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

Clifford Chi

Published: February 06, 2024

Free Business Plan Template

an example of a business plan for a project

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

hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, 'e9d2eacb-6b01-423a-bf7a-19d42ba77eaa', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});

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.

an example of a business plan for a project

  • 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

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write a Powerful Executive Summary [+4 Top Examples]

How to Write a Powerful Executive Summary [+4 Top Examples]

19 Best Sample Business Plans & Examples to Help You Write Your Own

19 Best Sample Business Plans & Examples to Help You Write Your Own

What is a Business Plan? Definition, Tips, and Templates

What is a Business Plan? Definition, Tips, and Templates

Maximizing Your Social Media Strategy: The Top Aggregator Tools to Use

Maximizing Your Social Media Strategy: The Top Aggregator Tools to Use

The Content Aggregator Guide for 2023

The Content Aggregator Guide for 2023

7 Gantt Chart Examples You'll Want to Copy [+ 5 Steps to Make One]

7 Gantt Chart Examples You'll Want to Copy [+ 5 Steps to Make One]

The 8 Best Free Flowchart Templates [+ Examples]

The 8 Best Free Flowchart Templates [+ Examples]

15 Best Screen Recorders to Use for Collaboration

15 Best Screen Recorders to Use for Collaboration

The 25 Best Google Chrome Extensions for SEO

The 25 Best Google Chrome Extensions for SEO

Professional Invoice Design: 28 Samples & Templates to Inspire You

Professional Invoice Design: 28 Samples & Templates to Inspire You

2 Essential Templates For Starting Your Business

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

Growthink logo white

Project Management Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

project management business plan

Project Management Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their project management companies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a project management business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a project management business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your project management business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan

If you’re looking to start a project management business or grow your existing project management company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your project management business to improve your chances of success. Your project management business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Project Management Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a project management business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for project management companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a project management business.

If you want to start a project management business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your project management business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of project management business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a project management business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of project management businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

  • Give a brief overview of the project management industry.
  • Discuss the type of project management business you are operating.
  • Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
  • Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
  • Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of project management business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of project management businesses:

  • Marketing project management : this type of project management involves overseeing projects related to marketing and advertising.
  • Construction project management: this type of project management involves overseeing responsibilities related to planning and the logistics of a construction project.
  • Engineering project management: this type of project management is responsible for overseeing engineering projects to ensure they’re completed appropriately.
  • IT project management: this type of project management involves overseeing job duties such as establishing IT goals, overseeing the IT team’s processes and ensuring all project-related employees have the necessary resources to complete the project.

In addition to explaining the type of project management business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

  • When and why did you start the business?
  • What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of clients with positive outcomes, reaching X number of clients served, etc.
  • Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the project management industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the project management industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your project management business plan:

  • How big is the project management industry (in dollars)?
  • Is the market declining or increasing?
  • Who are the key competitors in the market?
  • Who are the key suppliers in the market?
  • What trends are affecting the industry?
  • What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
  • What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your project management business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your project management business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: small businesses, midsize companies and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of project management business you operate. Clearly, corporations would respond to different marketing promotions than small businesses, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

Finish Your Project Management Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other project management businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes in-house employees, online programs, or software. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

  • What types of clients do they serve?
  • What type of project management business are they?
  • What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
  • What are they good at?
  • What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

  • Will you provide your own staff?
  • Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
  • Will you provide better customer service?
  • Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a project management business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of project management company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide consulting, scheduling, budgeting, or staffing?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your project management company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your project management business located in a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your project management marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

  • Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
  • Attend industry events and tradeshows
  • Reach out to websites
  • Distribute flyers
  • Engage in email marketing
  • Advertise on social media platforms
  • Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your project management business, including answering calls, planning and providing project services, client interaction,  billing clients and/or vendors, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your project management business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your project management business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing project management businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a project management business or successfully running a small consulting firm.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you manage 5 clients per day, and/or offer consulting services? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your project management business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a project management business:

  • Cost of equipment and office supplies
  • Payroll or salaries paid to staff
  • Business insurance
  • Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a list of project management services you plan to offer.

Writing a business plan for your project management business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the project management industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful project management business.

Project Management Business Plan Template FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my project management business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your project management business plan.

How Do You Start a Project Management Business?

Starting a project management business is easy with these 14 steps:

  • Choose the Name for Your Project Management Business
  • Create Your Project Management Business Plan
  • Choose the Legal Structure for Your Project Management Business
  • Secure Startup Funding for Your Project Management Business (If Needed)
  • Secure a Location for Your Business
  • Register Your Project Management Business with the IRS
  • Open a Business Bank Account
  • Get a Business Credit Card
  • Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
  • Get Business Insurance for Your Project Management Business
  • Buy or Lease the Right Project Management Business Equipment
  • Develop Your Project Management Business Marketing Materials
  • Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Project Management Business
  • Open for Business

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Project Management business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how a Growthink business planning advisor can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Business Plan Template For Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

How to Write a Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples

Determined female African-American entrepreneur scaling a mountain while wearing a large backpack. Represents the journey to starting and growing a business and needing to write a business plan to get there.

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated February 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 business planning

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

You understand that planning helps you: 

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

As you start to write your 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 completing your 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

What’s your biggest business challenge right now?

  • 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

This 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

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

Last, but certainly not least, is your financial plan chapter. 

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 for your 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: How to collaborate with AI on your 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 you need to cover in a business plan sometimes isn’t quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

If you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template to get you started, 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

Free business plan templates and examples

Kickstart your business plan writing with one of our free business plan templates or recommended tools.

an example of a business plan for a project

Free business plan template

Download a free SBA-approved business plan template built for small businesses and startups.

Download Template

an example of a business plan for a project

One-page plan template

Download a free one-page plan template to write a useful business plan in as little as 30-minutes.

an example of a business plan for a project

Sample business plan library

Explore over 500 real-world business plan examples from a wide variety of industries.

View Sample Plans

an example of a business plan for a project

Write your plan faster with LivePlan

Try the business planning and growth tool trusted by over 1-million business owners.

Start your plan

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 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.

Having 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 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.

LivePlan Logo

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Content Author: Noah Parsons

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.

an example of a business plan for a project

Table of Contents

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

Related Articles

an example of a business plan for a project

5 Min. Read

Business vs operational vs strategic plan

an example of a business plan for a project

7 Min. Read

Laundromat business plan

an example of a business plan for a project

2 Min. Read

Understand the importance of intellectual property

an example of a business plan for a project

Food and beverage business plan

The LivePlan Newsletter

Become a smarter, more strategic entrepreneur.

Your first monthly newsetter will be delivered soon..

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy .

Garrett's Bike Shop

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

LivePlan pitch example

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

an example of a business plan for a project

an example of a business plan for a project

The 7 Best Business Plan Examples (2024)

So you want to start a business . Kudos! You’re doing big things.

One of the first steps to building a strong foundation for your new venture is to write a rock-solid business plan . When done right, your business plan can pave your path to success, all while helping you to smoothly cruise through any obstacles that may come up.

Plus, a good business plan can help you secure critical partnerships and funding that you might need in your early stages.

If you’re unsure how to write one, a great place to start is to learn from the pros. In this article, we’ll look at companies that built incredible business plans.

Take notes on the structure, format, and details. Hopefully you’ll leave with plenty of inspiration to write your own.

an example of a business plan for a project

Start selling online now with Shopify

an example of a business plan for a project

7-part template for business plan examples

We’ll look at a business plan that is structured using a seven-part template. Here’s a quick review of those parts:

  • Executive summary: A quick overview of your business and the contents of your business plan.
  • Company description: More info about your company, its goals and mission, and why you started it in the first place.
  • Market analysis: Research about the market and industry your business will operate in, including a competitive analysis about the companies you’ll be up against.
  • Products and services: A detailed description of what you’ll be selling to your customers.
  • Marketing plan: A strategic outline of how you plan to market and promote your business before, during, and after your company launches into the market.
  • Logistics and operations plan: An explanation of the systems, processes, and tools that are needed to run your business in the background.
  • Financial plan: A map of your short-term (and even long-term) financial goals and the costs to run the business. If you’re looking for funding, here’s the place to discuss your request and needs.

7 business plan examples (section by section)

In this section, you’ll find hypothetical and real-world examples of each aspect of a business plan to show you how the whole thing comes together. 

  • Executive summary

Your executive summary offers a high-level overview of the rest of your business plan. You’ll want to include a brief description of your company, market research, competitor analysis, and financial information.  

In ThoughtCo’s sample business plan for a fictional company called Acme Management Technology, the executive summary is three paragraphs and occupies nearly half the page:

business plan executive summary

  • Company description

You might go more in-depth with your company description and include the following sections:

  • Nature of the business. Mention the general category of business you fall under. Are you a manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of your products?
  • Background information. Talk about your past experiences and skills, and how you’ve combined them to fill in the market. 
  • Business structure. This section outlines how you registered your company —as a corporation, sole proprietorship, LLC, or other business type.
  • Industry. Which business sector do you operate in? The answer might be technology, merchandising, or another industry.
  • Team. Whether you’re the sole full-time employee of your business or you have contractors to support your daily workflow, this is your chance to put them under the spotlight.

You can also repurpose your company description elsewhere, like on your About page, Instagram page, or other properties that ask for a boilerplate description of your business. Hair extensions brand Luxy Hair has a blurb on its About page that could easily be repurposed as a company description for its business plan. 

company description business plan

  • Market analysis

Market analysis comprises research on product supply and demand, your target market, the competitive landscape, and industry trends. You might do a SWOT analysis to learn where you stand and identify market gaps that you could exploit to establish your footing. Here’s an example of a SWOT analysis we did for a hypothetical ecommerce business: 

marketing swot example

You’ll also want to run a competitive analysis as part of the market analysis component for your business plan. This will show you who you’re up against and give you ideas on how to gain an edge over the competition. 

  • Products and services

This part of your business plan describes your product or service, how it will be priced, and the ways it will compete against similar offerings in the market. Don’t go into too much detail here —a few lines are enough to introduce your item to the reader.

an example of a business plan for a project

  • Marketing plan

Potential investors will want to know how you’ll get the word out about your business. As such, it’s essential to build a marketing plan that highlights the promotion and customer acquisition strategies you’re planning to adopt. 

Most marketing plans focus on the four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion. However, it’s easier when you break it down by the different marketing channels . Mention how you intend to promote your business using blogs, email, social media, and word-of-mouth marketing. 

Here’s an example of a hypothetical marketing plan for a real estate website:

marketing section template for business plan

Logistics and operations

This section of your business plan provides information about your production, facilities, production, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory.

Financial plan

The financial plan (a.k.a. financial statement) offers a breakdown of your sales, revenue, expenses, profit, and other financial metrics. You’ll want to include all the numbers and concrete data to project your current and projected financial state. For example, the financial statement for ecommerce brand Nature’s Candy includes forecasted revenue, expenses, and net profit in graphs.

financial plan example

It then goes deeper into the financials, citing:

  • Funding needs
  • Project cash-flow statement
  • Project profit-and-loss statement
  • Projected balance sheet

You can use Shopify’s financial plan template to create your own income statement, cash-flow statement, and balance sheet. 

Types of business plan (and what to write for each)

A one-page business plan is a pared down version of a standard business plan that’s easy for potential investors and partners to understand. You’ll want to include all of the sections, but make sure they’re abbreviated and summarized.

  • Logistics and operations plan
  • Financials 

A startup business plan is meant to secure outside funding for a new business. Typically, there’s a big focus on the financials, as well as other sections that help determine the viability of your business idea —market analysis, for example. Shopify has a great business plan template for startups that include all the below points.

  • Market research: in depth
  • Financials: in depth

Internal 

Your internal business plan acts as the enforcer of your company’s vision. It reminds your team of the long-term objective and keeps them strategically aligned toward the same goal.

  • Market research

Feasibility 

A feasibility business plan is essentially a feasibility study that helps you evaluate whether your product or idea is worthy of a full business plan. 

Mix and match to make a killer business plan

The good news is: there’s no single right way to write a business plan. If you’re feeling unsure about how to craft yours, pull bits and pieces that you like from other examples, and leave out the parts that don’t apply or make sense for you.

The important thing is to clearly communicate your reason for starting the company, what’s needed to operate it, and how you plan to make it work in the long run.

When you can convince others that you have a killer game plan, you’ve nailed it.

Want to learn more?

  • Question: Are You a Business Owner or an Entrepreneur?
  • Bootstrapping a Business: 10 Tips to Help You Succeed
  • Entrepreneurial Mindset: 20 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur
  • 101+ Best Small Business Software Programs 

Oberlo uses cookies to provide necessary site functionality and improve your experience. By using our website, you agree to our privacy policy.

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

By Joe Weller | October 11, 2021

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn

Link copied

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.

Streamline Your Business Planning Activities with Real-Time Work Management in Smartsheet

Empower your people to go above and beyond with a flexible platform designed to match the needs of your team — and adapt as those needs change. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. 

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time.  Try Smartsheet for free, today.

Discover why over 90% of Fortune 100 companies trust Smartsheet to get work done.

Upmetrics AI Assistant: Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights. Learn How

Upmetrics

Business Planning

  • Financial Forecasting

AI Assistance

See how upmetrics works  →, strategic planning, entrepreneurs & small business, accelerators & incubators, business consultants & advisors, educators & business schools, students & scholars.

  • Sample Plans

Business Plan Course

Small business tools.

  • Strategic Canvas Templates

E-books, Guides & More

  • WHY UPMETRICS?

Customers Success Stories

  • Business Plan Builder
  • Canvas Modeling
  • Product Tour
  • Business Consultants and Advisors
  • Entrepreneurs And Small Businesses
  • Accelerators & Incubators
  • Educators & Business Schools
  • Students & Scholars
  • Sample Business Plans
  • business plan course
  • E-Books, Guides & More
  • Success Stories

400+ Business Plan Examples

an example of a business plan for a project

Select your Business Category

IT, Staffing & Customer Service

IT, Staffing & Customer Service (16)

Construction, Architecture & Engineering

Construction, Architecture & Engineering (17)

Food, Beverage & Restaurant

Food, Beverage & Restaurant (57)

Real Estate & Rentals

Real Estate & Rentals (16)

Mobile Apps & Software

Mobile Apps & Software (6)

Education & Training

Education & Training (14)

Beauty Salon & Fitness

Beauty Salon & Fitness (19)

Medical & Health Care

Medical & Health Care (39)

Retail, Consumers & E-commerce

Retail, Consumers & E-commerce (80)

Entertainment & Media

Entertainment & Media (43)

Try Upmetirics

Transportation, Logistics & Travel (26)

Agriculture, Farm & Food Production

Agriculture, Farm & Food Production (18)

Nonprofit & Community

Nonprofit & Community (9)

Manufacturing & Wholesale

Manufacturing & Wholesale (33)

Services

Services (213)

Clothing & Fashion

Clothing & Fashion (12)

Children & Pets

Children & Pets (16)

Fine Art & Crafts

Fine Art & Crafts (5)

Events

Cleaning, Maintenance & Repair (22)

Hotel & Lodging

Hotel & Lodging (9)

Finance & Investing

Finance & Investing (13)

Consulting, Advertising & Marketing

Consulting, Advertising & Marketing (22)

Accounting, Insurance & Compliance

Accounting, Insurance & Compliance (5)

Didn't find what you are looking for.

The answer is simple.

It’s an informal business plan that can convince you that your idea makes sense to the outside world because you are investing your time, money, and everything into that idea.

To write a business plan, maybe you think you don’t need a step-by-step guide or a sample business plan . After all, some entrepreneurs achieved success without writing a business plan. With great timing, past business experiences, entrepreneurial ambitions, and a little luck, some entrepreneurs build successful businesses without even writing an informal business plan.

But the odds are greater than those entrepreneurs fail.

And that’s why writing a business plan will help you succeed .

The easiest way to simplify the work of writing a business plan is to start with sample business plans.

What is business plan sample?

Why you should refer a business plan example, who should use business plan examples, how to use sample business plans.

Upmetrics logo

What is Business Plan Sample?

That’s why we created business plan examples to help you get started.

an example of a business plan for a project

Use our 400+ business plan examples written for all industries and write your business plan in half of the time with twice the impact.

an example of a business plan for a project

  • Guidance on what to include in each section.  If you’ve never attended business school, you might never have created a  SWOT analysis   or a balance sheet before. Business templates that give guidance — in plain language — about what to include and how to fill in each section and create a complete and effective plan.
  • A business plan is vital to get an investment.  If you’re seeking investment for your business, you’ll need to convince banks and investors why they should invest in your business . Lenders and investors will only risk their time and money if they’re certain that your business will be successful and profitable and they will get a great return on their investment.
  • A business plan can help you prioritize.  A complete, well-balanced business plan is one of the most valuable tools in assisting you to reach your long-term goals. It gives your business direction, defines your goals, outlines out strategies to reach your goals, and helps you to manage possible bumps in the way.

