e business plan pdf

How to Make an Ecommerce Business Plan for Your Startup

Darren DeMatas

February 28, 2024

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So you’ve decided that you want to quit your day job and start your very own ecommerce empire. That’s great!

But before you become the next Jeff Bezos  (and definitely before you quit your job!), it’s worth spending some time thinking about a business plan. In this article, we’ll dive into the key elements of an ecommerce business plan, which is very different than writing traditional business plans.

Why You Should Create a Business Plan

We know that starting an ecommerce business is exciting, and it can be tempting to jump right in without constructing a business plan. READ: PLEASE DON’T DO THIS.

If you haven’t put your ideas, questions and concerns on paper, then you haven’t given your business model enough thought .

Taking the time to write a business plan might seem like a lot of work, but it can save you a lot of time and money in the long run by better preparing you for potential challenges and opportunities that you’ll face as a first-time entrepreneur. Think of it as a roadmap for your new business venture.

It’s exciting to start your own ecommerce business. However, you want to be well prepared and not jump into anything without having a solid, foolproof ecommerce business plan in place.

After all, you wouldn’t jump out of a plane without a parachute, so why start a business without a safety device in place? That safety device is your business plan.

The business plan is the brainstorming process that ensures your concept and goals are realistic.

This is more than just mental notes. True business plans take your ideas , questions, and concerns and put those in writing.

As you start creating your business plan, you’ll soon understand that it’s more than a single piece of paper with handwritten details on it. It’s a clearly constructed format of how your business will be created, how it will operate, and what you hope the future holds in terms of a successful ecommerce business.

When you write your business plan, be sure to have a target audience in mind. Are you going to look for investors or put a Kickstarter campaign into motion and use this as your descriptive platform? If so, make sure that your business plan contains everything the audience would want to know about your business (and more!). Many traditional funding solutions require a business plan in order to give you capital. However, there are alternative solutions, such as  Payability  that specialize in ecommerce and don’t require credit checks, a business plan, or any complicated paperwork. They can also get you approved in as little as 24 hours.

When your business plan is completed, you should have achieved the following goals:

• Knowledge:  A greater sense of knowledge of the business aspects.
• Resources:  The resources you’re going to need to make your business successful, such as partners, money, employees, etc.
• Road Map: Have clear set goals to take you from the very beginning of your business and onward.
• Viability: In other words, is your business possible? Will you have enough profit margins to keep the doors open long-term?

Now that you know why you should create a business plan, it’s time to move on to how you can create your business plan and get started putting your ecommerce business into motion.

How to Start an Ecommerce Business Plan

At the very beginning of the planning stages, it’s a good idea to develop a framework for your business model. This business model will continue to evolve as you create each section of your ecommerce business plan, so don’t strive for a perfect completed plan on the first try. You will be making tweaks to the plan of certain steps along the way.

There are many ways to sell products online and different business models  to pursue. Research and learn from successful ecommerce business examples in the market. The exact business model you follow will be one that makes the most sense with your resources, skills, and interests.

In order to create the best online business plan with your product in mind, you need to figure out the following things:

What are you selling?

The first step to creating an online business is to learn the absolute basics of what you can sell.

• Physical products: Clothing , shoes, home goods
• Digital products: Software as a Service products, ecourses, ebooks
• Services: Consulting services, home cleaning

Who are you selling to?

• Business-to-Business (B2B): You are selling to organizations, corporations, and non-profits rather than individual customers
• Business to Consumer (B2C): This means you are selling to individual consumers rather than businesses
• Marketplace: You are acting as a middleman by bringing businesses and (B2B or B2C) customers to one website.

How are you sourcing your product?

• Manufacture in-house: You make your product or service in-house
• Third-party manufacturer: You outsource the manufacturing of your product or service to a third-party manufacturer
• Dropship: You partner with a dropship manufacturer. Basically, this means that they make your product, package it and ship it directly to your customer while your company handles the entire customer relationship.
• Wholesale : You buy goods or services from other companies in bulk and re-sell those products on your online store

Additional References

• Entrepreneurship: Business & Marketing Plans
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship Resources
• Business Plan Resources

Executive Summary

The executive summary will be written according to your goals, and it’s recommended that this is done at the very end of your business plan completion. This will ensure that you include all of the important factors about your business and present your ideas in a concise and complete way.

Some of the features you’ll include in the executive summary include information showing that you’ve done your research, you have concrete sales forecasts, and the main details about your brand.

Business Model

When you’re figuring out your business model, you have to consider four different areas:

• Monetization strategy
• Product/industry
• Target market
• Sales channel

Monetization Strategy

The monetization strategy delves into the methods you are going to use to sell your products.

This strategy will look at different product monetization methods, including white label, private label , affiliate marketing, wholesale, dropshipping, and even selling ads.

Product/Industry

The product industry section is where you summarize your main niche.

For example, “Vegan Skincare Products.”

Target Market

In the target market section, you will write a sentence or so on who your target market, or ideal customer, is in the community.

If you’re selling vegan skincare products, your target customers might be women who embrace the vegan lifestyle and use natural skincare products in their daily beauty regimen.

Sales Channel

The sales channel refers to where you’re going to sell your products.

For example, you might be selling your products on your own website, and this should be entered in this section.

Business Overview

This next section covers your company overview.

This section of your business plan will cover various features of your company, including the following:

• Company type
• Domain name
• Value proposition
• Brand traits

The brand name section lists your business name or brand name.

This is an extremely important aspect of your business plan as it’s what will set the tone for everything that follows.

Pick a brand name that’s simple yet unique and is something that can be used in a wordplay manner, if desired, but not pun-worthy.

Company Type

The company is how your business operates. For example, you might label your business as an LLC , S-corporation, sole proprietor, or some other type of business organization.

The best way to determine how you should categorize your company is to speak to your accountant. There are various tax and legal aspects to forming your business in a certain way.

Speak with the professionals in the company and corporation formation field to determine how to label your company and which company type best benefits your business in a variety of ways.

Domain Name

This section is where you list your domain name.

Choose a domain name that is memorable and embraces the overall traits and features of your business.

And, when choosing a domain name, be sure to think of SEO aspects when doing so. You’ll find out just how much all of these things tie together and ensure a frequently-visited website is the end result.

Keep in mind that with ecommerce, the domain name is just as important as the brand name. Maybe even more so!

Value Proposition

A value proposition is a short, crisp statement that will gauge how clear your idea is. Write this section as if you had one minute to explain your business to a potential investor or customer and then practice it over and over again.

The value proposition can be used on your ecommerce store as your company description.

Here’s a good example: Say you’re looking to start a hiking company called Atlas Hiking Co. which sells premium performance hiking shirts. A possible company description could be the following:

Atlas Hiking Co. is a lifestyle hiking company that produces high-performance hiking shirts for outdoor lovers. Our proprietary SPF40 fabric is one of the lightest fabrics on the market, providing mountain lovers with maximum comfort, both from a breathability and sun-protection standpoint. Our product is made in the U.S.A. and a portion of our profits are donated to preserve national parks around the country.

Pay special attention to all the sensory words !

The mission statement in your business plan is the “why” of it all.

For example, why you started the business, why you are selling the products you are selling, etc., can all be added to this section of your business plan.

You can make this portion as simple or detailed as you like. Just make sure to properly and clearly explain your business mission.

The vision part of the business plan is your “how” in the grand scheme of things. It is the dream you have for your company and the path you’re going to take to realize that dream.

When you write the vision portion of the business plan, think long-term. What are you hoping to achieve, not just in the near future but for the long haul of the life of your business?

Look into the future and plan out where you see your business in 5, 10, even 20 years from now.

This will help you construct the rest of your business plan if you know where you want your business to head, now and in the future.

Brand Traits

The brand traits section is a short section in your company overview.

Basically, in the brand traits section you’re going to want to list three to five words that describe your brand.

Think of your brand personality and describe it using a few separate powerful words.

The personnel section lists all individuals, including yourself, who will be involved in the daily operations of your business. You can create a separate section for a full operations plan or add that later.

Some business owners choose to handle all duties on their own or with a partner, while others will hire individuals to fill the following roles:

• CEO (usually the business owner)
• Management team
• Customer service/logistics
• PR/Social media specialist
• SEO manager
• Advertising manager

Competitive Market Analysis

Here’s a fact you can bank on: there has never been a successful e-commerce entrepreneur that didn’t understand his/her target market cold.

