- 400+ Sample Business Plans
- WHY UPMETRICS?
Customer Success Stories
Business Plan Course
Strategic Planning Templates
E-books, Guides & More
Entrepreneurs & Small Business
Accelerators & Incubators
Business Consultants & Advisors
Educators & Business Schools
Students & Scholars
AI Business Plan Generator
Financial Forecasting
AI Assistance
Ai Pitch Deck Generator
Strategic Planning
See How Upmetrics Works →
- Sample Plans
Small Business Tools
Business Plan Table of Contents
Free Problem Statement Templates
- May 10, 2024
Looking for how & why to write a business plan table of contents ? Well, a nicely written TOC is essential for guiding readers through your plan and highlighting key sections.
It also enhances the overall professionalism and readability by setting the tone for the whole plan later. Let’s explore the sample table of contents along with the pros of adding TOC to the plan.
Why include a Business Plan Table of Contents?
A table of contents serves as the outline of a business plan. It assists the reader in navigating through the document and is placed at the beginning of a business plan. This helps the reader effortlessly find and browse through the topics that interest them.
It includes all the major sections and subcategories of a business plan. The sections are arranged logically with page numbers. And it usually precedes the executive summary.
Sample Business Plan Table of Contents
Presenting the sample business plan table of contents—your perfect partner in creating a well-organized plan. It is necessary to highlight all the necessary areas of the plan.
From below, you can even use the business plan template! It is ready for you to customize according to your needs along with the TOC!
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Mission Statement
- Vision Statement
- Purpose and Values
- Problem Identification
- Problem Statement
- Industry Analysis
- Product & Service Overview
- Product & Service Specifications
- Product & Service Benefits and USPs
- Available Substitutes
- Competitive Overview
- Direct and Indirect Competitors
- SWOT Analysis
- Competitive Position
- Market Share Analysis
- Barriers to Entry
- Market Overview
- Market Size
- Market Segmentation
- Ideal Customer Profile
- Sales & Marketing Objectives
- Pricing Strategies
- Promotion Strategies
- Site Location
- Staffing and Training
- Resource Allocation
- Purchasing Process
- Production Process
- Quality Control Metrics
- Customer Service
- Key Management
- Board of Directors
- Board of Advisors
- Financial Overview
- Business Model
- Financial Projections
- Marketing and Personnel Expenses
- Funding Requirements
- Terms of Investment
- Exit Strategy
Benefits of Adding a Business Plan Table of Contents
A table of contents is an extremely important part of any formal document, let alone a business plan. It is the most commonly found aspect in every large format document, from books to magazines to business plans. Let’s see the benefits of a business plan table of contents:
1. Acts as an introduction
The table of contents is placed before all the sections of a business plan. This will help the reader get a good look at the contents before diving into the details. Primarily, it introduces the reader to your business plan. This can get readers interested and excited to read more.
2. Gives an overview of the scope
A table of contents further enables the reader to judge the scope of your business idea. To mirror the exact essence of your business plan, the table of contents should be crafted carefully.
Whether it’s an investor or another company you wish to partner with, any formal entity interested in your business skims through your table of contents. Hence, it is wise to convey exactly what you intend to.
3. Displays attention to detail
While creating a table of contents, you include not only the major sections of your business plan but also the subsections. These subsections will convey that you have paid attention to the smallest of things while drafting your business. This indirectly sends a message that you are serious about your business ventures.
4. Provides easier navigation
This is an obvious but very significant advantage of a table of contents. Incorporating it into your business plan will add a navigational aspect to your document. Regardless if it’s a physical document or an e-document, a table of contents will help the reader go to any specific section they want.
In the case of an e-document, you can include links to the pages. So the reader can go to a particular section by clicking on the page numbers.
Create visual appealing business plans with our
Plans starting from $7/month
Build Trust in your Business with a Table of Contents
Writing a table of contents for your business plan is a subtle yet powerful way to captivate your potential investors or business partners. It is essentially a summary of the document that acts as a roadmap for your business activities.
So, whether you’re a new business seeking funding or an established business looking to refine your strategy, investing time in creating a thoughtful table of contents is a wise choice.
You can smoothen the process with the help of business planning software and get guidance for each step. So, all the very best!
Build your Business Plan Faster
with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.
About the Author
Upmetrics Team
Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more
Related Articles
Write a Mission Statement For Your Business Plan: Explained with Examples
How to Write a Vision Statement for Your Business
Business Problem Statement Explained with Examples
Reach your goals with accurate planning.
No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee
Popular Templates
- Entrepreneurship
- WordPress And Webdesign
- Sales Funnel
- Motivation And Affirmation
- Get in Touch
4 Examples of Business Plan Table of Contents
March 20 | 0 comments
Written by Peter Keszegh
When crafting a lengthy business plan, it’s best to create a table of contents that can serve as the backbone for your business blueprint. This will allow you to guide readers and potential investors from beginning to end, allowing them to find what exactly they need to know about your business proposal in a convenient way.
In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to structure your business plan table of contents and provide you with a few examples to help you get started.
What’s a business plan table of contents?
A business plan table of contents is an outline of all the relevant sections listed in your business plan. It’s more than just a simple list; it’s also the first impression you’ll be giving to potential investors , which is why it’s important to make sure your table of contents is well-written and detailed from the get-go.
The business plan table of contents will immediately show what your business is all about, and will give readers an overview of relevant subsections and other aspects of your proposal.
A roadmap to your business strategy
Your business plan table of contents is an overview of all the relevant parts of your overall business strategy . This will make it easier for readers and potential investors to identify the key elements to how you plan to run your business.
Saves time for busy readers
In today’s busy world, time is money. Don’t waste the time of potential investors by giving them a business plan that’s difficult to get through. A good business plan table of contents should save readers time and provide them a detailed outline of your proposal from the start.
Reflects your attention to detail
If you put a lot of thought into making your business plan table of contents detailed, that’s a testament to how meticulous you are as an entrepreneur and how well you handle business strategies and finances. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!
Enhances readability and professionalism
If you have a business plan table of contents that’s easy to read and concisely written, that shows potential investors that you know your business plan inside and out , and understand your vision well enough to write it all down in simple terms. It’s a good look for professionalism!
Ultimately, a good table of contents all comes down to getting your business vision across in the most effective way possible, and leaving an impact on potential investors. This document should spell out why these investors should believe in your vision for the future.
Sections to include in your business plan
It’s important to make sure you nail down all the important details in your business plan. Here are some sections you should consider including in your own plans:
Executive summary
An executive summary is exactly that – a glimpse into what your business is all about. Here, you should state your business mission statement, what products and services you’re offering, your leadership team and its employees, and where relevant stakeholders can find you.
It’s also important to mention what your business goals are and the financing you’ll need to achieve those objectives.
Company description
This section will provide readers with a more detailed look into your business. Here, you should describe what your business does, the market needs you address, and the impact of your products or services on the existing market.
Emphasize what sets your business apart from others and explicitly mention the competitive advantages you have.This section will be dedicated to a more extensive look into your business.
Market analysis
In this section, you’ll have to show potential investors that you have a deep understanding of your market, competitors, and overall industry. Write about your target market and its demographics and needs , as well as areas for potential growth . You can use case studies and statistics to illustrate your arguments.
Organization and management
Investors need to know your business’ organizational framework , as well as who your team managers and members are. Make sure to provide biographies of relevant team members that include their current duties and responsibilities , as well as how they contribute to larger organizational goals.
Services or products
Let investors know the products you’re selling or the services you’re providing. This section should give them an idea of the life cycles of your products as well as the research and development activities your business is investing in for future products and services.
Marketing and sales
This section should discuss your business strategies in attracting customers and keeping them . Outline your marketing and sales plans and give investors an idea of what your brand messaging and advertising strategies are.
Funding request
If you’ll be needing additional funds from external financing and investments , you should also include this in your business plan. Make sure to mention how much money you’ll be needing and how you’ll be using them , and whether you plan to source them via loans, grants, or other means . Include specific timeframes as well.
Financial projections
A business plan should also include financial forecasts to show potential investors the business’ profitability. Prepare an income statement, cash flow forecasts, and a balance sheet. It’s also good to provide a break-even analysis to determine the period when your business is likely to become profitable.
The appendix is where you should include all supporting documents or materials mentioned earlier on in your business plan. These may include resumes, permits, lease agreements, legal documents, and any other relevant files.
Consider each section of your business plan as a building block that will shape your overall vision, to make it attractive and easy to understand for investors. By working on these sections, you’ll be able to create a well-prepared document that reflects the true potential of your business.
Business plan table of contents examples
A clear and concise business plan table of contents is a great tool that will help entrepreneurs from all kinds of industries.
Here are four examples:
Standard business plan table of contents
You can opt to use a standard structure for your business plan table of contents. This format is good for any industry, and gives your potential investors a simple but powerful look into what your business is all about.
Executive Summary
Business concept and vision
Financial features and requirements
Current business position and major achievements
Company Description
Business formation history and milestones
Location and facilities
Mission statement and core values
Market Analysis
Industry background
Market needs and trends
Target market and customer profile
Organization and Management
Organizational structure chart
Management team bios
Legal and ownership structure
Products or Services
Detailed description of products or services
Development status and R&D activities
Sourcing and fulfillment
Marketing and Sales Strategy
Market penetration and growth strategy
Sales strategy and forecast
Communication channels
Funding Request
Current funding requirements
Future funding requirements over five years
Proposed terms and use of funds
Financial Projections
Income statements and cash flow statements
Balance sheets
Break-even analysis
Resumes of key managers
Legal documents
Any other relevant documents
Tech startup business plan table of contents
If you’re running a tech startup or looking to create an innovative product that will disrupt the market, you may want to tailor your business plan to highlight these. This kind of table of contents will emphasize your startup’s vision, how you plan to develop your products, and your user acquisition strategies.
Startup vision and quick growth plan
Unique value proposition
Company Overview
Founding story
Technology and innovation edge
Market Validation
Proof of concept results
Customer feedback and market demand
Product Roadmap
Current product offerings
Future development pipeline
User Acquisition and Marketing
Digital marketing strategy
Partnership and network growth plans
Operational Plan
Day-to-day operational details
Supplier and partner relationships
Management Team
Founders and key team members
Advisory board
Financial Plan
Revenue model and projections
Funding history and future rounds
Technical specifications
Patent details
Any additional supporting information
Service industry business plan table of contents
If you're working in the service industry, make sure your business plan table of contents clearly outlines your daily operations and workflows, your customer engagement strategies, and quality control measures.
Service offerings and key benefits
Summary of financial objectives
Business Description
Background and development
Service delivery process
Market Analysis and Strategy
Competitive landscape
Pricing and sales strategy
Customer Engagement
Customer service approach
Loyalty and retention programs
Operational Workflow
Service fulfillment logistics
Quality control measures
Management and Staffing
Organizational chart
Hiring and training plans
Financial Overview
Cost structure and profitability analysis
Funding requirements and strategy
Client testimonials
Key contracts and agreements
Retail business plan table of contents
If you’re working in retail, it’s ideal to highlight your strategies for inventory management, customer relations, and sales. This will give potential investors a clear look into how you plan to run your retail business.
Overview of business concept
Financial features
Current market position
History and vision
Unique value proposition in the retail industry
Detailed examination of target market
Customer demographics
Overview of competitive landscape
Product Line and Services
Description of products
Inventory sourcing strategies
Additional services offered
Marketing Strategy
Advertising strategies
Customer loyalty programs
Operations Plan
Daily operations
Location details
Supplier agreements
Management and Organization
Structure of the business
Profiles of management team
Employee roles
Sales Strategy
Sales forecast
Pricing strategy
Sales channels (in-store and online)
Detailed financial projections including profit and loss
Cash flow statement
Resumes of key staff
Detailed market research
Letters of intent from suppliers
All in all, it’s good to make sure your business plan table of contents lays out all the important details your investors need to know, depending on what industry you’re in. Make sure your table of contents has everything others need to know about your business, and that it’s complete and easy to understand.
Final thoughts: Business plan table of contents
When you’re creating a detailed and well-structured business plan table of contents, you’re a step closer to realizing your business ambitions. Remember that your business plan is what’ll give you a strong case and make you look good to investors, so it’s ideal that you promote your vision in the best way possible.
Once you’ve created a solid business plan, you can ensure that you’ll be on your way to career development, business growth, and meaningful success.
Read More Articles:
Pre Seed Funding: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide
What is a 1031 Exchange Company? Complete Guide
- 212 best farm names
How to Write a Business Plan (Plus Examples & Templates)
May 24, 2021
Have you ever wondered how to write a business plan step by step? Mike Andes, told us:
This guide will help you write a business plan to impress investors.
Throughout this process, we’ll get information from Mike Andes, who started Augusta Lawn Care Services when he was 12 and turned it into a franchise with over 90 locations. He has gone on to help others learn how to write business plans and start businesses. He knows a thing or two about writing business plans!
We’ll start by discussing the definition of a business plan. Then we’ll discuss how to come up with the idea, how to do the market research, and then the important elements in the business plan format. Keep reading to start your journey!
What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan is simply a road map of what you are trying to achieve with your business and how you will go about achieving it. It should cover all elements of your business including:
- Finding customers
- Plans for developing a team
- Competition
- Legal structures
- Key milestones you are pursuing
If you aren’t quite ready to create a business plan, consider starting by reading our business startup guide .
Get a Business Idea
Before you can write a business plan, you have to have a business idea. You may see a problem that needs to be solved and have an idea how to solve it, or you might start by evaluating your interests and skills.
Mike told us, “The three things I suggest asking yourself when thinking about starting a business are:
- What am I good at?
- What would I enjoy doing?
- What can I get paid for?”
