell: Describe your products (and types if applicable) and how they will solve a need for your target and provide value.
• How much you charge: If you’re selling services, will you charge hourly, per project, retainer, or a mixture of all of these? If you’re selling products, what are the price ranges?

4. Market Analysis

Your market analysis essentially explains how your products and services address customer concerns and pain points. This section will include research and data on the state and direction of your industry and target market.

This research should reveal lucrative opportunities and how your business is uniquely positioned to seize the advantage. You’ll also want to touch on your marketing strategy and how it will (or does) work for your audience.

Include a detailed analysis of your target customers. This describes the people you serve and sell your product to. Be careful not to go too broad here—you don’t want to fall into the common entrepreneurial trap of trying to sell to everyone and thereby not differentiating yourself enough to survive the competition.

The market analysis section will include your unique value proposition. Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the thing that makes you stand out from your competitors. This is your key to success.

If you don’t have a UVP, you don’t have a way to take on competitors who are already in this space. Here’s an example of an ecommerce internet business plan outlining their competitive edge:

FireStarters’ competitive advantage is offering product lines that make a statement but won’t leave you broke. The major brands are expensive and not distinctive enough to satisfy the changing taste of our target customers. FireStarters offers products that are just ahead of the curve and so affordable that our customers will return to the website often to check out what’s new.

5. Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis examines the strengths and weaknesses of competing businesses in your market or industry. This will include direct and indirect competitors. It can also include threats and opportunities, like economic concerns or legal restraints.

The best way to sum up this section is with a classic SWOT analysis. This will explain your company’s position in relation to your competitors.

6. Financial Strategy

Your financial strategy will sum up your revenue, expenses, profit (or loss), and financial plan for the future. It’ll explain how you make money, where your cash flow goes, and how you’ll become profitable or stay profitable.

This is one of the most important sections for lenders and investors. Have you ever watched Shark Tank? They always ask about the company’s financial situation. How has it performed in the past? What’s the ongoing outlook moving forward? How does the business plan to make it happen?

Answer all of these questions in your financial strategy so that your audience doesn’t have to ask. Go ahead and include forecasts and graphs in your plan, too:

• Balance sheet: This includes your assets, liabilities, and equity.
• Profit & Loss (P&L) statement: This details your income and expenses over a given period.
• Cash flow statement: Similar to the P&L, this one will show all cash flowing into and out of the business each month.

It takes cash to change the world—lenders and investors get it. If you’re short on funding, explain how much money you’ll need and how you’ll use the capital. Where are you looking for financing? Are you looking to take out a business loan, or would you rather trade equity for capital instead?

Read More: 16 Financial Concepts Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know

Startup Business Plan Template (Copy/Paste Outline)

Ready to write your own business plan? Copy/paste the startup business plan template below and fill in the blanks.

Executive Summary Remember, do this last. Summarize who you are and your business plan in one page.

Business Overview Describe your business. What’s it do? Who owns it? How’s it structured? What’s the mission statement?

Products and Services Detail the products and services you offer. How do they work? What do you charge?

Market Analysis Write about the state of the market and opportunities. Use date. Describe your customers. Include your UVP.

Competitive Analysis Outline the competitors in your market and industry. Include threats and opportunities. Add a SWOT analysis of your business.

Financial Strategy Sum up your revenue, expenses, profit (or loss), and financial plan for the future. If you’re applying for a loan, include how you’ll use the funding to progress the business.

5 Frame-Worthy Business Plan Examples

Want to explore other templates and examples? We got you covered. Check out these 5 business plan examples you can use as inspiration when writing your plan:

• SBA Wooden Grain Toy Company
• SBA We Can Do It Consulting
• OrcaSmart Business Plan Sample
• Plum Business Plan Template
• PandaDoc Free Business Plan Templates

Get to Work on Making Your Business Plan

If you find you’re getting stuck on perfecting your document, opt for a simple one-page business plan —and then get to work. You can always polish up your official plan later as you learn more about your business and the industry.

Remember, business plans are not a requirement for starting a business—they’re only truly essential if a bank or investor is asking for it.

Ask others to review your business plan. Get feedback from other startups and successful business owners. They’ll likely be able to see holes in your planning or undetected opportunities—just make sure these individuals aren’t your competitors (or potential competitors).

Your business plan isn’t a one-and-done report—it’s a living, breathing document. You’ll make changes to it as you grow and evolve. When the market or your customers change, your plan will need to change to adapt.

That means when you’re finished with this exercise, it’s not time to print your plan out and stuff it in a file cabinet somewhere. No, it should sit on your desk as a day-to-day reference. Use it (and update it) as you make decisions about your product, customers, and financial plan.

Review your business plan frequently, update it routinely, and follow the path you’ve developed to the future you’re building.

Keep Learning: New Product Development Process in 8 Easy Steps

What financial information should be included in a business plan?

Be as detailed as you can without assuming too much. For example, include your expected revenue, expenses, profit, and growth for the future.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a business plan?

The most common mistake is turning your business plan into a textbook. A business plan is an internal guide and an external pitching tool. Cut the fat and only include the most relevant information to start and run your business.

Who should review my business plan before I submit it?

Co-founders, investors, or a board of advisors. Otherwise, reach out to a trusted mentor, your local chamber of commerce, or someone you know that runs a business.

Ready to Write Your Business Plan?

