business plan for an app example

Mobile App Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Mobile App Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Start Your Mobile App Plan Here

Mobile App Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your mobile app business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their mobile app businesses.

Sample Business Plan for a Mobile App Development Company

Below are links to an example of each of the key elements of a mobile app business plan template:

• Executive Summary – In the Executive Summary, you will provide a general overview of your comprehensive business plan including your target market, business model, and how you plan to make your business successful.
• Company Overview – The Company Overview section will provide an overview of your app idea, business description, company history, mission statement, monetization strategy and milestones achieved.
• Industry Analysis – In the Industry Analysis section, you will use information from your market research to discuss the market demand for your mobile application or business idea, trends, and issues facing your industry.
• Customer Analysis – The Customer Analysis section will describe your target market. This includes information on demographics, psychographics, and behaviors.
• Competitive Analysis – The Competitive Analysis includes an overview of your direct and indirect competitors, their market share, your competitive advantage, and how you plan to compete against them.
• Marketing Plan – The Marketing Plan section will describe your marketing strategy. This includes information on your platform placements (Apple App Store, Google Play, etc.), pricing strategy, and marketing strategies for engaging your target audience.
• Operations Plan – The Operations Plan section of your mobile app business plan will describe your business operations including app development, customer acquisition strategy, and other key aspects of your app company.
• Management Team – The Management Team section will provide information on the management members of your advisory team. This includes their experience, education, and skills.
• Financial Plan – In the Financial Plan section, you will provide the financial model and financial statements for your business. This includes your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Mobile App Business Plan FAQs

What is a mobile app business plan.

A mobile app business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your mobile app business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your mobile app business plan using our Mobile App Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Mobile App Development Companies?

There are many types of mobile app companies across a variety of categories. There are mobile app businesses that focus solely on mobile games. Others are exercise or wellness focused. Some mobile apps provide guidance on specific topics, some offer music streaming, and other apps provide help or assistance on a variety of topics. Many companies have developed company-specific mobile apps to allow users to become more connected with their products or offerings. For instance, most major brands, restaurants and financial services companies have company-specific mobile applications.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenue and Expenses for a Mobile App Business?

The primary source of revenue for mobile app businesses are subscription paid by the users on an annual or monthly basis. Advertising (selling ad space to other companies on their app) is another significant revenue sources.

The key expenses for mobile app businesses are the costs to advertise and generate users. These expenses are often in the form of targeted social media advertising or online targeted marketing. Some major mobile app businesses pay to have their mobile apps advertised on television commercials or music streaming platforms. Another major expense for app companies are office space, employee salaries and technology licensing fees.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Mobile App Business Plan?

A mobile app startup is most likely to receive funding from angel investors and friends and family. Personal savings and credit cards are also often used. Venture capitalists will fund a business plan for an app once it achieves enough traction (e.g., enough users, in-app purchases, or generating enough revenue).

A well crafted mobile app business plan is essential for attracting any type of potential investor.  Most app startups require funding to get off the ground and cover at least their startup costs.

What are the Steps To Start a Mobile App Business?

Starting a mobile app development company can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Mobile App Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan for an app that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research on the mobile app industry and potential market size, information on the mobile app concept, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your mobile app business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your mobile app business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Mobile App Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your mobile app business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your mobile app business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Mobile App Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your mobile app business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your mobile app business.  A mobile app marketing plan includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful mobile app business:

• How to Start a Mobile App Business
• How to Start a Mobile App Development Business

Where Can I Get a Mobile App Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free mobile app business plan template PDF here . This is a sample mobile app business plan template you can use in PDF format.

• Sample Business Plans
• Mobile Apps & Software

Mobile App Business Plan

A business has three pillars: the idea, the plan, and the execution. Congratulations! You have the app idea already, now you have to step forward with a plan.

But, somewhere with all the workload, the concept of the app, hiring the right people, budget, and development of the app, entrepreneurs overlook the need for planning.

Worry not, we are here to lighten your burden with our step-by-step guide for mobile app business plan writing.

Key Takeaways

• A mobile application business plan helps you define your marketing strategy, customer acquisition strategy, retention strategy, and strategies to achieve your business goals.
• Craft an impactful executive summary that outlines the type of your app business, marketing approach, financial outlook, and team expertise to attract potential investors and partners.
• Conduct thorough market research to understand market trends, consumer preferences, and the needs of your target market.
• To ensure efficient daily operations, provide in-depth operational plans that incorporate staffing, additional services, and customer service.
• Create realistic financial projections for sales revenue, expenses, and profit forecasts while considering contingencies & emergencies.

Let’s get started with our guide, without any further ado:

How to Create a Mobile App Business Plan: A Complete Guide

1. executive summary.

An executive summary is a quick overview of the whole business plan. From mission & vision to financial projections, it includes everything in between.

Generally, entrepreneurs write this section at the end after having the full knowledge of the entire business plan.

Begin your executive summary with a brief introduction of your business, and include other elements like:

• Market Opportunity
• Vision & mission statement
• Target market
• Unique value proposition
• Details of your services
• Management team
• Financial Outlook
• Call to action

For instance, here is an example of an app business USP’s section:

USP for PrivyConnect – Social Media App: “Connect with Total Privacy”

Our social media app is dedicated to ensuring your online interactions remain private and secure. Unlike many other platforms, we don’t share your data or personal information with third parties.

We use robust encryption to protect your messages and content, and you have full control over who can see your posts. With us, you can truly connect with your friends and family in a safe and trusted environment. Your privacy is our priority.

Note: your readers might not read the whole business plan, but they will go through the executive summary. Therefore, make sure you write it engagingly to grab their interest.

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2. Company Overview

In this section, present your business in detail. It should provide the details of your business & app name, the location of your office, the structure of your business, and other such information.

Now it is time you introduce what type of business you own, for example, your app type will be one from below:

• Social media app
• Messaging app
• E-commerce app
• Entertainment app
• Health and fitness app
• News or magazine app
• Navigation app
• Finance app

After that, mention the company history if you have any. Add the name and other qualifications & achievements of business owners. Mention the vision & mission statement of your app business along with your future goals.

In short, this section should provide an in-depth understanding of your business and business owners.

3. Industry Analysis

In the industry analysis section of your mobile app business plan, you have to provide the details about the mobile app industry. It will help you understand the market and gain a better insight into your business positioning.

Here are certain questions to ask while performing industry analysis:

• What is the current size of the app industry in terms of both revenue and users?
• What are the current trends of mobile app businesses?
• Which apps are leading the industry?
• Which mobile app concept is famous in public?

Conduction this industry analysis will educate you about the market and help you prepare marketing strategies according to the market trends.

In short, industry analysis will help to know a clear picture of the market, helping you in making informed decisions.

4. Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis will help you identify the unique selling propositions (USP). Also, this way you will get to know your competitors.

Start by specifying who are your competitors – then compare it with both direct and indirect customers.

Now, let’s focus on your direct competitors, those similar to your mobile app. Provide an overview of each competitor, including their size and where they’re based.

Here are some questions to ask for competitive analysis:

• Who are your primary competitors?
• Who do they serve?
• What are their USPs?
• What is their pricing strategy?
• What do they need to work on according to their customers?

A more effective way to this analysis is to conduct it from the customers’ viewpoint. You might even ask your competitors’ customers what they like and dislike about their apps to better understand customers’ perspectives.

Here is an example of competitors and competitive advantage of the app:

Competitors

SocialShield: SocialShield is a notable competitor in the privacy-focused social media segment. It emphasizes strong user data protection and secure communications. Their user base has been steadily growing, particularly among privacy-conscious users.

GuardChat: GuardChat offers encrypted messaging and content sharing. It has a user-friendly interface and strong encryption features. While their user base is smaller compared to established platforms, they have garnered a dedicated following.

PriviNet: PriviNet has made a name for itself by offering comprehensive privacy controls and anonymous user interactions. They have built a niche community of users who value privacy and user-controlled sharing settings.

Competitive Advantages of PrivyConnect

PrivyConnect’s comprehensive privacy controls and encryption set it apart as a top contender.

The app’s transparent communication and commitment to environmental responsibility contribute to its appeal.

PrivyConnect’s active community-building efforts and user engagement foster loyalty.

The app’s plans to expand into secure content sharing and social community growth align with industry trends.

This way you can get to know the USP of a mobile app development company. Once you get the USP, flaunt it in the entire business plan.

5. Market Analysis

In the market analysis section, do the market research and dive right into the market where you will be providing your app services. Begin the section by providing the details of your target customers.

Your target customers will depend on the type of app you own and the services you provide.

After a thorough discussion of the target market, discuss the market trends. Mention what your target customers prefer and what new are they looking for. For example, people might be looking for:

• Integration of AR/VR
• Sustainable and eco-friendly apps
• Privacy and data protection
• Personalization

At the end of the market analysis, do mention the regulatory environment mobile apps need to follow in the particular location.

6. Sales and Marketing Plan

Writing the sales and marketing section means jotting down the marketing strategy you will use to acquire new users and retain the existing ones.

Now it is time to mention the marketing strategies for your app, there are three phases of the launch:

Pre-launch phase

• App-store optimization: Before launching the app, search for the keywords to include in your title, description, and other content.
• Build a landing page: You can create a website or build a landing page to make your brand presence prominent on the web too.
• Pre-launch promotion: Launch a teaser for your app before the release date itself. Give some special offers to the ones who will sign up even before the launch.

Launch phase

• Deploy it on major app stores: Launch your app on all the major app stores to reach a wider audience. Make sure it is working smoothly and is free of bugs.
• Social media marketing: There were going to be 147.2 billion annual app downloads in 2023 itself. Imagine the competition, so be sure to make your visibility strong through social media platforms.
• Content marketing: Create blog posts, videos, or infographics related to your app’s niche. Share valuable content on your website and social media to engage users.

Post-launch phase

• User reviews and feedback: Encourage users to leave positive reviews and ratings on app stores. Actively respond to user feedback and address issues (if any) ASAP.
• User engagement strategies: You can enable push notifications or in-app notifications to interact with your users. You can also ask them to invite friends in exchange for a referral bonus.
• Collaboration or influencer marketing: You can collaborate with some other mobile app companies and do cross-marketing. Influencer marketing is also a great choice.

Once you have noted down how you will acquire customers, then mention below things too:

• Customer acquisition cost
• Your monthly paid advertisement budget
• Number of followers you have on social media
• If there are any in-app purchases

7. Management Team

Knowing who is behind your app business will increase the appeal of your business plan.

The management team tells you about the people in charge of the app business. It should explain each manager’s experience, what they’re good at, and what their jobs are.

Here is an example of the management team:

Management team of PrivyConnect

Founder and CEO – Sarah Anderson Sarah is the visionary leader behind PrivyConnect. With a background in cybersecurity and a passion for online privacy, she founded the company to provide users with a secure and private social media experience. Sarah is responsible for setting the company’s strategic direction and ensuring its commitment to user privacy and data protection.

CTO – David Ramirez David brings a wealth of technical expertise to PrivyConnect. He has a strong background in mobile app development and security protocols. David oversees the technical development of the app, ensuring that it employs state-of-the-art encryption and privacy measures.

CMO – Emily Davis Emily is the marketing guru behind PrivyConnect’s success. With a knack for digital marketing and user engagement, she is responsible for building the app’s user base and promoting its unique selling propositions. Emily focuses on user-centric marketing strategies and community engagement.

COO – Michael Chen Michael is the operations expert at PrivyConnect. With years of experience in streamlining business operations, he ensures the app runs smoothly and efficiently. He also oversees partnerships and collaborations to enhance the app’s offerings.

8. Operations Plan

As earlier sections mentioned everything about your company goals, here it is time to mention how you will reach them. These goals are differentiated into two sections:

Everyday goals

They’re the heart and soul of your mobile app’s daily life, from coding and upgrades to the nitty-gritty of customer support. These are the everyday heroes that keep your app running smoothly.

Long-term goals

It’s all about milestones: the moments that make you pop the champagne. Picture celebrating your 10,000th app install, hitting that milestone sales figure you’ve dreamt of, or expanding your team.

9. Financial Plan

Your financial plan needs to have a 5-year financial forecast. For the first year, break it down into monthly or quarterly details, and then summarize it annually. This forecast should cover your income statement, balance sheet, Use of Funds, and cash flow.

Income statement

An income statement, often known as a Profit and Loss statement or P&L, displays your earnings and then deducts your expenses to know the profitability of your business. Make practical assumptions based on your competition.

Balance sheet

Balance sheets display your assets and liabilities. Although they can contain a lot of details, like equity, goodwill, other intangible assets, etc.

Uses of Funds

When you are seeking funding, this statement becomes necessary to show where you will use the funds. Here is an example of the Uses of Funds chart with the help of Upmetrics:

Cash flow statement

Your cash flow statement helps you see how much money you need to start or grow your business and avoid running out of money.

Surprisingly, you can make a profit but still face financial problems that could lead to bankruptcy. Therefore, you will need proper cash flow planning to avoid such circumstances.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan for Your Mobile App

For entrepreneurs who jump into business directly without writing a business plan is like delaying their success. Here are some reasons why you need a mobile app business plan:

Writing a business plan helps you work out and make clear your business strategy. Do you want customers to pay upfront? Or there are in-app purchases? Writing this down from the start helps your team understand where you’re headed.

Finances are important

Sometimes, it takes months or even a year to cover customer acquisition costs. So, you need a plan with a solid financial forecast. A good plan lets you play with different situations, so you know how much money you need for both the long and short term.

Acquiring and retaining customers

Acquiring and retaining customers is one of the sole purposes of a business. In the business plan, you have to mention in detail about your strategies to have a clear roadmap.

Knowing Your Market

A business plan lets you identify your ideal customer profile. Knowing your customers is crucial, and having a deep understanding of your customers helps you make the correct updates to your product in the future.

Related Mobile App Resources

• How Much Does it Cost to Start an App
• How to Start an Mobile App Business

Download a Mobile App business plan template

Ready to kick-start your business plan writing process? And not sure where to start? Here you go, download our free mobile app business plan pdf , and start writing.

This intuitive, modern, and investment-ready template is designed specifically for mobile app businesses. It includes step-by-step instructions & examples to help in creating your own mobile app business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Finally! You know how to write a mobile app business plan. Thus, you are one step closer to starting or expanding your business.

No doubt, writing a business plan is a challenging task, but it is a lot smoother with a top business planning tool . Therefore, take a deep breath and get started with your plan. All the best!

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Business Plan Presentation Tips

Frequently asked questions, do i need to include information about competitors in the business plan.

Yes, in the section of competitive analysis: you need to mention your competitors and their USPs. This will help you to understand the market and know your strong points.

How often should I update my mobile app business plan?

An app business plan is a living document, you can change or update it whenever you want. Ideally, go through your plan and make changes according to the current situations atleast once a month.

Can I use a mobile app business plan to secure funding for my app project?

One of the main purposes of writing a business plan is to secure funding or get a loan. So, of course, you can present a solid mobile app business plan in front of lenders to secure funding.

How much does it cost to create a mobile app business plan?

Writing a mobile app business plan might cost from a few hundred to thousands of dollars depending on the complexity of the app, the number of integrations, UI/UX, etc.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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How to write a business plan for your mobile app development project.

Starting a mobile app development project is a great idea because it allows businesses to reach a larger audience with their product or service, and it gives users the convenience of being able to access the app from anywhere on their mobile devices.

But, first thing first, you need to write a business plan.

A business plan is essential for any project, especially for mobile app development. It outlines the goals, objectives and strategies needed to successfully launch the app. It also helps to identify potential risks and provides a roadmap for the project's success.

In short, a good business plan will help ensure the profitability of your mobile app development project .

What are the essential parts of a business plan for a mobile app development project? What is the recommended format? Which important financial measures should be there? What's the best way to create a business plan quickly and effectively?

Please, find comprehensive answers to all these questions below.

Also, please note that starting your business plan from scratch is not mandatory.

You can download our editable business plan for a mobile app development project and adapt it to your project.

How to prepare a business plan for a mobile app development project

Is it worthwhile to invest time in a business plan for your mobile app development project.

Yes, you should invest time in a business plan for your mobile app development project to ensure the success of your project.

Formulating a comprehensive business plan will allow to:

• get familiar with the mobile app development market
• stay on top of the industry's emerging trends
• identify what makes a mobile app development project solid and successful
• understand the target audience's requirements and preferences for mobile applications
• come up with a unique value proposition for your app
• analyze competitor target markets
• identify solid competitive advantages for your mobile app development project
• find a business model that will generate positive cash flows
• implement a well-structured and calculated action plan
• evaluate risks associated with a mobile app development project, including technical challenges, user privacy, and market competition

Our team has created a business plan for a mobile app development project that is designed to make it easier for you to achieve all the elements listed.

How to outline a business plan for a mobile app development project?

A business plan is filled with facts, figures, and indicators. It must be presented in a structured format, to make easy to read and digest.

When we built our business plan for a mobile app , we took care to arrange it appropriately.

The content is arranged in 5 sections (Opportunity, Project, Market Research, Strategy and Finances).

1. Market Opportunity

The introductory section has been named "Market Opportunity".

This section presents a comprehensive report on the mobile app development project, including key data and metrics to guide your decision-making.

We continuously update all the data there.

2. Project Presentation

The second part is dedicated to the "Project" of your mobile app development project. Here, you can outline the purpose and functionality of your app, target user demographics, user interface and experience design, development timeline, app store submission plans, and the unique value proposition that solves a specific problem or provides a unique solution for users.

Remember to introduce yourself at the end of this section.

Discuss your expertise in mobile app development, your range of services, and how you plan to provide innovative and user-friendly app solutions to clients. Highlight your track record of successful projects, your skilled team of developers, and your dedication to delivering seamless and engaging mobile experiences that meet the needs and expectations of users through your mobile app development project.

You'll find wording already provided in our business plan. Tailor it to fit your concept exactly.

3. Market Research

Next up is the "Market Research" section.

In this section, you will find a detailed market segmentation analysis for your mobile app development project.

It includes a presentation of other mobile app development companies in the industry that will be competing with you. Your project's unique app features and competitive advantages are also highlighted. A customized SWOT analysis is included.

4. Strategy

In the "Strategy" section, you will find a detailed growth plan for your mobile app development project, outlining all the necessary steps and initiatives to ensure its high profitability.

Furthermore, there is a marketing strategy, a risk management strategy, and a Business Model Canvas that has been filled in, all included in this section.

5. Finances

Ultimately, the "Finances" section provides a comprehensive view of the financial aspects and metrics of your project.

How to write an Executive Summary for a mobile app development project?

The Executive Summary is like an introduction to the business plan for your mobile app development project.

Keep it brief, not exceeding 2 pages. Stick to the crucial points.

When you show your business plan to an investor, this is what they will read first. It needs to get their attention and make them want to read the rest of the plan.

In the Executive Summary of your mobile app development project, answer these questions: what is your mobile app development project about? who is your target audience? are there any similar projects in the market? what makes your project unique? how much funding do you require?

How to do the market analysis for a mobile app development project?