If all three of these questions don’t lead to at least one common answer, it will probably be a much harder road to success. Either there is not much market for it, you won’t be good at it, or you won’t enjoy doing it.
As Mike told us, “There’s enough stress starting and running a business that if you don’t like it or aren’t good at it, it’s hard to succeed.”
If you’d like to hear more about Mike’s approach to starting a business, check out our YouTube video
Conduct Market Analysis
Market analysis is focused on establishing if there is a target market for your products and services, how large the target market is, and identifying the demographics of people or businesses that would be interested in the product or service. The goal here is to establish how much money your business concept can make.
Product and Service Demand
A search engine is your best friend when trying to figure out if there is demand for your products and services. Personally, I love using presearch.org because it lets you directly search on a ton of different platforms including Google, Youtube, Twitter, and more. Check out the screenshot for the full list of search options.
With quick web searches, you can find out how many competitors you have, look through their reviews, and see if there are common complaints about the competitors. Bad reviews are a great place to find opportunities to offer better products or services.
If there are no similar products or services, you may have stumbled upon something new, or there may just be no demand for it. To find out, go talk to your most honest friend about the idea and see what they think. If they tell you it’s dumb or stare at you vacantly, there’s probably no market for it.
You can also conduct a survey through social media to get public opinion on your idea. Using Facebook Business Manager , you could get a feel for who would be interested in your product or service.
I ran a quick test of how many people between 18-65 you could reach in the U.S. during a week. It returned an estimated 700-2,000 for the total number of leads, which is enough to do a fairly accurate statistical analysis.
Identify Demographics of Target Market
Depending on what type of business you want to run, your target market will be different. The narrower the demographic, the fewer potential customers you’ll have. If you did a survey, you’ll be able to use that data to help define your target audience. Some considerations you’ll want to consider are:
- Other Interests
- Marital Status
- Do they have kids?
Once you have this information, it can help you narrow down your options for location and help define your marketing further. One resource that Mike recommended using is the Census Bureau’s Quick Facts Map . He told us,
“It helps you quickly evaluate what the best areas are for your business to be located.”
How to Write a Business Plan
Now that you’ve developed your idea a little and established there is a market for it, you can begin writing a business plan. Getting started is easier with the business plan template we created for you to download. I strongly recommend using it as it is updated to make it easier to create an action plan.
Each of the following should be a section of your business plan:
- Business Plan Cover Page
- Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- Company Description
- Description of Products and Services
SWOT Analysis
- Competitor Data
- Competitive Analysis
- Marketing Expenses Strategy
Pricing Strategy
- Distribution Channel Assessment
- Operational Plan
- Management and Organizational Strategy
- Financial Statements and/or Financial Projections
We’ll look into each of these. Don’t forget to download our free business plan template (mentioned just above) so you can follow along as we go.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 1. Create a Cover Page
The first thing investors will see is the cover page for your business plan. Make sure it looks professional. A great cover page shows that you think about first impressions.
A good business plan should have the following elements on a cover page:
- Professionally designed logo
- Company name
- Mission or Vision Statement
- Contact Info
Basically, think of a cover page for your business plan like a giant business card. It is meant to capture people’s attention but be quickly processed.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 2. Create a Table of Contents
Most people are busy enough that they don’t have a lot of time. Providing a table of contents makes it easy for them to find the pages of your plan that are meaningful to them.
A table of contents will be immediately after the cover page, but you can include it after the executive summary. Including the table of contents immediately after the executive summary will help investors know what section of your business plan they want to review more thoroughly.
Check out Canva’s article about creating a table of contents . It has a ton of great information about creating easy access to each section of your business plan. Just remember that you’ll want to use different strategies for digital and hard copy business plans.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 3. Write an Executive Summary
An executive summary is where your business plan should catch the readers interest. It doesn’t need to be long, but should be quick and easy to read.
Mike told us,
How long should an executive summary bein an informal business plan?
For casual use, an executive summary should be similar to an elevator pitch, no more than 150-160 words, just enough to get them interested and wanting more. Indeed has a great article on elevator pitches . This can also be used for the content of emails to get readers’ attention.
It consists of three basic parts:
- An introduction to you and your business.
- What your business is about.
- A call to action
Example of an informal executive summary
One of the best elevator pitches I’ve used is:
So far that pitch has achieved a 100% success rate in getting partnerships for the business.
What should I include in an executive summary for investors?
Investors are going to need a more detailed executive summary if you want to secure financing or sell equity. The executive summary should be a brief overview of your entire business plan and include:
- Introduction of yourself and company.
- An origin story (Recognition of a problem and how you came to solution)
- An introduction to your products or services.
- Your unique value proposition. Make sure to include intellectual property.
- Where you are in the business life cycle
- Request and why you need it.
Successful business plan examples
The owner of Urbanity told us he spent 2 months writing a 75-page business plan and received a $250,000 loan from the bank when he was 23. Make your business plan as detailed as possible when looking for financing. We’ve provided a template to help you prepare the portions of a business plan that banks expect.
Here’s the interview with the owner of Urbanity:
When to write an executive summary?
Even though the summary is near the beginning of a business plan, you should write it after you complete the rest of a business plan. You can’t talk about revenue, profits, and expected expenditures if you haven’t done the market research and created a financial plan.
What mistakes do people make when writing an executive summary?
Business owners commonly go into too much detail about the following items in an executive summary:
- Marketing and sales processes
- Financial statements
- Organizational structure
- Market analysis
These are things that people will want to know later, but they don’t hook the reader. They won’t spark interest in your small business, but they’ll close the deal.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 4. Company Description
Every business plan should include a company description. A great business plan will include the following elements while describing the company:
- Mission statement
- Philosophy and vision
- Company goals
Target market
- Legal structure
Let’s take a look at what each section includes in a good business plan.
Mission Statement
A mission statement is a brief explanation of why you started the company and what the company’s main focus is. It should be no more than one or two sentences. Check out HubSpot’s article 27 Inspiring Mission Statement for a great read on informative and inspiring mission and vision statements.
Company Philosophy and Vision
The company philosophy is what drives your company. You’ll normally hear them called core values. These are the building blocks that make your company different. You want to communicate your values to customers, business owners, and investors as often as possible to build a company culture, but make sure to back them up.
What makes your company different?
Each company is different. Your new business should rise above the standard company lines of honesty, integrity, fun, innovation, and community when communicating your business values. The standard answers are corporate jargon and lack authenticity.
Examples of core values
One of my clients decided to add a core values page to their website. As a tech company they emphasized the values:
- Prioritize communication.
- Never stop learning.
- Be transparent.
- Start small and grow incrementally.
These values communicate how the owner and the rest of the company operate. They also show a value proposition and competitive advantage because they specifically focus on delivering business value from the start. These values also genuinely show what the company is about and customers recognize the sincerity. Indeed has a great blog about how to identify your core values .
What is a vision statement?
A vision statement communicate the long lasting change a business pursues. The vision helps investors and customers understand what your company is trying to accomplish. The vision statement goes beyond a mission statement to provide something meaningful to the community, customer’s lives, or even the world.
Example vision statements
The Alzheimer’s Association is a great example of a vision statement:
A world without Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia.
It clearly tells how they want to change the world. A world without Alzheimers might be unachievable, but that means they always have room for improvement.
Business Goals
You have to measure success against goals for a business plan to be meaningful. A business plan helps guide a company similar to how your GPS provides a road map to your favorite travel destination. A goal to make as much money as possible is not inspirational and sounds greedy.
Sure, business owners want to increase their profits and improve customer service, but they need to present an overview of what they consider success. The goals should help everyone prioritize their work.
How far in advance should a business plan?
Business planning should be done at least one year in advance, but many banks and investors prefer three to five year business plans. Longer plans show investors that the management team understands the market and knows the business is operating in a constantly shifting market. In addition, a plan helps businesses to adjust to changes because they have already considered how to handle them.
Example of great business goals
My all time-favorite long-term company goals are included in Tesla’s Master Plan, Part Deux . These goals were written in 2016 and drive the company’s decisions through 2026. They are the reason that investors are so forgiving when Elon Musk continually fails to meet his quarterly and annual goals.
If the progress aligns with the business plan investors are likely to continue to believe in the company. Just make sure the goals are reasonable or you’ll be discredited (unless you’re Elon Musk).
You did target market research before creating a business plan. Now it’s time to add it to the plan so others understand what your ideal customer looks like. As a new business owner, you may not be considered an expert in your field yet, so document everything. Make sure the references you use are from respectable sources.
Use information from the specific lender when you are applying for lending. Most lenders provide industry research reports and using their data can strengthen the position of your business plan.
A small business plan should include a section on the external environment. Understanding the industry is crucial because we don’t plan a business in a vacuum. Make sure to research the industry trends, competitors, and forecasts. I personally prefer IBIS World for my business research. Make sure to answer questions like:
- What is the industry outlook long-term and short-term?
- How will your business take advantage of projected industry changes and trends?
- What might happen to your competitors and how will your business successfully compete?
Industry resources
Some helpful resources to help you establish more about your industry are:
- Trade Associations
- Federal Reserve
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
Legal Structure
There are five basic types of legal structures that most people will utilize:
- Sole proprietorships
- Limited Liability Companies (LLC)
Partnerships
Corporations.
- Franchises.
Each business structure has their pros and cons. An LLC is the most common legal structure due to its protection of personal assets and ease of setting up. Make sure to specify how ownership is divided and what roles each owner plays when you have more than one business owner.
You’ll have to decide which structure is best for you, but we’ve gathered information on each to make it easier.
Sole Proprietorship
A sole proprietorship is the easiest legal structure to set up but doesn’t protect the owner’s personal assets from legal issues. That means if something goes wrong, you could lose both your company and your home.
To start a sole proprietorship, fill out a special tax form called a Schedule C . Sole proprietors can also join the American Independent Business Alliance .
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
An LLC is the most common business structure used in the United States because an LLC protects the owner’s personal assets. It’s similar to partnerships and corporations, but can be a single-member LLC in most states. An LLC requires a document called an operating agreement.
Each state has different requirements. Here’s a link to find your state’s requirements . Delaware and Nevada are common states to file an LLC because they are really business-friendly. Here’s a blog on the top 10 states to get an LLC.
Partnerships are typically for legal firms. If you choose to use a partnership choose a Limited Liability Partnership. Alternatively, you can just use an LLC.
Corporations are typically for massive organizations. Corporations have taxes on both corporate and income tax so unless you plan on selling stock, you are better off considering an LLC with S-Corp status . Investopedia has good information corporations here .
There are several opportunities to purchase successful franchises. TopFranchise.com has a list of companies in a variety of industries that offer franchise opportunities. This makes it where an entrepreneur can benefit from the reputation of an established business that has already worked out many of the kinks of starting from scratch.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 5. Products and Services
This section of the business plan should focus on what you sell, how you source it, and how you sell it. You should include:
- Unique features that differentiate your business products from competitors
- Intellectual property
- Your supply chain
- Cost and pricing structure
Questions to answer about your products and services
Mike gave us a list of the most important questions to answer about your product and services:
- How will you be selling the product? (in person, ecommerce, wholesale, direct to consumer)?
- How do you let them know they need a product?
- How do you communicate the message?
- How will you do transactions?
- How much will you be selling it for?
- How many do you think you’ll sell and why?
Make sure to use the worksheet on our business plan template .
How to Write a Business Plan Step 6. Sales and Marketing Plan
The marketing and sales plan is focused on the strategy to bring awareness to your company and guides how you will get the product to the consumer. It should contain the following sections:
SWOT Analysis stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Not only do you want to identify them, but you also want to document how the business plans to deal with them.
Business owners need to do a thorough job documenting how their service or product stacks up against the competition.
If proper research isn’t done, investors will be able to tell that the owner hasn’t researched the competition and is less likely to believe that the team can protect its service from threats by the more well-established competition. This is one of the most common parts of a presentation that trips up business owners presenting on Shark Tank .
SWOT Examples
Examples of strengths and weaknesses could be things like the lack of cash flow, intellectual property ownership, high costs of suppliers, and customers’ expectations on shipping times.
Opportunities could be ways to capitalize on your strengths or improve your weaknesses, but may also be gaps in the industry. This includes:
- Adding offerings that fit with your current small business
- Increase sales to current customers
- Reducing costs through bulk ordering
- Finding ways to reduce inventory
- And other areas you can improve
Threats will normally come from outside of the company but could also be things like losing a key member of the team. Threats normally come from competition, regulations, taxes, and unforeseen events.
The management team should use the SWOT analysis to guide other areas of business planning, but it absolutely has to be done before a business owner starts marketing.
Include Competitor Data in Your Business Plan
When you plan a business, taking into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of the competition is key to navigating the field. Providing an overview of your competition and where they are headed shows that you are invested in understanding the industry.
For smaller businesses, you’ll want to search both the company and the owners names to see what they are working on. For publicly held corporations, you can find their quarterly and annual reports on the SEC website .
What another business plans to do can impact your business. Make sure to include things that might make it attractive for bigger companies to outsource to a small business.
Marketing Strategy
The marketing and sales part of business plans should be focused on how you are going to make potential customers aware of your business and then sell to them.
If you haven’t already included it, Mike recommends:
“They’ll want to know about Demographics, ages, and wealth of your target market.”
Make sure to include the Total addressable market . The term refers to the value if you captured 100% of the market.
Advertising Strategy
You’ll explain what formats of advertising you’ll be using. Some possibilities are:
- Online: Facebook and Google are the big names to work with here.
- Print : Print can be used to reach broad groups or targeted markets. Check out this for tips .
- Radio : iHeartMedia is one of the best ways to advertise on the radio
- Cable television : High priced, hard to measure ROI, but here’s an explanation of the process
- Billboards: Attracting customers with billboards can be beneficial in high traffic areas.
