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How Many Pages Should a Business Plan Be? 10, 25, 50 or 100?

How many pages should a business plan be? 10, 25, 50, 100 or more? Here is a quick comparison of the business plan types available and their optimum length.

A lot of new entrepreneurs often wonder how long is too long for a business plan. Most business experts and counselors say it should be 30 to 50 pages, as a minimum, while others give a more or lesser number than the one named above. One thing you have to understand is that there is no specific number a business plan should be before it is considered perfect. Everything depends on your audience and what you intend to use the business plan for.

According to the United States’ Small Business Association, ‘a business plan needs to be whatever length is required to excite the financing source, prove that management truly understands the market, and detail the execution strategy’.

From various surveys done by many organizations and professionals, it was concluded that a workable business plan should be in the ranges of 25 to 100 pages, depending on the various factors involved in writing the plan. Some of these factors may include; targeted markets, difficult assumptions or non-industry data, industry risk, poor credit factors that require additional explanation or documentation, financing source, etc.

Using the SBA model, a business plan can range in size from 38 to 50 pages for a basic plan to as high as 80 to 100 pages for complex plans. On the other hand, venture contests have come to the conclusion that an effective business plan should be around 30 pages, sometimes 40, but rarely 50 – and that includes detailed financials in the appendices.

Page Length Expectation for Various Kinds of Business Plans

The various kinds of business plans in existence have their own page length expectation according to experts. They usually fall within these indices;

  • For small internal reports, the page length is usually Ten to fifteen pages
  • For corporate business plans, the page length allowed can be up to hundred and even over
  • Startup and expansion plans used for potential investors, vendors or other business partners can be 20 to 40 pages.
  • Venture contests limit page length (including the appendix with financial information), at a minimum 30 pages, and in some rare instances as many as 50 pages.

A Breakdown of the Pages of a Business Plan 

The SBA model allows business plans to run from 38 pages to as much as hundred pages depending on the kind of plan in question. The pages of the typical business plan are broken down as follows;

  • Part 1: Introduction (3 to 5 pages)
  • Part 2: Market Analysis (9 to 22 pages)

The market analysis section illustrates the knowledge about the particular industry in question. It presents general highlights and conclusions of any marketing research data that have been have collected; however, the specific details of the marketing research studies should be moved to the appendix section of the business plan .

  • Part 3: Company Description (1 to 2 pages)

Without going into detail, this section usually includes a high-level look at how all of the different elements of the business fits together. The company description section should include information about the nature of the business as well as list the primary factors that is believe will make the business a success.

  • Part 4: Organization and Management (3 to 5 pages)

This section should include the company’s organizational structure, details about the ownership of the company, profiles of the management team, and the qualifications of the board of directors.

  • Part 5: Marketing and Sales Strategies (4 to 6 pages)

Marketing is the process of creating customers, and customers are the lifeblood of a business. In this section, the first thing to do is define the company’s marketing strategy. There is no single way to approach a marketing strategy; the strategy should be part of an ongoing self-evaluation process and unique to the company.

  • Part 6: Product or Service (4 to 10 pages)

What is the company selling? What is their service? In this section, describe the service or product, emphasizing the benefits to potential and current customers. Focus on the areas where it has a distinct advantage. Identify the problem in your target market for which your service or product provides a solution. Give the reader hard evidence that people are, or will be, willing to pay for your solution.

  • Part 7: Equity Investment and Funding Request (2 to 4 pages)

In this section, you will identify how much you plan or have already invested in the business. Identify the exact amount of funding you will need to start and make sure it ties specifically to your Financial Plan.

If necessary, you can include different funding scenarios, such as a best and worst case scenarios, but remember that later, in the financial section, you must be able to back up these requests and scenarios with corresponding financial statements and projections.

  • Part 8: Financial Information (12 to 25 pages)

This section is considered the most important part of your business plan and requires significant effort. Make sure your financial information is reviewed by a professional such as your accountant. The financials should be developed after you’ve analyzed the market and set clear objectives. That’s when you can allocate resources efficiently.

More on Business Plan Tips

How Long Should a Business Plan Be?

Female entrepreneur standing in the front of her bakery reviewing her business planning documents.

3 min. read

Updated October 27, 2023

Don’t make your business plan longer than necessary, and think about the  reason you’re writing the plan in the first place . You’re probably going to want to revise your plan regularly, and the shorter your plan is, the more manageable that process will be. Using a  business plan template  to help you keep each section organized can help you  as you start writing .

