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Graphic Design Business Plan

Start your own graphic design business plan

The Metolius Agency

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

The Metolius Agency is a Eugene, Ore. based graphic design and visual communications firm.  Metolius will be concentrating on corporate identity of established companies.  The targeted customer is a small- to medium-size company that has been established for five to 15 years.  The company has done well with the business so far, but they are in need of a new corporate identity to allow them to move to the next level.

Metolius will operate out of a small office in the downtown area.  For months one through seven, Kiev Lartiste will be the sole employee.  By month seven, Kiev will be hiring an assistant to help with design work as well as administrative details.

Metolius will offer companies a fresh perspective regarding corporate identity and visual communication.  Kiev has a unique background where he has business skills and creative skills.  Most firms come solely from creative backgrounds.  While this is useful for the crafting of logos and other devices of visual communication, it lacks the intuitive business mindset that Kiev brings to the firm.  This competitive edge allows Kiev to bring both an aesthetic design focus as well as a practical, quantitative mindset that adds value to the service offerings by creating solutions that have both creative elements combined with rational, business ideas.  This is useful since the clients are more business oriented.

Metolius will grow their customer base by providing clients with well-priced projects due to reasonably low overhead, creative, practical designs that add more value than competing graphical art firms, and superior customer attention.  The Metolius Agency will reach profitability by month nine and generate $27,347 in profits by year three. 

Graphic design business plan, executive summary chart image

1.1 Objectives

The objectives for the first three years of operation include:

  • To develop a start-up graphics agency that will grow to profitability within year two.
  • To create a company whose primary goal is to exceed customer’s expectations.
  • To create a firm that provides the target customers with valuable services and provides the owner with a flexible, creative, fun, and profitable business opportunity.

1.2 Mission

The Metolius Agency’s mission is to provide the customer with creative and practical graphic design work and visual communication services.  We exist to attract and maintain customers.  When we adhere to this maxim, everything else will fall into place.  Our services will exceed the expectations of our customers.

1.3 Keys to Success

The keys to success are:

  • Professionalism
  • Practical insight
  • Enjoyment of the experience

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

The Metolius Agency is a start-up graphics firm that serves small- to medium-sized companies.  The firm will be based in Eugene, Ore. and will operate from a small, downtown office.

2.1 Company Ownership

The Metolius Agency is a sole proprietorship owned and operated by Kiev Lartiste.

2.2 Start-up Summary

The Metolius Agency will incur the following start-up costs:

  • Assorted office furniture including two filing cabinets, two work desks, a couch and two chairs for the waiting area, a round table with chairs, and assorted fixtures for the office.
  • Two computers, each with 21″ monitors, graphic tablet, black and white laser printer, inkjet color printer, scanner, CD-RW, and the following software: Illustrator, Freehand, Quark, Photoshop, Font Management Utilities, Traffic Office Manager (a scheduling and billing software), and Microsoft Project.
  • Development of the website which will include design time by Kiev and implementation from a University of Oregon computer science graduate student.
  • A current library of requisite magazines and journals.
  • A DSL connection.
  • Assorted office supplies.
  • Stationary and brochures.
  • Legal fees regarding business formation, creation of standard client contracts, and other general advice.

Please note that the following items which are considered assets to be used for more than a year will be labeled long-term assets and will be depreciated using G.A.A.P. approved straight-line depreciation method.

Graphic design business plan, company summary chart image

Start-up Funding
Start-up Expenses to Fund $1,000
Start-up Assets to Fund $42,000
Total Funding Required $43,000
Assets
Non-cash Assets from Start-up $19,800
Cash Requirements from Start-up $22,200
Additional Cash Raised $0
Cash Balance on Starting Date $22,200
Total Assets $42,000
Liabilities and Capital
Liabilities
Current Borrowing $0
Long-term Liabilities $0
Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) $0
Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) $0
Total Liabilities $0
Capital
Planned Investment
Kiev $43,000
Investor 2 $0
Other $0
Additional Investment Requirement $0
Total Planned Investment $43,000
Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) ($1,000)
Total Capital $42,000
Total Capital and Liabilities $42,000
Total Funding $43,000
Start-up
Requirements
Start-up Expenses
Legal $500
Stationery etc. $250
Brochures $250
Other $0
Total Start-up Expenses $1,000
Start-up Assets
Cash Required $22,200
Other Current Assets $0
Long-term Assets $19,800
Total Assets $42,000
Total Requirements $43,000

The Metolius Agency provides graphic design and visual communication services to established, primarily Eugene-based, companies.  Some of the services offered are corporate identity, marquees, logos, branding, and packaging. 

The pricing of the projects are typically estimated as a project-based cost.  The project cost will be estimated by the approximate number of hours needed to complete the project.  Generally, Kiev will be charging $75 an hour for his services.

The majority of services will be provided at The Metolius Agency’s office space.  This office will be modern, practical, and sleek.  This is very important because the office of a graphic designer is to a large degree a piece of their portfolio and reflects their work product.  Therefore, a decent amount of money will be used to develop a proper appearing business office.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

The Metolius Agency will be targeting small- to medium-sized companies.  What these companies have in common is they have started as a small company with a good idea and have grown into a larger, more mature company that must now decide if they are going to maintain the current business strategy, or reinvigorate the company, employ professional service providers, and move to the next level.

4.1 Market Segmentation

The Metolius Agency has two distinct customer groups which they will concentrate on:

  • Small-size companies: typically five to 15 employees
  • Medium-size companies: 15 to 40 employees

These companies started with a valuable concept and leveraged their original grassroots visual communication elements. Now that they have matured into a larger company, they can no longer rely on the original grassroots corporate identity. These companies are in need of a professional firm like The Metolius Agency to expand their identify and take them to that same level as their competitors and be able to compete.