You’ll want to define how you’ll be using each including frequency, duration, and cost. If you have the materials already created, including pictures or links to the marketing to show creative assets.
Mike told us “Most businesses are marketing digitally now due to Covid, but that’s not always the right answer.”
Make sure the marketing strategy will help team members or external marketing agencies stay within the brand guidelines .
This section of a business plan should be focused on pricing. There are a ton of pricing strategies that may work for different business plans. Which one will work for you depends on what kind of a business you run.
Some common pricing strategies are:
- Value-based pricing – Commonly used with home buying and selling or other products that are status symbols.
- Skimming pricing – Commonly seen in video game consoles, price starts off high to recoup expenses quickly, then reduces over time.
- Competition-based pricing – Pricing based on competitors’ pricing is commonly seen at gas stations.
- Freemium services – Commonly used for software, where there is a free plan, then purchase options for more functionality.
HubSpot has a great calculator and blog on pricing strategies.
Beyond explaining what strategy your business plans to use, you should include references for how you came to this pricing strategy and how it will impact your cash flow.
Distribution Plan
This part of a business plan is focused on how the product or service is going to go through the supply chain. These may include multiple divisions or multiple companies. Make sure to include any parts of the workflow that are automated so investors can see where cost savings are expected and when.
Supply Chain Examples
For instance, lawn care companies would need to cover aspects such as:
- Suppliers for lawn care equipment and tools
- Any chemicals or treatments needed
- Repair parts for sprinkler systems
- Vehicles to transport equipment and employees
- Insurance to protect the company vehicles and people.
Examples of Supply Chains
These are fairly flat supply chains compared to something like a clothing designer where the clothes would go through multiple vendors. A clothing company might have the following supply chain:
- Raw materials
- Shipping of raw materials
- Converting of raw materials to thread
- Shipping thread to produce garments
- Garment producer
- Shipping to company
- Company storage
- Shipping to retail stores
There have been advances such as print on demand that eliminate many of these steps. If you are designing completely custom clothing, all of this would need to be planned to keep from having business disruptions.
The main thing to include in the business plan is the list of suppliers, the path the supply chain follows, the time from order to the customer’s home, and the costs associated with each step of the process.
According to BizPlanReview , a business plan without this information is likely to get rejected because they have failed to research the key elements necessary to make sales to the customer.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 7. Company Organization and Operational Plan
This part of the business plan is focused on how the business model will function while serving customers. The business plan should provide an overview of how the team will manage the following aspects:
Quality Control
- Legal environment
Let’s look at each for some insight.
Production has already been discussed in previous sections so I won’t go into it much. When writing a business plan for investors, try to avoid repetition as it creates a more simple business plan.
If the organizational plan will be used by the team as an overview of how to perform the best services for the customer, then redundancy makes more sense as it communicates what is important to the business.
Quality control policies help to keep the team focused on how to verify that the company adheres to the business plan and meets or exceeds customer expectations.
Quality control can be anything from a standard that says “all labels on shirts can be no more than 1/16″ off center” to a defined checklist of steps that should be performed and filled out for every customer.
There are a variety of organizations that help define quality control including:
- International Organization for Standardization – Quality standards for energy, technology, food, production environments, and cybersecurity
- AICPA – Standard defined for accounting.
- The Joint Commission – Healthcare
- ASHRAE – HVAC best practices
You can find lists of the organizations that contribute most to the government regulation of industries on Open Secrets . Research what the leaders in your field are doing. Follow their example and implement it in your quality control plan.
For location, you should use information from the market research to establish where the location will be. Make sure to include the following in the location documentation.
- The size of your location
- The type of building (retail, industrial, commercial, etc.)
- Zoning restrictions – Urban Wire has a good map on how zoning works in each state
- Accessibility – Does it meet ADA requirements?
- Costs including rent, maintenance, utilities, insurance and any buildout or remodeling costs
- Utilities – b.e.f. has a good energy calculator .
Legal Environment
The legal requirement section is focused on defining how to meet the legal requirements for your industry. A good business plan should include all of the following:
- Any licenses and/or permits that are needed and whether you’ve obtained them
- Any trademarks, copyrights, or patents that you have or are in the process of applying for
- The insurance coverage your business requires and how much it costs
- Any environmental, health, or workplace regulations affecting your business
- Any special regulations affecting your industry
- Bonding requirements, if applicable
Your local SBA office can help you establish requirements in your area. I strongly recommend using them. They are a great resource.
Your business plan should include a plan for company organization and hiring. While you may be the only person with the company right now, down the road you’ll need more people. Make sure to consider and document the answers to the following questions:
- What is the current leadership structure and what will it look like in the future?
- What types of employees will you have? Are there any licensing or educational requirements?
- How many employees will you need?
- Will you ever hire freelancers or independent contractors?
- What is each position’s job description?
- What is the pay structure (hourly, salaried, base plus commission, etc.)?
- How do you plan to find qualified employees and contractors?
One of the most crucial parts of a business plan is the organizational chart. This simply shows the positions the company will need, who is in charge of them and the relationship of each of them. It will look similar to this:
Our small business plan template has a much more in-depth organizational chart you can edit to include when you include the organizational chart in your business plan.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 8. Financial Statements
No business plan is complete without financial statements or financial projections. The business plan format will be different based on whether you are writing a business plan to expand a business or a startup business plan. Let’s dig deeper into each.
Provide All Financial Income from an Existing Business
An existing business should use their past financial documents including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement to find trends to estimate the next 3-5 years.
You can create easy trendlines in excel to predict future revenue, profit and loss, cash flow, and other changes in year-over-year performance. This will show your expected performance assuming business continues as normal.
If you are seeking an investment, then the business is probably not going to continue as normal. Depending on the financial plan and the purpose of getting financing, adjustments may be needed to the following:
- Higher Revenue if expanding business
- Lower Cost of Goods Sold if purchasing inventory with bulk discounts
- Adding interest if utilizing financing (not equity deal)
- Changes in expenses
- Addition of financing information to the cash flow statement
- Changes in Earnings per Share on the balance sheet
Financial modeling is a challenging subject, but there are plenty of low-cost courses on the subject. If you need help planning your business financial documentation take some time to watch some of them.
Make it a point to document how you calculated all the changes to the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement in your business plan so that key team members or investors can verify your research.
Financial Projections For A Startup Business Plan
Unlike an existing business, a startup doesn’t have previous success to model its future performance. In this scenario, you need to focus on how to make a business plan realistic through the use of industry research and averages.
Mike gave the following advice in his interview:
Financial Forecasting Mistakes
One of the things a lot of inexperienced people use is the argument, “If I get one percent of the market, it is worth $100 million.” If you use this, investors are likely to file the document under bad business plan examples.
Let’s use custom t-shirts as an example.
Credence Research estimated in 2018 there were 11,334,800,000 custom t-shirts sold for a total of $206.12 Billion, with a 6% compound annual growth rate.
With that data, you can calculate that the industry will grow to $270 Billion in 2023 and that the average shirt sold creates $18.18 in revenue.
Combine that with an IBIS World estimate of 11,094 custom screen printers and that means even if you become an average seller, you’ll get .009% of the market.
Here’s a table for easier viewing of that information.
The point here is to make sure your business proposal examples make sense.
You’ll need to know industry averages such as cost of customer acquisition, revenue per customer, the average cost of goods sold, and admin costs to be able to create accurate estimates.
Our simple business plan templates walk you through most of these processes. If you follow them you’ll have a good idea of how to write a business proposal.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 9. Business Plan Example of Funding Requests
What is a business plan without a plan on how to obtain funding?
The Small Business Administration has an example for a pizza restaurant that theoretically needed nearly $20k to make it through their first month.
In our video, How to Start a $500K/Year T-Shirt Business (Pt. 1 ), Sanford Booth told us he needed about $200,000 to start his franchise and broke even after 4 months.
Freshbooks estimates it takes on average 2-3 years for a business to be profitable, which means the fictitious pizza company from the SBA could need up to $330k to make it through that time and still pay their bills for their home and pizza shop.
Not every business needs that much to start, but realistically it’s a good idea to assume that you need a fairly large cushion.
Ways to get funding for a small business
There are a variety of ways to cover this. the most common are:
- Bootstrapping – Using your savings without external funding.
- Taking out debt – loans, credit cards
- Equity, Seed Funding – Ownership of a percentage of the company in exchange for current funds
- Crowdsourcing – Promising a good for funding to create the product
Keep reading for more tips on how to write a business plan.
How funding will be used
When asking for business financing make sure to include:
- How much to get started?
- What is the minimum viable product and how soon can you make money?
- How will the money be spent?
Mike emphasized two aspects that should be included in every plan,
How to Write a Business Plan Resources
Here are some links to a business plan sample and business plan outline.
- Sample plan
It’s also helpful to follow some of the leading influencers in the business plan writing community. Here’s a list:
- Wise Plans – Shares a lot of information on starting businesses and is a business plan writing company.
- Optimus Business Plans – Another business plan writing company.
- Venture Capital – A venture capital thread that can help give you ideas.
How to Write a Business Plan: What’s Next?
We hope this guide about how to write a simple business plan step by step has been helpful. We’ve covered:
- The definition of a business plan
- Coming up with a business idea
- Performing market research
- The critical components of a business plan
- An example business plan
In addition, we provided you with a simple business plan template to assist you in the process of writing your startup business plan. The startup business plan template also includes a business model template that will be the key to your success.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our business hub .
Have you written a business plan before? How did it impact your ability to achieve your goals?
80% of businesses fail... Learn how not to.
Learn from business failures and successes in 5 min or less. The stories, frameworks, and tactics that will make you a 10x better founder.
Brandon Boushy
Related articles
21 Unique Business Ideas for 2024
Unique business ideas across sectors and industries are waiting to be discovered. These businesses might cater to niche markets, invent and sell new products, or offer a traditional service in a new way.
Finding the right unique business idea can be a balancing act. You want to be different enough to stand out from the crowd, but not so different that there’s no market for your product or service. We’ll discuss the unique small business ideas that hit that sweet spot.
[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"] Click on any of the links below to jump straight to the section you want to learn more about, or just continue reading.
Top 21 Unique Business Ideas 2024
Unique service business ideas, unique cleaning business ideas, unique business ideas for small towns, unique online business ideas, unique business ideas for students, unique brick-and-mortar shop ideas, unique business ideas from home, unique business development ideas.
- Finding the Right Unique Small Business Idea [/su_note]
- Dog walking business
- Fingerprinting business
- Personal chef
- Remote cleaning business
- Ewaste collection and recycling
- Window cleaning business
- Flower shop
- Mobile veterinary services
- Specialty food store
- Virtual interior designer
- Online bakery
- Voiceover business
- Transcription business
- Pet sitting services
- AI book business
- Axe throwing business
- Sensory deprivation tank business
- Drone photography
- Furniture restoration business
- Custom treehouse business
You’ll find more information on each of these small business ideas, along with more unusual business ideas, in the article below.
1. Dog Walking
• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+ • Average Profit Margins: 16% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7% • Best For: Animal lovers and experts, pet owners, people who like working outdoors
High demand puts a dog walking business among the best small business ideas for animal lovers to start in 2024. As of 2023, 65.1 million households in the U.S. own at least one dog, and many of those need help taking care of them. That’s a lot of potential customers for your new business venture.
Another plus of dog walking is the potentially low startup costs compared to other businesses. You can set up a profile on a site like Rover and start providing services locally right away with a very small budget.
2. Fingerprinting
• Average Annual Revenue: $132K+ • Average Profit Margins: 9.1% • Startup Costs: $500-$250K • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: -0.6% • Best For: People with high professionalism, a commitment to security, and strong organization skills and attention to detail
Fingerprinting is another unique business idea with a potentially low initial investment.
These services have a broader customer base than many people realize, from criminal investigations to employment background checks and security clearances. If you’re able to attract customers and are skilled at providing customer service, fingerprinting can be a very lucrative business.
Dan Jurkowitsch is an expert in this unique niche market. He teaches people how to use this business model to start successful businesses. Hear his advice in this podcast interview:
3. Personal Chef Services
• Average Annual Revenue: $129K • Average Profit Margins: 51.7% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9% • Best For: Culinary experts like chefs, cooks, and bakers with strong customer service skills
Being a personal chef is a great business idea for chefs who want to avoid the stress and high startup costs of food trucks and restaurants.
Since you work one-on-one with customers, it’s much less hectic and demanding, and you won’t need a brick-and-mortar space.
Connecting with your target audience is often the trickiest part of starting a personal chef business. Having an online presence for your business, including a website and a strong social media following, can be the best way to grow small businesses in this niche.
You can even expand this online presence into another revenue stream by offering online courses in cooking techniques or connecting your chef services to an online store selling ingredients or cooking supplies.
4. Remote Cleaning
• Average Annual Revenue: $74K+ • Average Profit Margins: 6.7% • Startup Costs: $500-$30K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: System-driven and organized entrepreneurs who are tech-savvy with strong digital marketing skills
Offering cleaning services may not be a unique business idea on its own, but it is when you run that company completely remotely. You can set up an online booking system, hire remote team members, and run a cleaning business without ever setting foot in a customer’s home.
Neel Parekh launched his cleaning company, MaidThis, in 2013. Today, it brings in an average revenue of $166,000 per month using a 100% remote business model. Learn how Neel started and grew this unique business idea in the interview below:
5. E-Waste Collection and Recycling
• Average Annual Revenue: $5.7M+ • Average Profit Margins: 2.9% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: People who like physical work, entrepreneurs passionate about sustainability and the environment
Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, has been a growing problem over the past decade. Roughly 6.9 million tons are generated in the United States alone each year, of which only about 17% is properly recycled. Part of the problem is that many people don’t know how to properly dispose of electronics or lack services in their area to do so.