Who should use Business Plan Examples?

an example of a business plan for a project

Well Everyone, who wants to write a business plan should use these sample business plans. These plans apply to almost all industries.

We have created a library of professional sample business plans from a wide variety of industries to help you start writing your business plan with minimum effort.

Use our Upmetrics — business plan software that offers step by step guide to start writing your business plan , especially if you’re writing an informal business plan to get a bank loan or outside investment.

Our extensive sample business plans library includes  business plan templates  and  business plan examples  for almost all business industries.

Make your plan in half the time & twice the impact with Upmetrics.

an example of a business plan for a project

How to use Business Plan Examples to write your own?

Having real-life and industry-specific business plan examples by your side can be incredibly resourceful to help you write a business plan from scratch. 

A well-planned structure helps you outline your plan, while content inspiration helps you set the tone for your business document. 

Let’s dive deep and understand how to use these examples effectively to write your business plan.

1. Use examples as a guide

2. understanding the structure.

Traditional business plans generally follow a similar structure. 

It starts with an executive summary followed by a company description, market analysis, product and services, sales and marketing strategies, operational plan, management team, financial plan, and appendix.

Using an example business plan is the best way to understand the structure and outline your plan. 

3. Gaining Inspiration

Reading industry-specific business plan examples can help you gain inspiration for your plan. You can gain insights on presenting your business idea, vision, mission, and values and persuade investors to invest in your idea.

4. Learning Industry-Specific Language

There’s no universal template for business planning that fits all. An industry-specific template can help you learn and understand the business language for your industry and the best way to communicate your message to your investors.

5. Identifying Key Elements

Reading business plan examples of similar businesses can help you identify the key elements and information to include in your plan. You can keep note of these and ensure everything necessary for investors to consider is present in your final draft.

6. Crafting Financial Projections

A financial plan is a critical component of your business plan, and a good business plan example can help you better understand how they project their financials which can be incredibly helpful while forecasting yours.

7. Refining Your Executive Summary

As mentioned earlier, your executive summary is a key factor influencing potential investors and lenders to invest or lend you money. Analyzing free business plan templates can help you optimize your executive summary to make it more brief, persuasive, and attention-grabbing.

8. Realizing What Works and What Doesn’t

Analyzing industry-specific and real-life examples can help you determine what works best and what doesn’t within your industry. Understanding these factors can help you avoid many significant pitfalls.

While business plan examples can be incredibly helpful in writing a plan from scratch, ensure your plan is customized for your business and sends out a unique message. Your business plan must reflect its unique idea, vision, and target market.

Using your Business Plan as a Management Tool

It’s essential to have a business plan, but it’s also crucial to keep it up to date as your business progresses. A business plan is not merely a document that you write once and forget after you get started. It’s a business road map and vision that you should develop as your business progresses and evolves. It’s also important to update your business plan regularly as your business situation and position change.

How Business Plan Software can help you?

editor-half

We have created Upmetrics — business plan software to simplify the process of business planning.

Our financial forecasting module will create all the essential reports automatically. You just need to enter numbers and the application will do all the math to generate your financial reports. Later you can embed those reports into your business plan.

After completing your business plan, you can download your business plan in PDF or DOC file using Upmetrics. Also, you can share it online with investors or with other important people just by a quick link.

Ready to take the next step?

Now that you have a business idea and you know how to write a business plan, it’s time to go for it . Our business plan software will take you through each step outlined above in more detail so there are no surprises on your journey.

Upmetrics logo

Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights.

Imad Ahmed

Founder, CEO & Lead Scientist at Nanolyse Technologies

After trying Upmetrics, I wish to highly recommend this app to anyone who needs to write a business plan flexibly and to a high standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sample business plan, how do i write a business plan.

In business plan writing you will need to write the following sections into your business plan. These sections include an Executive Summary, Company Overview, Problem Analysis, The Solution, Market Analysis, Customer Analysis, Competitive Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Marketing Plan, Operations Plan, and Financial Plan.

Check out our article to learn how you can write these sections in detail for your business plan.

How long should my business plan be?

The length of your business plan depends on the type of plan you choose. There are one-page business plans that offer easy and practical planning. Then you have traditional business plans that usually vary from 20 to 50 pages. It’s worth noting that the quality of your business plan matters more than its length.

Should I hire someone to write my business plan for me?

Absolutely No, You as a business owner know all about your business idea, your business goals, target market and audience, and what you want to achieve by writing your plan. Don’t hire someone who doesn’t know what your readers will want, the reason is that, if you intend to raise funds, you are the best person that understands what investors will look out for in your business plan.

Consultants or  business plan writers  definitely can write a business plan but not better than you.

Looking for a faster way to finish your business plan?

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

trustpilot reviews

Popular Templates

Run and collaborate on creative projects more smoothly.

Plan, manage, and track product launches and campaigns.

Stay organized and communicate critical details to teams.

Streamline and scale manufacturing operations.

an example of a business plan for a project

See how TeamGantt helps teams like yours meet deadlines, streamline communication.

an example of a business plan for a project

Successful marketing project starts with a plan.

Track event details and to-dos.

Scope out roadmaps and manage backlogs.

Manage design, copy, and video work.

Learn all about gantt charts and how to use them to manage projects more easily.

Hear real testimonials from real TeamGantt customers.

An image of the TeamGantt gantt chart.

How to Create a Realistic Project Plan with Templates & Examples

an example of a business plan for a project

As a project manager, a huge part of your role is to write project plans that help you keep projects on track. But that’s not all a project plan should do. 

A project plan is arguably the most important document you’ll create for a project. At its core, a plan should communicate your project approach and the process your team will use to manage the project according to scope.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can develop a rock-solid planning process that guides your team and projects to success.

What is a project plan?

Project plan example: what to include, why you should always write a project plan, 5 steps to an effective project planning process, how to create a project plan in teamgantt, free project plan templates.

A project plan is a document that maps out the tasks, effort, timing, and resources needed to meet project goals within a predefined scope. It’s often presented in the form of a gantt chart because it’s easy to visualize the project timeline and ensure work stays on track.

Any solid project management plan should answer the following questions:

  • What are the major deliverables?
  • How will we get to those deliverables and the deadline?
  • Who’s on the project team, and what role will they play in those deliverables?
  • Which stakeholders need to provide feedback on deliverables, and when?
  • When will the team meet milestones?

A project plan communicates this information in a simple, straightforward way so everyone clearly understands the objectives and how they contribute to project success. It may also be accompanied by other planning documents, such as a project charter , risk assessment , or communication plan .

While no two project plans are alike, they all share the same common building blocks. Be sure to include the following components in any project plan you create:

  • Project tasks : A detailed list of work to be done organized by project phase, process step, or work group
  • Project schedule : A visual timeline of task start dates, durations, and deadlines, with clear progress indicators
  • Key milestones : Major events, dates, decisions, and deliverables used for tracking forward progress
  • Dependencies : A line connecting tasks that need to happen in a certain order
  • Resources : Assignments that indicate the person or team responsible for completing a task

Here’s a simple example of what a project plan looks like with these basic elements highlighted:

An example of a project plan in gantt chart format with the following components highlighted: project tasks, project schedule, key milestones, dependencies, and resources.

Some people don’t understand the power of a good project plan. If you feel pressured to skip the plan and jump right into the work, remind your team and stakeholders that having a plan benefits everyone by making it easier to:

  • Build consensus before work begins : A detailed project plan ensures everyone has a clear understanding of—and agrees on—the overall process, scope, staffing, and even communications from the outset. That goes a long way in keeping project confusion and pop-up requests from gumming up the works.
  • Avoid scheduling conflicts : Project plans enable you to organize tasks so it’s clear who's responsible for what and when. If your team is juggling multiple projects, you can cross-reference other plans to see who’s available to take on new work before committing to a timeline.
  • Monitor project goals and scope : When new tasks creep in, it’s easy to lose sight of the original objectives. Spelling out the work you need to complete in a time-based plan keeps project goals front and center so you can ensure project scope stays intact.  ‍
  • Hold your team and stakeholders accountable : A good project plan sets expectations around the process and pacing you'll follow each step of the way. When plans are shared with teams and stakeholders, it keeps folks honest about what is—or isn’t—happening and forces you to resolve issues in a timely way.

Poor planning can lead to some pretty ugly consequences—from missed deadlines and budget overages to team burnout and client frustration. That’s why it’s important to establish a solid process you can use to plan any project. 

Planning a project doesn’t have to be difficult. These basic project planning steps can help you write a plan that’s both realistic and on target.

A chart that outlines 5 steps of the project planning process: 1. Discover & define; 2. Outline & draft; 3. Formalize & format; 4. Present & confirm; 5. Execute & adjust

  • Start with project discovery & definition
  • Draft a rough outline of your plan
  • Formalize your project management plan
  • Present & confirm your plan
  • Execute your plan & adjust as needed

Step 1: Start with project discovery and definition

A project plan is more than a dry document with dates. It’s the story of your project, and you don’t want it to be a tall tale! So make sure you know all the facts before you start creating a project plan.

Understand the project scope and value

Understanding the ins and outs of the project will help you determine the best process and identify any snags that might get in the way of success. Conduct your own research to dig deeper on:

  • Project goals and outcomes
  • Partnerships and outlying dependencies
  • Potential issues and risks

Review the scope of work , and dive into any documents or communications relevant to the project (maybe an RFP or notes from sales calls or client meetings). Be thorough in your research to uncover critical project details, and ask thoughtful questions before you commit to anything. 

Interview key stakeholders

If you want to dazzle stakeholders with a stellar project delivery, you’ve got to know how they work and what they expect. Schedule time with your main project contact, and ask them some tough questions about process, organizational politics, and general risks before creating a project plan. 

This will give project stakeholders confidence that your team has the experience to handle any difficult personality or situation. It also shows you care about the success of the project from the start.

Be sure to discuss these things with your stakeholders:

  • Product ownership and the decision-making process
  • Stakeholder interest/involvement levels
  • Key outages, meetings, deadlines, and driving factors
  • Related or similar projects, goals, and outcomes
  • The best way to communicate with partners and stakeholders

See a list of sample interview questions to ask stakeholders so you can develop better project plans.

Get to know your team

The last step in the research phase is to take time to learn more about the people who’ll be responsible for the work. Sit down with your team and get to know their:

  • Collaboration and communication styles
  • Availability and workload

Understanding these basics about your team will help you craft a thoughtful plan that takes their work styles and bandwidth into consideration. After all, a happy team delivers better projects.

Step 2: Draft a rough outline of your plan

Now that you’ve gathered the basic project details, the next step is to knock out a rough draft of your plan. Take some time to think about the discussions you had in the pre-planning phase and the approach your team might take to meet the project goals.

Sketch out the main components of your project plan

Sit down with a pen and paper (or a whiteboard), and outline how the project should work at a high level. Be sure you have a calendar close by to check dates.

If you’re at a loss for where to begin, start with the who, what, when, and how of the project. A first outline can be very rough and might look something like a work breakdown structure . Make sure your project outline includes the following components:

  • Deliverables and the tasks required to create them
  • Your client’s approval process
  • Timeframes associated with tasks/deliverables
  • Ideas on resources needed for tasks/deliverables
  • A list of the assumptions you’re making in the plan
  • A list of absolutes as they relate to the project budget and/or deadlines

Considering these elements will help you avoid surprises—or at least minimize them. And remember, you’re doing this as a draft so you can use it as a conversation-starter for your team. It’s not final yet!

Get input from your team on process, effort, and timing

You don’t want to put yourself or your team in an awkward position by not coming to a consensus on the approach before presenting it to your client. That's why a project manager can’t be the only one writing a project plan.

Once you’ve created a basic project outline, take those rough ideas and considerations to your team. This enables you to invite discussion about what might work rather than simply dictating a process. After all, every project must begin with clear communication of the project goals and the effort required to meet them. 

Be sure to get input from your team on how they can complete the tasks at hand without killing the budget and the team’s morale. As a project manager, you can decide on Agile vs. Waterfall approaches , but when it comes down to it, you need to know that the team can realistically execute the plan.

You can also use this review time to question your own thinking and push the team to take a new approach to the work. For example, if you’re working on a digital product, could designers start creating visual concepts while the wireframes are being developed? Or can you have two resources working on the same task at once?

Running ideas by the team and having an open dialogue about the approach not only helps you build a more accurate project plan. It gets everyone thinking about the project in the same terms. This type of buy-in and communication builds trust and gets people excited about working together to solve a goal. It can work wonders for the greater good of your team and project.

Step 3: Formalize your project management plan

You should feel comfortable enough at this point to put together a rock-solid project schedule using whatever tool works for you. 

Build out a detailed project schedule that’s easy to read

Any good online project planning tool will help you formalize your thoughts and lay them out in a consistent, visual format that’s easy to follow and track. (Ahem, TeamGantt works nicely for a lot of happy customers. ) 

Make sure tasks have clear start and end dates so there’s no question when work needs to happen to hit project deadlines. Organize work into phases, and use labels and/or color-coding to improve scannability. The easier your project plan is to understand at a glance, the better!

See how to create a project plan in TeamGantt

Consider how your team likes to work

Be as flexible as possible when it comes to how your project plan is presented. There's no absolute when it comes to how to format your plan as long as you and your team understand what goes into one.

Remember, people absorb information differently. While you might be partial to a gantt chart, others might prefer to view tasks in a list, calendar, or even a kanban board. You can make all of those variations work if you’ve taken the steps to create a solid plan.

For example, here’s an Agile project plan we built that lists each sprint as its own task group with milestones for sprint planning and deployment.

Agile project plan example with 2 sprints scheduled on a timeline

And here’s what that same project plan looks like if you turn it into a kanban board in TeamGantt. Simply click the Board tab and set up your columns so your team can manage their daily workflows more easily.

Sample Agile project plan in a kanban board view with columns for to do, in progress, and done

If your team currently prefers spreadsheets and isn’t quite ready to use TeamGantt yet, try our free Excel gantt chart template .

Step 4: Present and confirm your plan

You’re almost finished! Now it’s time to do your due diligence. It’s easy to throw stuff in a plan, but you have to make sure you get it right.

Run your final plan by your internal team

Your team needs to know the reality of your plan as it stands after you’ve built it out in TeamGantt. And you want to be sure they’re comfortable committing to the details. If they don’t, things will quickly fall apart!

Always review your final plan with your team before delivering it to stakeholders. Why? Because things like dates and tasks—and even assignments—will shift as you formalize the rough sketch of your plan. 

Here are a few things you’ll want to discuss with your team as you review the final plan together:

  • Review times
  • Team work times
  • Dependencies
  • Time off, meetings, and milestones
  • The final deadline
  • Any assumptions you’ve made
  • Major changes since your last talk

There’s nothing more embarrassing than delivering a plan with an error or a promise you can’t keep. Taking a few minutes to get buy-in from your team will give everyone peace of mind about your plan.

Review your project plan with stakeholders

Once you’ve confirmed the plan with your team and have their full sign-off, you’re ready to share your project plan with stakeholders . 

When delivering your project plan, make sure you provide an executive summary. This might come in the form of a project brief . A short recap of the overall methodology, resources, assumptions, deadlines, and related review times will help you convey what the plan means to the project and everyone involved.

Project plans can be daunting, so schedule time to present your project plan to stakeholders at a high level. Here are some things you’ll want to point out about your plan during this review:

  • Overall process and pacing
  • Major deliverables and timing
  • The time they’ll have to review deliverables
  • Overall timing for task groups or phases
  • How far off you are from the deadline
  • Wiggle room on the final deadline

If a stakeholder is interested in the day-to-day details, feel free to walk them through the plan line by line. Otherwise, start by explaining overall sections or phases, and be sure to come back to your plan at intervals throughout the project to remind them of tasks, next steps, and overall progress.

Step 5: Execute your plan and adjust as needed

Some projects are smooth and easy to manage, and others are a complete nightmare that wake you up at 3 a.m. every other night. Thankfully, having a solid project plan is your best defense against project chaos once work gets underway.

Keep in mind that project plans are living documents. Projects change constantly, and someone has to stay on top of—and document—that change. Remember to:

  • Update your plan regularly as work progresses and things change
  • Communicate changes to your team, partners, and stakeholders
  • Monitor and communicate risks as your project evolves

Ready to plan your project in TeamGantt? Follow these easy steps to build a plan that’s structured well and includes the elements you need for project success.

1. Enter your basic project details.

To create a new project plan in TeamGantt, click the New Project button in the upper right corner of the My Projects screen. Then enter your project name and start date, and select the days of the week you want to include in your plan. Click Create New Project to move on to the next step.

Example of the project creation screen in TeamGantt

2. List out your project tasks and milestones.

Now the real planning fun begins! Enter all the different tasks it will take to get the job done. If there are any key meetings, deliverable deadlines, or approvals, add those as milestones in your project plan.

