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Turn people who find you on Google Search and Maps into new customers with a free Business Profile for your storefront or service area. Personalize your profile with photos, offers, posts, and more.

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Create a Business Profile at no cost

Manage your profile from Search and Maps

Personalized

Add hours, photos, posts and more

Take charge of your first impression

Highlight essential info and show what makes your business unique, right on your Business Profile.

Easily connect with customers

Update customers with the latest via posts, offers, direct messaging, and more.

Show what you offer, from products to services

Whether you’re a restaurant, store, or service provider, your profile helps customers do business with you easily and directly with product inventory, ordering, bookings, quotes, and more.

Accept food orders and more

Take orders for delivery and pickup and let customers make reservations. Even add your menu, so people can discover your best dishes.

Be found for what you sell

Be found by automatically listing your in-store products for free, right from your Business Profile.

Offer your services

Show a list of your business services and provide online quotes, so customers get the info they need to choose you.

Know how customers find your business

Discover what keywords people search to find you, and get insights on calls, reviews, bookings, and more to understand how your business connects with customers.

“I always asked customers, ‘What made you call me?’ and oftentimes they tell me, ‘We reached out because of your Business Profile on Google.’”

Detroit Voltage-Detroit, Michigan

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“Getting Yogolandia on Google was absolutely key. It truly legitimizes you as a business. It’s free, there are photos, and we've gotten phenomenal reviews.”

Yogolandia Yogurt and Botana Bar-Chicago, Illinois

“We love the insights that we get on searches.”

Chicago Music Exchange-Chicago, Illinois

“We’re able to clearly say what we’re about and what our mission is.”

Honest Soul Yoga-Alexandria, Virginia

Show the best of your business

Reach more customers in three simple steps, with your free Business Profile.

Create a Business Profile, or manage an existing profile on Search and Maps

Personalize

Add hours, photos, and other details and get discovered by customers near you

Share updates, respond to reviews, and connect with customers on Google

Your questions, answered

Is a business profile on google free.

Yes, creating a Business Profile and listing your business on Google is free. Create your profile at no cost, and you can manage your business from Google Search and Maps to start reaching more customers.

Google Workspace Plans & Feature Comparison

There are five Google Workspace plans to choose from namely: Business Starter , Business Standard , Business Plus , Enterprise and Enterprise Plus . Review the plans & features comparison chart below to select the Google Workspace plan that meets your business requirements.

Plans & Features Comparison

Review a more detailed Google Workspace plan comparison

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Google Workspace Pricing: How to Choose the Right Plan for Your Business

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Google announced in February 2023 Workspace price changes . For customers who pay annually, rates remain unchanged. However, customers who pay monthly will pay slightly more for this flexibility. Price changes go into effect March 2023, except for customers with 10 or fewer accounts, for whom changes are deferred until January 2024.

Here’s a look at the current Google Workspace plans and pricing , along with key features you might consider when selecting a plan.

Plans and pricing for Google Workspace

Google workspace’s plans.

Google Workspace offers three Business plans — Starter, Standard and Plus — and two Enterprise plans — Standard and Plus ( Figure A ). An additional option, Google Workspace Essentials Starter , allows teams of up to 25 people to use Google’s collaboration tools, such as Google Docs, alongside an existing email and calendar collaboration system.

Pricing for Google Workspace Business plans

• Google Workspace Business Starter : $7.20 per user paid monthly or $72 per user paid annually.
• Google Workspace Business Standard : $14.40 per user paid monthly or $144 per user paid annually.
• Google Workspace Business Plus : $21.60 per user paid monthly or $216 per user paid annually.

Pricing for Google Workspace Enterprise plans

Pricing for Enterprise plans is not published. As a legacy customer, when I walked through the upgrade process, the offers I saw included the following; the per user pricing Google offers your organization for Enterprise plans may be different.

• Google Workspace Enterprise Standard: $27.60 per user per month or $276 per user paid annually.
• Google Workspace Enterprise Plus: $36 per user per month or $300 per user paid annually.

Google requires that new customers who seek Enterprise licenses contact Sales. Note that there is no minimum or maximum number of users for Enterprise plans.

Google Workspace plans’ features compared

Google provides a comparison page with a detailed checklist that allows you to review the features offered not only across the Business Starter, Standard and Plus plans, but also across the various Enterprise, Education and Essentials editions ( Figure B ).

Pricing of Microsoft 365 Business plans

The adjusted prices align Google Workspace pricing more closely with Microsoft 365. For example, Microsoft lists pricing for its 365 Business offerings as:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $72 per user paid annually.
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $150 per user paid annually.
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium: $264 per user paid annually.

