Whether you’re starting a new business or growing an existing one, having a strong business plan is critical for guiding your strategy and decisions. A good business plan doesn’t have to be a 100-page document – in fact, some of the most effective plans summarize the key details on one page. Using tools like the lean canvas template allows you to map out the key components in a simple, visual way.
Understand Your Customer
The first step in developing your business plan is gaining a deep understanding of your target customer. Outline details like demographics, needs, behaviors and pain points. Get clear on the specific problem you’ll solve for them. Conduct user interviews and research to ensure your business meets real rather than assumed needs. Document this in the customer segment section of your lean canvas template.
Define the Value Proposition
With your customer clearly defined, get very specific in stating the tangible value and benefits your company will provide. How will you solve pain points and make their lives noticeably better? What outcomes will result from using your product/service? Get feedback from potential customers to validate that your value proposition actually resonates.
Assess the Competition
It’s vital to honestly assess both direct and indirect competitors who may also be working to solve your customer’s problem. Perform an analysis to identify weaknesses in their offerings that your solution could improve upon. Also outline any advantages competitors have that you’ll need to find creative ways to work around. Mapping out the competitive landscape identifies gaps and opportunities for differentiation.
Map Out Key Activities
The activities section of your lean canvas should outline the crucial things your business must do to create, sell and deliver your solution. These could include research and development, sourcing materials/tools, managing production, building partnerships, hiring staff with key skills, developing sales and distribution channels, creating marketing campaigns and providing customer support. Identify resources needed to perform these business-critical activities.
Calculate Your Costs
With an understanding of the key activities involved in running your enterprise, you can now estimate the costs associated with each part of your business model. This includes fixed costs like rent, equipment, and salaries as well as variable costs like materials, shipping, marketing and payments to partners. Don’t underestimate costs in the early stages – identify best/worst case scenarios and factor in some cushion for the unknown.
Define Your Revenue Streams
How will your company actually make money? Define the ways you will generate sales and cash flow, whether it’s through product sales, service fees, subscriptions, licensing or advertising. Estimate numbers around potential sales volumes, prices per item, and growth percentages year over year. Be reasonable in your projections based on your market size data. Outline multiple revenue streams if possible to de-risk reliance on a single source of income.
Crafting a lean business plan following this process will equip you with the insight, metrics and projections needed to evaluate if your business concept is viable, attract funding if needed, and guide smarter decisions as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey.