business plan template free australia

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Writing a business plan

A business plan documents your objectives and the strategies and structures you have in place for achieving them.

Your business plan should explain how you will manage all the important aspects of your business, from products and services to operational plans and finances.

Video: Writing a business plan

Watch our video on why you should write a business plan for your new or current business.

Topics include:

• why it's important to create and review a business plan
• the information to include in your business plan
• using a business plan to achieve your business goals
• downloading and completing our business plan template.

Use a business plan to:

• help you start a new business
• help you improve the performance of an existing business
• attract funding for an investment
• communicate business progress to stakeholders
• communicate business goals and objectives to internal staff members
• attract potential buyers for the business.

A business plan is a 'living' document, so it should evolve and change—think of it as an operating guide for your business throughout the start-up, operations and succession phases.

Download and write a full business plan

Download our free full business plan template and use the guidelines below to write a plan for your business.

There are also other templates available that may better meet your needs—visit business.gov.au .

You should customise your chosen template to suit your business and industry.

We explain below how you can start with a 1-page business plan to ease you into the process of completing the full business plan.

Business plan elements

The elements of your business plan will vary depending on:

• what phase your business is in (starting, running, selling)
• the industry your business is in
• how you choose to use the plan (e.g. for internal development purposes).

Every business plan will be different, but they will generally include similar elements. The sections of our business plan template are listed below—use these as a guide when completing it or as a reference when creating your own.

At the start of your business plan, include the following business details:

• business name
• date registered
• Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Australian Company Number (ACN) – if applicable
• tax file number (TFN)
• business address
• contact details
• website details
• social media details.

Read about choosing a business structure and getting the right licences and registrations .

This section provides an overview of the business concept. It should be attention-grabbing and succinct—the content will be covered in more detail in future sections.

While this is the first section of the plan, it can often help to write it last after the other sections have been finalised.

This helps to ensure that the executive summary covers all the key information within the plan.

It should define:

• what your business vision is
• what your legal structure is
• what products and services you offer
• who your customers are
• what sets you apart from your competitors
• how you will create a market for your products and services
• how you will operate
• what your financial projections are
• how your business or industry will evolve
• who owns or manages your business
• what your short-term and long-term goals are.

Refer to the corresponding sections in our free business plan template:

• 2.1 Products and services
• 2.2 Market analysis
• 2.3 Industry description and outlook
• 2.4 SWOT analysis

In this section, you should highlight your business products and services and describe what makes them unique, such as their:

• limitations
• cost and sale price.

You can also include details of any plans your business has to introduce new products and services.

Your market analysis should describe your target market (e.g. local, international) and target customers.

Add in the research you have done about your industry and the market trends.

In this section, you will also complete a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

Find out more about researching your market:

• planning and conducting market and customer research
• market research kit .
• 3.1 Current situation
• 3.2 Marketing objectives
• 3.3 Target segments
• 3.4 Competitor analysis
• 3.5 Brand positioning
• 3.6 Marketing programs
• 3.7 Marketing tactics
• 3.8 Key actions
• 3.9 Business controls

A business plan should include a high-level summary of your market research and analysis.

Starting with your current situation, complete your marketing objectives and analysis around your target market and your competitiveness.

Complete your customer and competitor profiles and develop a 1-page brand strategy .

These will help you prepare your marketing plan in section 3 of the template.

Your plan will include marketing tactics and an action plan. You will identify how you will set KPIs and report on your marketing effectiveness.

Learn about:

• branding your business
• writing a marketing strategy and plan .
• 4.1 Sales strategies
• 4.2 Sales analysis and forecast
• 4.3 Customer management

Explain your sales forecasts and targets in this section, and how you will manage customer records and payments. You should understand what sales strategies will work for you and the best channels to market your products or services .

You will also need to know what your current sales, volume and market share are and what you expect them to be for the next 2 years.

Learn about cash flow, invoices and payments and how to collect and store customer information for help with managing customers.

Regardless of your business or industry, you will need to prepare for operating some of your business online.

Note your digital and customer and data-protection strategies in your business plan. You could also include:

• the digital tools and resources that will be used in your business
• the people responsible for overseeing the digital strategy within the business
• details of any security considerations.

Complete a digital health check and learn how to create a digital strategy for your business .

• 6.1 Business structure
• 6.2 Contracts, licences and agreements
• 6.3 Intellectual property
• 6.4 Insurance
• 6.6 Employees
• 6.7 Financial
• 6.8 Legal and ethical trading
• 6.9 Risk management
• 6.10 Business continuity

In this section, record the legal and risk management considerations for your business.