Page count is not a good way to measure length. A 20-page business plan with dense text and no graphics is much longer than a 35-page plan broken up into readable bullet points, useful illustrations of locations or products, and business charts to illustrate important projections.

Your business plan shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes to skim

Measure a plan by readability and summarization. A good business plan should leave a reader a good general idea of its main contents even after only a quick skimming, browsing the main points, in 15 minutes.  Format, headings , white space, and illustrations make a big difference. Summaries are very important. Main points should show up in a business plan as quickly as they do in a business presentation.

Your plan’s length should mirror its audience

Unfortunately, many people still use page count as measurement. And in that context, some of the more practical, internal-use-only business plans can be only 5 or 10 pages long. Corporate business plans for large companies can run into hundreds of pages. The more standard start-up and expansion plans developed for showing outsiders normally run 20-40 pages of text – easy to read, well-spaced text, formatted in bullets, illustrated by business charts and short financial tables – plus financial details in appendices.

The right length of the plan depends on the nature and  purpose of the plan . Will it include descriptions of the company and management team for outsiders to read? Does it need an executive summary good enough to stand alone? Does it include detailed research, plans, drawings, and blueprints? Is it worded to withstand legal scrutiny as part of an investment proposal? Does it have everything bank would look for in your business loan application; Form follows function.

  • The right length for a business plan competition

Venture contests often limit a plan to 30 pages, sometimes 40, rarely 50 – and that includes detailed financials in the appendices. Unfortunately the page limitation leads some contestants to very bad choices, as they cram content into dense typefaces and thick texts, making their plans worse, not better.

Palo Alto Software’s business plan contest ran four years. Several hundred plans entered that competition. Finalists never had less than 20 pages or more than 50 pages. Most run 30-40 pages. These are all 20-30 pages of text, not counting useful graphic additions to show locations, designs, menus, etc., and not counting the appendices pages containing monthly financial projections, resumes of team leaders, etc. You’ll want to add some pages for the standard financials; usually that means appendices with monthly tables for sales, personnel, income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet. You also want to include the main annual numbers of those tables in the body of the plan.

  • Use graphics wisely

Don’t ever shorten a plan by taking out useful graphics. Page count matters far less than readability. Use business charts to illustrate numbers so your projections are easier to absorb. Use photographs and drawings to show locations, products, sample menus, product pictures, and other illustrations as much as possible. However, don’t ever add extra graphics, like clip art, not directly relevant to the matter at hand, as if that would make a plan better.

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Content Author: Tim Berry

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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Table of Contents

  • Your business plan shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes to skim
  • Your plan’s length should mirror its audience

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Confused On How Long Should A Business Plan Be? Here Is The Answer

Business Plan Template

Business Plan Template

  • December 18, 2023

How Long Should a Business Plan Be The Magic Word Count - Written Successful business plans

What should be my business plan length? It is a common question for entrepreneurs who are new to business planning.

Certain people hold the opinion that a business plan should be one page long, while some people hold that a business plan should be extensive and filled with minute details.

Are you confused about the length of a business plan? Every business plans and businesses are different. While some strategies may be heavily text-based and include extensive market research, others may rely on graphics to make their points.

If your business plan is too brief, you’re probably not offering potential investors enough details about your operation. In contrast, if it goes on for too long, you will bore them, and they will lose interest since you are giving them too much information.

Your business plan should be as extensive as necessary to persuade the reader that it is worthwhile to invest in or take an interest in.

In light of this, a business plan for achieving that objective typically has between 15 and 30 pages.

Let’s see the detailed guide on how long should a business plan be .

Length Depends On The Purpose Of Your Business Plan

While determining the ideal length of your business plan, don’t overlook the main mission of your plan. The goal of your business plan is to persuade readers to support your business financially or by being an active part of your business.

The length depends on the purpose of the action you want your audience to take. Certain questions to answer to know your purpose are:

  • Who is the target audience, first, for whom you are creating a business plan ? (as an example for banks, investors, hiring people, or someone else)
  • Will it have details of the business and the management team that everyone can read?
  • Do you require showing the whole business plan or only the executive summary to your readers?
  • Does it contain thorough research, plans, designs, and charts?

The Length Of An Executive Summary Is Crucial

The executive summary is typically the whole overview of the business plan, so it is one of the essential components. Therefore, make sure your summary is well-presented and brief with all the details.

The Executive Summary’s opening paragraph in particular is of utmost significance, since if you don’t grab the reader’s attention right away, they won’t continue reading.