The market study of your mobile app development project helps you understand external factors such as customer demands for mobile applications, competition within the app development industry, and emerging trends in mobile technology.

By conducting an extensive market study, a mobile app development project can understand user needs, offer innovative and user-friendly mobile app solutions, optimize pricing strategies, and execute targeted marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to increased user adoption, app downloads, and a prominent position in the mobile app industry.

This is what we've outlined in the "Market Research" section of our business plan for a mobile app :

• interesting data points and market insights about mobile app development, including app usage trends, app market revenue, and the growth of app-based services
• a list of potential customer segments for a mobile app development project
• the competitive research
• the competitive advantages for a mobile app development project

The key points of the business plan for a mobile app development project

What's the business model of a mobile app development project, business model of a mobile app development project.

A mobile app development project's business model revolves around creating and monetizing mobile applications for specific platforms such as iOS or Android. Revenue can be generated through app purchases, in-app advertising, in-app purchases, or subscription models.

The business model focuses on identifying market needs or gaps, designing user-friendly and engaging apps, developing robust and scalable code, testing and optimizing app performance, and implementing effective monetization strategies.

Success depends on market research, delivering high-quality user experiences, effective app marketing, regular updates and improvements, and staying responsive to user feedback and evolving industry trends.

Business model ≠ Business plan

Please don't mix up the terms "business plan" and "business model."

A business model outlines the way a company creates value, generates revenue, and operates.

In a business plan, you demonstrate your business model using a structure called the Business Model Canvas.

Rest assured, we provide a Business Model Canvas in our business plan for a mobile app .

How do you identify the market segments of a mobile app development project?

Market segmentation for your mobile app development project involves dividing your potential clients into different groups based on their app development needs, industries, and target audience.

These categories may include factors such as iOS app development, Android app development, gaming apps, or clients from specific industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, education).

By segmenting your market, you can offer specialized app development services and solutions that cater to each segment's specific requirements. For example, you might provide iOS app development services and design user-friendly and intuitive interfaces for Apple device users, offer Android app development services and optimize apps for a wide range of Android devices and versions, specialize in gaming app development and create immersive and engaging gaming experiences, or develop industry-specific apps tailored to the needs of clients in sectors such as healthcare, finance, or education.

Market segmentation allows you to effectively target your marketing efforts, showcase your app development expertise, and deliver high-quality and customized mobile app solutions that meet the unique needs of each client segment.

In the business plan for a mobile app , you will get a detailed market segmentation, helping you understand your target audiences and their needs.

How to conduct a competitor analysis for a mobile app development project?

Without surprise, you won't be the only mobile app development project in the market. There will be other developers working on innovative and user-friendly mobile applications.

Your business plan should encompass an extensive market study that examines your competitors' characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

Address their weaknesses (such as inefficient app development processes, lack of user testing, or poor app performance).

Why should you focus on these elements? Well, these weaknesses can hinder the success of mobile app development projects. By addressing these aspects, you can offer innovative and user-friendly app designs, provide efficient and reliable app development and testing processes, and deliver excellent customer support, positioning your mobile app development project as a trusted and preferred choice for businesses and individuals seeking high-quality and functional mobile applications.

It's what we call competitive advantages—building them is key to standing out in the market.

Here are some examples of competitive advantages for an app: user-friendly interface, innovative features, regular updates and improvements.

How to draft a SWOT analysis for an app?

A SWOT analysis can help identify potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can inform the development of a successful mobile app.

As you can guess, there is indeed a completed and editable SWOT matrix in our business plan for a mobile app

The strengths for a mobile app development project

When we talk about the "S" in SWOT, we mean Strengths, which are the project's positive attributes or advantages.

For a mobile app development project, possible strengths could include a user-friendly interface, comprehensive testing, scalability, and a secure back-end system.

The weaknesses for a mobile app development project

The "W" stands for Weaknesses, referring to the areas or aspects of the project that need to be addressed.

In the case of a mobile app development project, potential weaknesses could include an inexperienced development team, lack of proper project management, and poor quality assurance processes.

The opportunities for a mobile app development project

O represents Opportunities in SWOT, referring to the external factors or conditions that can create opportunities for the project's advancement.

In the case of a mobile app development project, potential opportunities include creating a social media app, a productivity app, a gaming app, and a shopping app.

The threats for a mobile app development project

When we mention the "T" in SWOT, we're referring to Threats, which are the external risks or negative factors that can impact the project's performance.

How to craft a marketing strategy for an app?

A marketing strategy plays a pivotal role in a business plan as it defines how a business will entice customers and generate sales.

An app can attract users by implementing a well-crafted marketing strategy that showcases its unique features, user-friendly interface, and how it solves a specific problem or meets a particular need.

Users won't choose your app without effective marketing; highlighting its features, usability, and benefits is necessary.

Have you explored marketing approaches to attract customers to your app? Consider optimizing your app store presence, running targeted advertising campaigns to reach your target audience, and utilizing social media platforms to engage with users and receive feedback.

No worries if you don't know anything about marketing and communication.

How to build a 3-year financial plan for an app?

A solid business plan must include detailed financial information such as projected income, expenses, cash flow, and balance sheets.

When creating your business plan, you must include anticipated revenue figures for your mobile app development project.

To earn the trust and confidence of potential investors, it's crucial to have revenue projections in your business plan that are based on believable and well-founded assumptions.

Our financial plan for a mobile app is straightforward and equipped with automated checks, enabling you to validate and adjust your assumptions easily. This way, we make sure you're building solid financial projections.

It goes without saying that you'll have to develop a provisional budget for your mobile app development project. Pay attention to every expense and don't leave any out (our financial plan includes a complete list for your convenience).

The break-even analysis is central in the financial plan as it will tell you whether your mobile app development project will generate profits or not.

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How to Write a Business Plan for a Mobile App Startup?

Anton Baryshevskiy

Head of Business Development, Co-Founder

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If you’re on the threshold of launching your mobile app startup, there are numerous things you need to be concerned with: workload, core concept, budget, product implementation area, employees… You need to rightly put all key elements of this puzzle together to provide a clear roadmap for your project — that is, to compile a business plan for mobile app development.

We at Mind Studios know how to make a business plan for an app. Here, you'll find a complete guide to creating a business plan. Also, we’ve added our template to help all stakeholders and investors have a clear and most importantly, equal understanding of your startup idea. So if you don't know how to plan an app yet and where to start, let's find out more about it.

A business plan is a guide that turns your ideas into action

As a rule, you should start with visualizing the project and formulating its key ideas. They will later become the basis of your business plan.

Another vital component of developing your project is writing a product requirements document (PRD) for your app. It consists of three sections: business requirements, user requirements, and software system requirements . The business plan is, actually, a component of the PRD, namely the business requirements part.

All the preceding processes, such as developing a project vision, core ideas, and concepts, creating an app development plan, and drafting a PRD, allow all stakeholders to be on the same page as the startup's founder.

In this post, we’ll go through how to write a business plan for an app startup.

Some statistics

Still not sure if your startup needs a business plan? Numerous studies back up the value of having a well-thought-out business plan for companies on different stages of their business journeys.

According to one study that involved 3,000 company owners from diverse fields, those with business plans were almost twice as likely to succeed as those who didn’t. Furthermore, such strategic-planning companies were more effective in attracting investment or securing loans.

You can find more detailed information in the diagram below:

If your way is developing a mobile application

As of 2021, people have made 230 billion downloads of mobile applications, up by 63% than in 2016. Everyone appears to require mobile solutions these days, so your startup has a lot of room for imagination. You can choose from a wide range of mobile app types. To name a few, it could be a travel, event planner (here's an event app development guide), money management, social networking, or fitness app.

No matter which one you decide to create, a pre-written mobile app business plan can help you seamlessly go through the mobile app development process with its four fundamental stages : discovery, idea validation , design, and actually, development.

A goal without a plan is just a wish

There is a plethora of mobile applications these days. It means, though, that there are hundreds of almost identical apps in each category. Attracting users becomes a task of utmost importance.

Chad Mureta, an app tycoon, says that a developer’s profit directly depends on their knowledge of what’s interesting to the user; that is, to create a successful and profitable application, a developer should think like a user .

Creating a mobile app business plan template based on thorough user analysis will help you explain your business idea to stakeholders. Also, you’ll see a path to a product-market fit. To make that happen, you should determine what your target audience wants, needs, likes/dislikes in competitors’ apps, and tends to expect from using your app.

Therefore, identifying your target audience preferences should be your priority, as it is one of the main drivers of your startup.

Understanding the market is the key to success

The author of the bestseller 4 Steps to Enlightenment. Strategies for creating successful startups , Steve Blank, suggests that very few people understand where their market is. The writer believes it is almost impossible to launch a thriving startup without analyzing the market it’s going to enter.

Before you start writing a business plan, it’s crucial to figure out not only the degree of public interest in your product but also the level of competition in the market you’re going to enter.

Thanks to the preparatory analysis of your rivals and potential app users, you’ll be able to flawlessly identify your product’s objectives, advantages, and unique value proposition (UVP). This will also help you form the basis of a proper business plan.

Review your business plan annually

Steve Blank claims that a business plan is static in contrast to a business model, which is dynamic. A business plan appears to be stable by definition: that’s a document created once and rarely revised after adoption.

But in our quick-to-change world, do you believe there’s anything that could remain static? Especially in terms of business? Investopedia , for example, shares an opposite to Steve Blank’s statement: A business plan should evolve in tandem with a company’s growth.

We at Mind Studios adhere to the last approach and recommend you go through your business plan for an app at least once every year . It will allow you to respond to changes in your users’ demands and assess what goals you have achieved and which ones you still need to accomplish.

Moreover, refreshing a business plan will enable you to keep your finger on the pulse of your startup’s current and upcoming financial needs and, therefore, help you develop efficient strategies to attract investments. Consider it a dynamic document that adapts to your startup’s development path.

Why should you make a business plan for apps?

In addition to helping you get your startup off the ground, a viable business plan acts as an indicator for investors to consider it as a potential asset.

Let’s summarize the main reasons why your mobile app startup needs a business plan:

Both startups and established businesses need business plans, the content of which will depend on the company’s primary goal.

To attract partners, startup owners tend to use a business model canvas — a more flexible model of the traditional business plan. It can seamlessly adapt to the iterative nature of tech startup development, yet providing core information about a project.

However, the business model canvas for an app does not guarantee 100% success; it can only be one of the components that will help your project attract investment. A comprehensive business plan with a detailed description of your company and mobile app, justification of funds use, and coverage of all legal concerns is what can instill trust in all stakeholders of your project.

Is there a difference between a business plan for a mobile app and other software?

There are obvious distinctions between mobile applications, websites, and other software solutions. They significantly contrast in marketing approach, monetization strategy, and feature sets. As a result, business plans for these solutions will differ as well.

A traditional software development business plan might be structured similarly to a business strategy for a mobile app company. However, any document that presents the firm and its product will be distinctive in content. It is reasonable since each project is unique, with its own goals and target audience.

What does a business plan for a mobile app look like?

Your mission is to create a reliable and stable mobile application for either enterprises, individuals, or non-profit organizations. In this case, a business plan will help you pave the road to make your project profitable.

Therefore, when writing a mobile app business plan for startups, you’ll need to estimate the cost of development and commissioning as well as the timing of the return on investment in your project. Only by doing this, will you get a clear picture of your app’s viability.

One of the essential factors in writing a good startup business plan for a mobile app is delivering maximum transparency at each part. Let’s highlight what you should include in your mobile app business plan to make it serve your business in the most effective way possible.

Executive summary

Let’s start with the executive summary . It is the first and most significant part of your mobile app business plan because it’s the first thing an investor will read. The executive summary should be clear and concise, with no detailed information about how your product works. Address the situation in the market, who your target customer is, and what unique problem your application can solve.

Make your proposal unique to distinguish your company from others. In other words, create a unique value proposition (UVP). Use your imagination: consider your executive summary as a movie teaser and your investor as a spectator. Would they like to see your movie?

Specify your goals . These objectives should rely on your business analysis. Investors will examine your aims to see if they satisfy their needs. You also have to determine the ultimate goal of your exit plan . Furthermore, you should establish a list of funding requirements and the proceeds that will be used to boost the attractiveness of your company. One of the essential factors in the startup business plan for your mobile app success is ensuring maximum transparency at each stage.

Make your document convincing . To do this, ensure your product’s concept and goals are crystal clear and do not vary throughout the paper. Provide the reader with accurate data and realistic expectations about your project. Of course, don’t forget to make sure that the name of the person who created the business plan and executive summary and the names of your team members are consistent throughout the documentation.

Business description

Introduce your company in this part, beginning with corporate information and ending with your mobile app concept. This part of your startup business plan will show investors the corporate values of your company, your mission, product vision, and the fundamental factors for your startup success.

This information is vitally important for investors. For example, a technology startup accelerator Y Combinator considers getting money as by far the easiest part whereas working on ideas — the most significant part for any startup in achieving success. In most cases, Y-Combinator-like organizations make compiling a thorough business plan a prerequisite before introducing newly-formed projects to investors.

Company overview

Here you should describe your company’s:

This section should give the reader of your business plan detailed information about your startup: the official name of your company, the location of the headquarters, and its structure, namely the business entity type (LLC, corporation, etc.). Make sure to provide further details about your team, such as the number of workers, their names, job titles, and so forth.

Describe the purpose of your company and the fundamental principles that guide your business in the mission statement. After establishing your mission, outline the primary challenges and solutions your startup can offer.

Company history

Before making any business proposal, describe the history of your company, how your team formed, and how you came up with your idea. In addition, you can talk about the main stages of your company’s development and the experience that precedes the product launch.

Whether you are outsourcing app development process or you have an in-house team, it is often the most significant part of the executive summary because your app development team is the main engine of your project implementation. You should specify each person’s name, position, work experience, and responsibilities in the company. In addition, you can involve an advisory group that will help you make essential decisions. Consultants on your advisory team should have experience in the industry.

Market analysis

Information about the state of the market should be the main factor in your app idea realization. You should be aware of the present situation in your industry, have up-to-date information, and be able to generate a short-term forecast.

To conduct market analysis , you should take several steps:

• Examining existing business environment
• Defining your market research criteria
• Determining your total available market (TAM), service available market (SAM), and service obtainable market (SOM)
• Identifying your direct competitors
• Analyzing your target audience and figuring out the cost per acquisition (CPA) for your niche

No market research in the mobile app industry can be conducted without analyzing Google Play Store and Apple App Store with their ranks for top paid, top free, and top-grossing apps as well as user reviews.

Market forecasts

Forecasting is an integral component of writing a business plan for an app development startup realization.

Forecasts from reputable research firms such as Nielsen and Forrester are of interest when creating any business plan, be it a business plan for an app development, a website, or a traditional software startup business plan. To provide reliable market forecasts, you can:

• Include data on the growth of companies with solutions similar to your mobile app
• Add information on the amount of money poured into similar startups (platforms like Crunchbase or Y Combinator can help with this)
• Enrich your business plan with some forecasts on your target customer behavior

Your goal is to assess whether there’s a real market for your product, whether there are enough customers in the market, and, accordingly, whether those customers are willing to pay money for using your product.

SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method that allows you to present a structured description of your business situation. It can be a great way to evaluate your app startup concept from four perspectives. Namely, its:

• W eaknesses
• O pportunities

It’s natural when a business has weaknesses: knowing about them will serve as a powerful driver for finding solutions and will reduce any risks your company may need to face.

Marketing strategy

An app marketing strategy is a bridge that allows your product to fall into the hands of your customers. You have to convince investors that you have such a bridge. This is an important part of the mobile app strategy.

When drawing up a mobile app marketing plan, you have to define the marketing strategies you intend to use in application promotion. Here are a few examples, along with descriptions of how they work:

Create a landing page

Creating a landing page for your mobile app will help you reach a wider audience by informing users about new features and updates. Make sure your page contains the name of the application, a description of its functionality, promotional videos, and so on.

Launch a website and blog

Launching a website is a great way to promote your application. There, you may, for example, provide more information about your company, its goals and values, and an overview of your future mobile solution.

A website blog is also a helpful thing with your app advertising. You can share news on your upcoming product and publish SEO-optimized articles for better promotion.

Social media marketing

Consider social media marketing while developing a business strategy to promote your app. Describe how you intend to use this form of advertising at various phases of your mobile solution development: before launch while attracting your audience and retaining users.

Estimate your marketing budget

You may estimate the cost of marketing services based on the market analysis you outlined in the preceding section of your business plan. Understanding the marketing budget is essential to all parties: you, the app owner, investors, and other stakeholders.

Product growth

Depending on the type of app startup, growing the user base approach differs, as does the business plan for entering different markets. For example, a massive advertising attack tends to make sense in markets where consumers understand your product or service and its usefulness.

Take, for instance, Uber , which has successfully launched extensive marketing campaigns. The company’s ads have spread globally with Uber localizing advertising for each region.

So, if you’re still working on a business strategy, think about how you’ll expand your user base in advance. This will tremendously assist you in future product growth.

Choose your product launch type

Be sure to indicate the product launch type in your business plan. There are two such types: hard and soft launch . The first one means delivering a finished product to your entire target audience. A soft launch is when you release an MVP or full version of your app, but for a limited audience.

To rightly set out this part of your business plan, you should clearly understand what kind of financing you need to move forward. Moreover, you need to express it as clearly as possible to be sure a potential investor will also understand what funding you need.

The financial model includes, as a rule, a three- to five-year forecast of all the main forecasted indicators, including profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheets, start tables, unit economics calculation as well as your app’s projected revenues and costs. Your financial document has to contain the following components to determine the actual cost and distribution of investments in the best way, with a clear explanation of each.

Startup costs/funding required

Inform your investors about estimated costs. We recommend placing reasonable estimates and leaving room for extra expenses since these numbers might fluctuate.

Designate all types of costs :

• One-time costs (e.g. relocation costs, costs for buying an office space, equipment, servers, software, licenses)
• Fixed costs: they remain unchanged regardless of whether you produce something or not (e.g. rent, insurance, lease payments, fixed salaries)
• Variable costs: costs that change according to the production volume (e.g. wages)

Monetization strategy

It is another section you need to add to your mobile app business plan. By illustrating your monetization model, you’ll demonstrate to your investors and other stakeholders that your project will be profitable and provide a return on investment with positive unit economics. It will also help you be sure that your startup will reach its break-even point.

The most common ways to monetize an application are :

• Advertising
• Charging for the application (if your business model describes a paid application, you need to convince the consumer why they have to pay and what they’re paying for)
• In-app purchases (this is a widespread mobile app business model in iOS and Android applications)
• Subscriptions (this model of monetization is quite popular and works until the user decides to cancel the subscription; in most cases, subscription apps have a free trial period)

One of our prominent projects in which we’ve helped set up a monetization strategy is Fitr. Training , a remote fitness coaching application. Our team analyzed the platform’s performance and discovered we could enhance the conversion rate.