That’s why this section is one of the most important in the entire business plan. It will force you to understand the industry in which you operate, the overall industry analysis and outlook, the existing competition, and your target customer demographic.

Market Segment

The market segment portion of the business plan will help you to put your ideas down on paper, make them more focused, and get your team together.

This area will include your niche selection, target market, and competitive analysis.

Niche Selection

The niche section  provides an overview of your niche, why you selected it, whether there’s a micro niche included, and the type of niche you’ve chosen.

The purpose of this section is to crystalize the ideas that you have and make sure they are understandable and viable.

The target market section covers an overview of your target market plus describes your market segments.

Ask yourself who your  target customer  is (population size, age, geography, education, ethnicity, income level) and consider whether consumers are comfortable with buying your product category online.

When listing the target market information, make sure to mention your target audience size as this is important for ensuring that your audience will be adequately covered.

Competitive Analysis

With the competitive analysis portion of your market analysis, you want to list your market leader and direct and indirect competitors.

After you mention who these entities are, you need to list the characteristics of each one, such as domain name, business model, monthly traffic, and pricing range.

However, before you even get started in writing this section, you need to spend several hours researching your target market.

Here are some of the most efficient ways to research a particular market:

Industry reports

Google is your best friend. Look for any recent industry reports on your market of choice. This will give you a good sense of how much growth the industry is experiencing, why this growth is happening, and what are the largest customer segments. In our example of Atlas Hiking Co., we should research the outdoor apparel market.

Let’s say that through our research of the outdoor apparel industry, we discovered that there was a huge boom in youth hiking apparel. Perhaps parents were increasingly concerned about their kids’ exposure to UV rays while hiking, so they began to spend more money on their kids. We could use this valuable information to guide our business strategy.

There’s only so much you can read online. Go to a nearby store that sells similar products to yours and interview the store representative. The store rep has interacted with hundreds of interested customers, which can lead to thousands of valuable insights! It’s amazing how these insights can translate into a meaningful business opportunity.

Here’s an example:

If I were going into Billy’s Outdoor Store to research the outdoor apparel market, I would probably ask Billy the following:

• What are your best-selling products?
• What are your worst-selling products?
• Find products similar to yours and ask the representative his/her favorite features on products similar to yours.
• How much are customers generally willing to spend on these types of products?
• Do customers make repeat orders of any of these products?
• Do you get a lot of customers that are looking to buy last-minute hiking gear before they go on a hike?

Competition

Create an Excel spreadsheet of all of your competitors. In your spreadsheet, you should have the following columns:

• Competitor Name
• Price point
• Product Description
• Key Features (e.g., fabric, waterproof, slim fit, etc.)

What is the competition missing? Is there a gap in the offering? Where you can add some additional value?

After conducting the competitor analysis, Atlas Hiking Co. might find that the competition’s hiking shirts offer very few features at a low price point, but no one offers a luxury hiking shirt with additional features at a higher price point.

This is just an example of the types of insights one can gain from market research which can drastically alter your business model.

Keyword Research

By using Google’s keyword planner  and trends pages, you can get a good sense of how in demand your product is and whether it’s trending upward or downward. Google is great for a general idea, just don’t bank on it.

Some other keyword tools you can use for keyword research include Ahrefs, JungleScout, and Viral Launch. Check out this list  for more ideas.

Trade shows

Are there nearby trade shows that you can go to? Again, creating connections with other people in your industry is a surefire shortcut to countless hours of reading on the internet. Trade shows are also a great opportunity to talk to competitors, meet manufacturers, and better understand where things are heading in your industry.

Once you finish researching the relevant industry, you should summarize your findings by answering the following questions:

General Industry

• How big is the overall industry?
• How big is the specific sub-industry in which you intend to operate?
• Where has most of the historic growth in the market come from?
• Why is this the right time to enter this market?
• What are the sub-segments that are poised for future growth (e.g., youth apparel)?
• How crowded is the product category with competition?
• How is your competition distributing its product (online, retail, wholesale, etc.)?
• What’s missing from the competition’s product offering?

Products and Offers

So we know we want to sell hiking shirts, but how do you research specific products?

But for some of us, we’re not quite sure what we should sell. To succeed in online retail, you need a product that is trending upwards in a growing niche.

Different types of products

Some of the different types of products include the following:

• Convenience products: Frequent purchase products, little effort on buying
• Shopping products: Less frequently purchased in between purchases, little more effort and planning, shop around
• Specialty products: Strong brand preference and loyalty, will buy no matter what the price

The various types of niches include the following:

• Hobby niches
• Lifestyle niches
• Problem niches
• Weird/embarrassing niches

Existing products

Come up with detailed specifications for each product or service you intend to sell. If it’s a hiking shirt we’re selling, we would want to have:

• Detailed sketches of the shirt
• Fabric weight, materials, type
• Key features (e.g., pre-shrunk, water-proof, SPF 40)

Future product pipeline

What are other products that you have in the pipeline? Perhaps once you’ve successfully sold hiking shirts, you’re able to leverage your manufacturing relationships to provide hiking socks and shorts. Include that information in this section.

The products and services section will cover the various selling categories of items.

These product offerings will include the following:

• Core product

Each product group will have its own purpose in your sales catalog. For example, tripwire is the product that brings customers to your ecommerce store or online marketplaces  while the core product is your main seller.

Knowing what products you’ll include within each section allows you to have a firm grasp on what your main product will be and how the other types of products will work alongside your main product.

This section will also cover the search volume and Amazon pricing range.

You’ll need to calculate your true costs. You have to make sure you don’t overestimate your margins.

To tabulate your total true costs, you need to write down the costs in the following areas:

• Target price
• Supplier cost of the product
• Total cost per unit
• Net profit per unit
• Profit margin per unit

Once you complete the pricing portion, you’ll have everything on one sheet and readily accessible whenever you need it.

Marketing Plan and Operations

So, now you’ve concluded that you have a great business idea, and it’s in a growing market. That’s fantastic – but how are you going to drive traffic to your ecommerce website and get customers to buy it ? And how much can you afford to spend on your product?

Marketing  is everything. It’s important that your marketing efforts match your business model.

If you have a website and no marketing, your site won’t have any visitors. With no visitors, you will make no sales. Then how do you grow and sell your ecommerce business (if that’s your long-term goal)? Even with the best possible products, nobody will buy them if they aren’t directed to them in some way.

In order to come up with a marketing strategy, you need to first know your customer inside out. You should be able to answer such questions as:

• How old is your customer?
• Where does your customer live?
• What is the population of your customer base?
• What is their education level?
• What is their income level?
• What are your customer’s pain points?

With so many channels to reach your customer, which one is best for you?

Once we know pretty much everything there is to know about our target customer, we can shift focus to our marketing strategy. You want to choose marketing strategies that equal positive conversion rates. What channels should you use to grab the attention of your customer demographic? Some of the key marketing channels include:

Paid Marketing

• Pay-per-click – this online marketing typically involves using Google Shopping campaigns  and managing a product data feed.
• Affiliate sales networks – Allowing other blogs and websites to sell your product for a cut of the revenue. List the different affiliate sale networks that you plan to promote through.
• Facebook ads ⎯ Ads posted on Facebook to draw in buyers through social media means.
• Influencer marketing ⎯ Hiring industry influencers to get the word out about your product through their social media platforms and contacts.

Organic Marketing

• Social media (Facebook, Instagram , Pinterest, etc.): What is your strategy for social media, and where will you dedicate your attention?
• Search Engine Optimization : Create and promote awesome content so people find your product organically through search.
• Content marketing: Figure out how you’ll use content marketing in your business. Consider various article topics that will persuade your target audience to buy your products.
• Blogger networks: could be organic or paid through affiliate sale programs.
• Key bloggers: Develop a list of the key bloggers in your product category. For Atlas Hiking Co., this might be an influencer that blogs about the best hiking trails in America.

Finding the optimal mix of these advertising tools depends 100% on your customer segment as well as your product type. For example, a SaaS product targeting millennials will require an entirely different marketing strategy than an e-commerce physical product targeting baby boomers. Perhaps that should be a post on its own for another day!

How much should you spend to acquire a customer?

In order to understand this, we need first to discuss a concept known as customer lifetime value or LTV. In essence, this is a formula that helps you better understand how much an average customer will spend over time.

Here’s  a good read on how to calculate LTV.