This makes an e-waste recycling service both a unique business idea with potentially high demand and a much-needed service to safeguard our natural resources.
This is another unique small business idea that could be done remotely. Kyle Landwehr started a junk removal business and has turned those systems into six-figure remote trash hauling businesses through the Junk Academy. Find out more in this podcast interview:
6. Window Cleaning
• Average Annual Revenue: $64K • Average Profit Margins: 8.8% • Startup Costs: $200-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.9% • Best For: Detail-oriented and hands-on entrepreneurs who excel at customer service
One way to stand out with a cleaning services business is to focus on a niche. Window cleaning can be an extremely profitable option because it’s a relatively untapped niche with a potentially wide customer base.
Both residential and commercial customers have a need for window cleaning services. This is also something many people can’t do themselves, particularly for multi-story buildings.
On The Spot Window Cleaning has grown to a $45,000-a-month business since its founding in 1998. Learn how owner Jeremiah Hickey started and grew this small business idea in his podcast interview:
7. Flower Shop
• Average Annual Revenue: $262K+ • Average Profit Margins: 5.4% • Startup Costs: $100,000-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 2.8% • Best For: Gardeners, florists, and other plant care professionals, creative entrepreneurs with a green thumb
A flower shop is among the best small-town business ideas. People everywhere love getting beautiful, sweet-smelling flower arrangements as a gift, but smaller towns often don’t have local businesses that provide the service.
Small business owners in the floral niche also have several options to add revenue streams. For example, you could sell herbs, potted plants, seeds, bulbs, and gardening supplies. You can also expand your customer base by selling edible flowers to local restaurants or partnering with other small businesses in the gift niche.
It doesn’t take much experience or business savvy to start a flower business. Dylan Capshaw started a flower business online when he was only 16. He’s since expanded it into a unique business, Stemistry, that combines a flower shop with a cafe. Hear his story in this podcast interview:
8. Mobile Veterinary Services
• Average Annual Revenue: $72K • Average Profit Margins: 11.5% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Veterinarians, dog breeders and trainers, and other animal care experts
Being a veterinarian isn’t necessarily a unique business in its own right, but it is once you put it on wheels!
This is an innovative business idea for a small town or rural area. Pet owners in lower-population areas often have to travel a long distance to access vet care. Mobile services go to them, making transactions more lucrative because you’re giving customers much-needed convenience.
Granted, this unique business idea isn’t for everyone. You’ll need extensive training in animal healthcare. For those who already have this training, though, a mobile business model can be a great way to start a successful business venture.
9. Specialty Food Store
• Average Annual Revenue: $9.3M+ • Average Profit Margins: 1.8% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.8% • Best For: Foodies, cooks, and food service professionals with strong organization and inventory management skills
People who live in small towns still enjoy unique food, but it can be hard to come by outside of large cities. This is why a specialty food store is an excellent small business idea for small-town entrepreneurs.
Successful business owners in the specialty food niche need to be responsive to customer demands. The key is to find out what items are missing from your local markets and fill that gap.
Communicating with locals, both in person and through social media, is a great way to predict which specialty foods will fly off the shelf in your town.
10. Virtual Interior Design
• Average Annual Revenue: $168K+ • Average Profit Margins: 10.6% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: Designers, artists, and creative entrepreneurs, real estate industry and home staging professionals
The expansion of virtual tools has created lots of opportunities for unusual business ideas, one being virtual interior design. Designers in this niche use virtual design software to make furnishing and decoration recommendations completely remotely.
Having a website and a strong social media presence is crucial for success as a virtual designer. You can demonstrate your authority and aesthetic with an online portfolio, virtual design workshops, or online courses that teach interior design basics.
11. Online Bakery Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $1.52M • Average Profit Margins: 5.4% • Startup Costs: $100-$3M • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Cooks, bakers, and food experts who are system-driven, organized, and tech-literate
Similar to a cupcake food truck business or bakery catering service, an online bakery business can be a great way to profit from your baking skills without the expense of a brick-and-mortar space.
Instead of buying products at a bakery, customers order their baked goods through an online interface and then get products delivered, either through the mail or local delivery.
Along with lower expenses, this mode allows the business owner to work at their own pace. It’s also easier to control inventory when you’re preparing baked goods to order rather than trying to anticipate the demands of hungry customers.
12. Voiceover Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $73K+ • Average Profit Margins: 3.7% • Startup Costs: $100-$500 • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 9.12% • Best For: Actors, singers, and performers who are patient, detail-focused, and excel at time management
If you’ve ever been told that you have a great voice for radio, then a voiceover business should be on your list of top small business ideas.
Voiceover artists take on a range of assignments, from voicing characters in cartoons and video games to reading audiobooks or content for apps like GPS systems. The main skills you’ll need are a clear speaking voice and the ability to read from a script.
The easiest way to start an online business in voice acting is to sign up for a freelance platform focused on the craft. Snap Recordings , Filmless , and Voice123 are among the most popular sites for building a career in this industry.
13. Transcription Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $25K+ • Average Profit Margins: 9% • Startup Costs: $0-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: Good listeners with fast typing skills
Students need a business with low startup costs—and it doesn’t get any lower than 0. While some new transcription business owners pay for advertising to attract customers, you can start for free by taking jobs through sites like TranscribeMe or Rev .
If you can type at a speed of at least 60 words per minute, transcription can be a good business idea. You can also find free and low-cost software to make the job easier. Typically, transcriptionists work at their own pace, so this is also an easy business to schedule around your classes and other activities.
14. Pet Sitting Services
• Average Annual Revenue: $34K+ • Average Profit Margins: 16% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.7% • Best For: Animal lovers, pet owners, people who are patient, organized, and great communicators
Many students need to fit their small business ideas around studying and homework time. This is what can make pet sitting a perfect fit. While you’ll need to feed and care for the animals, a lot of your work is just keeping an eye on them—basically, you can get paid for hanging out with cats and dogs.
Building your client base can be the tricky part of getting started in this niche business. Many small business owners in the pet sitting niche build a client list through websites like Rover , Wag! , and PetSitter . You can also connect with clients through social media sites like Nextdoor.
15. AI Book Business
• Average Annual Revenue: Unknown • Average Profit Margins: 23.3% • Startup Costs: $500-$5K • Time to Revenue: 1-3 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 7.80% • Best For: Strong editors with knowledge of generative AI and digital marketing skills
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has opened up a host of new business ideas. Using AI to generate books is one way to leverage this new technology into a lucrative business opportunity.
The key to success with an AI book business is knowing how to identify your target audience and market to them effectively. That’s how Joe Popelas made over $1M in his first year selling AI-generated books. Hear his story and advice in this podcast interview:
16. Axe Throwing Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $454K • Average Profit Margins: 9.91% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.9% • Best For: Outgoing and fun-loving entrepreneurs with strong system-building and marketing skills
If you want to provide your area with a unique entertainment option, starting an axe-throwing establishment can be both a very fun and an extremely profitable business opportunity. Originating in Canada, this is a relatively new industry that’s skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade.
Along with charging customers for axe-throwing sessions, you can expand your revenue streams by hosting tournaments, selling memberships, or having an on-site shop that sells refreshments and merchandise.
17. Sensory Deprivation Tank Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $1.1M+ • Average Profit Margins: 12.07% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.1% • Best For: Wellness-oriented entrepreneurs with strong customer service and marketing skills
First developed in the 1950s, sensory deprivation tanks (also known as flotation tanks or isolation tanks) have seen substantial growth in popularity in recent years. They can help people unplug from the distractions of modern life, so it’s no surprise that so many of them have popped up across the United States since 2020.
Ryan Duey’s transformative experience in a float tank led him to open his own flotation therapy spa, Capitol Floats. He’s since built on that business by making and selling his own cold plunge tanks and sensory deprivation tanks. Hear how he built his business in this podcast interview:
18. Cat Cafe
• Average Annual Revenue: $865K+ • Average Profit Margins: 5.8% • Startup Cost: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 3+ months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 1.2% • Best For: Animal lovers, baristas and food service professionals
Some of the top unique businesses are twists on old classics. Cat cafes are one example of this, putting a new spin on the classic coffee shop.
Connecting with other businesses is a critical first step to opening a cat cafe. Primarily, you’ll need an animal partner that can provide well-socialized cats for guests to interact with (and adopt, if they fall in love with a floof during their visit).
Cat cafes can set up multiple revenue streams to increase their odds of success. This can include selling merchandise and pet-friendly snacks in addition to the typical cafe offerings. They can also charge an entrance fee for the cat space.
19. Drone Photography and Videography
• Average Annual Revenue: $50K • Average Profit Margins: 7.3% • Startup Costs: $1K-$10K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 0.3% • Best For: Photographers and visual artists, tech-literate and creative entrepreneurs
Drone photography is a relatively new industry, and that’s part of what makes it a good small business idea. While the market for photography services can be crowded, most photographers can’t take overhead shots. Offering that unique service can help a new small business owner stand out in their local market.
This niche business in the photography industry is often in high demand as a B2B business. For instance, real estate industry professionals use drone photography to sell their properties, while advertising professionals use it in commercials and other marketing materials.
Mile High Productions built a strong customer base of real estate agents, earning an average revenue of $35,000 a month. Learn how it grew in this YouTube interview:
20. Furniture Restoration and Flipping
• Average Annual Revenue: $111K+ • Average Profit Margins: 1.9% • Startup Costs: $100K-$3.5M • Time to Revenue: 6-18 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: 6.55% • Best For: Woodworkers, interior designers, creative entrepreneurs who like working with their hands
Furniture restoration is among the best home business ideas for makers, tinkerers, and other hands-on entrepreneurs. It lets you make a living from breathing new life into old things, which makes it sustainable and eco-friendly, as well.
The best business plan for a furniture restoration business often includes multiple services. You can restore pieces for clients or buy, fix up, and flip old furniture you find at thrift stores, flea markets, and antique stores.
Jennifer Beck started in furniture retail sales, then built on her passion for restoration into her own business with Saved By Design. Learn how she got started in this podcast interview:
21. Custom Treehouse Business
• Average Annual Revenue: $696K+ • Average Profit Margins: 3.4% • Startup Costs: $1K-$100K • Time to Revenue: 1-6 months • Annual Market Growth Rate: -1.3% • Best For: Carpenters, designers, and construction professionals with strong customer service and communication skills
Treehouses aren’t just for kids anymore. From unique Airbnbs to fun home offices and entertainment spaces, there are a variety of reasons people add custom treehouses to their properties.
You don’t have to only build treehouses, either. Often, business owners in this niche market build other backyard spaces for customers, like decks and sheds.
Anthony and Jamie Taylor-Weber and started their innovative business, Outdoor Office, from their home garage. Now, it brings in a revenue of $1.2M a year. See how they did it in this YouTube interview:
Having a unique business concept doesn’t need to mean you’re inventing a completely new thing from scratch. Here are some tips on ways to turn any concept into a unique business idea.
Take Your Business on the Road
Convenience is king in the modern world. Taking your product or service straight to customers can give you a definite leg up on your competition.
Mobile vet services are one example of this, and you can apply the concept to just about any niche. From food trucks to mobile clothing boutiques or hair salons, there’s a way to take just about any type of business on the road.
This approach has benefits for business owners as well as customers. It often costs less to start, for one thing, and has lower overhead expenses compared to brick-and-mortar shops. It also makes any type of business super-scalable—just buy another truck for the fleet, and you’ve effectively doubled your capacity.
Combine Compatible Ideas in New Ways
One of the businesses referenced above is Stemistry, a combination flower shop and coffee shop. By bringing these concepts together, Dylan Capshaw expanded his revenue streams and target audience.
A cat cafe is another example of this. People love cafes, and they love playing with pets—so why not put the two together into one place?
You can take the same approach with other business ideas. This can be a way to put a new spin on a familiar concept, or it can add profitability to a new idea that may take a while to gain traction otherwise.
Share Independent Research and Education Resources
You might think that teaching other people about your industry is counterproductive for growing business revenue. After all, if your customers know how to do things themselves, why would they pay you?
But think about it: most people know how to clean a home, but cleaning businesses are still very profitable.
Providing educational resources, like online courses, white papers, infographics, or how-to videos, establishes your authority in your industry. You can also use these as an additional revenue stream or as marketing materials to attract new customers.
Finding the Right Unique Small Business Idea
This list of unusual business ideas certainly isn’t comprehensive. There are unique business ideas not yet implemented in every industry. Now it’s time for you to go out and find the right one for you.
What is your favorite unique business idea? Let us know in the comments!
How to Start a $75K/Month Car Detailing Business (2024)
Auto detailing can be highly profitable with a low barrier to entry and equally low overhead costs. We'll show you how to start a car detailing business.
Let us demonstrate how owning a car detailing business isn't complicated or expensive.
We gathered expert advice from GoDetail founder and owner Alan Tursunbaev. He started the auto detailing business for extra money between high school and college. At 22, he's making $75K per month. Even better, he's increased revenue by 50% in the last six months. Best of all, he offers $10 discounts for every referral a customer sends.
We'll explain the step-by-step process of how to start a car detailing business. By the end of this article, you'll understand more about:
- Car detailing business skills
- Mobile detailing services
- Car detailing business plans
- Cleaning business names
- Business structure and other legal requirements
- Cleaning business finances
- Safety during business operations
- Equipment for mobile detailing businesses
- Mobile car detailer marketing
- Employee management structure
- Processing documentation
Are you ready to start a successful car detailing business?
