What Should a Business Plan Include? A Practical, Lender-Ready Outline

If you are asking what should a business plan include, you are already ahead. A clear plan keeps your idea focused and fundable. It shows lenders and investors that you know your market, your numbers, and your path to profit. This guide breaks down each section in plain language. You will see what to write, why it matters, and simple examples you can follow.

As you draft, refer to helpful how‑to resources like How to Write a Business Plan, our guided Starting a Business Planner, and visual examples in What Does a Business Plan Look Like?. If you decide to hire experts, you can also review our Pricing.

Executive summary that earns a read

Your executive summary is the one page most people read first. Make it clear, short, and strong. State who you serve, what problem you solve, why now, and how you will make money. Add 3–5 highlights that make your business stand out. Keep it crisp, but do not be vague. Use simple claims you can prove later in the plan.

A practical way to write it is to answer five prompts: What do we do? For whom? Why are we different? How will we sell and deliver? What do we want from the reader? If you are seeking a loan or investment, state the amount and the main uses of funds. Do not hide the ask. End with a short traction note if you have early sales, partnerships, or prototypes. Even small proof points help a busy reader decide to continue.

• Include: one‑sentence pitch, target customer, solution, business model, funding ask, and key milestones.
• Example: “Blue Harbor Coffee is a neighborhood roastery and cafe serving commuters and remote workers near the transit hub. We roast on site, offer fast mobile pickup, and sell subscriptions. We are raising funds to build out the space and launch delivery.”

Company overview, mission, and problem you solve

Your company overview sets the context. Share the legal name, location, formation type, and stage. Write a clear mission that guides choices. Then define the customer problem in plain terms. A good test is to finish the sentence: “Our customer struggles with…” Keep it focused on the pain, not on your product features. Add a short origin story to show why you are committed, but keep it professional and tied to the market need.

Lay out your objectives for the next 12–24 months. Objectives are specific outcomes you can measure, like opening a location, launching a product line, or reaching a set number of active clients. Close with your unique edge. This could be a patent, a location advantage, a supplier deal, or experience that speeds your path. Keep the tone confident but grounded. You will back each claim later with research and plans.

• Include: company facts, mission, values, short history, and near‑term objectives.
• Example: “BrightPath Tutoring, LLC serves middle school math students with flexible online sessions. Our mission is to build confidence through targeted practice and parent updates. We aim to onboard 50 families, recruit five certified tutors, and launch a weekly math club.”

Market research and competitive landscape

This section proves there is a real, reachable market. Start by describing your ideal customer in plain terms: age range, role, needs, and where they spend time. Explain the size of your immediate reachable market. You do not need a big, abstract number. Focus on your city, service area, or niche. Show that these buyers have a reason to switch or try something new right now. Triggers could include new tech, a local trend, or a gap in service.

Then map your competition. List direct competitors offering similar products, and indirect ones solving the same problem in a different way. Compare on 3–5 factors that matter to the buyer, like convenience, price level, expertise, or speed. Avoid empty claims like “no competitors.” You will also want to note barriers to entry, such as licenses, permits, or capital needs. If you have early feedback from interviews or pilot users, summarize themes. Real quotes beat guesses.

• Include: customer profile, local market view, competitor list, and your edge.
• Example: A mobile pet groomer might profile busy pet owners within a 10‑mile radius, list local salons as direct competitors, and position on at‑home convenience and online booking speed.

Products, services, and pricing strategy

Here you explain what you sell, how it works, and why buyers will prefer it. Describe each product or service line in one or two short paragraphs. Clarify benefits, not just features. Benefits answer, “What does the buyer gain?” Include how you deliver quality, such as sourcing, training, or a checklist. If there are add‑ons, warranties, or subscriptions, outline them. Avoid tech jargon unless your reader is highly technical, and define needed terms in simple words.

For pricing, show your logic. Link price to the value the buyer sees, the competitive range, and your cost to deliver. If you offer bundles, tiers, or contracts, explain when each fits. State any planned promotions and how you will protect margins. If you sell both in person and online, note any channel differences. You do not need to publish a full price sheet in the plan, but provide enough detail for a lender to see a sound strategy.

• Include: product/service descriptions, benefits, delivery model, and pricing approach.
• Example: A home cleaning service might sell standard, deep, and move‑out packages, offer membership discounts, and price based on home size and add‑ons like fridge or oven cleaning.