It’s important to remember that for new businesses, you don’t have a lot of data on customer purchase habits so it’s a good idea to be more conservative with your assumptions in calculating LTV.

Let’s say, for Atlas Hiking Co., I determine that the average LTV per customer is $300. This means that over time, the average customer will spend $300. Let’s say, on average, if I receive $300 in revenue, $100 of that will translate to gross profit before I factor in my marketing costs (basically, I’m just subtracting the cost of making the shirts).

Knowing that my gross profit is $100 per shirt is a critical piece of information because it tells me that I can spend up to $100 in marketing to acquire a customer and still be profitable!

Some of the marketing options include social media marketing and content marketing.

Think about your business model and then line up your marketing budget. Your marketing budget may include the following items:

• Sales/branded content
• SEO/blog content
• Facebook/Instagram ads
• Influencer marketing
• Marketing tools
• Niche advertising

Choosing The Right Technology

With so much technology and SaaS products out there, it’s important to understand the various moving parts and diagram how they all integrate with one another.

Some of the different elements include:

• Shopping Cart Platforms  – e.g., Shopify , BigCommerce , WooCommerce , or any open-source platform
• Hosting – Nexcess , BigScoots , Kinsta , WPX
• Payment Processo r – e.g., Stripe, Paypal
• Fulfillment Center – e.g., Amazon, ShipBob
• Apps – e.g., Zipify, BuildWooFunnels, Gelato
• Accounting & Taxes  – e.g., Quicken, Xero
• Marketing Automation – e.g., Klaviyo , Mailchimp
• Marketing Tools – e.g.  Buzzstream, Ahrefs
• Customer Loyalty Programs  – e.g., Antavo, Smile

Come up with a detailed list of the different products and services you need to run your business as well as the monthly and per-transaction cost of each of them. This will be important in understanding the impact of these services on your margins.

Matching your business model to your technology is essential, too. Certain website platforms are better suited for specific sales models.

Email marketing is another type of technology that should be carefully considered and matched up correctly with your business model.

Keep in mind that it takes, on average, 6-7 interactions with a brand before someone makes a purchase, so you need to keep using technology to get them back to your website.

As you explore the technology options and find out ways to draw potential customers in and keep them happy while they’re there, here are some key points to keep in mind:

• What you say about yourself and your products with your website content
• How you respond to questions on live chat and email support
• How to make use of chatbots
• How you connect on social media
• The information you send through email marketing
• What bloggers and influencers say about your brand
• How existing customers review your company
• How you advertise
• How you establish loyalty beyond sales

After you figure out your technology methods, you have to come up with a technology budget.

The business plan must also include the operations side of things. Determine who will be your manufacturer, secondary manufacturer, and shipping and fulfillment  provider.

When looking at supply chain costs and options, ShipBob  is an ecommerce fulfillment provider you can consider.

Financial Plan

When figuring out your financial plan, evaluating and pinpointing your startup costs  is essential.

The focus of the financial plan is how long it will take for you to make your money back. You also need to figure out if you need a business loan .

Traffic and conversion rates will help you determine how long it will be until you start making money back.

You’ll also want to use an income statement to detail financial information.

This section is used for financial projections, such as forecasting sales, expenses, and net income of the business. Ideally, you’ll want to create a monthly Excel balance sheet showing the following:

• Projected revenue:  First, come up with your projected number of units sold and then come up with your projected revenue (Projected Revenue = # of Units Sold * Average Sales Price).
• Fixed expenses:   these are expenses that are fixed no matter how much you sell. Typically, these relate to monthly SaaS subscriptions, employee salaries, or rent.
• Variable expenses  – these expenses change in direct proportion to how much you sell. Common examples include the cost of goods sold and credit card payment processing fees.

This helps business owners better understand what they need to achieve to hit their profit goals. In reality, projections are usually always off the mark, but it’s good to give yourself some measurable goals to strive for.

This section should aim to answer the following questions about your product offering:

• How much product do you need to sell per year to meet your income goals for the business?
• What are the margins on your product? If you sell one hiking shirt for $50, how much do you make after paying your supplier, employees, and marketing costs?
• What is the lifetime value of a customer?
• How much can you spend to acquire customers? If you conservatively project that the average customer will spend $300 over time on your shirts, then you can afford to spend an amount less than $300 to acquire that customer using the paid marketing channels described previously.
• Do you have any big capital expenditures early on that would require you to need to bring in investors?
• Can you improve gross margins by making bigger orders from your suppliers?

There are various acquisition channels that will help your traffic to convert including:

Your revenue plan will contain a 12-month revenue forecast plan to help you map out each month of earnings.

There are different business earning models you can go through to determine how much you can make with your business.

You want to calculate how much traffic costs. This all depends on the methods you use to gain traffic to your site.

As you determine what your profit might be with your ecommerce business  or ecommerce businesses, there are certain math formulas to use:

• The profit equation
• Break-even analysis
• Units needed to achieve the profit target

You should also consider how you will use fintech companies in your ecommerce business.

What are the key elements of an ecommerce business plan?

The main components of an eCommerce business plan include the executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization and management structure, product line or service, marketing and sales strategy, financial projections, and funding request, if applicable.

How do I create a budget for my ecommerce business?

Start by estimating your initial startup costs and ongoing expenses. Consider costs like website development, inventory, marketing, shipping, taxes, and any necessary licenses or permits. It’s also important to factor in a contingency plan for unexpected costs.

How do I find the right product to sell?

Research is fundamental. Look at market trends, customer needs, and competitor products. Use tools like Google Trends or social media platforms to understand what customers are currently interested in. Always consider your passion and knowledge about the product too, as this can drive your business forward.

How can I differentiate my product from competitors?

Differentiation can come from unique product features, superior customer service, better pricing, or a compelling brand story. Understand what your competitors offer and how you can do it differently or better.

Wrapping Up Your Business Plan

Careful planning is crucial to get your e-commerce business from the planning phase to the launch phase and to ensure its successful future.

Going through the exercise of writing a business plan will cement your own understanding of your business and your market. It will also position you to take advantage of lucrative opportunities while mitigating harmful threats to your business down the line.

Your turn! Have you written a business plan for your online store? Do you have anything to add? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan [Examples & Template]

Published: April 03, 2024

If you have a promising idea for an online e-commerce business , it’s important to create an e-commerce business plan to ensure your vision has enough stock to be profitable.

Having a business plan for your online store will help you define your target market, establish your monthly and quarterly sales goals, and increase the likelihood of long-term e-commerce success.

In this post, we’ll go over an online store business plan and how you can create one for your e-commerce startup. Let’s get started.

What is an e-commerce business plan?

An e-commerce business plan is a document that outlines your business and its goals, analyzes your industry and competitors, and identifies the resources needed to execute your plan. It also lists the e-commerce retailers you’ll use to distribute your products and the marketing strategies you’ll use to drive sales.

Whether a company operates as a startup or has years of operations and growth under its belt, an e-commerce business plan is essential for evaluating a business and determining areas of improvement.

An e-commerce business plan is essential, with increasing numbers of shoppers conducting business online. It's estimated this number has reached over 2 billion . An e-commerce business plan keeps you organized and is useful when seeking investors who need to understand your company.

So, let’s dive into some examples of e-commerce business plans and what goes into writing one using our free template .

Free Business Plan Template

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

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

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

E-commerce Business Plan Template

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As the saying goes, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” So, if you wish to build your own eCommerce empire, having an eCommerce business plan is crucial to your success.

Why Should You Continue Reading This Article?

But maybe you have no idea where to start. Of course, you don’t want to leave out something important. In this article, we’ll show you how to build an eCommerce business plan and discuss how to write it in a well-crafted, simple way from scratch, for your eCommerce small business and what are the key elements that should be included in it.

Let’s get started!

Why You Need an eCommerce Business Plan

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” So, planning is almost everything you should start with.

Although it can be hard work to put together a comprehensive eCommerce business plan, it’s such an important step for the below-mentioned four reasons:

• Establishing a Clear Roadmap:  Well-written strategic planning will help you set clear goals and set an action plan to reach them. It will also help you to set priorities and realistically estimate the time and effort needed to achieve them.
• Being Ready for Any Sudden Changes:  Change in the eCommerce business world is happening quicker than ever before. And this increases the value of planning. Having a data-driven business plan gave managers a dashboard to work with navigated sudden change.
• Securing Funding: If you are looking for a loan or an equity investment for your startup, getting a business plan document right is essential because an organization that will provide the money wants to make sure that you know what you are doing and have a clear path to profit.
• Avoiding Costly Mistakes: If you are considering setting up a small business with limited resources, having a startup business plan helps you know exactly what resources are needed to avoid wasting resources down the drain and to make the most of them.