We established a monetization model based on the collected data and customer feedback. Namely, our team launched an efficient subscription option. The results were remarkable: one out of every four coaches now uses the paid membership.

Mind Studios can also assist you in elaborating a potent monetization strategy.

Business plan example for a mobile app startup

We’d like to offer you a business plan template for a startup updated to 2023. Keep in mind that, although this mobile app business plan itself is structured according to all the rules, the calculations are entirely fictional. To complement our business plan, we also provide a mobile app marketing plan template, ensuring a strategic approach to promoting your app in the competitive market. This template includes up-to-date techniques for 2023, guiding you through effective advertising and user engagement strategies.

Download the free PDF business plan template for a mobile app here .

Writing a business plan for a mobile app startup isn’t easy. As a rule, the most challenging part of developing a business plan for a mobile app idea is writing the first page. Many people in this situation rush to find and download a free copy of another company’s business plan. They mistakenly believe that someone else’s business strategy will help them achieve their goals. But it absolutely won’t!

A business plan cannot be a cloned document. It must be one-of-a-kind reflecting your passion and enthusiasm in bringing your idea into life . A successful business plan should demonstrate that your company is viable and financially attractive. The higher the viability, the higher the investment opportunity.

If you need to compile a well-thought-out business plan to attract investments and successfully launch your app, our expert team at Mind Studios is here to help .

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Mobile App Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Writing a Successful Business Plan For Your Mobile App Business + Template

If you’re looking to start or grow a mobile app business, you need a business plan. Your plan will outline your business goals and strategies, and how you plan on achieving them. It will also detail the amount of funding you need, and if needed, present a case to investors and lenders regarding why they should invest in your business.

In this article, we’ll explain why you should invest the time and energy into creating a mobile app business plan, and provide you with a mobile app business plan template that includes an overview of what should be included in each section. Download the Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template here >

Why Write a Business Plan For a Mobile App Business?

There are many reasons to write a business plan for a mobile app company, even if you’re not looking for funding. A business plan can help you see potential pitfalls in your business strategy, as well as identify opportunities you may not have considered. It can also help you track your progress and adjust your plans as needed.

That said, if you are looking for funding, a business plan is essential. Investors and lenders want to see that you have a solid understanding of your industry, your customers, and your competition. They also want to know that you have a realistic view of your financial situation and how much money you’ll need to get started.

How To Write a Business Plan For a Mobile App Business

While every business plan is different, there are 10 essential components that all mobile app business plans should include:

Executive Summary

Company description, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitor analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to tailor this information to your specific type of mobile app business, but these 10 components should be included in every plan.

The executive summary is the first section of your business plan, but it’s often written last. This is because it provides an overview of the entire document.

In the executive summary, briefly explain what your business does, your business goals, and how you plan on achieving them. You should also include a brief overview of your financial situation, including how much money you’ll need to get started.

For organizational purposes, you could create headings for each main section of your business plan to highlight the key takeaways.

For example, your mobile app executive summary might look something like this:

Company Overview

[Insert Company Introduction / Short Summary]

Business Goals

[Insert Business Goals & How You Plan To Achieve Them]

Industry Overview

[Insert Industry Statistics on the Size of Your Market]

Competition

[Insert Overview of Competitors & Your Competitive Advantage]

[Insert Information About The Marketing Strategies You Will Use To Attract Clients/Customers]

Financial Overview

You can add and/or remove sections as needed, but these are the basics that should be included in every executive summary.

The next section of your mobile app business plan is the company description, where you’ll provide an overview of your business.

Include information about your:

• Company History & Accomplishments To Date

Mission Statement and/or Company Values

With regards to the company overview, here you will document the type of mobile app company you operate. For example, there are several types of mobile app companies such as:

• Developers (those who design and build apps)
• Publishers (those who market and sell apps)
• Enablers (those who develop the technology or platform that powers apps)

For example, a mobile app company description might look something like this:

We are an X type of mobile app company.

Company History

If an existing company: Since launching, our team has served X customers and generated $Y in revenue.

If startup: I conceived [company name] on this date. Since that time, we have developed the company logo, found potential space, etc. 

This is just an example, but your company description should give potential investors a clear idea of who you are, what you do, and why you’re the best at what you do.

The next section of your business plan is the industry analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of the industry you’re in, as well as any trends or changes that might impact your business.

Questions you will want to answer include:

• What is the overall size of the mobile app industry?
• How is the industry growing or changing?
• What are the major trends affecting the mobile app industry?
• Who are the major players in the mobile app industry?

For example, your industry analysis might look something like this:

The size of the mobile app industry is expected to reach $XX billion by 20XX.

It is currently growing at an annual rate of XX% and is predicted to continue this growth in the future.

Major trends affecting the industry are:

– The continued growth of global smartphone usage

– The ever-changing landscape of the app store algorithms

– The rise of in-app purchase models

– The popularity of subscription-based models

How We Fit Into The Industry

This is just an example, but your industry analysis should give potential investors a clear idea of the overall industry, and how your company fits into that industry.

The next section of your mobile app business plan is the customer analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of who your target customers are and what their needs are.

• Who are your target customers?
• What are their needs?
• How do they interact with your industry?
• How do they make purchasing decisions?

You want a thorough understanding of your target customers to provide them with the best possible products and/or services. Oftentimes, you will want to include the specific demographics of your target market, such as age, gender, income, etc., but you’ll also want to highlight the psychographics, such as their interests, lifestyles, and values.

This information will help you better understand your target market and how to reach them.

For example, your customer analysis might look something like this:

Target Market & Demographics

The demographic (age, gender, location, income, etc.) profile of our target mobile app customer is as follows: 

– Age: 18-24

– Gender: Male

– Location: Urban

– Income: $50,000-$100,000

Psychographics

Our core customer interests are as follows: 

– Technology: Mobile apps, smartphones, new technology adapters

– Music: Listening to music and going to concerts

– Lifestyle: Progressive and open-minded

– Values: Innovation, creativity and self-expression

– Gaming: Mobile and online gaming

In summary, your customer analysis should give potential investors a clear idea of who your target market is and how you reach them.

The next section of your business plan is the competitor analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of who your major competitors are and their strengths and weaknesses.

• Who are your major competitors?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• How do they compare to you?

You want to make sure that you have a clear understanding of your competition so that you can position yourself in the market. Creating a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) for each of your major competitors helps you do this. 

For example, your competitor analysis might look something like this:

Major Competitors

XYZ Company is our major competitor. Its offerings include this, this and this. Its strengths include XYZ, and its weaknesses include XYZ.

Competitive Advantage

Your competitor analysis should give potential lenders and investors a clear idea of who your major competitors are and how you compare to them.

The next section of your business plan is the marketing plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your marketing strategy and how you plan on executing it.

Specifically, you will document your “4 Ps” as follows:

• Products/Services : Here is where you’ll document your product/service offerings.
• Price : Detail your pricing strategy here.
• Place : Document where customers will find you and whether you will use distribution channels (e.g., partnerships) to reach them.
• Promotion : Here you will document how you will reach your target customers. For instance, mobile app businesses often reach new customers via promotional tactics including online ads (e.g., Google AdWords), PR, social media marketing, etc.

For example, your marketing plan might look something like this:

Products/Services

We offer the following products/services: 

We will use a premium pricing strategy to establish ourselves as the highest quality brand.

We will serve customers directly and through a partnership with XYZ company.

As you can see, your marketing plan should give potential investors a clear idea of your marketing objectives, strategies, and tactics.

The next section of your business plan is the operations plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your company’s day-to-day operations and how they will be structured.

• What are your company’s daily operations?
• How are your company’s operations structured?
• Who is responsible for each task?

Your operations plan should be detailed and concise. You want to make sure that potential investors have a clear understanding of your company’s day-to-day operations and how they are structured.

You will also include information regarding your long-term goals for your operations and how you plan on achieving them.

For example, your operations plan might look something like this:

Daily Operations

Our company’s daily operations include XYZ.

Operational Structure

Our company is structured as follows:

• Department 1
• Department 2
• Department 3

Each department is responsible for XYZ tasks.

Long-Term Goals

Our long-term goals for our operations are to achieve the following over the next five years.

Date 1: Goal 1

Date 2: Goal 2

Date 3: Goal 3

Date 4: Goal 4

Your operations plan should give readers a clear idea of your company’s day-to-day operations, how they are structured, and your long-term goals for the company.

The next section of your business plan is the management team. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your management team and their experience.

• Who is on your management team?
• What are their qualifications?
• What is their experience?

Your management team ideally includes individuals who are experts in their respective fields. You want to make sure that lenders and investors have a clear understanding of your management team’s qualifications and experience, and feel they can execute on your plan.

For example, your management team might look something like this:

Our management team is comprised of the following X individuals with the following experience.

Team Member 1: 

Team member 1’s qualifications and experience include XYZ.

Team Member 2: 

Your management team should give potential lenders and investors a clear idea of who is on your team and how their qualifications and experience will help your company succeed.

The final core section of your business plan is the financial plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your company’s financials.

• What are your company’s projected revenues?
• What are your company’s projected expenses?
• What is your company’s projected growth rate?
• How much funding do you need and for what purposes? For example, most startup mobile app businesses need outside funding for things like initial app development costs, marketing, and operations.

Your financial plan should give potential investors a clear understanding of your company’s financials. While you may include a summary of this information in this section, you will include full financial statements in the appendix of your business plan.

For example, your financial plan might look something like this:

Our company’s projected revenues over the next five years are $XYZ.

Expenses & Net Income

Our company’s projected expenses and net income over the next five years are $XYZ.

Uses of Funding

This is just an example, but your financial plan should give potential investors a clear idea of your company’s financial projections.

The final section of your business plan is the appendix. In this section, you’ll need to provide any additional information that was not included in the previous sections.

This may include items such as:

• Full financial statements
• Resumes of key management team members
• Letters of reference
• Articles or press releases
• Marketing materials
• Product information
• Any other relevant information

By including this information in the appendix, you are allowing potential investors and lenders to learn more about your company.

In summary, writing a mobile app business plan is a vital step in the process of starting and/or growing your own business.

A business plan will give you a roadmap to follow. It can also help you attract investors and partners.

By following the tips outlined in this article, you can be sure that your business plan will be effective and help you achieve your goals.  

Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

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How to Write a Business Plan For Mobile App Startup in 6 Steps

Tech Editor and Content Team Lead

Tech Researcher and Writer

Table of content

• An app development business plan is structured into six key steps: executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing strategy, monetization strategy, and startup costs & funding. Each section addresses specific questions that provide a clear vision of the project to stakeholders.
• Detailed financial planning, including startup costs, funding, and a well-defined monetization strategy, is essential. Understanding the market, competition, and customer persona helps in crafting effective marketing strategies.
• Writing a comprehensive mobile app business plan is crucial for the success of a mobile app startup. It helps clarify goals, allocate resources effectively, attract investors, and reduce risks.

The number of unique, useful apps increases daily.

According to Statista , the number of applications available on the App Store was close to 5 million in 2023. The forecast says the mobile industry will generate almost $520 million in revenue in 2024.

These statistics prove two important statements:

• Running a mobile application is a great business idea with a large monetization potential
• The competition in this industry is intense, and there’s little chance you will start monetizing your app without a proper understanding of the industry, your direct and indirect competitors, and your strategy to outplay them.

If you would like to join this beneficial industry with your great app idea, it is time to take the next step toward your goals and create a great mobile app business plan.

Reasons to prepare an app business plan

When you get a new idea for an app, you feel super excited! You want to start working on it right away because you believe it's going to be a big hit. You're so pumped up that you don't even want to spend time researching the market or making a detailed plan. You just want to jump in and get started on making your idea a reality!

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Benjamin Franklin

As you know, Benjamin Franklin wasn’t involved in software development, but these words highlight the significance of the business plan for an app. Writing a plan enhances your knowledge about the market you are going to enter. It helps clarify your goals, set priorities, and build more accurate forecasts.

When you find out about all the benefits of a business plan for an app, you will get excited about the preparation stage, just as you are about the implementation. So this is why you have to plan your venture from A to Z:

Attracting great minds and great investments

Depending on your situation, you may need a technical co-founder or a development team. However, it is not easy to convince experienced professionals to start working on a product that hasn’t achieved anything yet and exists only in the mind of the initial founder. A detailed business plan may help you change their minds and attract ambitious engineers, designers, and managers.

The same works for investors. You won’t attract a significant sum from angel investors if you can’t prove to them that their money will be in good hands. But by presenting them with your business plan, you can prove your intentions to build a successful company and multiply their initial investments.

A correctly done app development business plan makes you a trustworthy employer and a trustworthy investee.

Allocating resources properly

When starting your app business, your resources are limited. Usually, you wish you could invest more time, money, and effort into your business than you actually can. Does this mean you have to postpone the start and wait until you have more time and money? Definitely not. You have to learn how to profit most from the resources you already have.

Creating an app development business plan allows you to analyze all your needs and decide on effective resource allocation. Taking intuitive steps can cause you to waste more of your resources without even realizing it.

Reducing the risks

Writing a business plan for app development is a way to get closer to your goals and ambitions.

When developing a business plan, you identify multiple risks that could impact your business. Being aware of these helps you either change direction to avoid pitfalls or prepare for potential negative outcomes.

Risk mitigation in software development is the strategy that increases the chances of success for your mobile app business.

Managing and delegating effectively

A business plan provides the vision of the critical tasks and helps delegate each of them to the particularly responsible person.

Yes, at first, it seems that you can manage every aspect of the mobile app startup creation on your own. However, if you want to scale and achieve outstanding results, prepare to hire new people and share the responsibility.

With the business plan, you make sure that every team member knows exactly where you head and can choose the most effective strategies within their responsibility to get the company there.

In short, a business plan helps you get the idea out of your head, digitize it, and build a detailed roadmap for startup to achieve the goal.

Yes, some businesses manage to achieve success without any plan. However, they don’t know which of the dozens of chaotic actions actually brought the desired results. And therefore, they are unable to scale this success.

If your goal is to start a mobile app business and achieve predictable and scalable results, prepare a pen and paper and get ready to draft your app business plan.

Is an app business plan different from a business plan for other software projects?

Here, we have to state that all cases are different. There’s no business plan template you can copy for your project. You have to approach the process wisely and define your goals.

What do you expect to achieve with a business plan document?

• Convincing investors to fund the development process?
• Attracting the best talents to build your startup?
• Creating a roadmap to bring your product to the market?

Depending on your goal, the focus of the business plan may shift.

Investors care more about the numbers. They want to see that you’ve done your homework, analyzing the target audience and proving that you will spend the money you attract in the most effective way.

Your potential co-founders and employees want to see the professional challenges and perspectives of their careers at your company.

This way, the business plan may differ according to your needs and goals. But the type of software you are going to build doesn’t influence the process. You still need to answer the same blocks of questions, whether you are building a simple mobile app, launching a SaaS product on the web, or integrating AI into existing processes of your own business .

So, no matter what type of app you are about to build, prepare to work on your business plan.

How to write a business plan for an app?

A business plan is a document that requires a clear structure. You will aim for high readability and intuitive navigation, which is usually achieved through clear formatting.

Writing a business plan is not about telling a chaotic story of how your app will change the world.

To give your target audience a clear vision of the project, you will have to answer many specific questions. We divide these questions into six blocks:

• Executive summary
• Business description
• Market analysis
• Marketing strategy
• Monetization strategy
• Startup costs and funding.

A business plan for an app usually consists of 20 to 40 pages.

Some of the questions in these blocks may require additional research, and some others may be too obvious, but we encourage you to write down everything that relates to your future app business. You will be glad you put these thoughts on paper. Let’s start with the first block.

Block 1. Executive Summary

This is the introduction to your business plan and the very first thing your potential investor or partner will see when getting acquainted with your idea.

An executive summary may become a standalone document for presenting your future app business, so make sure you provide the most important information on the first two to three pages of your business plan. Make it clear and remarkable, and answer these questions in your summary:

What problem do you want to solve?

Even though the market is full of different solutions, consumers always face obstacles and complications. You need to find these problems and identify the ones you can solve. Analyze what your target audience needs at the moment, why the existing solutions do not satisfy those needs, and what you can offer to solve this problem.

What is your solution?

First, make sure your application can address the problem. Then, introduce your idea but do not dive into details: it is not the right moment to introduce the functionality to investors. It is time to highlight what your app will do to make the app users happy.

For whom do you create your solution?

Identify your target audience in the executive summary. Provide basic information on your buyer persona, but keep in mind that you will have to describe it in more detail later in the Market analysis section.

What are the competitors' solutions?

Summarize the current market situation to give your stakeholders an overview of your competitors. Present this information to prove that there’s demand for similar solutions and convince them that there is space for your product on the market.

What goal do you pursue?

The primary goal of any business is financial return. In this section, tell what your goal looks like. Provide your vision of the app’s future; say how many users you expect to download your app and what profit it will bring. Visualize your short-term plans and enhance your answer with metrics.

The executive summary should include your unique value proposition (UVP) - the distinctive benefits and features of the app that set it apart from competitors and resonate with the target audience.

The next blocks after the summary will require more details.

Block 2. Company description

When you know what product you want to release, you have to go one step further. What company is capable of building such a product?

Present your current team, as well as the vision of a team in a few years. Pay specific attention to the following:

Mission, vision, and values of the company

In a world of dozens of similar software products, your mission, vision, and values set you apart from other companies in your industry. Consider your organization’s impact on the community; this will help you attract people with similar values.

Basic info about your organization

Your potential partners should know whether your company is an LLC or another entity. The company’s structure defines how the processes will be organized in the future.

Location is essential. If your team works remotely, mention it, too. And don’t forget to emphasize the reasons why you have decided on this location or opt for remote collaboration.

If you decide to delegate some of your operations, such as app development, describe how you choose a software outsourcing company . For example, in one of our articles, we have gathered reasons to hire Ukrainian developers. You can use these to convince your stakeholders that software development outsourcing is a financially rewarding decision.

Team introduction

The mobile app business plan should include details about your team so you can get even closer to the reader. By adding a few words about the company’s founders and employees, you turn a boring description into a real introductory meeting.

Tell the potential investor about your managers and the engineering team. You can specify names, positions, experiences, and even hobbies to make the readers feel like they know the people you talk about.

One more actionable tip is to provide the details about your advisory team. Those experts help you with decision-making, and their names make a difference in the market.

And as we mentioned the market, it’s time to describe it to your potential stakeholders as well.

Block 3. Market analysis

To launch an app startup, it’s essential to conduct market research for a startup . By knowing its past and present, you can impact its future. This stage is a transition from a hypothesis to real statistical data.

How big is the market?

To answer this question, you must analyze the following factors:

• Total Available Market, or market demand for your app,
• Serviceable Available Market, or the number of users you are able to reach out to,
• Serviceable Obtainable Market, or the segment of very first users.

How does the market change?

Analyze the market size five years ago and now. What has changed? How many influencers have broken into the market? How many of them failed? The amount of money spent in the industry will help you see your own potential income clearly.

Who are your direct competitors?

