Business Plan

Templates
Set up for success with strategic planning frameworks, including Lean
Canvas, SWOT Analysis, Pirate Funnel, and more.
Create a Business Plan with a
Lean Canvas

Lean canvas is a one-page business plan template created by Ash Maurya. It’s designed to create a
snapshot of your business idea, distill the essence of your product or service, and break it down into
key parts. Check out a completed example on the next page and then try filling out the blank lean
canvas for your own business on the page after that
Problem Solution Unique Value Proposition Unfair Advantage Customer Segments
What problems are people How will you solve these What separates you from
facing? List their top 3 problems? Write down a solution How will you turn an unaware competitors? What makes you Create 3 to 4 personas of the
frustrations. for each problem. visitor into an interested ahead of the pack? people you can help. Visualize
customer? Create a clear and these people who will turn to
compelling one-liner message you for solutions.
you want to send across.

Existing Alternatives High Level Concept Early Adopters

Key Metrics Channels What are the specific
How will you measure the How will you reach your target characteristics of your early
How are these problems solved How does your product or
success of your product or consumers? Direct marketing, adopters?
today? This can be a direct service fit into the grand scheme
competitor to what you are service? List the key metrics. of things? social media, ads, partnerships
offering or the existing ways — identify the effective ways to
people are employing to address reach them.
their problems.

Cost Structure Revenue Streams

What are the fixed and variable costs to launch your product or service? Consider the cost at each What money sources will grow your money? How will you generate income? Show a pricing
stage from setting up a website, hiring employees, production, marketing, and bringing them to model of your product or service and include other revenue sources, such as sales and subscription
consumers. fees.
 Strengths Weaknesses
Find Your What advantages does your What areas can you improve

Competitive company have? What do you

do better than anyone else?
on? What does your
company lack? What things

Position with a What are your unique selling

points?
do your competitors do
better than you?

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis maps out your company’s path Opportunities Threats

towards your goals by identifying strengths and What changes in technology, What are the obstacles to
weaknesses (internal attributes) and opportunities policies, and social patterns your company’s growth?
and threats (external conditions). Uncover your
can be a growth opportunity Who are your competitors?
company's competitive position with these guiding
for the company? What changing factors can
questions. Use the blank framework on the next page
to start filling out your own SWOT analysis. threaten your company's
position?
Visualize Your Company's Weak
Points with a Pirate Funnel

The Pirate Funnel is a customer-lifecycle framework by Dave McClure that shows what you need to
focus on to optimize your marketing funnel. It is called a Pirate Funnel because the first letters spell
out AAARRR for Awareness, Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, and Revenue. Use the
blank framework on the next page to start filling out your own pirate metrics.
Awareness Retention
How will you introduce your company to your potential How many of your customers are you retaining? Why are you
customers? Examples: impressions, click-through rate, visits, and losing others? Examples: customer acquisition rate and customer
social media metrics. churn rate.

Acquisition Revenue
Where are your potential customers coming from? What channel How can you increase revenue? What’s your monetization plan?
is driving the most valuable traffic for your company? Examples: Examples: customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value.
new leads, email subscribers, resource downloads, support and
sales chats.

Activation Referral
How will your potential customers try your product or service for How can you turn your customers into advocates? What’s your
the first time? How will you make them realize the true value of systematic process to generate referrals consistently? Examples:
your product or service? Examples: new trial signups, product Net Promoter Score, referrals, and social shares.
sales, activation after app download.
Position Your
4PS OF MARKETING

Product or
The 4Ps of Marketing illustrates how
product, price, place, and promotion work
together when a product or service is

Service with the

launched to customers. It is created by Neil
Borden in the 1950s to demonstrate the
ways companies use advertising and

4Ps of Marketing marketing techniques to convert potential

buyers into actual customers. Use the blank
framework on the next page to start filling
out your own 4Ps of Marketing.
Product Product refers to the good or service Price Price is what customers pay for a
you are offering to customers. What product or service and it takes into
• BRAND needs does this product fulfil? What • PRICE account the cost of production. What
• FEATURES • DISCOUNTS
frustrations does it address? What is the value of the product or service
• PACKAGING • BUNDLING DEALS
makes it compelling to customers to customers? Are there established
• CREDIT TERMS
such that they will believe they need price points for this product or
to have it? service in the market? How will this
price compare with competitors?