Key features of some Google Workspace plans

The following analysis compares key features of Business Starter, Business Standard and Business Plus plans, along with a few Enterprise plan features.

User limits

The Google Workspace Business plans all add one key constraint not previously present in prior G Suite plans: a maximum of 300 users. If you need more than 300 user accounts, you’ll need an Enterprise plan. Microsoft similarly sets a limit of 300 user accounts on its Microsoft 365 Business plans.

Storage limits

All files created, added or modified after June 1, 2021, count toward a user’s storage limit. Files such as Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, Sites, images (e.g., JPG, PNG), PDFs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other formats will count toward storage limits.

SEE: Google Workspace storage: 3 essential things you need to know (TechRepublic)

External sharing

Of the three Google Workspace Business plans, both Business Standard and Business Plus offer an administrator the ability to restrict and manage external file sharing with specific domains. An administrator lacks control over external sharing in Business Basic, which may make this plan less appealing where such restrictions may be desired.

Google Meet recording

Business Standard and Business Plus add the ability to record and save Google Meet video conferences. The maximum number of Google Meet participants for the plans are:

• 100 people for Business Starter
• 150 people for Business Standard
• 500 people for Business Plus

Google’s feature comparison page lists several Meet features, such as polling and Q&A and breakout rooms, all of which require a Business Standard or better account. Business Plus and better plans also support attendance tracking in Meet.

E-discovery and retention

Google Vault is the organization’s offering to support administrative e-discovery and data retention. Only Business Plus includes Google Vault; although, organizations on Starter and Standard may select Vault as a paid add-on. When I browsed through my offered pricing, Vault displayed a $6 per user per month add-on price.

How to choose a new Google Workspace plan

If you’re a new customer, your task is relatively simple. Define your needs, select the plan that best fits the balance of your needs and your budget, then help people in your organization get started with Workspace .

If you have been a G Suite or Google Workspace customer, an administrator can sign in to the Admin console to access account options. To do this, the admin would sign in at https://admin.google.com , select the three-horizontal line menu in the upper left corner, then choose Billing, and select Get More Services from the sub-menu.

If you are a current customer, the Google Admin Get More Services page highlights available Google Workspace plans ( Figure C ).

Select any of the options, and the system will display the details of key features your account will either gain or lose. Select your option, address any identified issues and follow any step-by-step instructions to switch.

How to choose between monthly or annual Google Workspace plans

A Google Workspace administrator has the option to choose between monthly or annual account payment plans ( Figure D ). In a stable situation with sufficient capital and cash flow, the annual option makes the most financial sense.

However, not every organization has the ability to pre-pay for accounts for a year. The decision between monthly and annual payments becomes more significant as the number of users increases. Since the total dollar difference can be on the order of thousands of dollars each year, your organization’s cash flow and capital position may affect your decision.

Additionally, if you anticipate major reductions in the number of accounts during the upcoming year (i.e., layoffs), the monthly payment option may be preferable. The marginal cost of a few dollars per month per account may be preferable to locking in a discount by paying an annual price for an account no longer needed at a future date.

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Learn the basics of getting your business online.

Succeed online with help from Google

Together, we’ll find the products, tools, and resources you need to move your business forward and help reach your goals.

Make the most of the web with these tools

Google Business Profile

Show up on Google Search and Maps with a free Business Profile for your storefront or service area.

Google Workspace

Get a professional email address like [email protected] and productivity tools to streamline tasks.

Google Sites

If you don’t need ecommerce, create a free custom site on Google using our templates and easy-to-use tools.

Google Local Services Ads

Show up at the top of Google Search and get discovered by more customers in your local service area.

Bring your brand to life with video. Businesses of all sizes can create a channel and share what they offer.

Google Analytics

Explore how customers use your website so that you can make your site even more effective.

Advertise your business online and get in front of customers when they’re looking for businesses like yours.

“Google makes it so easy for people to find our business, and that’s huge for growth.”

Suzie Mills, Founder & CEO, Honest Soul Yoga

Start with the essentials to move your business forward

Find out which products and tools can help your business succeed online with our step-by-step guide

• Help Center
• Google Business Profile
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Submit feedback
• Manage your Business Profile

Get custom email and more with Google Workspace

Google Workspace gives your business a new way to work online. 

With Google Workspace, you can get a professional email address using your company’s domain name, such as susan@yourcompany. Your business will also have access to Google’s digital tools like online storage, shared calendars, and video conferencing that make collaborating between your team easy and transparent.

Sign up for Google Workspace .