Don’t let creating a business plan hold you back from starting your business. Writing documents might not be your thing—that doesn’t mean your business is a bad idea.

Let us help you get started.

Join our free training to learn how to start an online side hustle in 30 days or less. We’ll provide you with a proven roadmap for how to find, validate, and pursue a profitable business idea (even if you have zero entrepreneurial experience).

Stuck on the ideas part? No problem. When you attend the masterclass, we’ll send you a free ebook with 100 of the hottest side hustle trends right now. It’s chock full of brilliant business ideas to get you up and running in the right direction.

About Jesse Sumrak

Jesse Sumrak is a writing zealot focused on creating killer content. He’s spent almost a decade writing about startup, marketing, and entrepreneurship topics, having built and sold his own post-apocalyptic fitness bootstrapped business. A writer by day and a peak bagger by night (and early early morning), you can usually find Jesse preparing for the apocalypse on a precipitous peak somewhere in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

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How to Write an Executive Summary

9 min. read

Updated December 13, 2023

An executive summary isn’t just the beginning of your business plan – it’s your opening act, your first chance to impress potential investors, banks, clients and other stakeholders.

An effective executive summary gives decision-makers critical information about your business instantly.

Creating an executive summary is more than just a writing exercise. It requires careful crafting and strategic thinking, as well as an ability to balance the needs to be both succinct and comprehensive.

• What is an executive summary?

The executive summary is a brief introduction and summary of your business plan. It introduces your business, the problem you solve, and what you’re asking from your readers. Anyone should be able to understand your business by simply reading this section of your plan.

While structurally it is the first chapter of your plan—you should write it last. Once you know the details of your business inside and out, you will be better prepared to write this section.

• Why write an executive summary?

The business plan executive summary provides quick access to critical information from your more detailed business plan.

It is essential for informing anyone outside of your business. Many people—including investors and bankers—will only read your summary. Others will use it to decide if they should read the rest. For you, it is a snapshot of your business to reference when planning or revising your strategy.

Now if you’re writing a business plan solely for internal use you may not need an executive summary. However, some internal plans may necessitate writing an executive summary for assignment—such as for an annual operations plan or a strategic plan .

It takes some effort to do a good summary, so if you don’t have a business use in mind, don’t do it.

• How long should it be?

Business plan executive summaries should be as short as possible. Your audience has limited time and attention and they want to quickly get the details of your business plan.

Try to keep your executive summary under two pages if possible, although it can be longer if absolutely necessary. If you have a one-page business plan, you can even use that as your executive summary.

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• Executive summary outline

Two pages isn’t a ton of space to capture the full scope of your vision for the business. That means every sentence of your executive summary counts.

You will want to immediately capture the reader’s attention with a compelling introduction. Without getting too lengthy, present who you are as an organization, the problem you are seeking to solve, your skills, and why you are the best entity to solve the problem you’ve outlined.

It’s crucial to establish the need or problem your business is solving in a clear manner, in order to convince your audience that it must be addressed. Following that, recommend the solution and show its value. Be clear and firm in your recommendation, making sure to justify your cause and highlighting key reasons why your organization is the perfect fit for the solution you’re proposing. Finally, a strong conclusion is needed to reiterate the main points and wrap up the executive summary.

What to include in your executive summary

1. business overview.

A one-sentence description that explains what you do, why you do it, and how you do it.

Summarize the problem you’re solving in the market and reference any data that solidifies that there is a need.

3. Solution

Describe your product or service and how it addresses the problem you identified.

4. Target market

Who is your ideal customer? Describe who they are, how they’ll benefit, and why they’re an attainable customer base.

5. Competition

Who are your competitors? List out any primary competition as well as alternatives that your customers may consider. Include key details about their current offerings, promotions, and business strategy.

6. Your team

In your executive summary, outline your organizational structure and current team. List out brief explanations of who you and your team are, your qualifications, and what your function will be within the business. It may be valuable to also highlight any gaps in your team and how you intend to fill them. If you have potential partners or candidates in mind, briefly mention them and expand on their qualifications within your full business plan.

7. Financial summary

Highlight key aspects of your financial plan that address sales, expenses, and profitability. Try to keep these in chart or graph form to ensure the information is easy to consume and resonates visually.

8. Funding requirements

This section is only necessary if you’re seeking out funding or pitching to investors. Be sure to throw out your financing number and reasoning upfront, rather than hiding it later on in your plan. It helps investors understand your position, what you’re asking for, and how you’ll use it.

9. Milestones and traction

Add initial sales, pre-sales, newsletter sign-ups, or anything else that showcases customer interest. Outline what steps you’ve already taken to launch your business, the milestones you’ve hit, and your goals and milestones for the next month, six months, year, etc.

Executive summary vs introduction

A common mistake some people make when starting an executive summary outline is thinking it performs the same function as the introduction to their business plan. In fact, the two serve different purposes and contain different types of information, even though they are both essential.

As we’ve discussed, the executive summary is a high-level overview of the entire business plan. The introduction, by contrast, dives deeper into your business, providing information about the nature of your business, the history of your company, your mission statement, products or services, and the specific problem that your business solves.

The introduction is more detailed, and usually comes right after the executive summary.

