Category: Marketing Automation

Last Updated on July 19, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta A streamlined workflow is an integral part of business process automation. A big part of this is efficient data collection with Salesforce and other related products. Recently FormAssembly introduced Workflow as part of their product to take data collection to the
The post The New Age of Data Collection is Here: Welcome to FormAssembly Workflow appeared first on Automation Champion.

Your small business is the perfect outlet for your passion and creativity. With your products and services, you’re able to positively contribute to your customers’ lives. Simultaneously, your company can also be a great channel for championing a cause that you and your team care about. Through your brand, website, and social media channels, you have a platform that can be utilized for making an impact. Small businesses that include a charitable component to their brand can benefit both personally and professionally. Consumers want to support businesses that stand for causes they feel strongly about. A 2021 survey found that 63 percent of individuals preferred purchasing from purpose-driven businesses. By bringing awareness to a social issue and organizing around it, you can feel more fulfilled as an individual, while also providing more substance to your brand. It’s a win-win situation as you’ll draw in more customers while contributing to a social cause you’re invested in.You may be unsure how exactly to go about supporting an initiative, but these five businesses will surely inspire you. At the heart of each of these brands are important social causes. And while providing quality products is their job – they’ve  also made it their mission to make a difference in their communities.A Dozen Cousins provides yearly grants to organizations providing food educationFounded in 2017, A Dozen Cousins is a Black-owned and family-run business that sells three core food products: packaged beans, bone broth rice, and seasoning sauces. Each item is made with clean ingredients while still maintaining their Caribbean, creole, and Latin flavors. On their website, the small business states their goal is, “to inspire families of all backgrounds to eat better food and live longer, more vibrant lives.” A huge part of their mission is providing everyone with quality food, regardless of their income level. A Dozen Cousins is already dismantling barriers to healthy eating by selling nutritious, affordable, and quick meal options. But the company is going one step further by also awarding a grant to a nonprofit organization each year that is working with individuals to eliminate, “ socio-economic health disparities in the US.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by A Dozen Cousins (@adozencousins) Since 2019, the small business has supported the following organizations: The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre, Project Potluck, Los Angeles Community Fridges, and Hike Clerb. Each of these initiatives has the goal of dismantling barriers to healthy eating, making food education more accessible, and connecting people of color back to nature. By partnering with like-minded organizations and providing them with monetary funds, A Dozen Cousins is able to act on their mission to bring more awareness around healthy diets to all.If you don’t have the bandwidth to start your own initiatives, consider partnering with a local nonprofit that is already doing the work. Rather than make a one-time or occasional donation, you can set up a grant program every year as A Dozen Cousins does. This also ensures you’re supporting a variety of nonprofits instead of just one.Kola Goodies highlights Sri Lanka’s crisis via social mediaWhen Kola Goodies was created back in 2020, CEO and founder Sajani had a goal to infuse her Sri Lankan heritage into healthy and nutritious blends for all to enjoy. The small business currently sells three teas – a super green latte, turmeric milk tea, and Sri Lankan milk tea – which were all inspired by Sajani’s home country. But as Sri Lanka plunged into an economic and political crisis, Sajani made it a priority to support her country and documented it through Kola Goodies’s crisis relief page. Sajani first used the company’s Instagram and TikTok accounts to bring awareness to what was happening back in Sri Lanka – an issue that wasn’t getting a ton of attention in the States until just recently. After posting about the situation, Kola Goodies’ social media was filled with questions from customers who wanted to help. @kolagoodies Let’s talk about what’s happening in #srilanka, as a brand that was born out of the rituals I grew up with in Sri Lanka and with a mission to give back home and to communities across South Asia who has grown and used these ingredients for centuries, it’s a miss to not talk about what’s really happening to those communities because they are hurting the most right now. We are continuing to support through sending foreign currency back home. # #giveback #ethicalsourcing #kolagoodies #wellness ♬ original sound – Kola Goodies In response to their followers’ inquiries, Kola Goodies held several initiatives to raise funds for Sri Lanka including a pop-up shop in San Francisco where they donated 10 percent of proceeds to support two Sri Lankan organizations – Ghedora Connects and Tamarind Gardens farms to supply 275 meals to low-income families. On top of that, 100 percent of proceeds from their muse sticker – hand drawn by a Sri Lanka artist – also went to supporting Sri Lankan families. While Sajani started these initiatives back in March of this year, Kola Goodies has continued to fundraise. They’ve also made all of this information easily accessible through their Sri Lankan crisis relief page on their website. Kola Goodies took several steps – hosting a pop-up shop, selling their muse stickers, and donating proceeds to benefit Sri Lanka – and it all stemmed from the initial video about the crisis they cross-posted onto TikTok and Instagram. If you don’t know how to go about supporting a cause, simply sharing a message highlighting the cause on your social media – just like Sajani did – is a great way to start. Arctic Haven Studio donates proceeds to a wildlife conservationAt the core of Arctic Haven Studio – a small business run by sisters Anna and Kelly – is the love for the Alaskan wilderness. The duo creates stunning art prints all rooted in the Alaskan nature they grew up in. Unlike most common art styles, the sisters use hand-cut paper to make their designs come to life. Each piece is inspired by their real-life experiences, like encountering a lynx while hiking, which they turned into this art piece made from over 500 scraps of paper. