How to write the location section of your business plan?

location section of a business plan

By now, you must already be in the process of writing your business plan. Each subsection or section included in this document is important in its own way and serves a specific purpose.

The location subsection is one such and is likely to be of great interest to investors and other stakeholders. It helps them understand whether or not your business could be a success based on the characteristics of the area.

This subsection is part of the overall “company presentation” section and is usually grouped with the presentation of the structure and ownership of the business and the management team involved in operations.

But, how do you ensure that the location section is well-written and provides readers the detail they want to see?

Let’s take a look at this in more detail!

In this guide:

What is the objective of the location section of your business plan?

How long should the location section of your business plan be, what information do i include in the location section of my business plan, example of the location presentation in a business plan, what tools should i use to write my business plan.

The main reason why stakeholders might be interested in this information is to understand the serviceable areas that your business targets. In this section, our main emphasis will be on answering the “why here” question that may arise in the minds of the readers.

The area in which a business is located has a significant impact on both its profitability and long-term performance. Businesses are more likely to thrive in areas with easy access to higher-skilled labor and quality infrastructure (i.e. transportation). 

The location section of your business plan helps financiers understand the commercial potential and the risks of investing in your business.

Whilst digital transformation has allowed people to “come together” regardless of where they are located, some investors still prefer to consider the effects of agglomeration. 

Agglomeration refers to the geographical proximity between businesses and/or people and what effects it has on the operations and profitability of the business. 

Location is the key for any business. Let’s talk about how location matters for different types of businesses.

High street shops/businesses

Location is the primary driver of success for these types of businesses because they rely on the number of customers that walk in or are attracted by the storefront. If you operate a high street shop, explaining the attractiveness of the area is critical for your business plan.

For instance, your business might be located near a famous landmark (more so in country towns). Besides this, you should understand the risks associated with the location to the reader of the plan. These risks may include the ability to access the store, limited car parking, access to public transport, etc.

Industrial businesses

Following are some of the business types that may be categorized as industrial businesses. Needless to say that the location section of the business plan is essential for these types of businesses. 

Manufacturing facilities:

While writing a business plan for an industrial business, the location section should include details regarding the production capacity. How are raw materials obtained, how are finished goods manufactured and then shipped to the selling points.

Access to the workforce, energy, water, and environmental aspects should all be considered too. The environmental aspects include waste management, remediation in case of soil contamination, etc.

The logistics:

In the case of logistical businesses, the location section should cover the ease of access to the point of sales and the details regarding any warehouses or logistic hubs involved.

Hospitality businesses

If your business plan discusses food places, the location section should mention the cultures and preferences of locals. This will help the investor or lender determine whether or not your business model suits customer needs.

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When it comes to the location section of your business plan, you should aim to include as much information as possible, as long as it’s relevant. Put yourself in the shoes of the reader. You don’t want to be asking questions that could be easily answered by the document itself.

Be sure to answer:

  • Why is the business located here? 
  • How secure is the future of the location? Does the lease expire soon?
  • Is the workplace safe and secure for employees?
  • Is there an abundance of quality staff in the area?
  • Are the premises easily accessible (public transport, parking, etc.)?
  • How attractive is the catchment area? How much foot traffic is expected?

All these questions are crucial to the success of the business.

A general rule of thumb is that you must cover as much information as possible in 2-3 paragraphs per location.

The size will also depend on the structure of your business:

  • A single location business (hairdressing salon or off-licence for example) need to be quite exhaustive as the business is 100% reliant on that location
  • A chain with dozens or hundreds of implantations can afford to present locations at a higher level as there is some level of diversification in the overall premises portfolio
  • An integrated business with both manufacturing facilities and sale points will probably need to write a slightly longer presentation in order to cover all aspects

business owner writing the location section of their business plan on their laptop

To give you a better idea about the information to be added to the location section of your business plan, we’ve categorized it into four categories:

Business location

In this section, you need to state the full location and the exact address of the business. If possible, ensure that your business is listed on Google Maps so that readers can view the location easily. Mention all of the locations if you have more than one branch.

Also, if the business plan includes any plans for future expansion, the details of future location should also be mentioned here. 

In some cases, readers might be interested in the structure of the building in which the business is located. In that case, make sure to explain the general design of the building. This may include mentioning what’s on the first floor, second floor, etc.  

You might also want to provide a graphical representation i.e., a map that shows where your business is located and other brands or competitors in the area, a floor plan showing the layout of the premises.

Serviceable area

Another good practice is to include an explanation of your business’s serviceable area in your business plan. This is defined as the geographical region or territory where your business can effectively provide its products or services. 

You should also focus on why you chose that area in particular and what was the rationale behind it. Factors which may be discussed include convenience and easy access to suppliers.

One of the most attractive features of any location is vast parking availability and accessibility. You can use this opportunity to give a positive impression to the stakeholders regarding your venue.

You can also explain how customers, suppliers, and employees will access your business, including parking options. Writing about serviceable areas also helps readers form a picture of the type of customers who could benefit from your business (families on holidays, business executives, etc.).

Lease terms

The location section of the business plan should provide basic information about the terms of any lease you have signed for the property, such as length, rental rate, and any special clauses.

This is an essential piece of information that can have a significant influence in determining whether your business plan will be successful or not, financially.

Access to facilities

Another piece of information that you may add to the location section of your business plan is the ease of access to common facilities. 

Customers usually prefer to visit areas with significant facilities such as transportation, local infrastructure, and any other amenities that your business might offer customers.

Need inspiration for your business plan?

The Business Plan Shop has dozens of business plan templates that you can use to get a clear idea of what a complete business plan looks like.

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Below is an example of how the location section of your business plan might look like. As you can see, it coincides with the structure and ownership subsection and the management team.

There is a graphical representation of where the business is located, its exact address, information about what the venue includes internally and how close or far it is from infrastructure.

{{location presentation business plan template example: escape room}}

This example was taken from one of our business plan templates .

In this section, we will review three solutions for creating a business plan for your business: using Word and Excel, hiring a consultant to write the business plan, and utilizing an online business plan software.

Create your business plan using Word or Excel

This is the old-fashioned way of creating a business plan (1990s style) and using Word or Excel has both pros and cons.

On the one hand, using either of these two programs is cheap and they are widely available. 

However, creating an error-free financial forecast with Excel is only possible if you have expertise in accounting and financial modeling.

Because of that investors and lenders might not trust the accuracy of your forecast unless you have a degree in finance or accounting.

Also, writing a business plan using Word means starting from scratch and formatting the document yourself once written - a process that can be quite tedious - especially when the numbers change and you need to manually update all the tables and text.

Ultimately, it's up to the business owner to decide which program is right for them and whether they have the expertise or resources needed to make Excel work. 

Hire a consultant to write your business plan

Outsourcing your business plan to a consultant can be a viable option, but it also presents certain drawbacks. 

On the plus side, consultants are experienced in writing business plans and adept at creating financial forecasts without errors. Furthermore, hiring a consultant can save you time and allow you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your business.

However, hiring consultants is expensive: budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) for a complete business plan, more if you need to make changes after the initial version (which happens frequently after the first meetings with lenders).

For these reasons, outsourcing the plan to a consultant or accountant should be considered carefully, weighing both the advantages and disadvantages of hiring outside help.

Ultimately, it may be the right decision for some businesses, while others may find it beneficial to write their own business plan using an online software.

Use an online business plan software for your business plan

Another alternative is to use online business plan software .

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

  • You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
  • You can be inspired by already written business plan templates
  • You can easily make your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
  • You get a professional document, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank
  • The software will enable you to easily track your actual financial performance against your forecast and update your forecast as time goes by

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try our software for free by signing up here .

The location section of a business plan is very important for both startups and established businesses alike. Giving an attractive outlook of your business’s location, can help you find a business partner or secure capital. 

This information mainly includes details about the location of the business, the structure of the building, and the facilities that are available for the workers and customers. This information can help readers decide whether they want to be a part of your business or not. 

Also on The Business Plan Shop

  • 7 tips for writing an effective business plan
  • How to do a market analysis for a business plan
  • How to write the structure and ownership section of your business plan
  • How to write the products and services section of your business plan
  • How to present the management team in your business plan

Know someone who needs to add the location to their business plan? Share this guide with them!

Guillaume Le Brouster

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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Tips on Choosing the Right Location for Your Business

Table of contents.

location business plan example

Choosing a location is one of the most important aspects of starting a brick-and-mortar business and ensuring its long-term success. Location is particularly crucial for retail stores and restaurants that rely on foot traffic, accessibility, atmosphere and the right clientele. 

We’ll share how to analyze your requirements and options to choose a space where your employees, customers and business will thrive.

If you’re opening a retail store , focus on placing your establishment in an area where your target audience spends its time. A great location isn’t great if it’s inconvenient for your customers.

How to choose the right business location

When you’re starting a business , selecting the right location can be the difference between success and disappointment. If you’ve already completed your business plan and chosen an awesome business name , take the following steps before signing a commercial lease or buying commercial real estate : 

  • Set a budget for your business location: Pinpoint how much of your business budget you can spend on a commercial lease or building purchase. You don’t want to fall in love with a location you can’t afford.
  • Outline your business’s specific needs: Your business type and industry will inform your location’s specific needs. For example, if you’re starting a restaurant , your needs will be very different from a sales office that requires an office layout with ample conference room space and private offices. Will your parking area need to accommodate many employees and customers? List your requirements to avoid wasting time evaluating properties that won’t fit the bill.
  • Determine crucial tax implications: Consider any prospective area’s state and local tax implications. Depending on your industry, it may be wise to seek a location inside or outside a specific zone or municipality to enjoy tax benefits.
  • Research government incentives: Federal and state incentives for small businesses exist in some industries. Choosing a specific location may qualify you for certain incentives. If so, it behooves you to focus your location search on a specific area or business-friendly state . 
  • Research your target audience: Where do your customers live and work? It’s crucial to choose a location your target market can easily access or frequently visit. Understanding your customer base will inform your location decision. If you’re partial to a specific area but aren’t sure if it’s a match for your target audience, thoroughly research the area’s demographics to gain a clear picture of product or service demand and disposable income levels. 
  • Research an area’s specifics: If you’ve found an area in your budget that’s amenable to your target audience, dig deeper. For example, understanding the area’s zoning laws is crucial. Look at zoning maps so you understand what business activities are allowed. If you’re a retail store or restaurant, considering commercial zoning proximity to residential areas can be essential to ensure direct access to foot traffic. Make it your business to know an area inside and out.
  • Plot competitors’ locations: If you want to move forward in a specific area, perform a competitive analysis to assess the competition’s presence and gauge demand for your offerings. You don’t want to move in next door or across the street from a fierce business rival. However, you may not be able to avoid the competition entirely. Understanding your situation is key. 
  • Analyze individual properties: Once you’ve settled on an ideal area and found individual properties to consider, start comparing their pros and cons. Vet specific properties’ qualities, including office or building size, furniture, parking lot size, amenities, lease terms and more. Is the actual building or space somewhere your team and customers will enjoy spending time?

If you’ve established a retail location, take advantage of location-based services to deliver proximity-based marketing and boost foot traffic.

Factors to consider when selecting a business location

Before signing on the dotted line, numerous additional factors will influence your business location decision. Some may not apply to your specific industry, while some will be crucial determinants.

Consider the following factors before making your business location decision.

What other businesses are nearby?

Beyond understanding where your competitors are, it’s crucial to consider other nearby businesses. Specific business types may complement your offerings, especially if you’re a retail location or restaurant. You may share customers with similar demographics or your neighbors may be excellent allies. 

For example, choosing an office location near a deli and a dry cleaner can provide conveniences for your employees. If you’re a florist, nearby proximity to a baker may lead to customer overlap. Collaborating with other businesses in your location is a bonus that can help create a prosperous economic environment for all.

Does the location provide good foot traffic? 

Excellent foot traffic can be the crown jewel for specific small businesses, including retailers and restaurants. Foot traffic can boost the success of your local marketing strategies and help your business grow. Assess your chosen location’s foot traffic by visiting the area at various times to see how the crowds ebb and flow. Will your business benefit from the foot traffic level? If you’re weighing several great business locations, foot traffic may become a deciding factor. 

If your business has multiple locations, tailor your local marketing strategies further by creating individual landing pages specific to each location.

Is the location convenient for vendors and suppliers? 

If your business relies on frequent inventory infusions, proximity to your vendors and suppliers can be critical. An inconvenient location may lead to frequent delays and unhappy customers who can’t get the items they want. 

Is your location accessible to employees and customers?

Customers and employees must be able to access your location ― particularly if you’re operating a retail brick-and-mortar store. Evaluate any potential location’s on-site parking and accessibility to highways and major roads. 

How crucial is your business location?

This may seem like an obvious question but consider how the location will impact your business. A retail store’s location may be much more critical than a company’s office headquarters. Consider your customers and employees and how the business’s location will impact them. If the specific location doesn’t matter as much, you can place more importance on things like building amenities and affordability. 

Once you’ve moved into your new business location, set up a Google Business Profile so people can find you, learn about your offerings and map your location.

Will your business receive ongoing shipments of goods?

If you’re working in the industrial sector or running a business that receives large supplies of goods, it’s best to choose a location with warehouse storage space and easy delivery options for clients and customers. A business that specializes in shipping and holding goods needs specific structural amenities, such as loading docks.

Will you conduct meetings at your business site?

Consider how your clients will utilize your location. If you meet with customers regularly, you need an accessible location with reception areas, waiting rooms and conference rooms. If no clients ever visit, you may instead prioritize things like a robust business phone system and technical infrastructure. 

Will your customers and employees need dedicated parking?

Consider your company’s size when choosing a business location. Your employees will likely have to drive to your location. If that’s the case, is parking available? Similarly, if you’re meeting regularly with clients and customers, you need convenient parking options for them. Sometimes, the most important aspect of a business location is its free, convenient and accessible parking options.

Why your business’s location is important

Your location is critical to your business’s success for many reasons: 

  • Visibility: Depending on your chosen location, you might make your company more (or less) visible to its target demographic, directly impacting your revenue. 
  • Customer connections: Additionally, operating a business in a convenient location can help you connect with more customers and develop lasting relationships with them.
  • Employee satisfaction: Despite the rise of remote work, many businesses have in-office employees who must spend a great deal of time at the office. A convenient site with an excellent atmosphere and location can help keep employees happy. 
  • Professionalism: Your business location will speak to clients. A professional, attractive location can improve your reputation and how customers see you. However, a shoddier office in an inconvenient location won’t do you any favors. 

According to Statista , in-store and brick-and-mortar retail accounts for 85 percent of total retail sales, demonstrating the importance of foot traffic. If your retail store is in an inconvenient or inaccessible location, you could be missing out on a huge chunk of potential sales.

After establishing your new location, get involved in your community by sponsoring local events to increase local brand visibility.

Getting the most out of your business location

Whether your business deals with customers or is more of an employee-centric office environment, your business location matters. It’s crucial to thoroughly assess how location impacts your operations and choose somewhere that meets your specific business needs. 

Depending on your business type, your location should be inviting and professional, creating a positive association for customers and employees alike.

Matt D’Angelo contributed to this article.

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Restaurant Business Plan

Restaurant Business Plan: What To Include, Plus 8 Examples

  • Business Growth & Management , Templates & Guides

Do you want to ensure the success of your new foodservice endeavor? Write a restaurant business plan.

In this article, the experts at Sling tell you why a business plan is vital for both new and existing businesses and give you tips on what to include.

Table Of Contents

What Is A Restaurant Business Plan?

Why is a restaurant business plan important, questions to ask first, what to include in an effective restaurant business plan, how to format a restaurant business plan, efficient workforce management is essential for success.