Describe your business structure and the contracts you have now or could have in the future.

If you have a lease or are considering leasing premises, add the terms and conditions of the lease and any actions you need to take to your plan.

To complete the other legal section, learn about:

• legal requirements for businesses
• selecting the right business location
• business insurance
• intellectual property: the basics
• legal and ethical selling
• your responsibilities as an employer .

Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) if you need information about licences that relate to your business.

To identify the risks to your business, your business plan should also:

• outline and demonstrate that you have considered the risks to your business (a business risk analysis) and the possible consequences
• summarise the plans you have in place for overcoming these risks.

A risk matrix tool or risk management plan can be developed to help you analyse your business risks—read more about identifying and managing business risk .

You will also need to consider business continuity planning to prepare for unexpected situations.

• 7.1 Location
• 7.2 Production
• 7.3 Current performance
• 7.4 Plant and equipment
• 7.6 List of major suppliers
• 7.7 Stock and inventory

This section will cover all you know about how you do things in your business—for example, your standard operating procedures and how to ensure the quality of your products and services.

To better understand your business operations, read about:

• business processes, procedures and standards
• choosing the right business location
• stock control: the basics .
• 8.1 Management and key personnel
• 8.3 Training
• 8.4 Recruitment
• 8.5 Succession planning

This section helps you note your current workforce structure and plan for the workforce you will have in the future as you grow, and for potentially passing the business to a successor.

Your business plan will detail your business's organisational structure (proposed or actual)—this is often shown as a diagram representing the business hierarchy, different roles within the business and how they relate to one another.

You should also consider succession planning, even if you haven't thought about how you would sell or pass on the business.

• workforce planning for small business
• training and developing staff
• passing a business to a successor .
• 9.1 Start-up costs
• 9.2 Profit and loss forecast
• 9.3 Cash flow forecast
• 9.4 Balance sheet
• 9.5 Financial ratios

Your business plan should include your business finance details—there is a separate business finance template you can also complete.

Summarise your key financial details, including:

• costs for establishing or operating the business
• sales needed to break even
• projected cash flow
• funding arrangements
• payment plans.

You can assess the financial performance of your business using financial ratios .

• 10.1 Review and update business goals
• 10.2 Make a schedule to review your actions

The final section of the business plan should include a set of actions to take before you review your business plan next, and check your progress. This should be over a 6–12 month period, based on the business goals outlined in your plan.

Set a regular review date for the actions and the business plan. Assess which actions have been completed, which remain outstanding and which require updating to help your business plan remain relevant.

Read about skills for running a business to consider ways to improve your time management and leadership.

Optional business plan elements

While not essential, the following can supplement your business plan.

Business vision statement and business values

A comprehensive business vision statement defines what your business does and why it is important.

This could be added in more detail in your business plan and referred to in your executive summary. Find out how to create a business vision .

Business values are the principles, beliefs, and standards of behaviour that guide your business. Including this in your plan will better reflect your goals for the business.

Customer journey strategy

This section could include details of your business's key customer service strategies.

Consider mapping out the intended customer journey—the intended path customers will follow when interacting with your business.

Start with a short business plan

A 1-page business plan can be a good place to start your business planning.

It can cover only high-level information about your business value proposition (i.e. why a customer would want to buy your products and services) and business model.

A one-page plan can include details about:

• your business vision and values
• projected income and expenses
• identified business risks
• the customer segments you intend to target
• the value proposition of your business
• channels that could be used to reach your target customers (e.g. direct or online marketing)
• your customer service plan
• how you will receive payment for products and services
• the activities needed to achieve your outcomes
• the resources you will need
• details of any partners you will use to provide goods and services
• the cost structure for your products and services (based on all items as listed in the plan).

You can search online for tools that can help you create this plan—for example, a value proposition canvas or business model canvas .

Once you are satisfied with this short business plan, you can use it as the basis for your full business plan.

Communicating your business plan

Communicating your business plan to your staff and stakeholders is essential for implementing it and achieving your business goals, even when starting out with a small team.

Some practical tips for communicating the plan include:

• being mindful of your audience—different communication styles will suit different audiences (e.g. you may be able to communicate more informally with your staff than with your stakeholders, board members or investors)
• choosing an appropriate format, time and place—you could hold a staff meeting, schedule a business plan review session and invite all staff and stakeholders to attend, or create an online presentation
• using clear, concise and simple language
• making time to get feedback from your staff and stakeholders.

Read about skills for running a business for tips on developing your communication skills.

Learn about managing people through change .

Review and update your business plan

You will need to regularly review your business plan to ensure that it is relevant, achievable and up to date with any changes in your business.