Step 1. Learn more about the car detailing business
There are three areas you should understand before starting a car detailing business:
- Car detailing industry
- Detailing technical skills
- Soft skills
Learn about the mobile detailing industry
Someone starting a car detailing company needs to understand the $14.7 billion car wash and auto detailing industry. We'll answer some common questions about how to start a mobile detailing business.
How much do car detailers make?
According to IBISWorld Report 81119A , there are over 67,000 companies under NAICS Code 811192. That means the average company makes around $220,000, but it varies dramatically.
GoDetail makes approximately $900K per year, making it over four times the revenue of the average company.
How much does a car detailing business owner make?
The net income for the industry is 17.1% of revenue, which means that the average small business owner makes approximately $37,620 in profit plus any salary they take from mobile car cleaning. But, Alan told us:
[su_quote]We make around 60% gross profit. (That converts to about 42% net income, or over $300K net income)[/su_quote]
Check out our first interview with Alan below:
How much does it cost to start detailing business operations?
Alan started his mobile car detailing business with $500. So you don't need much money when starting a mobile detail business. If you are starting a detail business with a physical location, it may cost $20,000 to $10 million, depending on the cost of land, equipment, and labor in your area.
Now, just because you can start this business with $500 doesn't mean that's the best choice. A larger investment at the start can often help you grow faster so you'll end up with more money in the long term. This doesn't need to mean taking out a massive loan, either. A business line of credit gives you access to funds when you need them and you'll only accrue interest on the money you use, making it a flexible and cost-saving way to get a quick cash infusion for a new detailing business.
The good news is that starting an auto detailing business doesn't require a ton of experience. Over 90% of US households have access to at least one vehicle. So, services catering to automobile owners aren't going anywhere!
Let's get into the “details” about starting a car detailing service.
Skills for a mobile car detailing business
So what are the skills you'll need? You'll need to be able to do the following when starting a detailing business:
- Air compressor operation
- Car washing and drying by hand
- Leather conditioning
- Pressure washing
- Upholstery cleaning
- Wet and dry vacuuming
Learn and practice these skills, and you're on your way to becoming a successful auto detailer!
Alternatively, you can watch YouTube auto detailing videos or read Detailing 101 . Simple, right?
Auto detailing certification
Automotive detailing doesn't have as many certifications as other cleaning businesses do. Here are a few you might consider when you start a detailing business:
International Detailing Association (IDA)
The IDA offers four levels of certification. With each one, you get uniform badges, branding materials, and a listing on the IDA website. Check out their certifications:
- Certified Detailer (Phase 1) : 10 tests you can take online that cost $400 for nonmembers (NM) or $200 when you buy a $110 per year membership .
- Skills Validated Detailer (Phase 2) : Same pricing as Phase 1 but requires four mobile detailing skills tests.
- Recognized Independent Trainer : Requires active membership, Phase 2 certification, three years of training experience, references, and an outline of the training to be considered.
- Marine Certification : If you want to be a mobile detailer who works on boats, you'll have to take the Phase 1 exam, then take the $400 NM or $200 member five-part certification exam.
Detail King
Starting a car detailing business is easier with Detail King. You might want to consider Detail King because they are:
- A Pennsylvania accredited technical school for detailers.
- A supply house for everything mobile auto detailing related (You’ll get discounts on cleaning business startup kits and supplies.)
- Paint restoration trainers, which means you’ll have a chance to expand revenue streams.
- Ceramic coating trainers, which helps mobile detailing businesses offer a service that starts at $1,000, and improves resale value by documenting it on Carfax. Ceramics protect against scratches, small dings, and corrosion.
- Offering licenses which are the equivalent of a franchise without the franchise fees.
Not-so-technical skills
The key to Alan's success is incredible customer service and looking at the big picture. He adds value to his mobile detailing service by:
- being personable
- learning names
- sharing detailing tricks with customers
The common denominator of successful businesses, especially startups, is excellent customer service.
Don't neglect these soft skills:
- communication
- trustworthiness
Alan told us:
[su_quote]Customers prefer over-communication rather than under-communication.[/su_quote]
He added that you need to hire employees, automate, and create scripts to build this into your mobile detailing business model and grow.
The International Detailing Association ( IDA ) published a code of ethics you might want to check out.
Here's the formula
The formula for gaining skills and experience for starting a car wash business is:
- Learn technical skills.
- Pay close attention while detailing cars.
- Nurture those soft skills.
There are even more mobile auto detail tips available on Detail University !
It's that simple. Now shake that up and spray it over any areas of doubt you had about how to start a detail business.
Step 2. What type of detailing business is right for you?
GoDetail provides both home auto detailing and commercial fleet detailing services, but there are many types of detailing businesses. For example, your small business can concentrate on:
- at-home car detailing
- commercial fleet inventories, such as a car dealership
- recreational vehicles (RVs)
- shop, garage, or car wash-based operation
[/su_note] Stationary or mobile?
Alan and his crew have both mobile and stationary car detailing. Mobile sounds convenient, right? Keep reading to decide what works for you.
Stationary car detailing businesses need a garage, lobby, office, adequate plumbing, parking lot, and other infrastructure. It's easy to realize that this is the more expensive option. Nevertheless, it can be very profitable. Read more about costs and garage setup when starting a car detail business.
Two types of stationary detailing shops
There are generally two types: high-volume and boutique.
How to start a car detail business with high volume
A high-volume business location serves customers looking for lower-cost services. These small businesses offer:
- convenience
- fast service
- high volume (of course)
- more workers with fewer skills
- A mix of automation, self-serve, and manual service
People might vacuum their own car at these. Some local businesses even require the owner to hand wash the car.
Most businesses that require a customer to wash their own car have gone out of business. If you find one, you might want to buy it because you can add automation without needing to pay for as many construction costs.
Starting detailing business: Boutique
Alternatively, boutiques attract customers with luxury vehicles who appreciate first-class treatment and advanced services, such as paint corrections. A boutique detailer provides:
- high prices
- services for high-end vehicles
- small, well-trained staff
- specialized services, including ceramic coatings
Don't assume less work and more money is always better. If your personality isn't refined, a boutique may not be right for you. Maybe you want to do something else involving motor vehicles like:
- Become an auto mechanic
- Start a food truck
In essence, consider your options and make the best choice for you.
How to start mobile detailing business
Mobile detailing is better for many small business owners because it requires less capital and experience.
Notto Jensen, the owner of Attention 2 Detail attributes much of his success to this decision:
Starting small and being mobile...turned out to be an asset.
Here's the magic: All you need is a van and some supplies. Alan estimates startup costs for supplies are around $500. You can get a used van with under 100K miles for $10K to $20K.
Take the next step by researching how to accept payments. Start by reading this: “ Invoices & Receipts 101 for Auto Detailers. ” There's good stuff there.
The competitive advantage of a mobile car wash business
Notto realized that starting small, being mobile, and not being able to afford overhead initially benefited him. He says:
[su_quote]I found that very busy people couldn't believe that we would come to their house and take care of it.[/su_quote]
We also interviewed Isaiah Barhoum of Big's Mobile Detailing.
There's plenty of business ideas you can consider. Check out our courses here .
Step 3. Write a car detailing business plan
I know what you're thinking: I can learn how to start a car detailing business from home and watch the profits shine. Well, there's more to it than that. The deal is that a car wash business plan is your roadmap to long-term success.
Business plan sections are pretty standard. Make sure to include:
- auto detailing insurance
- competitive analysis of car detailing in my area
- detailing supplies
- financial projections
- ideal physical location
- licenses and permits
- marketing plan
- strategies to make money
And the best part is that UpFlip's guide steers you through writing a business plan, including a free template to download. It's worth your time to check it out.
Step 4. Choose a name
Now, it's time for some fun!
Choosing a name is an exciting part of the entrepreneurial process. Enjoy being creative, but consider the following points:
- Add your details: You want people to know what you do, but don't constrain yourself too much. GoDetail and Attention 2 Detail both state what they do, but Attention 2 Detail can be expanded to any niche.
- Easy and clear: Potential customers may be put off by a name they struggle to spell or pronounce. Keep it simple.
- Location: Consider including your location to attract customers in your area and establish yourself within the local region.
- Branding: Ask yourself if you can easily incorporate your name into branding elements, such as logos and graphics. For inspiration, read the histories behind famous car logos .
Set up a dot com
Using a dot com in your website address looks very official. Run your name through this domain name search to see what's available. Also, it's worth your time to read UpFlip's guide on creating a website .
Lock it all in
Run your business name by some trusted friends and family (and Google Trends ) and then register it legally, which brings us to our next step below.
Step 5. How to start a car detailing business
Establishing a legal structure is vital and legally necessary, and it might require professional help . The experts at CorpNet understand all the ins and outs of what it takes to set up and run a business legally. They can also be helpful down the line with things like payroll tax registration and other legal matters that will come up as you grow. If you're just looking for more information, check out their Learning Center for comparisons of different legal structures and other helpful knowledge.
Your new detailing business will likely need assorted licenses, permits, and tax forms. Find out what you'll need from the Small Business Administration ( SBA ) and Municode Library .
The Municode Library is great, but most of us aren't lawyers. Fortunately, I went through and gathered the information for cleaning businesses and most of it will apply to mobile detailing.
Business structure & car detailing license
There are several types of business structures you may want to use. You can file for most of them on the Secretary of State website for your state.
- S-Corporation : Best for high earning companies that want to lower business owner taxes. Limited number of stockholders, provides personal liability protection, requires business owners to receive salary (and optional dividends), no double taxation.
- C-Corporation : Best for companies trying to change the world. Unlimited stockholders, provides personal liability protection, high compliance costs, and double taxation. Business owners can earn money through multiple income streams with different tax codes.
- Limited Liability Company : Best for companies that want to separate business entities from personal assets. Provides limited liability, pass-through income, and no double taxation.
- Sole Proprietorship : Best to just get started. Doesn't provide liability protection or create a separate business entity, and is considered personal income. Don't use a sole proprietorship if you hire employees.
To learn more about business structures, check out our blog on 11 structures . You'll also want to get your business licensed. Some states let you do it all at once. Don't forget to grab an employer identification number from the IRS . It's like a social security number for your business.
Open a business bank account
To run a successful business, you need to open a business bank account because you need to separate your business and personal finances. Business bank accounts can be either online or from banks and credit unions.
Online banks tend to have better offers, but they might not offer the range of business credit card accounts you can open in the legacy banking system. If credit accounts or making cash deposits are important to you, go with the legacy banks. Learn more .
Get business insurance
You'll want to get business insurance including:
- General liability insurance
- Property damage insurance
- Workers compensation insurance
- Cyber Security Insurance (You have people's credit cards, names, and addresses.)
Consider Simply Business t o get the most competitive insurance quotes for your business.
Step 6. Set up your car detailing business finances
Let's talk numbers. You already have a budget from your business plan and know what the industry profit margin is. How are you going to fund the business?
The auto detailing industry's barrier to entry is low, but funding is an important step. Try business financing through one of our partners. Other sources provide a boost, such as:
- angel investor
- business partner(s)
- credit cards
- crowdfunding
- government programs
- home equity loan
- friends or family
- personal finance through savings or wages
- rollover for business startups ( ROBS )
Each method has its pros and cons. For example, personal funds help you possess full ownership and avoid interest, but they might place you in a risky position financially.
Pricing structure
Rather than charging per hour, Alan set prices for car detailing based on the size of the car. Make sure to have a price list for common cars. Notto charges per foot for boat detailing. Customers appreciate transparency.
Charge extra on the initial detailing or when the vehicle has extra grime. Explain to customers that a routine detail will cost less per cleaning because it keeps the car cleaner.
Once you have a price locked in for a customer, put it in writing. If needed, create a contract with crystal clear terms. It makes sense, right?
Revenue and profit
[su_quote]We currently clean about four to six cars a day.[/su_quote]
He has 18 employees, bringing in revenue of around $75,000 per month. For more information on how to profit from detailing services, take Detail King's advice for a spin.
Step 7. Establish safety protocols
Training and adhering to safety guidelines , such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) guidelines, are essential in this business. Take them seriously to keep all parties safe from injury, fines, and legal action.
Know your stuff
Be familiar with detailing chemicals and equipment operations, and investigate locations before performing a mobile detail. Here's the truth: good practices mitigate risk and prevent fines over violations.
Environmental concerns
Both mobile and brick-and-mortar detailers must be mindful of issues and regulations about the environment, like the Clean Water Act and Ozone Transport Commission ( OTC ).
IDA explains environmental concerns on their website. Also, you can offer eco-friendly products for your service.
Step 8. Get equipment and supplies
Equipment and supplies for a detailing business vary for mobile or stationary, with items in common. Let's open the door and hop in.
Common supplies
Car detailing businesses need the same essential items, such as brushes, polishers, and a vacuum. Learn more by reading IDA's list of essential equipment for detailers. It's worth your time to check it out. You'll also need to get some software to run your business.
Software for Mobile Detailing
A solid CRM software is a must for any mobile business, ensuring your employee and customer communications are organized and that no tasks are falling through the cracks. The Monday Sales CRM platform is our favorite at UpFlip because it integrates your sales pipeline and lead management into your customer engagement portal so everything's in one convenient place.
Alan uses Housecall Pro, a software built for the mobile detailer . Housecall Pro CRM has features built-in to increase customer satisfaction, transparency, and communication, while simplifying your employees jobs.
Don't buff out the importance of a polisher
As Notto puts it, your “main muscle” is your buffer, which you can purchase easily from retailers . There's also a ton of options for wax . Notto suggests finding two or three that work for you. There's no need to buy them all.
Water reclamation
Some detailers collect and dispose of greywater with a water reclamation system. Detail King offers guidance , but that's only part of the story because certain states regulate greywater . So, be sure you comply with applicable laws.
