How to make a business plan: a step-by-step guide.

What is a business plan, and why do you need one?

A business plan is a strategic document that describes your business. It explains what your business does, who it serves, how it will generate income, and how it intends to grow. From market research and competitor insights to financial forecasts and marketing strategies, a strong business plan turns ideas into an actionable plan for success.

In the UK, business plans are often used to secure funding or attract investors, but their value extends beyond that: when you make a business plan, you also make it for yourself. A clear business plan can help you refine your offering, avoid costly mistakes, and stay focused on your business’s growth. Whether you’re launching a start-up, expanding your services, or simply testing a new direction, a business plan acts as your roadmap to success. Writing a business plan isn’t just about convincing others – it’s a powerful tool to sharpen your own vision.

If you want to know how to make a business plan, this guide is for you. In this article, we will walk you through every step of crafting a successful business plan – from what to include and how to write each section to making it stand out with a professional layout thanks to Adobe Express. Whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or fine-tuning an existing concept, we’ve got you covered – with practical advice, useful tips, and smart tools.

What to include in your business plan.

Before we begin: There’s no such thing as THE ultimate business plan template. In reality, every business plan will differ slightly, depending on your industry, your goals, or even the size of your business (a business plan for a one-person dog walking business will look different from a business plan for a clothing brand with an online shop). However, every business plan does need to cover some important topics and aspects of the business’s characteristics and aims. It should provide a clear picture of your business idea, how it will operate, and how it will succeed. Thus, these are the core sections you should include in your business plan:

• Executive summary: This is a concise overview of your business, your mission, and what the business plan will cover.
• Business description: This includes an introduction to your business idea, including its purpose, structure, and unique value.
• Market analysis: In this section of your business plan, you give an outline of your target market, customer profile, and competitors.
• Products or services: This section includes a description of what you’re selling, the problem the product or service solves, and what makes it stand out.
• Marketing and sales strategy: This section of your business plan describes how you plan to attract and retain customers.
• Operations and management: This section outlines how your business will operate on a day-to-day basis, including key roles, suppliers, tools, or processes.
• Finances: Forecasts for costs, revenue, and profit, plus funding needs if you’re seeking investment.
• Appendices: Add optional documents like research, licences, visuals, or product mock-ups.

The above list gives you a good overview of everything your business plan should cover. In the following chapter, we’ll dig into more detail and tell you how to make each of these sections of your business plan. So – read on!

Tips for writing each section of your business plan.

You now know what belongs in a business plan, but how do you actually bring it all together? Let’s dive in and have a look at each specific section.

Generally speaking, in a well-written business plan, every section should tell a story – of where your business came from, where it’s (hopefully) going, and how you plan to get there. Whether you’re pitching to investors, applying for funding, or simply clarifying your own thinking, the content of your business plan will determine how convincing it is. Here’s how to approach each section of your business plan:

1. How to make a business plan, part 1: Executive summary.

The executive summary appears at the beginning, but it’s not actually your first step when making your business plan. As a matter of fact, it should be the final section you write.

Why? It’s a summary. Use this section of your business plan to condense all the information into just one page. In a short and engaging way, summarise what you do, who you serve, your key objectives, and what makes you different. Keep it clear and free of jargon. Your goal here is to give the most important information at a glance and to spark interest and invite the reader to explore the rest of your business plan.

2. How to make a business plan, part 2: Business description.

When you make your business plan, this section is your opportunity to explain your business idea. Start with the basics: your business’s name, location, legal structure, and what it offers. Then, explain why the business exists. What was your idea? What inspired it? What are your values and longer-term goals? Give the reader a sense of the bigger picture.

The key here is to sound neither overly matter-of-fact nor overly emotional – when writing, be careful to keep the balance between a factual and an inspirational tone.

3. How to make a business plan, part 3: Market analysis.

This section of your business plan is your chance to show that you’ve done your homework – and, at the same time, will give readers an idea of whether your business has a chance to grow. Describe the industry you’re entering, who your customers are, and how your competitors operate. Use reliable sources and data wherever possible (and don’t forget to cite the sources). Define your target audience in detail: demographics, behaviours, preferences, and pain points. Then explain where your business fits in and how you’ll position yourself to meet your target audience’s demands.

A thorough market analysis builds credibility and sets the stage for your strategy. Also, this might be a good reality check for yourself: By taking an in-depth look at the market, you can make sure your business really has a shot at being successful.