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arctic Haven Studio (@arctichavenstudio) Not only do Anna and Kelly hope to bring people closer to nature through their prints, but they also want to give back to the very environment that raised them. The small business donates 10 percent of their proceeds to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC). The Center takes in injured animals and rehabilitates them while also providing them an environment where they can still act true to their nature. After only eight months of business, Arctic Haven studio raised nearly $1,000 for the nonprofit. And even more, the small business also supports the environment by embedding sustainability into their craft, only using recycled materials. Choosing one single cause that is tremendously close to your heart – as the Conservation Center is to Anna and Kelly – and regularly donating a portion of your proceeds to them is a great and simple way to show your support for an important cause. If you don’t feel comfortable with initially donating 10 percent like Arctic Haven Studio, try going for something smaller like 5 percent. Anything can make a difference.Ami Ami creates an Instagram fundraiser for abortion rightsInfluencer Alison Wu is known for her food blog Wu Haus, and she’s also co-founder of the up-and-coming food brand Ami Ami which sells three distinct spice blends. Some of her flavors are inspired by Egyptian cuisine and as a way to give back, Ami Ami donates a portion of their proceeds to Heya Masr – an Egyptian organization that works to empower and support local girls and women.  But both Alison and Ami Ami have raised awareness for other causes as well. The food blogger posted a video on Instagram supporting abortion rights in response to the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In the video, she called on her followers to donate to organizations fighting for reproductive rights. Alison also created an Instagram fundraiser and linked it to her video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by alison wu (@alison__wu) Specifically, Alison chose to donate to the National Network of Abortion Funds and shared the fundraiser on both her personal Instagram page and Ami Ami’s business account as well. In the last three weeks, Alison has been able to raise over 5,000 dollars – halfway through her goal.Social media is a great way to rally support around important issues and now most platforms have made it even easier by allowing users to create fundraisers for nonprofits at the touch of a button. While services like GoFundMe are still useful, being able to make a fundraiser and connect it to your Instagram accounts in minutes really streamlines the process. Once you’ve created a fundraiser, it will be shown at the top of your IG account in mobile view, almost like a pinned post, letting your followers know it’s the main priority for you. Your Instagram fundraiser will be at the top of your page and visible to all of your followersThe IG fundraiser essentially acts as a giant call to action. It’s more direct than simply making a post and directing people to your link-in-bio because, with an IG fundraiser, your followers can donate right through Instagram. If your small business is especially active on Instagram, creating a fundraiser on the platform is a great way to highlight a specific cause.Circular&Co. donates their products for an honorable causeCircular&Co. is a UK business on a mission to reduce pollution and harmful waste that goes into the ocean. They sell reusable mugs with a “circular design” and use waste materials to make their products.    The small business partnered with Leave No Trace Brighton, a community run organization that works to preserve Brighton’s coastal and marine environment. During an event at the Brighton train station, Leave No Trace Brighton met with community members and asked them to take “The Brighton Pledge,” and agree to live more enviornmently friendly lives. In doing so, individuals were able to buy a reusable NOW cup from Circular&Co. as a way to show they’ll be incorporating more sustainable practices into their routines. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Circular&Co. (@circularandco) In their Instagram post, Circular&Co. said they donated 96 of their cups for the event and 100 percent of the proceeds went back to Leave No Trace Brighton. Providing your products is a great way for your business to give back without having to spend any additional money. Circular&Co.’s mission aligns so well with Leave No Trace Brighton’s that it made sense for their NOW Cups to be sold at this event. If you’re not in a position where you can donate your products for free, consider donating your time and volunteering for an organization.There are so many ways you can use your small business as a vehicle for positive social change! While most avenues revolve around providing financial support, we hope these examples have inspired some other ways to give as well. Remember, even speaking out about an issue is a free way to educate your followers about something important.At Buffer, we’re passionate about giving back and are always on the lookout for new initiatives to support.Do you have a charity, cause, or organization that you’re fond of? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram!