Tip: If you would like to receive one-on-one guidance and tailored recommendations on how to make the most out of your profile, consider booking an appointment with Small Business Advisors .

What you can do with Google Workspace

• Get custom email for your business: In addition to using Business Profile features such as Posts and Photos to build your brand, you can set up a personalized email for everyone on your team.
• Securely back up work emails and files: Easily secure access to your team’s professional accounts, and ensure their work email and files are backed up.
• Collaborate in real-time from any device: Your team can work on documents together, hold video meetings, and easily build internal project sites from anywhere on any device.
• Easily access all your tools from one place: All your tools for work are together in one package and easily accessible to your team.
• Work from any device, even without internet:  Access your email anytime, anywhere, from your laptop, mobile phone, or shared computer. No internet connection is needed. Read and draft messages without connectivity, and they’ll be ready to send when you’re back online.
• Get 99.9% guaranteed uptime on your business email: Industry-leading spam filters keep junk out of your inbox.

Visit Google Workspace Pricing to learn about payment plans.

How Google Workspace works with your domain and email

When you sign up for a Google Workspace account , you can purchase a new domain or use one you already have.

With a domain name, you and your team can use a variety of Google Workspace services, including:

• Drive storage
• Google Docs editors, including docs, spreadsheets, and slides
• App Maker, Keep, Sites, or Jamboard

Verify your domain

To use Google Workspace with a domain, you must show that you own the domain. During signup, we’ll lead you through that process. Learn more about how to verify your domain .

Set up custom email

With Google Workspace, you can get a custom email with your company’s chosen domain name, like susan@yourcompany. A professional email helps build customer trust, and also lets you create group mailing lists, such as sales@yourcompany.

After you sign up for Google Workspace and verify your chosen domain, guided instructions will be provided to set up your custom email. This involves switching your domain’s MX records . Find step-by-step instructions for your domain host.

Tips to get started

Keep in mind the checklist below when using Google Workspace. Get started with all these topics at the small business quick start guide .

• Change usernames and passwords.
• Add and delete users or administrators.
• Turn services off for some teams.
• Upgrade your storage.

Learn more about how to manage your team .

• Import old email.
• Create a group email.
• Give users an extra email address (at no extra cost).
• Use Google Meet for video meetings.
• Delegate access to your calendar.
• Make your email secure.

Learn how to manage your meetings and email .

• Share large files with others and choose editing permissions.
• Back up and store files in the cloud.
• Create a project website for your team.
• Work together on documents simultaneously.

Learn how to share your files and folders .

• Work with Microsoft documents.
• Create and share company templates.
• Use Docs on your mobile device.
• Work without an internet connection.

Learn how to work with Docs .

• Set up basic or advanced mobile management for your team.
• Separate business and personal data for Android devices.
• Add apps to your team's allowlist.
• Manage and wipe devices.

Learn more about mobile management .

• Identify the account you’re using.
• Follow security best practices.
• Create reports and alerts.
• Manage billing.
• Add a domain at no extra cost.
• Grow your business with Google.

Learn more Admin tips .

Related articles

• For help verifying your domain or setting up email, contact Google Workspace Admin Support
• See more Google Workspace setup guides
• Get started with Google Workspace Learning Center

Need more help?

Try these next steps:.

Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

Updated: May 4, 2024, 4:37pm

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.

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.

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.

How to Write a Business Plan for a Small Business

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated September 2, 2024

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a business plan that’s detailed enough to impress bankers and potential investors, while giving you the tools to start, run, and grow a successful business.

• The basics of writing a business plan

If you’re reading this guide, then you already know why you need a business plan . 

You understand that writing a business plan helps you: 

• Raise money
• Grow strategically
• Keep your business on the right track 

As you start to write your business plan, it’s useful to zoom out and remember what a business plan is .

At its core, a business plan is an overview of the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy: how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

Most business plans also include financial forecasts for the future. These set sales goals, budget for expenses, and predict profits and cash flow. 

A good business plan is much more than just a document that you write once and forget about. It’s also a guide that helps you outline and achieve your goals. 

After writing your business plan, you can use it as a management tool to track your progress toward your goals. Updating and adjusting your forecasts and budgets as you go is one of the most important steps you can take to run a healthier, smarter business. 

We’ll dive into how to use your plan later in this article.

There are many different types of plans , but we’ll go over the most common type here, which includes everything you need for an investor-ready plan. However, if you’re just starting out and are looking for something simpler—I recommend starting with a one-page business plan . It’s faster and easier to create. 

It’s also the perfect place to start if you’re just figuring out your idea, or need a simple strategic plan to use inside your business.

