Executive Summary
Summarise your business, opportunity, objectives and strategic priorities.
Free editable workbook
Free Business Plan Template for Small Businesses.
Our free business strategy template helps small business owners, consultants and startups create a clear plan for growth.
It guides you through understanding your market, defining your ideal customer, planning how you will make money, developing your marketing and setting goals to measure success.
Before creating your plan, you may also find our
Marketing Plan Template
useful.
Free editable PDF
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Your details will be handled in accordance with our privacy policy.Inside the workbook
What’s included in the Business Plan Template?
Work through every essential part of your business strategy in a practical order, then turn your decisions into a focused plan for implementation and growth.
Business Overview
Define what your business does, who it serves and the value it creates.
SWOT Analysis
Assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and potential threats.
PESTLE Analysis
Explore the external factors that could affect your business.
Business Model
Plan your offer, pricing, revenue streams and route to sustainable income.
Target Audience
Define your ideal customers and create useful customer personas.
Positioning and Messaging
Clarify why customers should choose you and how to communicate it.
Marketing Priorities
Identify the activity most likely to support your growth objectives.
Marketing Channels
Select the right channels for awareness, acquisition and retention.
Content Framework
Create consistent content themes that support your positioning.
KPIs and Success Measures
Define the results you need to track and review.
Growth Roadmap
Build a 12-month roadmap and focused 90-day action plan.
Who it is for
A practical template for people building real businesses.
The workbook is suitable for founders creating a strategy for the first time and established businesses that need to revisit their direction, positioning or growth priorities.
Strategic foundations
Why do you need a business plan?
A clear business plan helps you connect what you sell with the customers you want to reach, the resources available and the activities most likely to generate sustainable growth.
Clarity and Direction
Understand where your business is today, where you want it to be and how you intend to get there.
Informed Decisions
Assess your market, customers, pricing, opportunities and risks using evidence rather than assumptions.
Focused Resources
Concentrate limited time, budget and attention on the activity most likely to achieve your objectives.
Stakeholder Communication
Explain your vision, model and priorities clearly to partners, lenders, investors and team members.
Tracking and Adapting
Review your results, respond to market changes and update your strategy as the business develops.
Whether you are starting a new business, launching a product or planning your next stage of growth, a business plan provides the structure and confidence needed to make better decisions and build a more sustainable business.
Step by step
How to create a business plan.
Use this six-step process to move from an initial business idea to a focused strategy and measurable action plan.
Define Your Business
Clearly describe what your business does, who it serves and the problem it solves. A strong overview creates the foundation for the rest of your plan.
Understand Your Market
Research your industry, competitors and target audience to identify opportunities and make informed business decisions.
Develop Your Business Model
Define your products or services, pricing and revenue model to create a commercially sustainable business.
Create Your Marketing Strategy
Plan how you will attract and retain customers through clear positioning, messages, channels and marketing activity.
Set Goals and Success Measures
Establish measurable business, customer and revenue goals so you can track progress and remain accountable.
Build Your Action Plan
Identify the milestones and activities required over the next 12 months, then prioritise the actions for your first 90 days.
Free editable business strategy template
Download the Free Template
Ready to create a clearer business plan?
Download the workbook and work through your business model, market, customers, strategy, priorities and action plan.
Frequently asked questions
Business plan template FAQs.
Common questions about creating a business plan and using the free editable workbook.
A business plan is a roadmap for your business. It helps define what you do, who you serve, how you make money and how you intend to grow. It brings together your business model, market research, marketing strategy, financial goals and action plan.
A practical business plan should include your business model, target audience, competitive analysis, positioning, marketing strategy, financial objectives, success measures and action plan.
Yes. This business plan template is a completely free resource for small business owners, founders, consultants and startups.
Yes. The business strategy template can be edited in Canva. It can also be downloaded as a PDF, printed at home or professionally printed and bound through Canva.
Yes. It is suitable for new startups and established businesses that want to revisit their strategy because they are not getting the traction or results they expected.
NextGen AI Launchpad
Want to create a business plan faster?
This template is based on the same planning framework used by Launchpad. The platform can help generate customer personas, positioning statements, marketing plans, content ideas and financial forecasts in minutes.
Find out what Launchpad can do
About NextGen Launchpad
Strategy, planning and practical implementation in one platform.
NextGen Launchpad helps founders create business plans, marketing plans, SWOT analyses, PESTLE analyses and growth strategies using AI-powered tools.
Launchpad draws on live market data to test business viability, develop detailed marketing and financial plans and turn strategic insight into practical implementation.
- Create and launch a website in minutes
- Create practical marketing campaign assets
- Use AI-enabled administration tools to save time and reduce costs
Key takeaways
A clear strategy creates focused action.
Business plans provide a roadmap for growth and decision-making.
Market research identifies opportunities, risks and competitive advantages.
Clear goals and success measures keep your business focused and accountable.
Effective planning helps maximise limited time, budget and resources.
Regular strategy reviews improve your chances of long-term success.
Start planning today
Download your free business plan workbook.
Build a clearer strategy, understand your priorities and create a practical 12-month roadmap and 90-day action plan.