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Want to start podcasting, but feel intimidated by the podcast equipment you’ll need? Don’t be! Professional-sounding podcast equipment is more accessible than ever. 
With 26% of adults listening to podcasts weekly, the production quality of your show is important. In order to build a successful podcast, you need the right tools and services at your disposal.
Let’s review the top podcast tools and services to make your production more efficient and professional.

Below, we’ll break down the tools and services into four categories: podcast recording equipment, podcast recording software, podcast editing software, and podcast hosting sites.

Podcast Equipment
To take your podcast show from good to great this year, you need to have the right equipment.
1. USB or XLR Microphone
The first thing you need to record your podcast is a microphone. The two most popular options are USB microphones and XLR microphones. 
USB microphones can connect directly to your computer via a USB cable. They are easy to use and require minimal setup. 
If you’re looking to have a bit more control over your audio, you can opt for an XLR microphone and cable for higher sound quality. A popular podcasting microphone that allows for both USB and XLR connection is the Audiotechnica ATR2100 microphone.
The RODE PodMic is a cost-effective XLR microphone that gives studio-quality sound.
2. Audio Interface
For those who opt to use an XLR connection, you’ll need an audio mixer to connect your microphone to your computer. Not only does a mixer or audio interface connect directly to your computer, but it also gives you more flexibility in terms of volume control and editing.
A simple audio mixer is the Focusrite Scarlette 2i2 which connects XLR microphones to your computer via a USB-C cable. This mixer offers simple volume control for up to two microphones.
For more studio controls, you can opt for the RODECaster which can connect up to four microphones, has eight programmable settings, and has Bluetooth capability so you can interview guests via telephone. 
3. Windscreen or Pop Filter
Once you select your microphone, make sure you get a corresponding windscreen or pop filter to minimize popping sounds and record higher-quality audio that needs less editing to sound great.
4. Studio-Quality Headphones
Headphones are a must for podcasters, especially those who record interviews remotely. Wearing headphones while recording allows you to hear how the recorded audio will sound in real-time so you can make adjustments as needed to have the highest quality recording.
If you record virtual interviews on your computer, you’ll want to make sure both you and your guests use headphones to avoid having the mic pick up any sound that may come from your computer’s speaker causing an unpleasant echo.
5. Adjustable Microphone Arm Stand
Once you have a microphone, headphones, and audio interface, you’ll want to consider getting a microphone arm stand. A microphone stand will make it easier for you to record your podcast, so you aren’t chained to your desk or have to sit in an awkward position.
Most microphones will come with an adapter that’ll connect with any microphone arm stand. Before you buy a new stand, make sure you have that adapter.
Podcast Recording Software
Now that you have all the equipment to make your podcast the best it can be, you’ll need to make sure you’re using the right recording software.
6. Skype
Price: Free
With Skype, you can record video and audio right in the program. When you’re on a call, you can click the three dots on the bottom right and then hit “Start Recording.”
Skype is a great option for podcasters because it’s free and easy to use. There are also other options, if you want better audio quality. For instance, you can download recording software on your computer or buy an external digital recorder.

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7. Zoom
Price: Free+
Zoom is another excellent free option (for calls up to 40 minutes long). You can easily record right in the program, by clicking the “Record” button and choosing where you’d like to save your audio file.
Skype and Zoom are fairly similar options, however, the recording files differ. Skype will give you a mono file, which means both your and your interviewee’s side of the conversation is on one audio track. However, Zoom splits both sides of the call, giving you two separate audio tracks. This is helpful when it comes to cutting and editing in post-production.