Alan prefers to use Optimum No Rinse (ONR) because it reduces the water needed down to a bucket. Requires one ounce of ONR and two gallons of water per car.
At the time of writing this article, costs for important detailing equipment you'll need are as follows:
- Absorber (Notto's favorite towel) $20 for two
- All-purpose cleaner $7
- Buffer $120
- Hoses and nozzles $75 to $100
- Leather cleaner and shoe brush $15
- Pressure washer $159 (You don't need this if you're using ONR)
- Shop-Vac $100
- Small tools, such as grout brushes $13
- Business cards $30
Imagine running out of drying towels at a customer's house. Instead of watching water droplets form white spots on the great wash you just performed, plan with backup supplies and equipment.
Acquire what you can at first, but heed Notto's advice that not having them can “stop you dead in your tracks.” Don't let this be you.
Mobile detailing business
A mobile detailing setup requires a heavy-duty vehicle , such as a van, SUV, or trailer. Be sure it's reliable, presentable, and has plenty of space for supplies and equipment. Notto stresses vehicle reliability as the key to success .
Are you wondering where the water comes from to wash all these vehicles?
Some mobile car detailing businesses utilize the customer's residential water supply, while other mobile car wash businesses have a water tank . There are also “ waterless ” detailing supplies like ONR.
Step 9. Hire employees
Alan had a lot to say about hiring employees. He's hired 18 of them and told us:
He went on to explain:
Alan emphasized the importance of paying them well and commission.
Once you get busy enough, Alan recommends hiring employees, then a receptionist, and finally a manager. He cautioned people against one of the biggest mistakes when hiring:
[su_quote]Don’t expect them to change. If they aren’t reliable, it’s better to fire them and hire someone new.[/su_quote]
Watch our interview with him below.
According to Notto:
[su_quote]Finding the right people, rewarding them, giving them a little bit of ownership. . . and just making sure that you have that same vision.[/su_quote]
Some of the qualities of a good employee include:
- enthusiastic
- safety-conscious
- team player
It also helps if they possess technical skills, which can be taught. Also, here's a great new hire checklist for a car detailing business.
Step 10. Develop a sales and marketing strategy
Marketing is super important, and sales bring in revenue. So, don't skimp on your sales and marketing budget.
[su_quote]Don’t have all your eggs in one basket.[/su_quote]
His marketing budget is $3,500, and it's divided evenly between:
- Print materials
- Business cards
According to Carfax.com , an excellent selling point is that a regularly cleaned car increases its resale value and promotes pride in ownership. Keep reading to learn more about your sales audience.
Market Research: Identify your customer
Create an ideal customer persona to help you pinpoint your ideal demographic. Narrowing down the characteristics of your ideal customer will help you build your customer base.
Read more about identifying ideal customers and creating a customer persona.
Do some research to figure out who is willing to pay for the services you provide in your area. Once you've narrowed it down, go out and find some customers!
Digital marketing
In the digital age, your online presence is how customers find you. A website, social media accounts, email newsletters, and digital advertising are all practical marketing tools. Check out Upflip's helpful guide on creating a website.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
[su_quote]Hire an expert. Don't try to do it yourself. you have too much going on.[/su_quote]
Be sure to implement SEO for the best results. Services like Surfer can help you with that. And the best part is you can always perform a quick test to determine if your SEO is working.
Check out what Entrepreneur.com has to say about finding a reputable SEO company. And once you have your website, don't forget to explore the following opportunities to improve SEO:
- featured snippets
- Google Business Profile
- optimization of your site for speed
Digital business card
Try a digital business card service, like Popl , that allows you to link your contacts, websites, social pages, payment apps, and promotional material all from one page.
Social media
Instead of spending too much time scrolling through social media, make it work for your business! Facebook and Instagram provide free insights on business accounts, with opportunities to run paid ads.
Managing multiple social media platforms can take a lot of time, and that's something most small business owners don't have to spare. Tailwind makes this easier by managing your email and social media marketing across platforms, and is an especially useful tool for small detailing businesses that don't have the budget for dedicated marketing staff.
Email newsletter
A newsletter is an excellent way to keep in touch with customers and send them coupons. Mailchimp and Constant Contact provide awesome email marketing tools.
Digital advertising
Take your ad dollars one step further with broader digital marketing efforts. Consider pay-per-click (PPC), marketing automation, and other avenues.
Printed materials
[su_quote]Print marketing can be very effective, but tailor it based on the target market.[/su_quote]
Consider creating mailers, brochures, business cards, car magnets, flyers, t-shirts, and other promotional swag as a way of getting your name out there. Use an application like Canva to help. Alan told us about his car detailing business cards:
[su_quote]We have a scratch-off that reveals a QR code with a discount. Feel free to steal the idea.[/su_quote]
Direct contact
Cold-calling and door-to-door advertising are less common these days than they were when Notto started in the mid-nineties, but these methods can still be effective if done responsibly.
Polished appearance
Like the vehicles you clean, everything about your appearance should sparkle. Be a rolling advertisement by ensuring your crew, equipment, and fleet vehicles look polished.
Consider simple uniforms and vehicle branding to look professional and maximize advertising.
Get reviews to feed the crews
Don't forget reviews! They're a cost-effective way to appeal to customers online. Excellent service with a friendly approach will result in good reviews.
[su_quote]You need to focus on building the team, marketing, (and) getting reviews. Everything else you can pay someone to do.[/su_quote]
In addition, actively seek reviews ! Alan uses Housecall Pro to have reviews automatically sent to his customer base. However, he's building his own CRM that will fix some of their problems and cost each car detailing business about half as much.
Otherwise, only negative reviews will prevail. For bad reviews (warranted or not), respond professionally .
Good feedback leads to new customers and encourages repeat business. It's a car detailing shop, so you know customers will need recurring service. Simple, right?
Step 11. Document business processes
Establish good processes that scale easily and that others can follow. You won't let go of the wheel completely, but it will help you smooth bumps in the road. Use Lucidchart to document them in a process map .
Here's a basic “process” for working through your options:
- Set a goal for your process mapping session.
- Include all roles involved in the workflow.
- Identify the issue you hope to solve with the map.
- List all activities.
- Determine the triggers, inputs, and outputs.
- Flow out the steps and decisions because you can't always depend on the “ideal” path.
- Make the final draft, get all roles to agree, and sign off on the process map.
Create a successful car detailing business
The internet won't replace the service industry. Making cars clean and shiny isn't going anywhere soon. Before starting your auto detailing business, ask yourself two fundamental questions:
- What do I need to research?
- Am I capable of providing a great experience through top-level customer service?
It might seem like a lot, but don't overcomplicate it. In truth, you can start a car detailing business quickly.
Have the vision to provide outstanding service, have fun, make money, and make people happy. That's all you need to succeed. Now buckle in and drive through the wash bay to come out as a clean, mean detailing machine.
Take the next step in learning more about vehicles—and potential customers—by reading about car rental and charter boat businesses.
What are some of the best strategies you have found to improve your business results?
How to Create a Website (in 9 Simple Steps) 2024
Step 1: Choose a domain name
What's a domain name?
Match your business name.
- You have different brands grouped under one company, like Coca-Cola.com .
- A more intuitive name might work better, such as Prime.com that Amazon owns, of course.
Research multiple domain names
Mix-ups happen, can't think of a name on your own.
A few other items to consider
Snag a dot com if you can, check domain name availability, what if i chose a name that's already taken.
Step 2: Know the terminology
Here are some key terms.
An expanded list of web terminology is available. There's good stuff there.
Let's link it all together
Step 3: ensure website security, protection is simple.
- ensures a secure connection
- encrypts data
- shows you as the verified owner of the site
- builds trust with your customers
- improves search engine optimization ( SEO ), which we discuss later in this guide
Protect cardholder data
Step 4. register your domain name(s).
Register with a web hosting company
Explore additional options for registration.
- Prices start at $2.99 per year.
- Dot coms start at $9.99 per year.
- Prices start at $1.99 per year.
- Dot coms start at $11.99 per year.
- Prices start at $9.00 per year.
- Dot coms start at $12.00 per year.
- Prices can be as low as $7.00 per year.
- Dot coms can be as low as $10.00 per year.
Step 5. Select a website hosting provider
What is website hosting anyway?
Self-hosted, step 6. create your site.
- ease of use
- ability to customize
- pre-packaged features
- customer support
Should you DIY or outsource?
Start with these 5 pages.
- concise headlines
- error-free grammar and spelling
- at least one CTA
- trust indicators
- discernable buttons
- links for basic navigation
- images or videos
- the most critical information within the initial view of the page (without having to scroll down to see it)
Products and services
Contact form
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Don’t forget a privacy policy.
- PrivacyPolicies.com
Create a mobile-first website
If Content is King, Consistency is Queen
Have relevant content that you deliver consistently, optimize for search engines.
Try these builders
Squarespace, register a domain on squarespace, pricing for domain name registration:.
- $20 per year for a generic extension , (.com, .net,.org. etc.)
- $30 to $70 annually for a custom domain name that ends in a word like .dance, .digital, .ink, .engineer, .solar, etc.
Build a website on Squarespace
- Pre-built templates with professionally designed layouts and colors that are optimized for mobile;
- A free trial ;
- Knowledge of coding is not required; and
- Functionality catering to specific businesses, such as artists, restaurants, photographers, etc.
- inventory management
- product displays that support video
- related-product suggestions to shoppers
- limited-availability labels to encourage shoppers to purchase low-stock or limited-edition items
- a product catalog
- pre-formatted email campaigns
- uncomplicated payment and checkout
- search engine optimization (SEO) tools, and more
- Paid plans range from $18 to $40 per month.
- Transaction fees are waived for the more expensive plan options.
Get a domain name
- $14.95 per year for a one-year plan
- $12.95 per year for a three-year plan
Make a website on Wix
- drag and drop editors
- huge selection of templates
- useful apps to choose from
- a robust blog full of actionable information
- $18 per month, designed for entrepreneurs and freelancers, with 10 GB of storage space
- $23 per month with online branding and 20GB of space
- $39 for the VIP plan with 35 GB of storage
BlueHost and Wordpress
- $1.99 per year for .website
- $4.99 per year for .tech
- $12.99 per year for .com
- $14.99 per year for .co or .net
- $17.99 per year for .me
- $22.99 for .blog
Let’s focus on WordPress for a minute
Free themes, premium themes, wordpress.com, pricing for wordpress.com:.
- $96 per year for the premium plan
- $300 per year for the business plan
- $540 per year for the e-commerce plan
Here’s a quick summary
Other free builders are available, here are some tips for website building, speed counts, add forms, calculators, and upload buttons.
Calculators
Upload button, engage visitors with custom images.
Navigation is your map to success
Have a scannable page layout
Test across devices, drop some ctas on the page.
Step 7: Preview and publish
- Review the content and layout.
- Test all links.
- Test all features.
- filler street addresses;
- 123-456-7890 (or similar) phone numbers; or
- an "info@mysite" email address.
- Run a spelling and grammar check with a tool like Grammarly .
- Ask friends to review it.
- Test across all browsers.
- Test on different devices.
Step 8: Launch your site
Step 9: monitor performance and maintenance.
Now it's your turn!
nice work https://binarychemist.com/
My Name is PRETTY NGOMANE. A south African female. Aspiring to do farming. And finding a home away from home for the differently abled persons in their daily needs.
Become a business owner in less than 90 days
Start your 10-day free trial of the UpFlip Academy and learn how to start your own business from scratch.
Get business advice straight to your Inbox
Free Business Plan Template
One of the reasons that so many small businesses fail is that they don't do the necessary up front work to create an accurate and realistic business plan. Creating a business plan doesn't guarantee success, but the process of writing a plan is critical for any successful new business. It isn't our goal to try to tell you everything you need to know about creating a business plan. Instead, our goal is to make the process easier by providing a professionally designed business plan template that you can edit easily using Word and Excel .
Business Plan Template
License : Private Use (not for distribution or resale)
Authors : Jon Wittwer and Jim Wittwer
Update (7/22/2016) : We've added a basic break-even analysis worksheet to the companion Excel workbook.
Description
This template provides a business plan outline with sample questions, tables, and a working table of contents. It was created for newer versions of Word and Excel (Office 2007 or later) so that you can easily change the fonts and color scheme and the file will be compatible with the mobile and web-based Word & Excel apps.
It is best to use Excel for financial statements, data tables and charts. So, we have provided a companion Excel workbook with these sample financial statements and other tables and graphs that you can copy and paste into your Word document.
The companion workbook combines many of the different spreadsheets you can find on Vertex42.com, but customized specifically for inclusion in a business plan.
Using the Business Plan Template
Editing headings and table of contents.
Word allows you to assign format Styles to text and paragraphs, and we've designed the template to use these Styles for defining headings, sub-headings, and figure captions.
If you want to add a new section so that the Table of Contents updates correctly, just add a new heading in the body of the document and assign it the Heading 1 or Heading 2 style.
To update the Table of Contents, go to the References tab and within the Table of Contents group of buttons, click on Update Table and then "Update entire table."
Copy/Paste From Excel to Word
For simple tables, you can use Copy/Paste (Ctrl+c / Ctrl+v) to copy a table from Excel to Word. This will typically paste the data as a formatted and editable table in Word, though none of the formulas will be functional within Word (and the table will not be linked to Excel). If you don't want the table to be editable in Word, you can "Paste as a Picture" using Paste Special or by choosing the "Picture" option when you right-click in Word to paste the table.
Important : When you paste a chart object into your business plan, make sure to "Paste as a Picture" because pasting the chart as an embedded object means that the entire spreadsheet becomes embedded in your Word document (even though what you see is only the chart).