List of tasks organized into 2 task groups in a project plan

3. Organize tasks into subgroups. 

Scrolling through one long list of tasks can be mind-numbing, even to the best of us. Break tasks down into phases or sections to ensure your project plan is easy to read and understand. 

4. Add task durations and milestone dates to the project timeline.

A visual project plan makes it easy to see exactly what needs to get done by when. Make sure every task has a start and end date so nothing falls through the cracks. TeamGantt’s drag and drop feature makes this planning step quick and easy.

Example of TeamGantt's drag and drop scheduling for task durations

5. Connect related tasks with dependencies.

Adding dependencies between tasks ensures work gets done in the right order and also helps you plan for delay risks. If your plan shifts and you need to move tasks around, dependencies speed up the process.

Example of a dependency line connecting a task assigned to Peggy to a subsequent task assigned to Don

6. Assign responsible team members to tasks.

That way there’s no confusion about who’s doing what, and your team can update and manage their daily tasks . Don’t forget to check team availability along the way to avoid overloading anyone with too much work.

Task assignment in TeamGantt

7. Use the RACI chart to define task roles more clearly.

This feature takes accountability one step further by letting you assign more specific roles to each task: Responsible , Accountable , Consulted , and Informed . Learn how RACI charts work and what each role means.

Example of RACI assignments in TeamGantt for a digital marketing campaign project plan

8. Add hourly estimates and/or points to each task. 

This makes it easy to see the lift each task involves at a glance. Including hourly estimates in your project plan also enables you to manage workloads and track overages more accurately.

Example of estimated hours for tasks in a project plan with actual vs estimated hours progress indicators

9. Color-code tasks for better scannability.

You can use colors to categorize tasks by project phase, priority, department, or team member—whatever makes visual sense to you and your team.

Example of color selection menu in TeamGantt for color-coding taskbars on the timeline

10. Add notes to clarify tasks or spell out important details.

There’s no such thing as too much information if it means your team has what they need to deliver quality work on time. Use the Notes section of your Discussion tab to enter any pertinent details your team will find helpful.

Task detail window example with notes on scope and word count, as well as a creative brief attached to the task

11. Upload important documents to the project.

This ensures project files are accessible to everyone in a centralized hub.  For example, you might attach your creative brief to the project so your content and design teams have clear direction for completing their deliverables.

If you’re planning a project for the first time or taking on a totally new type of project, you might be struggling to get your plan off the ground. We created a simple project management plan template to help you get started.

TeamGantt gives you the ability to quickly and easily build and adjust your plan using drag and drop scheduling. Plus, it comes with customizable views to fit every team member’s work style. 

Try our basic project plan template for free!

Basic project plan template in TeamGantt with placeholder tasks that can easily be customized

Looking for more specific project plan examples to jumpstart your process? Use these project planning templates to generate ideas and save time building out your plan:

  • Construction project plan template
  • Event planning template
  • Strategic marketing plan template
  • Tactical marketing plan template
  • Software development plan template
  • Video production schedule template
  • Website project plan template

Plan your next project in minutes

Discover just how easy project planning can be with TeamGantt. Create your first gantt chart for free!

How to Write a Project Plan: Template and Examples

Create a blueprint for your project and keep the stakeholders aligned.

Starting a new project is exciting – it may be tempting to jump straight into it and figure things out as you go along.

But going in without a plan is bound to result in chaos. At best, your team members will charge ahead without fully understanding how their work fits in. At worst, they won't even know where to start.

Poor planning is cited as one of the main reasons behind failed projects, but it doesn't have to be this way. Let's dive deeper into what a project plan looks like and how it should be written.

What is a project plan?

Project plan example, project plan template, how to create a project plan.

A project plan is a structured document that defines the project goals and specifies how these goals will be achieved. PRINCE2 , a structured project management method adopted in many countries worldwide, formally defines a project plan as a "statement of how and when a project's objectives are to be achieved, by showing the major products, milestones, activities, and resources required on the project".

A project plan is prepared by the project manager (often based on the previously approved project proposal ) and serves as a roadmap and a single source of truth for the team. It is a living document that evolves together with the project, capturing all changes and decisions and facilitating communication among project stakeholders.

What should be included in a project plan

When most people hear "project plan", they tend to imagine a gantt chart – but a visual timeline is only a small part of it. A thorough project plan needs to cover several important topics, including:

Objective & motivation : Why are you investing resources into this project?

Deliverables : What needs to be accomplished at the end of the project?

Scope : What is relevant to the success of the project? What is excluded?

Budget : What are the cost estimates for delivering this project?

Tasks & responsibilities: What are the specific tasks that need to be carried out? Who will be responsible for them?

Timeline & milestones : What are the main phases of the project? When does each phase start and end?

There are hundreds of project plan examples online – many of them are in the form of flashy, colorful diagrams, spreadsheets, and timelines. They may be pretty to look at, but are they practical?

A project plan should not look like a slide out of a sales deck. Its goal is not to dazzle its audience, but to be as clear and informative as possible in order to keep all stakeholders on the same page.

Here's an example of what a project plan could look like in Nuclino :

Project plan example

Nuclino is a unified workspace where you can not only plan, document, and manage your projects, but also build your internal knowledge base , collaborate on internal documentation , onboard new employees , take meeting minutes , and more. Rather than using a tool like Trello to manage your projects and a separate software like Google Docs to document them, with Nuclino you can bring it all together in one place and collaborate without the chaos of files and folders, context switching, or silos.

Manage projects in Nuclino

Using a project plan template is an easy way to save time and ensure that your project documentation stays consistent. Although project plans differ from company to company, the high-level structure is usually the same.

Project plan template

Remember – a project plan is supposed to be a living document . It's not something you write once at the beginning of the project and then set in stone.

A project plan needs to be collaboratively maintained and kept up-to-date by all stakeholders – that means that it can't be hidden away in some folder on your hard drive. Pick a project documentation tool that supports real-time collaboration and is easily accessible to your entire team.

Once you have the right tool in place, start with the broad strokes and refine the details as the project takes shape.

Define the scope and objectives

Begin by outlining the goals of your project – think of it as a business case that needs to provide answers to the following questions:

Why is this project being initiated?

What are the underlying hypotheses?

What will be the ideal outcome and the ROI?

Define the roles and responsibilities

Next, you need to identify the project stakeholders – the ones who are responsible for its success. After you get the initial buy-in from them, you can define roles and assign responsibilities. In some cases, one person can fill multiple roles, while in others, multiple people may hold identical roles.

Set milestones and create a timeline

Now, it's time to break down the work that needs to be done into manageable blocks. Consider the goals you set earlier and derive a list of activities needed to achieve them. These activities need to be mapped to specific milestones and organized chronologically in a timeline. Milestone deadlines do not have to be exact dates, but the more precise, the better.

Hold a kick-off meeting

Much of the work until this point can be done asynchronously , but at a certain point, you need to bring all stakeholders together and align on the details. Use this opportunity to review the project plan and ensure that the team shares the same vision for the project. Prepare a meeting agenda and share it with the stakeholders in advance, as soon as you schedule the meeting .

After the first iteration of your project plan is finalized, don't rush to laminate it. No matter how thorough your research has been, it's highly likely that some of your estimations of cost, time, or scope will need to be corrected. But as long as you review the project plan regularly, keep it up-to-date, and preserve a log of all decisions, it can be a highly efficient project planning tool for keeping your project on track.

Nuclino : Your team's collective brain

Nuclino

Nuclino brings all your team's knowledge, docs, and projects together in one place. It's a modern, simple, and blazingly fast way to collaborate, without the chaos of files and folders, context switching, or silos.

Create a central knowledge base and give your team a single source of truth.

Collaborate in real time or asynchronously and spend less time in meetings.

Manage and document your projects in one place without losing context.

Organize, sort, and filter all kinds of data with ease.

Integrate the tools you love , like Slack, Google Drive, Figma, Lucidchart, and more.

Ready to get started?

  • Why Nuclino?
  • Apps & Integrations
  • Sidekick (AI)

Business growth

Business tips

How to create a goal-crushing project plan (+ 13 templates)

These project plan templates will prepare you for a smooth project..

Hero image with an icon representing a project template or Kanban board

If I learned anything from my borderline unhealthy obsession with "The Price is Right," it's that you can't underestimate the power of a good plan. Convinced I was just a hop, skip, and a "Come on down!" away from Showcase Showdown glory, I drafted a meticulous battle plan for how I would crush all the people who think a toaster oven costs the same as a Camry.

Even if the most meticulously laid plans are at the mercy of a capricious host with a skinny microphone, starting with a project plan template lays a foundation of order and direction in a world where the rules are made up and the points don't matter. (Wait, wrong show.)

In this post, I'll show you how the right project plan template can bring that same level of preparedness to your professional projects.

Table of contents:

What is a project plan template?

13 free project plan templates, who uses the project plan template, how to create a project plan in 7 steps, automate your project plan, what is a project plan.

A project plan is a formal document that details how a project will be executed by outlining the purpose, resources, scope, timeline, and deliverables required to complete said project. It guides teams on what the project is supposed to achieve, helps them communicate, keeps track of goals, decisions, and changes, and monitors progress.

The project plan isn't just a roadmap for how to proceed; it's also a vital tool for managing risk, ensuring clarity and transparency, and serving as a communication medium between all stakeholders. It provides a foundation for subsequent detailed planning, such as resource allocation and scheduling, and is essential for maintaining control over the project's progression.

Put simply: imagine trying to whip up a soufflé for the first time without a recipe. You might end up with a deflated mess and egg on your face (possibly literally). A project plan ensures you won't need a towel.

Zapier Interfaces , a no-code app builder, has a simple project plan template that lets you store data, create an interface for users to interact with, and set up workflows to automate the plan.

What does a project plan look like?

A project plan can take various forms, depending on the project's needs and complexity. It might be a comprehensive multi-page document detailing every phase, milestone, and activity or a succinct one-pager for smaller projects. Visual representations like a Gantt chart are often used to depict task sequences and dependencies, highlighting how different tasks interlink and the project's overall workflow.

Who crafts a project plan?

The project manager or a dedicated project planning team is responsible for crafting a project plan. This team must deeply understand the project's objectives, constraints, and the steps required to complete it successfully. Creating a project plan involves a series of strategic decisions, such as defining project phases and milestones, setting up timelines, and breaking the project into bite-size pieces, so the team doesn't choke on ambition.

A project plan template is a pre-formatted document that serves as a starting point for outlining the approach to a project. It typically includes sections for the project scope, objectives, timelines, resource allocation, risk assessment, and communication strategies (unless telepathy is in the budget).

These templates are vital, as they offer a structured framework ensuring consistency and thorough planning. They help avoid overlooking critical elements, streamline the planning process, and increase productivity, all while facilitating clear communication, aligning stakeholders, and setting a clear path to project completion. By using one, you're basically copying off the smart kid in class—you'll hit all the marks without having to think too hard.

Why reinvent the wheel when someone else has already done the heavy lifting for you? In a gracious act of charity, I present to you not one, not two, but 13 free project management templates. (Don't thank me too much—my design team made them.) Feel free to use them as is or, if you're feeling fancy, jazz them up with your own branding and visual elements.

1. Project proposal template

Screenshot of a project proposal template

A project proposal template provides a standardized format for outlining a project's objectives, scope, methodology, and resources. Aimed at persuading stakeholders or clients to approve and fund the project, think of this project management plan template as your first date outfit—designed to impress, communicate your best attributes, and get a "yes" to that second date or, in this case, the green light on your project.

2. Project kickoff meeting template

Screenshot of a project kickoff meeting template

A project kickoff meeting agenda is a guide that outlines the important topics to tackle during an initial meeting with project stakeholders to align goals, expectations, roles, and timelines for a new project. It's your project's pilot episode, where you introduce the cast of characters, set the scene, and tease the drama that'll unfold as your plan comes to life.

3. Project brief template

Screenshot of a project brief template

A project brief template is your project's elevator pitch on paper—a short, snappy document that tells everyone on the elevator (team members and stakeholders) why they should care about what you're doing before they reach their floor.

4. Gantt chart project plan template

Screenshot of a Gantt chart project plan template

A Gantt chart project plan template is a visual tool that outlines a project schedule, showing the start and finish dates of elements within the project and how they relate to each other over time. It's like a time-travel map for your project, visually plotting out your tasks in a way Doc Brown would appreciate.

5. Project communications plan template

Screenshot of a communications plan project template

A project communications plan template outlines the strategies, methods, frequency, and responsibilities for all communications within a project, ensuring no wires get crossed.

6. Business case template

Screenshot of a business case project template

A business case template is a bit like your project's resume. It highlights the skills (benefits), experience (costs), and special zing (risks and rewards) to convince the big bosses to hire (approve) your project.

7. Risk management project plan template

Screenshot of a risk management project plan template

A risk management project plan template is designed to identify potential risks in a project, analyze their impact, and outline mitigation strategies to ensure project continuity. It's your project's horror movie survival guide, except instead of avoiding chainsaw-wielding maniacs, you're sidestepping budget blowouts and timeline traps.

8. Project activity template

Screenshot of a project activity template

A project activity template is like a chore chart for grown-ups, detailing who's doing what, where, and when—hopefully without the bribery of gold stars and ice cream.

9. Project budget allocation template

Screenshot of a project budget allocation template

A project budget allocation template provides a structured approach to estimate the costs associated with various aspects of a project, helping to manage and distribute financial resources appropriately.

10. Project status report template

Screenshot of a project status report template

A project status report template summarizes a project's progress, risks, and issues, keeping stakeholders informed about its current state. It's basically your project's report card.

11. Resource management project plan template

Screenshot of a resource management project plan template

A resource management project plan template helps plan, allocate, and schedule the resources needed to complete a project.

12. Project monthly monitoring template

Screenshot of a project monthly monitoring template

A project monthly monitoring template is used to track the project's progression, financial status, and performance metrics systematically every month. It's like a monthly diary entry for your project but with fewer feelings.

13. Project change request template

Screenshot of a project change request template

A project change request template is a formal document that outlines a request for a change in the project, detailing the nature of the change, its impacts, and justification. This is the polite way of saying, "Hey, I know what we agreed on, but I've had a better (or more terrifying) idea, and here's a form filled out in triplicate about why we should do it."

A project planning template and the resulting project plan are used by a bunch of folks involved in the project's lifespan.

Project managers: Armed with a template and a dream, project managers are responsible for creating a clear and comprehensive project plan. They're constantly checking the plan like it's a newborn baby to make sure everything's on track and no one has accidentally dropped the project on its head.

Project team: These are the folks in the trenches who use the plan throughout the project execution phase. It helps them understand their roles, responsibilities, and timelines, providing a clear path to follow.

Subject matter experts: These are the brainiacs you call when you can't figure out how to fit that last puzzle piece. Their expertise helps in creating an accurate and feasible plan.

Stakeholders: These are the people, like clients and executives, who rely on the project plan for progress updates and a glimpse into the future of the project. It's as if they're trying to read tea leaves, discerning the fate of the project from the swirling patterns of tasks and deadlines.

Other departments: Depending on the nature of the project, departments like Finance, Marketing, or HR might also use the project plan template to align their activities with the project's scope and timeline.

The more these groups are involved in the plan creation and execution, the more collaborative and inclusive the project environment is. This effort also increases the likelihood of catching and rectifying any potential issues early in the project lifecycle, like a safety net made of collective brainpower and teamwork.

If you're the sort who likes to prep for a zombie apocalypse with a well-stocked pantry and a blunt object near every door, then you probably know the power of a good project plan. But drafting your own is a different story. These seven steps to banging out a project plan will make you feel like the boss of everything, including the undead.

1. Define the project scope and objectives

The project scope outlines the boundaries and limitations of the project, serving as a guideline to ensure the project doesn't deviate from its intended path. It helps in preventing scope creep, the sneaky goblin that eats your budget and poops out deadline delays.

Well-defined objectives offer a clear vision of what the project aims to achieve. They serve as a motivating factor for the project team, encouraging them to work toward a common goal. It's like gathering a group of first-graders and challenging them to build the world's tallest LEGO tower. Suddenly, their chaotic energy transforms into focused determination.

Additionally, objectives provide a benchmark against which you can measure the project's success. Making objectives as clear as my grandma's moonshine ensures that every decision and action taken aligns with the project's ultimate goals.

2. Identify key stakeholders and team members

Identifying key stakeholders and team members during project initiation is about as crucial as remembering to put on pants before leaving the house. Sure, you could wing it, but you'll likely encounter some uncomfortable situations and potential embarrassment along the way.

Stakeholders, like senior management and investors, have a vested interest in the project, and their input can be invaluable in shaping the project's direction. They provide resources, unique perspectives, and the uncanny ability to spot potential disasters from a mile away.