Man looking at charts on a wall for his restaurant business plan

At its most basic, a restaurant business plan is a written document that describes your restaurant’s goals and the steps you will take to make those goals a reality.

This business plan also describes the nature of the business itself, financial projections, background information, and organizational strategies  that govern the day-to-day activity of your restaurant.

Empty fine-dining restaurant

A restaurant business plan is vital for the success of your endeavor because, without one, it is very difficult — sometimes even impossible — to obtain funding from an investor or a bank.

Without that all-important starting or operational capital, you may not be able to keep your doors open for long, if at all.

Even if funding isn’t a primary concern, a business plan provides you — the business owner or manager — with clear direction on how to translate general strategies into actionable plans  for reaching your goals.

The plan can help solidify everything from the boots-on-the-ground functional strategy  to the mid-level business strategy  all the way up to the driving-force corporate strategy .

Think of this plan as a roadmap that guides your way when things are going smoothly and, more importantly, when they aren’t.

If you want to give your restaurant the best chance for success, start by writing a business plan.

Man on laptop writing a restaurant business plan

Sitting down to write a restaurant business plan can be a daunting task.

As you’ll see in the What To Include In An Effective Restaurant Business Plan section below, you’ll need a lot of information and detail to ensure that the final document is both complete and effective.

Instead of starting with word one, it is hugely beneficial to answer a number of general questions first.

These questions will help you narrow down the information to include in your plan so the composition process feels less difficult.

The questions are:

  • What problem does the business’s product or service solve?
  • What niche will the business fill?
  • What is the business’s solution to the problem?
  • Who are the business’s customers?
  • How will the business market and sell its products to them?
  • What is the size of the market for this solution?
  • What is the business model for the business?
  • How will the business make money?
  • Who are the competitors?
  • How will the business maintain a competitive advantage?
  • How does the business plan to manage growth?
  • Who will run the business?
  • What makes those individuals qualified to do so?
  • What are the risks and threats confronting the business?
  • What can you do to mitigate those risks and threats?
  • What are the business’s capital and resource requirements?
  • What are the business’s historical and projected financial statements?

Depending on your business, some of these questions may not apply or you may not have applicable answers.

Nevertheless, it helps to think about, and try to provide details for, the whole list so your finished restaurant business plan is as complete as possible.

Once you’ve answered the questions for your business, you can transfer a large portion of that information to the business plan itself.

We’ll discuss exactly what to include in the next section.

Man mapping out a restaurant business plan

In this section, we’ll show you what to include in an effective restaurant business plan and provide a brief example of each component.

1) Executive Summary

You should always start any business plan with an executive summary. This gives the reader a brief introduction into common elements, such as:

  • Mission statement
  • Overhead costs
  • Labor costs
  • Return on investment (ROI)

This portion of your plan should pique the reader’s interest and make them want to read more.

Fanty & Mingo’s is a 50-seat fine-dining restaurant that will focus on Sweruvian (Swedish/Peruvian) fusion fare.

We will keep overhead and labor costs low thanks to simple but elegant decor , highly skilled food-prep staff, and well-trained servers.

Because of the location and surrounding booming economy, we estimate ROI at 20 percent per annum.

2) Mission Statement

A mission statement is a short description of what your business does for its customers, employees, and owners.

This is in contrast to your business’s vision statement which is a declaration of objectives that guide internal decision-making.

While the two are closely related and can be hard to distinguish, it often helps to think in terms of who, what, why, and where.

The vision statement is the where of your business — where you want your business to be and where you want your customers and community to be as a result.

The mission statement is the who , what , and why of your business — it’s an action plan that makes the vision statement a reality

Here’s an example of a mission statement for our fictional company:

Fanty and Mingo’s takes pride in making the best Sweruvian food, providing fast, friendly, and accurate service. It is our goal to be the employer of choice and offer team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and a rewarding career in a fun and safe working environment.

3) Company Description

Taking notes on restaurant business plan

In this section of your restaurant business plan, you fully introduce your company to the reader. Every business’s company description will be different and include its own pertinent information.

Useful details to include are:

  • Owner’s details
  • Brief description of their experience
  • Legal standing
  • Short-term goals
  • Long-term goals
  • Brief market study
  • An understanding of the trends in your niche
  • Why your business will succeed in these market conditions

Again, you don’t have to include all of this information in your company description. Choose the ones that are most relevant to your business and make the most sense to communicate to your readers.

Fanty & Mingo’s will start out as an LLC, owned and operated by founders Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Washburne. Mr. Reynolds will serve as managing partner and Ms. Washburne as general manager.

We will combine atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and menu variety to create a unique experience for our diners and to reach our goal of high value in the fusion food niche.

Our gross margin is higher than industry average, but we plan to spend more on payroll to attract the best team.

We estimate moderate growth for the first two years while word-of-mouth about our restaurant spreads through the area.

4) Market Analysis

A market analysis is a combination of three different views of the niche you want to enter:

  • The industry  as a whole
  • The competition your restaurant will face
  • The marketing  you’ll execute to bring in customers

This section should be a brief introduction to these concepts. You can expand on them in other sections of your restaurant business plan.

The restaurant industry in our chosen location is wide open thanks in large part to the revitalization of the city’s center.

A few restaurants have already staked their claim there, but most are bars and non-family-friendly offerings.

Fanty & Mingo’s will focus on both tourist and local restaurant clientele. We want to bring in people that have a desire for delicious food and an exotic atmosphere.

We break down our market into five distinct categories:

  • High-end singles
  • Businessmen and businesswomen

We will target those markets to grow our restaurant  by up to 17 percent per year.

restaurant menu board

Every restaurant needs a good menu, and this is the section within your restaurant business plan that you describe the food you’ll serve in as much detail as possible.

You may not have your menu design complete, but you’ll likely have at least a handful of dishes that serve as the foundation of your offerings.

It’s also essential to discuss pricing and how it reflects your overall goals and operating model. This will give potential investors and partners a better understanding of your business’s target price point and profit strategy.

We don’t have room to describe a sample menu in this article, but for more information on menu engineering, menu pricing, and even a menu template, check out these helpful articles from the Sling blog:

  • Menu Engineering: What It Is And How It Can Increase Profits
  • Restaurant Menu Pricing: 7 Tips To Maximize Profitability
  • How To Design Your Menu | Free Restaurant Menu Template

6) Location

In this section, describe your potential location (or locations) so that you and your investors have a clear image of what the restaurant will look like.

Include plenty of information about the location — square footage, floor plan , design , demographics of the area, parking, etc. — to make it feel as real as possible.

We will locate Fanty & Mingo’s in the booming and rapidly expanding downtown sector of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Ideally, we will secure at least 2,000 square feet of space with a large, open-plan dining room and rich color scheme near the newly built baseball stadium to capitalize on the pre- and post-game traffic and to appeal to the young urban professionals that live in the area.

Parking will be available along side streets and in the 1,000-vehicle parking garage two blocks away.

7) Marketing

Chef working in a restaurant

The marketing section of your restaurant business plan is where you should elaborate on the information you introduced in the Market Analysis section.

Go into detail about the plans you have to introduce your restaurant to the public and keep it at the top of their mind.

Fanty & Mingo’s will employ three distinct marketing tactics to increase and maintain customer awareness:

  • Word-of-mouth/in-restaurant marketing
  • Partnering with other local businesses
  • Media exposure

We will direct each tactic at a different segment of our potential clientele in order to maximize coverage.

In the process of marketing to our target audience, we will endeavor to harness the reach of direct mail and broadcast media, the exclusivity of the VIP party, and the elegance of a highly trained sommelier and wait staff.

8) Financials

Even though the Financials section is further down in your restaurant business plan, it is one of the most important components for securing investors and bank funding.

We recommend hiring a trained accountant  to help you prepare this section so that it will be as accurate and informative as possible.

Fanty & Mingo’s needs $250,000 of capital investment over the next year and a half for the following:

  • Renovations to leased space
  • Dining room furniture
  • Kitchen and food-prep equipment
  • Liquor license

Projected profit and loss won’t jump drastically in the first year, but, over time, Fanty & Mingo’s will develop its reputation and client base. This will lead to more rapid growth toward the third and fourth years of business.

working on restaurant business plan

Most entrepreneurs starting a new business find it valuable to have multiple formats of their business plan.

The information, data, and details remain the same, but the length and how you present them will change to fit a specific set of circumstances.

Below we discuss the four most common business plan formats to cover a multitude of potential situations.

Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short summary of your restaurant business plan’s executive summary.

Rather than being packed full of details, the elevator pitch is a quick teaser of sorts that you use on a short elevator ride (hence the name) to stimulate interest in potential customers, partners, and investors

As such, an effective elevator pitch is between 30 and 60 seconds and hits the high points of your restaurant business plan.

A pitch deck is a slide show and oral presentation that is designed to stimulate discussion and motivate interested parties to investigate deeper into your stakeholder plan (more on that below).

Most pitch decks are designed to cover the executive summary and include key graphs that illustrate market trends and benchmarks you used (and will use) to make decisions about your business.

Some entrepreneurs even include time and space in their pitch deck to demonstrate new products coming down the pipeline.

This won’t necessarily apply to a restaurant business plan, but, if logistics permit, you could distribute small samples of your current fare or tasting portions of new dishes you’re developing.

Stakeholder Plan (External)

A stakeholder plan is the standard written presentation that business owners use to describe the details of their business model to customers, partners, and potential investors.

The stakeholder plan can be as long as is necessary to communicate the current and future state of your business, but it must be well-written, well-formatted, and targeted at those looking at your business from the outside in.

Think of your stakeholder plan as a tool to convince others that they should get involved in making your business a reality. Write it in such a way that readers will want to partner with you to help your business grow.

Management Plan (Internal)

A management plan is a form of your restaurant business plan that describes the details that the owners and managers need to make the business run smoothly.

While the stakeholder plan is an external document, the management plan is an internal document.

Most of the details in the management plan will be of little or no interest to external stakeholders so you can write it with a higher degree of candor and informality.

Sling app for managing a restaurant business plan

After you’ve created your restaurant business plan, it’s time to take steps to make it a reality.

One of the biggest challenges in ensuring that your business runs smoothly and successfully is managing  and optimizing  your team. The Sling  app can help.

Sling not only includes powerful and intuitive artificial-intelligence-based scheduling tools but also many other features to help make your workforce management more efficient, including:

  • Time and attendance tracking
  • Built-in time clock
  • Labor cost  optimization
  • Data analysis and reporting
  • Messaging and communication
  • And much more…

Sling's scheduling feature

With Sling, you can schedule faster, communicate better, and organize and manage your work from a single, integrated platform. And when you use Sling for all of your scheduling  needs, you’ll have more time to focus on bringing your restaurant business plan to life.

For more free resources to help you manage your business better, organize and schedule your team, and track and calculate labor costs, visit GetSling.com  today.

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This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for specific advice.

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How to Choose a Business Location: 8 Factors to Consider

Sally Lauckner

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Choosing a business location is not something that can be done on a whim—it's a crucial step in starting a business. First things first, the business location you choose will depend on the type of business you operate. Business parks, shopping malls, strip malls, professional buildings, and others are all designed to meet the specific needs of various businesses. If you’re expanding from online-only to online and brick-and-mortar, for example, your needs will be much different than if you’re an accountant looking to grow your firm and bring in new clients.

A business location strategy takes planning and research and a willingness to thoroughly vet all of your options. With these helpful tips, you can identify the best place to locate your expanding business.

location business plan example

1. Decide on a business location type

Here are five common types of business locations, but more creative options, like co-working spaces, are popping up all the time. Be on alert for these and other location types that would meet your specific needs.

Home-based business - If you work from home but need more space, you might consider moving to a new home or adding on to your existing home to create the office space you need.

Retail business - Don’t limit yourself to downtown storefronts and strip malls. You can also find retail space in airports, free-standing buildings, and special event kiosks.

Mobile business - It used to be that the only businesses that moved around were circuses and festival vendors. But today with mobile card readers, your restaurant can add a roaming food truck location and your used book store can open a new pop-up shop near the beach.

Commercial business space - Commercial business spaces offer flexibility for even more growth down the road, but are typically best for businesses that don’t rely on heavy consumer traffic.

Industrial site - If you operate a manufacturing or distribution business, you’ll have special needs and will likely have limited choices when it comes to opening a new location. Industrial sites are needed for companies that require large amounts of warehousing space, for companies that need access to major transportation routes, or for companies that may produce pollutants as part of the manufacturing process.

In almost every case, where you can locate your business will be dictated by local zoning ordinances in your community. Don’t sign on the dotted line until you’re sure it’s legal for you to operate your business in your desired location.

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

2. Make sure the business location is within your budget

Of course, one of your major priorities will be finding a location that fits within your company’s budget. However, that’s not all you need to examine when it comes to money. There often other location-specific costs to consider beyond the purchase price or monthly rent. Almost every location has different hidden costs that you need to account for: taxes, renovations, utility upgrades, minimum wage requirements, and economic incentives. Even mobile businesses need to consider the cost of permits and vehicle licensing when choosing a new business location.

Considering all the above will help you make a well-educated choice for your next business location. Before committing to anything, be sure to speak with other business owners in the area to make sure they’re happy with the location. Although you can never predict if a new location will be successful, you can do as much research as possible beforehand to ensure it is the best available fit for your growing business.

3. Consider your brand

Keep your brand in mind when developing your business location strategy and looking at options. For instance, you probably wouldn’t want to plant your new office supply location right in the middle of a high-end, boutique shopping district. Likewise, an upscale restaurant might not fare so well in the middle of a college town or rural area, where customers are used to spending less money on cuisine.

4. Think about vendors and suppliers

You'll need to secure a location that makes it easy for you to connect with your vendors and suppliers; otherwise, you might experience significant delays or run into frequent issues with inventory levels. When considering your options, ask yourself which location site makes it easier and cheaper for you to get the raw goods you need to operate.

5. Find a safe location

Operating a business where you feel safe and protected should not be underestimated. And besides your own safety and the safety of your employees, also consider your business's safety as well. This is especially important for businesses with inventory that may be at a higher risk for burglary and theft or if you'll frequently be running your business alone at night.

6. Go where there is demand

Ideally, you want to secure a business location that’s not saturated by your competition. Look for areas where your product or service is in high demand or where your competition is fairly low. If at all possible, you’ll want to expand to a location where the other businesses on the block are complementary, to ensure your business fits into the local market.

7. Think about recruiting efforts

If you'll be hiring employees and managers for your business, you'll want to make sure you open in an area where there's good access to public transportation or where potential employees will be attracted. Finding high-quality employees is crucial to your business success, so plan your location around where employees want to work.

8. Look for sites with parking options

No matter how attractive your business is, sufficient parking should be a key consideration. Does your business location have a convenient parking lot, or will your customers need to pay for parking—and will they be willing to? If paid parking is your only option, you'll also want to consider if your business will offer validation. And don't forget about your employees here—they'll also need somewhere to park.

The bottom line

There are several business location factors to consider, from pricing and availability to parking and market appeal. Choosing the best location for your business is crucial to your overall success, so it's important to do the necessary research before committing to a location. Be sure to think about your location not only as a business owner, but also from the point of view of an employee and potential customer. A well-informed business location strategy will ensure you find the best place to set up shop and open your doors for business.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Krista Fabregas

Reviewed By

Updated: Nov 30, 2023, 4:49pm

Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Table of Contents

Why business plans are vital, get your free simple business plan template, how to write an effective business plan in 6 steps, frequently asked questions.

While taking many forms and serving many purposes, they all have one thing in common: business plans help you establish your goals and define the means for achieving them. Our simple business plan template covers everything you need to consider when launching a side gig, solo operation or small business. By following this step-by-step process, you might even uncover a few alternate routes to success.