You are most likely entering an established market with players who have a significant impact there. What is their market share, and how did it change over time? How do they obtain new customers and retain existing ones? What services do they provide, and how did their offer change over the last years? Understanding your competitors’ paths will help you plan yours.

What is the customer persona?

The only way to develop a legendary app is to look at it with your customers’ eyes. This is why you need to understand the target audience and create a portrait of a customer. A customer persona is a detailed description of who the user of your app is. Define gender, age, occupation, education, hobbies, and daily challenges he or she faces. It is the portrait of a real person your app will serve.

In this section, you prove you understand the market. But you also have to demonstrate your plan to conquer it. The next block is dedicated to this.

Block 4. Marketing strategy

A solid mobile app business plan should describe the way your app will get to the potential user’s smartphone. Let’s have a glance at how to build a successful marketing strategy:

Decide on metrics

In the beginning, your success will be measured by the number of installations or conversion rates, not by financial revenue. So, decide what metrics will be useful for evaluating your project.

Outline your product launch plan

How do you plan to kickstart your app story? Once the mobile application is ready for release, you have to start implementing your product launch plan . Share your ideas to convince the stakeholders you know how to attract users to your app.

Identify the channels you can acquire customers from

Nowadays, social media marketing is an effective way to promote a product. But will it be enough for your app? Go back to the research phase and find out how many potential users you can meet on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Analyze other possible strategies and provide the stakeholders with the information about which channel may be the most profitable.

Think about collaboration with existing businesses

Referral programs and other types of collaborations may become your growth fuel. Decide on the companies to partner with and explain why you expect this cooperation to be fruitful.

Define the desired marketing budget

Unfortunately, you won’t acquire your users for free. And even if you decide not to use paid promotion methods, you still need to pay your marketing team to grow your brand awareness. How much do you need to spend, to acquire the necessary number of users? Calculate it in advance.

Block 5. Monetization Strategy

At the finish line of your mobile app business plan building, we will discuss the financial part. How do you plan to monetize your app? This question is extremely important, unless you plan to start a non-profit project. If your goal is to turn your app idea into a profitable business, tell the stakeholders how you plan to achieve this. You may choose one monetization strategy or a combination of them, such as:

Charge a subscription

Subscription-based apps are usually affordable and solve a specific need of the target audience. If you believe your service will be useful for your users, you can start with a free plan and charge a subscription for advanced functionality. Investors like the business models that rely on recurring payments as their revenue is more or less predictable. On the other hand, you have to work hard to provide top-notch service, otherwise your users can terminate the subscription and turn to your competitors.

Charge a fee for installation

There are so many free apps on the web. And there are two ways for you to convince them to buy your app:

• to deliver exceptional functionality none of the competitor apps offers
• to build a strong brand and make sure users don’t want any alternatives

Both ways require thorough planning and you have to convince potential product stakeholders that you know how to achieve these results.

Use advertising

You can simply advertise other products within your mobile app. It is a fast and easy way to monetize it; however, you should have an impressive number of active users to implement this strategy.

You can find out about other options to earn money from your digital product from our article on mobile app monetization .

Potential partners and investors will not support your idea unless the monetization strategy is well-defined and clear. So be ready to answer the questions about what financial profit you expect to make of this app.

Block 6. Startup Costs & Funding

Did you know one of the key reasons why do startups fail is financial issues? According to CB Insights , 29% of companies simply run out of cash; 18% of companies have different types of cost issues.

Now when you are as close to your first technology startup business plan as never, consider the importance of costs and funding for your business.

Why is the financial component of planning so important?

• It is vital for you to understand what type of funding you need to get your app up and running;
• It is necessary for your potential partners to know how much money you plan to spend.

The startup’s financial model should reflect the forecast for the next 3-5 years. Add the following data to your plan:

What are the one-time costs?

If you have an offline office, include the setup costs. Estimate your initial recruitment budget to get the core team on board.

If you decide to outsource app development, you can count it as a one-time expense as well. An experienced software development partner can precisely estimate the cost to build an app MVP according to your requirements. Add the figure to your mobile app business plan.

What are the recurring costs?

Here, you will have to estimate the costs to maintain the office space and your equipment.

Also, you will need to calculate the salaries of your full-time employees, or the ones you hire according to the staff augmentation model.

Usually, outsourcing all startup development stages is a better choice as it is more predictable and requires less project management activities from your side. This means, you as a startup founder can focus on strategic tasks.

Think how you can reduce the costs

Creating a software product is never cheap. However, in your mobile app business plan, it’s important to demonstrate to your potential investors that you can allocate financial resources wisely. There are various ways to reduce the overall development costs without compromising quality in any way:

Leverage outsourcing

Outsourcing can significantly cut costs. Instead of hiring in-house specialists to complete certain tasks within your project, you can partner with a reliable vendor and

tap into the expertise you need. In this case, you will pay only for the work outlined in the contract, not for the working hours of your employees. Just ensure you choose a partner with proven experience to maintain quality while reducing expenses.

Opt for remote work

If feasible, consider a remote work model. By eliminating the need for physical office space, you can save on rent, utilities, and office supplies. Remote work also allows finding skilled professionals at lower rates than local hires.

Use open-source solutions

Incorporate open-source software and tools wherever possible. Many high-quality open-source solutions are available for development, project management, and marketing. Utilizing these tools can reduce software licensing fees and other related costs.

Start with MVP

Building an MVP means focusing on developing core features first to test your concept. This approach not only reduces initial development costs but also allows you to gather user feedback and iterate efficiently. Avoid adding unnecessary features in the early stages that can increase both time and expense.

Being proactive about financial management helps you identify potential overspending areas and address them promptly. By thinking strategically about cost reduction from the outset, you can ensure that your resources are used efficiently, giving your mobile app startup a stronger chance of success. Remember, the goal is to maximize value while keeping expenses under control.

Review your mobile app business plan

Reviewing and updating your business plan for an app is essential to ensure it remains relevant and effective. Here’s how you can approach this process:

• Set regular review periods

How long does it take to develop an app ? It’s difficult to answer this question. You may get all that is necessary right away, or you may need some time for it. Regular intervals, such as quarterly or bi-annually, allows you to assess your progress, make adjustments, and stay aligned with your goals. Regular reviews help you stay agile and responsive to changes in the market and your business environment.

• Update market analysis

The market is evolving constantly. Your initial market analysis might become outdated at some point. Revise the latest industry trends, competitor activities, and customer preferences. Staying informed can help you ensure that your strategies remain competitive and relevant.

• Reevaluate finances

Your financial projections are based on assumptions that may change over time. Reevaluate your revenue forecasts, cost estimates, and funding needs to ensure they reflect your current situation.

• Assess your marketing strategy

Are you reaching your target audience? Are your acquisition channels performing as expected? Use data metrics and analytics to measure the success of your campaigns and refine your marketing strategy accordingly.

• Reflect on achievements and setbacks

Take time to reflect on what you have achieved and the challenges you have faced. Identify the strategies that worked well and the areas that need improvement. Learning from your experiences helps you refine your approach and avoid repeating past mistakes.

• Engage your team

Involve your team in the review process. Their insights and feedback can provide valuable perspectives and help identify areas for improvement. Collaborative reviews also encourage a sense of ownership and alignment within the team, helping you in achieving your business goals.

• Adjust your goals

Based on your review, adjust your goals and objectives if necessary. Setting realistic and achievable targets ensures your mobile app business plan remains not a theoretical but practical tool for guiding your startup.

• Document changes

Keep a record of the changes made during a review. Documenting updates ensures transparency and provides a clear history of your business plan’s evolution. This can be particularly useful when communicating with stakeholders and tracking your progress over time.

If you are planning to put your application into the list of top fast-growing startups , regularly reviewing your business plan for an app is essential to ensure your strategies remain aligned with your vision. By staying proactive and adaptable, you can navigate the dynamic landscape of the industry.

In conclusion

Unless you have started bringing your plans to life, a well-structured business plan is your main tool for archiving success. It not only provides a clear roadmap for your startup but also helps attract investors, allocate resources efficiently, mitigate risks, and manage your team effectively. By thoroughly addressing each of the blocks we have mentioned - executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing strategy, monetization strategy, and startup costs & funding - you can present a comprehensive and compelling vision of your app’s potential.

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How To Write a Winning Mobile App Development Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for mobile app development businesses looking to improve their strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every mobile app development business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template

What is a Mobile App Development Business Plan?

A mobile app development business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Mobile App Development Business Plan?

A mobile app development business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Mobile App Development Business Plan

There are a few key components of a successful mobile app development business plan.

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a mobile app development business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your mobile app development company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your mobile app development business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your mobile app development firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen mobile app development business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a mobile app development business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the mobile app development industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a mobile app development business’ customers may include small businesses that need an app to increase their customer base and reach new markets.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or mobile app development services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your mobile app development business via word-of-mouth or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your mobile app development business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

You also need to include your company’s business policies in the operations plan. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a mobile app development business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include developing new products or services, launching a new website, hiring new employees, and so on.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific mobile app development industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you ar e missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

Balance Sheet

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

Cash Flow Statement

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup mobile app development business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your mobile app development company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written business plan is essential for any mobile app development company. It can attract investors, provide clarity and direction, and keep you organized and on track as you grow your business.

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Best Mobile App Development Business Models

Why create a business plan for a mobile app?

A business plan is the backbone of any enterprise. Many people like to describe it as a map that assists you in getting from point A (idea) to point B (success) without accidentally venturing into point C (financial failure). You can also think of it as a set of guidelines used to devise app development strategies and manage the budget in a responsible and effective way.

A business plan helps steer the enterprise in the right direction

With a comprehensive mobile app business plan, you’ll be able to use facts and exact calculations to determine the overall direction of the business :

• Gain useful insights into the competition and the current state of the market
• Make informed decisions regarding marketing and communication
• Outline a comprehensive financial strategy
• Evaluate performance and decide on the best allocation of resources

It will also help you to better manage your team :

• Keep everyone in sync and focused on the same target
• Establish clear goals and KPIs, as well as set priorities

And finally, having a business plan is crucial if you want to win over investors and stakeholders.

This is not just our opinion — research confirms the value of writing a business plan. Recently, Palo Alto Software surveyed 2,900 entrepreneurs and discovered that those who create business plans are almost twice as likely to succeed as those who don’t. To measure “success”, Palo Alto used three metrics: business growth, secured investment capital, and secured loans. Find out more information about the study.

This study clearly shows that a business plan isn’t just a formality

What does a mobile app business plan look like?

A typical mobile app business plan is comprised of 8 sections:

• Executive summary
• Products & services
• Company overview
• Market analysis
• Competitive analysis
• Marketing strategy
• Financial strategy

The whole document usually runs 20 to 40 pages including appendices, but this number largely depends on the scale of your project and your goals. A mobile app business plan for a massive product with international presence may well run into hundreds of pages, while an average startup is unlikely to go over 50 pages. 

When writing a mobile app business plan, you should always consider the target audience . Keep everything informative but concise — otherwise, you run the risk of losing the reader’s attention. This is especially important if you’re writing a business plan to raise funds: investors don’t want to have their time wasted. However, it’s crucial not to sacrifice any important information for the sake of hitting a hypothetical 40-page goal.

Things to keep in mind when creating a business plan

Before we dive straight into writing a mobile app business plan, let us give you some tips that will help you along the way.

Before getting started on that Google Doc, ask yourself one question: what are you trying to achieve? The answer to that question defines your priorities. For example, if you’re going to use your mobile app business plan to raise some funds, you’ll want to focus on the reasons you need that money and exactly how you’re going to spend it.

Readability is highly important. This means that the information you present may be complex, but navigating it should be as simple to do as possible. The document should have a coherent structure, with one part logically flowing into another, and clear formatting with headings, subheadings, and enough white space. You can also supplement the numbers you provide with graphs to highlight the most important takeaways .

Pay attention not only to what the document says, but also to what it looks like: with headings, subheadings, and diagrams you create a better document structure

Fact-based estimates

All financial forecasts in your mobile app business plan should be realistic — too much optimism will likely damage your image and lead to lack of trust, not to mention that inflated expectations can ruin the enterprise itself. With that said, all the reports should clearly indicate that there are good prospects for the business and what investors stand to gain if they support the project. If the reports paint a bleak picture, maybe it would be a good idea to test another concept.

External review

Creating a 30-page formal document is a daunting task, and there’s not a single reason why you should face it in solitude. In fact, it’ll be much better if you don’t! As you go, ask other people (preferably experienced) to review it from time to time — this way, you’ll be sure that your plan is logical and makes sense.

How to create a business plan for an app

OK, so we’ve established that a typical startup business plan consists of 8 sections, each equally important. But what exactly do you put in these sections? Let’s find out.

Write an executive summary 

An executive summary is a rundown of the whole document. It describes the current situation in the market, establishes the target audience, as well as puts forward the product’s concept, business goals, and financial projections. Put simply, it answers three big questions:

A well-written executive summary can act as a standalone document. In fact, many investors make their initial decisions after reading this part only, so getting it right is crucial if you want to win over important stakeholders.

The secret is to keep everything clear and concise: you want to convey the message that your app idea has huge potential without overwhelming the reader with 5-page long sheets and abstract ideas. Ideally, the executive summary shouldn’t run longer than 2–3 pages.

The four key components of an executive summary

Prepare the company overview 

In this section of your mobile app business plan, you tell the reader more about your company . Include the following information:

• Mission. It’s a brief explanation why a company exists (take Google, for example: “Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”)
• Vision. It’s a declaration of the company’s potential impact on the world.
• Corporate values
• History and past achievements (if any)
• Competitive advantages

You should also provide detailed information about the team : the number of people you employ, as well as their qualifications and previous experiences.

We recommend dedicating a separate subsection to your top management and key team members to tell about their background and achievements. This will help convince investors that apart from a great app idea , you also have great people behind it.

Make sure to cover the issue of ownership . Does each partner own an equal portion of the business? If not, how exactly is ownership divided?

Potential investors will definitely want to know this information.

Describe your products & services

This is where you really get into detail about your business idea. First, provide some information about the problem you want to solve. To do this, answer 3 fundamental questions:

You need to convince stakeholders that your product solves an important problem. Answering these 3 questions will help

You need to convince the reader that this issue is of importance. You can cite some research or statistics, but try not to oversaturate this section with numbers.

Then, you move on to the actual solution and tell how exactly you plan to tackle the problem. This is where you describe your product or service. Give a brief description of the processes involved, but again, avoid flooding the section with too many technical details.

Finally, give a brief examination of your competitors and highlight how exactly your product is going to surpass the already existing options.

Conduct an audience analysis

In the audience analysis part, you evaluate the current state of play and give justified reasons why you believe your product has a place in the competitive environment. This section includes queries into the target market , customer behavior, current trends , and several important metrics: cost per acquisition (CPA), total available market (TAM), service available market (SAM), and service obtainable market (SOM).

Try to be as specific as possible when talking about the target audience. Consider building customer personas — generalized representations of the people who are going to be interested in your product. To create a persona, conduct several in-depth interviews and organize the obtained information into the following blocks:

• Demographic information — age, gender, income, place of living
• Psychographic information — goals, challenges, motivation, personality type
• Professional activities — qualifications, current job, past job experiences
• Interests and personal tastes
• Needs — why would they need your product?

This is an example of what a customer persona sheet may look like

Carry out a competitive analysis

We’ve already touched on the subject of competition in the executive summary and the products & services section. This time, however, you dive in much deeper and provide a detailed analysis of your direct and indirect competitors, answering the following questions: What are their strengths & weaknesses? What marketing strategies do they use? What is their pricing?

Once you’ve described the competitive landscape, it’s time to show why your product is going to be superior. One way to do this is by conducting a SWOT analysis.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It actually doesn’t need to be any more complicated than this: the section names speak for themselves.

In Strengths , you state the advantages that separate you from the competition.

In Weaknesses , you focus on the things your product lacks and resource limitations.

In Opportunities , you describe the prospects for your business, as well as the external factors that can have a positive influence on the enterprise (rising demand, changing attitudes, etc.).

And finally, in Threats , you cite any external factors that can have a negative influence on the enterprise (bad media coverage, changing regulations, and so on).

Conducting a SWOT analysis is important for proper positioning

Outline your marketing strategy

This is where you describe three important things. First, you need to cover the channels you’re going to use to reach your target segments — for example, social media, target ads, or physical ads. Then, you specify the amount of money you plan to spend on marketing activities, and finally, the KPIs you’re going to use to evaluate efficiency.

Describe your financial strategy

We’ve reached the core of any mobile app business plan. A startup needs a financial strategy much like a ship needs an engine or a mast, and this section is where all the crucial number crunching is happening — akin to an engine room. Let’s look at what you need to include in this part of the plan:

• A revenue model, also known as a monetization strategy
• A monthly sales and revenue forecast for the first 12 months and annual projections for the next 3–5 years
• An income statement, which outlines annual net profits or losses
• A cash flow statement, which shows how much money the company operates with in total
• A balance sheet, which lists assets, liabilities, and equity in your company
• Funds needed (how much money you need to gain in investments)
• Use of funds (how exactly you’re going to use gained investments)

Exit strategy

You need an exit strategy if you plan to sell your company some time in the future. Having this subsection is crucial if you want to draw the attention of venture capitalists and angel investors. The most common exit strategies are acquisition, initial public offering (IPO), and management buyout.

Make sure you understand all these terms correctly and can confidently use them when pitching — investors are more likely to trust an entrepreneur who knows their numbers .

A typical balance sheet lists a hefty number of assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity. Complicated, but important!

Compile an appendix

This isn’t a mandatory section — you can omit it altogether, if you want. However, it might be a good place for charts, tables, legal notes, licenses, permits, detailed studies, illustrations of your product, and all other miscellaneous pieces of information that can seem a little out of place if you include them in any of the primary sections of your mobile app business plan.

How to fund your app startup

We’ve compared the main sources of funding in the table below.

And now a bit more about every source of funding.

Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping is just a fancy word for using your own money. Unsurprisingly, this is the best way to fund a startup: there are no loans, no interest rates, no bonds, and no contractual obligations. If the idea fails, you’ve got no one to answer to (well, apart from your wallet) — and if it takes off, you get to keep more of the returns. 

Personal networks

The second most desirable source of funding. A personal network is your friends and family — or, in other words, people you have a close emotional connection with. Persuading them to fund your mobile app development project will be much easier than pitching the idea to complete strangers. And in case the startup fails, they will likely give you enough time to recuperate and pay them back. 

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding means turning directly to end-users to get funding for the project, usually via the Internet. This method is very popular among smaller, niche-specific enterprises, but it doesn’t mean that large-scale ventures have nothing to gain from it — some businesses (including app development companies) manage to raise millions of dollars on Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms. Pros: you get to build a customer base super early. Cons: failure to deliver the promised product usually leads to court, unless you have exceptionally good PR.   