On the other hand, the introduction gives investors or lenders – anyone reading your business plan – a sense of why they should continue reading. Think of it more as the space to tell stakeholders why you are speaking to them. An executive summary can also serve this purpose, but the introduction is meant to speak more directly to your target audience, while an executive summary could give a larger audience a general overview of your business.

Tips for writing an effective executive summary

Here are a few best practices to make writing your executive summary easier, and ultimately more effective. 

1. Think of an executive summary as your pitch

The executive summary is like an elevator pitch. You’re selling someone on reading your full plan while quickly summarizing the key points. Readers will expect it to cover certain areas of your business—such as the product, market, and financial highlights, at the very least.

While you need to include what’s necessary, you should also highlight areas that you believe will spark the reader’s interest. Remember, you’re telling the brief but convincing story of your business with this summary. Just be sure that you’re able to back it up with the right details with the rest of your business plan. 

2. Write it last

Even though the executive summary is at the beginning of a finished business plan, many experienced entrepreneurs choose to write it after everything else. In theory, this makes it easier to write since all of the information is already written out and just needs to be condensed into a shorter format. 

Now, if you’ve started with a one-page plan, this process is even easier. Just use your one-page plan as a starting point and add additional details to any sections that need it. You may even find that no changes are necessary.  

3. Keep it short

Ideally, the executive summary is short—usually just a page or two, five at the outside—and highlights the points you’ve made elsewhere in your business plan. Whatever length you land on, just focus on being brief and concise. Keep it as short as you can without missing the essentials. 

4. Keep it simple

Form follows function, so don’t overcomplicate or over-explain things. The best executive summaries are a mixture of short text, broken up with bullets and subheadings, and illustrations, such as a bar chart showing financial highlights. 

Run through a legibility test after writing your summary. Is it easy to skim through? Are the right pieces of information jumping out? If the answer to either of those questions is no, then work back through and try breaking up information or adjusting the formatting.

5. Create an executive summary outline based on importance and strengths

Organize your executive summary outline so that the most important information appears first. While there are specific components to include, there is no set order of appearance. So, use the order to show emphasis.

Lead with what you want to get the most attention, and add the rest by order of importance. For example, you may start with the problem because that can add drama and urgency that tees up the solution you provide.

Additional resources to write a great executive summary

Need more information and guidance to craft a convincing executive summary? Check out these in-depth resources and templates.

Key mistakes to avoid when writing an executive summary

Here are the critical mistakes you should avoid when writing your executive summary.

How to write your executive summary for specific audiences

The executive summary should tell your audience exactly what your business is, what it does, and why it’s worth their time. Here’s how you can take it a step further and fine-tune it for specific people.

How to develop a mission statement

Learn to put a heart behind the business and create an easy-to-understand narrative by writing a mission statement.

Executive Summary FAQ

What is in an executive summary?

The executive summary of a business plan is a brief introduction and summary of your business strategy, operations, and goals.

What is the purpose of an executive summary?

An executive summary is typically written to convince someone to read your more detailed plan. For investors, it may be the only thing they look at when deciding if they’d like to hear your pitch. Loan officers may review it to determine if your business seems financially sound. And partners, mentors, or anyone else may use it to determine if they want to be involved with your business.

How do you start an executive summary?

While there is no required order for an executive summary, it’s often recommended that you lead with the problem you’re solving or the purpose of your business. This will help frame your intent for the reader, and ideally make them more interested in learning more.

How do you write a good executive summary?

A good executive summary is brief, convincing, and easy to read. Focus on keeping things short and concise, only including necessary information. Be sure to lead and highlight anything that is especially interesting or important about your business. And after writing, spend some time reviewing and reformatting to make your summary as attractive to read as possible.

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

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

Table of Contents

• What to include
• Writing tips
• Additional resources

Related Articles

10 Min. Read

How to Write the Company Overview for a Business Plan

How to Write a Competitive Analysis for Your Business Plan

How to Set and Use Milestones in Your Business Plan

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What to Include in Your Business Plan Appendix

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How to Write a Killer Business Plan – 10 Tips From a Professional

If you’re starting a business, one of the first things you need to do is create a business plan. This document will outline your ideas and goals for your company and will help you track your progress over time. More importantly, it will help you secure finance if you’re seeking a business loan or potential investors. But writing a business plan can be daunting, especially if you’re not familiar with the process.

A business plan should include a marketing strategy, a financial projection, and a description of your target market. Keep in mind that your business plan will evolve as your business grows, so don’t be afraid to revise it as needed.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing a business plan, there are some essential elements that all plans should include.

To help you write a killer business plan, we’ve hit up one of our top business planners on the Gold Coast and picked their brains to compile a list of tips. So, without further ado, here are 10 tips from one of our professional business planners to help make the process easier.

Table of Contents

1. Define your business goals and objectives

Defining your business goals and objectives is the first step in creating a business plan. You need to know what you want to achieve with your business, and setting realistic goals will help you stay on track as you grow your company.

Examples of typical business goals and objectives include:

• Increasing sales by X% in the next 12 months
• Entering a new market
• Launching a new product or service
• Expanding into a new location
• Employing X amount of staff in the next 12 months

Once you have defined your goals, you can start to develop a plan for achieving them.

2. Research your industry and competitors

When you’re starting a business, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your industry and the businesses that compete within it. What trends are happening in your industry? What do your competitors do well, and what could they improve? This information will help you develop realistic goals and objectives for your company, and it will also give you insight into potential areas of opportunity.