Consider reviewing your business plan:

• at regular intervals (e.g. quarterly or annually)
• after a business SWOT analysis has been completed
• when raising capital (e.g. approaching the bank for a loan or pitching to an investor)
• before implementing growth strategies or new products
• when new staff members are added to the team
• when implementing a new organisational structure
• before changes in the industry or to legislation
• when preparing to sell the business .

To help you review your own plan, ask yourself the following questions:

• What will the review schedule be?
• Is the plan up to date?
• Have the business goals changed?
• Is the plan still matched to the business goals?
• Are market trends changing?
• Have there been major political, environmental, social or technological changes that affect your business?
• Have there been significant changes in your finances or need for capital?
• Is the plan still 'fit for purpose'?

Business planning resources and tools

The following planning resources and tools below can help you compile and update your business plan to ensure your business is on track to meet its goals.

• Small business planning webinar recording
• Writing a marketing strategy and plan
• Identifying and managing business risk
• Business processes, procedures and standards
• Plan your business finances
• Market and customer research
• Choosing and working with business advisers
• Networking in business
• Ask a mentor – business planning

Learn about planning for the future with free and short online courses through the Back to Work program. The University of Sunshine Coast also provides free, online courses on business planning .

Resources for finding licences, permits and codes of conduct

Use the Business Launchpad to discover all your licensing needs, compiled in your own customised guide.

You can also search for licences, permits and codes of practice using the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS).

Learn about codes of conduct and codes of practices from:

• the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
• WorkCover Queensland .
• Last reviewed: 8 Dec 2022
• Last updated: 30 May 2024

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Free business plan template for small businesses

Create your free professional business plan with our easy-to-use business plan template.

Create a professional business plan in minutes

Free template.

Our Australian business plan template can save you time & money.

Fully editable

Ready to customise with all requirements like your business details, organisational structure, competitor analaysis and goals.

Easy to use

Simply add the requested data and our template will create a business plan for you.

Download your free business plan template

Business plan template.

Our business plan template is an editable document containing your businesses goals and objectives for the future. It also provides all the key sections you need for a professional business plan including overview of business description, market research, competitive analysis, financial forecasts and much more.

We’re here to help.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you write a business plan.

Writing a multi page business plan when you are just starting out can seem overwhelming. The key to getting started is to keep it simple and add to it as you grow. Start with key headings (or use our template) and some bullet points mapping out your business overview, vision, market analysis and financial forecasts. For a more detailed step-by-step approach, check out our comprehensive guide on How to Write a Business Plan .

What is the importance of a business plan?

Writing a business plan gives your business the best chance of success helping you to flesh out your business proposal, outline key business processes and gives an action plan of what you want to achieve over time. While it can seem overwhelming, the time and effort you put in is worth it for your long-term success. Use our free business plan template below to get you started!

What should a business plan include?

A business plan consists of a single document with different sections that represent different aspects of your business. Most business plans include the following:

• Business overview
• Executive summary
• Team & Management
• Product & Services
• Market Analysis
• Competitor Analysis
• Marketing & Promotions
• Financial Analysis
• Future & Goals

Tips for writing a business plan?

Check out our page about the  7 Tips for writing a Business Plan >

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Free business plan template

• Download business plan template
• Try Xero for free

Xero is your partner in all aspects of your business, not just accounting software. Whether you need a multi-page or one-page business plan template, our free business plan template comes ready to fill in, complete with instructions. Download a business plan sample today.

Download the business plan template

Fill out the form for a downloadable business plan template. Your business plan doc is available as an editable pdf to use again and again.

Privacy notice .

Why business templates are vital

A business plan is essential for the success of your small business or startup. It helps guide the direction of your business and explains your vision to others. A reusable single- and multi-page template lets you tailor your pitch for investors, staff, and prospects. Plans help:

• Included Startups decide if the idea is viable.
• Included Small businesses gauge the competition, determine their competitive advantages, set goals, and plan marketing strategies.

Download our guide on how to write a business plan

Why you’ll want to plan your business with our template

Our business plan template:

Helps you budget accurately

Our business plan’s customisable structure lets you accurately present your financial data.

Find out more about Xero analytics

Explains business plan components

Each business plan component comes with an annotated explanation to help you write your plan.

Read our guide on creating a business plan

Has multi-page and single-page versions

Simplify your mission, then focus it for investors with two different templates.

Download the single and multi-page templates

Getting started with the business plan template

Develop a concise mission statement about why your company exists and how it differs from similar companies. For example, Google’s statement is ‘To organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful’. LinkedIn’s statement is 'Connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful'. Then, develop business goals and objectives that fit with your statement. For example, LinkedIn’s objectives would specify metrics around the number of professionals and connections.