Before You Start Planning: 3 Key Questions to Answer

To build a well-written online business plan sample, you need to answer the following questions:

• What Are You Selling?  Are you selling physical products (i.e apparel, home appliances, etc.), digital products (i.e online courses, ebooks, software, etc.), or services (i.e marketing services, consulting, car repair, etc.)?
• For Whom?  Do you sell to individuals (B2C) or organizations, corporations, and non-profits (B2B) or are you are a part of a marketplace acting as a broker just like affiliate marketing?.
• Who Are Your Suppliers? Do you manufacture your products in-house, or outsource a third-party manufacturer? Do you partner with a dropshipping manufacturer or do you depend on wholesale?

With great data comes a great business plan. Answering this line of questioning will give you an initial overview of what your business is and it’ll be like a starting point.

How to Structure a Business Plan for Your Online Store

Let’s agree from the start that the business plan will not be perfectly completed on the first try. It will continue to evolve as you create each of the planning stages and you’ll be making edits along the way.

For an eCommerce business plan example, there are six basic sections it should include, Let’s delve deeper…

Let’s delve deeper…

1. Executive Summary

Any e-Commerce business plan should start with an executive summary of just one sheet summarizing each section of your business plan. Although it is placed at the beginning, it should be the last section to be written.

The executive summary is the first thing your prospect investors would read, and it creates the first impression of your project. So, make it simple, easy to understand, and attractive.

The executive summary should include:

• Business ideas presentation
• Business model
• Products and services
• Target audience and target market
• Management team
• Success factors or the points that differentiate your company
• Financial strategy

2.  Company Overview

This is the next section that includes detailed information about your business and identified the competitive advantage of your online store. It covers some features such as:

• Brand Name and Founder’s Name: Your online store name and who is behind it.
• Brand Traits: List just 3 to 5 words that describe the brand that you want your online store to be identified with.
• Domain Name: It’s the URL. It should be short, simple, memorable, and doesn’t include numbers.
• Company Type: How your business operates.
• Value Proposition: It’s a brief statement that shows how clear your idea is.
• Mission Statement: The reasons behind your business’ existence.
• Vision: The goals that you want to reach long term. They must be realistic and ambitious so they can be motivating.

3. Market  Analysis

Conducting market research around your eCommerce small business idea is essential. It tells you whether or not people will buy what you’re selling.

Market analysis is broken down into 3 main sections:

A. industry analysis:.

Industry analysis outlines the industry size facts and statistics bode well for your eCommerce business. It answers questions like:

• What does the market look like for your industry overall?
• Has it grown or changed over the years?
• Are there any expectations of growing up or slipping down in the future?
• Are there factors that could impact its growth?

Industry analysis is likely to be one of the toughest parts of your eCommerce business plan, but fortunately, research and white papers are abundant in almost all industries, besides free tools like Google Trends .

B . Market Segment:

The market segment or audience segmentation helps you to create your “Buyer Persona” which represents your target audiences’ various demographic sets (gender, age, geography, education, income level, ethnicity, etc.). The market segment includes both your target market and niche selection.

It’s important to provide an overview of your niche, whether there’s a micro-niche included, and why you chose it.

C. Competitive Analysis:

Competitive Analysis provides an overview of who is your market leaders are and direct, indirect, and potential competitors. It also identifies your competitors’ key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, focusing particularly on where you can defeat the competition or add unique value to your business.

Creating a comprehensive competitive analysis includes 4 key phrases that are:

• Identify Your Competitors
• Select a Competitive Analysis Framework
• Collect Data on Your Competitors
• Write Your Competitive Analysis Report

4.  Marketing Plan

By now, you’ve covered almost all your company-related aspects, your customers, and your competitors as well. It’s time to talk about how you’re going to reach your customers and drive traffic to your eCommerce website.

The marketing plan describes the planned promotion strategies, business growth strategies, pricing strategies , sales strategies, and how much can you afford to spend on your marketing efforts. To come up with a well-defined marketing strategy, you need to deeply know your customer inside out.

It’s important to keep in mind that every potential customer is different, and there are many organic and paid marketing techniques that you can use to reach each of them. From SEO, social media, content marketing, and email marketing to influencers, these proven techniques will surely  acquire customers and drive traffic to your online store .

So, this stage is all about defining:

• Which marketing channels are best for you to reach your customer?
• How much can you afford to acquire customers to your online store?

5. Operations Plan

Operational planning reflects the task flow of your eCommerce store and how they’ll be divided. It includes your daily tasks as an online store owner. Some basic things should be established, such as your work schedule, your daily tasks timetable, your location, and your product stock.

Your tasks will include:

• Offering support
• Managing the stock
• Managing returns
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Dealing with unforeseen events
• Promoting your store
• And much more

List all of your daily tasks and how your routine will be to make sure that everything in your business plan will be under control. If you are a startup and you’re the only person in charge, it’d be hard to manage all tasks. So, it’s important to have initial planning on paper, and then make small modifications down the line to hire a staff and management team.

6. Financial Plan

For many people, this is the most difficult part of a business plan. However, it’s extremely important. It outlines the major costs for an eCommerce business that include the cost of goods, internet connection fees, salaries of the staff, etc.

If you’re seeking to get outside funding, your financial statement should contain the following documents:

• Summary of Funding Requirement: It’s an outline showing why you are applying for a loan, the cost for raw materials and operational machines, and how much money you need.
• Use of Funds Statement / Income Statement: It shows how profitable your business would be during a given period and describes how you plan to use the funds you’ll get.
• Business Budget: This displays cash inflow and outflow statements over a specific period of time.
• 3-Year Profit and Loss Projection: It’s assumptions that are stated clearly and in detail to communicate your vision of the company’s future and how you anticipate achieving that vision.

5 eCommerce Business Plans’ Mistakes to Avoid in 2022

As for eCommerce owners ( whether it was for fashion, services, etc.), there are some methodologies they use to approximately estimate future turnover, profitability, and more.  But unfortunately, most of these estimations and expectations are frequently distant from market reality.

ExpandCart gathers the most common mistakes that usually happen when you put an eCommerce marketing plan into work, Let’s show you around! 

Mistake #1  |  Selecting the Improper eCommerce Platform

Whether you’re just getting started with your eCommerce shop or have been running one for a while, a not-suitable eCommerce platform can boost your eCommerce business plan or awfully put it to an end! 

After you’ve created a sample business plan for an eCommerce startup, you’ll need to think about several things when selecting an eCommerce platform, including:

• Your financial situation
• Whether you prefer a template or bespoke design, we can help.
• What type of experience do your consumers want?
• What items do you intend to sell?
• How do you intend to grow your company?
• What tools your platform needs to integrate with?
• How much control do you desire over your website?

The last thing you want is to pick a platform that restricts your company’s development, doesn’t interact with your existing systems, or doesn’t provide the amount of control and flexibility you want.

An improper eCommerce platform can result in a variety of problems, including income loss, decreased conversions, less traffic, security difficulties, bad design, and more. This major error might force you to spend even more time, money, and effort modernizing your platform or moving to a new one entirely.

Take your time while deciding on the best eCommerce platform for your online eCommerce as this will affect the whole performance of your eCommerce business plan. 

Mistake #2  |Skipping Environment Check

Before drafting an eCommerce business plan to launch or boost your e-commerce website, it’s a crucial step to start assessing the viability of your ideas before anything!

And here, we don’t mean broad market studies, but rather a comprehensive test using a limited version of your site, that will assist in ensuring in the field that you are gaining traction in your market. You must be able to tie your business strategy to the fact that you have already made your first sales even before you daft your eCommerce business plan. 

Aside from the checking and validation component, an initial test will help you to get useful feedback from your consumers and discover for yourself the major roadblocks or places for progress in your business.

You’ll be in a better position to carry out your company plan and generate realistic and plausible financial projections once you’ve completed it.

Mistake #3 | No Clear Brand Message or Identity

A good product alone won’t perform as good branding! 