Graphic design business plan, market analysis summary chart image

Market Analysis
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Potential Customers Growth CAGR
Small companies 8% 234 253 273 295 319 8.05%
Medium companies 7% 145 155 166 178 190 6.99%
Total 7.65% 379 408 439 473 509 7.65%

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

The market segments will be targeted in a number of different ways.  It must be noted that graphics firms generate visibility and sales not through advertising, but through networking and client referrals.  The methods used for the target market segment strategy will be:

  • Networking. The networking will be based on leveraging Kiev’s personal and professional relationships that he has developed after spending years in the industry.  Ways of networking include sending out notecards to all acquaintances announcing the opening of The Metolius Agency, periodically meeting with people to catch up–as well to continue to network which means to find out who this person knows within the target companies that Metolius will try to turn into customers. 
  • Client referral. A lot of business is derived through referrals.  Some of the referrals will come through the Chamber of Commerce, some of the referrals will come from customers.  Recognizing that referrals will be a good source of new customers, Kiev will be in constant contact with the Chamber.  In addition to being in contact with them, Kiev will investigate the possibility of doing a small project pro bono for the Chamber.  This will be done to let the Chamber view an example of The Metolius Agency’s work.  It will also provide a reason for the Chamber to recommend The Metolius Agency.  Kiev will work very hard to satisfy all of his customers.  By making sure that he exceeds their expectations, he will increase the likelihood that he will receive referrals from satisfied customers.
  • Targeted customer acquisition. This is the researching and strategic formulation to attract a chosen company to become a customer.  Kiev will put together a list of 20-30 companies that would be excellent customers.  Once these companies have been identified, Kiev will devise a strategy to target these companies as customers by initially determining what value Metolius can offer them. Eventually, the goal is to be able to meet with the decision maker of the company and present them with a portfolio of Kiev’s past work as well as the proposed value Kiev can offer them.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

Pro Tip:

Within the last seven to 10 years, there has been a trend in the industry for the general advertising agencies, that previously only worked with advertising, to act as a full-service agency that not only prepares advertisements, but also does a lot of the creative work in-house instead of outsourcing it.  This trend toward full-service agencies has continued.  To a large degree it is occurring due to higher profit margins for the service providers.  The Metolius Agency will be bucking this trend and concentrating on their specific skill set.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

The following are examples of the different types of competitors:

  • Large advertising agencies: over the years these firms have increased their number of service offerings from selling media forms of advertising, to a full-service company that develops creative work in-house, working with companies to develop corporate identity, etc.
  • Freelance designers: these competitors are similar to Kiev because they are typically a one-man operation, often operating out of their own home.  Often the freelance designers are just getting into the business and are trying to get experience, or they have left a firm in search of a more flexible lifestyle.  Some freelance designers are well experienced and can offer the same professional level of quality the large agencies offer.
  • Kinko’s: while Kinko’s is not a true competitor, it is a substitute competitor that should be mentioned. Kinko’s stores do not have a true creative department, but for some of the larger accounts, it offers free creative services as a value-added feature to the larger customer.  These services are typically provided by an employee who has introductory or intermediate skills using graphic design software such as Quark or Freehand, and in a small amount of time can generate creative images for the client.  These services are typically not billed but used as a value-added benefit.  While the price is quite good, the customer must recognize the fact that these services are not on par with a professional agency.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

The Metolius Agency’s marketing and sales strategy will utilize networking and referrals to develop visibility for the company.  Prospective customers will be turned into qualified sales through a professional showing that displays Kiev’s portfolio of past work.  The portfolio is key for making a positive impression regarding Kiev which illustrates his skill set and capacity as a creative designer.

5.1 Marketing Strategy

As noted previously in the target market segment strategy, The Metolius Agency will rely on three activities in their marketing efforts.  These include:

  • Networking: leveraging relationships to build more relationships within Eugene’s relatively intimate community.
  • Client referral: by providing outstanding customer attention, current customers are more likely to become a long-term customer and are more likely to refer their friends.
  • Targeted customer acquisition: the first step of this process is to target who the ideal customer is, determine how Metolius can offer them value, and then network to come into contact with the decision maker at that company.

5.2 Sales Strategy

The sales strategy will be to utilize Kiev’s portfolio of past work to qualify a sales lead.  Using a portfolio is very common within the industry to show past examples of work.  Kiev’s strategy will be the development of several different portfolios, each one customized to a specific type of work.  By having different portfolios, Kiev is able to better illustrate his proficiency with that specific skill set.  In addition to the use of the portfolio, Kiev will do research on the prospective company and their industry so that he has specific knowledge of the needs the company may have and solutions that he can offer.

5.2.1 Sales Forecast

The first month of operation will be used to get the office set up and ready for business.  Some of the time will be working with the interior designers to create a modern looking office space.

Months two through four will be somewhat slow as Kiev is developing clients. He is forecasted to take on some smaller projects.  By month five Metolius will have developed larger projects and will continue to grow steadily.

Graphic design business plan, strategy and implementation summary chart image

Sales Forecast
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Sales
Small companies $29,339 $50,697 $58,849
Medium companies $40,058 $74,554 $86,543
Total Sales $69,397 $125,251 $145,392
Direct Cost of Sales Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Small companies $880 $1,521 $1,765
Medium companies $1,202 $2,237 $2,596
Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $2,082 $3,758 $4,362

5.3 Milestones

The Metolius Agency will have several milestones early on:

  • Business plan completion
  • Office set up
  • Establishment of the first major account
  • Profitability

Graphic design business plan, strategy and implementation summary chart image

Milestones
Milestone Start Date End Date Budget Manager Department
Business plan completion 1/1/2001 2/1/2001 $0 ABC Marketing
Office set up 1/1/2001 2/1/2001 $0 ABC Department
Establishment of the first major account 1/1/2001 5/15/2001 $0 ABC Department
Profitability 1/1/2001 9/31/01 $0 ABC Department
Totals $0

5.4 Competitive Edge

The Metolius Agency’s competitive edge is based on Kiev’s diverse background of business and creativity.  Typically, most creative agencies are staffed by right-brain creative types.  These people are extremely aesthetically oriented.  While this is certainly an asset in the field of graphic design, it can be limiting because while their work might be extremely creative, it might not “hit home” with non-creative types which make up a large portion in the business world.

Kiev’s background is based both in aesthetics and business.  While Kiev always had a creative streak that he would use, his education was business oriented. This competitive edge allows The Metolius Agency to offer similar creative services other firms can offer, but also provide a unique business perspective.

Web Plan Summary

The website will be used as a way to disseminate information regarding the firm, show past examples of work, provide the interested party will several ways of contacting The Metolius Agency.  In today’s day and age, a website is almost a given, a standard source of information regarding the company.

6.1 Website Marketing Strategy

The marketing strategy for the website will be based on inclusion of the Internet address in all materials that The Metolius Agency releases, as well as submission to popular websites.  Submission to search engines is an art in itself as different search engines work in different ways so a customized submission is most effective.