A value proposition presents the specific benefits your product or service brings to your customer, reinforces your brand identity, and give your team a focus. Business plan examples of value propositions might be: 'We help our customers feel good by fueling up with exceptional coffee in a community environment’, or ‘We help our customers choose the right gift in less than 10 minutes’.

A business plan for startups defines its target customers. All businesses should include market analysis in their business plans and update their analysis regularly. Start with your customers’ demographics. Then use the internet and primary sources like surveys and interviews) to learn more. Next, identify competitors and determine their strengths and weaknesses. Compare them with each other and decide where you fit within the competitive environment.

Successful small businesses promote their brands through websites, social media, broadcast ads, or sponsorships. They also use various sales channels, including online, brick-and-mortar stores, affiliates and distributors. Your business plan market analysis helps you decide the marketing strategies for your industry, product, and target audience. It also will help you predict annual sales – a key part of your financial planning.

Your business plan outline will also include your business structure, such as whether you are a limited corporation or partnership. It will list any operating agreements and information on supplier logistics. For example, how you will receive your raw materials and how you’ll deliver the product to customers. It will describe your daily operations and number of employees. Once you’ve completed your business plan, you’ll develop job descriptions for each role and begin hiring your team.

Financial forecasting is an important part of financial planning for businesses. Investors and lenders want to see your forecasts to determine whether to provide financing. The forecast also helps you budget to weather seasonal revenue dips and decide how many staff you can afford. It’s also a benchmark for gauging your performance, so you can take corrective action if necessary. Hiring a bookkeeper or accountant will help you make more accurate forecasts.

One-page business plan template

Writing about customers, competitors, income, and expenses will build your ideas in a short time. A single-page business plan template is:

• Included Easy for you and investors to read and understand
• Included Great for making a start
• Included Helps pin down the main idea
• Included Easy to update

Example of a business plan

Need an example of a simple business plan to get started.

Check out our filled-in, one-page business plan and be inspired to write your own.

When you’ll need a multi-page template

A multi-page business plan template has detailed forecasts and budgets, with evidence behind statements of costs, market size & competition

Pitching to investors

A multi-page business plan provides a comprehensive overview and is essential when you’re seeking funding.

Download multi-page business plan template.

Financing your business

Detailed financial planning for business demonstrates to lenders you manage funds responsibly.

Download our finance guide.

Forecasting and budgeting

A multi-page plan sets out expectations behind your business goals and objectives with detailed forecasting.

Learn about budgeting and forecasting.

FAQs about business plan templates

You want your team and investors to grasp your vision at a glance. A simple, concise plan is easier to understand, implement, and track. A complex plan can be overwhelming, leading to procrastination or inaction, and harder for your team to grasp. A simple plan is less daunting and more easily achievable, so you and your team are more likely to follow through with it.

Absolutely. The template is fully editable and customisable. You can change the content to create a plan that is unique, engaging, and personal, and update the plan easily as conditions change. The template guides you through the process, but doesn’t require you to do your plan a certain way.

Xero does not provide accounting, tax, business or legal advice. This template has been provided for information purposes only. You should consult your own professional advisors for advice directly relating to your business.

Start using Xero for free

Access Xero features for 30 days, then decide which plan best suits your business.

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Get serious with our free business plan template

Turn your business vision into a reality with our free, customisable business plan template. Available in single and multi-page format.

Download your free business plan template

Complete the form and we’ll send you our free, customisable template, so you can get down to business.

Bring your business ideas to life

Our easy-to-use, guided templates give you a roadmap for success.

Map your goals

Start moving in the right direction with a plan that covers all of the essential business basics. Outline your executive summary, vision statement and future goals.

Define products and services

Highlight your unique offerings and market strategy, including what you'll sell (and how you'll sell it). It’s time to show the world how you’re better than anyone else at what you do.

Attract investors

Show potential partners why they should invest in your business. A comprehensive financial forecast is key when looking to secure funding.

Why you need a business plan

Whether you’re an established company or just starting out, a business plan is vital for success. A well thought out plan helps you consider the essential elements of your business and define a winning strategy.

And through the process of writing a business plan, you’ll uncover new opportunities and unlock your business’s true potential.

We’re here to help you grow your business

Access everything you need to start planning your vision and how you’ll achieve it.

A guided experience

Our business plan templates are intuitive and easily accessible, for every business. Each section has helpful tips, prompts and instructions to guide you through all the components of your business plan.