Don’t fall into the trap of believing that your things will sell themselves. To build a successful business, you’ll need to develop a strong brand identity that is both approachable to your target audience and favorable to viral brand awareness. If you’ve done your research, you should have a good notion of what your target audience wants and how to communicate with them. Then it’s only a matter of maintaining a consistent and firm message.

A strong brand identity boosts client loyalty and your chances of gaining global brand recognition.

Mistake #4 | Shallow Website Content 

If your eCommerce business relies on organic traffic to attract clients, then the material on your website should be crafted with the user and SEO in mind.

Many organizations make the mistake of considering content as an afterthought, failing to see that each piece of content represents a chance to increase traffic and convert clients.

You need to provide content that is relevant to your target audience, optimized for search engine traffic, and entices consumers to buy your items, from your homepage to your product descriptions.

Investing in SEO and CRO-friendly content is worthwhile, whether you engage with an SEO service or do it yourself. This entails using the correct high-quality keywords for your niche and crafting material that is designed to convert.

Mistake #5 | Mistargeted Audience 

What else could you possibly require? You have items, a company strategy, and a website. Unfortunately, having an offer and a venue to pitch it isn’t enough to be a true eCommerce success.

One of the most common blunders a business owner can make is failing to precisely define their target demographic and spend time learning what makes them tick. You’ll need to do some serious market research to make sure that:

• Your target audience has a genuine necessity for your product. 
• You know how to express your offer in a way that they will comprehend. 
• You may create a marketing plan that prioritizes your target audience.

Identifying and specifying your target audience can help you develop an atmosphere that they will remember and a brand message that will tempt them to buy and re-buy, and hence, a successful eCommerce business plan! 

Final Notes

We are living in a world of fast-paced digital transformation. Almost all businesses are thinking of building a strong online presence. Being prepared and having a well-crafted business plan for your dream eCommerce website helps you focus on what exactly you want your business to be in the future and provides a map of how to get there in no time.

Remember! Creating your own eCommerce business plan won’t be that easy, but success comes to those willing to put in the work and if you did it right, you will witness a great increase in sales and revenue . You can seek help from experts who can help you plan your business effectively.

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How to Write an Ecommerce Business Plan

If you’ve got an exciting concept for an e-commerce venture, it’s crucial to develop a business plan tailored to your online store. This plan will play a pivotal role in ensuring that your vision has the necessary resources to thrive and generate profits. By crafting a comprehensive business plan for your online retail operation, you can effectively pinpoint your target audience, set clear monthly and quarterly sales targets, and significantly enhance the prospects of achieving long-term success in the e-commerce industry.

As a business plan writer and consultant , I’ve authored over 15,000 business plans for various enterprises, many of which have gone on to achieve substantial growth and success. In this article, I offer insights based on my experience and expertise in creating an e-commerce business plan.

What is an ecommerce business plan?

An ecommerce business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections of an online business. It serves as a roadmap for the business, guiding entrepreneurs in making informed decisions and attracting investors.

How to Write an E-commerce Business Plan Step By Step

• Provide an executive summary.
• Business overview.
• Explain your offerings.
• Analyze the market.
• Develop your marketing strategy.
• Establish a sales plan.

l. Provide an executive summary

An executive summary serves as a succinct, one-to-two-page overview of your business, meticulously crafted to inform stakeholders about the essential elements of your comprehensive business plan. It’s a window into your business’s aspirations, strategies, and financial projections, providing a clear roadmap for decision-making and attracting potential investors.

An ecommerce business plan executive summary can look something like this:

Here’s a complete guide on how to write an effective executive summary with examples.

ll. Business overview

Business overview section beckons for meticulous attention to detail, as it showcases the very essence of your business – your product or service. It’s the stage upon which your offering takes center stage, captivating the audience with its unique value proposition and compelling features. Begin by painting a vivid overview of what you’re bringing to the market, piquing the interest of potential customers and investors alike.

A business overview of Pet Planet online store may look something like this:

Here are 14 profitable eCommerce business ideas you can start today!

lll. Explain your offerings

Having established the foundation of your business and its purpose, it’s time to embark on a deeper exploration of your plan. The spotlight now falls upon the products and services that will form the cornerstone of your venture. Begin by meticulously listing each offering, accompanied by a clear explanation of its purpose. Address the fundamental question of ‘why’ – why have you chosen to offer these specific products and services ? What unique value do they bring to the market?

Once the products and services have been comprehensively described, it’s time to illuminate the pricing model that will govern your offerings. Assign a clear cost to each service, considering factors such as production costs, market demand, and competitive pricing. Determining pricing, especially for a startup, can be a complex endeavor. Fortunately, sales pricing calculators can serve as valuable allies in identifying the optimal pricing strategy .

A explain your offerings of smart home products may look something like this:

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lV. Analyze the market

A comprehensive market analysis serves as a compass, guiding your business through the intricate terrain of the marketplace. It begins with a deep understanding of your target audience, delving into their demographics, preferences, and purchasing behaviors. This knowledge empowers you to tailor your products, services, and marketing strategies to resonate with their needs and aspirations.

Here is how analyze the market in our ecommerce business plan.

How to Write Products and Services Section of Business Plan

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V. Develop your marketing strategy

An ecommerce business’s marketing plan is its secret weapon, guiding it towards brand awareness, target audience reach , and enhanced sales and revenue. This plan revolves around positioning strategy, acquisition channels, and tools and technology. Positioning strategy determines how you will differentiate yourself in the market, while acquisition channels identify how your target audience discovers your business.

Finally, tools and technology harness the power of innovation to enhance your reach, automate tasks, and gain valuable insights into customer behavior. By crafting and implementing a comprehensive marketing plan , you can effectively build brand awareness, attract your target audience, and drive growth and profitability for your ecommerce venture.

How to Write the Marketing Plan in Ecommerce Business Plan?

Vl. Establish a sales plan

Importance of an ecommerce business plan.

The significance of an ecommerce business plan cannot be overstated. It plays a pivotal role in:

• Defining Your Business Goals: Clearly articulating your business objectives provides a sense of direction and ensures that your actions are aligned with your overall vision.
• Identifying Your Target Market: Understanding your target audience's needs, preferences, and behaviors is crucial for tailoring your products, services, and marketing strategies effectively.
• Developing Effective Marketing Strategies: A well-defined marketing plan outlines the strategies you will employ to reach your target audience, generate leads, and drive sales.
• Securing Funding: Investors and lenders often require a comprehensive business plan to assess the viability of your venture and the potential return on their investment.

Tips for Writing an Effective Ecommerce Business Plan

• Conduct Thorough Research: Gather comprehensive data and insights into your target market, competitors, and industry trends.
• Set Realistic Goals: Establish achievable and measurable goals that align with your business's resources and capabilities.
• Update Regularly: Review and update your business plan periodically to reflect changes in your market, strategies, or goals.
• Quantify Your Financial Projections: Back up your financial projections with sound assumptions and calculations.
• Seek Feedback: Share your business plan with trusted advisors and mentors for constructive feedback and suggestions.

Revenue projections can be determined by conducting market research, analyzing industry trends, evaluating your target market size, and considering your pricing strategy. Additionally, factors such as marketing efforts, customer acquisition rates, and competition should be taken into account.

Managing operating expenses effectively involves careful budgeting, identifying cost-saving opportunities, negotiating with suppliers, optimizing operational processes, and regularly reviewing expenses. It’s important to strike a balance between controlling costs without compromising the quality of your products or services.

Funding options for an eCommerce business may include self-funding, loans from financial institutions, angel investors, venture capital, crowdfunding platforms, or partnerships. Consider your business’s financial needs, growth plans, and potential risks when exploring funding options.

The break-even point is the point at which your total revenue matches your total expenses, resulting in neither profit nor loss. It can be calculated by dividing your fixed costs by the contribution margin (selling price per unit minus variable costs per unit). This calculation helps you determine the minimum sales volume required to cover costs.

Tracking CAC and CLV is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your marketing and sales efforts. CAC helps determine the cost of acquiring a new customer, while CLV estimates the value a customer brings to your business over their lifetime. By analyzing these metrics, you can optimize your marketing strategies and ensure that the cost of acquiring customers aligns with their long-term value.

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Business Plan per Hotel: la guida completa con consigli, esempi e un modello pronto

Redigere un business plan per hotel è un’attività tanto strategica quanto impegnativa. segui le nostre istruzioni e scarica il template gratuito per farlo in modo semplice e senza errori..