It should normally be one to two pages long to get the reader’s interest in your plan.

A good executive summary should be 5-10% of the whole business plan, so write all the information in a synchronized yet clear manner.

Your business plan has six essential components after the executive summary. These sections should each be between one and two pages long.

→ Download Now: Executive Summary Template

Correctly Format Your Plan

By organizing your plan, you can avoid including information that would make the plan too cluttered, long, and difficult to read. Formatting will:

  • Give readers a more enjoyable experience and make it simple for them to locate the exact information
  • Help you fit in the ideal length of the business plan
  • Increases engagement and your chances of getting results
  • Will also help you understand key elements of your business

No One Wants A Novel

When it comes to your business plan length: no one would be interested in reading 100 long pages.

If you include every question, your plan will be excessively lengthy, and the majority of readers will become bored. Keep in mind that no one will read a 100-page business plan.

Instead, include the most significant information in the executive summary, and then in the other sections of your plan, validate what you mentioned in the executive summary.

Move Supporting Documents To the Appendix

While an executive summary gives a quick overview of your overarching strategy, the appendix supports the data presented in the plan, making it simple to read with all the evidence.

For instance, the primary component of your plan includes revenue projections for years 1 and 5. You can include the specifics of how those forecasts were made in your appendix, rather than putting all pertinent information in the main text.

Therefore, do not include all the documents in the other sections of a business plan, and move all the supporting documents to the appendix.

The 15 Minutes Readability

The 15-minute readability is an actual answer to the question; how long should a business plan be? After quickly scanning the main points of a strong business plan for 15 minutes, the reader should have a good understanding of its main components.

Format, headlines, white space, and graphics all significantly impact readability. The main ideas of a business strategy should be presented as rapidly as they are in a business proposal or business presentation.

If you are still confused about how to write a business plan, then you can also use free business plan samples  to make your plan perfect.

Use Graphics Wisely

Never reduce a plan by removing helpful graphics. Readability and understanding of the plan are much more important with the help of graphics.

Make your financial projections easier to understand by using business charts to illustrate the numbers. As much as possible, use pictures and drawings to illustrate locations, items, sample menus, product images, and other things.

Types Of Business Plans

The page count of a business plan also depends on its type. There are three types of business plans , let’s deep dive into them, and then you can decide the ideal length of your business plan.

One-Page Business Plan

A business owner prefers a one-page business plan to introduce their business to investors. A one-page business plan encompasses the key elements of the company into one page, much like an executive summary.

One of the advantages is that investors can read it quickly because it is simply one page long and has just enough details to pique their interest.

A one-page business plan is not for investors who are already interested in your business, as it doesn’t give away much information.

→ Download Now: One Page Business Plan Template

Mini Business Plan

A mini business plan contains 1 to 10 pages and has every component that is in a normal business strategy, but all are synchronized.

A short business plan gets right to the point and frequently uses bullet points to complete the section. Even though it contains some of the same details, a detailed business plan is still necessary.

If an investor asks for further details, after reading a one-page business plan, then this mini-business plan can come in handy.

This version will contain more detailed information, such as the problem, the solution, the marketing plan, the expected financial results, the target market, the company and management team, short financial tables, business charts, and the details to secure funding.

The Comprehensive Business Plan

Comprehensive business plans can range in length from 15 to 35 pages and beyond.

This business plan provides readers with a complete overview of the company, including the market problem, the proposed solution, company description, objectives, and goals, as well as its marketing plan, competitive analysis, operational plan, financial projections, financial plan, management team, and funding request.

A comprehensive plan starts with an executive summary and then expands on it with supporting data. This plan includes essential research to validate the overall business idea.

These business plans should only be provided upon request and following the delivery of a one-page or mini-business plan. An extensive business plan gives investors a complete picture of the company while raising the starting capital.

Which Type Of Business Plan Do You Want?

Many business owners merely write up one business plan, which they send out in every circumstance. Unfortunately, this approach is ineffective.

Instead, business owners should be prepared to provide the appropriate business plan when required by having all three types of business plans in their toolbox.

The most crucial factor isn’t how long your plan is; it’s knowing which kind of plan to utilize and when that will offer you an advantage when looking for finance.

Are You Ready For Your Business Plan?

Whether you are a small business or a startup, a business plan page count can not be that lengthy. To keep your readers interested till the last page, make it to the point and be researchful.

Start writing your plan today with the help of our sample business plans, and make the procedure of an investment-ready plan as easy as possible with us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 7 essential elements of a business plan.