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Whether you’re a first-time solopreneur or a seasoned business owner, the planning process challenges you to examine the costs and tasks involved in bringing a product or service to market. The process can also help you spot new income opportunities and hone in on the most profitable business models.

Though vital, business planning doesn’t have to be a chore. Business plans for lean startups and solopreneurs can simply outline the business concept, sales proposition, target customers and sketch out a plan of action to bring the product or service to market. However, if you’re seeking startup funding or partnership opportunities, you’ll need a write a business plan that details market research, operating costs and revenue forecasting.

Whichever startup category you fall into, if you’re at square one, our simple business plan template will point you down the right path.

Copy our free simple business plan template so you can fill in the blanks as we explore each element of your business plan. Need help getting your ideas flowing? You’ll also find several startup scenario examples below.

Download free template as .docx

Whether you need a quick-launch overview or an in-depth plan for investors, any business plan should cover the six key elements outlined in our free template and explained below. The main difference in starting a small business versus an investor-funded business is the market research and operational and financial details needed to support the concept.

1. Your Mission or Vision

Start by declaring a “dream statement” for your business. You can call this your executive summary, vision statement or mission. Whatever the name, the first part of your business plan summarizes your idea by answering five questions. Keep it brief, such as an elevator pitch. You’ll expand these answers in the following sections of the simple business plan template.

  • What does your business do? Are you selling products, services, information or a combination?
  • Where does this happen? Will you conduct business online, in-store, via mobile means or in a specific location or environment?
  • Who does your business benefit? Who is your target market and ideal customer for your concept?
  • Why would potential customers care? What would make your ideal customers take notice of your business?
  • How do your products and/or services outshine the competition? What would make your ideal customers choose you over a competitor?

These answers come easily if you have a solid concept for your business, but don’t worry if you get stuck. Use the rest of your plan template to brainstorm ideas and tactics. You’ll quickly find these answers and possibly new directions as you explore your ideas and options.

2. Offer and Value Proposition

This is where you detail your offer, such as selling products, providing services or both, and why anyone would care. That’s the value proposition. Specifically, you’ll expand on your answers to the first and fourth bullets from your mission/vision.

As you complete this section, you might find that exploring value propositions uncovers marketable business opportunities that you hadn’t yet considered. So spend some time brainstorming the possibilities in this section.

For example, a cottage baker startup specializing in gluten-free or keto-friendly products might be a value proposition that certain audiences care deeply about. Plus, you could expand on that value proposition by offering wedding and other special-occasion cakes that incorporate gluten-free, keto-friendly and traditional cake elements that all guests can enjoy.

location business plan example

3. Audience and Ideal Customer

Here is where you explore bullet point number three, who your business will benefit. Identifying your ideal customer and exploring a broader audience for your goods or services is essential in defining your sales and marketing strategies, plus it helps fine-tune what you offer.

There are many ways to research potential audiences, but a shortcut is to simply identify a problem that people have that your product or service can solve. If you start from the position of being a problem solver, it’s easy to define your audience and describe the wants and needs of your ideal customer for marketing efforts.

Using the cottage baker startup example, a problem people might have is finding fresh-baked gluten-free or keto-friendly sweets. Examining the wants and needs of these people might reveal a target audience that is health-conscious or possibly dealing with health issues and willing to spend more for hard-to-find items.

However, it’s essential to have a customer base that can support your business. You can be too specialized. For example, our baker startup can attract a broader audience and boost revenue by offering a wider selection of traditional baked goods alongside its gluten-free and keto-focused specialties.

4. Revenue Streams, Sales Channels and Marketing

Thanks to our internet-driven economy, startups have many revenue opportunities and can connect with target audiences through various channels. Revenue streams and sales channels also serve as marketing vehicles, so you can cover all three in this section.

Revenue Streams

Revenue streams are the many ways you can make money in your business. In your plan template, list how you’ll make money upon launch, plus include ideas for future expansion. The income possibilities just might surprise you.

For example, our cottage baker startup might consider these revenue streams:

  • Product sales : Online, pop-up shops , wholesale and (future) in-store sales
  • Affiliate income : Monetize blog and social media posts with affiliate links
  • Advertising income : Reserve website space for advertising
  • E-book sales : (future) Publish recipe e-books targeting gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
  • Video income : (future) Monetize a YouTube channel featuring how-to videos for the gluten-free and keto-friendly dessert niches
  • Webinars and online classes : (future) Monetize coaching-style webinars and online classes covering specialty baking tips and techniques
  • Members-only content : (future) Monetize a members-only section of the website for specialty content to complement webinars and online classes
  • Franchise : (future) Monetize a specialty cottage bakery concept and sell to franchise entrepreneurs

Sales Channels

Sales channels put your revenue streams into action. This section also answers the “where will this happen” question in the second bullet of your vision.

The product sales channels for our cottage bakery example can include:

  • Mobile point-of-sale (POS) : A mobile platform such as Shopify or Square POS for managing in-person sales at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals
  • E-commerce platform : An online store such as Shopify, Square or WooCommerce for online retail sales and wholesale sales orders
  • Social media channels : Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest shoppable posts and pins for online sales via social media channels
  • Brick-and-mortar location : For in-store sales , once the business has grown to a point that it can support a physical location

Channels that support other income streams might include:

  • Affiliate income : Blog section on the e-commerce website and affiliate partner accounts
  • Advertising income : Reserved advertising spaces on the e-commerce website
  • E-book sales : Amazon e-book sales via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
  • Video income : YouTube channel with ad monetization
  • Webinars and online classes : Online class and webinar platforms that support member accounts, recordings and playback
  • Members-only content : Password-protected website content using membership apps such as MemberPress

Nowadays, the line between marketing and sales channels is blurred. Social media outlets, e-books, websites, blogs and videos serve as both marketing tools and income opportunities. Since most are free and those with advertising options are extremely economical, these are ideal marketing outlets for lean startups.

However, many businesses still find value in traditional advertising such as local radio, television, direct mail, newspapers and magazines. You can include these advertising costs in your simple business plan template to help build a marketing plan and budget.

location business plan example

5. Structure, Suppliers and Operations

This section of your simple business plan template explores how to structure and operate your business. Details include the type of business organization your startup will take, roles and responsibilities, supplier logistics and day-to-day operations. Also, include any certifications or permits needed to launch your enterprise in this section.

Our cottage baker example might use a structure and startup plan such as this:

  • Business structure : Sole proprietorship with a “doing business as” (DBA) .
  • Permits and certifications : County-issued food handling permit and state cottage food certification for home-based food production. Option, check into certified commercial kitchen rentals.
  • Roles and responsibilities : Solopreneur, all roles and responsibilities with the owner.
  • Supply chain : Bulk ingredients and food packaging via Sam’s Club, Costco, Amazon Prime with annual membership costs. Uline for shipping supplies; no membership needed.
  • Day-to-day operations : Source ingredients and bake three days per week to fulfill local and online orders. Reserve time for specialty sales, wholesale partner orders and market events as needed. Ship online orders on alternating days. Update website and create marketing and affiliate blog posts on non-shipping days.

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6. Financial Forecasts

Your final task is to list forecasted business startup and ongoing costs and profit projections in your simple business plan template. Thanks to free business tools such as Square and free marketing on social media, lean startups can launch with few upfront costs. In many cases, cost of goods, shipping and packaging, business permits and printing for business cards are your only out-of-pocket expenses.

Cost Forecast

Our cottage baker’s forecasted lean startup costs might include:

Gross Profit Projections

This helps you determine the retail prices and sales volume required to keep your business running and, hopefully, earn income for yourself. Use product research to spot target retail prices for your goods, then subtract your cost of goods, such as hourly rate, raw goods and supplier costs. The total amount is your gross profit per item or service.

Here are some examples of projected gross profits for our cottage baker:

Bottom Line

Putting careful thought and detail in a business plan is always beneficial, but don’t get so bogged down in planning that you never hit the start button to launch your business . Also, remember that business plans aren’t set in stone. Markets, audiences and technologies change, and so will your goals and means of achieving them. Think of your business plan as a living document and regularly revisit, expand and restructure it as market opportunities and business growth demand.

Is there a template for a business plan?

You can copy our free business plan template and fill in the blanks or customize it in Google Docs, Microsoft Word or another word processing app. This free business plan template includes the six key elements that any entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a new business.

What does a simple business plan include?

A simple business plan is a one- to two-page overview covering six key elements that any budding entrepreneur needs to consider when launching a startup. These include your vision or mission, product or service offering, target audience, revenue streams and sales channels, structure and operations, and financial forecasts.

How can I create a free business plan template?

Start with our free business plan template that covers the six essential elements of a startup. Once downloaded, you can edit this document in Google Docs or another word processing app and add new sections or subsections to your plan template to meet your specific business plan needs.

What basic items should be included in a business plan?

When writing out a business plan, you want to make sure that you cover everything related to your concept for the business,  an analysis of the industry―including potential customers and an overview of the market for your goods or services―how you plan to execute your vision for the business, how you plan to grow the business if it becomes successful and all financial data around the business, including current cash on hand, potential investors and budget plans for the next few years.

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Krista Fabregas is a seasoned eCommerce and online content pro sharing more than 20 years of hands-on know-how with those looking to launch and grow tech-forward businesses. Her expertise includes eCommerce startups and growth, SMB operations and logistics, website platforms, payment systems, side-gig and affiliate income, and multichannel marketing. Krista holds a bachelor's degree in English from The University of Texas at Austin and held senior positions at NASA, a Fortune 100 company, and several online startups.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Simple Business Plan

By Joe Weller | October 11, 2021

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A business plan is the cornerstone of any successful company, regardless of size or industry. This step-by-step guide provides information on writing a business plan for organizations at any stage, complete with free templates and expert advice. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan and a chart to identify which type of business plan you should write . Plus, find information on how a business plan can help grow a business and expert tips on writing one .

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that communicates a company’s goals and ambitions, along with the timeline, finances, and methods needed to achieve them. Additionally, it may include a mission statement and details about the specific products or services offered.

A business plan can highlight varying time periods, depending on the stage of your company and its goals. That said, a typical business plan will include the following benchmarks:

  • Product goals and deadlines for each month
  • Monthly financials for the first two years
  • Profit and loss statements for the first three to five years
  • Balance sheet projections for the first three to five years

Startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses all create business plans to use as a guide as their new company progresses. Larger organizations may also create (and update) a business plan to keep high-level goals, financials, and timelines in check.

While you certainly need to have a formalized outline of your business’s goals and finances, creating a business plan can also help you determine a company’s viability, its profitability (including when it will first turn a profit), and how much money you will need from investors. In turn, a business plan has functional value as well: Not only does outlining goals help keep you accountable on a timeline, it can also attract investors in and of itself and, therefore, act as an effective strategy for growth.

For more information, visit our comprehensive guide to writing a strategic plan or download free strategic plan templates . This page focuses on for-profit business plans, but you can read our article with nonprofit business plan templates .

Business Plan Steps

The specific information in your business plan will vary, depending on the needs and goals of your venture, but a typical plan includes the following ordered elements:

  • Executive summary
  • Description of business
  • Market analysis
  • Competitive analysis
  • Description of organizational management
  • Description of product or services
  • Marketing plan
  • Sales strategy
  • Funding details (or request for funding)
  • Financial projections

If your plan is particularly long or complicated, consider adding a table of contents or an appendix for reference. For an in-depth description of each step listed above, read “ How to Write a Business Plan Step by Step ” below.

Broadly speaking, your audience includes anyone with a vested interest in your organization. They can include potential and existing investors, as well as customers, internal team members, suppliers, and vendors.

Do I Need a Simple or Detailed Plan?

Your business’s stage and intended audience dictates the level of detail your plan needs. Corporations require a thorough business plan — up to 100 pages. Small businesses or startups should have a concise plan focusing on financials and strategy.

How to Choose the Right Plan for Your Business

In order to identify which type of business plan you need to create, ask: “What do we want the plan to do?” Identify function first, and form will follow.

Use the chart below as a guide for what type of business plan to create:

Is the Order of Your Business Plan Important?

There is no set order for a business plan, with the exception of the executive summary, which should always come first. Beyond that, simply ensure that you organize the plan in a way that makes sense and flows naturally.

The Difference Between Traditional and Lean Business Plans

A traditional business plan follows the standard structure — because these plans encourage detail, they tend to require more work upfront and can run dozens of pages. A Lean business plan is less common and focuses on summarizing critical points for each section. These plans take much less work and typically run one page in length.

In general, you should use a traditional model for a legacy company, a large company, or any business that does not adhere to Lean (or another Agile method ). Use Lean if you expect the company to pivot quickly or if you already employ a Lean strategy with other business operations. Additionally, a Lean business plan can suffice if the document is for internal use only. Stick to a traditional version for investors, as they may be more sensitive to sudden changes or a high degree of built-in flexibility in the plan.

How to Write a Business Plan Step by Step

Writing a strong business plan requires research and attention to detail for each section. Below, you’ll find a 10-step guide to researching and defining each element in the plan.

Step 1: Executive Summary

The executive summary will always be the first section of your business plan. The goal is to answer the following questions:

  • What is the vision and mission of the company?
  • What are the company’s short- and long-term goals?

See our  roundup of executive summary examples and templates for samples. Read our executive summary guide to learn more about writing one.

Step 2: Description of Business

The goal of this section is to define the realm, scope, and intent of your venture. To do so, answer the following questions as clearly and concisely as possible:

  • What business are we in?
  • What does our business do?

Step 3: Market Analysis

In this section, provide evidence that you have surveyed and understand the current marketplace, and that your product or service satisfies a niche in the market. To do so, answer these questions:

  • Who is our customer? 
  • What does that customer value?

Step 4: Competitive Analysis

In many cases, a business plan proposes not a brand-new (or even market-disrupting) venture, but a more competitive version — whether via features, pricing, integrations, etc. — than what is currently available. In this section, answer the following questions to show that your product or service stands to outpace competitors:

  • Who is the competition? 
  • What do they do best? 
  • What is our unique value proposition?

Step 5: Description of Organizational Management

In this section, write an overview of the team members and other key personnel who are integral to success. List roles and responsibilities, and if possible, note the hierarchy or team structure.

Step 6: Description of Products or Services

In this section, clearly define your product or service, as well as all the effort and resources that go into producing it. The strength of your product largely defines the success of your business, so it’s imperative that you take time to test and refine the product before launching into marketing, sales, or funding details.

Questions to answer in this section are as follows:

  • What is the product or service?
  • How do we produce it, and what resources are necessary for production?

Step 7: Marketing Plan

In this section, define the marketing strategy for your product or service. This doesn’t need to be as fleshed out as a full marketing plan , but it should answer basic questions, such as the following:

  • Who is the target market (if different from existing customer base)?
  • What channels will you use to reach your target market?
  • What resources does your marketing strategy require, and do you have access to them?
  • If possible, do you have a rough estimate of timeline and budget?
  • How will you measure success?

Step 8: Sales Plan

Write an overview of the sales strategy, including the priorities of each cycle, steps to achieve these goals, and metrics for success. For the purposes of a business plan, this section does not need to be a comprehensive, in-depth sales plan , but can simply outline the high-level objectives and strategies of your sales efforts. 

Start by answering the following questions:

  • What is the sales strategy?
  • What are the tools and tactics you will use to achieve your goals?
  • What are the potential obstacles, and how will you overcome them?
  • What is the timeline for sales and turning a profit?
  • What are the metrics of success?

Step 9: Funding Details (or Request for Funding)

This section is one of the most critical parts of your business plan, particularly if you are sharing it with investors. You do not need to provide a full financial plan, but you should be able to answer the following questions:

  • How much capital do you currently have? How much capital do you need?
  • How will you grow the team (onboarding, team structure, training and development)?
  • What are your physical needs and constraints (space, equipment, etc.)?