Cos’è il Business plan

Cosa succede se non si fa un business plan, analisi interna e analisi esterna per il business plan, come fare lo studio di mercato per prevedere la domanda, come creare il piano di marketing all’interno del business plan, come definire il vantaggio rispetto alla concorrenza, come si struttura un business plan, utilizza un template pronto per il tuo business plan.

Immagina di voler preparare una ricetta gourmet per la prima volta. Potresti aprire il frigorifero e iniziare a mescolare ingredienti a caso, sperando che il risultato sia gustoso. Oppure, potresti seguire una ricetta dettagliata che ti guida passo dopo passo , indicandoti quali ingredienti utilizzare, in che quantità e in quale ordine aggiungerli e mescolarli. 

Un Business plan è esattamente questo: la tua ricetta per il successo !

Un Business plan non è necessario solo se ti stai preparando ad aprire una nuova struttura ricettiva, ma si tratta di un documento tecnico che ti aiuta a stabilire:

• gli obiettivi del tuo albergo : ad esempio migliorare il servizio clienti, realizzare un certo tasso di occupazione, aumentare il fatturato rispetto all’anno precedente, etc.
• e i mezzi per raggiungere tali obiettivi : ad esempio le risorse finanziarie disponibili o da reperire, le competenze del personale, i servizi da offrire, le strategie di marketing e Revenue management, etc.

Un Business plan è quindi una tabella di marcia che ti aiuta a restare organizzato e focalizzato, oltre che essere uno strumento fondamentale per coinvolgere soggetti esterni (come investitori, banche, società finanziarie, azionisti, pubblica amministrazione) ed interni all’azienda (come la proprietà, il direttore generale o il management).

Preparare una ricetta senza seguire le istruzioni può essere un esperimento divertente, ma quando si tratta del tuo albergo e del tuo investimento, meglio non improvvisare . 

Tecnicamente è possibile gestire un albergo senza un Business plan, potrebbe andare tutto bene e potresti raggiungere il tuo obiettivo. Ma sarà molto più difficile, richiederà più tempo, e correrai più spesso il rischio di sbagliare. 

Leggendo questo articolo e sfruttando il nostro modello di Business plan già pronto , scoprirai come scrivere la tua ricetta per creare un albergo di successo.

Analizzare e comprendere i fattori interni ed esterni al tuo albergo è fondamentale per procedere alla stesura di un Business plan efficace, soprattutto in un settore sempre più competitivo e mutevole come quello dell’ospitalità. Ma cosa significano questi termini?

Analisi interna

Significa comprendere i punti forti e deboli del tuo hotel su tutti i livelli: dalle competenze del personale, alla qualità del servizio, fino alla capacità finanziaria. Conoscerli ti aiuterà a sfruttare ciò che funziona bene e migliorare le aree in cui sei carente. Ad esempio, se hai un servizio clienti eccezionale, potrai sfruttare questa forza nelle tue strategie marketing. Se invece scopri di avere una scarsa efficienza operativa, potrai decidere di implementare strumenti a supporto.

Analisi esterna

Significa capire le opportunità e le criticità presenti nel tuo mercato di riferimento. Nel settore alberghiero possono presentarsi rapidamente nuove tendenze, nuove preferenze dei clienti, cambiamenti nella tecnologia o nel comportamento dei competitor. Questi elementi possono essere opportunità o minacce: ad esempio, l'aumento del turismo eco-sostenibile potrebbe essere un punto a favore per un albergo già impegnato nella transizione “green”, ma una criticità per un hotel che non ha mai perseguito la sostenibilità.

Comprendere i fattori interni ed esterni ti aiuterà a prendere decisioni informate, pianificare strategie efficaci e adattarti rapidamente ai cambiamenti. Lo strumento più conosciuto ed utilizzato per farlo è l’ analisi SWOT , acronimo di Strenghts (Forze), Weaknesses (Debolezze), Opportunities (Opportunità) e Threats (Minacce). 

Le Forze e le Debolezze sono legate all'analisi interna dell'albergo. Ad esempio, una forza potrebbe essere un team altamente qualificato e motivato, mentre una debolezza potrebbe essere l'assenza di un ristorante all'interno dell'albergo. 

Le Opportunità e le Minacce derivano dall'analisi esterna. Un'opportunità potrebbe essere l'incremento della domanda dovuto a un evento speciale, mentre una minaccia potrebbe essere la costruzione di un nuovo albergo concorrente nelle vicinanze.

La previsione della domanda è una componente cruciale di un Business plan per hotel: ti aiuta a gestire le risorse, pianificare le finanze, programmare le strategie di marketing e offrire un eccellente servizio al cliente.

Il modo migliore di prevedere la domanda è fare uno studio di mercato , tramite cui recuperare informazioni chiave sui trend, sui comportamenti dei consumatori, sulla concorrenza e su tutti i fattori che possono influenzare la domanda per i servizi del tuo hotel.

Ti suggeriamo di eseguire lo studio di mercato prima di procedere all’analisi SWOT, per poi utilizzare l’intero set di dati per la previsione della domanda.

Puoi dividere lo studio di mercato in due fasi :

Analisi Macro

Qui prenderai in considerazione le forze esterne che influenzano l'industria dell'ospitalità nel suo complesso. Ad esempio:

• Contesto politico-legislativo : leggi sul turismo, normative sull'ospitalità, normative sanitarie e di sicurezza, etc.
• Contesto economico : stato dell'economia in generale e del settore dell'ospitalità in particolare.
• Contesto sociale : tendenze demografiche generali, abitudini di viaggio, preferenze dei consumatori, etc.
• Mercato di riferimento : dimensione e tendenze del mercato target dell'albergo e dei concorrenti.
• Evoluzione tecnologica : tendenze tecnologiche rilevanti per l'industria dell'ospitalità come domotica, chatbot, intelligenza artificiale, etc.

Analisi Micro

Qui ti concentrerai sugli aspetti specifici dell'ambiente immediato del tuo albergo per capire meglio come differenziarti e personalizzare i tuoi servizi. Ad esempio:

• Clientela: definisce età, sesso, reddito, nazionalità, preferenze di viaggio e altre caratteristiche demografiche dei clienti target.
• Prodotti e Servizi: comprende il tuo inventario, i servizi in camera, i servizi di ristorazione, i servizi ricreativi, etc.
• Distribuzione Commerciale : come distribuisci e vendi i servizi dell'hotel, ad esempio prenotazioni online, partnership con agenzie di viaggio, etc
• Produzione di Operatori e Canali : dettaglia la catena di fornitura dell'hotel
• Concorrenza: esplora i competitor diretti e indiretti dell'hotel con loro punti di forza e di debolezza, prodotti e servizi, strategie di marketing, etc).

Per fare questo tipo di analisi ci si può avvalere di strumenti esterni come libri e riviste specializzate, atti di convegni, report delle associazioni di categoria o dati ISTAT, ma anche di strumenti interni come i dati provenienti dal tuo software gestionale, dalla Business Intelligence, dai canali OTA e dal benchmarking.

Il Piano di marketing è una sezione fondamentale del Business plan che si concentra esclusivamente sulla strategia di marketing, di revenue e finanziaria relativa a prodotti e servizi dell’hotel . Serve a fissare obiettivi e implementare azioni concrete per raggiungerli.

È un documento che si rivolge principalmente a un pubblico interno (direzione generale,  personale di ricevimento, responsabile Revenue, etc) e viene redatto ogni anno anche se è bene ricordarsi di aggiornarlo regolarmente per adattarsi all'evoluzione del mercato e ad eventuali cambiamenti interni dell'hotel.

Gli obiettivi delineati nel piano di marketing possono essere suddivisi in due categorie:

• Obiettivi strategici:   riguardano il medio-lungo termine e sono legati alla direzione generale dell'hotel.
• Obiettivi operativi: questi si riferiscono al breve termine e sono più focalizzati sull'esecuzione quotidiana.

Le sezioni che compongono tipicamente un Piano di Marketing includono:

• Business Mix per l'analisi della segmentazione di mercato dell'hotel.
• Strategia Commerciale : attività di revenue management, vendite e marketing mirate a raggiungere il budget previsto.
• Strategia Qualitativa : attività operative e di marketing per l'ottimizzazione delle procedure e il miglioramento dei punteggi delle recensioni.
• Strategia Finanziaria : attività correlate ai costi sostenuti dall'hotel.