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8. Ringr
Price: $8/month+
Ringr is a long-distance podcasting and broadcast interview recording program. Although this option isn’t free, it has excellent sound quality. If you’re focused on bringing higher-quality sound to your interviews, Ringr is a good choice.
Additionally, they have three different plans you can choose from. With the basic plan, you’ll get a mono audio file, and unlimited calls and storage. If you decide to go with the premium or enterprise plan, you’ll get a split-track audio file, plus better sound quality and the option to use conference calling.

9. Squadcast
Price: $5/hour or $20/month+
Squadcast is an easy-to-use podcast recording software. Once you sign up, all you have to do is set up a meeting, click “Record,” and you’re set.
One unique element of this software is that you can pay by the hour, if you don’t think you need a monthly plan. Even with the hourly plan, you can host up to three guests and will receive a high-quality WAV or MP3 file.
Additionally, Squadcast plans to add video recording and transcription, which will help with your show notes and posting your podcast to YouTube.
One of the top reasons to use a podcast recording software like Squadcast, as opposed to Skype or Zoom, is that you’ll have a library of all your recordings in one place, online, where you can access them at any time, any place.

10. Riverside
Price: Free+
If you’re looking for multimedia recording, Riverside could be a good fit for you.
This tool offers local recording of audio and video with up to 4K video quality. One of the most notable features is “Clips” which creates AI-generated video and audio clips of your recording that can be easily customized and shared on social media. 
Additional features include transcriptions, sharable links for guests, producer mode and controls, live streaming, one-click scheduling, and screen share recording.
11. Pro Tools
Price: $30/year+
If you’re ready to move beyond the beginner recording software above, Pro Tools is an excellent option.
Pro Tools is an advanced recording and editing software. You can record, edit, and mix numerous audio tracks. However, this is for the more advanced audio recorders/editors. The user interface (UI) isn’t as intuitive for beginners and may seem overwhelming at first.
Although, because it’s advanced, it also offers much more robust features. For example, since Pro Tools is known in the music industry, it has virtual instrumentation available, which can be helpful in creating the music to put in your podcast. Additionally, it offers plugins, collaboration, and hands-on audio mixing.

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12. Reaper
Price: $60 one time payment+
Reaper is another advanced recording, editing, and mixing software. This type of program provides higher-quality recordings and more capabilities when it comes to editing and mixing.
The UI isn’t as intuitive as programs like Zoom or Squadcast, but it offers higher-quality sound. With your audio interface and microphone attached, you can record directly into the program, with as many audio tracks as you’d like.
The recording feature is more robust, offering simultaneous recording inputs, a dozen audio formats, and recording tracks.
Additionally, it also has strong editing capabilities as well.

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13. Logic Pro
Price: $200 one time payment+
Logic Pro is the advanced version of Garage Band for Mac users. It’s a higher-quality recording program offering an easy-to-use UI.
Recording is as simple as setting up your microphone and USB audio interface and pressing record.
Logic Pro offers up to 1,000 audio tracks, software instrument tracks, and hundreds of plugins to complete any project.
Additionally, it has advanced editing capabilities.

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14. Whereby
Price: $10/month+
Whereby is another option for recording remote interviews. It’s excellent for beginners and is easy to use.
Although there is a free plan, recording is only available in the Pro or Business plan. Recording is as easy as hitting the “Record” button, once you’re on a call. This will record both video and audio, so it’s easy to post to YouTube if you want.
While this is an easy option, it isn’t the highest quality recording.

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15. Zencastr
Price: Free+
Zencastr is a web browser-based recording software that offers live sound editing, automatic postproduction, and automatic cloud backup of recordings. 
The app recently launched a beta HD video recording feature and also has built-in chat and footnote features that make sharing information with guests and producers a breeze.
Podcast Editing Software
Once you record your podcast, it’s time to edit it. As you’ve read above, many software includes both recording and editing capabilities. Below are some tools known for editing, rather than recording.
16. Adobe Audition
Price: $20/month+
Adobe Audition is an excellent mid-level audio editing software. You can create, record, mix, edit, and restore audio content.
It offers high-quality sound, plus comprehensive tools to deliver polished sound. For example, Adobe Audition comes with a podcast template, which helps you set up a multi-track recording so you can mix and edit different audio tracks and voices. Plus, you can work in both waveform and multi-track editors, for more well-rounded editing.