Step 10: Financial Projections

Apart from the fundraising analysis, investors like to see thought-out financial projections for the future. As discussed earlier, depending on the scope and stage of your business, this could be anywhere from one to five years. 

While these projections won’t be exact — and will need to be somewhat flexible — you should be able to gauge the following:

  • How and when will the company first generate a profit?
  • How will the company maintain profit thereafter?

Business Plan Template

Business Plan Template

Download Business Plan Template

Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

This basic business plan template has space for all the traditional elements: an executive summary, product or service details, target audience, marketing and sales strategies, etc. In the finances sections, input your baseline numbers, and the template will automatically calculate projections for sales forecasting, financial statements, and more.

For templates tailored to more specific needs, visit this business plan template roundup or download a fill-in-the-blank business plan template to make things easy. 

If you are looking for a particular template by file type, visit our pages dedicated exclusively to Microsoft Excel , Microsoft Word , and Adobe PDF business plan templates.

How to Write a Simple Business Plan

A simple business plan is a streamlined, lightweight version of the large, traditional model. As opposed to a one-page business plan , which communicates high-level information for quick overviews (such as a stakeholder presentation), a simple business plan can exceed one page.

Below are the steps for creating a generic simple business plan, which are reflected in the template below .

  • Write the Executive Summary This section is the same as in the traditional business plan — simply offer an overview of what’s in the business plan, the prospect or core offering, and the short- and long-term goals of the company. 
  • Add a Company Overview Document the larger company mission and vision. 
  • Provide the Problem and Solution In straightforward terms, define the problem you are attempting to solve with your product or service and how your company will attempt to do it. Think of this section as the gap in the market you are attempting to close.
  • Identify the Target Market Who is your company (and its products or services) attempting to reach? If possible, briefly define your buyer personas .
  • Write About the Competition In this section, demonstrate your knowledge of the market by listing the current competitors and outlining your competitive advantage.
  • Describe Your Product or Service Offerings Get down to brass tacks and define your product or service. What exactly are you selling?
  • Outline Your Marketing Tactics Without getting into too much detail, describe your planned marketing initiatives.
  • Add a Timeline and the Metrics You Will Use to Measure Success Offer a rough timeline, including milestones and key performance indicators (KPIs) that you will use to measure your progress.
  • Include Your Financial Forecasts Write an overview of your financial plan that demonstrates you have done your research and adequate modeling. You can also list key assumptions that go into this forecasting. 
  • Identify Your Financing Needs This section is where you will make your funding request. Based on everything in the business plan, list your proposed sources of funding, as well as how you will use it.

Simple Business Plan Template

Simple Business Plan Template

Download Simple Business Plan Template

Microsoft Excel |  Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF  | Smartsheet

Use this simple business plan template to outline each aspect of your organization, including information about financing and opportunities to seek out further funding. This template is completely customizable to fit the needs of any business, whether it’s a startup or large company.

Read our article offering free simple business plan templates or free 30-60-90-day business plan templates to find more tailored options. You can also explore our collection of one page business templates . 

How to Write a Business Plan for a Lean Startup

A Lean startup business plan is a more Agile approach to a traditional version. The plan focuses more on activities, processes, and relationships (and maintains flexibility in all aspects), rather than on concrete deliverables and timelines.

While there is some overlap between a traditional and a Lean business plan, you can write a Lean plan by following the steps below:

  • Add Your Value Proposition Take a streamlined approach to describing your product or service. What is the unique value your startup aims to deliver to customers? Make sure the team is aligned on the core offering and that you can state it in clear, simple language.
  • List Your Key Partners List any other businesses you will work with to realize your vision, including external vendors, suppliers, and partners. This section demonstrates that you have thoughtfully considered the resources you can provide internally, identified areas for external assistance, and conducted research to find alternatives.
  • Note the Key Activities Describe the key activities of your business, including sourcing, production, marketing, distribution channels, and customer relationships.
  • Include Your Key Resources List the critical resources — including personnel, equipment, space, and intellectual property — that will enable you to deliver your unique value.
  • Identify Your Customer Relationships and Channels In this section, document how you will reach and build relationships with customers. Provide a high-level map of the customer experience from start to finish, including the spaces in which you will interact with the customer (online, retail, etc.). 
  • Detail Your Marketing Channels Describe the marketing methods and communication platforms you will use to identify and nurture your relationships with customers. These could be email, advertising, social media, etc.
  • Explain the Cost Structure This section is especially necessary in the early stages of a business. Will you prioritize maximizing value or keeping costs low? List the foundational startup costs and how you will move toward profit over time.
  • Share Your Revenue Streams Over time, how will the company make money? Include both the direct product or service purchase, as well as secondary sources of revenue, such as subscriptions, selling advertising space, fundraising, etc.

Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

Lean Business Plan Templates for Startups

Download Lean Business Plan Template for Startups

Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Startup leaders can use this Lean business plan template to relay the most critical information from a traditional plan. You’ll find all the sections listed above, including spaces for industry and product overviews, cost structure and sources of revenue, and key metrics, and a timeline. The template is completely customizable, so you can edit it to suit the objectives of your Lean startups.

See our wide variety of  startup business plan templates for more options.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Loan

A business plan for a loan, often called a loan proposal , includes many of the same aspects of a traditional business plan, as well as additional financial documents, such as a credit history, a loan request, and a loan repayment plan.

In addition, you may be asked to include personal and business financial statements, a form of collateral, and equity investment information.

Download free financial templates to support your business plan.

Tips for Writing a Business Plan

Outside of including all the key details in your business plan, you have several options to elevate the document for the highest chance of winning funding and other resources. Follow these tips from experts:.

  • Keep It Simple: Avner Brodsky , the Co-Founder and CEO of Lezgo Limited, an online marketing company, uses the acronym KISS (keep it short and simple) as a variation on this idea. “The business plan is not a college thesis,” he says. “Just focus on providing the essential information.”
  • Do Adequate Research: Michael Dean, the Co-Founder of Pool Research , encourages business leaders to “invest time in research, both internal and external (market, finance, legal etc.). Avoid being overly ambitious or presumptive. Instead, keep everything objective, balanced, and accurate.” Your plan needs to stand on its own, and you must have the data to back up any claims or forecasting you make. As Brodsky explains, “Your business needs to be grounded on the realities of the market in your chosen location. Get the most recent data from authoritative sources so that the figures are vetted by experts and are reliable.”
  • Set Clear Goals: Make sure your plan includes clear, time-based goals. “Short-term goals are key to momentum growth and are especially important to identify for new businesses,” advises Dean.
  • Know (and Address) Your Weaknesses: “This awareness sets you up to overcome your weak points much quicker than waiting for them to arise,” shares Dean. Brodsky recommends performing a full SWOT analysis to identify your weaknesses, too. “Your business will fare better with self-knowledge, which will help you better define the mission of your business, as well as the strategies you will choose to achieve your objectives,” he adds.
  • Seek Peer or Mentor Review: “Ask for feedback on your drafts and for areas to improve,” advises Brodsky. “When your mind is filled with dreams for your business, sometimes it is an outsider who can tell you what you’re missing and will save your business from being a product of whimsy.”

Outside of these more practical tips, the language you use is also important and may make or break your business plan.

Shaun Heng, VP of Operations at Coin Market Cap , gives the following advice on the writing, “Your business plan is your sales pitch to an investor. And as with any sales pitch, you need to strike the right tone and hit a few emotional chords. This is a little tricky in a business plan, because you also need to be formal and matter-of-fact. But you can still impress by weaving in descriptive language and saying things in a more elegant way.

“A great way to do this is by expanding your vocabulary, avoiding word repetition, and using business language. Instead of saying that something ‘will bring in as many customers as possible,’ try saying ‘will garner the largest possible market segment.’ Elevate your writing with precise descriptive words and you'll impress even the busiest investor.”

Additionally, Dean recommends that you “stay consistent and concise by keeping your tone and style steady throughout, and your language clear and precise. Include only what is 100 percent necessary.”

Resources for Writing a Business Plan

While a template provides a great outline of what to include in a business plan, a live document or more robust program can provide additional functionality, visibility, and real-time updates. The U.S. Small Business Association also curates resources for writing a business plan.

Additionally, you can use business plan software to house data, attach documentation, and share information with stakeholders. Popular options include LivePlan, Enloop, BizPlanner, PlanGuru, and iPlanner.

How a Business Plan Helps to Grow Your Business

A business plan — both the exercise of creating one and the document — can grow your business by helping you to refine your product, target audience, sales plan, identify opportunities, secure funding, and build new partnerships. 

Outside of these immediate returns, writing a business plan is a useful exercise in that it forces you to research the market, which prompts you to forge your unique value proposition and identify ways to beat the competition. Doing so will also help you build (and keep you accountable to) attainable financial and product milestones. And down the line, it will serve as a welcome guide as hurdles inevitably arise.

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“In business, wrong location leads to suffocation.” - Mokokoma Mokhonoana

For businesses, whether big or small, location is crucially important. Business location not only affects a company's costs and revenue as well as its ability to serve the customer. Getting the wrong location can have serious consequences for the business. In this article, you will learn what makes a good business location and how to set up a location strategy to ensure success.

Definition of business location

First, let's find out what a business location is and why it is important for a business.

Business location is defined as a place or structure occupied by a firm to run its operations. This includes any structure or establishment used in conducting a business.

Starbucks places its coffee houses in high-street, high-visibility locations in various settings, including downtown and suburban areas. You can also find Starbucks in office buildings, university campuses, and off-street highway locations. 1

A good business location aims to provide an advantage to your business by creating a balance among:

Operational costs (the daily costs incurred to run your business),

Potential revenue

Target customers.

Some examples of good business locations include the M4 corridor for tech companies, tourist attractions for hotel businesses, and the city centre for coffee shops.

Business location factors

Factors influencing the choice of a business location can be split into:

Supply factors

Demand factors

Business location, Factors that influence business location choices, StudySmarter

1. Supply factors

Supply factors examine the cost of running your business operations in a location. Some of these supply factors include:

Labour - The cost of employing labour to carry out the same task differs according to location. An excessive presence of labour in a particular location can increase the cost of employment, as opposed to a location with little available labour.

Land c ost - Due to rentals or outright purchases, land cost varies among different locations. The facilities provided after rentals/purchase or development can also affect land costs.

Non-financial factors - Non-financial factors like political stability, language, social amenities, and governmental support can influence the choice and cost of hiring a business location.

Energy c ost - The cost of energy varies among countries, types of business production and the number of employees hired. For example, the energy costs in the UK are different from those in Germany.

Transportation c ost - This includes the cost of transporting raw materials, stocks, finished products, and other necessary business input from/to a business location. It is necessary that a business location be close to its raw materials or services supply to reduce transportation costs. An example of this is the food processing industry, where business locations are usually close to the farm.

2. Demand factors

Demand factors affect services provided to your customers and your business revenue. These include:

Skilled labour - Businesses prefer locations where the right expertise can be found. An example is an M4 corridor in the UK which houses the majority of the UK technology sector.

Location suitability - Some businesses perform better in a certain environment. For example, in the hospitality sector, hotels are usually found in popular tourist attractions.

Customer ease - A business has to be located where its customers will have ease of access to its products or services. For example, a coffee shop creates ease through its location in the city centre.

Future expansion - A location that doesn’t provide the flexibility for future expansion might not provide a good business location. An example is a manufacturing business that has a lot of potential for growth and expansion. Choosing a larger venue in the beginning will give the business more flexibility to expand its facility later.

Importance of business location

Choosing the right business location is vital to business operations and success. Here are some key benefits of a good business location:

Attract and retain workers with the required skills and talent.

Provide a balance between business costs and business revenues.

Offer the necessary infrastructure for your business growth . These infrastructures include a good transport system, gas pipes, and road networks.

Position your business to fully benefit from government policies, grants, or loans.

Ensure the smooth running of your business operations.

Provide an ideal location to get enough traffic for your business or to keep your business confidential.

Business location strategy

A business location strategy is a plan used to find the best location for your business to reach its goals and objectives. A good business location strategy usually involves location analysis.

Business location analysis is a process wherein a business compares different locations' characteristics in order to select the most suitable location. Here is what is included in such an analysis:

1. Demographic analysis

This considers the population of a location. It takes into account the population's average age, age composition, income, skill level, education level, and occupation, as well as regional governance.

2. Location area analysis

This type of analysis considers the potential areas that will provide the most customers to your business. It also analyses the ease with which these customers can reach your business location.

3. Competition analysis

This examines the presence of competitors in the chosen business locations, especially in terms of strengths and weaknesses.

4. Traffic analysis

This analysis compares the number of people passing your different business locations during working hours. These include both automobile and foot traffic. The goal is to find a location that will provide your business with the greatest exposure.

5. Economics of location analysis

The analysis aims to reduce the cost of operations and investment for your business. Operational costs are those involved in the daily running of your business.

In conclusion, a good location is essential for the growth and success of your business. The ideal business location should provide the least risk, low operational costs, a big market presence, and less competition. It should also provide your business with advantages to help achieve your business goals.

Business location - Key takeaways

  • A business location is defined as a place or structure occupied by a firm to run its operations. This includes any structure or establishment used in conducting a business.
  • Business operational cost - the daily costs incurred to run your business

Target customers

Business location factors that influence the choice of a business location can be broadly grouped into:

A business location strategy is a plan used to find the best location for your business to reach its goals and objectives.

Business location analysis is a process wherein businesses compare different location characteristics in order to select the location best suited to your business.

1. Nithin Geereddy, Strategic Analysis Of Starbucks Corporation, Scholar Harvard Education, 2013.

2. Staff, 10 Reasons Why Location is Important in Business, rovva.com , 2022.

3. Staff, Factors to Consider When Choosing a Business Location , businesstown.com , 2022.

4. Matt D'Angelo, Tips on Choosing The Right Location for Your Business, businessnewsdaily.com , 2021.

5. Alex Saez, The Key Features of an E-Business, smallbusiness.chron.com , 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions about Business Location

--> what is a business location.

A business location is defined as a place or structure occupied by a firm to run its operations. This includes any structure or establishment used in conducting a business.  

--> Why is location important for a business?

Choosing the right business location is vital to business operations and success.  A good location helps to :

Attract and retain workers with the required skills and talent. 

Provide a balance between business costs and business revenues. 

Offer the necessary infrastructure for your business growth. These infrastructures include a good transport system, gas pipes, and road networks.  

Position your business to fully benefit from government policies, grants, or loans. 

Ensure the smooth running of your business operations. 

Provide an ideal location to get enough traffic for your business or to keep your business confidential. 

--> What is a good location for a business? 

A good business location aims to provide an advantage to your business by creating a balance of the following: 

--> What are factors to consider when locating a business? 

Business location factors that influence the choice of a business location can be broadly grouped into: 

Supply factors 

Demand factors 

The supply factors include labour, land cost, non-financial factors, energy cost, and transportation cost.

The demand factors include skilled labour, location sustainability, customer ease, and future expansion.

--> What are examples of good business location?

Starbucks places its coffee houses in high-street, high-visibility locations in various settings, including downtown and suburban areas. You can also find Starbucks in office buildings, university campuses, and off-street highway locations. 

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

Which of these is/are correct 

Skilled labour, _______, customer ease, and future expansion are examples of demand factors influencing business location choices. 

In the hospitality sector, hotels are usually found in popular tourist attractions. This is an example of which factor influences business location choices?

Your score:

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Define business location

Business location is defined as a place or structure occupied by a firm to run its operations. This includes any structure or establishment used in conducting a business. 