Team members are the fine folks who will bring your project plan to life, so make sure you know who's who and what they're responsible for. By doing this, you'll foster a sense of ownership and promote a collaborative work environment where everyone understands how their role contributes to the project's success.

3. Develop a work breakdown structure

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a visual tool that breaks down all the work a project needs into smaller, more manageable parts. It's like that weird quote about eating an elephant. You wouldn't just shove the whole thing in your mouth, right? You'd start with small bites. The WBS is your fork and knife in this elephant-sized project feast.

Starting with the top level representing the overall project goal, each step down the hierarchy gets more detailed. The last level of the WBS is where you'll find measurable, actionable tasks.

4. Create a project timeline

Once all tasks have been created and organized in the WBS, you'll have to start estimating how long each task is going to take. It's a bit like guessing how many jelly beans are in the jar at a carnival, but with more spreadsheets. Assign a time frame to the project and create a schedule, making sure to include a buffer to account for any potential delays and prevent the plan from falling apart.

It's always wise to use a Gantt chart or another form of a project flow chart for time planning. That way, you can spot task dependencies quickly, track progress like a pro, and shuffle things around when the project gremlins inevitably throw a wrench in your plans.

5. Allocate resources and set a budget

Proper allocation of resources—be it human or material—is of the utmost importance in any project. Identifying these resources for each task helps ensure the project runs smoothly and efficiently.

When it comes to human resources, it's about assigning the right people to the right tasks based on their skills and expertise. Think of it as a less romantic, more productivity-focused version of Tinder: swipe right if their skills match the task at hand, swipe left if they think Excel is a brand of gum. Material resources involve physical supplies or equipment required to complete each task. Basically, if it's tangible and you need it to get the job done, put it on the list.

You've got to make sure your financial ducks are in a row, so you're not left scraping the bottom of the piggy bank. This means predicting all the expenses likely to be incurred—from salaries and equipment to software licenses and those pesky overheads. Just imagine a crystal ball, but instead of mysterious smoke, it's filled with receipts, invoices, and the occasional moth flying out of your wallet.

6. Identify risks and communication strategy

In order to effectively manage the project, it's important to identify potential risks and develop a communication strategy. Some challenges or threats that could arise include budget constraints, resource limitations, and unforeseen technical issues. Conducting a risk assessment is like planning a picnic and assuming it'll rain, there will be ants, and at least one seagull attack. Once you've got your list of potential project-ruining catastrophes, come up with a contingency plan to either stop them from happening or deal with them if they do.

You should also determine your communication strategy, whether through emails, seances, yelling across the room, or other means. Decide how often you'll check in and who needs to be in the loop.

7. Review, approve, and monitor

At this stage, all aspects of the project plan are reviewed and scrutinized to ensure that every detail has been considered, including whether Mercury is in retrograde. The approval process involves sign-offs from key stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Once your project is up and running, keep those plates spinning with regular check-ins because if one crashes, everyone's going to hear it. If something isn't going according to plan, be ready to whip out your duct tape and make some adjustments.

While the seven steps outlined can set you on the path to a well-structured project plan, leveraging existing software can streamline the process. If Google Docs and Sheets aren't your jam, check to see if an existing app you use (like Notion or Coda ) has a template that might work for you, either built-in or from the community surrounding the app.

And once you've built out your project plan, you can use Zapier to automate workflows and connect your favorite apps. Learn more about how to automate project management , or take a spin at the Big Wheel with one of these pre-built workflows to automate the project plan templates above.

Create Trello cards from new or updated Google Sheets rows

Google Sheets logo

Create Asana tasks from updated Google Sheets rows

Asana logo

Copy data from new Google Sheets rows to a Google Doc template

Google Docs logo

Create Google Docs from a template for new Airtable records

Airtable logo

Zapier is a no-code automation tool that lets you connect your apps into automated workflows, so that every person and every business can move forward at growth speed. Learn more about how it works .

Related reading:

How to automatically create documents from a template

The best project management software for small businesses

21 free Google Sheets templates to boost productivity

How to DIY Google Sheets Kanban boards (or use one of these templates)

21 project management templates to organize any workflow

Get productivity tips delivered straight to your inbox

We’ll email you 1-3 times per week—and never share your information.

Allisa Boulette picture

Allisa Boulette

Based in New England, Allisa is a content marketer and small business owner who hopes to make the internet a more interesting place than she found it. When she’s not working, you can find her lying very still not doing anything.

  • Project management

Related articles

PDF icon, which looks like a blank page with the top-right corner folded inward, against a peach-colored background.

How to write a statement of work (with template and example)

How to write a statement of work (with...

Hero image with an icon of a Gantt chart for product roadmaps and project management

21 project management templates to organize...

Hero image with an icon representing company core values

Company core values: AI core value generator (and 8 examples)

Company core values: AI core value generator...

A cog with a heart, dollar sign, smiley face, and star surrounding it, representing a CRM.

What is lead scoring—and how do you get started?

What is lead scoring—and how do you get...

Improve your productivity automatically. Use Zapier to get your apps working together.

A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

  • Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

  • Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Infographics
  • Daily Infographics
  • Graphic Design
  • Graphs and Charts
  • Data Visualization
  • Human Resources
  • Training and Development
  • Beginner Guides

Blog Graphic Design

30+ Project Plan Examples to Visualize Your Strategy (2024)

By Bronwyn Kienapple , Jan 24, 2024

Before you embark on any project, it’s a good idea to start with a plan. Specifically, a project plan. It’s even more important if you’re trying to better communicate with managers, clients, employees and more.

Why not just make a roadmap in Excel or Word and call it a day? Well, you could, but the end result will be pretty lackluster.

Not sure where to start? This guide will offer you tips for designing an engaging project plan and a bunch of creative project plan templates to help you along the way.

Project plan examples (click to jump ahead):

What is a project plan, what are the key elements of a project plan.

  • Project plan templates for PDF and PowerPoint
  • Project timeline templates
  • Simple project plan templates
  • Project schedule templates
  • Project checklist templates
  • Project status report templates
  • Work plan templates
  • Process map templates
  • Marketing project plan templates
  • Nonprofit strategic plan templates
  • Process mapping in healthcare
  • Marketing plan templates for financial services

Project plan design best practices

  • Project plan examples from the business world

Project plan FAQs

A project plan is an essential document for keeping a project on track. In your project plan, you identify the scope, goals, deliverables and deadlines of your project.

Here’s one example of a project plan in a timeline format:

an example of a business plan for a project

A project plan should answer these questions:

  • What is the purpose of this project (what problem is it going to solve)?
  • What are the main deliverables?
  • What will the timeline be, including deadlines?
  • Who will be on the team for this project and what role will they play?
  • What resources are required to complete this project?

The problem is, people dive into writing a project plan without understanding its purpose or the importance of its various sections.

Your project plan needs to be organized, focused, readable and engaging enough to hold the attention of your team.

This is especially important if you’re including your project plan in a company newsletter, Slack channel or presentation (whether internal or to external stakeholders)–anywhere people need to understand a project at a glance.

1. Project plan templates for PDF and PowerPoint

Need a simple project plan template you can export as a PDF? Look no more. Here’s an example of a project plan mind map template you can export as a PDF document:

an example of a business plan for a project

Just so you know, some of our templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign up is always free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor.

Venngage’s project planning templates are easy to customize using the drag-and-drop editor, and once you’ve finished your design — just download the project plan as a PDF or Interactive PDF (for clickable links).

Note that download capability is available in paid plans only. As a free user, you can share your project plan designs using a public link!

If you want to present your project plan in PowerPoint or Google Slides — you can do that with a Venngage template too! Customize a project plan presentation template like this one:

an example of a business plan for a project

Or this one:

commercial development project plan presentation

And once you’re done, just click on the Download icon and choose Powerpoint as your export option:

Venngage powerpoint download

And voilà! Now you have project plan presentation slides that you can use on PowerPoint, Google Slides or any other platforms that accept PPTX files.

2. Use a project timeline template to visualize your deadlines

When you’re first outlining your project timeline, it can be pretty overwhelming. A visual timeline helps stakeholders get a better sense of what needs to be done, and by when .

A project timeline template is a versatile way to visualize milestones processes, and goals. In fact, a clear timeline is the backbone of a solid project plan. Confusion relating to deadlines, and what is required for those deadlines, is a common problem many teams face while working on a project.

Related : How to Write a Comprehensive Project Management Plan (+ Examples)

First off, though, you want to identify your project goals. Use a simple mind map like the one below to categorize tasks according to your goals.

Project Management Plan Mind Map Template

Now you’re ready to start planning your project.

Project plan timeline infographic template

Project Plan Timeline Template

This project timeline template uses different colors to categorize tasks for each week. It’s a compact and creative way to present a project plan. In fact, horizontal timeline layouts are popular because they’re easy to slot into a presentation.

Related : 120+ Best Presentation Ideas, Design Tips & Examples

That said, horizontal timelines can be harder to fit onto letter-sized pages. If you plan to do so, use less than seven points and keep your descriptions for each point brief.

Planning process project timeline template

5 Stage Planning Process Hospital Timeline Infographic Template

This snake timeline layout like the one above is great for timelines with lots of points and not much text. They’re very space efficient. Only use them when you want to focus on the visuals, perhaps when you’re presenting a high-level overview to a boss or client.

Monthly project milestones timeline

Monthly Project Milestones Timeline Infographic Template

When it comes to designing project reports and charts, color is particularly effective for categorizing information.

You can use color to categorize tasks by type, week, the team involved etc. This project timeline template uses alternate colors for the rows (black and orange) to keep the reader’s eye engaged.

It’s also important to break your projects down into smaller tasks with staggered deadlines. The project timeline template above includes specific dates for tasks to complete within each month.

Nonprofit fundraising project timeline template 

Nonprofit Project Timeline Template

This project timeline template would also work well on a presentation slide thanks to its size and the fact that’s it’s a high-level overview.

Its unique design and bright colors would be great for pitching potential investors, whether it’s for a new business idea or to raise funds for your nonprofit.

Related : How to Create a Business Plan to Win Over Investors (+Templates)

Creative design process project timeline template

project plan template

Project timeline templates can help you step back and create a big picture overview, especially when you’re in the initial stages of planning a project .

The above project timeline template provides an overview of all the steps involved in a particular project. It also uses icons to add visual interest and easily identify different stages.

You could insert this project timeline into a client pitch deck , business plan or proposal.

Related :  How to Create a Timeline Infographic: The Definitive Guide

3. Use a simple project plan template to keep things in perspective

When your team is working on a large project it’s sometimes hard to keep everything in perspective. You may have been working on a certain part for so long that you forget what came before it. Or what tasks come after that you need to be aware of.

Without all of this information, mistakes will be made and delays are guaranteed. That’s why it’s a great idea to use a simple project plan template that includes critical information like scope and timeframes.

Simple project plan example

an example of a business plan for a project

This simple project plan template uses icons to help communicate what’s part of the scope of work, and as bullet points. Simple to edit (and clean and modern to look at), it also covers all the bases.

Setting out a timeframe with actionable short-term and long-term goals is key, as well as outlining how you plan to evaluate and monitor your progress.

Related : The 4 Project Life Cycle Phases (With Templates)

Your project plan should be the source of truth as the project progresses, so it’s important to have the scope, timeframe, budget and evaluation processes set out from the beginning.

Basic project plan example

 Basic Project Plan Template

Use a basic project plan template when all you need to do is outline key milestones and tasks. You can use it as a simple roadmap for your team to refer to to help keep them organized and on track.

This basic template would also work well as a presentation slide if you’re presenting to stakeholders.

Pro Tip : Learn how to use Venngage templates with PowerPoint in our guide How to Make Better Infographics for PowerPoint .

Simple project communication plan example

an example of a business plan for a project

Nothing is more critical to the success of a project than  effective communication , according to a research paper for the Project Management Institute. In fact, the negative effects of bad communication on cost and timelines increase as the project progresses.

That’s why from the outset of a project you should have a project communication plan, such as the one above. The plan should include what formats are appropriate for communicating types of content (email updates vs. a formal report, for example), to who and when. Your project communication plan is key in ensuring complete transparency throughout your team projects.

Simple roadmap project plan example

Project Plan Example

A Next, Now, Later plan can also really help your team out. The simple project roadmap template above keeps each of the steps extremely simple and easy to follow.

Plus, it clearly states exactly what this team is working towards with each of their releases.

Also, since most project plans aren’t set in stone–they’re agile documents that will probably have to be adjusted along the way–sometimes a much simpler project plan template is the best way to go. It’s easier to edit and therefore more flexible.

 Simple multi-page project plan example

Green Stripes Project Plan Template

If you need a multi-page project plan, you can still keep it simple and easy to understand by organizing your information in an engaging way using illustrations, big headers and lots of white space, like in the template above.

4. Use a project schedule template to outline a roadmap towards completion

Sometimes you’re going to have to present a project plan to people outside the company. These days it might be an investor, a new client or a potential hire.

You should probably create a simple project schedule (or roadmap ) in these instances. And be sure to have it ready whenever you go into a meeting.

This type of project plan helps boil down complicated internal processes into something accessible.

Simple project schedule template

Simple Project Plan Roadmap Template

This project schedule template quickly communicates what teams are responsible for what tasks over certain periods of time. Very easy to grasp.

You can also categorize your tasks by priority. Simply pick a corresponding color for each level of priority, like in the monthly project schedule template below.

project plan template

Pro Tip:  Use Venngage’s simple Roadmap Maker tool to create roadmaps in minutes. No design know-how required.

Modern project schedule example

Modern Project Schedule Template

A vertical infographic is a creative way to present the tasks and timeline required to execute on a project. Big icons help the reader better understand each step. Plus, the milestones are broken out and easy to skim.

Timeline project schedule example

Client Project Schedule Template

Not looking for a roadmap? You can also use a timeline infographic to plan out your schedule. Not only can you add tasks but also any risks, dependencies and constraints at each stage which might throw off the expected completion date.

Pro Tip:  Once you’ve customized your project plan template, you can download it  in Venngage’s online editor as a PDF, Interactive PDF or PNG.

5. Use a project checklist template to provide a high-level overview of key deliverables

While a project checklist can be incredibly detailed, it can also provide a more generalized, bird’s eye view of a lengthy process.

Onboarding project checklist example

hr-project-plan-template

Onboarding new employees is a project that practically begs for a checklist. It’s a simple and easy-to-reference way to documenting the onboarding process. You’ll keep both trainer and trainee motivated and on track.

In the project checklist template above, a supervisor can easily glance at their company’s extensive onboarding process and keep track of their responsibilities pertaining to new hires in their first day, week, month, even year.

Simple project checklist example

Simple Project Checklist Template

Want a way to quickly add and delete items in your checklist? The above project plan checklist is a smart template, meaning you just need to press Add or Delete to add or remove rows.

HR project checklist example

an example of a business plan for a project

This project checklist template is for onboarding, but you can customize it for any project and divide the tasks by milestones.

Send the checklist to your team so they know exactly what’s required of them.

Pro Tip : Not a designer? No problem. Use Venngage’s Checklist Maker to create free checklists online today.

6. Use a project status report template to track your progress visually

Once your team dives into working on a project, there will almost certainly be changes that need to be made to the project plan. Unforeseen obstacles come up, certain tasks take longer to complete than expected, and other snags happen.

That’s why it’s important to not only set your goals, but to also report on your progress throughout the process. Creating a project status report will help you keep track of your progress, while also communicating it effectively with other parties.

Monthly project status report template

project status report template

Your report doesn’t need to be complicated. This project status report template provides a simple one-page snapshot that stakeholders can understand at a glance. The status of each item and any issues are easy to skim.

Simple project status report example

Simple Project Status Progress Report Template

This project status report template features a cool “project completion” bar so everyone can know at a glance the current status. This template goes beyond issues to highlight any risks, variables or assumptions that might interfere with meeting the next milestone or closing out the project.

Project management status report example

project status report template

If you’re submitting a status update to your stakeholders, however, you may want to include more context. That’s where a multi-page project status report template may be necessary.

When creating a multi-page project plan, be sure to include a summary. This will help make your project plan more reader-friendly and easier to scan.

Pink project plan template

Pro Tip : With highly collaborative project plans, it’s important to make them easily accessible to all team members. Real-Time Collaboration lets teams work together to design plans, provide feedback, and make edits in real-time.  Learn about Real-Time Collaboration here.

7. Use a work plan template to create a schedule

Want a simpler solution to creating a work schedule? Try a work plan template. Simply add your text to fill out the plan for each day. Or use our calendar maker tool to browse schedule templates and customize them for free.

Sales action work plan example

Gradient Sales Work Plan Template

This sales work plan template goes beyond planning. It also helps managers assess the quality of the work and if the employees in question were able to meet their deadlines. Which is a great asset come performance review time.