6.2 Development Requirements

A graduate student from the University of Oregon’s computer science department will be used for the development (writing the code, Kiev will be responsible for the creative work) of the website as well as the periodic maintenance of the site.  A graduate student will be used because of their expertise and typical below market rate.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

Upon graduation, Kiev went to work for Wieden & Kennedy in Portland.  This was a wonderful experience as Kiev was surrounded by very bright, creative people.  Kiev was given small projects, usually components of larger projects.  While this was a good experience, he was unable to leverage his business skills under these circumstances.

After three years Kiev moved to Eugene and took a position with (name omitted), a large full-service advertising agency.  The firm gave Kiev more management responsibility for his projects. After the third year, Kiev felt confident enough to entertain the idea of going out on his own and opening his own firm.  After market research and writing a business plan, Kiev gave notice and opened up The Metolius Agency.

7.1 Personnel Plan

Kiev will be the sole employee through month seven at which time he will hire an assistant to help out with design execution, as well as some of the administrative details.

Personnel Plan
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Kiev $42,000 $42,000 $42,000
Assistant $17,280 $34,560 $34,560
Total People 2 2 2
Total Payroll $59,280 $76,560 $76,560

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The following sections will outline important financial information.

8.1 Important Assumptions

The following table details important financial assumptions.

General Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Plan Month 1 2 3
Current Interest Rate 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%
Long-term Interest Rate 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%
Tax Rate 30.00% 30.00% 30.00%
Other 0 0 0

8.2 Break-even Analysis

The Break-even Analysis indicates that approximately $7,000 will be needed in monthly revenue to reach the break-even point.

Graphic design business plan, financial plan chart image

Break-even Analysis
Monthly Revenue Break-even $7,053
Assumptions:
Average Percent Variable Cost 3%
Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $6,841

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table will indicate projected profit and loss.

Graphic design business plan, financial plan chart image

Pro Forma Profit and Loss
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Sales $69,397 $125,251 $145,392
Direct Cost of Sales $2,082 $3,758 $4,362
Other Production Expenses $0 $0 $0
Total Cost of Sales $2,082 $3,758 $4,362
Gross Margin $67,316 $121,493 $141,030
Gross Margin % 97.00% 97.00% 97.00%
Expenses
Payroll $59,280 $76,560 $76,560
Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $2,820 $2,820 $2,820
Depreciation $2,400 $2,400 $2,400
Website maintenance $600 $600 $600
Insurance $900 $900 $900
Rent $7,200 $7,200 $7,200
Payroll Taxes $8,892 $11,484 $11,484
Other $0 $0 $0
Total Operating Expenses $82,092 $101,964 $101,964
Profit Before Interest and Taxes ($14,776) $19,529 $39,066
EBITDA ($12,376) $21,929 $41,466
Interest Expense $0 $0 $0
Taxes Incurred $0 $5,859 $11,720
Net Profit ($14,776) $13,670 $27,347
Net Profit/Sales -21.29% 10.91% 18.81%

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

The following chart and table will indicate projected cash flow.

Graphic design business plan, financial plan chart image

Pro Forma Cash Flow
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Cash Received
Cash from Operations
Cash Sales $69,397 $125,251 $145,392
Subtotal Cash from Operations $69,397 $125,251 $145,392
Additional Cash Received
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received $0 $0 $0
New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0
New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0
New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0
Sales of Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0
Sales of Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0
New Investment Received $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Cash Received $69,397 $125,251 $145,392
Expenditures Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Expenditures from Operations
Cash Spending $59,280 $76,560 $76,560
Bill Payments $20,322 $32,111 $38,554
Subtotal Spent on Operations $79,602 $108,671 $115,114
Additional Cash Spent
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out $0 $0 $0
Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0
Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0
Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0
Purchase Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0
Purchase Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0
Dividends $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Cash Spent $79,602 $108,671 $115,114
Net Cash Flow ($10,205) $16,580 $30,278
Cash Balance $11,995 $28,575 $58,853

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table will indicate the projected balance sheet.

Pro Forma Balance Sheet
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Assets
Current Assets
Cash $11,995 $28,575 $58,853
Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0
Total Current Assets $11,995 $28,575 $58,853
Long-term Assets
Long-term Assets $19,800 $19,800 $19,800
Accumulated Depreciation $2,400 $4,800 $7,200
Total Long-term Assets $17,400 $15,000 $12,600
Total Assets $29,395 $43,575 $71,453
Liabilities and Capital Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable $2,172 $2,681 $3,213
Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0
Other Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Current Liabilities $2,172 $2,681 $3,213
Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0
Total Liabilities $2,172 $2,681 $3,213
Paid-in Capital $43,000 $43,000 $43,000
Retained Earnings ($1,000) ($15,776) ($2,106)
Earnings ($14,776) $13,670 $27,347
Total Capital $27,224 $40,894 $68,240
Total Liabilities and Capital $29,395 $43,575 $71,453
Net Worth $27,224 $40,894 $68,240

8.6 Business Ratios

The following table compares standard business ratios with the Standard Industry Code #7336, Graphic Design Services.