Market advantage provided by a good business location to businesses includes

Market advantages provided by good business location good business locations include - 

Reducing a business operational cost 

Boosting potential revenue that can be generated,

Bringing customers the business operations are targeting. 

Give three examples of good business locations 

Examples of good business locations include the M4 corridor for Technology business, a tourist attracting location for hospitality business, and a city centre for a coffee shop. 

What are the factors that influence choice of business location?

The factors include labour, future expansion, location sustainability, transportation cost, land cost, customer ease and energy cost. 

What do the demand factors examine?

Demand factors examine factors that affect services provided to your customers, and your business revenues.

Factors examined by the supply factor are?

Labour cost, energy cost, land cost, transportation cost, non-financial factors 

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24 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

Clifford Chi

Published: February 06, 2024

Free Business Plan Template

location business plan example

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

Thank you for downloading the offer.

I believe that reading sample business plans is essential when writing your own.

sample business plans and examples

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As you explore business plan examples from real companies and brands, it’s easier for you to learn how to write a good one.

But what does a good business plan look like? And how do you write one that’s both viable and convincing. I’ll walk you through the ideal business plan format along with some examples to help you get started.

Table of Contents

Business Plan Format

Business plan types, sample business plan templates, top business plan examples.

Ask any successful sports coach how they win so many games, and they’ll tell you they have a unique plan for every single game. To me, the same logic applies to business.

If you want to build a thriving company that can pull ahead of the competition, you need to prepare for battle before breaking into a market.

Business plans guide you along the rocky journey of growing a company. And if your business plan is compelling enough, it can also convince investors to give you funding.

With so much at stake, I’m sure you’re wondering where to begin.

location business plan example

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

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Fill out the form to get your free template.

First, you’ll want to nail down your formatting. Most business plans include the following sections.

1. Executive Summary

I’d say the executive summary is the most important section of the entire business plan. 

Why? Essentially, it's the overview or introduction, written in a way to grab readers' attention and guide them through the rest of the business plan. This is important, because a business plan can be dozens or hundreds of pages long.

There are two main elements I’d recommend including in your executive summary:

Company Description

This is the perfect space to highlight your company’s mission statement and goals, a brief overview of your history and leadership, and your top accomplishments as a business.

Tell potential investors who you are and why what you do matters. Naturally, they’re going to want to know who they’re getting into business with up front, and this is a great opportunity to showcase your impact.

Need some extra help firming up those business goals? Check out HubSpot Academy’s free course to help you set goals that matter — I’d highly recommend it

Products and Services

To piggyback off of the company description, be sure to incorporate an overview of your offerings. This doesn’t have to be extensive — just another chance to introduce your industry and overall purpose as a business.

In addition to the items above, I recommend including some information about your financial projections and competitive advantage here too.:

Keep in mind you'll cover many of these topics in more detail later on in the business plan. So, keep the executive summary clear and brief, and only include the most important takeaways.

Executive Summary Business Plan Examples

This example was created with HubSpot’s business plan template:

business plan sample: Executive Summary Example

This executive summary is so good to me because it tells potential investors a short story while still covering all of the most important details.

Business plans examples: Executive Summary

Image Source

Tips for Writing Your Executive Summary

  • Start with a strong introduction of your company, showcase your mission and impact, and outline the products and services you provide.
  • Clearly define a problem, and explain how your product solves that problem, and show why the market needs your business.
  • Be sure to highlight your value proposition, market opportunity, and growth potential.
  • Keep it concise and support ideas with data.
  • Customize your summary to your audience. For example, emphasize finances and return on investment for venture capitalists.

Check out our tips for writing an effective executive summary for more guidance.

2. Market Opportunity

This is where you'll detail the opportunity in the market.

The main question I’d ask myself here is this: Where is the gap in the current industry, and how will my product fill that gap?

More specifically, here’s what I’d include in this section:

  • The size of the market
  • Current or potential market share
  • Trends in the industry and consumer behavior
  • Where the gap is
  • What caused the gap
  • How you intend to fill it

To get a thorough understanding of the market opportunity, you'll want to conduct a TAM, SAM, and SOM analysis and perform market research on your industry.

You may also benefit from creating a SWOT analysis to get some of the insights for this section.

Market Opportunity Business Plan Example

I like this example because it uses critical data to underline the size of the potential market and what part of that market this service hopes to capture.

Business plans examples: Market Opportunity

Tips for Writing Your Market Opportunity Section

  • Focus on demand and potential for growth.
  • Use market research, surveys, and industry trend data to support your market forecast and projections.
  • Add a review of regulation shifts, tech advances, and consumer behavior changes.
  • Refer to reliable sources.
  • Showcase how your business can make the most of this opportunity.

3. Competitive Landscape

Since we’re already speaking of market share, you'll also need to create a section that shares details on who the top competitors are.

After all, your customers likely have more than one brand to choose from, and you'll want to understand exactly why they might choose one over another.

My favorite part of performing a competitive analysis is that it can help you uncover:

  • Industry trends that other brands may not be utilizing
  • Strengths in your competition that may be obstacles to handle
  • Weaknesses in your competition that may help you develop selling points
  • The unique proposition you bring to the market that may resonate with customers

Competitive Landscape Business Plan Example

I like how the competitive landscape section of this business plan below shows a clear outline of who the top competitors are.

Business plans examples: Competitive Landscape

It also highlights specific industry knowledge and the importance of location, which shows useful experience in this specific industry. 

This can help build trust in your ability to execute your business plan.

Tips for Writing Your Competitive Landscape

  • Complete in-depth research, then emphasize your most important findings.
  • Compare your unique selling proposition (USP) to your direct and indirect competitors.
  • Show a clear and realistic plan for product and brand differentiation.
  • Look for specific advantages and barriers in the competitive landscape. Then, highlight how that information could impact your business.
  • Outline growth opportunities from a competitive perspective.
  • Add customer feedback and insights to support your competitive analysis.

4. Target Audience

Use this section to describe who your customer segments are in detail. What is the demographic and psychographic information of your audience?

If your immediate answer is "everyone," you'll need to dig deeper. Here are some questions I’d ask myself here:

  • What demographics will most likely need/buy your product or service?
  • What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, triggering events, etc.)
  • Why are your offerings valuable to them?

I’d also recommend building a buyer persona to get in the mindset of your ideal customers and be clear on why you're targeting them.

Target Audience Business Plan Example

I like the example below because it uses in-depth research to draw conclusions about audience priorities. It also analyzes how to create the right content for this audience.

Business plans examples: Target Audience

Tips for Writing Your Target Audience Section

  • Include details on the size and growth potential of your target audience.
  • Figure out and refine the pain points for your target audience , then show why your product is a useful solution.
  • Describe your targeted customer acquisition strategy in detail.
  • Share anticipated challenges your business may face in acquiring customers and how you plan to address them.
  • Add case studies, testimonials, and other data to support your target audience ideas.
  • Remember to consider niche audiences and segments of your target audience in your business plan.

5. Marketing Strategy

Here, you'll discuss how you'll acquire new customers with your marketing strategy. I’d suggest including information:

  • Your brand positioning vision and how you'll cultivate it
  • The goal targets you aim to achieve
  • The metrics you'll use to measure success
  • The channels and distribution tactics you'll use

I think it’s helpful to have a marketing plan built out in advance to make this part of your business plan easier.

Marketing Strategy Business Plan Example

This business plan example includes the marketing strategy for the town of Gawler.

In my opinion, it really works because it offers a comprehensive picture of how they plan to use digital marketing to promote the community.

Business plans examples: Marketing Strategy

Tips for Writing Your Marketing Strategy

  • Include a section about how you believe your brand vision will appeal to customers.
  • Add the budget and resources you'll need to put your plan in place.
  • Outline strategies for specific marketing segments.
  • Connect strategies to earlier sections like target audience and competitive analysis.
  • Review how your marketing strategy will scale with the growth of your business.
  • Cover a range of channels and tactics to highlight your ability to adapt your plan in the face of change.

6. Key Features and Benefits

At some point in your business plan, you'll need to review the key features and benefits of your products and/or services.

Laying these out can give readers an idea of how you're positioning yourself in the market and the messaging you're likely to use. It can even help them gain better insight into your business model.

Key Features and Benefits Business Plan Example

In my opinion, the example below does a great job outlining products and services for this business, along with why these qualities will attract the audience.

Business plans examples: Key Features and Benefits

Tips for Writing Your Key Features and Benefits

  • Emphasize why and how your product or service offers value to customers.
  • Use metrics and testimonials to support the ideas in this section.
  • Talk about how your products and services have the potential to scale.
  • Think about including a product roadmap.
  • Focus on customer needs, and how the features and benefits you are sharing meet those needs.
  • Offer proof of concept for your ideas, like case studies or pilot program feedback.
  • Proofread this section carefully, and remove any jargon or complex language.

7. Pricing and Revenue

This is where you'll discuss your cost structure and various revenue streams. Your pricing strategy must be solid enough to turn a profit while staying competitive in the industry. 

For this reason, here’s what I’d might outline in this section:

  • The specific pricing breakdowns per product or service
  • Why your pricing is higher or lower than your competition's
  • (If higher) Why customers would be willing to pay more
  • (If lower) How you're able to offer your products or services at a lower cost
  • When you expect to break even, what margins do you expect, etc?

Pricing and Revenue Business Plan Example

I like how this business plan example begins with an overview of the business revenue model, then shows proposed pricing for key products.

Business plans examples: Pricing and Revenue

Tips for Writing Your Pricing and Revenue Section

  • Get specific about your pricing strategy. Specifically, how you connect that strategy to customer needs and product value.
  • If you are asking a premium price, share unique features or innovations that justify that price point.
  • Show how you plan to communicate pricing to customers.
  • Create an overview of every revenue stream for your business and how each stream adds to your business model as a whole.
  • Share plans to develop new revenue streams in the future.
  • Show how and whether pricing will vary by customer segment and how pricing aligns with marketing strategies.
  • Restate your value proposition and explain how it aligns with your revenue model.

8. Financials

To me, this section is particularly informative for investors and leadership teams to figure out funding strategies, investment opportunities, and more.

 According to Forbes , you'll want to include three main things:

  • Profit/Loss Statement - This answers the question of whether your business is currently profitable.
  • Cash Flow Statement - This details exactly how much cash is incoming and outgoing to give insight into how much cash a business has on hand.
  • Balance Sheet - This outlines assets, liabilities, and equity, which gives insight into how much a business is worth.

While some business plans might include more or less information, these are the key details I’d include in this section.

Financials Business Plan Example

This balance sheet is a great example of level of detail you’ll need to include in the financials section of your business plan.

Business plans examples: Financials

Tips for Writing Your Financials Section

  • Growth potential is important in this section too. Using your data, create a forecast of financial performance in the next three to five years.
  • Include any data that supports your projections to assure investors of the credibility of your proposal.
  • Add a break-even analysis to show that your business plan is financially practical. This information can also help you pivot quickly as your business grows.
  • Consider adding a section that reviews potential risks and how sensitive your plan is to changes in the market.
  • Triple-check all financial information in your plan for accuracy.
  • Show how any proposed funding needs align with your plans for growth.

As you create your business plan, keep in mind that each of these sections will be formatted differently. Some may be in paragraph format, while others could be charts or graphs.

The formats above apply to most types of business plans. That said, the format and structure of your plan will vary by your goals for that plan. 

So, I’ve added a quick review of different business plan types. For a more detailed overview, check out this post .

1. Startups

Startup business plans are for proposing new business ideas.

If you’re planning to start a small business, preparing a business plan is crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business.

You can check out this guide for more detailed business plan inspiration .

2. Feasibility Studies

Feasibility business plans focus on that business's product or service. Feasibility plans are sometimes added to startup business plans. They can also be a new business plan for an already thriving organization.

3. Internal Use

You can use internal business plans to share goals, strategies, or performance updates with stakeholders. In my opinion, internal business plans are useful for alignment and building support for ambitious goals.

4. Strategic Initiatives

Another business plan that's often for sharing internally is a strategic business plan. This plan covers long-term business objectives that might not have been included in the startup business plan.

5. Business Acquisition or Repositioning

When a business is moving forward with an acquisition or repositioning, it may need extra structure and support. These types of business plans expand on a company's acquisition or repositioning strategy.

Growth sometimes just happens as a business continues operations. But more often, a business needs to create a structure with specific targets to meet set goals for expansion. This business plan type can help a business focus on short-term growth goals and align resources with those goals.

Now that you know what's included and how to format a business plan, let's review some of my favorite templates.

1. HubSpot's One-Page Business Plan

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template..

The business plan linked above was created here at HubSpot and is perfect for businesses of any size — no matter how many strategies we still have to develop.

Fields such as Company Description, Required Funding, and Implementation Timeline give this one-page business plan a framework for how to build your brand and what tasks to keep track of as you grow.

Then, as the business matures, you can expand on your original business plan with a new iteration of the above document.

Why I Like It

This one-page business plan is a fantastic choice for the new business owner who doesn’t have the time or resources to draft a full-blown business plan. It includes all the essential sections in an accessible, bullet-point-friendly format. That way, you can get the broad strokes down before honing in on the details.

2. HubSpot's Downloadable Business Plan Template

Sample business plan: hubspot free editable pdf

We also created a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

The template is designed as a guide and checklist for starting your own business. You’ll learn what to include in each section of your business plan and how to do it.

There’s also a list for you to check off when you finish each section of your business plan.

Strong game plans help coaches win games and help businesses rocket to the top of their industries. So if you dedicate the time and effort required to write a workable and convincing business plan, you’ll boost your chances of success and even dominance in your market.

This business plan kit is essential for the budding entrepreneur who needs a more extensive document to share with investors and other stakeholders.

It not only includes sections for your executive summary, product line, market analysis, marketing plan, and sales plan, but it also offers hands-on guidance for filling out those sections.

3. LiveFlow’s Financial Planning Template with built-in automation

Sample Business Plan: LiveFLow

This free template from LiveFlow aims to make it easy for businesses to create a financial plan and track their progress on a monthly basis.

The P&L Budget versus Actual format allows users to track their revenue, cost of sales, operating expenses, operating profit margin, net profit, and more.

The summary dashboard aggregates all of the data put into the financial plan sheet and will automatically update when changes are made.

Instead of wasting hours manually importing your data to your spreadsheet, LiveFlow can also help you to automatically connect your accounting and banking data directly to your spreadsheet, so your numbers are always up-to-date.

With the dashboard, you can view your runway, cash balance, burn rate, gross margins, and other metrics. Having a simple way to track everything in one place will make it easier to complete the financials section of your business plan.

This is a fantastic template to track performance and alignment internally and to create a dependable process for documenting financial information across the business. It’s highly versatile and beginner-friendly.

It’s especially useful if you don’t have an accountant on the team. (I always recommend you do, but for new businesses, having one might not be possible.)

4. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

sample business plan: ThoughtCo.

One of the more financially oriented sample business plans in this list, BPlan’s free business plan template dedicates many of its pages to your business’s financial plan and financial statements.

After filling this business plan out, your company will truly understand its financial health and the steps you need to take to maintain or improve it.

I absolutely love this business plan template because of its ease-of-use and hands-on instructions (in addition to its finance-centric components). If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of writing an entire business plan, consider using this template to help you with the process.

6. Harvard Business Review’s "How to Write a Winning Business Plan"

Most sample business plans teach you what to include in your business plan, but this Harvard Business Review article will take your business plan to the next level — it teaches you the why and how behind writing a business plan.

With the guidance of Stanley Rich and Richard Gumpert, co-authors of " Business Plans That Win: Lessons From the MIT Enterprise Forum ", you'll learn how to write a convincing business plan that emphasizes the market demand for your product or service.

You’ll also learn the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.

