It includes information about the problem that you’re solving, your solution, and how your product or service fits into the existing competitive landscape. The products & services chapter of your business plan is where the real meat of your plan lives. Learn more about writing an effective executive summary.

Your executive summary should include a summary of the problem you are solving, a description of your product or service, an overview of your target market, a brief description of your team, a summary of your financials, and your funding requirements (if you are raising money).

If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation, and more in-depth financials. In fact, it’s very common for investors to ask for only the executive summary when they are evaluating your business. Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. It comes first in your plan and is ideally only one to two pages. The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. Whether you’re building a business plan to raise money and grow your business or just need to figure out if your idea will work, every business plan needs to cover 6 essential sections. For a more detailed guide to writing a business plan, download our free ebook: The Easy Way to Write Your Business Plan.

Next steps for writing your business planīe sure to download our free business plan template to start writing your own business plan as you work through this guide.Use a free business plan template to get started.Determine why you are writing a business plan.Optional sections to include when seeking funding.There are also free business plan templates to help you determine your business’ legal structure, define your target audience, and map out your marketing plan.Įxplore all the business plan template options to find what suits your needs. Assign tasks and deadlines to keep everyone accountable and on track. Enlist your management team, or for a sole proprietor, trusted family and friends, to contribute to your plan using a checklist business plan template in Excel. You’ll even find a business plan template for specific industries including business plan templates in Word for healthcare providers, professional services, and retail. Business plan templates offer step-by-step instructions and prefabricated slides for your executive summary, company overview, financial plan, and more. If you’re starting a new business, or changing or expanding an existing one, it’s critical to have a solid plan to guide your decisions.Ī Microsoft business plan template can help get you started. Business plan templates take your business to the next level

The best business plan template online