There are a number of ways that you can go about researching your industry and competitors. One option is to attend trade shows and conferences related to your field. These events provide an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals and learn about the latest trends. You can also consult industry publications, websites, and trade association reports.

Talk to industry experts and other businesses in your field. Not only will they be able to provide valuable insights, but they may also be willing to share their own resources and research with you.

Finally, don’t forget to talk to your customers; they can provide valuable insights into the needs of your target market. Remember, the more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be to write a winning business plan.

By taking the time to research your industry and competitors, you’ll be in a better position to develop a successful business plan.

3. Explain who your competition is and how you plan to differentiate yourself from them

It’s important to take a close look at your competition, understand what they’re offering, and then develop a unique selling proposition that sets you apart. For example, if you’re a small local business, you may want to focus on customer service or convenience. Alternatively, if you’re a new business, you may want to highlight your innovative approach or unique product offerings.

When writing your business plan, devote a section to researching and identifying your competition. Include an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses, as well as an explanation of how your business will fill any gaps in the market. This will show potential investors that you have a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and that you have thoughtfully considered how to position your business for success.

Whatever it is that sets you apart from your competition, make sure to prominently feature it in your business plan. With a well-researched and persuasive competitive analysis, you can give investors the confidence that your business has the potential to thrive in even the most crowded marketplace.

4. Discuss how you plan to reach your target market

Once you have a good understanding of who your target customer is, you can start to think about how to reach them. Reaching your target market is essential to the success of your business.

There are several ways to go about this, and the best approach will depend on your specific industry and product or service. However, there are a few general tips that can help you get started.

Consider the demographics of your ideal customer, such as age, location, gender, and income level. Then consider the best way to reach them by determining what channels your target market is most likely to use. The following point will offer some ideas on how you can develop strategies for marketing and advertising your business. Finally, make sure to track your results so that you can adjust your approach as needed.

By following these steps, you can ensure that you are reaching your target market and driving growth for your business.

5. Develop strategies for marketing and advertising your business

Marketing and advertising are essential components of any successful business plan. Without effective marketing, it will be difficult to attract customers and generate sales.

There are a number of different marketing strategies that can be used to promote a business, and the best approach will vary depending on the products or services being offered. Traditional advertising methods, such as print or television ads, can be costly, but they can reach a wide audience. Social media marketing and search engine optimisation are other options that are often more affordable and can be just as effective. Direct mail campaigns and word-of-mouth advertising are other options.

Businesses should also consider developing partnerships with other businesses in their industry. These partnerships can help to promote mutual growth and increase visibility.

By taking the time to develop an effective marketing strategy, businesses can increase their chances of success.

6. Detail your products or services and what makes them unique

A business plan should include a detailed description of the products or services you offer, as well as what makes them unique. This section should also include an analysis of your competition and how your products or services differ from theirs.

Not only do you need to describe what you’re selling, but you also need to show why it’s superior to your competition. What unique features does it have? What needs does it meet that other products don’t?

By clearly articulating the value of your product or service, you’ll be much more likely to convince investors to put their money into your business.

7. Describe your company’s history and how you got to this point

If you’re an established business looking to grow, it’s important to describe your company’s history and how you got to this point in your business plan.

When discussing your company’s history in your business plan, you should start with a brief overview of how you got to this point. Include information on the founding of your company, any major milestones or accomplishments, and how you’ve grown over the years. This will give readers a good sense of where your business has been and how it has evolved.

When discussing your company’s history, be sure to include information on why you decided to start the business and what your goals were (and are) for the future. Describing the journey that your company has been on can be an inspiring way to show readers that your business is built on a solid foundation and has a clear vision for the future.

8. Draft a mission statement

A good business plan will include a mission statement. This is a brief, clear statement that articulates your purpose as a business. It should explain what you do, who you do it for, and why you do it. Your mission statement should be reflective of your company’s values and aspirations. It should be something that you can refer back to when making decisions about your business.

A good mission statement will be concise, memorable, and aligned with your company’s values. Think of it as your North Star—something to guide you when you’re making decisions about your business.

Once you have drafted your mission statement, share it with your team and get their feedback. Then, revise it as needed until you have something that feels right for your business.

Keep in mind that your mission statement may change as your business grows and evolves.

9. Create a financial plan

Any successful business needs a solid financial foundation. Without a clear plan for generating revenue and managing expenses, it will be challenging to keep your business afloat. Fortunately, creating a financial plan is not as daunting as it may seem.

To create a solid financial plan, you will need to thoroughly understand your business’s financials. This includes your income and expenses, as well as your asset and liability levels.

The first step is to create a sales forecast, which will give you an idea of how much revenue your business is likely to generate in the coming months and years. Next, you’ll need to develop a budget that outlines your anticipated income and expenses. Finally, you’ll want to create a cash flow statement, which will show you how much money your business is likely to have on hand at any given time. (read our post, Cash Flow Management Tips for Small Businesses , for help or visit our Cash Flow Management page if you need help with your cash flow.)

Your financial plan should also include both short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals should be achievable within the next year or two, while long-term goals may take several years to achieve. As you develop your financial plan, be sure to include benchmarks that you can use to track your progress.

Once you have a good understanding of your financial situation, you can begin to develop a plan for how to achieve your desired results.

