Business plan template

• Don’t feel you need to do it all in one go – it’s much better to take your time and get it right. 
• The secret is to keep your plan short and practical, so it's easy to implement – otherwise it'll end up gathering dust on a shelf. 
• It’s important you end up with a business plan you’re happy with and that you can refer to with confidence when speaking to others (such as potential lenders) about your business. 
• Anyone should be able to pick up your business plan and understand what you’re trying to achieve.

If you need some helpful tips on how to write a simple business plan, refer to our guide, it has all you need know about why a business plan is important, and the key points to cover.

• Work your way through the template section by section, filling in the empty boxes.
• Try and fill in all the sections that are relevant to your business.
• Some of the sections may not apply to your type of business, so add or remove sections to suit you.
• Square brackets like these: […] indicate where you need to write something, so ideally there shouldn’t be any left when you’re done.

Our template is only a guide to help you plan. Remember, this is your plan, so go ahead and tweak it until it fits you and your business perfectly.

When you’re ready, we recommend you share it with your business adviser or accountant, especially if you’re planning to use it to apply for business lending. 

If you’d like to discuss your business plan or business banking needs, reach out to an ANZ Business Specialist. They’ll be more than happy to help.

Now you’ve drafted your strategies for the key areas of a business plan, you can use your answers to expand the breadth and detail until you have a thoroughly thought-out road map that’s suitable for your needs. 

Remember, there’s no right or wrong format for a business plan. The important thing is to cover the essential sections and tailor the rest to your industry, business, and growth stage. But by and large, all effective business plans have two things in common: accurate detail and readability. 

You’ll face many choices as you build your business plan but whatever direction you take, make sure your figures and findings are thoroughly researched and presented in plain English.