Ratio Analysis
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Industry Profile
Sales Growth 0.00% 80.48% 16.08% 9.02%
Percent of Total Assets
Other Current Assets 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 52.57%
Total Current Assets 40.81% 65.58% 82.37% 76.45%
Long-term Assets 59.19% 34.42% 17.63% 23.55%
Total Assets 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Current Liabilities 7.39% 6.15% 4.50% 34.45%
Long-term Liabilities 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 23.62%
Total Liabilities 7.39% 6.15% 4.50% 58.07%
Net Worth 92.61% 93.85% 95.50% 41.93%
Percent of Sales
Sales 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Gross Margin 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 100.00%
Selling, General & Administrative Expenses 118.29% 86.09% 78.19% 77.05%
Advertising Expenses 1.47% 0.81% 0.70% 1.42%
Profit Before Interest and Taxes -21.29% 15.59% 26.87% 0.83%
Main Ratios
Current 5.52 10.66 18.32 1.51
Quick 5.52 10.66 18.32 1.13
Total Debt to Total Assets 7.39% 6.15% 4.50% 66.33%
Pre-tax Return on Net Worth -54.28% 47.76% 57.25% 2.06%
Pre-tax Return on Assets -50.27% 44.82% 54.67% 6.12%
Additional Ratios Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Net Profit Margin -21.29% 10.91% 18.81% n.a
Return on Equity -54.28% 33.43% 40.07% n.a
Activity Ratios
Accounts Payable Turnover 10.36 12.17 12.17 n.a
Payment Days 27 27 28 n.a
Total Asset Turnover 2.36 2.87 2.03 n.a
Debt Ratios
Debt to Net Worth 0.08 0.07 0.05 n.a
Current Liab. to Liab. 1.00 1.00 1.00 n.a
Liquidity Ratios
Net Working Capital $9,824 $25,894 $55,640 n.a
Interest Coverage 0.00 0.00 0.00 n.a
Additional Ratios
Assets to Sales 0.42 0.35 0.49 n.a
Current Debt/Total Assets 7% 6% 4% n.a
Acid Test 5.52 10.66 18.32 n.a
Sales/Net Worth 2.55 3.06 2.13 n.a
Dividend Payout 0.00 0.00 0.00 n.a
Sales Forecast
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Sales
Small companies 0% $0 $600 $1,500 $1,360 $1,820 $2,296 $2,811 $3,240 $3,558 $3,769 $3,936 $4,450
Medium companies 0% $0 $0 $0 $2,000 $2,676 $3,376 $4,134 $4,765 $5,232 $5,543 $5,788 $6,544
Total Sales $0 $600 $1,500 $3,360 $4,496 $5,672 $6,945 $8,005 $8,790 $9,312 $9,724 $10,994
Direct Cost of Sales Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Small companies $0 $18 $45 $41 $55 $69 $84 $97 $107 $113 $118 $133
Medium companies $0 $0 $0 $60 $80 $101 $124 $143 $157 $166 $174 $196
Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $0 $18 $45 $101 $135 $170 $208 $240 $264 $279 $292 $330
Personnel Plan
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Kiev 0% $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500
Assistant 0% $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $2,880 $2,880 $2,880 $2,880 $2,880 $2,880
Total People 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2
Total Payroll $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380
General Assumptions
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Plan Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Current Interest Rate 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%
Long-term Interest Rate 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00% 10.00%
Tax Rate 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00%
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pro Forma Profit and Loss
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Sales $0 $600 $1,500 $3,360 $4,496 $5,672 $6,945 $8,005 $8,790 $9,312 $9,724 $10,994
Direct Cost of Sales $0 $18 $45 $101 $135 $170 $208 $240 $264 $279 $292 $330
Other Production Expenses $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Cost of Sales $0 $18 $45 $101 $135 $170 $208 $240 $264 $279 $292 $330
Gross Margin $0 $582 $1,455 $3,259 $4,361 $5,502 $6,737 $7,765 $8,526 $9,033 $9,432 $10,664
Gross Margin % 0.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00% 97.00%
Expenses
Payroll $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380
Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235 $235
Depreciation $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200
Website maintenance $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50
Insurance $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75 $75
Rent $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600
Payroll Taxes 15% $525 $525 $525 $525 $525 $525 $957 $957 $957 $957 $957 $957
Other $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Operating Expenses $5,185 $5,185 $5,185 $5,185 $5,185 $5,185 $8,497 $8,497 $8,497 $8,497 $8,497 $8,497
Profit Before Interest and Taxes ($5,185) ($4,603) ($3,730) ($1,926) ($824) $317 ($1,760) ($732) $29 $536 $935 $2,167
EBITDA ($4,985) ($4,403) ($3,530) ($1,726) ($624) $517 ($1,560) ($532) $229 $736 $1,135 $2,367
Interest Expense $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Taxes Incurred $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Net Profit ($5,185) ($4,603) ($3,730) ($1,926) ($824) $317 ($1,760) ($732) $29 $536 $935 $2,167
Net Profit/Sales 0.00% -767.17% -248.67% -57.32% -18.33% 5.58% -25.34% -9.14% 0.33% 5.75% 9.62% 19.71%
Pro Forma Cash Flow
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Cash Received
Cash from Operations
Cash Sales $0 $600 $1,500 $3,360 $4,496 $5,672 $6,945 $8,005 $8,790 $9,312 $9,724 $10,994
Subtotal Cash from Operations $0 $600 $1,500 $3,360 $4,496 $5,672 $6,945 $8,005 $8,790 $9,312 $9,724 $10,994
Additional Cash Received
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received 0.00% $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Sales of Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Sales of Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
New Investment Received $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Cash Received $0 $600 $1,500 $3,360 $4,496 $5,672 $6,945 $8,005 $8,790 $9,312 $9,724 $10,994
Expenditures Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Expenditures from Operations
Cash Spending $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $3,500 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380 $6,380
Bill Payments $50 $1,486 $1,504 $1,532 $1,587 $1,621 $1,671 $2,126 $2,158 $2,181 $2,197 $2,210
Subtotal Spent on Operations $3,550 $4,986 $5,004 $5,032 $5,087 $5,121 $8,051 $8,506 $8,538 $8,561 $8,577 $8,590
Additional Cash Spent
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Purchase Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Purchase Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Dividends $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Cash Spent $3,550 $4,986 $5,004 $5,032 $5,087 $5,121 $8,051 $8,506 $8,538 $8,561 $8,577 $8,590
Net Cash Flow ($3,550) ($4,386) ($3,504) ($1,672) ($591) $551 ($1,106) ($501) $252 $751 $1,147 $2,404
Cash Balance $18,651 $14,265 $10,761 $9,089 $8,498 $9,049 $7,943 $7,442 $7,693 $8,444 $9,592 $11,995
Pro Forma Balance Sheet
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Assets Starting Balances
Current Assets
Cash $22,200 $18,651 $14,265 $10,761 $9,089 $8,498 $9,049 $7,943 $7,442 $7,693 $8,444 $9,592 $11,995
Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Current Assets $22,200 $18,651 $14,265 $10,761 $9,089 $8,498 $9,049 $7,943 $7,442 $7,693 $8,444 $9,592 $11,995
Long-term Assets
Long-term Assets $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800 $19,800
Accumulated Depreciation $0 $200 $400 $600 $800 $1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,600 $1,800 $2,000 $2,200 $2,400
Total Long-term Assets $19,800 $19,600 $19,400 $19,200 $19,000 $18,800 $18,600 $18,400 $18,200 $18,000 $17,800 $17,600 $17,400
Total Assets $42,000 $38,251 $33,665 $29,961 $28,089 $27,298 $27,649 $26,343 $25,642 $25,693 $26,244 $27,192 $29,395
Liabilities and Capital Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9 Month 10 Month 11 Month 12
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable $0 $1,436 $1,453 $1,479 $1,533 $1,566 $1,600 $2,055 $2,085 $2,108 $2,123 $2,135 $2,172
Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Other Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Subtotal Current Liabilities $0 $1,436 $1,453 $1,479 $1,533 $1,566 $1,600 $2,055 $2,085 $2,108 $2,123 $2,135 $2,172
Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Liabilities $0 $1,436 $1,453 $1,479 $1,533 $1,566 $1,600 $2,055 $2,085 $2,108 $2,123 $2,135 $2,172
Paid-in Capital $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000 $43,000
Retained Earnings ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000) ($1,000)
Earnings $0 ($5,185) ($9,788) ($13,518) ($15,444) ($16,268) ($15,951) ($17,712) ($18,444) ($18,415) ($17,879) ($16,944) ($14,776)
Total Capital $42,000 $36,815 $32,212 $28,482 $26,556 $25,732 $26,049 $24,288 $23,556 $23,585 $24,121 $25,056 $27,224
Total Liabilities and Capital $42,000 $38,251 $33,665 $29,961 $28,089 $27,298 $27,649 $26,343 $25,642 $25,693 $26,244 $27,192 $29,395
Net Worth $42,000 $36,815 $32,212 $28,482 $26,556 $25,732 $26,049 $24,288 $23,556 $23,585 $24,121 $25,056 $27,224