Dig deeper : How to write a one-page business plan

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• What to include in your business plan

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally just one to two pages. Most people write it last because it’s a summary of the complete business plan.

Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. 

In fact, it’s common for investors to ask only for the executive summary when evaluating your business. If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation , or more in-depth financial forecasts .

Your executive summary should include:

• A summary of the problem you are solving
• A description of your product or service
• An overview of your target market
• A brief description of your team
• A summary of your financials
• Your funding requirements (if you are raising money)

Dig Deeper: How to write an effective executive summary

Products and services description

When writing a business plan, the produces and services section is where you describe exactly what you’re selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers. After that, you can describe how you plan to solve that problem with your product or service. 

This is usually called a problem and solution statement .

To truly showcase the value of your products and services, you need to craft a compelling narrative around your offerings. How will your product or service transform your customers’ lives or jobs? A strong narrative will draw in your readers.

This is also the part of the business plan to discuss any competitive advantages you may have, like specific intellectual property or patents that protect your product. If you have any initial sales, contracts, or other evidence that your product or service is likely to sell, include that information as well. It will show that your idea has traction , which can help convince readers that your plan has a high chance of success.

Market analysis

Your target market is a description of the type of people that you plan to sell to. You might even have multiple target markets, depending on your business. 

A market analysis is the part of your plan where you bring together all of the information you know about your target market. Basically, it’s a thorough description of who your customers are and why they need what you’re selling. You’ll also include information about the growth of your market and your industry .

Try to be as specific as possible when you describe your market. 

Include information such as age, income level, and location—these are what’s called “demographics.” If you can, also describe your market’s interests and habits as they relate to your business—these are “psychographics.” 

Related: Target market examples

Essentially, you want to include any knowledge you have about your customers that is relevant to how your product or service is right for them. With a solid target market, it will be easier to create a sales and marketing plan that will reach your customers. That’s because you know who they are, what they like to do, and the best ways to reach them.

Next, provide any additional information you have about your market. 

What is the size of your market ? Is the market growing or shrinking? Ideally, you’ll want to demonstrate that your market is growing over time, and also explain how your business is positioned to take advantage of any expected changes in your industry.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write a market analysis

Competitive analysis

Part of defining your business opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage is. To do this effectively, you need to know as much about your competitors as your target customers. 

Every business has some form of competition. If you don’t think you have competitors, then explore what alternatives there are in the market for your product or service. 

For example: In the early years of cars, their main competition was horses. For social media, the early competition was reading books, watching TV, and talking on the phone.

A good competitive analysis fully lays out the competitive landscape and then explains how your business is different. Maybe your products are better made, or cheaper, or your customer service is superior. Maybe your competitive advantage is your location – a wide variety of factors can ultimately give you an advantage.

Dig Deeper: How to write a competitive analysis for your business plan

Marketing and sales plan

The marketing and sales plan covers how you will position your product or service in the market, the marketing channels and messaging you will use, and your sales tactics. 

The best place to start with a marketing plan is with a positioning statement . 

This explains how your business fits into the overall market, and how you will explain the advantages of your product or service to customers. You’ll use the information from your competitive analysis to help you with your positioning. 

For example: You might position your company as the premium, most expensive but the highest quality option in the market. Or your positioning might focus on being locally owned and that shoppers support the local economy by buying your products.

Once you understand your positioning, you’ll bring this together with the information about your target market to create your marketing strategy . 

This is how you plan to communicate your message to potential customers. Depending on who your customers are and how they purchase products like yours, you might use many different strategies, from social media advertising to creating a podcast. Your marketing plan is all about how your customers discover who you are and why they should consider your products and services. 

While your marketing plan is about reaching your customers—your sales plan will describe the actual sales process once a customer has decided that they’re interested in what you have to offer. 

If your business requires salespeople and a long sales process, describe that in this section. If your customers can “self-serve” and just make purchases quickly on your website, describe that process. 

A good sales plan picks up where your marketing plan leaves off. The marketing plan brings customers in the door and the sales plan is how you close the deal.

Together, these specific plans paint a picture of how you will connect with your target audience, and how you will turn them into paying customers.

Dig deeper: What to include in your sales and marketing plan

Business operations

When writing a business plan, the operations section describes the necessary requirements for your business to run smoothly. It’s where you talk about how your business works and what day-to-day operations look like. 

Depending on how your business is structured, your operations plan may include elements of the business like:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing processes
• Equipment and technology
• Distribution

Some businesses distribute their products and reach their customers through large retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and grocery store chains. 