This business plan guide focuses less on the individual parts of a business plan, and more on the overarching goal of writing one. For that reason, it’s one of my favorites to supplement any template you choose to use. Harvard Business Review’s guide is instrumental for both new and seasoned business owners.

7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know writing a business plan is one of the most challenging first steps to starting a business.

Fortunately, with HubSpot's comprehensive guide to starting a business, you'll learn how to map out all the details by understanding what to include in your business plan and why it’s important to include them. The guide also fleshes out an entire sample business plan for you.

If you need further guidance on starting a business, HubSpot's guide can teach you how to make your business legal, choose and register your business name, and fund your business. It will also give small business tax information and includes marketing, sales, and service tips.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of starting a business, in addition to writing your business plan, with a high level of exactitude and detail. So if you’re in the midst of starting your business, this is an excellent guide for you.

It also offers other resources you might need, such as market analysis templates.

8. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

sample business plan: Panda Doc

PandaDoc’s free business plan template is one of the more detailed and fleshed-out sample business plans on this list. It describes what you should include in each section, so you don't have to come up with everything from scratch.

Once you fill it out, you’ll fully understand your business’ nitty-gritty details and how all of its moving parts should work together to contribute to its success.

This template has two things I love: comprehensiveness and in-depth instructions. Plus, it’s synced with PandaDoc’s e-signature software so that you and other stakeholders can sign it with ease. For that reason, I especially love it for those starting a business with a partner or with a board of directors.

9. Small Business Administration Free Business Plan Template

sample business plan: Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several free business plan templates that can be used to inspire your own plan.

Before you get started, you can decide what type of business plan you need — a traditional or lean start-up plan.

Then, you can review the format for both of those plans and view examples of what they might look like.

We love both of the SBA’s templates because of their versatility. You can choose between two options and use the existing content in the templates to flesh out your own plan. Plus, if needed, you can get a free business counselor to help you along the way.

I’ve compiled some completed business plan samples to help you get an idea of how to customize a plan for your business.

I chose different types of business plan ideas to expand your imagination. Some are extensive, while others are fairly simple.

Let’s take a look.

1. LiveFlow

business plan example: liveflow

One of the major business expenses is marketing. How you handle your marketing reflects your company’s revenue.

I included this business plan to show you how you can ensure your marketing team is aligned with your overall business plan to get results. The plan also shows you how to track even the smallest metrics of your campaigns, like ROI and payback periods instead of just focusing on big metrics like gross and revenue.

Fintech startup, LiveFlow, allows users to sync real-time data from its accounting services, payment platforms, and banks into custom reports. This eliminates the task of pulling reports together manually, saving teams time and helping automate workflows.

"Using this framework over a traditional marketing plan will help you set a profitable marketing strategy taking things like CAC, LTV, Payback period, and P&L into consideration," explains LiveFlow co-founder, Lasse Kalkar .

When it came to including marketing strategy in its business plan, LiveFlow created a separate marketing profit and loss statement (P&L) to track how well the company was doing with its marketing initiatives.

This is a great approach, allowing businesses to focus on where their marketing dollars are making the most impact. Having this information handy will enable you to build out your business plan’s marketing section with confidence. LiveFlow has shared the template here . You can test it for yourself.

2. Lula Body

Business plan example: Lula body

Sometimes all you need is a solid mission statement and core values to guide you on how to go about everything. You do this by creating a business plan revolving around how to fulfill your statement best.

For example, Patagonia is an eco-friendly company, so their plan discusses how to make the best environmentally friendly products without causing harm.

A good mission statement  should not only resonate with consumers but should also serve as a core value compass for employees as well.

Patagonia has one of the most compelling mission statements I’ve seen:

"Together, let’s prioritise purpose over profit and protect this wondrous planet, our only home."

It reels you in from the start, and the environmentally friendly theme continues throughout the rest of the statement.

This mission goes on to explain that they are out to "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to protect nature."

Their mission statement is compelling and detailed, with each section outlining how they will accomplish their goal.

4. Vesta Home Automation

business plan example: Vesta executive summary

This executive summary for a smart home device startup is part of a business plan created by students at Mount Royal University .

While it lacks some of the sleek visuals of the templates above, its executive summary does a great job of demonstrating how invested they are in the business.

Right away, they mention they’ve invested $200,000 into the company already, which shows investors they have skin in the game and aren’t just looking for someone else to foot the bill.

This is the kind of business plan you need when applying for business funds. It clearly illustrates the expected future of the company and how the business has been coming along over the years.

5. NALB Creative Center

business plan examples: nalb creative center

This fictional business plan for an art supply store includes everything one might need in a business plan: an executive summary, a company summary, a list of services, a market analysis summary, and more.

One of its most notable sections is its market analysis summary, which includes an overview of the population growth in the business’ target geographical area, as well as a breakdown of the types of potential customers they expect to welcome at the store. 

This sort of granular insight is essential for understanding and communicating your business’s growth potential. Plus, it lays a strong foundation for creating relevant and useful buyer personas .

It’s essential to keep this information up-to-date as your market and target buyer changes. For that reason, you should carry out market research as often as possible to ensure that you’re targeting the correct audience and sharing accurate information with your investors.

Due to its comprehensiveness, it’s an excellent example to follow if you’re opening a brick-and-mortar store and need to get external funding to start your business .

6. Curriculum Companion Suites (CSS)

business plan examples: curriculum companion suites

If you’re looking for a SaaS business plan example, look no further than this business plan for a fictional educational software company called Curriculum Companion Suites. 

Like the business plan for the NALB Creative Center, it includes plenty of information for prospective investors and other key stakeholders in the business.

One of the most notable features of this business plan is the executive summary, which includes an overview of the product, market, and mission.

The first two are essential for software companies because the product offering is so often at the forefront of the company’s strategy. Without that information being immediately available to investors and executives, then you risk writing an unfocused business plan.

It’s essential to front-load your company’s mission if it explains your "Why?" and this example does just that. In other words, why do you do what you do, and why should stakeholders care? This is an important section to include if you feel that your mission will drive interest in the business and its offerings.

7. Culina Sample Business Plan

sample business plan: Culina

Culina's sample business plan is an excellent example of how to lay out your business plan so that it flows naturally, engages readers, and provides the critical information investors and stakeholders need. 

You can use this template as a guide while you're gathering important information for your own business plan. You'll have a better understanding of the data and research you need to do since Culina’s plan outlines these details so flawlessly for inspiration.

8. Plum Sample Business Plan

Sample business plan: Plum

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4 Factors to Consider During Business Location Analysis

  • On Jan 25, 2021

Site Selection

A business’ location can have a massive impact on its success. There are a number of different factors involved when determining the optimal placement of an organization, and it can be overwhelming for many entrepreneurs.

This is why proper business location analysis is so important. When done right, this process takes the guesswork out the equation and allows you to make an informed decision.

In this post, we’ll cover what exactly location analysis is and the four main factors you’ll need to consider when selecting a site for your business.

Map Location Data

What is Business Location Analysis?

Business location analysis is the process of gathering and analyzing data in order to assess the suitability of a site, or multiple sites, for a particular business. This is also known as site selection.

Every business is different. The formula will change depending on whether your business is a retail store or an office, operates in the private sector or public sector, etc.

You’ll need to assess your unique needs, as well as the needs of your customers, to find the most ideal location.

The 4 Most Important Factors During Business Location Analysis

While the needs of each business differ, there are several factors that every organization will need to consider when performing site selection analysis:

Demographic Boundary Map

Demographic Map using Geographic Boundaries

1. Demographic Analysis

Perhaps the most important part of analyzing a proposed site is establishing what type of population surrounds it. This is especially true for businesses that depend on foot traffic, as well as service-based businesses.

When assessing a location you’ll want to know the following demographic information:

  • Population: How many people live nearby? More people close to your business usually means a larger customer base to draw upon.
  • Income: What’s the average income of the area? If you sell higher-priced goods and services you’ll want to choose an area with a population that can afford them.
  • Age: What’s the average age of people living in the area? If your business is geared towards younger or older people this is a major consideration.
  • Education Levels: What’s the average level of education in the area? Depending on your ideal customer you may prefer somewhere that has higher or lower levels of education.

Interactive mapping software, like Maptive, allows you to plot demographic data on a map, making it easy to analyze the demographics of an area. Decide what type of customers you’re looking to target and then find an area with a higher percentage of those types of people.

Excel Heat Maps

Heat Mapping of Customer or Competitor Data

2. Competitive Analysis

An area might feature the right kinds of demographics, but if it’s filled with competing businesses then it’s likely not the best choice. 

If you move to an area with too many competitors you’ll end up fighting over the same customers. Instead, you want to find underserved markets. That way there will be more demand for your products and services.

The easiest way to do this is to plot the locations of your competitors on a map and use radii to identify their service areas. Are there any locations not served by your competitors? Are there any sites that provide you with a competitive advantage? Take a closer look at those areas to see if any of them meet your other criteria.

3. Growth Analysis

Where do you see your organization in five years? Make sure to factor this in when analyzing a location. A site might seem great now, but will it still be suitable when your business expands?

Analyze your business data and come up with some predictions for your organization going forward. This includes things like staff, logistics, and resources. Based on this, decide what your needs are now as well as in the future.

You don’t want to be paying for space you don’t need, but you also don’t want to run out of room in a year and have to move again. Try to find a site that will be able to accommodate your growing needs for at least three to five years.

Mapping with Multiple Radii

Radius Maps for Logistical Planning

4. Site Economics & Logistics

When you’re looking for a potential location you need to have a budget in place. A site might seem perfect for your business, but if the economics don’t make sense you’ll never be profitable.

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

  • Are you looking to buy or rent?
  • What’s the maximum rent/mortgage payment you can afford per month?
  • Does the location require any renovations or modifications before you use it?
  • What type of lease is being offered? Will you be responsible for maintenance and repairs?
  • What are the local taxes?
  • Are there enough people/potential customers in the area to support your business?
  • How far is the location from distribution centers or suppliers?

There are a number of costs and expenses that are easy to overlook, so make sure to do a full financial analysis on a site before making a decision. 

Business location analysis may seem complicated, but if you know what to look for the process becomes much easier.  And if you’re looking for an effective location analysis tool, Maptive’s interactive mapping software provides a wide range of features that will help you identify the best sites for your organization.

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How To Write the Operations Plan Section of the Business Plan

Susan Ward wrote about small businesses for The Balance for 18 years. She has run an IT consulting firm and designed and presented courses on how to promote small businesses.

location business plan example

Stage of Development Section

Production process section, the bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

The operations plan is the section of your business plan that gives an overview of your workflow, supply chains, and similar aspects of your business. Any key details of how your business physically produces goods or services will be included in this section.

You need an operations plan to help others understand how you'll deliver on your promise to turn a profit. Keep reading to learn what to include in your operations plan.

Key Takeaways

  • The operations plan section should include general operational details that help investors understand the physical details of your vision.
  • Details in the operations plan include information about any physical plants, equipment, assets, and more.
  • The operations plan can also serve as a checklist for startups; it includes a list of everything that must be done to start turning a profit.

In your business plan , the operations plan section describes the physical necessities of your business's operation, such as your physical location, facilities, and equipment. Depending on what kind of business you'll be operating, it may also include information about inventory requirements, suppliers, and a description of the manufacturing process.

Keeping focused on the bottom line will help you organize this part of the business plan.

Think of the operating plan as an outline of the capital and expense requirements your business will need to operate from day to day.

You need to do two things for the reader of your business plan in the operations section: show what you've done so far to get your business off the ground and demonstrate that you understand the manufacturing or delivery process of producing your product or service.

When you're writing this section of the operations plan, start by explaining what you've done to date to get the business operational, then follow up with an explanation of what still needs to be done. The following should be included:

Production Workflow

A high-level, step-by-step description of how your product or service will be made, identifying the problems that may occur in the production process. Follow this with a subsection titled "Risks," which outlines the potential problems that may interfere with the production process and what you're going to do to negate these risks. If any part of the production process can expose employees to hazards, describe how employees will be trained in dealing with safety issues. If hazardous materials will be used, describe how these will be safely stored, handled, and disposed.

Industry Association Memberships

Show your awareness of your industry's local, regional, or national standards and regulations by telling which industry organizations you are already a member of and which ones you plan to join. This is also an opportunity to outline what steps you've taken to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to your industry. 

Supply Chains

An explanation of who your suppliers are and their prices, terms, and conditions. Describe what alternative arrangements you have made or will make if these suppliers let you down.

Quality Control

An explanation of the quality control measures that you've set up or are going to establish. For example, if you intend to pursue some form of quality control certification such as ISO 9000, describe how you will accomplish this.

While you can think of the stage of the development part of the operations plan as an overview, the production process section lays out the details of your business's day-to-day operations. Remember, your goal for writing this business plan section is to demonstrate your understanding of your product or service's manufacturing or delivery process.

When writing this section, you can use the headings below as subheadings and then provide the details in paragraph format. Leave out any topic that does not apply to your particular business.

Do an outline of your business's day-to-day operations, including your hours of operation and the days the business will be open. If the business is seasonal, be sure to say so.

The Physical Plant

Describe the type, site, and location of premises for your business. If applicable, include drawings of the building, copies of lease agreements, and recent real estate appraisals. You need to show how much the land or buildings required for your business operations are worth and tell why they're important to your proposed business.

The same goes for equipment. Besides describing the equipment necessary and how much of it you need, you also need to include its worth and cost and explain any financing arrangements.

Make a list of your assets , such as land, buildings, inventory, furniture, equipment, and vehicles. Include legal descriptions and the worth of each asset.

Special Requirements

If your business has any special requirements, such as water or power needs, ventilation, drainage, etc., provide the details in your operating plan, as well as what you've done to secure the necessary permissions.

State where you're going to get the materials you need to produce your product or service and explain what terms you've negotiated with suppliers.

Explain how long it takes to produce a unit and when you'll be able to start producing your product or service. Include factors that may affect the time frame of production and describe how you'll deal with potential challenges such as rush orders.

Explain how you'll keep  track of inventory .

Feasibility

Describe any product testing, price testing, or prototype testing that you've done on your product or service.

Give details of product cost estimates.

Once you've worked through this business plan section, you'll not only have a detailed operations plan to show your readers, but you'll also have a convenient list of what needs to be done next to make your business a reality. Writing this document gives you a chance to crystalize your business ideas into a clear checklist that you can reference. As you check items off the list, use it to explain your vision to investors, partners, and others within your organization.

What is an operations plan?

An operations plan is one section of a company's business plan. This section conveys the physical requirements for your business's operations, including supply chains, workflow , and quality control processes.

What is the main difference between the operations plan and the financial plan?

The operations plan and financial plan tackle similar issues, in that they seek to explain how the business will turn a profit. The operations plan approaches this issue from a physical perspective, such as property, routes, and locations. The financial plan explains how revenue and expenses will ultimately lead to the business's success.

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Restaurant Business Plan PDF Example

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  • February 28, 2024
  • Business Plan

the business plan template for a restaurant

Creating a comprehensive business plan is crucial for launching and running a successful restaurant. This plan serves as your roadmap, detailing your vision, operational strategies, and financial plan. It helps establish your restaurant’s identity, navigate the competitive market, and secure funding for growth.

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a restaurant business plan, but also provides an example of a business plan to help you craft your own.

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or new to the food and beverage industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your restaurant concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our restaurant business plan is structured to cover all essential aspects needed for a comprehensive strategy. It outlines the restaurant’s operations, marketing strategy, market environment, competitors, management team, and financial forecasts.