Simple work plan example

Simple Work Plan Template

Project execution depends on properly mapping out all the tasks and activities first. Then, once you get going, you can monitor progress based on your roadmap. Continual monitoring is key and be prepared to revise your goals and your roadmap as the project progresses.

This simple work plan template clearly outlines which team is responsible for what, and when, so you can keep everyone aligned as work is carried out.

8. Use a process map template to communicate across teams

Communicating across teams can be a nightmare sometimes, especially as your company continues to grow. It’s common for different people to call a certain thing many names, and that can cause unneeded confusion. Like how people in call a soft drink: “soda”, “coke” or “pop”, but it means exactly the same thing.

So assigning common titles for each step of the process in your project plan can make communication a bit easier.

In the process map template below, they used eight simple keywords for each step of their project.

Project Plan Examples11

The common words and phrases in this simple project planner template will make communication a lot smoother. Now the product team will know exactly what you mean when you say you’re working on the “Sketch” step.

4 Steps To Post a Job Admin Project Process Infographic Template

This project process template simply relies on “Step 1” etc. labelling to keep things straight.

Further Reading : Our guide to creating process infographics , with templates.

9. Use marketing project plan templates to set clear goals

The success of a marketing plan relies on setting clear goals–including specific metrics and outlining the steps your team will take to get there.

Content marketing project plan example

This marketing project plan template is incredibly detailed, with sections for goals, competitor analysis , workflow and more. Click on the template image for a full preview.

Content Marketing Project Plan Template

Project management marketing plan example

That said, sometimes you need a simple project marketing plan to help pitch your agency and provide a high-level overview, like this template does.

Project Marketing Plan Template

Further Reading : Our guide to marketing plans , including formatting tips, how to visualize data creatively (and easily) and templates to get started.

10. Use nonprofit strategic plan templates to highlight strengths

Nonprofit strategy and planning are two different animals–planning is implementing a strategy, says sgENGAGE . To get started, you’ll want to do a SWOT analysis  to fully understand your nonprofit’s unique strengths.

You can also build out a full strategic plan to identify priorities, goals, key stakeholders and more. This infographic lays out best practices for this process; click the image to see the full visual.

Nonprofit Strategic Plan Infographic Template

Here we’ll look at specific aspects of the planning process in nonprofits.

Nonprofit fundraising plan example

A fundraising timeline can be critical to your campaign–from start to finish. Include it in your fundraising plan to illustrate targets.

Then, add it to your internal reports as the campaign progresses to show the amount raised to date. You can also release it to your donors to motivate them to contribute as you inch closer to your goal.

Nonprofit Fundraising Timeline Template

You can also include a fundraising timeline in your final report to your nonprofit’s donors to show what they achieved. It’s the perfect way to say thank you and it’s also a great way to engage donors and encourage repeat donations.

End of Year Fundraising Campaign Planning Timeline Infographic Template

Nonprofit communications plan example

A communications plan should prepare your organization for key events or dates, but be flexible enough to adapt to changing times, advises the Council of Nonprofits.

It’s important to nail out your goals, who your audience is ( personas ) and what channels and stories will be most effective for said audience. This template addresses all these areas.

Simple Nonprofit Communications Plan Template

Also think about including a timeline of key events and special days such as World Mental Health Day.

Further Reading : Our complete guide to nonprofit marketing  or nonprofit communications .

11. Process mapping in healthcare

Using project process maps in healthcare help stakeholders understand an entire process, without resorting to confusing documentation. Visuals help with comprehension, especially regarding the sequence a project will follow.

These visuals can take the form of timelines, flowcharts, step-by-step infographics and more. This planning process timeline is a high-level overview of building a new hospital, from service offerings to architectural plans. When considering the implementation of such plans, healthcare professionals often delve into detailed analyses, including weighing the pros and cons of EHR systems , to ensure the optimal integration of technology in enhancing patient care and operational efficiency.

Process Mapping in Healthcare Timeline Infographic Template

Process mapping in healthcare also helps with outlining an existing system and then analyzing how that system can be improved.

Learn more: Venngage for Healthcare Organizations 

an example of a business plan for a project

This process map looks at improving how healthcare organizations put in place new medical administrative processes.

Further Reading : Our post on branding guidelines , including a template specific to the healthcare industry.

12. Marketing strategy plan templates for financial services

Financial services have typically relied on referrals for new customers . That said, millennials and Gen X prefer to do their own research online , making newer marketing strategies such as search engine optimization, content and email marketing essential.

Our  guide to marketing plans has in-depth templates to help you plan what strategies will work for you. Here we’ll focus on infographics and diagrams for high-level marketing strategy planning for financial services.

This layer infographic can be edited to visualize key parts of a marketing plan such as local SEO or video marketing.

Marketing Strategy for Financial Services Infographic Template

You can also use a mind map to plan out your entire marketing strategy, from outreach to content to inbound, like in this template.

Marketing Strategy for Financial Services Template

Further Reading : Our post on case study examples , with templates that work across industries.

1. Illustrate steps in a process with icons

Colorful Marketing Timeline Project Plan

Multiple studies have found that people tend to remember images better than words . With that in mind, look for ways to incorporate visual memory-prompters in your project plan design.

Icons are one type of visual that can be used to make information more memorable. Pair an icon with an important piece of text to help it stand out and stick in the reader’s mind.

For example, this project timeline template uses an icon to illustrate each step in the process. This helps reinforce the information, and gives readers a visual to refer back to:

project plan template

2. Use a timeline to show an overview of your project plan

While your project plan should include the details of your project, offering a visual summary will help keep your team on track .

Use a project timeline template that offers an overview of your project’s phases, as well as the expected beginning and completion dates. Your team will be able to refer back to the timeline quickly, without needing to read through a bunch of text.

For example, this project timeline template outlines that tasks and milestones for each month in a year:

project plan template

3. Incorporate the theme of your project into your design

Donut Monthly Project Plan

While your priority when designing your project plan should be function, finding ways to make your design engaging is still important.

After all, your project plan will help inspire confidence in your team–and the people who will be funding your project. Especially if you can inject some of your branding into the design .

Adding surprising design elements will help engage and excite readers. An easy way to do this is to include icons and images that reflect the theme of your project.

For example, this project planning template for a baking company incorporates a donut into the design:

project plan template

4. Use a chart to track your project’s process

Creative Agency Product Plan Template

Certain phases of your project may end up taking more or less time than anticipated. That’s why it’s valuable to track your progress, so you can adjust your goals. Tracking your progress will also help you make informed decisions when planning future projects.

You can track your project using a flexible chart that’s easy to update, like the chart templates offered by Venngage. Our process infographic templates  can also come in handy here, if you want to visualize the phases in a project. 

For example, this project planning template uses a simple bar graph to track the duration of each phase. The updates are tracked in the top right corner:

project plan template

With Venngage, you can create multiple copies of a design. If you’re updating a chart or timeline, it’s a good idea to keep a copy of past iterations.

5. Use a project schedule template to keep track of tasks or events

Event Timeline Project Plan Template

Are there specific dates that certain tasks needs to be completed on? You may want to create a calendar that specifies what should be done on what day.

For example, if your team is executing on an event like a conference, then a calendar is necessary for keeping events for specific dates organized.

In this project schedule template , for example, the events are color-coded by type, making it easier to scan:

project plan template

6. Rate your process using an icon chart

Project Status Project Plan Template

An icon chart uses (you guessed it) icons to represent units of measurement. When coming up with ways to embellish your project plan design, look for opportunities to visualize information that you want to emphasize. An icon chart is a creative and effective way to do that.

For example, this project status report template uses check mark icons to rate the success of three different aspects of the project:

project plan template

7. Illustrate how each project is connected with a flowchart infographic

Mind Map Project Plan Template

At Venngage we really love using flowchart infographics  in all facets of our planning. These graphics are a solid way to show how a project should progress and how each part is connected to each other.

And when your team is working on a complicated process, a visual representation can help you keep it all organized.

Project Plan Examples3

In the project plan example above, they used a flowchart infographic to work through their productivity plan.

This approach allowed the designers to show how each step was related, and how it affected the other steps. If they would have just listed all of that information, the relationships between all of it would be lost.

We would recommend using a flowchart to help explain how a single part works, not for an entire project plan.

With Venngage, you can make flowcharts  that are functional and look great.

Project plan examples from the business world 

If you need a little more inspiration for your project plans, be sure to check out some of the examples we found below.

Project management checklist

When it comes time to launch your project or product accurately tracking what needs to get done is essential.

For a smaller company, it’s easy to keep track of what everyone is working on. But as your brand grows this becomes almost an impossible task. Especially as employees start breaking into smaller teams to tackle a project.

Now a simple project management checklist like the example below can help you ensure everything gets done on time:

Project Plan Example

In this project plan example, they use a wide range of colors to break tasks down by teams. This approach will help the managers quickly see what needs to be done next.

Plus checking off tasks like this will help each team feel like they are working towards a common goal. You could even print this example off and hang it up in your office so everyone knows exactly what’s going on.

Project plan example using multiple visuals

As you have seen in this article, there’s not one project plan example that fits every company perfectly. Some simple projects may only need a flow chart , but others could need diverse visuals across a multipage marketing plan .

That’s why your project plan should use a mix of different visuals to efficiently explain the process. Or in some cases, many processes, like in the beautiful project plan below:

Project Plan Examples4

This project plan example is almost a work of art, but it still gets their point across very effectively.

Featuring a flowchart to illustrate their ideation process:

Project Plan Examples6

A timeline project plan to break down the release schedule:

Project Plan Examples1

And even this unique bubble chart:

Project Plan Examples9

Overall, it’s one of the most unique project plans we have ever seen.

Project plan example that focuses on deliverables

At Venngage we try to make sure that at the end of each step in our project we have a deliverable to show for it. Otherwise, we are just spinning our wheels and working on things that don’t really matter at that step.

If you weren’t aware, a deliverable is something tangible that you can show to the rest of the team. Like in this simple project planner template, they include deliverables like a report or a presentation :

Project Plan Examples12

A lot of the time, simple project plans fail because they don’t list deliverables or the ones they do are too vague.

For example, a good deliverable is very descriptive and has a due date. A bad one is open and never really has an end date in mind.

Just remember to be realistic when planning your project, and you will be set.

Project plan example that breaks down tools and processes

Sometimes telling your team to just go do something is not the best course of action. Especially when there’s is an approaching due date that needs to be met. It’s safe to say that a lot of time will be wasted as they try to figure out where to start.

However, a great planner will actually give these team members the tools they need to succeed. Just like they did in this project plan sample for a startup weekend:

Project Plan Examples2

At the bottom of this bold project plan, there are a handful of tools and processes that should be followed at each step.

Now, these people can hit the ground running and get their tasks done on time. Instead of wasting half the time searching for the solution.

Infographic project plan example

Good design work is consistent, it’s as simple as that. You want each of your graphics to feel and look the same throughout. Otherwise, people are going to focus on the random design elements, instead of your important content.

Think about how much a simple misspelling distracted you in an email or presentation. Inconsistent design choices are kinda like typos in the design world.

Additionally, this consistency can help you quickly distill info to a reader. Design elements like color, shapes, and icons can add a ton of context to any complex project plan.

Project Plan Examples13

In this project plan infographic, they use colored lines to indicate the answer to a question. Then they added simple flat icons to give each question some supporting info. And a single shape to illustrate the deliverables for each process.

This may not be the most traditional project plan example, but it does get the point across with its many visual elements.

How do you plan a project from start to finish?

Actually starting the process is one of the hardest parts of project planning. This is because there’s so much potential, you might not know what to begin with.

Your team may have so many ideas, that it becomes overwhelming and unorganized in a manner of minutes.

So if you’re not sure where to start, use one of these charts to get the creative juices flowing.

With this simple process map template, you can kick off the planning in a more structured way.

Project Plan Examples7

Each step will help you define goals , future plans and a ton of other metrics without getting distracted and lead you through planning a project from start to finish. This simple project plan chart has the same objective.

Simple Project Planning Process Infographic Template

How do I use Venngage to create a project plan?

It’s simple to modify the project planning templates in this blog post with our drag-and-drop online editor.

Here’s a sneak peek at how our editor works, including the text editing bar, icon and stock photo library (free), photo upload function and more.

project plan template

Here’s how to get started:

  • Sign up for a free Venngage account .
  • Browse our project plan templates (some are free, some are paid).
  • Click the template you like and start customizing it in our simple online editor.
  • Upgrade to a paid plan to download your project plan as a PDF, PNG or in PowerPoint format.

project plan template

With these foundational tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating an impressive — and effective! — project plan. Remember, a well-executed project begins with a solid plan.

Not a designer? No problem. Create an engaging project plan with Venngage, the simple design tool for business communication.

  • Project planning |
  • 30 project plan templates to kickstart ...

30 project plan templates to kickstart your best work

Jenny Thai contributor headshot

Embarking on a new project can be daunting, but the right tools make all the difference. Discover a suite of versatile project planning templates, ranging from simple charts to comprehensive agile and waterfall plans, designed to streamline your project management process. Setting objectives, defining deadlines, and improving teamwork are all made simple with Asana's free project plan templates.

We all love it when a project runs smoothly. When there’s a clear plan, everyone knows what needs to get done, and they follow deadlines, projects tend to get completed on time and within budget. But all that doesn’t just happen—it takes a lot of careful planning. 

What is a project plan template?

A project plan template is a duplicatable resource that outlines all the steps in a project plan. Typically, a project plan template includes essential project information, such as the project timeline, task due dates, the goal of the entire project, and project milestones, among other things. Essentially, a project template allows you to “plug and play” and get a head start on your work.

Since project plan templates are reusable, they give you the building blocks you need to get started planning your project—so you don’t have to start every one from scratch. Depending on what type of project you’re planning, your project plan template could include high-level sections, upcoming tasks, color-coded custom tags, and more. 

How to create a project plan template

A project plan template is a blueprint of the key components your team needs to know in order to successfully achieve your project objectives. A good project plan outlines your project deliverables , project scope , and project schedule . In particular, a good plan should track seven key project elements:

Success metrics

Key stakeholders and team roles

Milestones and deliverables

Timeline and schedule

Communication plan

Not every project plan template will have all of these elements baked in. However, a good template will set you up with example tasks to help you and your team answer project needs, plan project deliverables, and get started in record time.

30 free project plan templates to standardize your project processes

Project plan templates aren’t one-size-fits-all. While a simple project plan template should cover essential project information—like timeline and milestones—the template format will vary depending on the type of project you’re planning. For example, the plan for a product launch will be pretty different from an IT project plan. 

That’s where different project plan templates come in. Whether you’re launching a small, straightforward initiative or planning a complex project, Asana’s project plan templates can help. Here are 30 free project plan templates to help you get your next project up and running in no time.

General project planning templates

1. simple project chart template: get started.

[Product ui] Project chart in Asana (Timeline)

A project chart (also known as a Gantt chart template ) is a visual representation of your project plan on a bar-chart like graph. Project charts map out your project timeline, deliverable due dates, task dependencies, and milestones. 

A simple project chart template is a great jumping off point for breaking down projects into smaller, actionable steps. It helps you organize tasks, so you can see who on your team is responsible for what. Plus, since the template lets you quickly track progress in real-time, you can successfully plan and execute your project without missing any crucial steps.

2. Cross-functional project plan template: Collaborate across teams 

[Product UI] Project Plan Templates - Simple Project plan (Lists)

More often than not, projects require cross-team collaboration to be successful. When that’s the case, you need a way to easily communicate with each project team member, no matter what department they’re in. 

Our cross-functional project plan template can help. With this template, you can manage your entire project in one place—from assigning to-dos and tracking project status to communicating with other teams. Plus, Asana integrates with your other business apps, so you can attach important documents and collaborate right in the template. Say goodbye to long email threads and hard-to-find project information for good.

3. Capacity planning template: Manage team bandwidth 

[Product ui] Capacity planning project in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

Understanding the needed—and available—resources required for a project is a necessary step for every project team. But resource allocation can be tricky, and under-scoping a project can result in project creep. 

Creating a digital capacity planning template can help. Your template provides a place for you to calculate your project needs and determine the current capacity of your team—so you can compare the two and decide if you have enough resources. Custom, color-coded tags make it easy for you to quickly identify who is over- and under-capacity, so you can allocate resources accordingly.

4. Risk management plan template: Identify project risks

[product ui] risk management plan template in Asana (list view)

Project risk management , which identifies potential project risks and calculates their likelihood of happening, is a must-have for any project. Without an easy way to evaluate project risks, though, it’s a step that often falls by the wayside as project managers look to reduce steps in the project’s kick-off timeframe. Creating an easy-to-duplicate risk management plan template for your entire department or organization ensures you can elevate risks quickly—t even easier to get a handle on them.

Your template can be built at the start of your project, to determine the risk’s impact and likelihood before the project even kicks off. Then, you can use the template to monitor potential risks as the project begins, and to log new risks that come up once the project is underway. You can also assign each risk an owner, so everyone on your team knows who’s responsible for mitigating risks if they pop up.  