These businesses should review how this part of their business works. The plan should discuss the logistics and costs of getting products onto store shelves and any potential hurdles the business may have to overcome.

If your business is much simpler than this, that’s OK. This section of your business plan can be either extremely short or more detailed, depending on the type of business you are building.

For businesses selling services, such as physical therapy or online software, you can use this section to describe the technology you’ll leverage, what goes into your service, and who you will partner with to deliver your services.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write the operations chapter of your plan

Key milestones and metrics

Although it’s not required to complete your business plan, mapping out key business milestones and the metrics can be incredibly useful for measuring your success.

Good milestones clearly lay out the parameters of the task and set expectations for their execution. You’ll want to include:

• A description of each task
• The proposed due date
• Who is responsible for each task

If you have a budget, you can include projected costs to hit each milestone. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section—just list key milestones you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. This is your overall business roadmap. 

Possible milestones might be:

• Website launch date
• Store or office opening date
• First significant sales
• Break even date
• Business licenses and approvals

You should also discuss the key numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common metrics worth tracking include:

• Conversion rates
• Customer acquisition costs
• Profit per customer
• Repeat purchases

It’s perfectly fine to start with just a few metrics and grow the number you are tracking over time. You also may find that some metrics simply aren’t relevant to your business and can narrow down what you’re tracking.

Dig Deeper: How to use milestones in your business plan

Organization and management team

Investors don’t just look for great ideas—they want to find great teams. Use this chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire . You should also provide a quick overview of your location and history if you’re already up and running.

Briefly highlight the relevant experiences of each key team member in the company. It’s important to make the case for why yours is the right team to turn an idea into a reality. 

Do they have the right industry experience and background? Have members of the team had entrepreneurial successes before? 

If you still need to hire key team members, that’s OK. Just note those gaps in this section.

Your company overview should also include a summary of your company’s current business structure . The most common business structures include:

• Sole proprietor
• Partnership

Be sure to provide an overview of how the business is owned as well. Does each business partner own an equal portion of the business? How is ownership divided? 

Potential lenders and investors will want to know the structure of the business before they will consider a loan or investment.

Dig Deeper: How to write about your company structure and team

Financial plan

The last section of your business plan is your financial plan and forecasts. 

Entrepreneurs often find this section the most daunting. But, business financials for most startups are less complicated than you think, and a business degree is certainly not required to build a solid financial forecast. 

A typical financial forecast in a business plan includes the following:

• Sales forecast : An estimate of the sales expected over a given period. You’ll break down your forecast into the key revenue streams that you expect to have.
• Expense budget : Your planned spending such as personnel costs , marketing expenses, and taxes.
• Profit & Loss : Brings together your sales and expenses and helps you calculate planned profits.
• Cash Flow : Shows how cash moves into and out of your business. It can predict how much cash you’ll have on hand at any given point in the future.
• Balance Sheet : A list of the assets, liabilities, and equity in your company. In short, it provides an overview of the financial health of your business. 

A strong business plan will include a description of assumptions about the future, and potential risks that could impact the financial plan. Including those will be especially important if you’re writing a business plan to pursue a loan or other investment.

Dig Deeper: How to create financial forecasts and budgets

This is the place for additional data, charts, or other information that supports your plan.

Including an appendix can significantly enhance the credibility of your plan by showing readers that you’ve thoroughly considered the details of your business idea, and are backing your ideas up with solid data.

Just remember that the information in the appendix is meant to be supplementary. Your business plan should stand on its own, even if the reader skips this section.

Dig Deeper : What to include in your business plan appendix

Optional: Business plan cover page

Adding a business plan cover page can make your plan, and by extension your business, seem more professional in the eyes of potential investors, lenders, and partners. It serves as the introduction to your document and provides necessary contact information for stakeholders to reference.

Your cover page should be simple and include:

• Company logo
• Business name
• Value proposition (optional)
• Business plan title
• Completion and/or update date
• Address and contact information
• Confidentiality statement

Just remember, the cover page is optional. If you decide to include it, keep it very simple and only spend a short amount of time putting it together.

Dig Deeper: How to create a business plan cover page

How to use AI to help write your business plan

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can speed up the business plan writing process and help you think through concepts like market segmentation and competition. These tools are especially useful for taking ideas that you provide and converting them into polished text for your business plan.

The best way to use AI to write a business plan is to leverage it as a collaborator , not a replacement for human creative thinking and ingenuity. 

AI can come up with lots of ideas and act as a brainstorming partner. It’s up to you to filter through those ideas and figure out which ones are realistic enough to resonate with your customers. 

There are pros and cons of using AI to help with your business plan . So, spend some time understanding how it can be most helpful before just outsourcing the job to AI.