Marketing and sales plan that wins first customers

Your plan to attract and convert customers should be specific and doable. List your primary channels, such as local search, social ads, email, partnerships, events, or outbound calls. Explain your message in one sentence that speaks to the pain and result. Outline your content or ad plan for the first 90 days. Tie each channel to a clear call to action, like “book a demo,” “get a quote,” or “visit our store.” For sales, describe the steps from lead to close. If you run a storefront, that includes greeting, upsell, and checkout.

Back up your budget choices with norms. For example, according to Optimus Business Plans industry data, typical small businesses often target operating‑expense ratios around these ranges: salaries near 35% of revenue, rent about 8%, utilities about 2%, marketing about 12%, insurance about 3%, supplies about 5%, professional services about 4%, and other expenses about 3%. Use these as a starting point, then adjust to your model and local costs. Track results weekly and shift spend to what works.

• Include: key channels, message, 90‑day calendar, sales steps, and budget guardrails.
• Example: A lawn care firm could focus on neighborhood flyers with QR codes, Google Business Profile optimization, Saturday estimates, and a referral program that gives a free mow after three referrals.

Operations, team, and milestones

Operations shows how you deliver on time and with quality. Map your location, hours, workflow, suppliers, tools, and technology. If you have physical space, note key features like parking, visibility, and lease terms in simple words. Define your service standards. For example, response time goals, on‑time arrival, or same‑day shipping cutoffs. Document your core process in 5–7 steps from order to delivery. This helps lenders see you can scale without chaos.

Your team section should match roles to what the business needs on day one and at the next milestone. List founders, key hires, and advisors with short bios focused on relevant wins. Clarify who owns each key function: sales, operations, finance, and customer service. Set 6–12 month milestones with dates, owners, and success criteria. If you need training, certifications, or licenses, add those to your timeline. Clear roles and milestones lower execution risk.

• Include: workflow, tools and systems, supplier plan, org chart, and a milestone timeline.
• Example: A bakery could outline its morning bake schedule, preferred flour vendors, a point‑of‑sale system, hiring of two bakers and a cashier, and targets for on‑time special orders.

Financial projections and funding request

This part ties the whole plan together. Build a simple, defensible model with a monthly view for year one and an annual view for years two and three. Include an income statement, cash flow plan, and a basic balance sheet. Explain your main assumptions in plain language. For revenue, link units sold or hours billed to your sales plan and capacity. For costs, ground your estimates in real quotes or written policies. Keep formulas simple and traceable so a banker can audit them fast.

When you budget operating expenses, lean on realistic ranges. According to Optimus Business Plans industry data, typical small businesses plan for about 35% of revenue for salaries, 8% for rent, 2% for utilities, 12% for marketing, 3% for insurance, 5% for supplies, 4% for professional services, and 3% for other costs. These are starting points, not rules. Adjust for your location, industry, and growth stage. For example, a startup may spend more on marketing early to build demand, while a mature firm may spend more on salaries to support service depth.

If you are seeking funding, state the amount, type (loan, line, equity), use of funds, and sources of repayment or return. Break uses into plain categories like build‑out, equipment, inventory, hiring, and marketing. Close this section with a brief credibility note. According to Optimus Business Plans industry data, our team has produced 2,100+ bank‑ready and investor‑ready business plans since 2010 across 200+ industries. That experience informs what lenders and investors expect to see, and how to present it clearly.

• Include: 36‑month projections, assumptions, use of funds, and repayment/return plan.
• Example: A catering startup might request funds for a commercial kitchen deposit, ovens, a delivery van, initial food inventory, and 90 days of working capital.

Appendices and presentation tips

Use appendices to keep the main plan readable. Put detailed resumes, product specs, permits, letters of intent, lease drafts, vendor quotes, and sample marketing pieces here. Include any research notes, customer interview summaries, and photos that help a reader picture your business. Label each appendix and reference it in the main sections, so a banker can find the proof fast. Keep copies of all key documents ready to email in PDF form.

Presentation matters. Use clear headings, consistent fonts, and everyday words. Avoid long walls of text. Add simple charts that show trends, not just raw numbers. Run a spell check and have a trusted peer read for clarity. Before you share the plan, rehearse a five‑minute verbal summary. This helps you refine the message and handle questions with confidence. If you want a step‑by‑step writing walkthrough or a template, visit How to Write a Business Plan and see examples in What Does a Business Plan Look Like?. When you are ready to get expert help, review our Pricing and choose the support that fits your timeline.

• Include: resumes, permits, product sheets, letters of support, quotes, and visuals.
• Example: A daycare might attach staff background checks, state license steps, floor plans, playground vendor quotes, and sample daily schedules.