If you want to insert a table into Word as a "Linked Object" so that when you edit Excel, the table in Word will update automatically, you may have a more difficult time preserving the formatting of the original. However, at the least the entire spreadsheet won't be embedded within your business plan Word document.
More Related Templates
Resources for Writing a Business Plan
- Write Your Business Plan at SBA.gov - Anybody starting a business should become familiar with the SBA (small business association). SBA.gov also has an online tool for creating a business plan .
- YouTube: How to Write a Business Plan - Business Wales (3 minutes) - This video offers a quick overview and tips for the essential parts of a business plan.
- YouTube: How to Write a Business Plan - Berkeley-Haas (71 minutes) - This presentation offers both the venture capitalist and entrepreneur perspective on how to write a business plan that can successfully attract funding.
- Write Your Business Plan at Entrepreneur.com - A book written by the staff of a company that should know what they are talking about.
- Sample Business Plans at bplans.com - Finding a business plan for similar businesses in your industry is a great way to get ideas for what to include in your plan. This site is a great resource for not only finding sample plans, but also for creating a business plan online using their step-by-step approach.
Other Free Business Plan Templates
- Business Planning Template Gallery at SCORE.org - This nonprofit organization (supported by the SBA) has provided expertise and free mentorship for millions of small business owners. They also have a useful collection of templates.
- Develop Your Business Plan at business.gov.au - This Australian Government site provides a really good business plan template for Word, including a detailed guide, questions to answer, and sample financial statements.
Follow Us On ...
Related Templates
Financial Statements
Business Plan Table of Contents Template
Download this Business Plan Table of Contents Template Design in Word, Google Docs, PDF Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable.
Already a premium member? Sign in
You may also like
Teal Business Plan Table of Contents
Unleash your creativity design your own engaging business plan table of contents today..
- Design style modern
- Colors dark
- Size Letter (8.5 x 11 in)
- File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint
- Plan premium
Elevate your business proposal with our stunning Teal Business Plan Table of Contents Template! Integrating eye-catching design elements in a professional layout, this template is perfect to promote your venture and catch the attention of potential investors. But the best part? You can tailor it to your liking. Add your own blend of colors, adjust sizes to meet your needs, and choose from countless photos or icons in our free stock libraries. With Venngage, creating your ideal design becomes a simple and enjoyable task. Get the word out about your business in a striking and effective way by using this stylish template.
Explore more
Free Marketing Plan Examples: Real-World Samples & Templates
By Joe Weller | April 27, 2024
- Share on Facebook
- Share on LinkedIn
Link copied
A marketing plan is a comprehensive document that outlines a company’s marketing strategy and tactics, and ensures that its marketing goals align with its overall objectives. Effective marketing plans include detailed analysis of the market along with roadmaps for upcoming campaigns. Inside this article, you’ll find the elements of a marketing plan , 10 real-world examples of marketing plans with commentary from experienced marketing professionals, free marketing plan templates and samples , and a chart to help you determine which template suits your needs .
Marketing Plan Elements
Typical marketing plans begin with an executive summary and include audience demographics, company objectives, situational analysis of the business, and marketing strategies and tactics. Market research and analysis provide campaign direction, and the budget and timeline offer practical parameters. A marketing plan can provide an overview of all strategies and campaigns to be executed in a certain time frame, or it can focus on a specific product, channel, or strategy. The level of detail and the sections included might vary, depending on the organization’s needs. The nine main elements of a marketing plan are:
Executive Summary and Mission Statement: A concise, high-level summary conveys the purpose of your marketing plan, introduces key strategies and research insights, and highlights the most important takeaways for stakeholders. For example, an executive summary might outline your brand’s identity, its place within the competitive landscape, and the major opportunities that upcoming marketing campaigns will target. Longer plans might include a separate mission statement or vision statement to align marketing efforts with your company’s larger goals. Discover more examples of executive summaries with templates to help you write one effectively.
Situational Analysis: One of the most crucial elements of your marketing plan, a situational analysis is an assessment of the internal and external factors affecting a business’s performance. It should include research-based insights into market trends and dynamics, customer demographics and pain points, and internal resources. A strong situational analysis often includes a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis, which provides a foundation for an effective marketing strategy. Learn more about how to perform a SWOT analysis .
Competitive Analysis: Understanding the competition is key to developing a compelling marketing plan. This analysis should consider recent marketing campaigns from similar brands to identify successful ways to reach a shared target audience. Being aware of the competitive landscape can also help your business develop a unique selling proposition and stand out in the market. The competitive analysis might be included in the larger situational analysis, or it might be a stand-alone section. For example, a marketing plan could include data on how competitors rank on keywords, or it could evaluate the performance of competitors’ recent social media campaigns. One common framework for understanding market dynamics is a Porter’s five forces analysis, which identifies the forces that contribute to industry rivals. Learn how to evaluate the competitive landscape with free industry analysis templates .
Target Audience: In order to implement marketing strategies that engage consumers and drive conversions, businesses need to know who their audience is, what they want, and how they behave. A marketing plan should define a specific, segmented target audience with demographic, geographical, psychographic, and behavioral data. This section often includes customer profiles or buyer personas — fictionalized representations of ideal customers or audience segments — which help marketers typify consumer behaviors. These profiles should include media habits and most-used platforms to ensure that your marketing plan selects the right channels for each campaign. Learn how to analyze your target market with free customer profile templates .
Goals and Objectives: Marketing plans typically include both long-term goals, which provide broad direction for the company’s marketing strategy, and short-term objectives, which focus on more immediate tactics and campaigns. Goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) and include corresponding key performance indicators (KPIs). The goals and objectives in a marketing plan often focus on conversions, market share, brand awareness, or engagement. Clearly defined goals ensure strategically aligned marketing initiatives with measurable results. Take a look at real-world examples of SMART goals for more insights.
Marketing Strategy: This section of a marketing plan details the business’s unique value proposition and the channels that will communicate it. A robust marketing strategy addresses the touchpoints in a consumer’s buying cycle and breaks down the 4 Ps (product, price, place, promotion) of the marketing mix. Channels might include digital marketing, advertisements, social media, and influencer partnerships. To develop an overarching marketing strategy, consider using a marketing strategy template . To learn more about the 4 Ps, read this product marketing guide .
Tactics and Action Plan: A marketing plan is not an abstract strategy document, but a concrete roadmap for executing specific campaigns with specific tactics. Your plan should detail the messaging for each campaign and the corresponding methods for communication — such as email newsletters, social content, targeted ads, and public relations. This section provides KPIs and actionable steps such as resource allocation, deliverables, and distribution plans. It might also include the expected outcome for each campaign. To plan individual campaigns, consider using a marketing project plan template .
Budget: Marketing expenses might include the cost of advertising, content creation, website maintenance, or promotional materials; no marketing plan is complete without a budget that breaks down the costs of such initiatives. A clear, comprehensive budget ensures that marketing efforts are financially feasible and resources can be allocated for maximum impact. The budget also enables the marketing team to track the return on investment (ROI) of each campaign. To create a comprehensive budget, try our free marketing budget templates .
Timeline: Finally, a marketing plan includes a clear schedule for implementing its initiatives and tactics. This timeline details the start and end dates of each campaign, deadlines for deliverables, and key events or milestones. It keeps the marketing team aligned and initiatives on track, ensuring that marketing objectives can be achieved within the set time frame. Organize dates and deadlines with the help of a marketing timeline template .
Marketing Plan Examples
Real-world marketing plans show how businesses utilize effective planning documents. These 10 examples from various industries exhibit unique strengths and weaknesses. With insightful commentary from marketing experts, these plans offer practical takeaways any marketer can use.
Delmarva and the Ground for Change This in-depth marketing plan for a documentary produced by the USDA Northeast Climate Hub includes audience profiles, competitive analysis, and a distribution plan. Along with a detailed breakdown of its digital marketing strategy, it considers how different tactics will affect the viewer’s content journey.
John Dinsmore , a marketing consultant and professor at Wright State University, praises this plan for its attractive design and thoughtful, thorough content: “They do a nice job of extrapolating on who the target market is and tying their tactics to achieving specific goals.” He appreciates the inclusion of a SWOT analysis, but feels it could be done more effectively. “‘Opportunities’ is not a place for business ideas. It’s a place to identify external, positive trends that can help your initiative. In this context, an opportunity could be ‘Rising concern for and awareness of climate issues.’ Similarly, ‘threats’ is not a place to list things that are difficult. It’s for negative external trends such as ‘Increased skepticism over ability to combat climate change.’”
Dekker Fraser , former Global Marketing Manager at Sony PlayStation, adds that this plan includes a strong focus on collaborations with media and influencers: “Many marketing plans place too much emphasis on target customers and not enough on target collaborators.”
Minnesota Tourism This marketing plan by Explore Minnesota , the state’s Department of Tourism, showcases Minnesota’s beauty with vivid imagery. It uses a variety of demographic information to identify priority audience segments and includes well-designed infographics that analyze audience and competition. As a result, the campaigns are clearly targeted at specific audiences and objectives.
John Rarrick , Head of Marketing at Movius Corp., admires the strength of the message behind the strategy. “This plan has a very well-developed ‘why,’” he says. “You’ll see that often when the plan is to repair or save something that has undergone a time of great loss — such as a loss of revenue or reputation. The audience personas, goals, tactics, and budget are all detailed and measurable.”
Gold Coast Transit District
A short, high-level marketing plan for Gold Coast Transit highlights key campaigns and includes the most important details, such as timelines, budgets, and tactics. It begins with a bulleted overview of the most important takeaways and takes into account general marketing efforts that don’t fit under a specific campaign umbrella. Fraser notes that this plan includes year-round marketing initiatives, with an effective “emphasis on strong offers, such as youth-free fares.” However, he points out that its brand awareness goals could be more specific. “Instead, use context-specific awareness goals such as ‘When commuting to work, residents first think of Gold Coast Transit’ or ‘When coming home from the library at night, I think of taking the bus,’” he says. “In other words, peg awareness to specific category-entry points.”
University of Arizona College of Engineering This marketing, branding, and communications plan for the University of Arizona College of Engineering sets out a long-term vision, high-level goals, and strategies for achieving these goals. It has a section for methodology — including promotional videos and email newsletters — and segments its audience to align with its strategies. This plan “demonstrates a clearly defined audience,” according to Rarrick. That said, not every section of the plan includes the same level of specificity. “The KPIs are vague,” he adds. “I would expect to see something more measurable, rather than ‘increase’ or ‘improve.’”
Timberland Regional Library This library's two-year marketing plan sets initiatives in motion with a clear schedule for action. It includes both promotional and production calendars for effective planning, which is especially important for campaigns pegged to external events. Dinsmore cites this plan’s “professional and elegant graphic design” as a strength. It also offers a roadmap for tackling several marketing campaigns on different timelines. However, he suggests that the plan needs more measurable goals and defined strategies. “There’s no overarching strategy that ties all of these tactics and initiatives together,” he says. “It’s just a laundry list of dates and actions.”
Safe Haven Family Shelter Nonprofit organizations need creative marketing strategies to reach their targets and use funds efficiently. With specific objectives and actionable steps, this marketing plan for Safe Haven Family Shelter delineates high-level goals and details the path to achieving them. It identifies the roles and responsibilities of individual team members to ensure alignment. Rarrick commends this plan for its “clearly defined audience and very clearly defined goals.” The plan showcases the differences between strategic business goals and measurable marketing objectives.
Visit Myrtle Beach This destination marketing plan by the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce incorporates detailed information about target markets, audience personas, and key behaviors. It includes an infographic that illuminates the touchpoints in a traveler’s journey and shows the marketing team how each tactic contributes to conversions. Overall, Dinsmore praises this plan as a “very smart and thoughtful presentation.” It outlines a distinct media mix for each target audience, defines its objectives clearly, and ties these objectives to success metrics. He continues, “I want to thank the Myrtle Beach folks for planning to measure their efforts. Measurement is often anathema to marketing people, but if you’re not measuring, you don’t know how to improve.” With so much information to cover, the plan would benefit from an executive summary to introduce key takeaways. “The bigger the scope, the harder it is to make everything feel connected, and that’s a bit of an issue with this plan,” Dinsmore adds.
Tropical Avocados This example of a no-frills plan was commissioned by the nonprofit Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) to help brand and launch tropical avocados in the U.S. market. It shows the importance of making branding decisions backed by market and consumer research. A detailed SWOT analysis and competitive analysis provide essential insights that enable the company to determine the best unique selling proposition. A key strength of this plan is its detailed research into its audience. Fraser cites its “excellent identification of consumer objections — e.g., concern over how natural the avocado size is — and consumer behavior.” As a result, the brand can adopt effective messaging in its marketing campaigns. As with USDA Northeast Climate Hub’s Delmarva and the Ground for Change documentary, “target collaborators — e.g., food writers, organizations, and chefs — are included in the target audience. Collaborators are often more critical to the marketing plan than the consumers themselves,” Fraser adds.
Rochelle Community Hospital This case study of Rochelle Community Hospital in Rochelle, Illinois, shows how a targeted marketing plan can be used to achieve significant results. The report by Legato Healthcare Marketing showcases the importance of reevaluating an existing marketing strategy — in this case, shifting the emphasis from print to digital. External marketing agencies often have more tools at their disposal, particularly if the business has not had a strong digital presence. With targeted ads and website updates, the agency employed tactics with direct metrics in order to track its impact.
Visit Concord This example from the Concord Tourism Improvement District marketing plan is concise and includes streamlined insights on the audience and market. It details each marketing channel with specific tactics and measurable KPIs. The overall strategy, according to Fraser, offers “an excellent emphasis on social proof and word-of-mouth marketing,” as well as a “good balance of awareness and activation marketing.” In order to improve, he suggests, “the plan should factor in the following critical quantitative factors to help drive the media strategy: reach, frequency, and the total-addressable market.”