  • Executive Summary: Offers an overview of the restaurant’s business concept, market analysis, management, and financial strategy.
  • Restaurant & Location: Describes the restaurant’s prime location, size, seating capacity, and distinctive design, emphasizing its appeal to the target demographic.
  • Supply & Operations: Outlines the supply chain management, focusing on local sourcing and quality ingredients, and details the operational aspects, including kitchen layout, equipment, and front-of-house operations.
  • Key Stats: Shares industry size, growth trends, and relevant statistics for the full-service restaurant market.
  • Key Trends: Highlights recent trends affecting the restaurant sector, such as health-conscious dining, sustainability, and technology integration.
  • Key Competitors: Analyzes the main competitors in the vicinity, showcasing the restaurant’s unique selling proposition in comparison.
  • SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis.
  • Marketing Plan: Strategies for promoting the restaurant to maximize visibility and customer engagement.
  • Timeline: Key milestones and objectives from the initial setup through the launch and operational optimization.
  • Management: Information on who manages the restaurant and their roles.
  • Financial Plan: Projects the restaurant’s financial performance, including revenue, profits, and expected expenses, aiming for profitability and sustainable growth.

the business plan template for a restaurant

Restaurant Business Plan

Download an expert-built 30+ slides Powerpoint business plan template

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary introduces your restaurant’s business plan, offering a concise overview of your establishment and its offerings. It should detail your market positioning, the variety of cuisines and dining experiences you offer, its location, size, and an outline of day-to-day operations. 

This section should also explore how your restaurant will integrate into the local market, including the number of direct competitors within the area, identifying who they are, along with your restaurant’s unique selling points that differentiate it from these competitors. 

Furthermore, you should include information about the management and co-founding team, detailing their roles and contributions to the restaurant’s success. Additionally, a summary of your financial projections, including revenue and profits over the next five years, should be presented here to provide a clear picture of your restaurant’s financial plan.

Make sure to cover here _ Business Overview _ Market Overview _ Management Team _ Financial Plan

Restaurant Business Plan executive summary1

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

For a Restaurant, the Business Overview section can be concisely divided into 2 main slides:

Restaurant & Location

Briefly describe the restaurant’s physical environment, emphasizing its design, ambiance, and the overall dining experience it offers to guests. Mention the restaurant’s location, highlighting its accessibility and the convenience it offers to diners, such as proximity to entertainment venues or ease of parking. Explain why this location is advantageous in attracting your target clientele.

Supply & Operations

Detail the range of cuisines and dishes offered, from appetizers and main courses to desserts and specialty beverages. Outline your sourcing strategy, ensuring it reflects a commitment to quality and sustainability, and matches the market you’re targeting.

Highlight any unique culinary techniques, exclusive ingredients, or innovative kitchen technologies that set your restaurant apart. Discuss your operational strategies, including inventory management, supplier relationships, and kitchen workflow, to ensure efficiency and consistency in delivering exceptional dining experiences.

Make sure to cover here _ Restaurant & Location _ Supply & Operations

Business Plan_Pizzeria restaurant

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

In the Market Overview of your restaurant business plan, start by examining the size of the restaurant industry and its growth potential. This analysis is crucial for understanding the market’s scope and identifying expansion opportunities.

Key market trends

Proceed to discuss recent market trends, such as the increasing consumer interest in farm-to-table dining, ethnic cuisines, and experiential dining experiences.

For example, highlight the demand for restaurants that offer unique cultural dishes, the growing popularity of health-conscious and dietary-specific menus, and the integration of technology in enhancing the dining experience.

Key competitors

Then, consider the competitive landscape, which includes a range of dining establishments from gourmet fine dining to fast-casual eateries, as well as the rise of food delivery services and meal kits.

For example, emphasize what makes your restaurant distinctive, whether it’s through a unique culinary approach, a niche market focus, or a strong commitment to sustainability and local sourcing.

Make sure to cover here _ Industry size & growth _ Key market trends _ Key competitors

Restaurant Business Plan market overvie1

Dive deeper into Key competitors

First, conduct a SWOT analysis for the restaurant , highlighting Strengths (such as a unique menu and exceptional customer service), Weaknesses (including potential high operational costs or strong competition in the area), Opportunities (for example, a growing interest in diverse cuisines and healthy eating), and Threats (such as economic downturns that may decrease consumer spending on dining out).

Marketing Plan

Next, develop a marketing strategy that outlines how to attract and retain customers through targeted advertising, promotional discounts, an engaging social media presence, food blogger outreach, and community involvement, such as local events or charity sponsorships.

Finally, create a detailed timeline that outlines critical milestones for the restaurant’s opening, marketing campaigns, customer base growth, and expansion objectives, ensuring the business moves forward with clear direction and purpose.

Make sure to cover here _ SWOT _ Marketing Plan _ Timeline

Restaurant Business Plan strategy

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The management section focuses on the restaurant’s management and their direct roles in daily operations and strategic direction. This part is crucial for understanding who is responsible for making key decisions and driving the restaurant towards its financial and operational goals.

For your restaurant business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the business.

Restaurant Business Plan management1

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of your financial projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out your restaurant’s approach to securing funding, managing cash flow, and achieving breakeven.

This section typically includes detailed forecasts for the first 5 years of operation, highlighting expected revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures.

For your restaurant business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your key assumptions (e.g. number of customers and prices, expenses, etc.).

Make sure to cover here _ Profit and Loss _ Cash Flow Statement _ Balance Sheet _ Use of Funds

Restaurant Business Plan financial plan1

Privacy Overview

Business Location Example in a Business Plan

BizMove business management guides

Sample Business Plan Template; Business Plan Location Sample

by Meir Liraz

Here is an abbreviated example of a serious sample business plan examples templateproposal.

It is provided to give you a feeling for the style of writing that is used in a business plan, and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide of what should be covered in a good plan.

The humorous content of this business plan example is supplied only for the readers interest. For optimum effectiveness, care should be taken to minimize the humorous content in an actual proposal.

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Free Sample Business Plan Examples Table Of Contents

  • Statement of Funding Proceeds
  • Executive Summary
  • Description Of The Business

Marketing Strategy

  • Business Location

Licenses/Permits/Registrations

  • Insurance/Bonding/Employee Benefits

Financial Data

Statement Of Funding Proceeds

Children's World has developed a line of toys that are superior to all other products that exist on the market today. In order to service our identified target markets with these superior toys, significant capital infusion is required.

Specifically, the required $15,000,000 will be allocated appropriately to:

Marketing and Advertising $ 1,500,000

Salaries -0-

Facilities 50,000

Capital Equipment 450,000

Research and Development 1,000,000

Operational Expenses 2,000,000

Inventory 10,000,000

Total $15,000,000

Children's World is the major player in the global gift giving industry. Originally founded as a sole proprietorship in 1930, the marketing tactics employed by Children's World had grown to the level of being a family legend by 1940. Annual toy production of Children's World exceeded 86,000,000 units at this time, and major expansion plans were developed. However, due to a slight downturn in the global economy, these plans have been shelved as projected profit levels have fallen to a near break even point in 1993.

To revitalize the company, a rigorous program of research and development was undertaken in the early 1950's. The first major breakthrough of which is ready for production. To be able to make maximum use of our proprietary breakthrough technology, Children's World needs to upgrade its existing facilities, as well as reevaluate the company's sleigh delivery system It is anticipated that a late model Cessna Citation could be modified to meet the operating requirements of Children's World. In addition, several used cargo planes will need to be acquired to facilitate the development of large stockpiles of toys at strategic global locations. A central hub system is being considered.

Additional manufacturing upgrades are planned to facilitate the projected increases in manufacturing output. Some of the upgrades include the replacement of manual lathes with automated CNC machines, the installation of spray booths using the latest in electrostatic technology, computerized conveyor and sorting systems, and an upgrade in the Statistical Process Control (SPC) area of the Quality Assurance Department.

As can be seen, Children's World is now at a point where they need to seek outside funding to refurbish/renovate their production facilities, upgrade their global navigational equipment, establish a more visible image, and to establish an extensive line of credit to cover seasonal inventory expenses.

This loan will be backed by the full assets and inventory of the Children's World company. As the attached Balance Sheet indicates, these assets have a current valuation of $5,000,000. In addition, of the $15,000,000 requested, $10,450,000 will be spent on inventory and capital equipment which will also be used as collateral for the note. As the attached cash flows indicate, Children's World should be able to service the debt incurred by this loan application. It is anticipated that the Return On Investment (ROI) thrown off from this loan will be 200% adjusted on a yearly basis. Timing of the loan and the market entry of the product will be critical, however, with the maximum value occurring from a November entry. Business location example in a business plan

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Description Of The business

Our Mission at Children's World is: "To provide toys and games of exceptional quality, in a timely manner, priced at or below our competition, to enhance the profits of our company."

Children's World is a sole proprietorship that was founded in 1930. It is wholly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Theodore Clause. For the past 50 years, Children's World has experienced an increase in the public awareness of our year end close-out (where we give away surplus inventory). Because of this practice, the public has begun to think of us on a seasonal basis as a philanthropic organization.

To alleviate this problem, we have just completed the development phase of a novel and proprietary product line that will once again place Children's World in the minds of the public on a daily basis. By 1940, our operation had produced 86,000,000 toys, and has operated profitably ever since. However, revenue projections for fiscal year xxxx, without external funding for the introduction of this new product line, is expected to be down to a break even level ($1,100). With the funding for the renovations, advertising, and new product line our profits are expected to reach $30,000,000. Annual growth is projected to be 21% per year through the year 2100.

The "state of the art" of the industry today dictates that toys are produced without ever being touched by human hands. Our new revolutionary product line capitalizes on the fact that our toys have traditionally been hand built by our local elf community. Although our production methods are slow in comparison to other manufacturers, our quality levels are high while our costs are kept very modest.

This new product line incorporates a rare, refined essence (known only to our advanced Research And Development Dept.) that causes a strong attraction to be formed between the toy and the customer who first sees the toy. This essence is well known in the animal community. For instance, it is the reason why ducklings bond to the first animal they see after emerging from their shell (commonly called "imprinting"). These ducklings will not physically allow themselves to be separated, to any significant distance, from the "parent" animal for approximately six months.

After lengthy collaboration with the local duck community, and extensive field testing (test population will not be disclosed), our top notch R&D staff has been able to identify and synthesize the essence and increase its strength. When incorporated into our line of toys, this essence will create a bond between the recipient and the toy that will last for one full year! During this time, like the ducklings, the recipient who first sees the toy will not want to be separated from the toy to any significant distance (typically less than fifteen feet).

This instant "imprinting" at the time of viewing the toy had initially placed our R&D staff in a considerable quandary. To be effective and "imprint" on only the intended recipient, the entire channel of distribution must not be able to see the product. This enigma was eventually resolved by the decision to place the product in an opaque wrapper, bag, etc. that could be given to the intended recipient to be "opened". To prevent the early opening of the wrapper/bag, we have developed several colorful prints that can be placed on the opaque wrapper thereby lending it an attractive external appearance.

Compared to competitors products, the use of the "essence" will dramatically increase the recipients enjoyment of, and involvement with, our product line. Other significant refinements that our R&D staff has been able to develop are:

1. Gender Specific Essences. Using this innovation, a toy incorporating a female gender essence will bond most strongly with female recipients, and vice versa. This will help reduce the demand for pink and lavender trucks, baseball mitts, etc., and will dramatically reduce our internal manufacturing problems and inventory requirements.

2. Variable Time Factor Essences. This innovation will allow us to produce toys that have a "short" imprint time (30 - 90 days) for use when we need to spur sales, or a longer imprint time (up to 365 days) for a moderated sales level. We have found through extensive research that 330 days is optimal in that it allows for approximately one month of "de-imprinting" and subsequent anticipation build up among the recipients. Naturally, this will cause some friction among the family sub-units, but that can not be avoided if we are to develop a maximum market penetration.

Business plan example - The Market

The Children's World target market includes the pre-adolescent to young adult groups on a global scale. Using data supplied by the Bureau of the Census the total population of the world is estimated at 5,700,000,000. Of this basis group, we have conservatively placed our estimate of our total target market at slightly over 300 million customers. At the present time our sales are hovering at the 250,000,000 unit mark (up from 86,000,000 in 1940) giving us an 83.3% market share. We believe that the requested funding will allow us to increase this market share to roughly 95% over the next two years. This would increase our sales by an additional 35,000,000 units per year (see Appendix A for source information and calculations).

Our primary focus (and most of our extensive field testing) is on the 1-5 year old individual. Our products are gender specific, with male vs. female sales forecasts mirroring the population demographics. As our products gain acceptance within this market, we will move to expand into the teenage markets as this time frame is known for its friction between family sub-units. This will mask the effects of the "de-imprinting" irritations, and will aid us in minimizing any public disclosure (and competitor espionage) during the early phase of our market introduction.

All Children's World products are protected by the trademark and copyright laws, however we will not seek patent protection for the "essence" lines. Instead, we will keep these lines as a trade secret, thus preventing public disclosure and the subsequent possibility of legal entanglements from disgruntled parents, consumer activists, etc.

Initial responses from our market test customers indicate that our new lines are enjoying an excellent reaction. Inquiries from prospective customers suggest that there is considerable demand for these toys. Relationships with leading retailers, major accounts, and distributors substantiate the fitness of Children's World for considerable growth and accomplishment.

Competition

Although Children's World is a broad based manufacturing and transportation company, competitive threats today come primarily from other toy manufacturers. However, with 83.3% of the overall market, the competition does not play a significant role on company pricing/credit policies.

The major competitors that are facing Children's World are as follows:

Mattel, Inc. (Hawthorne, CA) Primarily a game manufacturer/marketer with sales of over $50,000,000/year.

Roadmaster Corp. (Olney, IL) Manufacturer of juvenile riding toys with sales of over $100,000,000/year.

Parker Brothers (Beverly, MA) Primarily a game manufacturer/marketer with sales of over $250,000,000/year.

Flexible Flyer Co. (West Point, MS) Manufacturer of juvenile riding toys with sales of over $50,000,000/year.

Tyco Toys, Inc. (Mount Laurel, NJ) Manufacturer of trucks/cars with sales of over $100,000,000/year.

Hasbro, Inc. (Pawtucket, RI) Primarily a game manufacturer/marketer with sales of over $50,000,000/year.

In spite of the competition in the toy industry, Children's World has continued to deliver a high quality, low cost product that is unique to this industry. In addition, our research indicates that our performance is superior to any other company on the market today.

The gift market is heavily seasonal, with the preponderance of sales coming late in the year. As stated in the "Background" section of the Business Description above, Children's World has experienced an increase in the public awareness of our year end close-out (where we give away surplus inventory). Because of this practice, the public has begun to think of us on a seasonal basis as a philanthropic organization.

It is our belief that we will be able to turn this mistaken perception around with the funds that we are seeking via this proposal. After all, in all comparisons Children's World's products provide more features and have superior performance than competitive products. In most cases, the difference in the number of features is substantial. A complete technical comparison is available upon request.

The "state of the art" of the industry today dictates that toys are produced without ever being touched by human hands. Our new revolutionary product line capitalizes on the fact that our toys have traditionally been hand built by our local elf community. Although our production methods are slow in comparison to other manufacturers, our quality levels are high while our costs are kept very modest. In addition, the exciting new breakthroughs that we have achieved in our R&D department (see the Description of the Business section above) will further increase the sales and usage of our products.

To get the most out of our marketing dollars, we have developed the following strategy for promoting our products:

Pricing and Profitability. Our pricing is tied to our philosophy of operating at a break even basis. However, because of both the past losses incurred in the toy giveaways, and to pay for the capital improvements outlined in this plan, we will increase our pricing in order to retire the newly incurred debt. We are projecting a first year net profit of $30,000,000 as the result of this project.

Selling Tactics. Consistent with previous years, preseason publicity outlining new merchandising concepts is utilized extensively to generate paid advertising participation from retailers and shopping centers world wide. This has worked well, and we have no plans to alter this strategy.