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Free PDF Business Plan Templates and Samples

By Joe Weller | September 9, 2020

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We’ve gathered the most useful collection of business plan PDF templates and samples, including options for organizations of any size and type.

On this page, you’ll find free PDF templates for a simple business plan , small business plan , startup business plan , and more.

Simple Business Plan PDF Templates

These simple business plan PDF templates are ready to use and customizable to fit the needs of any organization.

Simple Business Plan Template PDF

Simple Business Plan Template

This template contains a traditional business plan layout to help you map out each aspect, from a company overview to sales projections and a marketing strategy. This template includes a table of contents, as well as space for financing details that startups looking for funding may need to provide. 

Download Simple Business Plan Template - PDF

Lean Business Plan Template PDF

Lean Business Plan Template

This scannable business plan template allows you to easily identify the most important elements of your plan. Use this template to outline key details pertaining to your business and industry, product or service offerings, target customer segments (and channels to reach them), and to identify sources of revenue. There is also space to include key performance metrics and a timeline of activities. 

Download Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

Simple 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template PDF

Simple 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

This template is designed to help you develop and implement a 90-day business plan by breaking it down into manageable chunks of time. Use the space provided to detail your main goals and deliverables for each timeframe, and then add the steps necessary to achieve your objectives. Assign task ownership and enter deadlines to ensure your plan stays on track every step of the way.

Download Simple 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

PDF | Smartsheet

One-Page Business Plan PDF Templates

The following single page business plan templates are designed to help you download your key ideas on paper, and can be used to create a pitch document to gain buy-in from partners, investors, and stakeholders.

One-Page Business Plan Template PDF

design agency business plan pdf

Use this one-page template to summarize each aspect of your business concept in a clear and concise manner. Define the who, what, why, and how of your idea, and use the space at the bottom to create a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) for your business. 

Download One-Page Business Plan Template

If you’re looking for a specific type of analysis, check out our collection of SWOT templates .

One-Page Lean Business Plan PDF

One Page Lean Business Plan Template

This one-page business plan template employs the Lean management concept, and encourages you to focus on the key assumptions of your business idea. A Lean plan is not stagnant, so update it as goals and objectives change — the visual timeline at the bottom is ideal for detailing milestones. 

Download One-Page Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

One Page 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

Use this business plan template to identify main goals and outline the necessary activities to achieve those goals in 30, 60, and 90-day increments. Easily customize this template to fit your needs while you track the status of each task and goal to keep your business plan on target. 

Download One-Page 30-60-90 Day Business Plan Template

For additional single page plans, including an example of a one-page business plan , visit " One-Page Business Plan Templates with a Quick How-To Guide ."

Small Business Plan PDF Templates

These business plan templates are useful for small businesses that want to map out a way to meet organizational objectives, including how to structure, operate, and expand their business.

Simple Small Business Plan Template PDF

Simple Small Business Plan Template

A small business can use this template to outline each critical component of a business plan. There is space to provide details about product or service offerings, target audience, customer reach strategy, competitive advantage, and more. Plus, there is space at the bottom of the document to include a SWOT analysis. Once complete, you can use the template as a basis to build out a more elaborate plan. 

Download Simple Small Business Plan Template

Fill-In-the-Blank Small Business Plan Template PDF

Simple Fill In The Blank Business Plan Template

This fill-in-the-blank template walks you through each section of a business plan. Build upon the fill-in-the-blank content provided in each section to add information about your company, business idea, market analysis, implementation plan, timeline of milestones, and much more.

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Small Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page Small Business Plan Template PDF

One Page Business Plan For Small Business Template

Use this one-page template to create a scannable business plan that highlights the most essential parts of your organization’s strategy. Provide your business overview and management team details at the top, and then outline the target market, market size, competitive offerings, key objectives and success metrics, financial plan, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Small Business - PDF

Startup Business Plan PDF Templates

Startups can use these business plan templates to check the feasibility of their idea, and articulate their vision to potential investors.

Startup Business Plan Template

Startup Business Plan Template

Use this business plan template to organize and prepare each essential component of your startup plan. Outline key details relevant to your concept and organization, including your mission and vision statement, product or services offered, pricing structure, marketing strategy, financial plan, and more.

‌Download Startup Business Plan Template

Sample 30-60-90 Day Business Plan for Startup

Sample 30-60-90 Day Business Plan for Startup

Startups can use this sample 30-60-90 day plan to establish main goals and deliverables spanning a 90-day period. Customize the sample goals, deliverables, and activities provided on this template according to the needs of your business. Then, assign task owners and set due dates to help ensure your 90-day plan stays on track.

‌Download Sample 30-60-90 Day Business Plan for Startup Template 

For additional resources to create your plan, visit “ Free Startup Business Plan Templates and Examples .”

Nonprofit Business Plan PDF Templates

Use these business plan PDF templates to outline your organization’s mission, your plan to make a positive impact in your community, and the steps you will take to achieve your nonprofit’s goals.