Learn more: 10 AI prompts you need to write a business plan

• Writing tips and strategies

To help streamline the business plan writing process, here are a few tips and key questions to answer to make sure you get the most out of your plan and avoid common mistakes .  

Determine why you are writing a business plan

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will determine your approach to your planning project. 

For example: If you are writing a business plan for yourself, or just to use inside your own business , you can probably skip the section about your team and organizational structure. 

If you’re raising money, you’ll want to spend more time explaining why you’re looking to raise the funds and exactly how you will use them.

Regardless of how you intend to use your business plan , think about why you are writing and what you’re trying to get out of the process before you begin.

Keep things concise

Probably the most important tip is to keep your business plan short and simple. There are no prizes for long business plans . The longer your plan is, the less likely people are to read it. 

So focus on trimming things down to the essentials your readers need to know. Skip the extended, wordy descriptions and instead focus on creating a plan that is easy to read —using bullets and short sentences whenever possible.

Have someone review your business plan

Writing a business plan in a vacuum is never a good idea. Sometimes it’s helpful to zoom out and check if your plan makes sense to someone else. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to read and understand.

Don’t wait until your plan is “done” to get a second look. Start sharing your plan early, and find out from readers what questions your plan leaves unanswered. This early review cycle will help you spot shortcomings in your plan and address them quickly, rather than finding out about them right before you present your plan to a lender or investor.

If you need a more detailed review, you may want to explore hiring a professional plan writer to thoroughly examine it.

Use a free business plan template and business plan examples to get started

Knowing what information to include in a business plan is sometimes not quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

There are plenty of great options available (we’ve rounded up our 8 favorites to streamline your search).

But, if you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template , you can get one right now; download the template used by more than 1 million businesses. 

Or, if you just want to see what a completed business plan looks like, check out our library of over 550 free business plan examples . 

We even have a growing list of industry business planning guides with tips for what to focus on depending on your business type.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re writing your business plan. Some entrepreneurs get sucked into the writing and research process, and don’t focus enough on actually getting their business started. 

Here are a few common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not talking to your customers : This is one of the most common mistakes. It’s easy to assume that your product or service is something that people want. Before you invest too much in your business and too much in the planning process, make sure you talk to your prospective customers and have a good understanding of their needs.

• Overly optimistic sales and profit forecasts: By nature, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. But it’s good to temper that optimism a little when you’re planning, and make sure your forecasts are grounded in reality. 
• Spending too much time planning: Yes, planning is crucial. But you also need to get out and talk to customers, build prototypes of your product and figure out if there’s a market for your idea. Make sure to balance planning with building.
• Not revising the plan: Planning is useful, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned. As you learn more about what’s working and what’s not—revise your plan, your budgets, and your revenue forecast. Doing so will provide a more realistic picture of where your business is going, and what your financial needs will be moving forward.
• Not using the plan to manage your business: A good business plan is a management tool. Don’t just write it and put it on the shelf to collect dust – use it to track your progress and help you reach your goals.
• Presenting your business plan

The planning process forces you to think through every aspect of your business and answer questions that you may not have thought of. That’s the real benefit of writing a business plan – the knowledge you gain about your business that you may not have been able to discover otherwise.

With all of this knowledge, you’re well prepared to convert your business plan into a pitch presentation to present your ideas. 

A pitch presentation is a summary of your plan, just hitting the highlights and key points. It’s the best way to present your business plan to investors and team members.

Dig Deeper: Learn what key slides should be included in your pitch deck

Use your business plan to manage your business

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it gives you a tool to manage your business better. With a revenue forecast, expense budget, and projected cash flow, you know your targets and where you are headed.

And yet, nothing ever goes exactly as planned – it’s the nature of business.

That’s where using your plan as a management tool comes in. The key to leveraging it for your business is to review it periodically and compare your forecasts and projections to your actual results.

Start by setting up a regular time to review the plan – a monthly review is a good starting point. During this review, answer questions like:

• Did you meet your sales goals?
• Is spending following your budget?
• Has anything gone differently than what you expected?

Now that you see whether you’re meeting your goals or are off track, you can make adjustments and set new targets. 

Maybe you’re exceeding your sales goals and should set new, more aggressive goals. In that case, maybe you should also explore more spending or hiring more employees. 

Or maybe expenses are rising faster than you projected. If that’s the case, you would need to look at where you can cut costs.

A plan, and a method for comparing your plan to your actual results , is the tool you need to steer your business toward success.

Learn More: How to run a regular plan review

How to write a business plan FAQ

What is a business plan?