If you need help creating a financial plan, Grow Advisory Group is here to help. We have highly-experienced accountants in our Gold Coast and Tweed Heads offices who can help with every aspect of your financial plan. Click here to learn more about our Business Accounting services.

10. Outline your company structure and management team

Finally, a business plan should include a description of your company’s structure and management team. This will give readers an understanding of who is running the company and how it is organised.

In this section, you will need to outline the organisational structure of your company and introduce the key members of your management team. This will give investors a clear understanding of who will be responsible for running the business and how the different parts of the organisation will be managed.

Be sure to include information on each team member’s experience and qualifications. This will help to instill confidence in your ability to successfully operate the business.

With a clear and concise description of your company’s structure and management team, you can ensure that your business plan is taken seriously by potential investors.

A business plan is an essential tool for any business, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in operation for years. By taking the time to develop a well-thought-out business plan, you can increase your chances of success and avoid common pitfalls.

When writing your business plan, be sure to include the 10 elements outlined in this article. With a comprehensive and convincing business plan, you’ll be on your way to achieving your business goals.

If you need help creating a financial plan, Grow Advisory Group is here to help. Our business planners in our Gold Coast and Tweed Heads offices can help with every aspect of your business plan, including your financial plan. Click here to learn more about our Business Planning services.

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Disclaimer : The information contained in this blog is general in nature and does not take into account your personal situation. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from an accountant and/or financial adviser.

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How to Write a Business Plan, Step by Step

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

What is a business plan?

1. write an executive summary, 2. describe your company, 3. state your business goals, 4. describe your products and services, 5. do your market research, 6. outline your marketing and sales plan, 7. perform a business financial analysis, 8. make financial projections, 9. summarize how your company operates, 10. add any additional information to an appendix, business plan tips and resources.

A business plan outlines your business’s financial goals and explains how you’ll achieve them over the next three to five years. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will offer a strong, detailed road map for your business.

ZenBusiness

A business plan is a document that explains what your business does, how it makes money and who its customers are. Internally, writing a business plan should help you clarify your vision and organize your operations. Externally, you can share it with potential lenders and investors to show them you’re on the right track.

Business plans are living documents; it’s OK for them to change over time. Startups may update their business plans often as they figure out who their customers are and what products and services fit them best. Mature companies might only revisit their business plan every few years. Regardless of your business’s age, brush up this document before you apply for a business loan .

» Need help writing? Learn about the best business plan software .

This is your elevator pitch. It should include a mission statement, a brief description of the products or services your business offers and a broad summary of your financial growth plans.

Though the executive summary is the first thing your investors will read, it can be easier to write it last. That way, you can highlight information you’ve identified while writing other sections that go into more detail.

» MORE: How to write an executive summary in 6 steps

Next up is your company description. This should contain basic information like:

Your business’s registered name.

Address of your business location .

Names of key people in the business. Make sure to highlight unique skills or technical expertise among members of your team.

Your company description should also define your business structure — such as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — and include the percent ownership that each owner has and the extent of each owner’s involvement in the company.

Lastly, write a little about the history of your company and the nature of your business now. This prepares the reader to learn about your goals in the next section.

» MORE: How to write a company overview for a business plan

The third part of a business plan is an objective statement. This section spells out what you’d like to accomplish, both in the near term and over the coming years.

If you’re looking for a business loan or outside investment, you can use this section to explain how the financing will help your business grow and how you plan to achieve those growth targets. The key is to provide a clear explanation of the opportunity your business presents to the lender.

For example, if your business is launching a second product line, you might explain how the loan will help your company launch that new product and how much you think sales will increase over the next three years as a result.

» MORE: How to write a successful business plan for a loan

In this section, go into detail about the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

You should include the following:

An explanation of how your product or service works.

The pricing model for your product or service.

The typical customers you serve.

Your supply chain and order fulfillment strategy.

You can also discuss current or pending trademarks and patents associated with your product or service.

Lenders and investors will want to know what sets your product apart from your competition. In your market analysis section , explain who your competitors are. Discuss what they do well, and point out what you can do better. If you’re serving a different or underserved market, explain that.

Here, you can address how you plan to persuade customers to buy your products or services, or how you will develop customer loyalty that will lead to repeat business.

Include details about your sales and distribution strategies, including the costs involved in selling each product .

» MORE: R e a d our complete guide to small business marketing

If you’re a startup, you may not have much information on your business financials yet. However, if you’re an existing business, you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

Accounting software may be able to generate these reports for you. It may also help you calculate metrics such as:

Net profit margin: the percentage of revenue you keep as net income.

Current ratio: the measurement of your liquidity and ability to repay debts.

Accounts receivable turnover ratio: a measurement of how frequently you collect on receivables per year.

This is a great place to include charts and graphs that make it easy for those reading your plan to understand the financial health of your business.

This is a critical part of your business plan if you’re seeking financing or investors. It outlines how your business will generate enough profit to repay the loan or how you will earn a decent return for investors.

Here, you’ll provide your business’s monthly or quarterly sales, expenses and profit estimates over at least a three-year period — with the future numbers assuming you’ve obtained a new loan.

Accuracy is key, so carefully analyze your past financial statements before giving projections. Your goals may be aggressive, but they should also be realistic.

NerdWallet’s picks for setting up your business finances:

The best business checking accounts .

The best business credit cards .

The best accounting software .