Designed for your needs

We know that writing a business plan is not a one-size-fits all activity. That’s why we’ve put together both a streamlined single-pager and a comprehensive multi-pager. Now you can map out your needs at a high level, or outline your strategy in precise detail.

Helpful resources

Looking for more help on how to write a business plan? We’ve got you covered. Check out our resources on  how to start a business , or our  12-step guide on how to write a plan for your business .

All your questions answered about the MYOB business plan template

What’s included in the business plan template.

Both our single and multi-page templates cover all the essential elements of a business plan, including an business details, vision statement and goal setting, market strategy and customer demographics, funding and investment information. Our multi-pager adds further detail and contains helpful guidance for each section.

Is the business plan template customisable?

Yes! Our templates are completely editable, customisable and available in multiple formats, allowing you the flexibility to choose the structure that best suits your needs.

Do I need a business plan to start a business?

Technically no, however as the saying goes, if you fail to plan you are planning to fail. For instance, how can you measure how things are going, if you don’t know where you're at?

Why create a business plan?

A strong business plan can help you plan for the future, enabling you to foresee potential roadblocks and author the roadmap that will drive you toward success. Through the process of planning, you’ll analyse all the important aspects of your business, provide certainty to future investors, reduce risk and plot an actionable pathway to achieving your ultimate vision.

How often should I update my business plan?

It’s a good idea to update your plan to align with the current state of business, market and strategy. Set aside some time on a regular, periodic basis to review your plan and see what’s working and what needs adjusting.

Call us today! 1300 171 534

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If you’re in the early stages of putting together a business plan, having access to reliable, accurate and practical resources is essential. At the Business Plan Company, we want to inspire business owners to get their ideas off the ground. In our resources section, you’ll find a catalogue of helpful Australian business plan templates and examples you can use for your own business planning.

We have a number of free resources available to download, including a small business plan template, startup costs template and projections template. We also have a range of templates tailored to specific business models and industries, so you can achieve a more targeted approach to your business plan.

If you are having a go at putting together your own small business plan or startup business plan, have a look at our business plan examples and use our business plan template to help guide you through the process.

Make your mark in your industry with The Business Plan Company

Give yourself and your business the upper hand by partnering with The Business Plan Company. We have 17 years of experience crafting captivating and professional business plans that successfully convey your ideas, goals and ambitions. To learn more about our business plan services, contact us today. 

Business Plans - Free Samples and Examples

Basic Business Plan - Cafe/Restaurant

Small Business Plan - Cafe/Restaurant

Business Plan

Financials, projections and startup costs templates.

Monthly Projections

Annual Projections

Monthly Projections - Salon

Monthly Projections - Restaurant

Startup Costs Estimate

At The Business Plan Company, we understand how challenging it can be to access accurate and industry-relevant resources when it comes to putting together an effective business plan. In our resources section, you’ll find a range of free Australian business plan templates, examples and a stack of financial, projections and start-up costs templates. 

Whether you own a café, run a salon or an agency, you’ll find an Australian business plan template right for your business and its goals. We’ve also curated a series of YouTube videos that detail how to write a persuasive business plan.

Absolutely. We believe every business stands to walk away learning something new once they’ve gone through our catalogue of Australian business plan examples and templates. We also offer more laser-focused templates and resources for businesses across specific industries, including hospitality and service-based businesses, like salons. 

However, if you would like more tailored business plan templates, get in touch with us, and we’ll work with you to find a more suitable solution. 

No, business owners do not need any unique software to access our Australian business plan templates. Once you have found the template you would like to use, simply input your email address, and the document will appear as a PDF, which you can download to your desktop.

Yes, all our available-to-download Australian business plan examples under the Financials, Projections and Startup Costs Templates section can be used for your business’s financial forecasting and planning. Simply download the right template and start filling in the gaps.

Yes, while our Australian business plan templates are fairly generic and applicable to a range of businesses, we do offer more tailored templates for specific businesses such as cafés, restaurants, salons and start-ups. Our templates also vary in detail, as business owners can access basic and standard Australian business plan templates.

No, all our Australian business plan templates are completely free to download and use.  

Putting together a business plan can be challenging, which is why The Business Plan Company is here to guide you through the process. Our team of business plan consultants can work with you to create a compelling and comprehensive business plan — simply get in touch with us to get started.

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Call us on 1300 171 534 to find out how we can help your business.

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Sample Business Plans

Free financial templates, blog articles, free sample business plans.

Download these free sample business plans as examples of the work we do, or use them as templates if you plan to write your own plan.

Please scroll down this alphabetical list or our Example Plans to find your type of business. Or you can search by type of business on the left of this page.