5. Agency collaboration template: Streamline external collaboration

[Product UI] Agency collaboration project example (Lists)

Most projects involve a team of internal collaborators. In some cases, though, you might turn to a marketing or creative agency to execute your project. Whether it’s an advertising campaign, brand refresh, or research initiative, a successful partnership starts with a clear plan and tight coordination. If you’re collaborating primarily through email or weekly conference calls, keeping everyone on the same page can be a challenge.

Fortunately, our agency collaboration template makes it easy for you to manage your next project with an external agency. Use it to draft your creative brief, keep an eye on start dates, monitor work in progress, and track deliverables, so you can focus on producing great work together.

6. Waterfall project management template: Update your project process

When managing projects that require a high level of sequential structure and clarity, the traditional approach of a waterfall project management plan comes into play. Unlike more flexible methodologies, the waterfall method excels in projects where each phase needs to be completed before the next begins. 

This is where a well-crafted waterfall project management template can be invaluable. It provides a clear, step-by-step roadmap of the project process to ensure all stages from conception to completion are meticulously planned and executed. For example, a waterfall project plan could detail every stage of a software development project, from initial requirements gathering to final testing to make certain each critical step is addressed.

Project planning templates for marketing and creative teams

7. product marketing template: plan your next launch.

[Product UI] Product marketing launch project in Asana (timeline view)

Product marketing managers juggle many responsibilities. They do market research to inform product strategy, craft messaging and positioning, and bring new products to life. They’re often also the de facto project manager of a product launch, coordinating across product, marketing, and creative teams to ensure that new products are ready to ship.

Instead of reinventing the wheel for every launch you’re running, use our product marketing launch template to create your plan. It includes steps like setting launch targets and defining a channel strategy, so you don’t forget any product launch essentials. And, since it’s duplicatable, you’ll never have to create a product launch checklist from scratch again.

8. Editorial calendar template: Hit publishing deadlines

[Product UI] Editorial calendar project in Asana (Calendar View)

Managing a content calendar is an ongoing project that requires you to stay on top of many moving parts. Every piece of content you create is like its own mini project with clearly defined steps, like assigning work to writers, producing visual assets, and coordinating reviews and copy edits.

To keep your content production on track, try our editorial calendar template . With this template, you can manage all the content you’re writing, editing, and publishing in one place—from idea to completion. Our custom tags make it easy to track everything from the post’s due date and channel to important assets. It also lets you simplify your cross-team collaboration, bringing together your social media, PR, marketing, and design teams in one place.

9. Marketing campaign management template: Map out your campaign plan

[Product UI] Campaign management project example (Timeline)

Planning and execution are key to a great marketing campaign. But managing a campaign isn’t easy, and it can feel overwhelming to keep track of every piece of work that needs to get done. What assets need to be created? Who is going to create them? And what if something falls through the cracks?

With our marketing campaign management template , you can map out your entire campaign plan and manage day-to-day execution with your team. Use it to track assets and deliverables, plan and execute your channel strategy, and more.

10. Event marketing plan template: Map out your event marketing efforts

[Product UI] Event planning project example (Timeline)

Building buzz is an important part of planning and organizing any event. Event marketing helps spread the word and generate excitement for your speakers and agenda—which in turn drives audience attendance. 

Asana’s event marketing plan template helps you organize your marketing plan for upcoming events. From planning the event all the way through day-of execution and post-event tasks, the template makes it easy for you to map out your promotional event efforts.

11. Marketing project plan template: Turn your strategy into action

[Product UI] Product marketing launch project overview report in Asana (Project Overview)

Marketing projects are complex. No matter what type of project you’re planning—from launching a specific marketing campaign to mapping out your yearly marketing plan —there are a lot of steps and team members involved in making a marketing plan successful. 

Our marketing project plan template provides a place for you to detail your marketing objectives and the steps you need to take for them to be successful. Asana’s template makes it easy for you to communicate and collaborate across teams, and jumpstarts productivity by removing the need for multiple spreadsheets or email threads. 

12. Event planning template: Coordinate your events

[Product UI] Event management project example (Timeline)

There’s a lot that goes into planning a successful event. You have to manage everything from the event budget down to logistical details and day-of event tasks. The ability to see the event timeline—meaning every step that has to be completed for your event to launch successfully—is a must-have. 

Our event planning template makes planning and organizing events easy. With our template, you can visualize your event plan in a timeline, see task dependencies, and schedule milestones to track event progress. Plus, our mobile app lets you view your event plan from anywhere, so you can tick off day-of event tasks on the go. 

13. Public relations project plan: Create consistency across campaigns 

There are a lot of small—but essential—steps that need to be followed to run a successful public relations campaign. And, since PR efforts tend to be cross-functional, it can be confusing determining who is responsible for what. 

A public relations project plan helps streamline your PR campaign process by making it easy to track important project information and communicate across teams. This template can act as a step-by-step guide for launching and executing a PR campaign, so you can maintain consistency across campaigns, no matter the size of your organization or team. The template also serves as a single system of record to house essential campaign information, such as details about the campaign, journalist contact information, campaign resources, and more. 

14. Podcast planning template: Plan better episodes 

Looking to launch a successful podcast? Keeping your podcast plan organized is key. Building a digital podcast planning template streamlines your podcast planning process by giving you a single space to organize everything from your pre-production tasks to your post-production marketing efforts. 

Plus, you can easily duplicate the template at the start of your episode planning, ensuring that the structure of every episode is consistent. Use the template to house your podcast notes, the episode script, and more—like copy for promotional tweets. You can even collaborate with your episode guests directly in the template by using custom forms or assigning them specific tasks.  

15. Design project plan template: Streamline your creative process 

[Product UI] Creative bill of materials template in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (list)

Web, graphic, and product design teams are a vital part of any business. From designing social and promotional assets to creating animations, videos, and web assets, a lot of what your customer sees—and what draws them in—comes from your design team. 

With so many responsibilities, it can be difficult to keep track of upcoming and in-progress design work. Plus, never-ending feedback chains and emails can stall progress. Our design project plan template makes it easy for you to streamline your creative project planning process. Easily collaborate, track files, and share asset updates and progress in one place.

Product, IT, and operations templates

16. product roadmap template: track your product initiatives.

[Old product ui] Product roadmap template in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

There’s a lot that goes into tracking the product features, initiatives, and updates your team plans to launch within a given timeframe. With our product roadmap template , you can easily track and monitor each status of each launch, and provide greater visibility to stakeholders around what’s launching and when. 

Plus, since our product roadmap template allows you to organize your launches by different variables—such as priority or overarching theme—everyone in your organization can see how each launch corresponds to the company’s goals.

17. User research template: Organize UXR projects

[Old Product UI] Project Plan Templates - User Research Template (Lists)

User research is a critical part of the product development process. It’s during this phase that product managers and user experience researchers learn about the needs and goals of their customers, uncovering insights that unlock entirely new product opportunities.

Leading a research project is no small undertaking. From sourcing research participants and collecting data to analyzing that data and generating recommendations, there’s a lot to plan for and manage. Our user research template makes it easy to define research goals and questions with your team and keep your observations organized. This way, the fruits of your labor don’t become forgotten in a doc or Excel spreadsheet.

18. Product development plan template: Standardize the development process

Product development is the process of launching a new product, from ideation through the product launch. The entire product development process—which includes prototyping and testing—is complex and time-consuming. Add in the different teams you need for product development to be successful, and you have a recipe for a complicated process.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Creating a product development plan template streamlines your product development process, from coordinating cross-functional team communication to tracking development progress. Since it’s reusable, the template also helps standardize the workflow for future projects. 

19. Operations project plan template: Streamline business efficiency

[Old product ui] Operations project plan template in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

The operations department is responsible for keeping business-critical processes running smoothly. Our operations project plan template helps you track key details by creating a single system of record for all your work. Since the template is reusable, it makes it easy to document recurring operational processes. Plus, you can assign work directly in the template, so everyone knows what they’re responsible for and can communicate where work is being done. 

20. IT project plan: Organize your IT work

[Old product ui] IT project plan template in Asana, Kanban board style view (Boards)

Your IT team deals with a lot of important cross-team tasks, like launching software deployments, ordering equipment, and helping onboard new employees. Plus, everything they do requires a certain level of security. They need to be able to connect teams and tools in a way that’s scalable and secure. 

Asana’s IT project plan template helps your IT department manage and organize all their upcoming and completed tasks. Since you’re able to tailor project permissions to your organization, you can make sure the right people have access to information. Plus, Asana’s 200+ integrations make it easy for your team to work seamlessly with cross-functional partners.

21. Work requests template: Simplify the intake process

[Product UI] Work requests project example (Boards)

Work requests can quickly spiral out of control when they’re submitted through different avenues and in different formats. In order to make sure no requests are falling through the cracks, you need a central place to track and manage requests. And, to simplify the workflow for your team, you also need a project intake process to guarantee you’re getting the same information in each request.

Simply put, you need a work request template . Whether you’re receiving incoming creative briefs, work orders, or IT requests, having a single system of record for these requests is critical. Then, combine our work request template with Forms to guarantee you’re getting all of the critical details directly when requests are submitted.

22. Sales plan template: Set strong goals

[Old Product UI] Sales planning project in Asana, spreadsheet-style view with project deliverables (Lists)

Your sales and operation plan shouldn’t be a document you create at the beginning of a sales cycle and then put aside. In order for your sales teams to create and maintain a solid foundation, they need access to a finalized, structured sales plan—available where they work.

With an effective sales plan template , you have an easy, centralized way to record your sales teams’ objectives, target audience, revenue goals, strategies, and obstacles that might stand in your way. Try our sales plan template to get the structure you need to to close deals.

Project plan templates for HR teams 

23. hr project plan template: plan out hr work  .

[Old product ui] HR project plan in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

Your HR team is responsible for many processes and projects that empower employees and shape your organization’s culture. An HR project plan templat e makes it easy for you to plan and organize HR initiatives, track their progress, and manage priorities. Whether you’re launching new company goals, updating the hiring plan, or collecting employee feedback, Asana’s HR project plan template makes it easy to map out—and execute—your HR work. 

24. New employee onboarding: Standardize the onboarding process

[Product UI] Asana employee onboarding template example (Lists)

Onboarding can feel hectic for new hires. There are so many systems to set up, documents to sign, and tasks to complete. Plus, new hires have to learn all the nuances of their new company, like preferred communication methods and company policies. 

To ensure every new hire has the best experience—and is set up for success in their new role—it’s crucial to streamline the onboarding process. An employee onboarding template does just that by providing a single place where new hires can go to view their upcoming tasks, find reference documents, learn about their team, and more. Since onboarding templates outline everything the new hire needs to know from the beginning to the end of the onboarding process, it sets expectations from the start—smoothing out the process for you and your new employee.

25. Employee offboarding: Organize your offboarding process

[product ui] Employee offboarding checklist template in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

Like employee onboarding, employee offboarding can be labor-intensive—and, unlike onboarding, it’s a process that’s often overlooked. An employee offboarding template can help you streamline your offboarding process. With a single place to map out your offboarding tasks—from the paperwork that needs to be completed to the work transition plan—you can easily track your offboarding process. Plus, since templates are duplicatable, you can feel confident that you’re following the same steps for every outgoing employee.

26. Conference agenda template: Plan seamless events

[inline illustration] Conference agenda

Planning a productive conference takes work. In addition to coordinating with speakers and vendors, you also have to keep track of event details, including when and where conference events are happening. 

A conference agenda template can help you plan effective conferences with ease. Whether you’re planning a one- or multi-day conference or a virtual event, creating a conference agenda template in Asana is a great starting point for capturing all the information you need to run the event smoothly.

Cross-functional project planning templates

27. agile project plan template: team collaboration made easy.

In today's fast-paced project environments, teams often struggle with keeping everyone on the same page, especially when it comes to adapting to changes without disrupting the project lifecycle. This is where an agile project plan template can be a game-changer. An agile project plan is not just about flexibility; it's a strategic planning tool that allows for quick adjustments while keeping the project budget and overall objectives in sight. It’s designed to evolve as project needs change, ensuring that all team members are aligned and can collaborate effectively, regardless of project phase or complexity.

Agile methodology fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. It breaks down the traditional barriers of rigid planning and enables teams to respond swiftly to new information or changes in project scope. By regularly revisiting and adjusting the plan, teams can ensure their strategies are always aligned with the project's evolving needs and goals.

28. Sprint planning template: Keep your team on the same page

[Product UI] Sprint plans project in Asana (Boards)

Part of the larger Agile project process , sprint planning helps Agile project teams prioritize work and decide who has the capacity to take on certain projects. 

Your team is busy, and if you’re not communicating directly where work happens, it’s easy for team members to get confused about who’s working on what, what the status of the work is, and when the work is due. Our sprint planning template simplifies your sprint by creating a single system of record where everyone can see what’s coming up, what’s in progress, and what’s completed—freeing up time for your team to move quickly, build fast, and ship often.

29. Implementation plan template: Achieve business goals

[product ui] Implementation plan project in Asana, spreadsheet-style project view (List)

Planning and implementing your business goals can feel overwhelming. To be successful, you need the ability to break down each go into an achievable, actionable plan. That’s where an implementation plan template comes in.

By creating an implementation plan template, you can view every step you need to take to achieve your business goal, from planning all the way to execution. Since a template breaks down each phase of the plan into bite-sized steps, it’s easy to monitor goal progress and view upcoming milestones. You can also include custom tags that add even more context to your tasks—like the task duration and percent completed—so you know the status of every task as work gets underway.  

30. Project timeline template: Visualize milestones and bottlenecks

Have you ever found yourself facing unexpected delays and struggling to keep track of progress? Thankfully there's a solution that can turn the tide: a project timeline template. A project timeline template is more than just a list of start and end dates; it's a strategic project management tool that maps out the entire project lifecycle, offering a clear visualization of phases, key deliverables, and deadlines.

By clearly laying out the project progress, this type of template helps pinpoint exactly where bottlenecks are likely to occur or where they're already happening. And with regular updates to the project’s timeline, stakeholders can receive comprehensive status reports, fostering better communication and alignment throughout the project. In essence, a well-utilized project timeline template not only solves the problem of lost transparency in your workflow, but it also serves as a visual dashboard for smooth and efficient project execution.

Better project templates mean better project planning

Kicking off a new project can be stressful, especially if you’re the one in charge of planning and managing that project. Reusable product templates make planning easier by standardizing your project processes, facilitating cross-team collaboration, and reducing upfront work. 

No matter what kind of project you’re leading—product launches, marketing campaigns, you name it—templates give you a starting point so you don’t have to build a plan from scratch. And when you use a work management platform like Asana, your project will stay on track, too.

Examples logo

Business Project Plan

business project plan

When individuals decide to take on a new endeavor they start by mapping out what exactly it is that they want to do. People involved in business take value on all of their resources simply because starting a new project is basically a gamble they have to take. That is why before they even start to think about the future of a project, they start by carefully planning how to make a project into reality. You may also see plan samples .

Business Start-Up Project Plan Template

business start up project plan

  • Google Docs

Size: A4, US

With that in mind, businessmen simply do not start to take on a certain project without considering some important factors like the costs, duration, market, and so on. And even before they even start a plan, they go into extensive brainstorming activities in order to make sure that they have carefully covered and considered all factors that may affect their project. After which, they start on making their project plan. The basics about project plans and project planning will be thoroughly discussed to help you better understand its significance.

business project plan1

Purpose of a Project Plan

A project plan is an important aspect of any project since it can lead the project into success or into the complete opposite direction. It is an approved detailed document that is intended to guide, control, and execute a project. Its main purpose is to guide and control the direction and execution of the project in order to make sure that the main goal why the project was made is achieved.

Since it is basically a guide, it is accurate, complete, and as specific. It includes information regarding the project’s staffing, budgets, time lines, deadlines, goals, and measurements. It also provides individual and group objectives and instruction related to how each aspect of the project should be carried out. Just like a business plan, a project plan makes sure all those involved know how to run the project.

As you may know, it is important that there is a unified guide that will let all the individuals involved in the project know where the direction of the project should. Not only that, it makes sure that everyone is functioning under the same goal and to also make sure that what has been approved is followed diligently. In a way, the project plan controls the project by

  • breaking down complex processes into a number of simpler components,
  • providing clarity for obscure or ambiguous tasks in the project,
  • providing a single point of reference for everyone involved in the project,
  • enforcing analyses of the sequence and nature of events,
  • providing a baseline which execution of the project can be compared to, and
  • anticipating possible events and providing pre-planned means of avoiding them.

A project plan is a useful document that can help the project ensure its success. It helps those involved stay grounded on the same goal and makes sure that everyone is taking the mapped out path. This will help individuals better execute their tasks as well as control the direction where it should go.