Nonprofit Business Plan Template PDF

Fill-in-the-Blank Nonprofit Business Plan Template

Use this customizable PDF template to develop a plan that details your organization’s purpose, objectives, and strategy. This template features a table of contents, with room to include your nonprofit’s mission and vision, key team and board members, program offerings, a market and industry analysis, promotional plan, financial plan, and more. This template also contains a visual timeline to display historic and future milestones.

Download Nonprofit Business Plan Template - PDF

One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization PDF 

One Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organizations Template

This one-page plan serves as a good starting point for established and startup nonprofit organizations to jot down their fundamental goals and objectives. This template contains all the essential aspects of a business plan in a concise and scannable format, including the organizational overview, purpose, promotional plan, key objectives and success metrics, fundraising goals, and more.

Download One-Page Business Plan for Nonprofit Organization Template - PDF

Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF Templates

Use these fill-in-the-blank templates as a foundation for creating a comprehensive roadmap that aligns your business strategy with your marketing, sales, and financial goals.

Simple Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF

The fill-in-the-blank template contains all the vital parts of a business plan, with sample content that you can customize to fit your needs. There is room to include an executive summary, business description, market analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, financial statements, and more. 

Download Simple Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Template - PDF

Lean Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan PDF

Fill-in-the-Blank Lean  Business Plan Template

This business plan is designed with a Lean approach that encourages you to clarify and communicate your business idea in a clear and concise manner. This single page fill-in-the-blank template includes space to provide details about your management team, the problem you're solving, the solution, target customers, cost structure, and revenue streams. Use the timeline at the bottom to produce a visual illustration of key milestones. 

Download Fill-In-the-Blank Lean Business Plan Template - PDF

For additional resources, take a look at " Free Fill-In-the-Blank Business Plan Templates ."

Sample Business Plan PDF Templates

These sample business plan PDF templates can help you to develop an organized, thorough, and professional business plan.

Business Plan Sample 

Basic Business Plan Sample

This business plan example demonstrates a plan for a fictional food truck company. The sample includes all of the elements in a traditional business plan, which makes it a useful starting point for developing a plan specific to your business needs.

Download Basic Business Plan Sample - PDF

Sample Business Plan Outline Template

Simple Business Plan Outline Template

Use this sample outline as a starting point for your business plan. Shorten or expand the outline depending on your organization’s needs, and use it to develop a table of contents for your finalized plan.

Download Sample Business Plan Outline Template - PDF

Sample Business Financial Plan Template

Business Financial Plan Template

Use this sample template to develop the financial portion of your business plan. The template provides space to include a financial overview, key assumptions, financial indicators, and business ratios. Complete the break-even analysis and add your financial statements to help prove the viability of your organization’s business plan.

Download Business Financial Plan Template

PDF  | Smartsheet

For more free, downloadable templates for all aspects of your business, check out “ Free Business Templates for Organizations of All Sizes .”

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How To Write a Creative Agency Business Plan + Template

Business-Plan-2

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for creative agency businesses who want to improve their strategy and/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 creative agency owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is a Creative Agency Business Plan?

A creative agency 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 Creative Agency Business Plan?

A creative agency 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 Creative Agency Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful creative agency business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a creative agency 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 creative agency
  • 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 creative agency , 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 creative agency, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen creative agency 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 creative agency 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 creative agency 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, the customers of a creative agency may include advertising agencies, marketing firms, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.

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 [sector] 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.

Below are sample competitive advantages your creative agency may have:

  • Strong management team with a wealth of experience in the creative industry
  • Proven track record of success with previous clients
  • Robust and innovative marketing strategies
  • Unique selling proposition that differentiates them from other agencies in the market
  • Specialization in a particular niche within the creative agency industry
  • Strong relationships with potential customers or key influencers
  • Financial stability and a strong financial forecast

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 creative agency via public relations or traditional advertising.

Operations Plan

This part of your creative agency 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?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. 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 creative agency include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new team members, launching a new service, or expanding to a new location.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific creative agency 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 are 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 Creative Agency

Revenues $ 336,090 $ 450,940 $ 605,000 $ 811,730 $ 1,089,100
$ 336,090 $ 450,940 $ 605,000 $ 811,730 $ 1,089,100
Direct Cost
Direct Costs $ 67,210 $ 90,190 $ 121,000 $ 162,340 $ 217,820
$ 67,210 $ 90,190 $ 121,000 $ 162,340 $ 217,820
$ 268,880 $ 360,750 $ 484,000 $ 649,390 $ 871,280
Salaries $ 96,000 $ 99,840 $ 105,371 $ 110,639 $ 116,171
Marketing Expenses $ 61,200 $ 64,400 $ 67,600 $ 71,000 $ 74,600
Rent/Utility Expenses $ 36,400 $ 37,500 $ 38,700 $ 39,800 $ 41,000
Other Expenses $ 9,200 $ 9,200 $ 9,200 $ 9,400 $ 9,500
$ 202,800 $ 210,940 $ 220,871 $ 230,839 $ 241,271
EBITDA $ 66,080 $ 149,810 $ 263,129 $ 418,551 $ 630,009
Depreciation $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 4,200
EBIT $ 60,880 $ 144,610 $ 257,929 $ 413,351 $ 625,809
Interest Expense $ 7,600 $ 7,600 $ 7,600 $ 7,600 $ 7,600
$ 53,280 $ 137,010 $ 250,329 $ 405,751 $ 618,209
Taxable Income $ 53,280 $ 137,010 $ 250,329 $ 405,751 $ 618,209
Income Tax Expense $ 18,700 $ 47,900 $ 87,600 $ 142,000 $ 216,400
$ 34,580 $ 89,110 $ 162,729 $ 263,751 $ 401,809
10% 20% 27% 32% 37%

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 Creative Agency

Cash $ 105,342 $ 188,252 $ 340,881 $ 597,431 $ 869,278
Other Current Assets $ 41,600 $ 55,800 $ 74,800 $ 90,200 $ 121,000
Total Current Assets $ 146,942 $ 244,052 $ 415,681 $ 687,631 $ 990,278
Fixed Assets $ 25,000 $ 25,000 $ 25,000 $ 25,000 $ 25,000
Accum Depreciation $ 5,200 $ 10,400 $ 15,600 $ 20,800 $ 25,000
Net fixed assets $ 19,800 $ 14,600 $ 9,400 $ 4,200 $ 0
$ 166,742 $ 258,652 $ 425,081 $ 691,831 $ 990,278
Current Liabilities $ 23,300 $ 26,100 $ 29,800 $ 32,800 $ 38,300
Debt outstanding $ 108,862 $ 108,862 $ 108,862 $ 108,862 $ 0
$ 132,162 $ 134,962 $ 138,662 $ 141,662 $ 38,300
Share Capital $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Retained earnings $ 34,580 $ 123,690 $ 286,419 $ 550,170 $ 951,978
$ 34,580 $ 123,690 $ 286,419 $ 550,170 $ 951,978
$ 166,742 $ 258,652 $ 425,081 $ 691,831 $ 990,278

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 creative agency .

