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Business development plan template free download

Below is a complete, ready-to-use Business Development Plan template you can copy into Google Docs or Word right now, plus the best free download sources for formatted versions (Excel, PDF, PPT).

🎯 IMMEDIATE ACTION: Copy-This-Now Template

Copy the structure below into a blank document. Fill in each bracketed section:

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLAN [Company Name] | [Year/Quarter] Prepared by: [Name] | Date: [Date] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • Current revenue: $[Amount] • Target revenue: $[Amount] (+[%]) • Primary growth focus: [New markets / New products / Partnerships / Channel expansion] • Key metric to move: [Pipeline value / Lead conversion / Deal size] MARKET ANALYSIS (The "Where") • Target Industry/Sector: [Specific niche] • Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): [Company size, revenue, location, pain points] • Total Addressable Market (TAM): $[Amount] • Top 3 Competitors & Their Weaknesses: 1. [Competitor]: [Gap you fill] 2. [Competitor]: [Gap you fill] 3. [Competitor]: [Gap you fill] GROWTH STRATEGIES (The "How") Choose 2-3 primary levers: □ Partnerships/Strategic Alliances: [Types of partners] □ New Market Entry: [Geographic or vertical expansion] □ Product Line Extension: [New offerings] □ Channel Development: [Resellers, affiliates, online] □ Account Penetration: [Upsell/cross-sell to existing clients] TACTICAL ACTION PLAN (The "What") | Initiative | Owner | Deadline | Budget | Success Metric | |------------|-------|----------|---------|----------------| | [e.g., Launch partner program] | [Name] | [Date] | $[Amount] | [5 signed partners] | | [e.g., Trade show tour] | [Name] | [Date] | $[Amount] | [200 leads] | PIPELINE TARGETS • Leads needed per month: [Number] • Conversion rate target: [%] • Average deal size target: $[Amount] • Sales cycle target: [Days] RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS • New hires: [Roles] • Technology/Tools: [CRM, automation, etc.] • Marketing support: [Collateral, case studies] RISK MITIGATION • Risk: [e.g., Long sales cycles] → Mitigation: [Pilot program strategy] • Risk: [e.g., Competitor response] → Mitigation: [Differentiation focus] 90-DAY SPRINT PRIORITIES Q1 Focus: [Specific, measurable objective] • Month 1: [Action] • Month 2: [Action] • Month 3: [Action] Review Date: [Weekly/Monthly check-in]

đź“Ą FREE DOWNLOAD SOURCES (Formatted Templates)

If you need pre-formatted Excel calculators or designed PDFs:

  1. SCORE.org (U.S. Small Business Association)

    • What you get: Comprehensive Word doc + Excel financial projections
    • Best for: Traditional businesses seeking funding
    • Link: Search "SCORE business planning templates"

  2. HubSpot Free Business Templates

    • What you get: PowerPoint pitch deck + Excel pipeline tracker + Word plan
    • Best for: B2B companies, SaaS, agencies
    • Bonus: Includes sales email sequences

  3. Bplans by LivePlan

    • What you get: Industry-specific templates (restaurant, retail, services)
    • Best for: First-time entrepreneurs needing examples

  4. Microsoft Office / Google Workspace Galleries

    • Search "Business Development" in template galleries
    • Pro tip: Look for the "Go-to-Market Strategy" templates—they're essentially BD plans with timelines

  5. Canva Business Strategy Templates

    • What you get: Visual one-page strategic plans
    • Best for: Sharing with teams/boards (not operational detail)

🚀 STEP-BY-STEP IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE

Week 1: Research & Baseline

  • Audit last 12 months: Where did your best clients actually come from? (Referrals? Cold outreach? Events?)
  • Interview 3-5 existing customers: "How did you find us?" and "What nearly made you choose a competitor?"
  • Define your "Beachhead Market"—the smallest viable niche you can dominate first

Week 2: Strategy Selection

  • Pick one primary growth lever (don't try all 5 at once)
  • Calculate backwards: If you need $100K new revenue and average deal is $10K, you need 10 deals. At 20% close rate, you need 50 proposals. At 10% meeting conversion, you need 500 leads.
  • Set "Kill criteria"—metrics that tell you to pivot after 90 days if not met

Week 3: Asset Creation

  • Build your "BD Kit": One-pager, case study template, email sequences, partnership pitch deck
  • Set up CRM pipeline stages specific to your BD process (e.g., "Intro Call → Needs Analysis → Partnership Terms → Legal → Signed")

Week 4: Execution Rhythm

  • Block calendar: 2 hours every Monday for BD activity (non-negotiable)
  • Create weekly scorecard: # of outreach attempts, # of meetings, pipeline value added
  • Schedule monthly plan review to adjust tactics

⚠️ CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

Avoid these common failures:

  • The "Everything" Trap: Don't list 20 tactics. Choose 3 and execute them relentlessly.
  • Activity ≠ Results: Track outcomes (revenue), not just inputs (calls made).
  • Solo BD Efforts: Business development requires cross-functional support (marketing for collateral, product for technical reviews, legal for contracts). Get buy-in upfront.

Quick Win Tactic: Start with the "Low-Hanging Fruit Audit." Before chasing new markets, list your top 20 existing clients. Can you:

  • Renew/extend contracts early?
  • Sell adjacent services?
  • Get introductions to their peers?

This often generates 30% of BD revenue with 10% of the effort.

đź’ˇ NEXT STEPS TO CUSTOMIZE THIS

To make this template specific to your situation, I need to know:

  1. What industry/stage are you in? (Early startup vs. established SME vs. corporate new division)
  2. Is your BD focus on partnerships/alliances or direct sales growth? (These require different metrics and timelines)
  3. Do you have a specific revenue target or deadline driving this plan?

Or tell me: Are you struggling most with finding opportunities, converting them, or scaling the process? I can tailor the tactical sections accordingly.

Ready to start? Open a blank doc, paste the template above, and fill in just the Executive Summary and one 90-day sprint. That 30-minute exercise will put you ahead of 80% of businesses that operate without a plan.

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