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17. Audacity
Price: Free
Audacity is an excellent free option for editing your podcast. It’s especially easy if you plan to use only one take, with few cuts. The UI is easy to use and beginner-friendly. However, if you have to make a lot of cuts or move audio around, it’s a little more difficult because of the simplicity of the program.
This option is great for beginners because of the simple cut, copy, and paste functionality. It isn’t the highest quality sound, but it gets the job done.

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18. Garage Band
Price: Free
Garage Band is a free editing software that is available on and comes with most Mac computers.
It’s mostly used as a beginner editing program, but is capable of mixing up to 255 audio tracks. It comes with basic editing features including volume levels, cut, copy, and paste. You can use plugins to finish off your track and use audio effects such as compression.
Additionally, it features a sound library with effects that you can include in your podcast.

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19. Descript
Price: Free+
If you can edit a Google Doc, you can edit a podcast. That’s the premise of Descript, a text-based audio, and video editing tool.
To use Descript, upload your file to the tool to get an AI-generated transcription. You can then review the transcription to make changes in real-time. Descript also has a feature that uses an AI-created version of your voice, so you can add words to your audio simply by typing. 
Descript is incredibly easy to use for new podcasters and those who don’t have audio editing experience.
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Podcast Hosting Sites/Services
Now that you’ve bought your equipment, recorded, and editing your podcast, you may be wondering what’s next? After you’ve produced your podcast, it’s time to find the right hosting site and service to publish it on.
20. BuzzSprout
Price: Free+
BuzzSprout is an excellent hosting option, because it gets your podcast listed in all the top podcast directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.
Additionally, it offers advanced metrics, so you can track the progress of your podcast. You can see statistics about your listeners, total plays over time, and where people listen to your podcast. Plus, you can transcribe your podcast in BuzzSprout.
With paid plans, you’ll have unlimited storage and episodes hosted indefinitely.

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21. Libsyn
Price: $5/month+
Libsyn is a hosting service that will get your podcast published on your audience’s favorite apps and platforms.
A unique feature is its monetization options. For example, it offers premium content subscriptions and opt-in advertising. These options keep you in control and allow you to customize your monetization.
You’ll also have access to detailed audience statistics, so you can also see what’s working and what isn’t.

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22. Anchor
Price: Free
Anchor, owned by Spotify, is an easy-to-use platform that allows you to create, publish, and monetize in one place. 
One standout feature of Anchor is its robust analytics system. Powered by Spotify, podcasts hosted on Anchor have access to powerful metrics allowing you to see exactly what the listening behavior of your audience looks like. This level of detail can help you tailor your content toward what your audience likes to hear. 
Anchor also offers monetization options such as host-read ads, paid subscriptions, and dynamically inserted ad spots.
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How to Set Up a Podcast Studio
Once you have your equipment, recording and editing software, and hosting services, it’s time to figure out where you’re going to record your podcast.
You’ll want to set up a podcast studio. This can be as basic as having the right equipment in any room or as advanced as creating a dedicated space for recording.
To set up a podcast studio, follow these steps:
Step 1: Buy the equipment — Before you can get your studio set up, you need the equipment. You’ll need a microphone, microphone arm, headphones, audio interface, desks, and chairs. You’ll also want to consider buying more than one of these items, in case you decide to bring people in for interviews.
Step 2: Set up room for sound conditioning — In order to achieve the best sound, consider buying soundproof foam wall panels to attach to the walls. This will stop the sound from bouncing off the walls. Additionally, you can buy pop filters for the microphones to reduce popping sounds.
Step 3: Set up lighting and cameras — Many podcasters choose to film their podcasts so they can post to YouTube or other social media. If you want to do this, you’ll need to set up lighting and cameras.
Anyone can start a podcast. That’s why you want your podcast to stand out among the rest. To take your podcast from good to great, make sure you purchase the right equipment, software, and studio setup.

Ask any successful sports coach how they win so many games, and they’ll tell you they have a unique plan for every single game. The same logic applies to business. If you want to build a thriving company that can pull ahead of the competition, you need to prepare for battle before breaking into a market.
Business plans guide you along the rocky journey of growing a company. Referencing one will keep you on the path toward success. And if your business plan is compelling enough, it can also convince investors to give you funding.