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Creative Agency

Net Income (Loss) $ 34,580 $ 89,110 $ 162,729 $ 263,751 $ 401,809
Change in Working Capital $ (18,300) $ (11,400) $ (15,300) $ (12,400) $ (25,300)
Plus Depreciation $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 5,200 $ 4,200
Net Cash Flow from Operations $ 21,480 $ 82,910 $ 152,629 $ 256,551 $ 380,709
Fixed Assets $ (25,000) $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Net Cash Flow from Investments $ (25,000) $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Cash from Equity $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
Cash from Debt financing $ 108,862 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ (108,862)
Net Cash Flow from Financing $ 108,862 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ (108,862)
Net Cash Flow $ 105,342 $ 82,910 $ 152,629 $ 256,551 $ 271,847
Cash at Beginning of Period $ 0 $ 105,342 $ 188,252 $ 340,881 $ 597,431
Cash at End of Period $ 105,342 $ 188,252 $ 340,881 $ 597,431 $ 869,278

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 creative agency . It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

If you are seeking funding from investors or lenders, it is especially important to have a well-written business plan that demonstrates the expertise and experience of your management team, as well as your company’s potential for financial success. By taking the time to write a detailed and comprehensive business plan, you will give your creative agency the best chance for success.  

Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With our Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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How to Write a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan (with PDF Template)

design agency business plan pdf

SEOptimer now serves over 2,000 digital agencies around the world and through the years we've had the chance to connect with many of our agency customers to understand their early days in starting their agency. This is incredibly interesting to us because it helps us understand where and how they plan to grow so we can help build the features they need in SEOptimer.

This article is the 3rd in our series focused on starting a new digital agency. For some useful prior reading be sure to check out our previous articles:

  • How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency : a comprehensive guide covering typical agency business models, services, hiring, training, new business, day to day management and more!
  • Digital Agency Lean Canvas : a digital agency business model on a single page! The lean canvas is a popular documentation methodology borrowed from the tech startup world.

Don't be dismayed if it feels like there's a lot of other competing digital agencies in your city. This is perfectly normal. Digital marketing services like local SEO, for example, are dominated by small agencies. Search Engine Land reported that over 50% of local SEO agencies have 10 or fewer clients. Forbes Council Member Jon Hall says, this keeps the industry "weird" - aka diverse as its not dominated by a small handful of big agencies.

Agency Business Plan PPTX

The first step in launching a new digital marketing agency is to write a plan. In this guide, we'll cover two of the more traditional ways to define a business plan document with handy downloadable templates:

  • Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Document (DOCX & PDF) Template
  • Creative Agency Business Plan Deck (PPTX) Template

Why do you need a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan?

The days of mandatory 50+ page business plans are long gone. The choice is now yours as to whether you define your digital agency business plan in an in-depth strategic document or not. Some agency founders find it useful to brainstorm this way and document their thought process in a long-form fashion across many pages. Other founders prefer creating shorter slide decks, others opt for a 1-page lean canvas version or some even write their plan in a wiki or business planning tool.

There is no right or wrong way to document your plan. You need to find the documentation method that suits you best. If you're unsure what suits you best, the following factors may help you decide:

Consideration #1: Who is the audience?

Think about who this document is for. Who will read it? In some cases it will just be you and the founding team. If you are raising money, obviously your investors will be a key audience.

You might also have business partners or board members who may be an audience too. When thnking through all these different groups, work backwards from the most optimal presentation format.

Consideration #2: Seek an unbiased third-party opinion

Devin Schumacher is the Founder of SEO agency SERP and says it's easy to get swept up in your own overly optimistic projections.

"Ask an experienced agency founder you trust or admire to sanity-check your plan. Seeking an objective opinion from a third-party detached from your new business is vital."

Devin Schumacher

Devin makes a great point. This type of peer review methodology is commonplace in other industries but sometimes lacking amongst agency founders. Make sure you get at least 1 other unbiased opinion from someone who has already achieved success in your niche.

Don't fall into the trap of asking a friend or your accountant or someone you know personally to review your plan. Doing so will give you a biased opinion. You need an unbiased opinion from someone willing to give you objective feedback.

Consideration #3: Stand your ground

The whole point of a business plan is to take the time and effort to research the market, your competitors and potential clients. This document will distill all your insights into a strategic plan you can operationalize. As is always the case, unexpected distractions masquerading as opportunities (rightly or wrongly) will pop up in your field of view demanding your attention.

Perhaps it's a new client opportunity with a project slightly adjacent to your niche. Perhpas a hiring opportunity for a role you didn't plan to hire yet. Sometimes the hardest thing is to say no, when you're in the mindset of taking every opportunity for growth.

During these situations, revisit your agency business plan and remind yourself of your focus area niche and how you planned to grow within that niche.

Consideration #4: But, be ok with change

Rebekah Edwards

In fact this balance between sticking to the plan and pivoting the plan needs to be navigated by every digital agency founder. It's not easy and often you will be second-guessing yourself.

"Every agency owner I know has had to massively adjust their target audience, pricing structure, competitor analysis, and service offerings based on the way they grow over the first 2-5 years."

Rebekah says that founders need to be prepared for change, afterall, digital marketing is in constant flux and evolution, so change is the norm and we need to write business plans with flexibility in mind.

Trust your performance metrics and continue to do the things that have the biggest quantifiable business impact.

Typical Business Plan structures

We mentioned previously that there's no right or wrong way to document your business plan. So with that said, let's look at some typical marketing agency business plan templates that you can use. After considering all the factors above, choose the structure that works for you and your stakeholders best. We've outlined six of the more common options below:

Option #1: Written business document

This is the more traditional (and still valid) way to describe your business. A written business plan document in MS Word or Google Docs is still the most common way to document your digital marketing agency business plan.