  • Executive summary 
  • Company description 
  • Products and services 
  • Market analysis 
  • Strategy and implementation 
  • Organization and management 
  • Financial plan and projections

How Long Should A Business Plan Take?

According to the research , three months was the ideal amount of time to devote to the plan. This led to a 12% improvement in the likelihood of developing a successful business plan with all the market analysis and business understanding. 

What Are The 3 C's Of A Business Plan?

The main three C’s of the business plan are: 

  • A clear idea of what your business entails
  • Determining who your customers or clients will be
  • The cash flow of your firm 

About the Author

business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long

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What is a Business Plan? Definition, Tips, and Templates

AJ Beltis

Published: June 07, 2023

In an era where more than 20% of small enterprises fail in their first year, having a clear, defined, and well-thought-out business plan is a crucial first step for setting up a business for long-term success.

Business plan graphic with business owner, lightbulb, and pens to symbolize coming up with ideas and writing a business plan.

Business plans are a required tool for all entrepreneurs, business owners, business acquirers, and even business school students. But … what exactly is a business plan?

businessplan_0

In this post, we'll explain what a business plan is, the reasons why you'd need one, identify different types of business plans, and what you should include in yours.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a documented strategy for a business that highlights its goals and its plans for achieving them. It outlines a company's go-to-market plan, financial projections, market research, business purpose, and mission statement. Key staff who are responsible for achieving the goals may also be included in the business plan along with a timeline.

The business plan is an undeniably critical component to getting any company off the ground. It's key to securing financing, documenting your business model, outlining your financial projections, and turning that nugget of a business idea into a reality.

What is a business plan used for?

The purpose of a business plan is three-fold: It summarizes the organization’s strategy in order to execute it long term, secures financing from investors, and helps forecast future business demands.

Business Plan Template [ Download Now ]

businessplan_2

Working on your business plan? Try using our Business Plan Template . Pre-filled with the sections a great business plan needs, the template will give aspiring entrepreneurs a feel for what a business plan is, what should be in it, and how it can be used to establish and grow a business from the ground up.

Purposes of a Business Plan

Chances are, someone drafting a business plan will be doing so for one or more of the following reasons:

1. Securing financing from investors.

Since its contents revolve around how businesses succeed, break even, and turn a profit, a business plan is used as a tool for sourcing capital. This document is an entrepreneur's way of showing potential investors or lenders how their capital will be put to work and how it will help the business thrive.

All banks, investors, and venture capital firms will want to see a business plan before handing over their money, and investors typically expect a 10% ROI or more from the capital they invest in a business.

Therefore, these investors need to know if — and when — they'll be making their money back (and then some). Additionally, they'll want to read about the process and strategy for how the business will reach those financial goals, which is where the context provided by sales, marketing, and operations plans come into play.

2. Documenting a company's strategy and goals.

A business plan should leave no stone unturned.

Business plans can span dozens or even hundreds of pages, affording their drafters the opportunity to explain what a business' goals are and how the business will achieve them.

To show potential investors that they've addressed every question and thought through every possible scenario, entrepreneurs should thoroughly explain their marketing, sales, and operations strategies — from acquiring a physical location for the business to explaining a tactical approach for marketing penetration.

These explanations should ultimately lead to a business' break-even point supported by a sales forecast and financial projections, with the business plan writer being able to speak to the why behind anything outlined in the plan.

business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long

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Fill out the form to access your free business plan., 3. legitimizing a business idea..

Everyone's got a great idea for a company — until they put pen to paper and realize that it's not exactly feasible.

A business plan is an aspiring entrepreneur's way to prove that a business idea is actually worth pursuing.

As entrepreneurs document their go-to-market process, capital needs, and expected return on investment, entrepreneurs likely come across a few hiccups that will make them second guess their strategies and metrics — and that's exactly what the business plan is for.

It ensures an entrepreneur's ducks are in a row before bringing their business idea to the world and reassures the readers that whoever wrote the plan is serious about the idea, having put hours into thinking of the business idea, fleshing out growth tactics, and calculating financial projections.

4. Getting an A in your business class.

Speaking from personal experience, there's a chance you're here to get business plan ideas for your Business 101 class project.

If that's the case, might we suggest checking out this post on How to Write a Business Plan — providing a section-by-section guide on creating your plan?

What does a business plan need to include?