Angel investors

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who use their own money to support business ideas they find promising. They usually invest in budding projects in the seed stage, when the risks are at their all-time high — hence the name. But here’s the catch: in return, they get a share in the business, or at least a convertible bond. This means that if the idea takes off, they’ll gain a certain level of control over your company and become entitled to a share of your income. 

Startup contests at IT events

The tech industry is packed with conferences that can define the future of your app startup. Many of these events host startup contests with formidable prize funds reaching millions of dollars. Winning a contest like this is a quick way to get a solid influx of money early on — but, of course, there are no guarantees, and the competition is fierce.

Bank loans are your last resort. We recommend using this option only if every other one has failed. Why? Tons of paperwork, strict deadlines, and unfavorable interest rates make it poorly suited for fledgling startups — and don’t forget that failure to return the money on time may lead to severe consequences. It’s much safer to take a loan once you have an established company, but definitely not when you’re just starting out.

Monetization strategies

Deciding how your product is going to make money is one of the most important steps to take when developing a mobile app . There are multiple monetization strategies available, each of them suitable for specific types of businesses. Let’s look at some of the most popular ones.

One-time purchase

This strategy is based on the “pay once, use forever” principle. With this business model , you make your app available only after the customer purchases it, either before or after the download. This model can generate substantial revenue, but only if you offer unique features that are highly valuable to the user — otherwise they will most probably turn to free alternatives. Very common among productivity apps and games.

In-app purchases

The app and its basic functionality are free to use, but users can pay to access more advanced features or nice-to-have bonuses. The most famous examples of this model are probably games like Clash of Clans or Fortnite — you can play all you want for free, but if you want to progress faster or get in-game benefits , you can buy skins and in-game currency. Very lucrative if applied properly, but is mainly limited to the entertainment segment.

Subscriptions

Users can download the app for free, but to enjoy the full range of its features they’ll have to buy a subscription. Usually, this business model includes multiple options : for example, you can subscribe for a month, 6 months, or a year. To increase conversion, developers often offer trial periods that allow customers to fully experience all the advantages of the product before choosing to commit.

This strategy is also known as the freemium business model

Talentum , an app we developed a couple years ago, used a subscription-based revenue model. Users could order food from their favorite chefs without any paywalls, but there was always an option to upgrade their accounts and unlock the full range of features.

Talentum, the app that connects customers with top-notch freelance chefs

A fitness app we developed uses a similar system, but on the vendor side: coaches can buy higher-level subscriptions to take on more customers.

The subscription model is also used in dating applications such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge. Users that subscribe receive profile boosts, unlimited likes, advanced filters, and other benefits. Check out our article if you want to know more about dating app monetization strategies .

The most popular business model , which is also easy to combine with others. In this model, you use the app to run ads to generate revenue. There are several formats you can choose from, with some of them being more intrusive (like interstitial ads), and some less (like native or banner ads).

Many developers use this strategy together with a subscription-based model: the free version of the app is monetized using ads, while buying a subscription removes this annoyance and grants other benefits.

Keep in mind that the more intrusive the ad, the less users are going to like it

Commissions

Very handy for marketplaces of all sorts: if a vendor uses your app to sell their goods, you charge a commission for every sale they make at a fixed percentage. Alternatively, you can opt for charging fixed flat fees, but the first option is more widespread. The more vendors you attract to the platform, the heftier your revenue will be.

What is a business plan for a mobile app?

A mobile app business plan is a set of guidelines used to devise comprehensive app development strategies and manage the budget in a responsible and effective way.

How long does it take to create a business plan for an app?

Creating a mobile app business plan may take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month.

Is it possible to create an application without a business plan?

Yes, it’s entirely possible, but in this case you’ll need a reliable partner to help with refining the concept and turning it into a cool product on the go. If you have an idea for a mobile app, reach out to us — we’ll help bring it to life with low development costs.

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Mobile App Development Business Plan

Start your own mobile app development business plan

Value Proposition

AppHero provides cutting-edge, tailor-made app development solutions to businesses, helping them expand their reach and boost customer engagement through seamless, user-friendly mobile applications.

The Problem

Businesses seeking to enhance their digital presence struggle to find reliable, affordable, and high-quality app development services that can deliver customized mobile applications that meet their specific needs.

The Solution

AppHero offers comprehensive app development services, including consultation, design, development, testing, and maintenance, to deliver fully customized, high-quality mobile applications that cater to each client’s unique business requirements and target audience.

Target Market

The primary market for AppHero is small and medium-sized businesses looking to establish or improve their mobile presence. The secondary target market includes startups in need of app development services to launch their innovative ideas into the market.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the primary target market:

• They require affordable yet high-quality app development solutions.
• They want a reliable partner to guide them through the app development process.
• They need customized mobile applications that cater to their unique business needs and audience preferences.

Competitors & Differentiation

Current alternatives.

• Freelance app developers
• Other app development agencies
• In-house app development teams

AppHero stands out from the competition by offering fully customized app development solutions, a dedicated team of experienced professionals, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service. Our transparent pricing model, coupled with our efficient project management approach, ensures that clients receive high-quality mobile applications within their budget and timeline.

Funding Needs

AppHero requires $100,000 in initial funding to cover operating expenses, marketing efforts, software and hardware purchases, and other startup costs.

Sales Channels

• Official AppHero website
• Social media platforms
• Networking events
• Referrals from existing clients

Marketing Activities

• Content marketing through blog posts and articles
• Social media campaigns
• Google Ads and targeted advertising
• Partnerships with industry influencers

Financial Projections

• 2023: $250,000
• 2024: $375,000
• 2025: $525,000

Expenses/Costs:

• 2023: $175,000
• 2024: $225,000
• 2025: $300,000
• 2023: $75,000
• 2024: $150,000
• 2025: $225,000
• Secure initial funding – June 1, 2023
• Launch official AppHero website – July 15, 2023
• Acquire first 10 clients – September 30, 2023
• Complete 20 app development projects – December 31, 2023
• Expand team with additional developers – March 1, 2024
• Reach $500,000 in annual revenue – December 31, 2025

Team and Key Roles

Ceo & lead developer:.

Oversees overall business operations, client management, and leads the app development team.

Project Manager:

Coordinates app development projects, ensuring timely delivery, and efficient resource allocation.

UI/UX Designer:

Creates visually appealing, user-friendly app interfaces that meet client requirements.

Marketing Manager:

Develops and executes marketing strategies to attract new clients and enhance brand visibility.

Partnerships & Resources

The purpose of these partnerships and resources is to enhance AppHero’s capabilities, reputation, and reach in the app development industry. Collaborating with these organizations and leveraging their expertise will allow us to deliver more comprehensive solutions to our clients, stay updated on the latest industry trends and technologies, and contribute to the growth of our brand.

• Technology Partners: Aligning with leading technology companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft will allow AppHero to access the latest developer tools, resources, and training programs. These partnerships will enable us to stay up-to-date with the latest platform updates, ensuring our apps remain compatible and optimized for various devices and operating systems.
• Design Agencies: Partnering with design agencies will help us provide an exceptional user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designs for our clients’ apps. These collaborations will ensure that our apps not only function flawlessly but also deliver visually appealing and user-friendly experiences.
• Digital Marketing Firms: Collaborating with digital marketing firms will enable AppHero to offer our clients end-to-end solutions, including app promotion, user acquisition, and engagement strategies. These partnerships will help our clients maximize the potential of their apps, driving downloads and user engagement.
• Industry Associations: Joining app development industry associations such as the Application Developers Alliance or the International Game Developers Association will provide AppHero with networking opportunities, access to industry events, and valuable resources. These memberships will also increase our credibility and showcase our commitment to delivering high-quality app development services.
• Educational Institutions: Partnering with local colleges and universities can help AppHero recruit talented graduates and interns, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled app developers. These partnerships may also present opportunities for collaborating on research projects or offering guest lectures, further strengthening our ties to the local tech community.
• Mentorship & Incubator Programs: Participating in mentorship programs and joining startup incubators can provide AppHero with valuable guidance, resources, and networking opportunities. These initiatives can help us refine our business strategy, connect with potential clients or investors, and gain insights into industry best practices.

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Mobile and Web App Business Plan Template

Introducing our free mobile app business template! Streamline your app development process with this easy-to-use template designed for entrepreneurs and startups. From market research to revenue projections, our template includes all the essential components for crafting a successful mobile app business plan. Download it now and get started on the path to app development success!

Download the template today!

The world is in the midst of a mobile revolution, and mobile apps have become an integral part of our daily lives. With the growing popularity of mobile devices, developing a mobile app has become a lucrative business opportunity for entrepreneurs and startups. However, building a mobile app from scratch can be a daunting task. That's why we're excited to offer our free mobile app business template, designed to make the app development process simpler and more efficient.

Features of the App Business Plan Template

Our mobile app business template includes all the essential components for crafting a successful mobile app business plan. Here are some of its key features:

• Market Research - Before developing an app, it's important to conduct market research to identify the needs of your target audience, understand your competitors, and assess the demand for your app. Our template includes a comprehensive market research section to help you conduct a thorough analysis of the app market.
• Business Model - Choosing the right business model is crucial to the success of your mobile app. Our template offers a variety of business models to choose from, including freemium, subscription, and in-app purchases. We'll guide you through each option and help you decide which one is best for your app.
• Revenue Projections - Estimating the revenue potential of your app is a key step in the planning process. Our template includes a revenue projections section that helps you forecast your revenue streams and expenses, so you can make informed decisions about your app development strategy.
• Marketing Plan - Once your app is developed, you need to get the word out and attract users. Our template includes a detailed marketing plan section to help you create a comprehensive strategy that covers all the essential marketing channels, such as social media, email marketing, and search engine optimization.

Benefits of Using Our Template

Using our mobile app business template provides a range of benefits, including:

• Saves Time and Money - Developing a mobile app is a time-consuming and costly process. With our template, you can save time and money by streamlining the planning process and creating a more efficient development strategy.
• Provides Clarity and Focus - Our template provides a clear roadmap for app development, helping you focus on the essential components and avoid unnecessary distractions. This helps you stay on track and achieve your goals more effectively.
• Increases Your Chances of Success - A well-planned and executed mobile app has a greater chance of success in the market. Our template provides you with the tools and resources you need to develop a successful mobile app business plan and increase your chances of success.

Our free mobile app business template is an essential resource for entrepreneurs and startups looking to develop a successful mobile app. With its comprehensive market research, business models, revenue projections, and marketing plan sections, you can create a detailed plan that sets your app up for success. Download our template now and start your journey to app development success!

Mobile App Business Plan Frequently Asked Questions

Q: why do i need a mobile app business plan.

A: A mobile app business plan is essential to the success of your app because it helps you identify your target audience, understand the market, and develop a clear strategy for success. Without a plan, you risk wasting time and resources on an app that may not meet your goals or resonate with your target audience.

Q: What are the essential components of a mobile app business plan?

A: A mobile app business plan should include market research, a business model, financial projections, and a marketing plan. These components provide a comprehensive roadmap for app development, including identifying your target audience, assessing the demand for your app, estimating your revenue potential, and creating a strategy for attracting and retaining users.

Q: How can a mobile app business plan help me secure funding for my app?

A: Investors and lenders are more likely to fund your app if you have a well-crafted mobile app business plan. A comprehensive plan demonstrates that you have a clear understanding of the market, a viable business model, and a strategy for generating revenue. By showing your plan to potential investors, you can demonstrate that you have a solid plan for success and increase your chances of securing funding. Having strong financial projections are key to securing funding. Use a mobile app financial projection template can make this process easy.

We Know a Good Business Plan When we See One

Collectively, our team has reviewed thousands of business plans and has nearly 20 years of experience making SBA loans. We've also helped more than 50,000 businesses create financial projections across many industries and geographies.

Adam served as Executive Director for a SBA microlender in Indiana for over 10 years helping businesses and reviewing thousands of business plans.

Grace has built hundreds of custom financial models for businesses as well as our projection templates which are used by thousands of businesses every year.

Kyle served as an SBA loan officer for 7 years working directly with startups and business owners to review their business plans, projections, and prepare their loan package.

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• Building A Startup

How To Write The Best Investor-Ready Mobile App Business Plan

When it comes to launching an app startup, having a strong mobile app  business plan  is important. In the beginning, an app startup business plan helps you plot out your ideas and view your business across several perspectives. During the funding stage, having a business plan becomes a key piece in showcasing the details of your app startup to investors. Writing a business plan can seem difficult – there are many factors to consider and it isn’t easy turning it all into one cohesive strategy. A Google search on business plans pulls up a million different opinions, and 5,000 different templates. Selecting which is the “right” template to use can prove to be tricky, and taking the wrong advice can prove harmful to your funding efforts.

Here at ThinkLions, we’ve written hundreds of mobile app business plans and have worked with entrepreneurs across the world to develop strategies that have raised millions of dollars in seed funding. If it’s one thing we know, it’s business plans for apps – and we want to teach you everything there is to know! While it would take us years to write up everything we have learned over our many years of business, in this post, we’ll give you some really awesome tips to help you draft the perfect mobile app business plan.

Do I Need A Mobile App Business Plan?

While opinions vary on whether app startups need business plans, in our experience, it’s  always  useful. In essence, a business plan will effectively present your app idea and tie together multiple operational elements to create the story of how your business will grow from an idea to success. Business plans come in handy across many situations when trying to present your app idea to another person. Here are a few examples of previous clients who were definitely happy that they went through the mobile app business planning process:

• James was a solo entrepreneur when he asked us to write his app idea business plan. When he hired us for business planning services, his goal was to submit his business plan to a local  startup incubator  that would help grow his business. The incubator rejected him because they only accepted teams with two or more founders. James was later introduced to an interested tech-entrepreneur who already had two mobile applications launched in the market. Chris, the entrepreneur, was interested in James’ idea and asked him for his business plan so he could understand it better. Luckily for him, James already had one handy. James never made it to the incubator; instead, Chris partnered with him 50/50 and funded the launch of his app idea!
• An app startup team approached us last year with the idea of launching an app in the financial space. Initially, they wanted a financial app business plan so that they could understand their business and market better. After the plan was completed, they submitted it to gain entry into a Pitch Competition. With some consultation, they landed first place in the competition and earned $10,000 towards developing their app. Furthermore, an investor in the audience was so impressed with their pitch and  pitch deck , that they offered a  seed funding  of $75,000 in exchange for early ownership in the business.
• Kelly had launched a bare-bones app for pet owners, along with 6 of her friends. While they all had invested money, they had no idea what to do going forward. Members of the team were spending money irresponsibly on any trendy marketing technique, and they had no cohesive strategy to move forward. After working with ThinkLions, Kelly was able to clearly identify a niche market and come up with a plan to reach this market with her app. With a plan, the team was quickly able to stay on track and increased registrations to their app by over 100% in less than 60 days. After updating their document with new achievements, Kelly’s team was able to secure a seed funding investment of $25,000 from a local investor.

A business plan ensures that you know specific things about your business, before seeking funds or going into the development stages. Writing the best business plan early on can save you the headache of rushing to write one when an interested investor says, “Sounds good, let me see your plan!”

The Main Components

Sometimes, specific business plan layouts are required when seeking funding from investors, incubators, and banks. Some require different information to be present and may require  different formats . Generally, however, there are several particular sections that will be included in some form, no matter what the layout. Even with our international clients, we have found that these informational categories are still pertinent.

You won’t be hard-pressed to find a business plan template online. Instead of simply giving you the structure of an app startup business plan, I thought it would be more informative to use my experience and summarize the thought process  of each of these sections. Knowing how to approach this information will help you feel more confident when you begin writing out the details for your own business plan.

Executive Summary

Although written last, most plans begin with an executive summary. By most definitions, an executive summary would be a short version of each section of your business plan. I agree… sort of. A great executive summary DOES summarize all the important details of your business into just a couple of pages, but furthermore, it should also be a persuasive and informative  sales pitch . What are you selling, you ask?  You are selling your worthiness for their attention .

Your executive summary should say, “This is a great app business. It’s bound to grow, it’s fun, it’s exciting, and it’s everything that you want to be a part of.” It should do this by the way, without exceeding two pages. The payoff for an executive summary is rarely an investment into your app business, but instead, it is an attention magnet to make readers curious for more.

Put all of your best details into the executive summary. Avoid any fluff. Make sure to highlight the business’ current achievements. Think of the executive summary like the back of a novel. Does it leave you anxious to dive in and read the rest of the book?

Business Description & Information

Use this section to explain your mobile app concept and introduce your business. This section includes information related to corporate values, objectives & goals, product description, and key success factors. The point of this section is not only to describe your business but to explain what your business has accomplished and what they plan to accomplish in the future.

Stick to the facts, but make sure the facts are worthy enough to put on the paper. It’s easy to go on and on about your idea and to explain 20 different functions that your app will have. In an app startup business plan though, stick to the things that make your app different or better suited to the market. Describe the problem that your consumers face and make sure that you implicitly show how your app will solve this problem.

Think of this section as the “What?” Every following section will be “How?”. Tell them what your app idea is in this section, and in the following sections, we’ll tell them how you’ll get that idea to the market, and eventually, to success.

Market, Customer Analysis

This research section is where you provide the background for your story. In this section, the mobile app business plan shifts from what you believe your app business is, to the hard data that proves your business is viable and that there is actually a need and demand for your solution.

Analyze your market through secondary research, industry surveys, market reports, and most importantly, first-hand primary research. Use your research to estimate how large your market is (by revenue or number of consumers, for example), and try to discover how the industry is performing, trending, and transitioning. During this process, we typically take the following steps:

• Customer Profile:  First, we plot out who our target consumers are. We don’t just explain them, we give them a face and a name. We imagine who they are, what their life is like, what they do for a living, how much money they make, and the challenges they face. We also analyze how our solution can be used to help that specific customer – how they would find the app, why they would use it, how they would use it, etc. This allows readers to easily visualize what type of consumer we serve and how the app would fit into their life.
• Research:  Now that we know what customers we serve, we move into the research phase. We take any pre-existing knowledge we have of the market and combine it with industry research to form a profile of the total market. We seek to identify how many people face the problem that we are trying to solve, where they seek information, how they currently solve their issue, and how much money they spend each year. With this information, we perform a TAM-SAM-SOM analysis to help us identify not only how many people are in our market, but how many of them we can realistically reach with the mobile app solution.
• Insights:  Finally, we consider how all this research pertains to our app idea. Is there a real market? Are there enough people in the market, spending enough money? Would people pay to have their challenge solved? The entire point of the research section is to prove that a need exists for your particular app – have you proven it?

Marketing Strategy

At this point in your plan, you’ve detailed your awesome mobile app concept, identified a niche market, and proved a sufficient need within that market. Using this information, you now must decide how you will reach potential users, introduce them to your app, and persuade them to download and use it.

Investors want to know that there is a clarified  growth strategy  in place for getting your app to the market. The better you can explain this plan with clear steps, backed with accurate data, the more likely you are to persuade an investor to help fund the development of your app.

There are many marketing strategies and techniques available from PPC to social media, and beyond. Choosing which one is right for your business can be difficult. Start small,  perform a SWOT analysis , introduce new solutions, and test your ideas. Over time, as you identify techniques that are working on a small level, scale them upwards and eliminate the strategies that aren’t showing potential.