Business Plan Sample for an Aged Care business

How to write an Aged Care Business Plan

Business Plan Sample for a Child Care Centre

How to write a Child Care Business Plan

Business Plan Sample for a Bank Loan or Investor Plan

How to write a Business Plan for a Bank Loan and Investor.

Business Plan Example for Tech Start-Up

How to write a Tech Start-Up Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Start-Up

How to write a Start-Up Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Property Development business

How to write a Property Development Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Hotel or Licensed Premises

How to write a Hotel & Licensed Premises Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Hair and/or Beauty Salon Business

How to write a Hair & Beauty Salon Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Food Manufacturing and/or Distribution Business

How to write a Food Manufacturing & Distribution Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for Fitness and/or Wellness business

How to write a Fitness & Wellness Business Plan.

Business Plan Example for a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)

How to write a Registered Organisation Business Plan.

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Free Business Plan Template

A business plan is a crucial part of planning for your business and sets you up for success.

Get a helping hand writing your business plan with our free business plan template. The template includes help with:

• Business structure
• Budget planning
• Market and sales plan
• Risk assessments, and more.

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Having a well prepared business plan before starting your business can help you refine your idea, gain a deeper understanding of your market and have a clear direction for your business. Our guide to using the business plan template will help you when using this resource.

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Benefits of a business plan

Your business plan outlines:

• your vision for the business
• the actions that will help you achieve it

When you are starting out, your business plan can help you to secure financing and investment. But your business plan does more than tell others what your plans are. A good business plan can help you test the feasibility of your new business idea, set operational and financial objectives, and make sure your business is manageable and effective.

You will need to revisit your business plan regularly as your business evolves and the business environment changes. These changes could include increased competition, advances in technology or the expectations of your customers.

What to include in your business plan

A clearly written business plan should include:

• the vision and direction of your business – where are you now and where do you want to be?
• a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis – a good business plan won't only identify ways to make your business idea work, it can also help you identify reasons why your idea might not work so you can address them before you invest time and money
• a force field analysis – for each issue identified in your SWOT analysis, identify the positives and negatives of each issue and the actions you will take to address the issue

Write your business plan

Whether your business is just starting out, you're looking to sustain or you're looking to grow, our guide to writing a business plan can help you clarify your goals, figure out your barriers and come up with a plan of action.

Video: How to write a business plan in 8 steps

View transcript.

Whether you're planning to start a business or have been running it for years, business planning is the key to your success. A business plan helps you get finance, gives you control and direction and helps you set priorities.

Step 1: Define your vision

When you start a business, you have a clear goal to achieve this vision. After some time, the clarity of your vision may become blurry. Writing down your vision will help you define it for your staff to identify with your mission. Where are you now? Where do you want your business to be in the future?

Step 2: Set your goals

Make your goals and objectives realistic. Plan your short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals, including choosing your location; the number of customers you plan to reach and your customer demographics; your sales targets - revenue and profit margins; what you will outsource; your required staff numbers; and your growth strategy. Planning this strategy will help realise your dream and make your business thrive.

Step 3: Define your unique selling proposition

What makes you different from your competitors? Highlight the characteristics that make your business stand out from your competitors. Is there demand for your range of products or services? What can your business offer to increase demand?

Step 4: Research your market

Who are your competitors? What product range or services do they offer? Where are the gaps? Where is demand greater than supply and for which products or services? What are the current and future industry trends? How do you leverage these opportunities?

Conduct a SWOT analysis to explore the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats faced by your business; Think of all possible scenarios. List the issues and conduct a Force Field Analysis for each. This will help you determine clear actions to implement in order to address them.

Step 5: Know your customer

Do your research and define your target audience. Customers are spoilt by choice, so find out their buying habits. What does your ideal customer want? Get their feedback. Who are you targeting by age, gender, behavioural patterns or location? Find your niche.

Step 6: Set your marketing goals

Consider the product range and stock quantities to output or warehouse. Create a product development strategy. What is the price you should set to achieve your desired revenue? How will you handle distribution and delivery? What tools will you use for promotion?

Step 7: Define your marketing strategy

Include your chosen social media channels and engagement. How and where will you advertise - search engine marketing, print, radio or other media? Will you attend industry, trade or networking events?

Step 8: Talk to your accountant

Do your sums - are your financial goals and propositions realistic? How can you improve cash flow? How can you achieve your goals? Good business planning is a three-stage process:

• You PLAN for the future.
• You TRACK your progress.
• And you LEARN from your experience.