  • Business Plan Subtitle
  • Executive Summary
  • Company Description
  • The Business Opportunity
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Target Market
  • Marketing Plan
  • Financial Summary
  • Funding Requirements

1. Business Plan Subtitle

Every great business plan starts with a captivating title and subtitle. You’ll want to make it clear that the document is, in fact, a business plan, but the subtitle can help tell the story of your business in just a short sentence.

2. Executive Summary

Although this is the last part of the business plan that you’ll write, it’s the first section (and maybe the only section) that stakeholders will read. The executive summary of a business plan sets the stage for the rest of the document. It includes your company’s mission or vision statement, value proposition, and long-term goals.

3. Company Description

This brief part of your business plan will detail your business name, years in operation, key offerings, and positioning statement. You might even add core values or a short history of the company. The company description’s role in a business plan is to introduce your business to the reader in a compelling and concise way.

4. The Business Opportunity

The business opportunity should convince investors that your organization meets the needs of the market in a way that no other company can. This section explains the specific problem your business solves within the marketplace and how it solves them. It will include your value proposition as well as some high-level information about your target market.

businessplan_9

5. Competitive Analysis

Just about every industry has more than one player in the market. Even if your business owns the majority of the market share in your industry or your business concept is the first of its kind, you still have competition. In the competitive analysis section, you’ll take an objective look at the industry landscape to determine where your business fits. A SWOT analysis is an organized way to format this section.

6. Target Market

Who are the core customers of your business and why? The target market portion of your business plan outlines this in detail. The target market should explain the demographics, psychographics, behavioristics, and geographics of the ideal customer.

7. Marketing Plan

Marketing is expansive, and it’ll be tempting to cover every type of marketing possible, but a brief overview of how you’ll market your unique value proposition to your target audience, followed by a tactical plan will suffice.

Think broadly and narrow down from there: Will you focus on a slow-and-steady play where you make an upfront investment in organic customer acquisition? Or will you generate lots of quick customers using a pay-to-play advertising strategy? This kind of information should guide the marketing plan section of your business plan.

8. Financial Summary

Money doesn’t grow on trees and even the most digital, sustainable businesses have expenses. Outlining a financial summary of where your business is currently and where you’d like it to be in the future will substantiate this section. Consider including any monetary information that will give potential investors a glimpse into the financial health of your business. Assets, liabilities, expenses, debt, investments, revenue, and more are all useful adds here.

So, you’ve outlined some great goals, the business opportunity is valid, and the industry is ready for what you have to offer. Who’s responsible for turning all this high-level talk into results? The "team" section of your business plan answers that question by providing an overview of the roles responsible for each goal. Don’t worry if you don’t have every team member on board yet, knowing what roles to hire for is helpful as you seek funding from investors.

10. Funding Requirements

Remember that one of the goals of a business plan is to secure funding from investors, so you’ll need to include funding requirements you’d like them to fulfill. The amount your business needs, for what reasons, and for how long will meet the requirement for this section.

Types of Business Plans

  • Startup Business Plan
  • Feasibility Business Plan
  • Internal Business Plan
  • Strategic Business Plan
  • Business Acquisition Plan
  • Business Repositioning Plan
  • Expansion or Growth Business Plan

There’s no one size fits all business plan as there are several types of businesses in the market today. From startups with just one founder to historic household names that need to stay competitive, every type of business needs a business plan that’s tailored to its needs. Below are a few of the most common types of business plans.

For even more examples, check out these sample business plans to help you write your own .

1. Startup Business Plan

businessplan_7

As one of the most common types of business plans, a startup business plan is for new business ideas. This plan lays the foundation for the eventual success of a business.

The biggest challenge with the startup business plan is that it’s written completely from scratch. Startup business plans often reference existing industry data. They also explain unique business strategies and go-to-market plans.

Because startup business plans expand on an original idea, the contents will vary by the top priority goals.

For example, say a startup is looking for funding. If capital is a priority, this business plan might focus more on financial projections than marketing or company culture.

2. Feasibility Business Plan

businessplan_4

This type of business plan focuses on a single essential aspect of the business — the product or service. It may be part of a startup business plan or a standalone plan for an existing organization. This comprehensive plan may include:

  • A detailed product description
  • Market analysis
  • Technology needs
  • Production needs
  • Financial sources
  • Production operations

According to CBInsights research, 35% of startups fail because of a lack of market need. Another 10% fail because of mistimed products.

Some businesses will complete a feasibility study to explore ideas and narrow product plans to the best choice. They conduct these studies before completing the feasibility business plan. Then the feasibility plan centers on that one product or service.