Il vantaggio competitivo, o ciò che in termini di marketing si chiama "USP" (Unique Selling Proposition) , è ciò che distingue la tua attività, i tuoi prodotti o i tuoi servizi da quelli dei tuoi concorrenti. In sostanza, è la ragione per cui i clienti dovrebbero scegliere te invece che altri.

Ma come fare per definire il tuo vantaggio rispetto alla concorrenza? Ecco alcuni passaggi da seguire:

• Analizza il mercato: devi capire cosa stanno offrendo i tuoi concorrenti e individuare i trend attuali del mercato. 
• Identifica potenziali rischi/opportunità : rifletti su come potresti differenziarti e superare i concorrenti utilizzando l'analisi SWOT già eseguita.
• Considera le esigenze dei client i: cosa cercano i tuoi ospiti? Il miglior modo per farlo è chiedere direttamente a loro, evitando di fare supposizioni.

Dopo aver raccolto tutte queste informazioni, puoi elencare i tuoi punti di forza usando l’acronimo USP:

• U (Unique): le caratteristiche che rendono unico il tuo hotel. Può essere qualcosa che offri tu e nessun altro.
• S (Selling): avere un prodotto o servizio in linea con le aspettative del mercato o che non viene soddisfatto dai concorrenti.
• P (Points): i punti che differenziano il tuo hotel dalla concorrenza. 

Una volta eseguite tutte le analisi e raccolto i dati necessari, puoi procedere ad inserirli nel tuo Business plan, che diventerà un documento fondamentale per dirigere e far crescere la tua struttura ricettiva. 

Dovrai articolarlo in due sezioni principali: una descrittiva e una quantitativa. Ecco come comporre entrambe la parti:

Parte descrittiva:

• presentazione dell’azienda
• sintesi del progetto
• descrizione prodotti e servizi
• mercato di riferimento
• strategie commerciali
• SWOT analysis
• Calendario eventi

Parte quantitativa:

• KPI del mercato e della struttura
• Budget ricavi e costi
• Produzione top accounts e canali
• Business mix
• Analisi in termini di qualità

In questo articolo hai scoperto quali sono tutti i passaggi necessari per creare il Business plan completo della tua struttura alberghiera o extralberghiera.

Iniziare da zero, però, può essere difficile, soprattutto se è la prima volta che ti trovi a doverne redigere uno. Ecco perché abbiamo preparato per te un template di esempio di Business plan da scaricare gratuitamente!

Al suo interno troverai anche uno schema Excel abbinato: insieme ti forniranno una struttura solida e ti guideranno passo dopo passo nella stesura. Non solo risparmierai tempo e sforzo , ma avrai anche la certezza di non sbagliare. Inizia subito a scrivere la ricetta per il successo del tuo hotel!

Smartpricing presenta LAB: formazione pratica per il tuo successo!

Come disintermediare dalle ota: le 4 strategie base, yield management: ti bastano 3 tariffe per far crescere il tuo hotel.

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8 Business Plan Templates You Can Get for Free

8 min. read

Updated April 10, 2024

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

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

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

So, which ones are actually worth using? 

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

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

What to look for in a business plan template

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

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

1. Bplans — A plan with expert guidance

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

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

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

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

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

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2. SBA — Introduction to business plans

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

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

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

Explore: The SBA’s planning guide and free templates

3. SCORE — Planning workbook

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

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

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

Download: SCORE’s business plan template

4. PandaDoc — A template with fillable forms

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

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

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

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

Explore: PandaDoc’s business plan template library  

5. Canva — Pitch with your plan

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

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

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

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

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

Explore: Canva’s business plan gallery

6. ClickUp — The collaborative template

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Smartsheet — A wide variety of templates

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

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

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

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

Explore: Smartsheet’s business plan template library  

8. ReferralRock affiliate marketing business plan

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

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

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

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

Download: ReferralRock affiliate marketing business plan template

Does it matter what business plan template you use?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

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Our Climate Transition Action Plan

Our Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP), updated in 2024, sets out our actions to lower our emissions by 2030.

Download our Climate Transition Action Plan (PDF 7.98 MB)

Since we originally published our CTAP in 2021, we have reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our operations and lowered the emissions intensity of our products across our value chain.

Ultimately, our ambition is to reach net zero across our value chain by 2039. To progress towards this, it is vital we reduce emissions over the next few years and put the building blocks in place to ensure long-term delivery.

Our GHG emissions reduction targets

• 100 % absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions (vs 2015)
• 42 % absolute reduction in Scope 3 energy and industrial emissions (vs 2021)
• 30.3 % absolute reduction in Scope 3 forest, land and agriculture GHG emissions (vs 2021)

Our operations (Scope 1 and 2)

• Reduce in absolute terms our operational emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 100% by 2030, against a 2015 baseline (validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as 1.5°C-aligned).
• Reduce in absolute terms our operational emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 70% by 2025, against a 2015 baseline (achieved in 2023).

Our value chain (Scope 3)

• Reduce absolute energy and industrial Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services (associated with ingredients, packaging), upstream transport and distribution, energy and fuel-related activities, direct emissions from use of sold products (associated with HFC propellants), end-of-life treatment of sold products, and downstream leased assets (associated with ice cream retail cabinets) by 42% by 2030, from a 2021 base year (submitted to the SBTi for validation as 1.5°C-aligned in November 2023). [a]
• Reduce absolute Scope 3 forest, land and agriculture (FLAG) GHG emissions from purchased goods and services (associated with ingredients) by 30.3% by 2030, from a 2021 base year (submitted to the SBTi for validation as 1.5°C-aligned in November 2023). [a]

Our two near-term Scope 3 GHG reduction targets are separate, but together they represent a 39% absolute reduction in total targeted Scope 3 emissions. [b]

For information about our progress against our targets, please visit our Sustainability performance data and our Annual Report and Accounts .

Our action areas

To drive our GHG emissions reduction to 2030, we are focusing our efforts where we believe we can have the greatest impact, and where we have access to better data to track our performance.

Supplier Climate Programme

This programme is designed to accelerate the transition of key suppliers to a position of climate leadership.

Our Supplier Climate Programme is designed to accelerate the transition of key suppliers to a position of climate leadership. We define this as suppliers having set their own science-based GHG reduction targets, publicly reporting progress against their targets, and having the capacity and capability to provide us with a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for the materials we buy.

Key actions:

• Scale up the Unilever Supplier Climate Programme.
• Create innovation partnerships with select suppliers for GHG reduction.
• Actively engage with industry-wide initiatives to drive standardisation and scale up approaches to climate action and transparency.

Dependencies:

• Industry alignment around common requirements and methodologies for PCF data.

Reformulating products

We are changing the way our products are made without compromising on performance or consumer experience.

Reformulating our products is one of our biggest opportunities to reduce emissions. Importantly, we are taking action without compromising on product performance or consumer experience.

• Reformulate our Home Care products to use innovative lower-GHG ingredients.
• Use plant-based and lower-GHG food ingredients in Nutrition.
• Increase plant-based ice cream options and alternatives.
• Reduce palm oil usage in soap bars.
• Increased consumer acceptance of plant-based products and technological developments.
• Changes to national Standards of Identity (SOI). We are required to align our product content and production methods with SOI in different markets – for example, the minimum quantity of vegetable oil in our mayonnaise or levels of dairy in our ice creams.

Forest-risk commodities

By the end of 2023 we had put in place the infrastructure, monitoring and verification systems to manage a deforestation-free supply chain.

The GHG emissions from the production of our key forest-risk commodities (palm oil, paper and board, soy, cocoa, and tea) arise from land use change (e.g. deforestation), agricultural practices and downstream processing.

• Invest in our value chain to meet current and future demand for deforestation-free commodities.
• Enrol suppliers and smallholder farmers in our programmes to help them improve practises and ensure they do not contribute to land use change.
• Drive improvements in the processing of forest-risk commodities.
• Availability of deforestation-free and lower-emission commodities.
• Adoption of consistent standards for forest-risk commodities and level playing fields globally.

Find out more about our work to manage a deforestation-free supply chain .

Regenerative agriculture

We are working with partners to scale up more sustainable farming practices in our value chain.

Regenerative agricultural practices focus on delivering positive outcomes in terms of nourishing the soil, increasing farm biodiversity, improving water quality and climate resilience, capturing carbon, and restoring and regenerating the land. Our Nutrition and Ice Cream Business Groups are working with our suppliers to introduce regenerative agriculture practices to some of our key ingredients, including rice, soybeans, wheat, rapeseed, corn, tea, and dairy products.