A document that describes your business , the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy, how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

What are the benefits of writing a business plan?

A business plan helps you understand where you want to go with your business and what it will take to get there. It reduces your overall risk, helps you uncover your business’s potential, attracts investors, and identifies areas for growth.

Writing a business plan ultimately makes you more confident as a business owner and more likely to succeed for a longer period of time.

What are the 7 steps of writing a business plan?

The seven steps to writing a business plan include:

• Write a brief executive summary
• Describe your products and services.
• Conduct market research and compile data into a cohesive market analysis.
• Describe your marketing and sales strategy.
• Outline your organizational structure and management team.
• Develop financial projections for sales, revenue, and cash flow.
• Add any additional documents to your appendix.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

There are plenty of mistakes that can be made when writing a business plan. However, these are the 5 most common that you should do your best to avoid:

• 1. Not taking the planning process seriously.
• Having unrealistic financial projections or incomplete financial information.
• Inconsistent information or simple mistakes.
• Failing to establish a sound business model.
• Not having a defined purpose for your business plan.

What questions should be answered in a business plan?

Writing a business plan is all about asking yourself questions about your business and being able to answer them through the planning process. You’ll likely be asking dozens and dozens of questions for each section of your plan.

However, these are the key questions you should ask and answer with your business plan:

• How will your business make money?
• Is there a need for your product or service?
• Who are your customers?
• How are you different from the competition?
• How will you reach your customers?
• How will you measure success?

How long should a business plan be?

The length of your business plan fully depends on what you intend to do with it. From the SBA and traditional lender point of view, a business plan needs to be whatever length necessary to fully explain your business. This means that you prove the viability of your business, show that you understand the market, and have a detailed strategy in place.

If you intend to use your business plan for internal management purposes, you don’t necessarily need a full 25-50 page business plan. Instead, you can start with a one-page plan to get all of the necessary information in place.

What are the different types of business plans?

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan: The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used when applying for funding or pitching to investors. This type of business plan follows the outline above and can be anywhere from 10-50 pages depending on the amount of detail included, the complexity of your business, and what you include in your appendix.

Business model canvas: The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

One-page business plan: This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business. You’ll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences. It’s most useful for those exploring ideas, needing to validate their business model, or who need an internal plan to help them run and manage their business.

Lean Plan: The Lean Plan is less of a specific document type and more of a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, test, review, refine, and take action based on performance. It’s faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan covers the “who” and “what” of your business. It explains what your business is doing right now and how it functions. The strategic plan explores long-term goals and explains “how” the business will get there. It encourages you to look more intently toward the future and how you will achieve your vision.

However, when approached correctly, your business plan can actually function as a strategic plan as well. If kept lean, you can define your business, outline strategic steps, and track ongoing operations all with a single plan.

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Use AI to help write your plan
• Common planning mistakes
• Manage with your business plan

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Do you need to pick the right editable business plan template? Our options have an exceptional design yet comprehensible concept. Keep in mind that you can edit and customize these samples using Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. You can find options for any startup idea on our website. Our samples are 100% unique. Designers are creating free business plan templates from scratch.

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Setting up your google business profile: a nine-step guide for boosting visibility & conversions.

Having a killer online presence is a must for any business. Whether you’re a small local shop or an online empire, nailing your Google Business Profile (GBP) can be a game-changer. 

Think of it as your online storefront, where first impressions are made, decisions are influenced, and deals are sealed .

But here’s the thing: setting up and optimizing your GBP isn’t just about filling out a form and calling it a day. There are essential steps you need to take to make sure your profile is working its magic to the max.

Stick around to find out how you can up your GBP game and start seeing the difference it makes, pulling in customers and getting the results you’re after.

Everything Auto Dealers and Small Businesses Need to Know about Google Business Profile

Why Google Profile Business Matters

When a potential customer searches for a product or service you offer online, what do they find? 

Your GBP isn’t just a virtual business card — it’s a powerhouse tool that can make or break your online presence. It is where potential customers can stroll by, peek inside, and ultimately decide whether to step in or walk on by (virtually, of course).

There are three benefits of maintaining a Google Business Profile:

• Increase visibility on Google: Ensure your profile appears prominently in search results by optimizing it with relevant keywords.
• Gain credibility with reviews: Encourage positive reviews from satisfied customers to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
• Share business information with customers: Provide accurate and up-to-date information about your business to make it easy for customers to find and engage with you.

By keeping your GBP up-to-date with essential details like your hours, location, and services, you not only make it easier for customers to find you but also boost your credibility in their eyes.