3. Internal Business Plan

businessplan_5

Internal business plans help leaders communicate company goals, strategy, and performance. This helps the business align and work toward objectives more effectively.

Besides the typical elements in a startup business plan, an internal business plan may also include:

  • Department-specific budgets
  • Target demographic analysis
  • Market size and share of voice analysis
  • Action plans
  • Sustainability plans

Most external-facing business plans focus on raising capital and support for a business. But an internal business plan helps keep the business mission consistent in the face of change.

4. Strategic Business Plan

businessplan_8

Strategic business plans focus on long-term objectives for your business. They usually cover the first three to five years of operations. This is different from the typical startup business plan which focuses on the first one to three years. The audience for this plan is also primarily internal stakeholders.

These types of business plans may include:

  • Relevant data and analysis
  • Assessments of company resources
  • Vision and mission statements

It's important to remember that, while many businesses create a strategic plan before launching, some business owners just jump in. So, this business plan can add value by outlining how your business plans to reach specific goals. This type of planning can also help a business anticipate future challenges.

5. Business Acquisition Plan

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Investors use business plans to acquire existing businesses, too — not just new businesses.

A business acquisition plan may include costs, schedules, or management requirements. This data will come from an acquisition strategy.

A business plan for an existing company will explain:

  • How an acquisition will change its operating model
  • What will stay the same under new ownership
  • Why things will change or stay the same
  • Acquisition planning documentation
  • Timelines for acquisition

Additionally, the business plan should speak to the current state of the business and why it's up for sale.

For example, if someone is purchasing a failing business, the business plan should explain why the business is being purchased. It should also include:

  • What the new owner will do to turn the business around
  • Historic business metrics
  • Sales projections after the acquisition
  • Justification for those projections

6. Business Repositioning Plan

businessplan_6 (1)

When a business wants to avoid acquisition, reposition its brand, or try something new, CEOs or owners will develop a business repositioning plan.

This plan will:

  • Acknowledge the current state of the company.
  • State a vision for the future of the company.
  • Explain why the business needs to reposition itself.
  • Outline a process for how the company will adjust.

Companies planning for a business reposition often do so — proactively or retroactively — due to a shift in market trends and customer needs.

For example, shoe brand AllBirds plans to refocus its brand on core customers and shift its go-to-market strategy. These decisions are a reaction to lackluster sales following product changes and other missteps.

7. Expansion or Growth Business Plan

When your business is ready to expand, a growth business plan creates a useful structure for reaching specific targets.

For example, a successful business expanding into another location can use a growth business plan. This is because it may also mean the business needs to focus on a new target market or generate more capital.

This type of plan usually covers the next year or two of growth. It often references current sales, revenue, and successes. It may also include:

  • SWOT analysis
  • Growth opportunity studies
  • Financial goals and plans
  • Marketing plans
  • Capability planning

These types of business plans will vary by business, but they can help businesses quickly rally around new priorities to drive growth.

Getting Started With Your Business Plan

At the end of the day, a business plan is simply an explanation of a business idea and why it will be successful. The more detail and thought you put into it, the more successful your plan — and the business it outlines — will be.

When writing your business plan, you’ll benefit from extensive research, feedback from your team or board of directors, and a solid template to organize your thoughts. If you need one of these, download HubSpot's Free Business Plan Template below to get started.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Business Plan Length: How Long Should Your Plan Be?

Your business plan should be as long as is required to convince the reader that your business plan is worth investing in or taking an interest in., that being said, the average length of a business plan to accomplish that goal is 15 to 25 pages., the ultimate mission of your business plan.

Importantly, to determine the ideal length of your plan, remember the ultimate mission of your plan. That mission is to convince the reader to get involved in and or fund your business. If your business plan is too short, you’re probably not giving them enough information on your business. Conversely, if it’s too long, you’re providing too much information and you’re going to bore them, with the result being that they’ll lose interest.

Because length matters, the most important part of your business plan is clearly the first page or pages of your business plan. The first page is usually the cover page, followed by the table of contents. And then, the first real page of content is your Executive Summary. This is why the Executive Summary is so important. Because if you don’t capture the interest of the reader here, on these first pages, they’re just not going to read on.

In particularly, the very first paragraph of the Executive Summary is of critical importance because if you don’t excite somebody right away, they are not going to keep reading.

I typically want the Executive Summary to be one to two pages to get the reader interested in your business. Then, the rest of your plan supports the Executive Summary and goes into more detail about what your business is about, what products and or services you will offer, what is your marketing plan, what are the highlights of your financial plan, etc.