Marketing Plan Templates
Using a template takes the guesswork out of organizing a marketing plan document. These customizable templates include essential elements and options for specific industries or marketing channels, and they range from one-page plans to comprehensive, presentation-ready reports.
Microsoft Word Simple Marketing Plan Template
Download the Simple Marketing Plan Example Template for Microsoft Word Download the Blank Simple Marketing Plan Template for Microsoft Word
This example of a simple, customizable plan focuses on key strategies and prioritizes readability. This one-page marketing plan template includes space to summarize marketing strategy and overarching business objectives, along with an action plan to highlight responsibilities and deadlines.
Microsoft Word Annual Marketing Plan Template
Download the Annual Marketing Plan Example Template for Microsoft Word Download the Blank Annual Marketing Plan Template for Microsoft Word
This comprehensive marketing plan template includes a number of key sections — such as goals, target market, marketing channels, and performance standards — that can be customized to suit a variety of businesses. In the situational analysis, you can find space for both a 5C (company, collaborators, customers, competitors, climate) analysis and a SWOT analysis. The blank template begins with a table of contents, a business summary, and a mission statement to allow for easy readability. The sample focuses on marketing strategies for one fiscal year, but you can modify this plan for any time period.
Microsoft Word Small Business Marketing Plan Template
Download the Small Business Marketing Plan Example Template for Microsoft Word Download the Blank Small Business Marketing Plan Template for Microsoft Word
A strong marketing plan is essential for small businesses looking to stand out from larger competitors. This small business marketing plan template provides an outline for a detailed marketing strategy, including a unique selling proposition, the 4Ps marketing mix, and marketing channels. It builds its strategy on situational analysis and identification of the business’s core capabilities. Find more marketing plan templates for different industries.
Microsoft Word Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template
Download the Nonprofit Marketing Plan Example Template for Microsoft Word Download the Blank Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template for Microsoft Word
This example marketing plan for a nonprofit incorporates information on the funding climate into its situational analysis, as well as a detailed organizational summary. With sections for short- and long-term goals, marketing strategies and channels, and stakeholder profiles, the template is comprehensive and customizable. Find more nonprofit marketing plan templates here .
Excel Product Marketing Plan Template
Download the Product Marketing Plan Example Template for Excel Download the Blank Product Marketing Plan Template for Excel
When integrating a new product into existing marketing strategies, it’s important to take into account all the elements of the marketing mix. This product marketing plan template is organized by product, price, place, promotion, process, people, and physical evidence. In these sections, you can find space to consider market research, consumer behaviors, and marketing channels.
Excel Social Media Marketing Plan Template
Download the Social Media Marketing Plan Example Template for Excel Download the Blank Social Media Marketing Plan Template for Excel
For planning specific campaigns, this social media marketing action plan template begins with the campaign goal, highlights important promo dates, and separates actions by platform. It’s useful for executing targeted social media campaigns within a larger marketing strategy. Find more marketing action plan templates here .
Excel Digital Marketing Plan Template
Download the Digital Marketing Plan Example Template for Excel Download the Blank Digital Marketing Plan Template for Excel
Focusing on digital marketing channels is an effective way to organize strategies into a streamlined and actionable plan. This strategic digital marketing template highlights important audience behaviors and access channels to ensure messaging reaches consumers. Customizable for a variety of digital marketing projects, the template includes space for keywords, goals, and tasks. Find more digital marketing plan templates here .
Which Marketing Plan Format Is Right for You?
To choose the right marketing plan format for your needs, consider the plan’s role in your marketing strategy. Do you need a comprehensive plan to provide an overview of tactics that will take place over a long period of time? Or are you looking for a plan to focus on specific channels, campaigns, or product launches?
Each template in this article offers space to detail market research, strategies, and access channels. The longer plans include more sections for in-depth situational analysis and audience demographics, while the shorter plans focus on the marketing mix and action plan. This chart highlights the key elements of each marketing plan:
Streamline Your Marketing Plan Efforts with Smartsheet
The best marketing teams know the importance of effective campaign management, consistent creative operations, and powerful event logistics -- and Smartsheet helps you deliver on all three so you can be more effective and achieve more.
The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed.
When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time. Try Smartsheet for free, today.
Improve your marketing efforts and deliver best-in-class campaigns.
- Search for:
- Apple iWorks
- Software Testing
- White Paper Templates
- Business Process Design
- Software Development
- A-Z (Apple)
- Writing Tips
- Action Plan Writing
- Business Plan Writing
No products in the cart.
Return to shop
Apple Templates , Business Writing , Excel Templates , Templates (MS Office)
New – communications plan templates for ms office and apple iworks.
If you work in an IT company, you know that communicating both internally and externally to customers is always a challenge.
Creating a communications plan especially in IT is difficult as due to the dynamic nature of our industry, multiple stakeholders, and the technical nuances of new products.
If I were to identify some of the comms challenges I see, it would include:
- Technical Jargon : In IT, you have to consider complex terminology that can be difficult for non-technical stakeholders to understand. Make sure your communications plan describes these concepts to internal and external audiences.
- Fast-Paced Environment : The nature of the industry is so fast-faced you have to stay on top of it. Creating a formal comms strategy help addresses this. Make sure your communication plan is agile and adaptable to accommodate sudden changes and updates.
- Multiple Stakeholders : You probably have diverse stakeholders, including internal teams, customers, investors, partners, and possibly regulators. Modify your communication strategies to meet the expectations of each stakeholder group.
- Global Operations : Increasingly, we work on global scale. If you’re responsible for comms, you need to factor in cultural differences, language barriers, and varying regulatory requirements in different regions. Ensure your communication strategies are culturally sensitive and comply with local laws and regulations.
- Crisis Communication : Cybersecurity breaches, service outages, and other technical issues mean you must have flexible crisis communication templates in place. These should outline protocols for responding to and communicating about emergencies effectively. You can download a Crisis Communications Plan template (MS Office) here.
To help you address these challenges, we’ve updated the Klariti MS Office and Apple iWorks templates.
Each template includes the following sections with explanatory ‘how to write’ text.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
1.2 Objectives
1.4 Document Maintenance
2 Roles and Responsibilities
2.1 Project Structure
2.2 Project Office
2.3 Steering Committee
2.4 Project Sponsor
2.5 Project Director
2.6 Project Manager
2.7 Project Team
2.8 Contractor/Vendor Project Team
2.9 External Stakeholders
2.10 Stakeholder Roles & Responsibilities
2.11 Stakeholder Contact Information
2.12 Stakeholder Information Requirements
3 Internal Communications
3.1 Informal Communications
3.2 Formal Communications
4 External Communications
5 other communications.
5.1 News and Print Media
5.2 Public Inquiries and Requests for Information
5.3 Dispute Resolution Process
5.4 Escalation Process
5.5 Problem/Defect Tracking Process
6 Project Meetings
6.1 Meeting Plan
6.2 Daily / Weekly Meetings
6.3 Team Leads Meeting
6.4 Individual Team Meeting
6.5 Project Office Meeting
6.6 Leadership Committee Meeting
6.7 Steering Committee Meeting
6.8 Monthly Extended Team Status Meeting
6.9 Executive Update Meeting
6.10 All Hands Meeting
6.11 Orientation Meeting
6.12 Communication Plan Web Page
6.13 Feedback
7 Information Collection, Reporting, and Distribution
7.1 Collection and Reporting
7.2 Distribution, Storage, and Disposition
7.3 Distribution Groups
7.4 E-mail Policy
7.5 Format and Styles Guide
7.6 Effectiveness
7.7 Changes
8 Communications Matrix
The finer points.
Communication planning refines both internal communication and your relationships with customers.
Ready to write your communications plan for customers, employees, and stakeholders? Draft your communications plan using premium templates from Klariti.
Download your Templates
- Communication Plan Templates – MS Office
- Communication Plan Templates – Apple
- Crisis Management Plan Template
Connect with us
Make sure to connect on:
Anthony James
Username or email address *
Password *
Remember me Log in
Lost your password?
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Presenting the sample business plan table of contents—your perfect partner in creating a well-organized plan. It is necessary to highlight all the necessary areas of the plan. From below, you can even use the business plan template! It is ready for you to customize according to your needs along with the TOC! EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
Plan free. Presenting the Simple Business Plan Table of Contents Template - your ideal partner in crafting a seamless and comprehensive business plan. This template is primed to help you highlight all the necessary areas of your business plan in a well-structured manner. It is ripe and ready for you to customize to your preferences.
Here is a basic template that any business can use when developing its business plan: Section 1: Executive Summary. Present the company's mission. Describe the company's product and/or service offerings. Give a summary of the target market and its demographics.
Here are some table of contents templates for business plans. Template #1: SaaS Business Plan. Customize this template and make it your own! Edit and Download. This SaaS business plan table of content template has a white background with purple accents. It's a minimal design in a bullet point format. The heading text in this template is in a ...
A business plan table of contents is an outline of all the relevant sections listed in your business plan. It's more than just a simple list; it's also the first impression you'll be giving to potential investors, which is why it's important to make sure your table of contents is well-written and detailed from the get-go.
This template is ideal for developing a 90-day action plan to create and implement your business plan in manageable, 30-day chunks. Use the document to outline your main goals and deliverables, and then assign key business activities and deadlines to ensure your plan stays on track. Download Simple 30-60-90-Day Business Plan Template.
Download Simple Business Plan Outline Template. Word | PDF. Use this simple business plan outline as a basis to create your own business plan. This template contains 11 sections, including a title page and a table of contents, which details what each section should cover in a traditional business plan.
How to Write a Business Plan Step 1. Create a Cover Page. The first thing investors will see is the cover page for your business plan. Make sure it looks professional. A great cover page shows that you think about first impressions. A good business plan should have the following elements on a cover page:
File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint. Plan free. Our Small Business Plan Table of Contents Template is the perfect tool to organize and present your entrepreneurial ideas efficiently! It's designed to guide you through each section of your business plan in a straightforward manner. But here's the best part - you can tailor it perfectly to your needs.
Describe Your Services or Products. The business plan should have a section that explains the services or products that you're offering. This is the part where you can also describe how they fit ...
Whether you want to launch a side gig, a solo operation or a small business, you need a simple business plan template to guide you. Forbes Advisor offers you a comprehensive and easy-to-follow ...
Lean Business Plan Template PDF. This scannable business plan template allows you to easily identify the most important elements of your plan. Use this template to outline key details pertaining to your business and industry, product or service offerings, target customer segments (and channels to reach them), and to identify sources of revenue.
712 templates. Create a blank Business Plan. Beige Aesthetic Modern Business Plan A4 Document. Document by Rise & Roar Design. Green Professional Strategic Business Plan Executive Summary. Document by Antler. Startup Business Plan. Document by Maea Studio.
Business Plan Table of ContentsA business plan includes all the objectives, goals, strategies, resources, and every other detail of your business. To arrange...
This template provides a business plan outline with sample questions, tables, and a working table of contents. It was created for newer versions of Word and Excel (Office 2007 or later) so that you can easily change the fonts and color scheme and the file will be compatible with the mobile and web-based Word & Excel apps. It is best to use ...
The sample represents a well-written business plan, but you still may find some sections or parts of the plan that could have been completed differently, or even better. Business plans are not perfect pieces of writing, but are documents in action, written at a certain point in time based on the best possible, available information.
Venngage's Plans Table of Contents templates are a game-changer for professionals seeking to enhance the organization and presentation of their strategic documents. Elevate your plans and proposals with Venngage's intuitive and customizable templates, ensuring your ideas are conveyed effectively and professionally.
Download this Business Plan Table of Contents Template Design in Word, Google Docs, PDF Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable. Manage Your Business Plan with Our Free, High-Quality Table of Contents Templates. Choose from a Plethora of Professional Designs for Restaurant, Real Estate, Coffee Shop, and More.
MS Word is equally as useful, but creating a table of contents in Google Docs is a really straightforward process. Choose your preferred location for your table of contents on the document. Click 'Insert' and choose 'Table of contents.'. Decide on your chosen table of contents format.
But you can get more creative with Canva's table of contents templates. You can always customize any template further using an amazingly simple drag-and-drop editing interface, which makes designing any document a breeze. Add photos, icons or illustrations if needed. Change your font style and color in a few clicks.
Template details. Design style modern. Colors dark. Size Letter (8.5 x 11 in) File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint. Plan premium. Elevate your business proposal with our stunning Teal Business Plan Table of Contents Template! Integrating eye-catching design elements in a professional layout, this template is perfect to promote your venture and catch ...
Step 4: Click the arrow that is next to the TOC icon and select Custom Table of Contents. Here, select the level of heading that you would like to include in your table and also make the necessary adjustments to each level by clicking the modify button. Click on Custom table of contents.
Download an expert-built 30+ slides Powerpoint business plan template. Buy for $75. Download example. Table of Contents. Steakhouse Executive Summary: Page 1; Steakhouse Executive Summary: Page 2; Restaurant Financial Model. Download a fully editable 5-year financial model template for your business plan.
The blank template begins with a table of contents, a business summary, and a mission statement to allow for easy readability. The sample focuses on marketing strategies for one fiscal year, but you can modify this plan for any time period. ... This small business marketing plan template provides an outline for a detailed marketing strategy ...
Table of Contents. 1 Introduction. 1.1 Purpose. 1.2 Objectives. 1.3 Scope. ... Communications Plan Templates for MS Office and Apple iWorks. 01 May. ... Business Case Templates & Writing Prompts for Novice Writers Comments Off on Updated - Business Case Templates & Writing Prompts for Novice Writers. 26 Apr. Proposal Writing Course ...