Before the end of your business plan, summarize how your business is structured and outline each team’s responsibilities. This will help your readers understand who performs each of the functions you’ve described above — making and selling your products or services — and how much each of those functions cost.

If any of your employees have exceptional skills, you may want to include their resumes to help explain the competitive advantage they give you.

Finally, attach any supporting information or additional materials that you couldn’t fit in elsewhere. That might include:

Licenses and permits.

Equipment leases.

Bank statements.

Details of your personal and business credit history, if you’re seeking financing.

If the appendix is long, you may want to consider adding a table of contents at the beginning of this section.

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Here are some tips to write a detailed, convincing business plan:

Avoid over-optimism: If you’re applying for a business bank loan or professional investment, someone will be reading your business plan closely. Providing unreasonable sales estimates can hurt your chances of approval.

Proofread: Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can jump off the page and turn off lenders and prospective investors. If writing and editing aren't your strong suit, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer, copy editor or proofreader.

Use free resources: SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a large network of volunteer business mentors and experts who can help you write or edit your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers , which provide free business consulting and help with business plan development, can also be a resource.

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5 Examples of A Killer Business Plan

We shared with you how to write a business plan . We also talked about how important it is for every business, especially if you’re looking for funding or potential investors. Business plans are considered the roadmap of any business, so it’s just natural that you need it to find an investor or grow your business into a profitable venture.

What Makes A Killer Business Plan?

Is there some secret sauce to a killer business plan? Not really . But what makes a good, a killer business plan that will make investors fund your business or give you the ability to quit your day job? It’s not that really complicated, however, your business plan must have these basic elements: executive summary, business description, market analysis, competitive analysis, organization/management, product, marketing/sales plan, and financial projection ( read more about the basics here ).  

Samples of Killer Business Plan

Writing a business plan is no easy task, it takes a lot of time, effort and most importantly, research. On the other hand, not all business plans are created equal. There are bad ones (you don’t want that, trust me – see our do’s and don’ts ) but, there are also good ones that just really stand out, here are some samples of business plans and what you can learn from them:  

• I’ll Be Denim

A sample from Shopify, I’ll Be Denim  –  a fictional organic denim and apparel company has all the elements a business plan needs. It’s concise while still having all the relevant and vital information. See how they classified their target market:

• what to do when you feel overwhelmed with work
• 12 subreddits that can help grow your business
• Book Review: Etsypreneurship by Jason Malinak
• How to get the most bang for your buck on Shopify
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• How I've used fiverr.com to grow my business
• Nivea For Men

In this marketing plan for Nivea For Men , they added visuals to illustrate their data and also to prevent it from being too text heavy. Use of visual presentation is an advantage for a business plan. It makes the data much easier to analyze and to look at.

• Airport Cafe

Let’s have a look at the business plan of Airport Cafe . In their marketing/competitor analysis, they provided a background and presented their data. Notice where they obtained the figures in their market analysis. They collected the data through the Airport Authorities which can be considered as a good source since they have an overview and information about the people in the airport.

• Fresin Fries

In their competitive comparison , they listed out all their advantages against their competitors. They also provided a table which gave an overview of what their competitors are offering against their product/services. This a good practice. A table can easily help identify the data instead of reading long texts which can be quite tedious to investors.

• Dr. Steven Gedeon

This isn’t exactly a sample of a business plan, however,  Dr. Steven Gedeon, PhD, MBA at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management talked about what a good business plan looks like. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Gedeon has been on both sides of the entrepreneurship game. In this video he shared some great insights about business plan writing.  

  Now that we’ve seen a few good business plan, take what’s good and apply it to your own plan. As Tim Berry , a business planner and angel investor said, “ Although you definitely need a business plan to find investors, your plan alone–no matter how good it is–isn’t enough to attract investors. (It’s a start.) The investor’s decision still depends on a lot of other factors. By itself, your plan is like an automobile engine–the car won’t go anywhere without it. But the engine alone isn’t enough to make the car go, and you need to recognize this from the beginnin g.”  

Looking for more help to create your first business plan? Check out my book Day 1: A Practical Guide to Launching Your New Business now!

Business Plan Do’s and Donts

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10 Unbreakable Rules For Writing A Business Plan

It is a given that any business that seeks funding from an outside source will be required to provide a formal business plan . Even if you have a fairy godmother financing your company, however, there are several other reasons for having this important tool.

The very process of writing a business plan will help you define the type of company you are developing, as well as help you focus on the goals that must be achieved if you hope to succeed. It is useful to measure your progress, to strategize a marketing plan, and to hire experts for specific positions within the company. A good business plan does not simply explain who you are and what you do; it is a strategy to design your business’ future. Furthermore, having this document separates the professionals from the amateurs.

As an entrepreneur, you are probably used to endiring stress , taking risks, making decisions based on intuition, and relying on a handshake to seal deals. These are definitely useful skills, but consider a survey by Price-Waterhouse-Coopers which shows that two-thirds of fast-growing organizations rely on business plans. Without a business plan you may do well, but your chances of sustaining ongoing growth are slim. It is essential to plan for your business’ growth.