After the Executive Summary, there are 9 other key sections of your business plan. Each of these sections should be one to two pages each. And so, if we take an average of 1.5 pages per section times 10 sections (including the Executive Summary), we now have our 15-page business plan.

Importantly, the final section of your plan is your Appendix. Your Appendix could be longer than other sections because here you’ll include your full financial statements — your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement – and any other supporting documentation. But once again, the core of your business plan should be only 15 to 25 pages, or whatever amount of text and or pages is required to convince the reader that this is an opportunity worth pursuing.

Your Plan Supports Your Executive Summary

Let’s revisit your Executive Summary since it’s so important to the success of your plan. Importantly, in your Executive Summary, you must convey why your business is exciting and why it’s going to be successful.

Then, the rest of the document, that is, in the rest of your business plan, you will support this. For example, you might say in the Executive Summary that “our business is poised for success because we are competing in this market. This market currently enjoys sales of $845 million per year and is growing at a rate of 9% per year.”

This is enough research to include in the Executive Summary to get the reader or investor interested. Then, in the body of your plan, particularly in the Industry Analysis section, you must include whatever supporting information to prove this fact and go into more depth.

Specifically, in the Industry Analysis section, you would not only repeat that “the market size is $845 million and is growing by 9% per year” but you’ll cite different sources proving these figures. You’ll discuss different segments of the market. You’ll mention different geographic regions of the market, and so on. In summary, in the Industry Analysis section of your plan, you’ll go into as much detail as is required to further prove that the market opportunity is sound.

Likewise, in your Marketing section, you’ll go into as much detail as is required to prove your marketing plan is sound. For example, if one of your promotional strategies is PR or public relations, you’ll detail what specific newspapers, magazines, and websites you will target backed up by research on the customer demographics of those media sources. You’ll also discuss your PR strategy, such as whether you’re going to hold events or create stories.

Nobody’s Going to Read a 100 Page Business Plan

A final and important point on the ideal length of your business plan is that you want to make sure to include enough information to answer the reader’s most important questions, but not every question.

If you answer every question, your plan will be too long and you will bore most readers. Remember, nobody’s going to read a 100-page business plan. Rather, include the critical, concise information upfront in your Executive Summary and then, in the other sections of your plan, provide enough information to prove what you’ve said in the Executive Summary, add additional detail, and answer core questions that investors or readers will have when reading your plan.

Business Plan Length Infographic

Below is an infographic of this article for quick reference.

Business Plan Length Infographic

Recommended Slideshare

We put together the slide presentation below entitled “How Your Business Plan Should Look” to give you additional pointers on creating a great business plan. These pointers allow you to keep your business plan short in length, but still very impactful.

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IMAGES

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  1. Chapter 6

    E) A poorly cited plan. A. For most business plans, ________ pages are sufficient. 25 - 35. According to the textbook, many investors and others who read business plans look first at the executive summary and then go directly to the ________ section of the business plan to make their preliminary assessment. management team and company structure.

  2. How Many Pages Should a Business Plan Be? 10, 25, 50 or 100?

    For small internal reports, the page length is usually Ten to fifteen pages For corporate business plans, the page length allowed can be up to hundred and even over Startup and expansion plans used for potential investors, vendors or other business partners can be 20 to 40 pages.

  3. chapter 4 Flashcards

    A) A business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long. B) The business plan should be written while the feasibility analysis is being completed. C) A large percentage of entrepreneurs do not write business plans for their new ventures. D) For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose document used both inside and outside the firm.

  4. MGMT 310 Exam 1

    The SBA advisor told Peter that one of the first things he needs to do is to sit down and write a 25 to 35 page narrative that describes what his new business plans to accomplish and how it plans to accomplish it. The SBA advisor is telling Peter to write a (n) ________. Click the card to flip 👆 D) business plan Click the card to flip 👆 1 / 36

  5. How Long Should Your Business Plan Be? It Depends

    A 20-page business plan with dense text and no graphics is much longer than a 35-page plan broken up into readable bullet points, useful illustrations of locations or products, and business charts to illustrate important projections. Your business plan shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes to skim Measure a plan by readability and summarization.

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  7. Business Plan Length: How Long Should a Business Plan be?

    In light of this, a business plan for achieving that objective typically has between 15 and 30 pages. Let's see the detailed guide on how long should a business plan be. Length Depends On The Purpose Of Your Business Plan While determining the ideal length of your business plan, don't overlook the main mission of your plan.

