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Detailed Business Plan Template for Small Business

Get a fill-in-the-blank business plan template designed to impress lenders and investors.

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Our free business plan template includes:

Detailed instructions

Real-world examples and step-by-step guidance will teach you how to quickly craft a winning business plan.

SBA-lender approved format

No need to mess with the design—the formatting and structure of this business plan template are set to meet lender and investor expectations.

Fill-in-the-blanks simplicity

There’s no guesswork involved, just add information to the necessary sections to make your business plan writing easy.

Expert tips & tricks

Get insights and examples from our seasoned in-house entrepreneurs and business professionals.

LivePlan Guarantee

All 100% free. We’re here to help you succeed in business, no strings attached.

A business plan template page displaying two charts: The first chart shows 'Expenses by Month' for year 1, with direct costs and total expenses tracked monthly. The second chart shows 'Net Profit (or Loss) by Year,' illustrating projected profits for FY2021, FY2022, and FY2023. The graphs are accompanied by instructions suggesting the use of LivePlan for creating similar charts.
Business plan template page titled 'Execution' with sections for 'Marketing Plan' and 'Sales Plan.' The Marketing Plan section provides instructions on how to describe marketing strategies for the target market. The Sales Plan section explains how to document strategies for converting leads into paying customers, with a note that it's more relevant for sales-heavy businesses.
Business plan template page titled 'Team' with sections for 'Management Team' and 'Advisors.' The Management Team section prompts users to list members of the management team and their roles. The Advisors section instructs users to describe any mentors, investors, or experts who will assist the business.
Business plan template page titled 'Operations' with sections for 'Locations & Facilities,' 'Technology,' and 'Equipment & Tools.' The Locations section describes how to document physical business locations. The Technology section asks for a description of key software and hardware. The Equipment section covers the listing of any specialty tools needed for the business.
Business plan template page titled 'Statements' focusing on 'Projected Profit & Loss.' The page includes a table to project financial data for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026. A pro tip at the top suggests using LivePlan for automatic financials, charts, and graphs.

Skip the hassle of Word and Excel business plan templates

You could write your business plan using Word and Excel, but you’ll spend countless extra hours figuring out how to create an impressive–looking document.

Instead, choose a business plan builder like LivePlan. There is no formatting or messing around with financial formulas, just an impressive-looking business plan built to wow lenders and investors.

Get a complete business planning solution

See how LivePlan’s business plan builder compares to a traditional business plan template

A comparison chart between LivePlan and a traditional business plan template. The chart highlights LivePlan's features, including step-by-step instructions, AI business plan generator, flexible outline, built-in financial formulas, integration with QuickBooks/Xero, industry comparison data, automatic charts, secure sharing, financial tracking, and design themes. In contrast, the template lacks these advanced features.

 

FAQ

Our free template is available to download in many common file formats including Google Docs, Microsoft Word (docx), or as a free business plan PDF.

This is a printable template—whether you download it as a pdf or word document, or access it via Google Docs. The business plan template is pre-formatted and structured to fit lender and investor standards, but can be edited and adjusted to suite your needs before printing.

Just be aware that any changes may unintentionally break the template, so make sure to review before printing.

The steps to write a business plan include:

  1. Defining the opportunity: Explain the problem your business solves, the solution you offer, your target market, and the competitive landscape.
  2. Describing how you'll execute: Outline your marketing and sales strategies, operational plan, milestones, and success metrics.
  3. Adding company details: Provide information about your business structure, ownership, and team.
  4. Creating a financial plan and forecasts: Include detailed financial statements, forecasts, and funding requirements.
  5. Adding supplementary info to your appendix: Add any additional information, such as resumes, permits, and other relevant documents.
  6. Summarizing your plan: While it may be first, do your executive summary last. In it, you'll briefly summarize your business, highlighting key points such as mission, product/service, and basic financial information.

For additional information, check out our full step-by-step guide to write a business plan in as little as 30-minutes.

Writing a business plan can be easy if you use the right tools, understand your business, and come in prepared to write your business plan.

Using a template or dedicated business plan builder can make writing a business plan easier. Additionally, if you focus on just getting your information down quickly, with the expectation that you'll revisit and revise your plan, you can speed up and simplify the process.

Yes, you can hire a professional business plan writer to write your business plan for you. Working with a professional can be especially useful if you're still struggling to write your business plan even when using a template. Just be prepared to talk about your business, provide the appropriate details, and review the finished plan to be sure it actually reflects your business.

If you want to learn more about the process, go ahead and schedule a consultation with a LivePlan-approved professional business plan writer.