The bottom line is that a business plan is a way to fully understand all aspects of your business. So here are 10 unbreakable rules for writing a killer business plan:

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1. Keep the content clear when writing a business plan

There are few things more frustrating than trying to read through poorly written material. If you are not a strong wordsmith, hire a professional business writer who can get your plan on paper and make it shine. From the cover page to the appendix, you’ll want to ensure that your plan is clear, concise, and detailed—and no more than about 20 pages long. Future investors, partners or employees who go through your plan will be looking for specific information, so it behooves you to make it easy for them to understand.

2. Hook Them With Your Executive Summary

The executive summary clearly describes what your business does and what you want, and if investors are not impressed with it, they will simply stop reading. It is that important. Investors want to know why your business is unique so you need to give them a reason to believe that it will succeed where others have failed. Make it easy for them to have confidence that your business will thrive, but keep your reasons short and to the point—one page at most. In addition, an executive summary should show your financial projections and how much money you’re looking to raise.

3. Be Specific About Who Your Target Market Is

Provide specific information on size, growth potential, future sales, and trends.

Your target market is not, contrary to what you may secretly believe, everyone. Every business serves a specific demographic, such as new moms, coffee drinkers, certain income bracket, etc. This is where you show off your amazing skills of research and knowledge about your industry. Most market information can be gathered through your chamber of commerce, census data, other business owners, and industry associations. Remember to keep track of your sources so you can back up your claims.

Define the market by providing specific information on size, growth potential, future sales, and trends. This is where you will state your pricing and marketing strategy to show how you plan to profit against competition.

Your market analysis should answer these questions:

• How big is your target market?
• How quickly is that market growing?
• Where are the best opportunities?
• Who are your competitors?
• What do they sell, to whom do they sell it, and how successfully are they selling it?
• Why should customers pick you over the competition?

4. Show Your Business in the Best Light

Whether you call it a “Business Description” or “Company Overview,” use this section to provide a profile of your company, such as when it was formed, where it is located, and which legal business structure you have chosen. This is a good place to describe the success your company has achieved or, if the company is brand new, your or your partners’ previous accomplishments.

The Small Business Administration recommends that you list specific consumers, organizations or other businesses that your company currently serves or will serve. Use this section to highlight any competitive advantages your company may have, such as opening your ice cream shop across the street from a huge sports complex.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Toot Your Leadership Team’s Horn

Think of this part as an online dating profile!

When it comes right down to it, investors put their money on people, not ideas. This is the section where you sell the people who will be running the business. Provide a profile on each of the founders, business partners or officers and describe their skill set, why they are qualified, and any accomplishments or connections they bring to the organization. Think of this part as an online dating profile: you want the readers to fall in love with these people on first sight. Include individual resumes in the appendix.

6. Show Them An Aggressive Marketing Plan

This is the driving force of your company. You can build the greatest business in the world, but without aggressive marketing you have no customers, and without customers you have no business. This section of your plan includes details of your marketing strategy and the channels you’ll be using to promote your business. For example, will you use direct mail, emails, newspaper ads, or online advertising? Are you going to do the marketing yourself or hire it out to a marketing firm? It is an undeniable fact that it is not always the best businesses that succeed, but the businesses with the best marketing plan.

7. Focus On the Benefits, Not Features, of Your Products and Services

You’ve spent a lot of time describing your business and target audience, but don’t forget to give the details about your product or service. What is it that you are really selling? Besides the obvious tangible product, you are selling a solution. Once you’ve outlined the features, this description needs to focus on the benefits.

What’s in it for the customer?

A feature is a characteristic of the product, what it does. A benefit is the advantage it will give your customer, or the value it will add to their lives. For example, the features of a smartphone may include music player, GPS, and camera. The benefits to the customer are that it is convenient, saves space, and organizes your life. In other words, what’s in it for the customer?

8. Show Them That Your Operation Plan Means Business

This section is the rundown of the capital and expenses needed on a daily basis to operate your business, like location, equipment, inventory, and vendors. It should illustrate what actions you’ve taken so far to get your business ready (demonstrating that you understand precisely how to run this particular business), as well as identify the milestones you expect to reach each year for the next 3-5 years and how you are going to reach them. Laying this all out effectively will show that you are aware of your industry’s standards and regulations.

9. Answer the Important Question

If your business plan is written to lure to potential investors, the primary question they will have is: “How am I going to profit by investing?” You do not need page upon page of reasons why your business will be profitable. Simply list the factors that count, such as: state-of-the-art equipment, exceptional location, cost of doing business is especially low, product is one of a kind, or leadership team has proven track record of making money. As you write the business plan, keep looking at it from the investor’s point of view to anticipate and address all the questions they are sure to ask.

10. Provide Support Through an Appendix

Think of the appendix as the support system for the rest of the business plan. This is where you include anything that backs up what you have said in the plan itself. Provide full financial projections, such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. Include the resumes of key players in the organization, any patent information, customer lists, and supplier information.

Write a Business Plan: Shine, Buff, Polish, and Repeat

“What makes this business special and how will it be profitable?”

A good business plan is not static. That is to say, it will grow and change as your business grows and changes. As you hit or miss your targeted goals, you will learn more and amend your business plan. You should update your plan every three months.

Your first draft will likely be lengthy and overly wordy, and that’s ok. Get a second pair of eyes to read it and offer feedback, getting rid of anything that does not directly answer the question: “What makes this business special and how will it be profitable?”

The old adage “you only get one chance to make a first impression” could not be truer when it comes to your completed business plan. Luckily, when creating any written document, you get to go through plenty of drafts before you get to your “first impression”!