What does a business plan look like? And how do you write one that is viable and convincing? Let’s review the business plan format and sample business plans you can use to inspire your own.

Business Plan Format
Before you start your business plan, you might be wondering, “Where do I start? How should I format this?”
Typically, a business plan is a document that will detail how a company will achieve its goals.
Most business plans include the following sections:
1. Executive Summary
The executive summary is arguably the most important section of the entire business plan. Essentially, it’s the overview or introduction, written in a way to grab readers’ attention and guide them through the rest of the business plan (which may be dozens or hundreds of pages long).
Most executive summaries include:

Mission statement
Company history and leadership
Competitive advantage overview
Financial projections
Company goals

However, many of these topics will be covered in more detail later on in the business plan, so keep the executive summary clear and brief, including only the most important take-aways.
If you’re planning to start or expand a small business, preparing a business plan is still very crucial. The plan should include all the major factors of your business. You can check out this small business pdf to get an idea of how to create one for your business.

Check out our tips for writing an effective executive summary for more guidance.
2. Market Opportunity
This is where you’ll detail the opportunity in the market. Where is the gap in the current industry, and how will your product fill that gap?
In this section, you might include:

The size of the market
Current or potential market share
Trends in the industry and consumer behavior
Where the gap is
What caused the gap
How you intend to fill it

To get a thorough understanding of the market opportunity, you’ll want to conduct a TAM, SAM, and SOM analysis and perform market research on your industry. You may also benefit from creating a SWOT analysis to identify some of the insights for this section.
3. Competitive Landscape
Speaking of market share, you’ll need to create a section that shares details on who the top competitors are. After all, your customers likely have more than one provider to choose from, and you’ll want to understand exactly why they might choose one over another. Performing a competitive analysis can help you uncover:

Industry trends that other providers may not be utilizing
Strengths in your competition that may be obstacles to handle
Weaknesses in your competition that may help you develop selling points
The unique proposition you bring to the market that may resonate with customers

4. Target Audience
This section will describe who your customer segments are in detail. What is the demographic and psychographic information of your audience?
If your immediate answer is “everyone,” you’ll need to dig deeper. Ask yourself:

What demographics will most likely need/buy your product or service?
What are the psychographics of this audience? (Desires, triggering events, etc.)
Why are your offerings valuable to them?

It can be helpful to build a buyer persona to get in the mindset of your ideal customers and be crystal clear on why you’re targeting them.
5. Marketing Strategy
Here, you’ll discuss how you’ll acquire new customers with your marketing strategy. You might consider including information on:

The brand positioning vision and how you’ll cultivate it
The goal targets you aim to achieve
The metrics you’ll use to measure success
The channels and distribution tactics you’ll use

It can help to already have a marketing plan built out to help you inform this component of your business plan.
6. Key Features and Benefits
At some point in your business plan, you’ll review the key features and benefits of your products and/or services. Laying these out can give readers an idea of how you’re positioning yourself in the market and the messaging you’re likely to use. It can even help them gain better insight into your business model.
7. Pricing and Revenue
This is where you’ll discuss your cost structure and various revenue streams. Your pricing strategy must be solid enough to turn a profit while staying competitive in the industry. For this reason, you might outline:

The specific pricing breakdowns per product or service
Why your pricing is higher or lower than your competition’s
(If higher) Why customers would be willing to pay more
(If lower) How you’re able to offer your products or services at a lower cost
When you expect to break even, what margins do you expect, etc?

8. Financials
This section is particularly informative for investors and leadership teams to determine funding strategies, investment opportunities, etc. According to Forbes, you’ll want to include three main things:

Profit/Loss Statement – This answers the question of whether your business is currently profitable.
Cash Flow Statement – This details exactly how much cash is incoming and outgoing to provide insight into how much cash a business has on hand.
Balance Sheet – This outlines assets, liabilities, and equity, which gives insight into how much a business is worth.