Furthermore, look at your competitors and identify how they are successfully reaching consumers. The more you know about what has and has not worked for your competitors, the easier it will be to avoid the obstacles that they may have faced previously.

Competitive Analysis

If you haven’t heard this before, let me stress a very important point:  No matter how innovative your app is, there ARE competitors.  Maybe no other app offers exactly what you offer, but there is some other app, process, product, or service that consumers are currently using to solve their problem.

Knowing who your competitors are is important, but knowing their position and operation within the market is a vital key to building a successful business. Investors will want to know that you have detailed knowledge of your competitors and that you have identified valid methods to exploit their weaknesses through your product strengths; creating a path to position yourself ahead of them.

Operational Strategy

To be effective, it is vital to consider how your startup company will operate on a day-to-day basis and how you will build and maintain customer relations. This section will contain information related to how customer service will be handled, how quality assurance will be maintained, how your app will be developed, who will manage the business, and more.

In addition, this section will highlight the user process – how the user will behave from the moment they learn about your app until they spend their first dollar. One of the largest components of this section is the personnel plan, which outlines when and how employees will be hired; how their salaries will be expensed; and how their positions will help progress the business.

Management & Advisor Bios

As mentioned previously, investors heavily consider the abilities of the “team” behind the app startups that they fund. In this section of the mobile app business plan, these team members can be showcased, and their skills can be highlighted to prove that the team has what it takes to propel the startup to success. In addition to co-founders and board members, this section will allow you to explain different advisor relationships you have secured; valuable relationships with non-executive members who are successful in related fields who have agreed to consult and advise the founders as they launch and grow their business.

Financial Model

Once all of this information has been compiled (excluding the executive summary), the financial model can be prepared.  App entrepreneurs  often find preparing their financial model to be difficult and beyond their comprehension. However, if you have prepared all of the previous information correctly, you should know exactly what you will need to fund in order to push the plan forward.

With this model, you will be able to forecast revenues, costs, growth, and other important financial factors. The financial model should include a 3-5 year projection of all the essential forecast models, including Profit & Loss, Cash Flow, Balance Sheet, Startup Table, and Valuation.

Winning Business Plans Aren’t Just Words And Numbers

That finishes the easy stuff. Many entrepreneurs mistakenly think that a mobile app startup business plan is just about plopping down some words on a page. They rush off to download a free business plan program, answer a few questions, or fill in a few blanks, and believe that they now have a business plan that will help them reach their goals.

What your business plan says, is important; but how you deliver the message may be the determining factor to whether you win or lose at  securing funding for your app . These three elements are what we refer to as the ‘secret sauce’ of business plans.

• Passion : I must admit, I’ve been suckered into more late-night infomercial products than I care to admit. On another occasion, I allowed this great door-to-door salesman to convince me to buy a huge box of steaks that were tougher than leather and tasted like Alpo Dog Food. Passion and enthusiasm sell… in a business plan too. It’s not just the words on a page, it’s the passion that is felt behind those words. Passion and enthusiasm are contagious traits, and your enthusiasm alone may be enough to make someone else passionate about what you are doing. Don’t write your plan to simply fill in paragraphs in a “template”, make every word count and make every thought express your tremendous passion for your business, brand, and app idea.
• The Story : Innovative apps are cool, but an app startup with a story… well, that’s captivating! What situation happened that led the founders to come up with the app idea? What problem did it solve for them specifically, that they know it will also solve for others? It’s not just about having a story, it’s about having a story that is relatable to the reader (or investor) – one that aligns with their experience or differs you from your competitors. Consider a company that is building a GPS device for dogs, where owners can use their mobile devices to track exactly where their dog is at any moment, in case they get lost. Maybe the founder lost the dog that she had for 10 years and looked at as her own child. Maybe she invented the device and app to ensure that no other pet owner would ever have to go through the heartbreak that she did after never recovering her companion. An investor who has gone through a similar situation would be able to relate instantly and would be more prone to have an interest in the idea than they would if the story was never told.
• Viability:  Is the plan you present truly viable? Could you actually reach the goals that you have set forth? It’s more than just having a “dreamer’s vision” here, it is about truly showcasing that your idea has legs to stand on. The single most important factor for most investors is whether they will make money. They don’t want your dreams, they want evidence, and the more your plan showcases this viability, the more potential you have to strike an investment deal.

Getting Started With Your Strategy

The hardest part of writing a mobile app business plan is writing the first page. Many people quit their business plan before they even get started on it. Writing a business plan for apps isn’t easy; there is a lot that needs to be known about your business, a lot of research that needs to be accomplished, and a lot of specialized knowledge needed to properly transform your thoughts into a successful document.

Check out our infographic below for more tips on creating an awesome mobile app business plan.

If you’re finding it tough to write your own app startup business plan, we have an expert team ready to help you get on track! Check out this app business plan example to see how our business plan writers put these insights into real plans each and every day. 

Do you have any other awesome tips on how to write an app business plan or a phone app business plan example that you’d like to share? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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7 Business Plan Examples to Inspire Your Own (2024)

Need support creating your business plan? Check out these business plan examples for inspiration.

Any aspiring entrepreneur researching how to start a business will likely be advised to write a business plan. But few resources provide business plan examples to really guide you through writing one of your own.

Here are some real-world and illustrative business plan examples to help you craft your business plan .

7 business plan examples: section by section

The business plan examples in this article follow this template:

• Executive summary.  An introductory overview of your business.
• Company description.  A more in-depth and detailed description of your business and why it exists.
• Market analysis.  Research-based information about the industry and your target market.
• Products and services.  What you plan to offer in exchange for money.
• Marketing plan.   The promotional strategy to introduce your business to the world and drive sales.
• Logistics and operations plan.  Everything that happens in the background to make your business function properly.
• Financial plan.  A breakdown of your numbers to show what you need to get started as well as to prove viability of profitability.
• Executive summary

Your  executive summary  is a page that gives a high-level overview of the rest of your business plan. It’s easiest to save this section for last.

In this  free business plan template , the executive summary is four paragraphs and takes a little over half a page:

• Company description

You might repurpose your company description elsewhere, like on your About page, social media profile pages, or other properties that require a boilerplate description of your small business.

Soap brand ORRIS  has a blurb on its About page that could easily be repurposed for the company description section of its business plan.

You can also go more in-depth with your company overview and include the following sections, like in the example for Paw Print Post:

• Business structure.  This section outlines how you  registered your business —as an  LLC , sole proprietorship, corporation, or other  business type . “Paw Print Post will operate as a sole proprietorship run by the owner, Jane Matthews.”
• Nature of the business.  “Paw Print Post sells unique, one-of-a-kind digitally printed cards that are customized with a pet’s unique paw prints.”
• Industry.  “Paw Print Post operates primarily in the pet industry and sells goods that could also be categorized as part of the greeting card industry.”
• Background information.  “Jane Matthews, the founder of Paw Print Post, has a long history in the pet industry and working with animals, and was recently trained as a graphic designer. She’s combining those two loves to capture a niche in the market: unique greeting cards customized with a pet’s paw prints, without needing to resort to the traditional (and messy) options of casting your pet’s prints in plaster or using pet-safe ink to have them stamp their ‘signature.’”
• Business objectives.  “Jane will have Paw Print Post ready to launch at the Big Important Pet Expo in Toronto to get the word out among industry players and consumers alike. After two years in business, Jane aims to drive $150,000 in annual revenue from the sale of Paw Print Post’s signature greeting cards and have expanded into two new product categories.”
• Team.  “Jane Matthews is the sole full-time employee of Paw Print Post but hires contractors as needed to support her workflow and fill gaps in her skill set. Notably, Paw Print Post has a standing contract for five hours a week of virtual assistant support with Virtual Assistants Pro.”

Your  mission statement  may also make an appearance here.  Passionfruit  shares its mission statement on its company website, and it would also work well in its example business plan.

• Market analysis

The market analysis consists of research about supply and demand, your target demographics, industry trends, and the competitive landscape. You might run a SWOT analysis and include that in your business plan. 

Here’s an example  SWOT analysis  for an online tailored-shirt business:

You’ll also want to do a  competitive analysis  as part of the market research component of your business plan. This will tell you who you’re up against and give you ideas on how to differentiate your brand. A broad competitive analysis might include:

• Target customers
• Unique value add  or what sets their products apart
• Sales pitch
• Price points  for products
• Shipping  policy
• Products and services

This section of your business plan describes your offerings—which products and services do you sell to your customers? Here’s an example for Paw Print Post:

• Marketing plan

It’s always a good idea to develop a marketing plan  before you launch your business. Your marketing plan shows how you’ll get the word out about your business, and it’s an essential component of your business plan as well.

The Paw Print Post focuses on four Ps: price, product, promotion, and place. However, you can take a different approach with your marketing plan. Maybe you can pull from your existing  marketing strategy , or maybe you break it down by the different marketing channels. Whatever approach you take, your marketing plan should describe how you intend to promote your business and offerings to potential customers.

• Logistics and operations plan

The Paw Print Post example considered suppliers, production, facilities, equipment, shipping and fulfillment, and inventory.

Financial plan

The financial plan provides a breakdown of sales, revenue, profit, expenses, and other relevant financial metrics related to funding and profiting from your business.

Ecommerce brand  Nature’s Candy’s financial plan  breaks down predicted revenue, expenses, and net profit in graphs.

It then dives deeper into the financials to include:

• Funding needs
• Projected profit-and-loss statement
• Projected balance sheet
• Projected cash-flow statement

You can use this financial plan spreadsheet to build your own financial statements, including income statement, balance sheet, and cash-flow statement.

Types of business plans, and what to include for each

A one-page business plan is meant to be high level and easy to understand at a glance. You’ll want to include all of the sections, but make sure they’re truncated and summarized:

• Executive summary: truncated
• Market analysis: summarized
• Products and services: summarized
• Marketing plan: summarized
• Logistics and operations plan: summarized
• Financials: summarized

A startup business plan is for a new business. Typically, these plans are developed and shared to secure  outside funding . As such, there’s a bigger focus on the financials, as well as on other sections that determine viability of your business idea—market research, for example.

• Market analysis: in-depth
• Financials: in-depth

Your internal business plan is meant to keep your team on the same page and aligned toward the same goal.

A strategic, or growth, business plan is a bigger picture, more-long-term look at your business. As such, the forecasts tend to look further into the future, and growth and revenue goals may be higher. Essentially, you want to use all the sections you would in a normal business plan and build upon each.

• Market analysis: comprehensive outlook
• Products and services: for launch and expansion
• Marketing plan: comprehensive outlook
• Logistics and operations plan: comprehensive outlook
• Financials: comprehensive outlook

Feasibility

Your feasibility business plan is sort of a pre-business plan—many refer to it as simply a feasibility study. This plan essentially lays the groundwork and validates that it’s worth the effort to make a full business plan for your idea. As such, it’s mostly centered around research.

Set yourself up for success as a business owner

Building a good business plan serves as a roadmap you can use for your ecommerce business at launch and as you reach each of your business goals. Business plans create accountability for entrepreneurs and synergy among teams, regardless of your  business model .

Kickstart your ecommerce business and set yourself up for success with an intentional business planning process—and with the sample business plans above to guide your own path.

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Business plan examples FAQ

How do i write a simple business plan, what is the best format to write a business plan, what are the 4 key elements of a business plan.

• Executive summary: A concise overview of the company's mission, goals, target audience, and financial objectives.
• Business description: A description of the company's purpose, operations, products and services, target markets, and competitive landscape.
• Market analysis: An analysis of the industry, market trends, potential customers, and competitors.
• Financial plan: A detailed description of the company's financial forecasts and strategies.

What are the 3 main points of a business plan?

• Concept: Your concept should explain the purpose of your business and provide an overall summary of what you intend to accomplish.
• Contents: Your content should include details about the products and services you provide, your target market, and your competition.
• Cashflow: Your cash flow section should include information about your expected cash inflows and outflows, such as capital investments, operating costs, and revenue projections.

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App Development Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Technology Sector

Are you about starting an app development company? If YES, here is a complete sample mobile app development business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

Starting a mobile app development business is one of the best things that could possibly happen to you. This is because of the very rich experience which you can garner in the quest of starting your business. Much more than that is the level of wealth that you are able to attain when you start such a business. There are several apps that can be developed that is able to make life much easier for people.

A Sample Mobile App Development Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The advent of mobile apps has indeed contributed immensely to the revenue generation in the ICT world. Beyond every reasonable doubt, you can’t find any person that owns a smartphone who has never used a mobile application nor has mobile apps in his or her phones.

As long as people make use of Smartphones, Tablets and Pads, the sale of mobile apps will continue to grow and the industry will continue to expand.

Basically, mobile application development is a term that is used to define the act or process by which application software is designed and developed to perform specific functions in handheld devices, such as smart phones / mobile phones, personal digital assistants, or enterprise digital assistants et al.

It is a fact that there abound loads of young people who are actively involved in the mobile apps development industry, simply because the cost of developing an app varies. The truth is that, just as the cost of mobile apps development varies greatly, so also the profits that you are likely going to generate from the success of a mobile app can be mega.

In this industry, the success of your business depends on the genre of mobile apps that you are developing. If you have interest in the mobile apps development industry, you will realize that those who are into the development of games are those who are leading the chart in terms of revenue generation.

Other factors that will aid the success of a mobile app is the position of the apps in the chart the end of the first day of sales and how good the user reviews are – if you have loads of 5 star reviews, you are likely going to generate loads of sales because people would automatically trust your app.

Statistics has it that the mobile app development industry has been experiencing steady growth, both in terms of revenue generation and of course in job creation as well. For instance a report that was released in 2013 estimated that there are about 529,000 direct App Economy jobs within the European Union 28 members, and 60% of it are mobile app developers.

Statistics also has it that the revenue generated at the Apple App Store to Google Play is put at a ratio of 8 to 1.No doubt, at a rate of 30 million a day, downloading apps is a popular hobby among consumers. Apple App Store does pay more for top developers who build their apps to be sold and not to be downloaded for free.

Despite the fact that the Windows 8 Store is still small in terms of its revenue generation when compared to Apple App Store and Google Play Store, it allows apps to run simultaneously on a PC, tablet and Smartphone hence increasing the numbers of mediums – more mediums, more downloads.

The process of mobile apps development is simple and straightforward. Mobile applications are first tested within the development environment first by making use of emulators and before subjecting it to field testing. Emulators basically provide an inexpensive way to test applications on mobile phones to which developers may not have physical access.

Lastly, if you are looking towards starting a mobile apps development company as an entrepreneur, then you should be aware that there are only three mobile app stores to sell your app. The mobile app stores are Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store.

2. Executive Summary

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co. is an international mobile apps development and software programming company that is based in Los Angeles – California, united states. We are a software development company that is set to compete in the highly competitive ICT industry.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co. will be involved in the development of mobile apps especially games applications and other financial, medical, geographical and entertainment related mobile applications. Our business goal is to become one of the leading mobile apps development company in the United States and we will make sure that every mobile apps that leaves our lab can favorable compete with the best in their category.

Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of talented mobile apps developers in and around Silicon Valley and Los Angeles – California and also from any part of the world as the business grows.

We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce especially mobile apps developers/designers through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete with leading mobile apps developers/designers in the United States and throughout the globe.

We have put plans in place to build a state of the art mobile apps development studio in Los Angeles, California, which is why we have entered agreement with some key players in Silicon Valley to refer some of the best hands to us from time; mobile apps developers that can easily fit into our overall business goals and objective. Our studio will be well equipped and we will ensure that we follow the trend in the industry.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co. will design and develop mobile apps that will be comfortable with all the handheld devices such as smart phones/mobile phones, personal digital assistants, or enterprise digital assistants’ et al.

We will ensure that all our mobile apps are can easily be downloaded from the three mobile app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store). Aside from developing mobile software apps for the general public, we will also help our clients develop unique mobile apps for their businesses as request.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co, our client’s best interest come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hire consultants who are well experienced in a wide variety of business consulting and trainings et al.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co is founded by Bob Lockley and his friend and business partner Ted Benny. They are both products of Silicon Valley and MIIT. The organization will be managed by both of them.

3. Our Products and Services

There are quality products and services that we plan to have. Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co was established with the aim of producing highly entertaining and useful mobile apps that can be used on all handheld devices. Mobile apps that can be easily downloaded from the three mobile app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store).

We want to compete favorably with the leading mobile apps developers, which is why we have but in place a competent quality assurance team that will ensure that all our mobile apps meet and even surpass our customers’ expectations.

We will work hard to ensure that Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co is not just accepted nationally in the United States of America, but also in other parts of the world. Our products are listed below;

• Games Mobile Apps
• Finance Related Mobile Apps
• Entertainment Mobile Apps
• Geographical Related Mobile Apps
• Customized Mobile Apps as Requested by our Clients

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to establish a mobile apps development company whose products and brand will not only be accepted in the United States of America, but also in other parts of the world.
• Our mission is to provide professional and trusted mobile apps that assist businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations in operating sustainably.
• We want to build a mobile app development company that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the ICT industry.

Our Business Structure

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co, is an ICT company that intend starting small, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading mobile apps developers in the ICT industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the significance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands that we can attract.

At Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Executive Officer
• General Manager

Human Resources and Admin Manager

• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Mobile Apps Developers/Programmers/Software Designers
• Quality Control Specialist

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

General Manager:

• Develops strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities; presenting assumptions; recommending objectives.
• Accomplishes subsidiary objectives by establishing plans, budgets, and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress; making mid-course corrections.
• Coordinates efforts by establishing procurement, production, marketing, field, and technical services policies and practices; coordinating actions with corporate staff.
• Builds company image by collaborating with customers, government, community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for recruitment
• Responsible for payment of salaries
• Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; participating in professional societies.
• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• Responsible for managing the daily activities in the factory
• Responsible for supervising all the employees
• Responsible for planning sales, monitoring inventory, selecting the merchandise, and writing and pricing orders to vendors
• Ensures that the organization operates within stipulated budget.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office and factory activities.

Sales and Marketing Manager

• Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Model demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Creates new markets cum businesses for the organization
• Empower and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets

Accountant/Cashier:

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Pick ‘a’ Brain™ Finishing School
• Serves as internal auditor for Pick ‘a’ Brain™ Finishing School

Programmers and Software Designers

• Responsible for designing and developing mobile apps to meet the latest trend
• Stays abreast with the dynamics of the ICT industry with key interest in mobile apps and other related software applications
• Researches and advices the organization on style, genre and other trendy info as it relates to mobile apps.

Quality Control Officer

• Ensures that all our mobile apps meet the required quality before they are released in the market (mobile apps stores)
• Make certain that production and development department perform efficiently, coordinate employee efforts, and facilitate communications between management and mobile apps development departments.
• Devises ways of improving the mobile apps design and development process to ensure higher-quality and users’ friendly mobile apps are developed
• Ensure that the mobile apps design and development department run smoothly and generate a consistently suitable output for their employers
• Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices
• Handles any other responsibility as assigned by the general manager
• Welcomes students and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with students on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the school coordinator in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the schools’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to students when they make enquiries

6. SWOT Analysis

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured ICT business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive ICT industry in the United States and the world at large.

Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of young techies that are creative and highly proficient in mobile apps design and development, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in ICT straight from Silicon Valley. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected mobile apps developers and programmers our products are going be unique and diverse.

As a new mobile apps development company in Los Angeles – California, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated ICT industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

• Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities in the ICT industry is massive considering the number of individuals and corporate organizations who would want to acquire new mobile apps in their handheld devices. As a mobile apps design and development company, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the ICT industry.

Every business faces a threat or challenge at any part of the life cycle of the business. These threats can be external or internal. This shows the importance of a business plan, because most threats or challenges are to be anticipated and plans put in place to cushion what effect they might bring to the business.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a mobile apps development company that is based in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies that might affect business such as ours, the arrival of a competitor that is specialized in same mobile apps genre as our company and global economic downturn which usually affects spending/purchasing power.

There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

One of the major trends in the mobile apps development industry is that any entrepreneur who is looking towards developing mobile apps must ensure that their mobile apps is compatible with different operating software and also that their mobile apps can be easily downloaded from the three mobile app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store).

One thing is certain, if a mobile app development company can successfully get their apps in all three mobile apps store, they know that they are in the pathway to success. This is so because the ratings they get from users in one mobile apps store can positively influence other apps stores and that will lead to more downloads and of course more income for them.

The success of a mobile app development company is their ability to be creative and flexible. Mobile apps developers take note of factors like screen sizes, hardware specifications and configurations when designing and developing mobile apps.

8. Our Target Market

It is important to state that here are only three stores to sell your app and they are Google Play Store, Apple App Store or Windows Store. So you must ensure you design you mobile apps to suit the platforms of your choice.

No doubt the mobile apps development line of business has the widest range of customers; everybody that owns any handheld devices, such as smart phones/mobile phones, personal digital assistants, or enterprise digital assistants et al are potential customers for your mobile apps

In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to people that cut across different classes in the society; we will develop mobile apps that can be easily downloaded from the three mobile app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store) and used by all handheld device.

We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that all our mobile apps are well accepted in the market place. These are the different group of people that we will be developing mobile apps for;

• Young Adult
• Children(games)
• Corporate Executives
• Corporate Organizations (Mobile Banking Apps, Currency Converter et al)
• Sports Men and Women (live score apps)
• Churches (Customized mobile apps)
• Police (Crime monitoring apps)

Our competitive advantage

No doubt the competition in the mobile app development business today is so brutal; you have to develop nothing less than the possible best and most useful or entertaining app in order to survive in the industry. The ICT industry is indeed a very prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only purchase your mobile apps if they know that it can meet their needs

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the mobile apps development industry means that you should be able to deliver consistent useful or entertaining mobile apps. You should be able to get good ratings from users of your mobile apps and above all your mobile apps must be users’ friendly and easy to download.

Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of young techies that are creative and highly proficient in mobile apps design and development, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in ICT straight from Silicon Valley. Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected mobile apps developers and programmers our products are going be unique and diverse.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups mobile apps developing businesses in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the ICT industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to develop mobile apps that can be easily downloaded from the three mobile app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store and Windows Store) and used by all handheld device.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co will generate income selling the following mobile apps;

• Finance Related Mobile Apps (Mobile Banking Apps, Currency Converter et al)

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain; there would always be corporate organization and individual who would need mobile apps either for entertainment or for other purpose.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in ICT industry and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from the first six month of operations and grow our mobile apps development company.

We have been able to critically examine the mobile apps development market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Los Angeles – California.

Below is the sales projection for Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co, it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of mobile apps that we develop and the apps stores where our apps are listed;

• First Year-: $150,000
• Second Year-: $500,000
• Third Year-: $1,000,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor developing same unique mobile apps as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition in the mobile apps development industry; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the ICT industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co.

Our goal is to grow Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co to become one of the top 10 mobile apps developers in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the United States of America but also in other parts of the world.

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our mobile apps development company by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, households and key stake holders.
• Promptness in bidding for mobile apps development contracts from the government and other cooperate organizations
• Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still develop customized mobile apps / software for them
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and individual clients in the whole of the United States and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our mobile apps development company.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our mobile apps
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Los Angeles – California.
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations by calling them up and informing them of Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co and the products we sell
• List our personal mobile apps development company in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our mobile apps in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

At Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co we will keep the prices of our mobile apps below the average market rate for all of our customers by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance from corporate organizations who would hire our services to help them design customized mobile apps.

In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals. We are aware that there are some students that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such students’ needs.

• Payment Options

At Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co, our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a higher amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business.

The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked. As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a mobile apps development company; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. However, this is what it would cost us in the United of America;

• Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Acquiring an office space or warehouse that will accommodate the number of employees for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $150,000.
• Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, servers/internet facility, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
• Launching an official Website will cost – $500
• Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need over two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a medium scale but standard mobile apps development company firm in the United States of America.

Generating Funding/Startup Capital for Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co

Tech Explorer ™ Mobile Apps Development Co is a business that will be owned by Bob Lockley and his friend and business partner Ted Benny. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $85,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $150,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is easier for businesses to survive when they have steady flow of business deals/customers patronizing their products and services. We are aware of this which is why we have decided to develop a various mobile apps for different clients and for different purposes.

We will also work with corporate clients to help them develop customized mobile apps for their business. We know that if we continue to design and develop excellent, effective and useful mobile apps for both businesses and individual, there will be steady flow of income for the organization.

Our key sustainability and expansion strategy is to ensure that we only hire creative, competent and selfless programmers/mobile apps developers/software developers, create a conducive working environment and employee benefits for our staff members.

In the nearest future, we will give our most dedicated and prolific employees the opportunity to be part owner of the business. We know that if we implement our business strategies, we will achieve our business goals and objectives in record time.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founders: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the business: Completed
• Secure trademark for our products: In Progress
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

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How To Create A Successful Marketing Plan

Published: Aug 13, 2024, 7:15am

Table of Contents

What is a marketing plan, marketing plan vs. marketing strategy, why businesses need a marketing plan, essential marketing channels, how to create a marketing plan, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

The difference between a flourishing business and a floundering business often comes down to an effective marketing campaign. This is especially true for small businesses. Every successful marketing campaign starts with a well-thought-out marketing plan. In this article, we will guide you through the steps on how to create a top-notch marketing plan to help put your business on the road to success.

A marketing plan is essentially a roadmap that guides businesses through the complex terrain of promoting their products or services. Think of it as a blueprint that details specific marketing campaigns, timelines, target audiences and channels such as social media , email or traditional media. Your plan should also establish clear metrics for success, the methodology used to evaluate performance and allocated budgets.

It is important to note that a marketing plan is not a static document. It is supposed to be an ever-evolving plan that adapts to market trends, customer feedback and the successful or unsuccessful marketing efforts. If done properly, a marketing plan will help you synchronize your marketing objectives with your overall business goals and ensure every marketing activity aligns with your broader vision of growth.

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Some assume that “marketing plan” and “marketing strategy” are the same thing, but be aware they hold distinct meanings and serve different purposes. A marketing strategy is more big-picture thinking. It identifies your target market, your value proposition, how you position yourself against competitors and how you will sustain your value over time. It involves deep insights into your customers’ needs, market trends and competitive analysis. It is essentially the “why” behind all your marketing actions.

The marketing plan, on the other hand, details the “what” and the “when” of those efforts. Once you have your marketing strategy outlined, you can begin to create a marketing plan. The plan should outline the specific campaigns, activities and tactics you’ll use to carry out the strategy. This includes details on the marketing channels you’ll use, the timeline for implementation, the budget and the key performance indicators you’ll track to measure success. It’s a blueprint that translates the strategy into actionable tasks and schedules.

A carefully crafted marketing plan can be a game-changer for small businesses dreaming of steady growth and a competitive edge over larger companies. Marketing plans with smart strategies and targeted campaigns can level the playing field by helping small businesses carve out their niche. It provides a clear roadmap that aligns marketing efforts with business objectives to ensure every marketing action contributes to the broader company goals.

This focused approach saves small businesses money by efficiently focusing resources instead of using a scattergun approach that can drain limited budgets. By identifying and understanding target markets, businesses can tailor their messaging to meet specific needs, which increases the likelihood of conversion. A solid marketing plan offers a framework for measuring success by setting benchmarks. With careful tracking, small businesses can quickly see what’s not working and adjust strategies in real time for better outcomes.

Today’s businesses have a wide array of marketing channels available to them. From highly analytical PPC advertising to engaging in-person event marketing, there’s no shortage of methods to promote your company.

Social Media

During the past two decades, social media has proved to be a highly effective way for small businesses to market themselves at little to no costs. Platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn offer businesses a dynamic platform to engage directly with their audience. They allow for the sharing of content, running targeted ads and fostering community through comments and shares. Effective social media marketing can enhance brand awareness, drive traffic and strengthen customer loyalty.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is another highly effective way to reach an audience directly. Newsletters, promotional offers and personalized content can nurture leads, promote loyalty and drive conversions. Email marketing offers measurable results and high ROI, making it a staple in a digital marketing strategy toolbox.

• Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating hyper-relevant and compelling content that will act as a magnet to attract a laser-focused group of people. You can create blogs, videos, infographics and podcasts to cultivate an engaged community of followers with whom your brand’s message genuinely resonates.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the practice of optimizing website content to rank higher in search engine results pages. Effective SEO strategies including on-page optimization, quality link building and keyword research help drive traffic to your website.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC advertising is a method of online marketing where you pay a fee each time someone clicks on your ad. Popular platforms such as Google Ads and Bing Ads guarantee your ads show up first in search engine results for specific keywords, allowing you to bypass the “organic” results. While the pay-per-click fees can add up, this form of advertising provides immediate traffic and measurable results.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing leverages the reach of influencers in specific niches to help you promote your business to a larger audience. When you partner with a credible influencer, you can tap into their loyal followings, gain trust quickly and drive engagement that will hopefully lead to greater sales. Affiliate marketing can complement influencer marketing by allowing influencers to earn commissions on the sales they drive. This performance-based option is cost effective, as you will only pay for actual results.

Event Marketing

Event marketing involves marketing your brand, company or service through in-person or virtual events. It can be anything from interactive webinars and educational workshops to large-scale conferences and industry trade shows. Event marketing gives you the opportunity to directly engage with your audience and hopefully provide a memorable experience for your customers.

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Creating a marketing plan is a step-by-step process. Make sure you take your time with each step before moving on to the next one.

1. Create an Executive Summary

An executive summary is a snapshot of your simplified marketing goals, significant milestones and an outline of future plans. It should encapsulate relevant facts about your brand, setting the stage for the detailed strategy that follows. This section provides stakeholders with a clear understanding of where the company stands and where it intends to go, concisely summarizing the essence of the marketing efforts.

2. Identify Your Target Market

Who are you trying to reach? By identifying your target market you can tailor your marketing strategies effectively to help them reach the people most likely to be interested in your products or services. Outline the characteristics of your ideal customer including age, location, goals, pains and trigger points.

3. Research Your Competitors

Competitor research is a critical step in forming a marketing plan. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses in other businesses in your industry. This insight can help you identify opportunities for differentiation and areas where you can fill in the opportunity your competitors may have overlooked.

4. Determine Your Marketing Goals

Without clear marketing goals, you are just shooting barrels in the dark. Are you trying to increase brand awareness, boast sales or grow your digital footprint? And if so, by how much and in what timeframe? Use the SMART criteria for goal setting, which advises that goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

5. Establish and Track Benchmarks

Once you determine what your marketing goals are, it is important to track their effectiveness.

To do this, set baseline measurements for key performance indicators related to your goals, such as website traffic, conversion rates or social media engagement. Monitor these benchmarks on a regular basis and adjust strategies as needed to enhance marketing performance.

6. Identify Your Marketing Channels

Are you going to throw all your eggs in the social media basket? Or are you going to diversify your marketing strategy with both digital and in-person events? This step requires a deep dive into the various channels available—be it social media, email marketing, SEO or traditional advertising. When choosing your marketing channels, be sure to ask yourself where your target audience is most engaged.

7. Create a Budget

Finally, create a budget that covers all aspects of your marketing efforts from paid advertising and content creation to software subscriptions and event sponsorships. This will help you stay financially responsible as more marketing opportunities arise.

One of the keys to a successful business is setting yourself apart from the competition. A strategic marketing plan that details your marketing efforts can not only help you stand out but also provide a step-by-step guide toward reaching your business objectives.

What are the main elements of a marketing plan?

The main elements of a marketing plan typically include an executive summary, marketing objectives, target audience definition, marketing strategies, budget and metrics for performance evaluation. It outlines the company’s strategy for attracting and retaining customers by detailing specific actions to achieve campaign goals, timeline with key milestones, channels to be used and team members responsibilities.

What is a realistic marketing budget?

A realistic marketing budget is typically determined as a percentage of a company’s revenue. It is recommended that B2B companies spend 2% to 5% of their revenue on marketing. Because B2C companies typically have a broader range of marketing channels, it is recommended they spend between 5% and 10% of their revenue on marketing.

What should every marketing plan start with?

Every marketing plan should start with a clear mission statement for the marketing department that aligns with the overall mission of the business. This statement should be specific enough to guide marketing efforts but also allow room to adjust the plan as needed. For example, if your company’s mission is “to revolutionize home cooking,” the marketing mission might be “to inspire home cooks and provide them with innovative cooking solutions.”

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Jennifer Simonson draws on two decades as a journalist covering everything from local economic developement to small business marketing. Beyond writing, she tested entrepreneurial waters by launching a mobile massage service, a content marketing firm and an e-commerce venture. These experiences enriched her understanding of small business management and marketing strategies. Today, she channels this first-hand knowledge into her articles for Forbes Advisor.

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12 Best Company Profile Template to Present Your Business

Written by: Olujinmi Oluwatoni

Whether you’re pitching your product or service to investors, clients, or partners, a compelling business profile can be the catalyst you need to win their confidence and secure deals.

A company profile is an excellent way to present who you are, what you do and, most importantly, why it matters. It goes beyond showcasing your company; it articulates your brand’s essence.

A poorly crafted company profile can cast a lasting shadow on your brand. Hence, it's crucial to put your best foot forward when creating one. To assist you, we've curated some professionally designed company profile templates you can easily customize right away. We’ve also included some of Visme’s features and tools to make your design experience seamless.

Let's get to it!

Before we dive in, here's a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit company profile templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Table of Contents

• What Is a Company Profile Template

The Importance of a Company Profile Template

12 best company profile templates, company profile faqs.

• A company profile template is a designed framework that offers a professional snapshot of a business.
• It typically includes key information, such as the company's background, mission, products or services, achievements and other relevant details.
• A company profile template enhances consistency, saves time, offers adaptability, simplifies updates, ensures professionalism and promotes effective collaboration.
• Visme offers an extensive library of company profile templates , features and tools to help you and your team create excellent company profiles.

What is a Company Profile Template?

A company profile template is a pre-designed framework that provides a professional overview of a business . It is an excellent way to showcase your company's essence and offerings.

A well-designed company profile creates a positive first impression on potential clients, partners, investors and other stakeholders. It is suitable for use in different contexts, such as creating presentations, proposals or marketing materials.

A typical company profile includes information such as the company's history, mission, vision, products or services rendered, target market, team members, achievements, pricing information and more.

A pitch deck and a company profile share similarities as tools for introducing a business. However, a pitch deck is brief and tailored for selling ideas or seeking funding. In contrast, a company profile is a comprehensive marketing tool used to introduce your company to a broader audience.

Creating the perfect profile for your company can be challenging without a template to work with.

Below are the benefits of using a company profile template

• A company profile template ensures consistency in branding, corporate messaging, representation and business detail as well as business documents and presentations.
• Using a template saves time by providing a pre-designed framework that only requires customization rather than starting from scratch.
• A well-designed profile template enhances the professional image of your company. It ensures that the information is organized clearly and creates a positive impression on clients, partners, investors and other stakeholders.
• A good profile template can be adapted easily to fit different purposes or changing business needs or landscapes. Whether it's a new product launch, a significant milestone, or a shift in focus, the template can be modified to keep the company profile current.
• Templates provide a structured framework for collaboration. When multiple individuals or teams contribute to a company profile, maintaining cohesiveness and structure becomes easier.

Visme’s company profile templates are designed to be adaptable to different purposes and audiences. You can customize the template based on your specific business requirements.

If your team needs to collaborate on a company profile, Visme allows you to do this seamlessly. Our collaboration tool allows teams and organizations of all sizes to work together on projects in real time.

Hey executives! Looking to cut design costs?

• Spend less time on presentations and more time strategizing
• Ensure your brand looks and feels visually consistent across all your organization's documents
• Impress clients and stakeholders with boardroom ready presentations

Sign up. It’s free.

In this section, we have listed twelve of the best company profile templates you can use to create one for your company right away

Our professionally crafted company profile examples are easily customizable to suit various needs and projects. You can effortlessly customize them by swapping, removing, or adding sections, adjusting text and fonts, brand colors, visuals and more.

And if you’re unable to find a template you like, you can always use Visme’s AI Designer to whip up a custom design for you based on prompts.

Here’s what one of Visme's clients had to say about our templates and features:

Cassandra C.

Graphic Designer & Business Owner

1. Technology Company Presentation Template

This company profile template is a perfect framework for providing a comprehensive overview of your tech startup to investors or clients. The presentation features a stylish purple background with white and pink text, ensuring optimal visibility and clarity. It also offers ample space to showcase your business without overcrowding the text.

You can utilize the dedicated sections to highlight your company's history, team, services, unique offerings, pricing and contact details. You can also add a link to website's contact us page if that's you're preferred communication.

Visme’s brand wizard makes it a breeze to turn this template into a document that truly reflects your brand identity . Simply input your company website and the Wizard will collect your colors, fonts, icons and more to generate a cohesive brand kit. It will even recommend templates that align with your branding.

2. Tangerine Presentation Template

Utilize this vibrant template to present business concepts to clients and investors, introduce project teams, or unveil new products and services.

The template highlights your company's creative essence with captivating shapes, pooping colors and lively themes. Dominated by orange hues, the design effortlessly captures attention.

The sections include an about us page, product showcase, user reach, SWOT analysis, mobile description, pricing details and more.

You can add flair by transforming this company profile example into a captivating page-turner with Visme's flipbook effect . This feature lets your audience virtually flip through pages, providing a document-like experience.

3. Retro Neon Startup Presentation Template

This retro-futuristic presentation template would work exceptionally well for a company targeted at young people or a startup specializing in quirky hardware tech.

It uses moody, neon colors, inspirational graphics and storytelling design to captivate your audience’s attention and keep them reading. The slides incorporate dynamic graphics—reminiscent of vintage neon signs—to create an engaging and visually striking appeal.