One of the most important things to remember is that a business plan is a living document. Just as your business evolves over time, so too should your plans. Set reminders in your calendar to revisit your plan every 3, 6 or 12 months. It's important to revise your goals according to your current status as changes occur over time. Make planning part of your business. It doesn't have to be onerous and it doesn't have to be done in solitude. Make it fun, get creative, and include others in your process.

For more information on business planning, visit business.vic.gov.au where you can access tools, workshops and resources to help you plan for your success.

Create your one-page action plan

A one-page action plan is an overview of the current situation, where you want to be and what you need to do to get there. It's also a practical way to record the outcomes of the planning process.

A one-page action plan has the following elements:

• 'Now' analysis – Summarise your current situation and issues in 4 or 5 points.
• 'Where' analysis – What is your vision? What is your competitive advantage? What are your key objectives?
• Strategies – What are the 3 or 4 key strategies you need to work on over the next 12 months? You can draw these from the SWOT analysis in your business plan.
• Action plans – List about 3 or 4 of the most important actions to complete to help achieve your strategies. You can draw these from the analysis of your key issues and strategies in your business plan.
• Timing – State when you aim to achieve the result and who is responsible for each task. These should be in priority order and are critical for accountability.

Get help in person

If you’re a first time business owner then you might need help working out how to action some of the steps you want to take. This might mean talking to an accountant, other business owners, a mentor, business coach or joining an industry group or your local chamber of commerce.

There's plenty of support available in Victoria to help you upskill and put you on the right track:

• Try one of our mentoring services or workshops .
• Get free advice and speak to subject matter experts with the Small Business Bus .

• Start free trial

Start selling with Shopify today

Start your free trial with Shopify today—then use these resources to guide you through every step of the process.

Sales Planning: How To Create a Sales Plan (+ Template)

Sales planning helps you set goals, forecast revenue, and chart a course to growth. With an easy-to-use sales planning template, you’ll be set up for success.

You can buy and hire all the resources to build a house. But without blueprints, you’ll end up with a stack of boards, piles of nails, and construction workers twiddling their thumbs.

Sales teams need a blueprint, too. It’s called sales planning. Like a construction blueprint, sales planning ensures your resources are put to their best use, and team members are focused on what’s most important.

“If you’re not looking at the sales data and making a plan, you might be giving equal weight to all of your products when there are a few that are really the workhorses,” says Shawn Khemsurov, cofounder of strategic design and development agency Electric Eye . “ Those are the products you should invest in and focus on.”

Learn how to create an effective sales plan that aligns with your business objectives, and keeps your sales team driving growth.

What is sales planning?

Sales planning is a set of processes to drive sales for a business—specifically, setting sales goals and outlining the actions needed to achieve them.

The sales planning process helps leaders understand market conditions, analyze customers and trends, allocate resources effectively, and set realistic sales targets.

Sales plan template

Sales planning templates can provide a good framework for you to get started with sales planning. Shopify’s free sales plan template makes it easy to visualize your goals for the year or quarter and keep your team on track.

Sales planning process

• Analyze market conditions and historical performance
• Identify and understand your target audience
• Determine sales goals
• Set strategy
• Allocate budget and resources
• Create action plans
• Monitor sales performance and adjust accordingly

Create a sales plan by following these steps:

1. Analyze market conditions and historical performance

To position your products well and set appropriate goals, you’ll first need to understand what’s going on both inside and outside of your company.

Pull data from your preferred ecommerce analytics tools to analyze your company’s past performance and your customers’ behavior, looking at key performance indicators (KPIs) like conversion rate , session length, and average order value (AOV). This will help you identify areas of strength and opportunities to improve within your sales process.

Also, perform external market research to understand trends, evolving customer needs, and the competitive landscape. Shawn recommends asking yourself a series of questions to help dig deeper into the market and your brand’s place within it.

“Who else is selling in this category? How much are they charging?” says Shawn. “Is the market saturated? If so, what’s our differentiator that we can play up? Or is there a niche that isn’t being served that we can develop something around?”

2. Identify and understand your target audience

Once you’ve identified some overall business and market trends, you can use the same analytics reports to learn more about your target customers. You can divide your target market into smaller customer segments based on details like geography, preferences, and pain points.

Deeply understanding these different audiences can help you market effectively and identify your best customers, both of which can fuel sales and, ultimately, business growth.

3. Determine sales goals

Armed with both internal and market data, you can set clear goals for your sales reps. Consider using the SMART goals framework to ensure your sales objectives are strategic, measurable, actionable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (i.e., SMART).

Most sales teams have revenue goals, but you might set sales goals that involve market share, the number of new customers acquired, a reduction in customer churn , or channel-specific sales.

4. Set strategy

Identify specific methods and sales techniques that your team will leverage to achieve sales goals. Depending on your business, you can leverage a variety of sales tools and marketing strategies including:

• Email marketing campaigns
• Influencer partnerships
• Search engine optimization
• Retargeting ads
• Content marketing
• Social media advertising
• Sales automation
• Website redesigns

Your data analysis and market research can help guide you to the best techniques for your needs. For example, you might find that your average order value is solid, but you need to market more widely to draw more people to visit the site. Or perhaps your site traffic is good, but people drop off rather than convert with a purchase—suggesting an update of your product page or checkout process may be in order.

Market your business with Shopify’s customer marketing tools

Shopify has everything you need to capture more leads, send email campaigns, automate key marketing moments, segment your customers, and analyze your results. Plus, it’s all free for your first 10,000 emails sent per month.

5. Allocate budget and resources

Focus is important not only to avoid being overwhelmed, but to allocate resources accordingly. Sales teams rarely have unlimited budgets, so you’ll need to decide how much to invest in each of your sales activities, including marketing campaigns , promotions, partnerships , and staffing.

6. Create action plans

Outline and assign the specific actions required to execute each sales strategy. A successful sales plan lays out clear timelines and expectations.

For example, a set of sales representatives may be called on to contact 25 leads and set 10 sales appointments by the end of the month. Or, sales managers could assign them to check in with all existing customers on their accounts to ensure retention and attempt to upsell with new complementary services.

Depending on your strategies, action plans may include delegating tasks to people outside the sales organization. For example, an email newsletter or content marketing strategy requires looping in the marketing team to create these assets. Marketing and sales alignment is crucial in this example to ensure sales messaging is maintained.

7. Monitor sales performance and adjust strategies accordingly

Effective sales planning involves keeping track of what works and what doesn’t to inform future plans.

Define the metrics you’ll use to measure the effectiveness of each sales strategy you choose, and identify data sources and tools to help you track sales success. You may find one strategic process isn’t as successful as others, or that you need to swap strategies over time.

Tips for sales planning

Set realistic goals, focus on what’s most impactful.

• Allocate resources to get the most bang for your buck

Align planning and goals to overall business objectives

Here are a few tips sales leaders can use to create effective sales plans:

Dream big, yet not too big. “Reach” goals can help your team strive to achieve more, but be careful to strike a balance.

There’s a fine line between aspirational and unrealistic, and if you’re on the wrong side of things, your sales team will end up frustrated.

Setting impossible revenue targets and other goals helps no one. Ensure your objectives are realistic based on past sales efforts, historical performance, and market research.

Dig enough, and you’ll find seemingly endless tools, strategies, and potential ways to boost future sales. But not every method is right for your business, right now.

“It’s easy to get overwhelmed,” Shawn says. “Simplify your focus to the few key areas that have the biggest impact on your sales, and figure out how you can attack those hard.”

Allocate resources to get the bang for your buck

Monitor your sales and strategies to see which efforts have the greatest impact, and put your resources into them.

For example, you may find promotions or abandoned-cart email campaigns tend to bring customers to the site. In other cases, factors like supply chain issues and low inventory might be denting your sales.

“Some shops are surprised to find it’s a small number of products that are really pulling the weight—so in that case, you want to make sure you’re always in stock,” Shawn says.

“If a customer on your site can’t make that purchase, it’s frustrating for them and a lost sale for you. Fixing that problem can have a massive effect on your sales, because even the best marketing messaging doesn’t help if you don’t have a product to ship.”

As you perform sales planning activities—whether it’s conducting an in-depth competitive analysis, reorganizing the sales team structure, or forecasting sales—never lose sight of the overall business plan .

Not every company is necessarily focused on how much revenue they can generate or increasing the sales quota. Instead, they may be looking to break into new geographic areas, reach new target markets, or overcome the sales team’s challenges in explaining the product’s differentiators. You define what sales success means, based on your company’s overall goals right now.

Sales planning FAQ

What is the first step in the sales planning process.

Analyze internal data and external market trends to better understand sales opportunities and your customers. This will help you develop informed, clear, realistic sales forecasts and goals.

Why is sales planning important?

Sales planning is important because it provides a structured approach to achieving sales goals. It helps companies set data-based goals, select appropriate sales techniques, allocate resources effectively, track progress toward sales goals, and adjust strategies over time.

What should be included in a sales plan?

A sales planning template often includes an executive summary, sales goals, market trends and historical sales data, audience data, sales strategies, budget and allocations, action plans, and monitoring.

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