Plus, businesses with complete GBP listings are perceived as more reputable and more likely to attract visits and conversions .

It’s clear that investing time and effort into optimizing your GBP can pay off big time in terms of visibility, engagement, and ultimately, sales . 

Setting Up Your Google Business Profile: A Step-by-Step Guide

Okay, so now that you know the why , let’s get to the how . Setting up your Google Business Profile is a straightforward process, but attention to detail is key.

Step 1: Claim What’s Yours

First things first, start by claiming your profile if you haven’t already done so. Through verifying ownership of your business with Google, you’re staking your claim in the digital world. 

Google will likely send you a verification code to make sure you’re legit. Once that’s done, you’re in control and can begin optimizing for better visibility!

Step 2: Provide Accurate Information

Now it’s time to spill the beans about your business! Fill in all the blanks to give readers the scoop. You will need your business name, address, phone number, website, and business hours. 

Oh, and remember, consistency is key – make sure your info matches up across all your online spots (like social media and your website) to keep things clear.

Optimization Tip: Use a reputation management tool like Birdeye to manage all your online profiles. This will help you make sure your hours, business description, address and more are the same across the internet.

Step 3: Whip Up a Compelling Business Description

When it comes to your GBP, a standout description is very beneficial. Make it short, sweet, and full of helpful information . 

Don’t forget to highlight what makes your business awesome — your key services, offerings, and ultimately what sets you apart from the rest. Keep your target audience in mind and tailor your language to connect with them. This is your moment to make a lasting impression.

Optimization Tip : Optimize for local search by including location-specific keywords in your business description and services. This helps improve your profile’s visibility in local search results when users are looking for businesses in your area.

Step 4: Handle Reviews Like a Pro

Alright, let’s talk about reviews. They’re the bread and butter of your reputation and can make or break how you are viewed online. Make sure to ask happy customers to drop some love and always respond pronto to each and every review – both positive and negative .

While getting a bad review isn’t ideal, it happens. The key to handling it like a champ is by acknowledging the customer’s experience and demonstrating you care about helping them. 

Showing that you are on the ball when it comes to responding to reviews not only proves that you’re serious about keeping customers happy, but also helps build trust with new ones.

Step 5: Make the Most of Your Google Posts

Take advantage of Google Posts to regularly publish updates, offers, events, and other relevant content. This helps keep your profile fresh and engaging, drawing in potential customers who are searching for what you’ve got to offer.

Step 6: Beef Up Your Profile with High-Quality Images

Time to give your profile a boost with some top-notch images! It’s true, people DO judge a book by its cover, so make sure to upload sharp photos of your business, including your logo, cover photo, and interior/exterior shots. 

Visual content doesn’t just catch the eye – it also gives potential customers a glimpse into what they can expect from your business.

Optimization Tip : Use high-quality images with SEO-friendly file names — meaning names that include relevant keywords. This helps improve the accessibility of your images and provides additional SEO value for your profile.

Step 7: Turn On Messaging for Direct Communication

You know that feeling when you have a burning question and you’re itching for an answer but can’t get a quick response? We’ve all been there! That’s why enabling direct messaging is very valuable. It’s like giving your customers a direct line to chat with your business. 

This makes it super easy for customers to shoot you any questions they have and shows that you’re right there, ready to help in any way. Plus, it’s a great way to turn those initial inquiries into actual conversations. So, let’s get chatting!

Step 8: Monitor Performance with Google My Business Insights

Stay in the know! Use Google My Business Insights to track how your profile is doing. This tool gives you all the juicy details on how customers are finding and engaging with your business profile. 

With this info in hand, you can make smart decisions and tweak your profile to get even better results. It’s like having your own personal dashboard for success!

Step 9: Keep it Fresh

Last but not least, don’t forget to give your profile a little TLC every now and then. 

Keeping your information up-to-date is very important. It’s not only about making things easy for potential customers, but it also tells search engines that you’re on the ball. This in turn can mean more chances of showing up in searches. 

It’s all about the little details that make a big difference. Keep things lively and watch those leads roll in.

Get Found & Get More Calls with Local SEO

Elevate Your Google Presence, Dominate the Digital Landscape

Consistency is key. Keep your profile fresh, your information accurate, and stay actively engaged. By implementing these strategies, you’re not just playing the game — you’re dominating it. 

Ready to take your business to the next level of online visibility? Our team can help you optimize your Google presence — and beyond — and drive real results. We’re here to support you every step of the way. 

Olivia Valdez

Passionate about blending creativity with data, Liv enjoys crafting compelling content that resonates with audiences in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. Learn more about Olivia Valdez .

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