• Scale up adoption of regenerative agriculture.
• Expand our Lower Carbon Dairy Programme.
• Work together across shared supply chains.
• Farmer capacity and capability to implement regenerative agricultural practices.
• Shared understanding of regenerative agriculture principles and practices.
• Supportive regulatory environment to mitigate risks for farmers.

Chemical ingredients

We are working to reduce emissions from two key chemical ingredients.

Two key chemical ingredients contribute a significant proportion of our Scope 3 GHG emissions: linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) and soda ash. LAS is an organic chemical used as a surfactant (or cleaning agent) in Home Care products such as laundry detergents and is historically derived from petrochemical feedstocks. Soda ash is an inorganic chemical used as a key ingredient in laundry powders and when produced synthetically, is energy-intensive and often produced in markets that burn coal.

• Reduce the GHG intensity of LAS production. To reduce emissions from production, we encourage our suppliers to use renewable energy.
• Reduce the GHG intensity of soda ash production.
• Industry cooperation and advocacy.
• Supplier climate action. We depend on ongoing innovation partnerships with suppliers to develop and procure low-carbon soda ash.
• A level playing field for the production of renewable LAS.

Our operations

We are continuing to transition to renewable thermal energy.

Our operational emissions are within our direct control. We have achieved a 74% emissions reduction vs 2015 (achieving our short-term Scope 1 & 2 GHG reduction target two years early), primarily through increasing our use of renewable electricity and energy efficiency programmes, and increasing our use of renewable electricity.

Over the next three years, we plan to invest €150m in our manufacturing decarbonisation programme, focused on three areas:

• Decarbonisation of our thermal and electrical energy.
• Increasing our use of renewable power.
• Reducing emissions from refrigeration.
• Availability of cost-effective thermal energy solutions.
• Local availability of sustainably sourced biofuels.
• Continued validity of market-based mechanisms for renewable energy.

We are using post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) which helps us to reduce our dependence on virgin fossil-fuel-derived plastics.

Emissions from packaging are a significant contribution to our total Scope 3 GHG emissions and predominantly arise during two lifecycle stages: at feedstock creation, for example, where plastics traditionally use fossil fuels, and at end-of-life, particularly if disposed of through incineration or landfill. Our progress within this action area is demonstrated through our continued use of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR) which helps us to reduce our dependence on virgin fossil-fuel-derived plastics.

• Reduce our overall packaging material use.
• Transition towards increased use of recycled and renewable feedstocks.
• Design our packaging for recycling.
• Advocate for better collection, recycling, and reuse infrastructure.
• Implementation of regulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. We will continue advocating for well-designed EPR schemes, where companies such as Unilever pay for and manage the collection and processing of packaging.
• Agreement of a global plastics treaty.
• Public policy that creates the right enabling environment for new packaging models to succeed.

We are improving our transport network efficiency.

We use logistics and distribution networks across the world to transport our raw materials and products, resulting in GHG emissions from fossil fuel use.

• Improve transport network efficiency.
• Scale up electric and alternative fuel vehicles.
• Accelerated decarbonisation of the transport sector.
• Improved availability of alternative fuels, electric vehicles (especially heavy-duty vehicles), and recharging infrastructure.

Ice cream cabinets

We are working to reduce GHG emissions from our fleet of ice cream cabinets through cabinet efficiency and ‘warming up’ the cold chain.

We have a global cabinet fleet of close to 3 million point-of-sale ice cream freezers, all of which use electricity. This results in GHG emissions where this electricity comes from non-renewable sources.

• Increase cabinet energy efficiency.
• ‘Warm up’ the cold chain. This involves raising the temperature settings of the cabinets from the standard setting of -18°C to a higher setting of -12°C, requiring less energy.
• Transition to renewable energy.
• Ongoing transition to renewable electricity.
• Market access to power purchase agreements and ongoing acceptability of energy attribute certificates.
• Change in freezer temperature regulations.

Aerosol propellants in the US and Canada

We are developing alternative propellants for the US market.

Propellants are ingredients used within products such as hair sprays, antiperspirant sprays, deodorants, and body sprays. Outside of North America, Unilever uses natural hydrocarbon gases for these spray formats which have close to zero GHG emissions. However, in part due to restrictions in the US and Canada regarding Volatile Organic Compound regulations, our spray formulas in these markets use hydrofluorocarbon propellants. HFC propellants typically have a Global Warming Potential of around 164, meaning they are 164 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

• Develop alternative propellants for the US market.
• Consumer acceptance of aerosol propellant innovations in the US and Canada markets.
• Removal of potential regulatory roadblocks in Canada.

In addition to the actions outlined above, we recognise that more innovations will be needed if we are to meet our near-term targets and deliver our Net Zero by 2039 ambition. We believe that by being open and transparent about our challenges and dependencies in our CTAP, we can help accelerate the changes needed to get our business and the world on track for net zero.

"Climate action is a priority for Unilever, to support business growth and the communities we serve. We’re focusing our efforts where we can have most impact and driving innovation – but we cannot do it alone. We’re partnering with others to scale solutions and using our voice to spur collective action from governments, regulators and industry, up and down our value chain. We want to focus our business and the world to get on track for net zero." Rebecca Marmot, Chief Sustainability Officer

Our wider influence on society

To deliver the actions outlined in our updated CTAP, and to help unlock further emissions reduction to meet our near-term GHG reduction targets and progress towards net zero, we recognise the need for more targeted engagement to help drive systemic change.

Our CTAP includes cross-cutting advocacy asks which underpin and support our work on climate. It also sets out how we seek to address specific barriers to each action area, by working with governments, regulators, and industry to shift the systems we are part of. Our cross-cutting advocacy asks include:

More details of how we approach and govern climate policy engagement, including a review of our industry associations, can be found in our Climate Policy Engagement Review (PDF 1.39 MB) .

Our climate governance

The Board has overall accountability for the management of all risks and opportunities, including those arising from climate change and our CTAP. Our CEO and Executive Board member is ultimately responsible for overseeing our climate agenda and implementation of our CTAP. Further information about climate governance is included in our CTAP.

Latest climate news

Regenerative agriculture: what it is and why it matters

It takes around 4 million hectares of land to grow the raw materials used in Unilever products. To ensure they are grown sustainably, we need to support the farmers who supply us as they make the shift to regenerative agriculture. But what does this mean and how will it work?

World-first partnership to pilot near-zero emissions laundry ingredient

Working with partners, our India business is piloting the production of synthetic soda ash – a key ingredient in laundry powder – with a near-zero greenhouse gas footprint. If proved at scale, this innovation could help unlock faster emissions reductions in our supply chain.

We’re protecting and regenerating nature to help combat climate change

Deforestation is a driver of climate change. Lana Kristanto, sustainable sourcing specialist, explains how we’re working towards a deforestation-free supply chain and why protecting and regenerating nature is a key part of our climate strategy.

COP28: Why we’re calling for urgent climate action

The world isn’t reducing emissions quickly enough to meet global targets and avoid climate breakdown. Unilever is calling on governments attending COP28 to urgently increase ambition and accelerate action, so we can go further, faster in the race to net zero.

Related information (6 items)

Download our ctap (pdf 7.98 mb).

Our Climate Transition Action Plan sets out our actions to lower our emissions by 2030.

Using our voice for a zero carbon future

We’re calling on everyone – businesses, governments and international alliances – to come together to tackle climate change.

Deforestation-free supply chain

We’re working within our business and with external partners to ensure a deforestation-free supply chain, that we support human rights and tackle climate change.

Regenerating nature

We’re pioneering an ambitious approach to restore the health of our planet, both in our supply chain and beyond.

Sustainability performance data

We have consolidated our sustainability performance and people data to help with further analysis.

Annual Report and Accounts 2023 Highlights

Find out about our strategy and our performance.

Our near-term Scope 3 targets have been submitted to SBTi for validation.

We also have a target to ‘Halve the full value chain emissions (Scope 1 to 3) of our products on a per consumer use basis by 2030 against a 2010 baseline (medium-term intensity target)’. This target is consistent with a 2°C temperature increase because it was set in 2010 and validated by the SBTi before the 1.5°C validation was introduced. We intend to retire this target in 2024 once our new, more ambitious 1.5°C-aligned Scope 3 targets have been validated by the SBTi.