  8. What is a Business Plan? Definition, Tips, and Templates

    4. Strategic Business Plan. Strategic business plans focus on long-term objectives for your business. They usually cover the first three to five years of operations. This is different from the typical startup business plan which focuses on the first one to three years. The audience for this plan is also primarily internal stakeholders.

  9. Business Plan Length: How Long Should Your Plan Be?

    Each of these sections should be one to two pages each. And so, if we take an average of 1.5 pages per section times 10 sections (including the Executive Summary), we now have our 15-page business plan. Importantly, the final section of your plan is your Appendix. Your Appendix could be longer than other sections because here you'll include ...

  10. Chp 4

    A business plan is a written narrative, typically 25 to 35 Pages long that describes what a new business plans to Accomplish. • Dual-Use Document. For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose Document used both inside and outside the firm.

  11. A(n).......... business plan, which is typically 25 to 35 pages long

    A (n).......... business plan, which is typically 25 to 35 pages long, works best for new ventures who are at the point where they need funding or financing. A) Tactical\\ B)...

  12. Chapter 4 Entrepreneurship

    Business Plan Is a written narrative, typically 25 to 35 pages long, that describes what a new business plans to accomplish. Dual-Use Document For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose document used both inside and outside the firm. o Inside the firm, the plan helps the company develop a "road map" to follow and execute its strategies and plans. o Outside the firm, it ...

  13. Entrepreneurial Leadership Ch 5/6 Flashcards

    A(n) _____ business plan, which is intended to be a blueprint for a company's operations, is 40-100 pages long and is meant primarily for an internal audience operational A(n) ________ business plan, which is typically 25 to 35 pages long, works best for new ventures who are at the point where they need funding or financing

  14. Solved 11. A which is typically 25 to 35 pages long, works

    A which is typically 25 to 35 pages long, works best for new ventures who are at the point where they need funding or financing. (5 Points) full business plan deliberate business plan ОООО tactical business plan summary business plan operational business plan 12. Paul Hempken just spoke to an investor, who is interested in his business idea.

  15. A(n).......... business plan, which is typically 25 to 35 pages long

    A full business plan, typically 25 to 35 pages long, works best for new ventures that require funding or financing.(Option D) When seeking funding or financing, new ventures often need to present a comprehensive and detailed business plan to potential investors or lenders.. A full business plan, which is more extensive than other types of plans, provides a comprehensive overview of the venture ...

  16. Entrepreneurship

    CHAPTER 6: WRITING A BUSINESS PLAN Business Plan: a written narrative, typically 25-35 pages long, that describes what a new business intends to accomplish and how it intends to accomplish it. The Business Plan Writing a business plan is the last activity completed in the step of the entrepreneurial process. It is a mistake to write the business plan too early.

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  18. A _________ is a written narrative, typically between 25 and 35 pages

    A Business Plan is a written narrative, primarily between 25 and 35 pages long, that portrays what a new business aims to achieve and how it plans to achieve it.

  19. Solved Time left 0:54 20 on 28 One of the choices below is

    For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose document used both inside and outside the firm, od A business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long. e A large percentage of entrepreneurs do not write business plans for their new ventures question EVAGE Not the question you're looking for? Post any question and get expert help quickly.

  20. 25 an business plan which is typically 25 to 35 pages

    25) A (n) ________ business plan, which is typically 25 to 35 pages long, works best for new ventures who are at the point where they need funding or financing. A) tactical B) strategic C) summary D) full E) operational D ) full

  21. entrepreneurship chapter 6 Flashcards

    a written narrative, typically 25-35 pages long, that describes what a new business plans to accomplish Click the card to flip 👆 1 / 18 Flashcards Learn Test Match Q-Chat Created by kaylanjohnson3 Students also viewed Chapter 6 Distribution, promotion, and selling 60 terms chiltoncountydeca Preview Chapter 6 Business 20 terms hsb6689 Preview

  22. Which of the following statements is incorrect about business plans? A

    B. For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose document used both inside and outside the firm. C. A business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long. D. A large percentage of entrepreneurs do not write business plans for their new ventures. E. The business plan should be written while the feasibility analysis is being completed.

  23. Chapter 6 Review Flashcards

    B) For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose document used both inside and outside the firm. C) A business plan is typically 25 to 35 pages long. D) A large percentage of entrepreneurs do not write business plans for their new ventures. E) The business plan should be written while the feasibility analysis is being completed.