Sections covered in this template include about us, mission statement, team members, services offered and business statistics. With Visme's data visualization tools , including charts and widgets, you can present data-driven reasons why potential customers should choose you over competitors.

4. Terminal Presentation Template

Enhance your software business presentations and make a strong impact with this sleek terminal template. Whether you want to showcase your business to investors or introduce new offerings to clients, this template is a great choice.

This example of a company profile boasts stylish gradients, clean icons and user-friendly layouts, ensuring a professional and modern impact on your audience. The gradient color scheme captures attention while maintaining readability.

With a detailed presentation of your company overview, innovative strategies, SWOT analysis and financial details , this template helps you to present a compelling presentation.

The best part? This design is entirely customizable, making it adaptable to any product or brand.

If you have trouble crafting content for various sections, utilize Visme's AI writer to generate well-written initial drafts based on your prompts. You can also effortlessly refine, summarize, or edit your content using this AI tool.

5. Colorful CMYK Presentation Template

Want to show the artsy, fun side of your business? Build your company profile with this colorful CMYK presentation template.

CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and key(black) and this presentation template boasts a vibrant and diverse color palette inspired by this color model. The sections in this template cover diverse topics, from company details to project highlights, all presented in a bold and visually cohesive manner.

You can infuse more fun into this presentation by integrating diverse animations , such as stylish text and object transitions, along with animated icons, illustrations, characters and gestures.

6. Rebel Presentation Template

This rebel presentation template is a befitting design for a company looking to break the mold and differentiate itself from the competition. The template features dark, intense hues, conveying a sense of rebellion and nonconformity, as well as striking, greenish-yellow graphics that symbolize freshness.

The sections covered in this template include about us, services offered, business channels, relevant quotes, stats and contact details.

Use subtle hover effects or clickable pop-ups to include additional information like testimonials and technical details without cluttering the page. You can also allow seamless navigation by linking contact buttons, social media icons, or websites directly to relevant pages using interactive links.

7. Tiffany Startup Presentation Template

Looking for a modern, sleek company profile template that can be used to present your startup to customers, clients and investors? This template fits the bill.

The template blends shades of blue, creating a calm and professional aesthetic. It also integrates striking stock photos and icons to enhance visual appeal and reinforce key messages. Utilize its sections to emphasize your company overview, values, mission, team members, services and more.

If you prefer to customize the visuals, explore Visme’s vast library of high-quality icons and stock photos to find the perfect fit for your needs. If you want to give your existing photos a professional look, utilize Visme’s AI Touch Up tool .

Choose the photo you'd like to improve, then click “Edit” on the top left bar to access a range of touch-up options such as upscale, unblur, erase and replace or remove unwanted background. ‘

Though this template was designed for startups, it can easily be customized for established businesses.

8. Sky Background Company Profile

Showcase your creative projects in a visually striking manner and make a lasting impression on clients or investors with this elegant template.

The template boasts a contemporary design, crisp layout and refined red color palette that makes a bold statement. Its engaging slides incorporate storytelling, guiding clients or investors on why your solution stands out and outshines alternatives.

Utilize this template to present your company's plans for the future, your services, financial performance, team members and more.

Use Visme’s Presenter Studio to record a custom presentation of your company profile for prospects, investors and busy executives.

Watch this video to learn how to record your presentations using Visme’s presenter studio.

9. Sleek Presentation Template

This business profile template is perfect for showcasing tech products, but it can be customized to demonstrate any other product or service your company provides.

Featuring a contrasting blue and white background cream backdrop, the template is stylish and appealing, retaining sufficient space for essential information. Visual aids such as images, icons, charts and graphs help you present your content in an organized and engaging way. While there is a clear focus on style and general appeal, the design is still business-oriented and professional.

To make this company profile even more appealing, put your creativity to good use with Visme’s AI image generator . The wizard turns your text prompts into images in different output styles, such as photos, paintings, pencil drawings, etc.

10. Stratagem Presentation

Share your company narrative detailing your organization's plans and strategies with this compelling presentation template.

This template maximizes visual aids like charts, icons and images to tell your story effectively while maintaining a clean design.

Provide an overview of your company, covering goals, business processes, teams, services, products and more using this versatile presentation template.

With Visme's user-friendly share and publish feature , effortlessly distribute your finalized company profile to your target audience in various formats, such as PDF, PPTX, MP4 and HTML5, or generate a shareable link.

Curious about your presentation's impact on investors or clients? Utilize Visme's analytics to track engagement metrics like unique visits, average viewing time, duration, IP addresses and more.

11. Tesla Corporate Presentation

Whether you're introducing your recently established company, proposing a business concept, or unveiling a new product, feature, or service, this template will help you make an impactful presentation.

Its dynamic blend of blue and white, paired with compelling visuals and bold icons, ensures your presentation captures attention.

The template includes dedicated sections for key elements such as company introduction, team members, SWOT analysis, your process, product samples, clients across locations, timeline, testimonials and more.

Manually entering all this information on multiple company profile pages can quickly become cumbersome. Utilize Visme's dynamic fields tool to easily update data across your company profile.

12. Neuro Presentation Template

This sleek and modern presentation template presents your innovative product or service in its best light. It features contrasting colors, captivating visuals and icons that enhance content and engage your audience effortlessly.

The best part of this template apart is its rich utilization of appealing data visualization tools like flowcharts, maps and pie charts, ensuring a clear and concise presentation of key statistics and figures.

Visme's collaboration feature allows team members to contribute to and review the consulting proposal individually or in real-time. The workflow tool enhances task management. You can easily assign tasks, set deadlines, monitor the progress of work and make corrections—all within a unified platform

Q. What Should a Company Profile Include?

A good company profile should provide a complete overview of the business. It should offer a written representation of the company and reflect everything it offers. It should include your company’s branding, history, culture and values; team members; products and services; contact information and testimonials. Be sure to include relevant numbers and dates.

Q. What Is the Basic Structure of a Company Profile?

The ideal company profile would have the following sections:

• Introduction: This section briefly introduces the company. It includes details such as the company's name and contact details.
• Mission and Vision Statement: You should clearly state the company's mission and vision and how these statements guide the company's actions in this section.
• Key Personnel: Introduce key team members, executives and leadership in this section. You can also include brief bios highlighting their roles.
• Products/Services: This section details the range of products or services you're offering. You can also highlight the unique selling points and competitive advantages.
• Clientele/Projects: Showcase major clients, successful collaborations and significant projects in this section.
• Financial Overview: Give a summary of your company's financial status, key financial indicators and growth trends in this section.
• Testimonials: This section should feature top customer reviews that resonate with your brand values and highlight your key benefits.
• Call to Action/Contact Information: Provide your contact details for further inquiries or partnerships.

Q. How Long Does It Take To Write a Company Profile?

To give an estimate, it can take anything from a few hours to several days, depending on the level of planning and coordination.

However, the time needed to write a company profile depends on several factors, such as whether you are starting from scratch or using a template, whether you already have the needed information on hand, the desired length of the profile, the complexity of the business, the level of detail required and the ease of collaboration between the team members involved.

A straightforward profile for a small business may be completed more quickly, while a detailed profile for a large corporation with multiple divisions might take longer.

Highlight the Best of Your Company with Visme

A company profile is a great way to market your business and communicate your company’s offerings. It is an incredible marketing tool that can help build and reinforce your company's brand identity and reputation.

Visme’s company profile templates are easy to customize and offer access to several built-in design assets to turn your company profile into the storytelling presentation it needs.

You'll also access a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge features, including an intuitive editor, collaboration tool, presenter tool, data visualizations and many more to enhance your creations.

Beyond company profiles, Visme empowers you to create professional business plans , marketing plans , video presentations , training materials and more.

Sign up for Visme to start creating impactful company profiles and business assets.

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About the Author

Olujinmi is a Content writer for Visme who creates human-first SEO content. She loves helping businesses smash their ROI goals with strategic content development and optimization. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her composing songs.

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8 million student-loan borrowers on Biden's new repayment plan just got more bad news after a federal court officially blocked cheaper payments and debt cancellation

• The 8th Circuit officially blocked the SAVE student-loan repayment plan in its entirety.
• It replaces its temporary stay on the plan from July, which paused cheaper payments and debt relief.
• Enrolled borrowers will likely be in limbo for long as the legal process progresses.

The legal roller coaster for millions of student-loan borrowers continues.

On Friday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals placed a preliminary injunction on President Joe Biden's SAVE income-driven repayment plan, intended to lower monthly payments and shorten the timeline for relief for the 8 million borrowers enrolled.

If this sounds familiar, that's because it is: on July 18, the 8th Circuit placed a temporary stay on the plan in response to a lawsuit led by Missouri's attorney general to block the plan from being implemented. This latest ruling replaces that stay, and it likely means that enrolled borrowers will be in limbo for longer as the legal process is carried out.

"Among the considerations here are that all borrowers currently impacted by our administrative stay are in administrative forbearance and thus not required to pay principal or interest on their loans, borrowers who have remained in PAYE and REPAYE plans are not impacted, and the States cannot turn back the clock on any loans that have already been forgiven," the 8th Circuit said in its ruling.

Education Sec. Miguel Cardona said in a Friday statement that the administration "strongly disagrees" with the ruling.

"If allowed to stand, this ruling would force millions of borrowers to pay hundreds of dollars more each month," he said. "And the decision's reasoning could also deny loan forgiveness to individuals who were expecting it after up to 25 years of faithful repayments. The ruling rejects a practice of providing loan forgiveness that goes back 30 years."

Related stories

As a result of the legal challenges, the department has already  placed all enrolled borrowers on administrative forbearance , during which the borrowers are not required to make any payments and interest will not accrue. Cardona said the forbearance will continue, and the department will provide "regular updates to borrowers affected by these rulings in the coming days."

Additionally, while the department confirmed this forbearance period would not count toward forgiveness progress for borrowers on Public Service Loan Forgiveness or income-driven repayment, it recently released guidance on other ways borrowers could still get credit , including switching to a new repayment plan.

Legal challenges to SAVE have been ongoing for months. Earlier this year, two separate groups of GOP state attorneys general filed lawsuits to block parts of the plan , leading two federal courts to place preliminary injunctions on the cheaper payments and debt relief. The 10th Circuit later granted Biden's request to stay one of the rulings, but the 8th Circuit ultimately halted the plan from being implemented in its entirety.

The back-and-forth has sparked confusion and stress among many borrowers who aren't sure what their finances will look like if SAVE is blocked. One borrower on SAVE previously told BI that he's worried he'll have to sell his house or get a second job if he no longer has access to cheaper payments under the plan.

"Right when my wife and I felt like we were in a position to start a family and start the next chapter of our lives, it feels like the rug got pulled out from underneath us because it sure seemed like the SAVE plan was something that we could rely on," he said.

Are you enrolled in SAVE? Share your story with this reporter at [email protected] .

Watch: Why student loans aren't canceled, and what Biden's going to do about it

• Main content

Filling Custom Fields During Creation of External Billing Document Requests via Spreadsheet Import

After completing this lesson, you will be able to understand use of custom fileds in External Billing Document Requests .

Custom Fields during Creation of External Billing Document Requests via Spreadsheet Import

Business example.

Business Role: Billing Clerk (SAP_BR_BILLING_CLERK)

John is a billing clerk who often uses the Manage Billing Document Requests app to create external billing document requests (EBDRs) by importing billable data from Microsoft Excel (*.xlsx) files. He later bills these EBDRs to create customer invoices.

At John's company, it's common practice to send a copy of the customer invoice to an additional external stakeholder (for example, the project lead). This is achieved by passing the e-mail address of this additional recipient in a custom field (YY1_EXT_SH_EMAIL_BDH) at billing document header level and using a dedicated BAdI implementation to automatically deliver the e-mail (containing the PDF invoice copy) during output processing.

Therefore, in the case of invoices created with reference to EBDRs, John needs a method for already filling the custom field in his EBDRs with the target e-mail address, so that the system can copy the e-mail address to the subsequent invoice.

As of SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2408, he can easily achieve this by enabling his custom field YY1_EXT_SH_EMAIL_BDH for the spreadsheet import of the Manage Billing Document Requests app. He can then provide the target e-mail addresses along with the other billing data, directly within the Microsoft Excel file that he imports to create the EBDRs.

When the data is imported, the e-mail address is added to the resulting EBDR at header level and passed to the subsequent invoice. During output processing, the output BAdI can then read the e-mail address and send an additional copy of the invoice to the external stakeholder.

In past releases, billing clerks could use the Create function in the Manage Billing Document Requests app to create EBDRs by importing billing data from Microsoft Excel files. However, it was not possible to import values for custom header and item fields that were added to EBDRs via the extensibility business contexts Sales: Billing Document and Sales: Billing Document Item.

As of SAP S/4HANA Cloud 2408, any custom field that has been enabled for the abovementioned business contexts (and is therefore included in all EBDRs at header or item level) can be filled via the import of billing data from Microsoft Excel files during EBDR creation. This is made possible by the custom fields being added as additional columns in the template file that is imported.

A key user who is assigned a business role containing the business catalog Extensibility - Custom Fields (SAP_CORE_BC_EXT_FLD) has created the custom fields that you want to fill during import of the Microsoft Excel file.

The custom fields must have been created in one of the following business contexts, depending on whether the custom fields should be at the header or item level of the EBDR:

• Sales: Billing Document (header level)
• Sales: Billing Document Item (item level)

• In the Custom Fields app, on the User Interfaces tab, a key user has enabled usage of the custom fields for Microsoft Excel Import for Creation of External Billing Document Requests and subsequently published them.
• After performing the above steps, you have downloaded the Microsoft Excel template for importing billing data into the system to create EBDRs. You can do this after choosing the Create button in the Manage Billing Document Requests app.

After the prerequisites on the previous slide are fulfilled and the field is published, proceed as follows to create new EBDRs that include your custom field values:

1. In the template file, when you enter the standard field data as described under Creating External Billing Document Requests via Spreadsheet Import on SAP Help Portal, also enter the values for your custom fields into the appropriate columns.

2. After you have finished entering all required data, use the import function of the Manage Billing Document Requests app to import the template file. After checking the preview, choose the Create button.

3. The system now creates one or more EBDRs containing the custom field values that you have provided. The next screen tells you the document numbers of the newly created EBDRs.

You can now view these new EBDRs in the Manage Billing Document Requests app and create billing documents for them in the Create Billing Documents app, where they have been added to the billing due list.

4. You can see that the custom field values have been successfully imported on, for example, the Custom Fields header tab of the Display Billing Document Requests app.

5. After creating the invoices, you can also see that the custom field values have been transferred to the invoice header (for example, in the Manage Billing Documents app).

For more information about creating EBDRs by importing billing data from Microsoft Excel files, refer to the following resources on SAP Help Portal:

How to Fill Custom Fields When Using the Spreadsheet Import

Manage Billing Document Requests (app)

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• Disaster recovery planning and management

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6 business continuity plan software providers to know

Business continuity planning software can help organizations create a plan that automates time-consuming processes and accounts for critical aspects such as regulatory compliance..

• Brien Posey

Developing a business continuity plan can be an overwhelming task, particularly for larger organizations. Business continuity plan software can help ease the process.

Business continuity encompasses the processes that get an organization back to normal operations after a disruption. Depending on the industry, the amount of downtime a business experiences can result in loss of reputation or even legal action from customers. Organizations can manually create business continuity plans , but might not want to risk the possibility of human error in a critical process.

Business continuity software does more than just outline the details that need to be included in an organization's planning effort. It can help identify key risks and existing single points of failure within the organization's operations. A good business continuity plan software package can help the organization maintain regulatory compliance as well as automate some of the more time-consuming tasks associated with the planning process, such as gathering data with a business impact analysis .

The sections below outline some of the more prominent software options for risk management. While some of these options might best be described as full-blown business continuity plan software suites, others focus on specific aspects of the business continuity planning process.

The following list is based on the writer's research and professional insights into the business continuity and disaster recovery market. In choosing featured vendors, the author focused on ease of use and range of features.

This list is unranked and published in alphabetical order.

Agility Recovery

Agility Recovery specializes in helping businesses acquire the resources they need in times of crisis. This might include replacement IT hardware or fuel for generators. In addition to business continuity testing and tabletop exercises, the company also offers Agility Planner.

Agility Planner is designed to be easy to use and helps organizations create a business continuity plan. Where possible, these plans are prepopulated, using the organization's own data, all with an eye toward maintaining compliance. A built-in reporting engine makes it easy to generate reports on the organization's emergency preparedness.

Agility Recovery does not publicly disclose pricing information.

Archer Engage might best be described as a collaborative platform that is geared toward risk management. The idea is that to be effective, risk management practices must be adopted throughout the organization, and Archer Engage provides a way for stakeholders to participate in the risk management process.

Risk management is all about balancing the potential financial impact of risks against the cost of mitigating those risks . Archer Engage provides decision-makers with information about the potential economic impact of various risks as well as an analysis of risk prevention options.

Archer does not publicly disclose pricing information.

Everbridge provides business continuity planning software, but also focuses on workforce safety, IT-related disruptions, physical security and public safety.

Everbridge provides options for developing business continuity plans, particularly for retail and manufacturing. Everbridge has designed its software so that business continuity plans become part of an end-to-end protective tool revolving around an interactive dashboard that provides risk intelligence. The company also offers a mass messaging feature designed to deliver notifications to employees who are affected by an incident.

Everbridge does not publicly disclose pricing information.

Fusion Risk Management

Fusion Risk Management provides risk management software options, but also focuses on operational resilience, third-party risk management, IT and security risks, crisis and incident management, and business continuity management.

The company's business continuity management software, Fusion Framework System, works by charting all of a business's processes. This helps the software map dependencies and identify business impact tolerances . The software also enables organizations to perform what-if analysis and various exercises as a way of improving operational resiliency . Recently, Fusion Risk Management also integrated generative AI-powered assistants as an additional tool that customers can use in the resilience planning process.

Fusion Risk Management does not publicly disclose pricing information.

LogicManager

LogicManager is designed to act as a comprehensive enterprise risk management suite. Business continuity is only one of the software's core functions. The software also helps with IT governance and cybersecurity, third-party risk management, compliance, internal audit management, financial controls and HR risk management. Users can manage all these areas through a central risk management hub.

Because LogicManager is designed for enterprise use, risks can be defined on a per-location basis; for example, an organization might have one location that is especially prone to flooding. LogicManager also provides native integration with more than 500 business applications, making it easier to work with an organization's existing data.

LogicManager does not publicly disclose pricing information, but the company does offer a 90-day free trial.

Riskonnect Business Continuity Management software is designed to assist organizations with disaster readiness.

Riskonnect's software is based around a series of KPIs and enables businesses to experiment with various what-if models. Perhaps more importantly, Riskonnect detects hidden vulnerabilities that an organization has not addressed. It also automates the review, update and approval cycle. This process is critical, since without regular reviews, business continuity plans quickly become outdated.

Riskonnect does not publicly disclose pricing information.

Brien Posey is a 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America.

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