While some business plans might include more or less information, these are the key details you’ll want to include.
Keep in mind that each of these sections will be formatted differently. Some may be in paragraph format, while others will be in charts.
Sample Business Plan Templates
Now that you know what’s included and how to format a business plan, let’s review some templates.
1. HubSpot’s One-Page Business Plan

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template.
The business plan linked above was created here at HubSpot and is perfect for businesses of any size – no matter how many strategies we still have to develop.
Fields such as Company Description, Required Funding, and Implementation Timeline gives this one-page business plan a framework for how to build our brand and what tasks to keep track of as we grow. Then, as the business matures, it can expand on its original business plan with a new iteration of the above document.
2. HubSpot’s Downloadable Business Plan Template
We created a business plan template for entrepreneurs.

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template.
The template is designed as a guide and checklist for starting your own business. You’ll learn what to include in each section of your business plan and how to do it. There’s also a list for you to check off when you finish each section of your business plan.
Strong game plans help coaches win games and help businesses rocket to the top of their industries. So if you dedicate the time and effort required to write a viable and convincing business plan, you’ll boost your chances of success and even dominance in your market.
3. LiveFlow’s Financial Planning Template with built-in automation

This free template from LiveFlow aims to make it easy for businesses to create a financial plan and track their progress on a monthly basis. The P&L Budget versus Actual format allows users to track their revenue, cost of sales, operating expenses, operating profit margin, net profit, and more.
The summary dashboard aggregates all of the data put into the financial plan sheet and will automatically update when changes are made. Instead of wasting hours manually importing your data to your spreadsheet, LiveFlow can also help you to automatically connect your accounting and banking data directly to your spreadsheet, so your numbers are always up-to-date.
With the dashboard, you can view your runway, cash balance, burn rate, gross margins, and other metrics. Having a simple way to track everything in one place will make it easier to complete the financials section of your business plan.
4. ThoughtCo’s Sample Business Plan

If you want to reference an actual business plan while writing your own, ThoughtCo’s got you covered. It created a fictional company called Acme Management Technology and wrote an entire business plan for it.
Using its sample business plan as a guide while filling out your own will help you catch and include small yet important details in your business plan that you otherwise might not have noticed.
5. BPlan’s Free Business Plan Template

One of the more financially oriented sample business plans in this list, BPlan’s free business plan template dedicates many of its pages to your business’ financial plan and financial statements.
After filling this business plan out, your company will truly understand its financial health and the steps you need to take to maintain or improve it.
6. Harvard Business Review’s “How to Write a Winning Business Plan”
Most sample business plans teach you what to include in your business plan, but this Harvard Business Review article will take your business plan to the next level – it teaches you the why and how behind writing a business plan.
With the guidance of Stanley Rich and Richard Gumpert, co-authors of “Business Plans That Win: Lessons From the MIT Enterprise Forum”, you’ll learn how to write a convincing business plan that emphasizes the market demand for your product or service. You’ll also learn the financial benefits investors can reap from putting money into your venture rather than trying to sell them on how great your product or service is.
7. HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Starting a Business
If you’re an entrepreneur, you know writing a business plan is one of the most challenging first steps to starting a business. Fortunately, with HubSpot’s comprehensive guide to starting a business, you’ll learn how to map out all the details of your business by understanding what to include in your business plan and why it’s important to include them. The guide also fleshes out an entire sample business plan for you.
If you need further guidance on starting a business, HubSpot’s guide can teach you how to make your business legal, choose and register your business name, and fund your business. It will also give small business tax information and provide marketing, sales, and service tips.
8. Panda Doc’s Free Business Plan Template

Panda Doc’s free business plan template is one of the more detailed and fleshed-out sample business plans on this list. It describes what you should include in each section, so you don’t have to come up with everything from scratch.
Once you fill it out, you’ll fully understand your business’ nitty-gritty details and how all of its moving parts should work together to contribute to its success.
9. Small Business Administration Free Business Plan Template

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several free business plan templates that can be used to inspire your own plan. Before you get started, you can decide what type of business plan you need — a traditional or lean start-up plan.
Then, you can review the format for both of those plans and view examples of what they might look like.
10. Culina Sample Business Plan

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Culina’s sample business plan is a great template to use if you just want to fill in your information. You can also use this template as a guide while you’re gathering important details. After looking at this sample, you’ll have a better understanding of the data and research you need to do for your own business plan.
11. Plum Sample Business Plan

