No business would have attained the success they did in 2013 without a business plan. The business plan, after all, determines your goals for the year, and defines what constitutes business success. With precision and accuracy, it sets the clear direction that the business has to work towards for the entire year. An ideal business plan is simple: it must contain the most important details and be free of unnecessary frills. It need not be overly detailed, as having one might only end up discouraging you for its sheer depth and intricacy. Here are a few business plan templates that are short and sweet—just the right amount for you to succeed in your business.
1. The $100 Plan by the $100 Startup
How can you start a business with just $100? If you’re finally ready to start the business that you’ve always talked about, 2014 is your year! Here’s a simple business plan composed of a series of questions and answers that you can easily answer with a few sentences, from what you plan to sell to who are your target customers.
2. The Vision Plan by the One Page Business Plan Company
This is another business template that does away with the frills and goes straight to the point: what is your vision? Why does your business exist? What are your objectives? What are the strategies that will help make your business a success? No need to fill the plan with long and dragging blocks of text. You can convey your thoughts in simple bullet points.
3. A Remarkably Simple Business Plan by Copyblogger
Before you worry about leasing an office space or getting a loan to fund your business, the most important order of business concerns the product or service that you are selling. How well do you its advantages and disadvantages, its selling points and drawbacks? More importantly, how will customers find out about your business? This is where it starts, and this remarkably simple plan gets right to business.
4. The 4-Question Business Plan by Wisebread
Created by Wisebread co-founder Greg Go, this simple business plan consists of all but four basic questions: What is the product or service? Who will your customers be? When will you get things done? When should you pay the bill and when will you get paid (or have a return on your investment)?