Distribution. Central pre-distribution hubs have now been established in each country. This concept permits faster delivery, without the need to return to the North Pole each time the sleigh needs restocking. This is the most cost effective procedure implemented by Children's World in the last 50 years.

Advertising and Promotion. Cooperative advertising funds are available to all participating retailers which leverages our national advertising exposure 400%. Proof of advertising activity from the participating merchant in the form of a paid invoice from the merchant and a tear sheet from the print media is required for final payment.

Public Relations . This activity has outgrown our in-house capabilities. Therefore, we have retained the services of an international public relations firm, Good, Better and Best, Inc., to coordinate those activities. The firm provides us their services at cost, as they benefit measurably through their visibility and association with Children's World .

Business Relationships. Children's World participates heavily in trade shows during the Summer months. This activity permits us to maximize our efforts and focus on the major retailers and buyers. Promotional activity by retailers may need to be reviewed in the near future, as seasonal promotion once targeted exclusively for December, has been pushed backward to Thanksgiving, and on occasion is now occurring as early as Halloween. This is a concern we are reviewing with our public relations firm.

Credit Terms. Standard credit terms will be offered to wholesalers/retailers (2% 10 net 30), while cash and checks will be accepted on the retail level.

Business Plan Examples - Business Location

The Children's World production facilities wholly owned and are located at 101 North Pole Lane, Arctic Circle, Earth. Due to the nature of the toy industry, and its propensity for industrial espionage, Children's World decided at an early stage that steps must be taken to isolate and camouflage their facilities. To date, their efforts have been largely successful, although a few close calls have been noted.

The facilities are debt free and are kept in good repair by the local elf community. To accommodate the planned product line expansion, only minor renovations (approximately $50,000) will be necessary as stated in the "Statement of Funding Proceeds" section above.

To safeguard both their new and existing product lines, Children's World respectfully declines to provide detailed information on this subject heading.

All licenses, and permits required for the continued operation of the company have been either secured, or renewed. Due to our location, our company is not affected by zoning regulations.

All Children's World products are already protected by the appropriate trademark and copyright filings. Children's World will not seek patent protection for the "essence" lines, however. Instead, we will keep these lines as a trade secret, thus preventing public disclosure and the subsequent possibility of legal entanglements from disgruntled parents, consumer activists, etc.

FAA certification and flight tests of all pilots and craft are both current and comprehensive, and are on file with the proper authorities.

Insurance/Employee Benefits

Due to the unique nature of their work force and the isolation of the environment, Children's World does not have to provide insurance for their employees. However, Children's World does have full property insurance as well as a general liability insurance policy for $1,000,000 per the requirements of most retailers.

Employee benefits include unlimited supplies of aspirin, nasal decongestants, as well as other cold related medicines. Regarding vacation leave, Children's World provides two weeks of paid vacation each year. The company also their employees with equipment, lift passes, etc. free of charge for skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, etc. However, no vacations are permitted during the months of October through December due to production demands.

How we started

Children's World was founded in 1930 by Sanford Theodore Clause who recognized the entrepreneurial opportunities presented by the establishment of a charitable society. Through his efforts gift giving became more fashionable, particularly around the time of the Christian celebration of Christmas.

Management team

Our key management team consists of Mr. and Mrs. Clause whose backgrounds consist of almost 60 years of manufacturing and marketing experience. Our manufacturing team consists of over 300 well trained elf volunteers, each with at least 200 years of manufacturing, engineering and design experience.

A listing of our corporate organization is as follows:

Sanford T. Clause, President

Elizabeth M. Clause, Vice President, Henry J. Ticklebone, Director of Finance, Abagail B. Greenleaf, Director of Marketing Princely J. Rockafellow, Director of Sales, James A. Bronson, Director of Engineering, Jillaney P. Quackenmeyer, Director Research & Development' Jeremy C. McDougal, Director of Operations, Thistle P. Stickler, Corporate Attorney.

As stated above, the strength of Children's World management team stems from the combined expertise in both management and technical areas. This has produced outstanding results over the past 60 years.

The time honored leadership characteristics of Children's World's management team have resulted in broad and flexible goal setting -to meet the ever changing demands of the quickly moving marketplace requiring our products. This is evident when the team responds to situations requiring new and innovative capabilities.

The following are the summary job descriptions for the key officers of the Children's World organization:

Abagail B. Greenleaf, Director of Marketing ($100,000/year salary) Manage market planning, advertising, public relations, sales promotion, merchandising and facilitate staff services. Identifying new markets and corporate scope and market research. Identify foreign markets.

Princely J. Rockafellow, Director of Sales ($100,000/year salary) Manage field sales organization, territories and quotas. Manage sales office activities including customer/product support/service.

Henry J. Ticklebone, Director of Finance ($150,000/year salary) Management of working capital including receivables, inventory cash and marketable securities. Financial forecasting, including capital budget, cash budget, proforma financial statements, external financing requirements, financial condition requirements.

James A. Bronson, Director of Engineering ($85,000/year salary) Oversees product development including quality control, physical distribution, product and packaging design, new product development improvement, and improvements on existing products. Research and development.

Jeremy C. McDougal, Director of Operations ($175,000/year salary) Service, manufacturing, raw materials management and allocation.

Outside support

An outside Board of Advisors, including highly qualified business and industry professionals/experts from the elfin community, will assist our management team to make appropriate decisions and take the most effective action; however, they will not be responsible for management decisions.

At this time we do not forecast any need for extensive restructuring, and/or large scale hiring campaigns. Our expansion campaign will be able to be handled by our current staff of highly skilled employees.

Please see the attached financial projections including five years of historical financials, as well as a three year cash flow and income statement projection.

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Business Location Analysis: Definition, Objectives, Factors

Business Location Analysis: Definition, Objectives, Factors

Location refers to the choice of region and the selection of a particular site for setting up a business or factory.

But the choice is made only after considering the cost and benefits of different alternative sites. It is a strategic decision that cannot be changed once taken.

If at all changed only at considerable loss, the location should be selected as per its requirements and circumstances. Each plant is a case in itself.

A business person should try to attempt at the optimum or ideal location. An ideal location is one where the cost of the product is kept to a minimum, with a large market share, the least risk, and the maximum social gain.

It is the place of maximum net advantage or which gives the lowest unit cost of production and distribution, for achieving this objective, this purpose.

What is Business Location Analysis?

Location analysis is a dynamic process where entrepreneur analyses and compares the appropriateness or otherwise of alternative sites to select the best site for a given enterprise.

It consists of the following:

Business Location Analysis

Demographic Analysis

It involves the study of population in the area in terms of total population (in no.), age composition, per capita income, educational level, occupational structure, etc.

Trade Area Analysis

It is an analysis of the geographic area that provides continued clientele to the firm. He would also see the feasibility of accessing the trade area from alternative sites.

Competitive Analysis

It helps to judge the nature, location, size, and quality of competition in a given trade area.

Traffic Analysis

To have a rough idea about the number of potential customers passing by the proposed site during the working hours of the shop, the traffic analysis aims at judging the alternative sites in terms of pedestrian and vehicular traffic passing a site.

Site Economics

Alternative sites are evaluated in terms of establishment costs and operational costs under this.

Costs of the establishment are the cost incurred for permanent physical facilities. Still, operational costs are incurred for running a business on day to day basis, they are also called as running costs.

Objectives of Business Location Analysis

Objectives Of Business Location

The location of a business must be decided to keep in mind the following objectives:

To hold minimum investment and operational cost

The foremost objective in selecting an ideal location is to ensure minimum investment and lower operational costs.

This could be achieved if the business is located in a place where raw materials, labor, transport, and power are easily, regularly, and sufficiently available.

To ensure the smooth operation of the business.

Another objective of the ideal location is to ensure the smooth operation of the business.

This could be achieved if the business is located in a place where the services of banking , communication , transport, repairs, and maintenance are available easily and regularly.

To promote employee welfare.

If the business is located where the educational recreational, medical, and religious needs of employees are met, they will certainly feel attached to the enterprise. They would develop loyalty and commitment to it.

To co-ordinate with Government Policies.

The entrepreneur , while selecting a location, must ensure that his decision does not conflict with the government policy of balanced regional development.

Factors To Be Considered In Selecting A Business Location

Factors to be Considered in Selecting a Business Location

Selecting the ideal business location is guided by four main factors, namely:

Nature and Type of Business

The nature and type of your business is the single greatest determinant of where the business should be located. Businesses that rely on walk-in customers from the public are the most affected, the main ones being in the service industry .

If your business relies heavily on walk-in clients as opposed to businesses that prospect, then location is everything. Getting your location wrong can spell doom for your business.

In the restaurant business, for example, there are three “main” rules when setting up. These are “LOCATION, LOCATION, and LOCATION.”

This example underscores the importance of a great location for restaurants.

A study of McDonald’s reveals this to be true. Senior management at MacDonald’s will tell you that they are burger salespeople, but their business is real estate.

Therefore, businesses such as restaurants, supermarkets, liquor stores, Ice cream parlors, and the like must be located in easily accessible areas with high levels of human traffic.

In contrast, businesses such as law firms, accountants, software firms, and so forth, which do not rely on high levels of human traffic, can be located in posh offices within office blocks.

The amount of money you can afford to obtain premises must, of course, come into play. Most first time entrepreneurs will be renting due to budget constraints.

Always try and secure premises that provide the best value for your money, considering the nature of business.

Space required

Certain types of businesses require very large amounts of space.

For example, car dealerships and car rentals require a large space to park their vehicles. This may mean looking for an out of cheap town location.

Special facilities needed

Certain types of businesses require special facilities to carry out their business effectively. For example, IT companies have some very special mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression requirements.

Server rooms and computer areas need dedicated cooling units. These must be taken into consideration before settling on a business location.

At one point, we may want to determine the size of the business . This helps in knowing whether it’s growing or not.

Also, you ascertain it to plan its various requirements. If you know the size of your firm , then you’re able to determine its efficiency. Any enterprise is the ether; small , medium or large size .

As you now covered business location analysis; check out explore complete guideline on entrepreneur and entrepreneurship studies and business studies .

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Free Agriculture Sample Business Plan PDF + How to Write

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Elon Glucklich

6 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Free Download:  Agriculture Business Plan Template

As a farmer, you’re in the business of putting food on the table. Agriculture is one of the world’s oldest professions.

Today it accounts for over 5% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product, and 1 in 10 American workers are in agriculture, food, and related industries.

But starting a new agriculture business requires intensive planning and upfront preparation. If you’re looking for a free, downloadable agriculture sample business plan PDF to help you create a business plan of your own, look no further.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to find a sample business plan that exactly matches your farm. Whether you’re launching a larger agricultural business outside a bustling city or a smaller organic operation, the details will be different, but the foundation of the plan will be the same. 

Are you writing a business plan for your farm because you’re seeking a loan? Is your primary concern outlining a clear path for sales growth? Either way, you’re going to want to edit and customize it so it fits your particular farm. 

No two agriculture farming businesses are alike.

For example, your strategy will be very different if you’re a dairy operation instead of a soybean farm. So take the time to create your own financial forecasts and do enough market research for your specific type of agriculture so you have a solid plan for success. 

  • What should you include in an agriculture farm business plan?

Your agriculture business plan doesn’t need to be hundreds of pages—keep it as short and focused as you can. You’ll probably want to include each of these sections: 

1. Executive summary

An overview of your agriculture business, with a brief description of your products or services, your legal structure, and a snapshot of your future plans. While it’s the first part of the plan, it’s often easier to write your executive summary last.

What’s your biggest business challenge right now?

2. business summary and funding needs.

Details about your farming operation, including how much capital you will need and the types of funding you’re considering. Include your business history, your current state, and your future projections. It should also cover your business location, the equipment and facilities needed, and the kinds of crops or livestock you plan to raise.

3. Products and services

Provide details on the types of crops, farming methods, and any value-added products you plan to offer, such as finished goods or even  agritourism offerings .

4. Marketing plan

Compile your market research findings, including the demand for your products or services, your target customers , and your competitors. It should also outline your marketing strategy—how you plan to attract and retain customers. 

5. Financial plan

Your revenue projections, cost estimates, and break-even analysis. Your financial plan and forecasts should demonstrate that your business has a path to profitability.

  • Building on your farm business plan sample

With a free agriculture business plan template as your starting point, you can start chipping away at the unique elements of your business plan.

As the business owner, only you can speak to aspects of your agriculture operation like your mission and core values.

You’re putting in the long hours to start a thriving farm business, so aspects of your mission – like a commitment to sustainable farming practices – will be best explained in your own words. Authenticity will help you connect with a growing market of consumers who value transparency and environmental stewardship in their food sources.

As for more conventional aspects of business planning , you will want to take on things like your marketing and financial plans one at a time. Here are a few specific areas to focus on when writing your business plan.

Invest time in market research

Starting an agriculture operation requires significant startup costs. When you throw in the unique land use considerations involved, it’s crucial to conduct thorough market research before investing hundreds of thousands – or even millions – of dollars into a farm business.

Start by researching the types of farms operating in your locality and wider region, and the specific crops or livestock they specialize in. You will need to understand seasonal trends, including crop yields and livestock productivity.

Note the demographics of the local community to understand their buying habits and preference for local produce. Also, be aware of the competitive landscape and how your farm can differentiate itself from others. All of this information will inform your service, pricing, marketing, and partnership strategy.

From there, you can outline how you plan to reach your target market and promote your farm’s offerings.

Craft your agriculture go-to-market strategy

One of the things that makes an agriculture farm business plan different from some service-based business plans is that you might decide to work only with one or two businesses that purchase your goods.  

You may offer different tiers of products to different types of buyers, such as produce for an organic farmers market, and corn for another farm’s animal feed. If that’s the case, make sure you include ideas like setting aside land for organic growth and maintenance.

Discuss your advertising and promotional strategies, emphasizing channels relevant to your target market. Also, consider how partnerships with local businesses, farmers’ markets, and other industry stakeholders can enhance your visibility.

Include your pricing strategy and any special promotions or loyalty programs. Also, consider public relations and media outreach efforts that can raise awareness about your farm and its sustainable practices.

Prepare for unique farming challenges

Running an agricultural business comes with its own set of challenges, including weather-related disruptions and market volatility. Your business plan should identify these potential risks and present contingency plans to address them.

Include a plan to mitigate weather-related risks, such as crop diversification, employing weather-resistant farming practices, investing in appropriate infrastructure like greenhouses or drainage systems, or taking out insurance to cover weather-related losses.

Detail the operational aspects of your business , including land ownership, employee status, farm maintenance, and safety requirements. Also, illustrate your strategies for managing crop production, livestock care, land stewardship, and regulatory compliance.

Plan for the future

Contingency planning is important in all businesses.

But the unique challenges in agriculture of changing market dynamics, regulatory changes, and climate impacts make it especially necessary to plan for the future. Detail how you’ll measure success, and how you will be prepared to adapt your offerings if you need to change the focus of the business due to factors outside your control.

Also, be ready to discuss opportunities for scaling your business over time, such as introducing new crops, expanding farm operations, or opening additional locations.

  • Get started with your farm business plan sample

There are obviously plenty of reasons farm owners can benefit from writing a business plan — for example, you’ll need one if you’re seeking a loan or investment. Even if you’re not seeking funding, the process of thinking through every aspect of your business will help you make sure you’re not overlooking anything critical as you grow.

Download this  agriculture farm sample business plan PDF  for free right now, or visit  Bplans’ gallery of more than 550 sample business plans  if you’re looking for more options.

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Content Author: Elon Glucklich

Elon is a marketing specialist at Palo Alto Software, working with consultants, accountants, business instructors and others who use LivePlan at scale. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Oregon.

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