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This is one of my favorite sample business plans because you can see how implementing visuals can help tell your brand’s story. The images in this template are cutting edge, which makes sense for an innovative company like Plum. When creating your own business plan, make sure the pictures and design you use make sense for your branding.
Additionally, the financial charts included are incredibly helpful if you’re not sure what financial information to include.
12. LiveShopBuy Sample Business Plan

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With this business plan, the focus is the investment opportunity. This is an excellent template to use if you’re going to use your business plan to receive funding. The investment opportunity section is placed right up front and is several pages long. Then, it goes into more detail about the company synopsis industry analysis.
Top Business Plan Examples
Here are some completed business plan samples to get an idea of how to customize a plan for your business. We’ve chosen different types of business plan ideas to expand your imagination. Some are extensive, while others are fairly simple.
Take a look.
1. LiveFlow
One of the major business expenses is marketing. How you handle your marketing reflects your company’s revenue. We included this business plan to show you how you can ensure your marketing team is aligned with your overall business plan to get results. The plan also shows you how to track even the smallest metrics of your campaigns, like ROI and payback period instead of just focusing on big metrics like gross and revenue.
Fintech startup, LiveFlow, allows users to sync real-time data from its accounting services, payment platforms, and banks into custom reports. This eliminates the task of pulling reports together manually, saving teams time and helping automate workflows.
When it came to including marketing strategy into its business plan, LiveFlow created a separate marketing profit and loss statement (P&L) to track how well the company was doing with its marketing initiatives. This is a great approach, allowing businesses to focus on where their marketing dollars are making the most impact.
“Using this framework over a traditional marketing plan will help you set a profitable marketing strategy taking things like CAC, LTV, Payback period, and P&L into consideration, “ explains LiveFlow co-founder, Lasse Kalkar.
Having this information handy will enable you to build out your business plan’s marketing section with confidence. LiveFlow has shared the template here. You can test it for yourself.
2. Lula Body
This is a good business plan example for service-based businesses such as gyms, boxing, dancing classes, etc. For starters, the plan shows how to budget for the business loan and what to focus on buying first. Everything is well presented, including what to charge the customers in different scenarios and the expected revenue. This is a good foundation from which business performance can be evaluated with time.

Brooklyn Business owner and Pilates instructor, Tara Kashyap, saw a need in her community for a pilates, tissue, and bodywork studio. In response, she opened Lula Body in Crown Heights.
Pictured above is a hypothetical pricing and revenue statement based on Lula Body’s business plan. As you can see, Kashyap breaks down the cost of classes, start-up expenses, monthly expenses, and her monthly sales projection. Everything from equipment costs to loan interest is included in the expenses to give the most accurate picture of operating costs and revenue.
If you’re seeking outside funding for your business, you’ll want to make sure this section of your business plan is as thorough as possible.
3. Patagonia
Sometimes all you need is a solid mission statement and core value to guide you on how to go about everything. You do this by creating a business plan revolving around how to fulfill your statement best. For example, Patagonia is an eco-friendly company, so their plan discusses how to make the best environment-friendly product without causing harm.

A good mission statement should not only resonate with consumers but should also serve as a core value compass for employees as well.
Outdoor clothing retailer, Patagonia, has one of the most compelling mission statements we’ve seen:
“We’re in business to save our home planet.”
It reels you in right from the start, and the environmental-friendly theme continues throughout the rest of their statement.
The page-length open letter goes on to explain that they are out to “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to protect nature.”
Their mission statement is compelling and detailed, with each section outlining how they will accomplish their goal.
4. Vesta Home Automation
This is the kind of business plan you need when applying for business funds. It clearly illustrates the expected future of the company and how the business has been coming along over the years.

This executive summary for a smart home device startup is part of a business plan created by students at Mount Royal University. While it lacks some of the sleek visuals of the templates above, its executive summary does a great job of demonstrating how invested they are in the business.
Right away, they mention they’ve invested $200,000 into the company already, which shows investors they have skin in the game and aren’t just looking for someone else to foot the bill.
Get Started Writing Your Business Plan
When you’re first getting started on your business plan, it can be daunting. The business world moves fast, and it’s full of ambitious companies scrambling to gain the majority of their industry’s market share.
That’s why it’s important to make sure you understand the value your business provides and can communicate that through a properly formatted business plan.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.