We’ve given you some essential tips for writing a killer business plan, but for a step-by-step template, visit the Small Business Administration.

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Killer Business Plan Paperback – June 9, 2014

Purchase options and add-ons.

When people think about starting a business, writing a business plan is usually the last thing they consider. It's exciting to dive into details, start choosing paint colors, pricing equipment. Yet starting a business without a plan is like taking a trip to a new place without a map or building a house without blueprints. You may finish, you may even get a good result, but the odds are it will cost you more time and money than if you'd figured it out ahead of time.

There's a school of thought about entrepreneurship that believes that you should just get going. Focus on the product and the customer and make it great. There's a lot of validity to that argument. But there is another part of the business, the machine that gets materials ordered, that produces product, that manages cash flow. Not planning that part, the machine of your business, is akin to relying on miracles.

Writing a business plan takes your business idea out of your head and brings it into the world for a test drive. Even if your final business doesn't match your plan, the effort and discipline used to create it will help you improvise when things don't go the way you thought they would.

The vast majority of businesses that start without a plan fail. Your plan will be written either by a deliberate process where you decide the future of your business in advance or by fate with each decision is made in real time.

A business plan is the single best step you can take to rehearse the launch of a successful business. 'Killer Business Plan' is a practical book that breaks down business concepts into easy to understand language that will make the steps to building your business clear.

Written in three parts, 'Killer Business Plan' focuses first on the ways you can get into business, the traits of successful entrepreneurs and provides tips on how to choose and visualize your business.

Next, the book explains the various business structures available, provides a grounding in non-profits and grants and helps you determine if your business is viable through exercises using financial viability models.

Finally, you're guided, step-by-step, through the creation of your own killer business plan. Using a progressive approach, each step builds both your understanding of your business and while continually testing the viability of it. If your plan is going to work, you will know it at the earliest point possible, saving you effort if your idea isn't workable.

At the end of the first two parts, 'decision documents' help you determine both your next steps and allow you to gauge your commitment to moving forward.

1. Know Yourself

2. Franchises

3. Start Ups

4. Buying a Business

5. Decision Document 1

6. Visualizing Your Business

7. Who is My Customer?

8. Pulling it All Together

9. Decision Document 2

10. Feasibility Model and Instructions

11. Funding Sources

12. Non-Profits

13. Corporate Structures

14. Decision Document 3

15. Business Plan Overview

16. Operational Design

17. Financial Models

18. Industry Research

19. Customer Identification

20. Marketing

21. Organizational Plan

22. Executive Summary

23. Document Assembly

'Killer Business Plan' is also linked to online content such as:

How to Videos

White Papers

Financial Models

Sample Business Plans

'Killer Business Plan' is a common sense book that will educate you about business basics, help you choose a business and create a plan that will get you to launch and beyond.

It's your future. Plan for success.

• Print length 212 pages
• Language English
• Publication date June 9, 2014
• Dimensions 5.98 x 0.45 x 9.02 inches
• ISBN-10 1499381395
• ISBN-13 978-1499381399
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 3rd edition (June 9, 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1499381395
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1499381399
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 0.45 x 9.02 inches
• #1,641 in Starting a Business (Books)

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The Possible Collapse of the U.S. Home Insurance System

A times investigation found climate change may now be a concern for every homeowner in the country..

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Across the United States, more frequent extreme weather is starting to cause the home insurance market to buckle, even for those who have paid their premiums dutifully year after year.

Christopher Flavelle, a climate reporter, discusses a Times investigation into one of the most consequential effects of the changes.

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Christopher Flavelle , a climate change reporter for The New York Times.

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As American insurers bleed cash from climate shocks , homeowners lose.

See how the home insurance crunch affects the market in each state .

Here are four takeaways from The Times’s investigation.

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Emmerdale spoilers: Broken Isaac accuses Cain and Moira of brutal murder

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Little Isaac (Bobby Dunsmuir) is facing a huge tragedy in Emmerdale and his immediate instinct is to blame his parents.

The little lad has been pressuring Moira ( Natalie J Robb ) and Cain ( Jeff Hordley ) to trust him to raise a poorly, orphaned lamb, and after much persuading – and playing the two off against each other – Isaac convinced them to say yes.

Persistence pays off – Minty the lamb is now very much part of the family and Isaac’s one true love.

The day of the village fete rolls around but before it even gets going, the tragedy strikes. Isaac makes the heart-wrenching discovery that Minty the lamb is gone.

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Isaac is heartbroken and a full search party is mounted to find the poorly animal, who won’t survive long without care, if he’s not already dead.

Everyone is enlisted, even the newspaper photographer, who manages to interrupt Charity and Mack getting down and dirty in a barn while looking for the creature.

Isaac has some theories on what’s happened to Minty, he fears the four-legged friend has been murdered, and he’s already got a list of suspects.

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Top of his list is mum Moira, who didn’t want her to have the lamb in the first place. Is this her way of teaching him a life lesson?

Next on his list is Cain, who is also known for violence , as well as obeying Moira to keep the peace.

Issac accuses them of the unthinkable – what have they done to Minty?

MORE : Emmerdale ‘brings back’ three dead legends in packed 10,000th episode next week

MORE : Emmerdale spoilers: Cain and Ruby’s killer revenge in car crash terror

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