Basic Business Project Plan Example

basic business project plan example

Size: 181 KB

Business Project Plan Example

business project plan example

Size: 369 KB

Project Work Plan Template Example

project work plan template example

Size: 125 KB

Project Planning Template Example

project planning template example

Size: 163 KB

Education Project Plan Structure Example

education project plan structure example

Size: 169 KB

Health Bluetooth Event Tracker Project Plan Example

health bluetooth event tracker project plan example

Size: 46 KB

Elements of a Project Plan

in order to be able to make an effective project plan, you need to know and understand what are the significant elements you should include in it. Hence, here are the elements that you need to include in a project plan:

1. Project Scope Planning

In any project, the stakeholders are informed about the expected outcome/s which is often called the project deliverables . These project deliverables depend on the project scope. Essentially, defining a project scope is like drawing a map. Just like a map, the project scope outlines the extent and boundaries of the project deliverables. It basically consists of the details regarding what the project should achieve as well as the specifics about the budget of time and cost that provisioned in order to produce the project deliverables before the project comes to a close.

2. Delivery Schedule Planning

After the project scope is determined and the work has been broken down into distinct work items or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is created, planning and creating the delivery timeline comes next. In every work item that has been identified in WBS, the project planner needs to determine the list of activities that should be performed.

There are commonly five steps needed to create an effective delivery schedule:

  • Defining the tasks/activities.
  • Sequencing the tasks/activities.
  • Estimating the required resources.
  • Estimating the each task duration.
  • Developing the schedule.

3. Project Resources Planning

The project resources are essential in achieving the goal/s of the project. However, the resources are not only limited to the manpower that will make everything in the project work, it is also includes the materials and equipment required to the successful completion of the project. With that in mind, the project resources planning is generally concerned with people/staffing management.  There should be a solid human resource plan that will overlook on the people working on the project. The human resource plan generally answers to the following questions:

  • What kinds of people are required to complete the project—necessary quantity, competencies?
  • What should they do—roles and responsibilities?
  • Whom will they report to? This means that the human resource plan will determine and document what are the specific requirements for each position that they need to fill. This will help ensure that the people working on the project are equipped with the right knowledge, skill set, experience, etc., that they will be handling once assigned to the project.

4. Project Cost Planning

In terms of the monetary needs of the project, the project cost planning is an exercise that helps to baseline the overall project budget in order to reach an agreement between the project stakeholders and project steering committee with regards to the project delivery schedule as well as the payment schedule. It will help determine the elements that will be used for he entirety of the project, this involves the monetary resources requirement (people, machinery, material, equipment, space, etc.) as well as the provisions for risk management (people, machinery, material, equipment, space, etc.)

It is expected that the project cost planning will include the cost estimates per activity that captures the cost implications of

  • people, equipment, facilities, etc., required to complete given activity;
  • inflation, exchange rates applicable for context of the activity.

It is also expected to include the factors considered for estimates that will help record how the cost is determined or what elements formed the basis of cost estimation, and this includes:

  • What all assumptions are made?
  • What all constraints are applied?
  • What all parameters formed as a basis of estimate
  • What is the confidence level of estimate? And Why?

5. Project Quality Planning

Project quality planning is concerned with identifying the quality requirement of the project. Basically, it has everything to do with what standards are supposed to be complied with and in what manner.

The quality plan is expected to highlight the following aspects:

  • Quality Process and Policies
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Cost of Quality
  • Quality Metrics
  • Quality Checklist
  • Control Charts

6. Supporting Plans

  • Risk Management Plan – This plan deals with how risks will be handled should they are arise on the duration of the project. It explains the following along with necessary details that will make it understandable for everyone involved: the risk identification, risk assessment, risk responses, and risk management.
  • Communication Plan – The communication plan helps ensure that appropriate channels are established in order to let correct information flow top-down as well as bottom-up manner.
  • Procurement Plan  – This plan documents purchase policy with regards to purchase process, buy/lease/rent decisions, vendor selection, negotiation, financial concurrence, duration, legal concurrence, etc. It should also determine the roles authorized to make tendering process, financial and legal concurrence, and approval/rejection decision.

Project Execution Plan Example

project execution plan example

Size: 79 KB

Project Planning Worksheet Example

project planning worksheet example

Size: 239 KB

Project Plan Format Example

project plan format example

Size: 433 KB

How to Create an Effective Project Plan

Now that you have an idea on what are the essential elements that makes up a project plan, you should be able to make it for your business projects. However, in order to guide you even more, here are some steps to help you make an effective project plan:

  • Explain the project plan to stakeholders and clearly discuss its key components.
  • Clearly define the roles of responsibilities of everyone or every position involved in the project.
  • Hold a kickoff meeting to gather the stakeholders in order to discuss all that the project entails.
  • Develop a coherent and straightforward scope statement.
  • Develop a scope baseline that comes from the deliverable of the WBS.
  • Create the schedule and cost baselines.
  • Create baseline management plans.
  • Develop the staffing plan or human resource plan.
  • Analyze project quality as well as the risks.
  • There should be clear and efficient communication.

We hope that you have learned useful information with regards to planning project whether for your business or for your personal use. The examples given above can be your reference and guide when you start to develop you own project plan.

an example of a business plan for a project

AI Generator

Text prompt

  • Instructive
  • Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

SharpSheets

Medical Clinic Business Plan PDF Example

Avatar photo

  • February 19, 2024
  • Business Plan

The business plan template for a medical clinic

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

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a medical clinic 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 healthcare industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your medical clinic concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our medical clinic business plan is carefully designed to cover all the important parts needed for a good strategy. It explains how the clinic will run, how we’ll take care of patients, how we’ll tell people about our services, what the healthcare situation is like, who our competitors are, who’s in charge, and how much money we expect to make.

  • Executive Summary: Provides an overview of the Medical Clinic’s business concept, healthcare market analysis, management structure, and financial strategy.
  • Facility & Location: Describes the clinic’s physical setup, including its architectural design, medical equipment, patient amenities, and the strategic choice of its location to maximize accessibility for its target patient base.
  • Treatments & Pricing: Enumerates the healthcare services the clinic will provide, from general medical consultations to specialized treatments, alongside a transparent pricing model.
  • Key Stats: Shares industry size, growth trends, and relevant statistics for the healthcare market.
  • Key Trends : Highlights recent trends affecting the healthcare sector, such as technological advancements, patient care innovations, and regulatory changes.
  • Key Competitors : Analyzes the main competitors in the vicinity and differentiates the clinic based on services, patient care quality, and operational efficiency.
  • SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis tailored to the healthcare context.
  • Marketing Plan : Strategies for attracting and retaining patients, including digital marketing, community health programs, and patient service excellence.
  • Timeline : Key milestones and objectives from the clinic’s establishment through the first year of operation, including licensing, staff recruitment, and service launch.
  • Management: Information on the healthcare professionals managing the medical clinic and their roles, emphasizing their medical expertise and healthcare management experience.
  • Financial Plan: Projects the clinic’s 5-year financial performance, including revenue from medical services, operational costs, profits, and expected expenses, ensuring a sustainable and profitable healthcare service model.

The business plan template for a medical clinic

Medical Clinic Business Plan

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

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary introduces our medical clinic’s business plan, offering a concise overview of the clinic and its healthcare services. It details our market positioning, the comprehensive medical services we provide, its location, size, and an outline of our day-to-day operations. 

This section will also delve into how our clinic will integrate into the local healthcare market, including an assessment of the direct competitors in the area, identifying who they are, and highlighting our clinic’s unique selling points that set us apart. 

Additionally, it includes information about our management and co-founding team, outlining their roles and contributions to the clinic’s success. A summary of our financial projections, including expected revenue and profits over the next five years, will also be presented to offer a clear view of our clinic’s financial outlook.

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

Medical Clinic Business Plan executive summary1

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

For a medical clinic, the Business Overview section can be concisely structured into 2 main components:

Facility & Location

Briefly describe the clinic’s facilities, highlighting the state-of-the-art medical equipment, patient-centric design, and a welcoming atmosphere that ensures comfort and privacy.

Mention the clinic’s strategic location, emphasizing its accessibility and conveniences such as proximity to main transit routes and ample parking. Explain how this location was selected to serve the clinic’s target patient demographics effectively.

Treatments & Pricing

Detail the comprehensive range of medical services provided, from routine health check-ups to specialized treatments in areas like cardiology, pediatrics, or orthopedics.

Describe your pricing model, ensuring it mirrors the high standard of care offered and is competitive within the healthcare market. Highlight any health plans, membership options, or loyalty programs designed to offer added value to patients, fostering long-term relationships and patient loyalty.

Make sure to cover here _ Clinic & Location _ Treatments & Pricing

an example of a business plan for a project

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

Start your medical clinic business plan by looking at how big the healthcare world is, especially for the services you provide like general health, special treatments (skincare, children’s health), or quick care. Think about how this area is growing and where you might find new chances to grow.

Key market trends

Then, talk about what’s new in healthcare, like how people want care that’s just for them, using tech to help patients (like video doctor visits or digital health records), and focusing on keeping people healthy before they get sick. Point out that people are looking for services that meet their specific health needs and that there’s a growing interest in clinics that care for the whole person.

Key competitors

Lastly, look at who you’re up against, which could be big hospitals, small clinics that focus on one area of health, or even online health services. Think about what makes your clinic different and better, maybe because of the great care you give, the wide range of services you have, or new ways you’re bringing health care to people. This part should clearly say why people need medical services, who else is providing them, and how your clinic can stand out and do well in this busy world.

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

Medical Clinic Business Plan market overview1

Dive deeper into Key competitors

First, conduct a SWOT analysis for the medical clinic , identifying Strengths such as a team of expert medical professionals and a comprehensive suite of healthcare services. Weaknesses might include factors like high operational costs and the complexity of insurance processes. Opportunities can arise from the growing emphasis on health and wellness and the potential for telemedicine services. Threats could stem from increased competition and the impact of economic downturns on discretionary healthcare spending.

Marketing Plan

Next, develop a marketing strategy aimed at attracting and retaining patients. This strategy should focus on targeted advertising to reach specific demographics, offering promotional incentives for referrals, maintaining an active and engaging presence on social media, and fostering community ties through health education and events.

Finally, create a detailed timeline that marks essential milestones for the clinic. This includes the initial setup and opening phase, followed by the launch of marketing initiatives, efforts to expand the patient base, and strategies for broader service offerings, all designed to ensure the clinic progresses with a clear and defined purpose.

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

Medical Clinic Business Plan strategy 1

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The management section focuses on the medical clinic’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 medical clinic toward its financial and operational goals.

For your medical clinic business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the medical clinic’s mission.

Medical Clinic Business Plan management 1

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of the medical clinic’s financial strategy, including projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out the clinic’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 medical clinic business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your main assumptions (e.g. prices, customers, expenses, etc.).

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

Medical Clinic Business Plan financial plan 1

Privacy Overview

an example of a business plan for a project

Example prompts to try with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

Experience the power of Get started with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat  (formerly named Microsoft 365 Chat). See how much time you can save and how much more you can get done. Use Microsoft Copilot to catch up, create content, and ask questions. This article provides several example prompts you can try.

Tip:  When you’re giving Copilot instructions, you can direct it to specific work content by using the forward slash key (“/”), then typing the name of a file, person, or meeting.  If you write a prompt and don’t reference a specific file, person, or meeting, Copilot will determine the best source of data for its response, including all your work content.

Synthesize large amounts of data into simple, consumable responses and catch up on things quickly. Here are some examples:

You've been on vacation now you're back. You need to find out what's going on with Project X. Find the latest about Project X. What's the current timeline? When are deliverables due?

You've just joined a new team and you're trying to ramp up on recent activities. Summarize team communications over the last 30 days. What are the team's priorities? 

There's been a recent change in how your team is tracking work. Find information about the new way our team is tracking work. Include email communications and points of contact for questions.

Create content

Brainstorm ideas and draft new content based on information at work. Here are some examples:

You want to draft a one-page description of a new project (let's call it Project Foo) that's just about to kick off at work. Using information in file1, file2, and file3, write a one-page description of Project Foo. Write it so non-technical people can understand what the project is about and when it's scheduled to be completed.

You're preparing an email to invite customers to attend an upcoming conference and visit your company's booth. Using information in Document Z, write a fun, catchy email inviting our customers to come see us at our booth during next month's conference.

You want to plan a morale event for your team. List 3-5 ideas for group activities in the Seattle area that would be suitable for my team. Include approximate cost and time estimates. 

Ask questions

Find information and get answers quickly, even if you can't remember where the information you need is or how it was shared. Here are some examples:

You need to know what's left in the budget for supplies. How much did we spend on supplies for Project Foo?  How much budget do we have left for Project Foo?

Your team received customer feedback. You want to identify the top things your team should address. Review the feedback we received from customers via email last week. What are the top three issues we should address?

Overview of Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

Use Copilot at Microsoft365.com

Use Copilot in Teams

Use Copilot at Bing.com

Facebook

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

an example of a business plan for a project

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

an example of a business plan for a project

Microsoft 365 training

an example of a business plan for a project

Microsoft security

an example of a business plan for a project

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

an example of a business plan for a project

Ask the Microsoft Community

an example of a business plan for a project

Microsoft Tech Community

an example of a business plan for a project

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

10 Innovations that Will Change Construction As We Know It

construction innovations shape the future of the industry

Construction innovations are progressing rapidly, and the industry now has a tremendous amount of resources to advance construction technology. Construction tech funding held steady at $5.38 billion in 2022 .  

These investments in innovations pay off significantly; research shows that firms that are rated as “digitally savvy” outperform companies by as much as 48% on revenue and 15% on net margin. And this is true across many fields, including AEC.   

Research also show that when asked to self-assess, 25% of businesses overate their ability to use data effectively and a whopping 80% of construction businesses are classified as beginner or emerging levels of data capabilities.  

There’s never been a more exciting time to be a part of the construction industry. As it continues to change at an accelerated pace, innovations will bring about even more developments and advancements. Here are 10 innovations we believe will shape the future of the industry as we know it today. 

1. AI and Machine Learning

Optimized workflows are essential to well-running projects and teams in the AEC industry. However, due to the complexity of construction, workflows have the tendency to be disconnected and manual in nature. The three most significant areas within optimized construction workflows are communication, data, and transparency. AI is making it easier to succeed across all three of these areas, resulting in greater productivity and profits. The fact that Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) proclaimed AI has the potential to increase industry profits by 71% by 2035 doesn’t hurt either. 

Machine learning is helping construction pros optimize their workflows and aid decision-making. Predictive analytics is quickly establishing its foothold in the construction industry’s core stack of technology tools. By leveraging current and historical data as well as machine learning, companies can make predictions about future outcomes. These predictions can then be used to make more informed decisions and strategize next moves. Research has also shown that data leaders in construction are 7x more likely to be using AI and machine learning.  

Predictive analytics and machine learning are especially valuable in today’s world of complex construction projects and operations. Companies need a precise way to mitigate risks, take advantage of opportunities, and prepare for challenges. This information also gives workers the freedom to focus on higher-value activities that are more likely to move the needle.  

BAM Ireland is an excellent example of this benefit. The multinational construction company leveraged Construction IQ, powered by Autodesk AI , as its predictive analytics tool for all projects. Doing so led to a 20% improvement in on-site quality and safety and a 25% increase in time spent on high-risk issues. 

 Some construction AI innovations are even more subtle. For instance, another tool, AutoSpecs , allows you to find and track submittal items that may not have been added to the specification. The suggested submittals tool compares your current project specifications with historical project data and recommends potentially missing items to enhance accuracy and mitigate risks associated with overlooked details.

2. Resource and Workforce Management Software

Managing resources and a workforce are massive expenses for construction companies. Effective workforce management can help companies keep operations running smoothly, optimize resource allocation, and avoid unexpected expenses as well as delays. 

Today, more companies are turning to software platforms to bring more efficiency and actionable analytics to their workforce, whether they be remote, on-site, large, or small. 

Construction innovations in workforce management solutions include predictive tracking, forecasting, and mobile-first interfaces. These solutions remove many of the manual processes that come with resource planning. 

Bridgit Bench is a workforce planning solution built for contractors to track pursuits, project changes, and forecast workforce needs. Project teams can push awarded and opportunity projects from Autodesk Construction Cloud to Bridgit Bench, keeping projects up to date as changes are made. 

One tool, Riskcast provides a way for crews to easily capture labor, equipment, and production plus more, without multiple systems and complex spreadsheets. Teams can sync real-time data into Autodesk Cost Management Performance Tracking to see actuals vs. planned.  

Solutions like these allow companies to access metrics and forecasting analytics to better allocate resources to the right projects at the right time. Workforce management solutions are especially important in our current economy, where volatile markets require firms to be as precise and efficient in their operations as possible. 