Promotion Promotion is how you will get the Place Place refers to how and where your
word out about your product or customers will look to see your
• ADS service to your target customers. It • STORES product or service. It also considers
• PR • WEBSITE
includes advertising, public how you will deliver the product or
• SOCIAL MEDIA • ONLINE
relations, and promotional strategies. service to them. Will it be in a
• EMAIL • MARKETPLACE
physical store or online? What will
• SEARCH ENGINE
• VIDEO be the distribution channels?
Establish Product-Market fit is a concept coined Marc
Andreessen and refers to your start-up being

Your Product's Appeal in a good market with a product that can

satisfy that market. Finding Product-Market

with a Product-Market
fit is the difference between struggling to
find customers and having them knocking
down your door for your product. This

Fit Pyramid framework will help you identify target

customers and their underserved needs and
test and change your key market hypotheses
to arrive at product-market fit. Use the blank
framework on the next page to start filling
out your own Product-Market Fit Pyramid.
 UX

Feature Set

Value Proposition

Product-Market Fit

Underserved Needs

Target Customer
1.Identify your target customer
4. State your MVP feature set
Use market segmentation and create personas to get a picture of the
Build only what is needed to create enough value for your target
people you are targeting. No need to be precise. A high-level hypothesis
customers to validate the direction of your product.
is enough to start testing, and revise as you go.

5. Make your MVP prototype

2.Know “undeserved” needs Create a version of your product to test your MVP hypotheses with your
What needs do they have that are adequately met? customers. Apply user experience principles to receive feedback and to
bring your feature set to life for your customers.

6. Test it out to your customers

3. Define your value proposition
Ensure you are testing with your target market so feedback received will
How you will meet your customers needs better than your competitors?
help iterate your product in the right direction. Making your test group
Of all the needs you can address with your product, which ones will you
answer a survey is a great way to ensure they possess the attributes of
focus on?
your target customer.
Know the Stages of the A Marketing Funnel maps your company’s
marketing activities at each stage of the

Customer Journey with

customer journey. It starts with making your
target audience aware of your solution, then
guiding them through an evaluation process

a Marketing Funnel
and finally leading them to make a purchase.
The goal is to create a system, which is
measurable at every level of the journey.
Use the blank framework on the next page
to start filling out your own marketing
funnel.
 • Social media post and ads
TOFU (Top of the Funnel) • Email marketing
Activities that facilitate awareness. Make your target audience aware of the • Promotional video
problem you’re addressing and how you’re solving it. • Press Release

• Discounts
MOFU (Middle of the Funnel) • Exclusive offers
Activities that facilitate evaluation. Convert those who are aware into leads. • Free trial
• Event

• Demo
BOFU (Bottom of the Funnel) • Feedback
Activities that facilitate conversion. Guide the leads in making an informed • Success stories
purchase decision. • Comparison sheets
State Your Company's Mission,
Vision, and Values

Clearly defining your company’s mission, vision and values is a powerful way to align your team and reach your goals.Use the
blank framework on the next page to start filling out your own mission, vision, and values.
 Mission
Mission is the reason why your company exists. It is the visible
and tangible effect you want your company to create for your
customers and the world.

Mission, Vision
Vision and Vision is what success looks like for your company. It is what
your company aspires to be in the future. It is how the world will
look like once you've accomplished your mission.

Values
Values
These are the guiding principles that will influence your actions to
fulfill your company's mission and vision.
Illustrate Your Company's
Strategy, Tactics, and Execution

A strategy, a list of tactics, and knowing how to execute them are integral in the attainment of
your company goals. Use the blank framework on the next page to start filling out your own
strategy, tactics, and execution
 Strategy
Strategy is how your methods, time, and resources come into play
to fulfil your company mission and vision.

Strategy,
Tactics, and Tactics
Tactics are the specific methods, resources, and techniques you

Execution will need to accomplish your strategy.

Execution
Execution is how you will employ the tactics you’ve chosen. It
includes measurable outcomes, such as timelines and
deliverables.
Develop Deep Insights Buyer personas are semi-fictional
representations of your target customers. These

About Your Customers personas are based on market research and real
data about the people you are targeting. Two to

Using Buyer Personas

three buyer personas are ideal. The more
detailed the buyer persona, the better. Use the
blank framework on the next page to start
filling out your buyer personas.
Demographics Buying Roles Goals and Needs
(Gender, age, marital status, (Decision makers, Responsibilities
employer) influencers)

Objections

Frustrations Buyer's Journey Channels Sources of

(Social media, other digital information
activities,non-digital
(Awareness, consideration, (Content that influences
activities)
purchase, advocacy) purchasedecisions)
Free
Resources
Use these free and recolourable
icons and illustrations in your
Canva design.