4. How to make a business plan, part 4: Products or services.

A complete business plan includes your products or services. Use this section to describe what you’re offering. Make your descriptions easy to understand – even for someone outside your industry.

Here, it’s important to go beyond the technical or general features and explain the business’s benefits to the customer. What problem does it solve? What need does it meet? Ensure that the value is clearly evident. And: If you’ve already thought this through, you can include pricing models, lifecycle information, or intellectual property considerations.

5. How to make a business plan, part 5: Marketing and sales.

When you write a business plan, make sure you consider marketing and sales. This is where you outline how people will find your business and how they will buy from it.

Be specific: describe how you’re intending to sell your product or service (for example, a storefront, your own online shop, or other platforms) and which marketing channels you’ll use (for example, digital, print, or events). Describe what led you to these decisions. Show that you understand your customer’s journey and explain how you’ll guide them through it. Avoid being vague – go into as much detail as possible and tell the readers how and why your marketing and sales activities support your goals.

6. How to make a business plan, part 6: Operations and management.

A business plan is quite theoretical – but this does not mean that it should not cover the practical aspects of running a business.

In this section, outline how your business will operate – from sourcing and production to delivery and customer service. Introduce key team members (current or future), their roles, and what makes them suitable. If you’re a solo founder, show how you’ll manage the workload or where you’ll outsource. Mention tools, software, suppliers or partners that are essential to your workflow. This section reassures readers that you’ve thought through the logistics.

7. How to make a business plan, part 7: Finances.

Numbers can make or break a business plan. Accordingly, finances might be the most tedious part of making a business plan – but nevertheless, an important one.

This section of your business plan should present realistic financial projections, backed by assumptions you can justify. Include cash flow forecasts, profit and loss estimates, and break-even analysis. If you’re applying for funding, be clear on how much you need, how you’ll use it, and how you plan to repay it (if applicable). Avoid being overly optimistic and allow yourself to think critically – investors will expect transparency. A clear financial plan shows that your business model is sustainable and realistic.

8. How to make a business plan, part 8: Appendices.

Anything else you want to add to your business plan? Use this final section to include extra materials or documents. These could be product images, testimonials, CVs of team members, licences, or more detailed data sets. Important: Don’t treat the appendices as a dumping ground. Only include what strengthens your business plan and refer to these documents in the relevant sections, so they add value in context.

Impress with your business plan by making it stand out.

Good content is what makes a good business plan. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t neglect design and appearance. We all know that first impressions count, and your business plan is no exception. When you’re presenting your idea to investors or partners, there’s a world of difference between a plain, text-heavy document and one that’s thoughtfully designed and visually engaging. Your business is your baby, and having a polished, professional-looking plan in hand isn’t just impressive – it’s also a motivation for yourself.

So, what should you keep in mind when designing a business plan? We’ve collected our most important tips for designing a business plan:

• Start with a clear, logical structure.
• Use consistent headings for each section of your business plan, generous spacing, and a simple font like Calibri or Arial.
• Break up text with bullet points, charts, or tables where needed – especially in financial or market sections. Visual aids help decision-makers grasp key points quickly.
• Make sure your branding is present but subtle. Add your logo, use your brand colours sparingly, and keep visual elements aligned throughout.
• If you’re including graphs or timelines, make sure they’re styled consistently – avoid clashing formats or clutter.
• Lastly, export your business plan as a PDF to preserve formatting and ensure it looks the same on every device.

Design isn’t your forte? Adobe Express offers professional, customisable templates to help you create a professional-looking business plan without needing any design experience. Choose from hundreds of templates, add charts, customise your branding, and bring your business idea to life. You can even turn your business plan into a business plan presentation – try it out!

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Design a professional business plan with Adobe Express.

How do you make a business plan really stand out? Easy: With Adobe Express, you can transform your business plan from a basic document into an eye-catching asset. Whether you’re pitching your business plan to potential investors, want to gain clarity on your business’s road to success, or map out your next venture – with a well-designed business plan, you’re always ready to share your ideas with partners, investors, or clients.

Adobe Express offers expertly designed business plan templates that help you add a whole new layer of professionalism to your business plan. Choose from hundreds of layouts for business plans, pitch decks and other branded documents. They are all easily customisable to suit your business’s goals and style, so you don’t have to waste your time wrestling with design tools and can focus fully on your business.