3. The Next Wave of 3D Printing

3D printing has long been cited as one of the top modern construction innovations. However, its future is even brighter these days as the technology moves from a novelty to an emerging industry standard. 

With the right implementation strategy—and some creative thinking—3D printing can help speed up projects, make materials more accessible, and enable you to create beautiful designs.  

As Stephan Mansour, a 3D Printing & Emerging Technology Advisor at MaRiTama Ltd points out , “Everything can be 3D-printed; it’s just a matter of how far you want to go, how scalable it is, and how much money you’re going to put in.” 

In terms of use cases, you can 3D print design elements like facades to make them more intricate and detailed. 3D printing can also be used to print parts, fixtures, and furniture for your building. This is particularly useful when you’re dealing with supply shortages or when you’re working in a remote area. Rather than waiting weeks or months for the materials you need, you can print them within a few hours or days. 

We can expect to see 3D printing technologies continue to mature and grow in the future. As companies look for ways to improve quality control, address skilled labor shortages, and explore advanced designs, 3D printing will be here to help them make it a success. 

4. AR, VR, and the Metaverse

Extended Reality (XR) serves as the encompassing term for a spectrum of captivating and interactive technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). These transformative experiences are accessible through various devices, ranging from mobile devices to VR headsets. The allure of XR lies in its ability to seamlessly immerse individuals in the digital realm in real-time. 

This technology plays a pivotal role in revolutionizing Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) workflows as highlighted by the announcement of Autodesk Workshop XR, an immersive design review workspace. The evolution of XR is swiftly paving the way for more impactful and efficient work processes. With innovations like Workshop XR, AEC teams are discovering new avenues for issue tracking, error prevention, and enhanced spatial understanding, ultimately improving workflows and integration. 

The increasing adoption of XR signifies a paradigm shift in how we approach work, collaboration, and project success. This dynamic environment enables teams to scrutinize and problem-solve within their 3D models in a 1:1 scale, fostering a level of interaction that transcends traditional computer screens. 

Businesses—particularly those reliant on cross-departmental collaboration—stand to gain enormous benefits from extended reality solutions. Autodesk Workshop XR, with a connection to Autodesk Construction Cloud through Autodesk Docs, facilitates real-time collaboration within Revit or Navisworks models, making XR a driving force in the AEC industry’s technological wave. 

5. Sensor Data

Tracking the various components of your business—including manpower, jobsites, and equipment—is essential. Proper monitoring aids project planning, promotes smoother operations, and ensures compliance with safety and worker regulations.  

Here’s the good news: thanks to construction sensors and IoT technology, keeping an eye on the many moving parts of your projects is easier than ever. There are various solutions in the market that can enable you to monitor site conditions, track materials through the supply chain, improve worker safety, and empower better facility management. 

Forward-thinking firms are also using sensors to forecast and prepare for future events. “With the use of sensor data and Forge as a software foundation, we are able to predict future product failures,” explains Chris Schoneveld, BIM Manager at Alkondor Hengelo .  

“So for a maintenance task, we could analyse the use curve of a building and protect our products against future failures. And doing multiple tasks on a single maintenance job benefits our company’s eco footprint due to a minimization of traffic movement.” 

6. Digital Twins

Digital twins is certainly a buzzworthy term, but what benefit does it have for the construction industry? As it sounds, a digital twin is a digital replica of a physical entity, including its potential and current assets, systems, data, processes, workflows, people, and devices. In the context of construction, building out a digital twin from the very start is significant to better understand a physical structure for future operations. 

Having a duplicate source of a physical structure allows workers to assess, manipulate, and optimize the building. As they analyze the digital twin, they can uncover potential means of creating efficiencies, developing safety protocols, reducing risks, and improving quality. Digital twins also enhance BIM by serving as a digital thread, connected directly to a physical structure. 

Since almost 80% of a building’s lifetime value is realized during operations , the data and insights provided by a digital twin helps owners better maintain their facilities, streamline operations, and improve capital planning.  

You can also use digital twins to determine if a built asset is meeting certain KPIs and metrics. “If you have certain sustainable goals, you’ll be able to see if you’re achieving them. If you have equipment and want to measure mean time between failure, having a digital twin helps you do that,” explains Bob Bray, Senior Director & General Manager for Autodesk Tandem . 

It can also help owners strategize for the future. As Bob points out, “A digital twin gives you the knowledge to inform, predict, and look at future decisions based on how that asset is performing in the real world.”  

Lastly, the advantages of digital twins are especially relevant during times of social distancing, remote work, and travel restrictions. Essential information about a property is readily accessible with a digital twin, avoiding the need to travel or even leave a home office. 

Check out Episode 59 of the Digital Builder podcast to learn more about Digital Twins.   

7. Truly Connected Construction

Simplicity in construction? It might not be a buzzword, but we’d argue that simplicity is the lifeblood of the most powerful of innovations. When data, workflows, and technology connect, they’re all the more powerful. Apple is a key example of this fact. The same information flows seamlessly between the company’s iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. These harmonious connections keep things simple and effective. 

We see the same concepts play out in connected construction. Construction companies often have to deal with information silos and paper-dependent processes. These challenges are exacerbated by the massive volumes of data and resources that make up the industry. For stakeholders to work efficiently on projects, they need a solid foundation, a single source of truth. 

This foundation can be built and maintained with connected construction. Connected construction equates to integrated and connected data, workflows, and technology. It brings information, processes, and people together in one common data environment . It powers effective decision-making, whether they occur during daily operations or as part of a long-term strategic plan. For companies that genuinely want to empower their people to make the most informed decisions possible, connected construction is the answer.  

8. Advanced Takeoff and Estimating Tools

The days of relying solely on spreadsheets to put together quantity takeoffs, estimates, and bids, are over. Or at least, they should be. The rise of advanced tools in preconstruction are helping construction pros implement robust bidding and estimating processes so they can focus more on winning more business and reducing risk.  

Modern takeoff, estimating, and bidding solutions work in the cloud, enabling you to view and manage bids and estimates from anywhere. These tools also help connect data and teams on one platform, leading to better collaboration and accuracy. And thanks to automation and 3D visualization, you’re able to work faster, produce competitive bids, and ultimately win more work.   

Autodesk Takeoff helps contractors easily perform 2D and 3D quantification and ProEst’s estimating solution helps translate project scope into material, labor and equipment costs to generate accurate project estimates. From there, contractors can use BuildingConnected’s bid management solution to choose the right builder for every project from the largest crowd-sourced construction network, reducing risk and protecting the bottom line. 

9. BIM Beyond Design

BIM, or building information technology modeling, is widely used in the design world but is often seen as complex and technical outside of it. However, BIM doesn’t have to be complicated. By sharing models between the design department and the field, BIM can be a simple and effective communication tool.  

There are many advantages to facilitating BIM access in the field. When models are distributed as PDF documents, valuable BIM data can be lost. By using BIM in the field, teams can improve communication, increase data visibility, and reduce rework costs.  

According to John Lim Ji Xiong, Chief Digital Officer, Gamuda Bhd, “In 2024, I think construction industry trends will morph from BIM and 3D modeling to more data-driven topics such as building dashboards, AI, and managing project data. BIM has become something that is mature in the industry and is a requirement in a lot of tenders. However, in the drive to modernize and improve, construction companies will be looking to drive efficiency and transparency through data in order to build better projects.” 

Expanding the use of BIM beyond design streamlines communication, provides a richer view of construction documents, promotes safety and reduces rework. By keeping design and field teams aligned through BIM, collaboration improves, and work gets done faster.  

Furthermore, new AI innovations open even more opportunities for BIM. “This year, we’ll see greater momentum and interest from the industry as firms leverage AI-driven technologies to automate tedious tasks, more deeply analyze information, and augment decision-making,” says Jim Lynch, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Autodesk. “Particularly, the integration of BIM with AI poses new and exciting opportunities. BIM’s rich data, paired with machine learning, can enable firms to improve efficiency and make smarter decisions beyond just the design phase of a building.” 

It’s time to rethink the role of BIM in construction. BIM is not just a design tool every team can use to deliver high-quality work and improve collaboration throughout the construction lifecycle.  

10. Robotics

The continued adoption of robotics in construction is another significant development that will shape the industry’s future. However, construction companies face barriers in implementing these technologies including cost of entry and a lack of skills with these specific technologies within teams  

On an episode of the Digital Builder podcast, Brooke Gemmell, Emerging Technology Partner at Skanska said, “We’re starting to see so many more robotic applications. I think one thing that may be a misconception is just how readily available they are on projects. Most of the tools out there are only being piloted on a select few projects because we’re still learning how can we really use these and what’s the biggest impact for these tools.” 

To overcome these hurdles, companies can start with more mature technologies like drones and offsite prefabrication. They also can invest in training programs and partnerships with technology providers to improve their workforce. Brooke believes there is already a strong appetite from the workforce to do so, “I’ve been on a lot of project sites where we’ve had robotic solutions deployed, and first off, people are really excited about it. They want to learn more and they want to engage.” 

Collaboration and communication with technology providers is crucial. By sharing specific needs and challenges, construction companies can shape the development of tailored AI and robotics solutions. It is also beneficial to learn from industry leaders who have effectively incorporated these technologies.  

By embracing AI and robotics, construction companies can unlock productivity, efficiency, and safety benefits. These technologies will greatly improve workflow, optimize resource management, and enable faster project delivery.  

“Robots are helping people go home earlier, less tired, and with less strain. We’re also taking people out of dangerous situations and using robots in those places,” added Brooke.  

Moving Innovation in Construction Forward

The construction industry is truly evolving right in front of our eyes. We’re confident these 10 construction innovations will prove to be especially valuable in the industry today and in the future. 

Grace Ellis

Construction trends, tips, and news – delivered straight to your inbox, you might like..., demystifying autodesk technology: unlocking efficiency for factory planning and factory design, digital builder ep 77: what is ai’s proper place in construction, using digital technology for project success in denmark’s construction sector.

IMAGES

  1. Project Management Plan Examples

    an example of a business plan for a project

  2. Project Business Plan

    an example of a business plan for a project

  3. Sample business plan 2

    an example of a business plan for a project

  4. Business Project Plan

    an example of a business plan for a project

  5. Community Project Plan

    an example of a business plan for a project

  6. A Business Plan Sample in Word and Pdf formats

    an example of a business plan for a project

VIDEO

  1. HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN STEP BY STEP + TEMPLATE

  2. How to Write a Business Plan in 2023

  3. Business Planning : How to Write a Business Plan

  4. How To Create Business Plan Report

  5. Business Plan : Examples and Best Practices of Business Plan Writing

  6. How to Write a Business Plan

COMMENTS

  1. 550+ Sample Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own

    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. The structure ditches a linear format in favor of a cell-based template.

  2. 24 of My Favorite Sample Business Plans & Examples For Your Inspiration

    8. Panda Doc's Free Business Plan Template. 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.

  3. 7 Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)

    7 business plan examples: section by section. The business plan examples in this article follow this example template: Executive summary. An introductory overview of your business. Company description. A more in-depth and detailed description of your business and why it exists. Market analysis.

  4. How To Write A Business Plan (2024 Guide)

    Describe Your Services or Products. The business plan should have a section that explains the services or products that you're offering. This is the part where you can also describe how they fit ...

  5. Project Management Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

    Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. Give a brief overview of the project management industry. Discuss the type of project management business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy.

  6. How to Write a Business Plan: Guide + Examples

    Download a free one-page plan template to write a useful business plan in as little as 30-minutes. Explore over 500 real-world business plan examples from a wide variety of industries. Try the business planning and growth tool trusted by over 1-million business owners.

  7. The 7 Best Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)

    Project profit-and-loss statement. Shopify's financial plan template to create your own income statement, cash-flow statement, and balance sheet. A one-page business plan is a pared down version of a standard business plan that's easy for potential investors and partners to understand. You'll want to include all of the sections, but make ...

  8. How to Write a Simple Business Plan

    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.

  9. 400+ Business Plan Examples and Templates [2024 Download]

    Analyzing free business plan templates can help you optimize your executive summary to make it more brief, persuasive, and attention-grabbing. 8. Realizing What Works and What Doesn't. Analyzing industry-specific and real-life examples can help you determine what works best and what doesn't within your industry.

  10. 15+ Business Plan Examples to Help You Write Your Own

    A great consulting business plan template will include a summary, objectives, market strategies, services and price listings for customers. This template makes great use of large, high quality images. With Visme, you can simply drag and drop images onto the template to replace the existing images with your own.

  11. 15+ Business Plan Examples to Win Your Next Round of Funding

    Return to Table of Contents. Startup business plan example. An essential startup business plan should include a clear and compelling value proposition, market analysis, competitive analysis, target audience identification, financial projections, and a well-defined marketing and operational strategy.. For a typical startup, the need to appear disruptive in the industry is important.

  12. How to Create a Realistic Project Plan: Templates & Examples

    To create a new project plan in TeamGantt, click the New Project button in the upper right corner of the My Projects screen. Then enter your project name and start date, and select the days of the week you want to include in your plan. Click Create New Project to move on to the next step. 2.

  13. Simple Business Plan Template (2024)

    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 ...

  14. Write your business plan

    Executive summary. Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be successful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and basic information about your company's leadership team, employees, and location. You should also include financial information and high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.

  15. How to Write a Project Management Plan [4 Examples]

    To write a successful project plan, follow these 5 steps below to create an effective project plan that serves as a valuable tool for project management: 1. Highlight the key elements of your project plan in an executive summary. An executive summary is a brief description of the key contents of a project plan.

  16. How to Develop a Project Plan: Template & Example [2024]

    A project plan: Clarifies the process and activities that will lead to the project's outputs and deliverables. Gives you information that enables you to estimate properly and define a project's outputs and project scope. Enables you to visualize the entire project and see the interdependencies between tasks.

  17. What Is Project Planning? How Write a Project Plan [2024] • Asana

    A project plan houses all the necessary details of your project, such as goals, tasks, scope, deadlines, and deliverables. This shows stakeholders a clear roadmap of your project, ensures you have the resources for it, and holds everyone accountable from the start. In this article, we teach you the seven steps to create your own project plan.

  18. How to Write a Project Plan: Template and Examples

    Here's an example of what a project plan could look like in Nuclino: Nuclino is a unified workspace where you can not only plan, document, and manage your projects, but also build your internal knowledge base, collaborate on internal documentation, onboard new employees, take meeting minutes, and more. Rather than using a tool like Trello to ...

  19. Business Plan Example and Template

    A business plan should be structured in a way that it contains all the important information that investors are looking for. Here are the main sections of a business plan: 1. Title Page. The title page captures the legal information of the business, which includes the registered business name, physical address, phone number, email address, date ...

  20. How to create a goal-crushing project plan (+ 13 templates)

    A Gantt chart project plan template is a visual tool that outlines a project schedule, showing the start and finish dates of elements within the project and how they relate to each other over time. It's like a time-travel map for your project, visually plotting out your tasks in a way Doc Brown would appreciate. 5.

  21. 30+ Project Plan Templates & Examples to Align Your Team

    Continual monitoring is key and be prepared to revise your goals and your roadmap as the project progresses. This simple work plan template clearly outlines which team is responsible for what, and when, so you can keep everyone aligned as work is carried out. 8. Use a process map template to communicate across teams.

  22. 30 project plan templates to kickstart your best work

    General project planning templates. 1. Simple project chart template: Get started. A project chart (also known as a Gantt chart template) is a visual representation of your project plan on a bar-chart like graph. Project charts map out your project timeline, deliverable due dates, task dependencies, and milestones.

  23. Business Project Plan

    9+ Business Project Plans - PDF, Word, Docs. When individuals decide to take on a new endeavor they start by mapping out what exactly it is that they want to do. People involved in business take value on all of their resources simply because starting a new project is basically a gamble they have to take. That is why before they even start to ...

  24. Medical Clinic Business Plan PDF Example

    Business Overview. For a medical clinic, the Business Overview section can be concisely structured into 2 main components: Facility & Location. Briefly describe the clinic's facilities, highlighting the state-of-the-art medical equipment, patient-centric design, and a welcoming atmosphere that ensures comfort and privacy.

  25. Example prompts to try with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

    Brainstorm ideas and draft new content based on information at work. Here are some examples: You want to draft a one-page description of a new project (let's call it Project Foo) that's just about to kick off at work. Using information in file1, file2, and file3, write a one-page description of Project Foo.

  26. 8 Innovations that Will Change Construction

    BAM Ireland is an excellent example of this benefit. The multinational construction company leveraged Construction IQ as its predictive analytics tool for all projects. ... Tracking the various components of your business—including manpower, job sites, and equipment—is essential. ... Proper monitoring aids project planning, promotes ...

  27. Business Analyst Job Description (With Examples)

    A business analyst commonly reviews and analyzes key business metrics to devise plans for improvement, then communicates these findings and plans to key stakeholders in the business. A business ...