Business Plan document

This type of business plan is considered "long-form", ie: longer in length and suited to more descriptive language. Expect to write longer rationales, longer explanations with plenty of space for evidence, research, insights and strategy. This type of plan will likely be 30+ pages and feel comprehensive. This comprehensiveness is especially needed if external investors or business partners are involved who need to be convinced of the robustness of your plan.

Option #2: Slide deck

The PowerPoint Presentation (or Google Slides or Keynote) has become the go-to corporate communication format. Digital agency founders spend most of their time communicating to staff, clients and stakeholders in PowerPoint so it makes sense to use this format for the purposes of communicating the agency's overall business plan.

Business Plan PowerPoint

The fundamental difference between this option and the written document, is that a slide deck is a presentable format. So typically you might be in the room with your business partners, walking through the presentation on the screen. Whereas in option #1, a written document is not a compelling way to present an idea. It's much more suited as a sent document to be consumed in isolation. That's not to say that a slide deck can't be utilized this way, it's just more common that you would be presenting and talking through your plan with the slides serving as a visual backup to what you say.

There's also a good argument for doing both (ie written document AND slide deck). It comes down to who all the stakeholders are (eg investors, business partners or just you) and whether you intend to present your plan or just document your plan.

Option #3: Lean canvas

The Lean Canvas developed by leanstack.com is a business plan on a page split into 10 boxes. This planning document has become very popular in the tech/startup world and has since been adopted in many other industries, including digital agencies. Be sure to check out our previous article explaining how to use a Lean Canvas for your agency .

SEOptimer - Digital Agency Lean Canvas

The entire business plan fits on a single page which means you obviously need to sweat on every single world and ensure only the most important details are included. We are big supporters of this format because this helps you prioritize and focus your efforts down to the fundamental aspects of your new business.

Option #4: Wiki

In the context of a business, a Wiki is usually an internal website with multiple interlinking articles. The biggest Wiki in the world is Wikipedia and if you want to get really meta, check out Wikipedia's wiki about wikis :

"A wiki (/wɪki/ WIK-ee) is a hypertext publication collaboratively edited and managed by its own audience directly using a web browser. A typical wiki contains multiple pages for the subjects or scope of the project."

Wiki's are generally perceived as internal knowledge bases so if your business plan has executional detail, this might be a good format for documenting processes and methodologies for staff.

Option #5: General Planning tool

Tools like Notion and Trello have grown massively in recent years as more people are working remotely and more work in general is being done collaboratively online.

Notion Business Plan

These types of planning tools are designed to be multi-purpose and fall somewhere between a wiki and a specialized business planning tool.

How to construct the business plan

Now that we've covered the typical business plan structures let's look at the specifics of how you actually go about constructing the business plan and each of the main tasks you need to perform and sections of the business plan.

Market research data gathering

Customer/client research.

Rebekah Edwards, who we spoke to previously stresses the importance of market research with as many potential clients as you can. She interviewed several businesses in their target market when developing their service offerings and pricing. Some of the questions she thought were most helpful included:

  • With no other information, what do you think X would cost from an agency? (X being the service in question.)
  • What is the biggest roadblock for you to accomplish X in-house? (X being basic content/SEO projects, such as article creation/editing/uploading or strategizing new keywords.)
  • How would you typically search for a digital marketing agency? (Referrals, social media, Google search, etc. — this helped us understand how to best market our services)
  • If you already work with a digital marketing agency of any kind, what stood out? Why did you sign on the dotted line?
  • Have there been digital marketing agencies you've specifically decided not to work with for any particular reason? What were the red flags or the issues with a fit that led you to say no?
  • What matters most to you when working with a digital marketing agency? (Examples: data/analytics, frequent communication, hitting deadlines every time, price, niche of expertise, etc.)

Answers to these questions are invaluable as they help you position and market your new digital agency based on customer insight.

Competitor research

The importance of competitor research goes without saying. It's vital you have a good understanding of how your competitors are going to market, how they sell, who they target and what their rough price points are. If you have a friend who owns a small business, ask them to mystery shop at a competitor so they can report back to you what the sales process was like.

Competitor types

The way you position and sell your services should be informed by a combination of both customer insights and competitor insights. Addressing client needs whilst maintaining a unique selling proposition will set your new digital agency up for success!

Building out the business plan

Download our template: digital marketing agency business plan document.

To make edits to the document make sure to download our DOCX template which you can edit directly in Microsoft Word. However if you would prefer a printable PDF, we also provide this option too. Use these templates as a starting point to help you draft your digital marketing business plan:

Business Plan DOCX

Below are some of the highlight areas of the plan:

Market Research Findings

We suggest conducting three types of research to inform your marketing agency business plan:

  • Qualitative research like one-on-one interviews, focus groups and meetings with prospective clients
  • Quantitative reserach like online surveys, mass emails and multivariate testing
  • Competitor analysis to determine their strengths and weaknesses

Market Research

Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and Service Offering

Nailing your USP will be tough especially if you are in a competitive industry / city. Use the previous market research tasks to discover where the gaps are in the market and leverage these insights to position your new agency to be competitive AND different. Perform a SWOT analysis based on your new USP. Then you can determine your actual service offerings and pricing strategy.

USPs

Go-To-Market (GTM) Plan and Org Structure

Define your target market - the exact client types who you want to sell to and list the marketing and advertising activities that you will perform that would be most effective in reaching these types of people.

Also list your people (this might not be many on day 1!), sources of advice and support as well as the strategies you'll use to retain your staff and build their skills and knowledge.

Go To Market Plan

Goals Sales Forecasting

This marketing agency business plan template includes goal setting for the next year and goal setting for the next 3 years. This page is structured to help you set SMART goals.

SMART goals are:

  • Specific : In the '[Enter a goal]' section describe your goal clearly and ensure you attach a person responsible in the 'Who's responsible' section.
  • Measureable : Ensure the actions you list in the 'Actions to achieve goal' have an objective outcome
  • Achievable : Ensure you sense-check your goals with your team and all agree that they are attainable
  • Relevant : Ensure this is a priority goal and will help your new agency grow
  • Time-bound : Enter a due date to ensure the goal doesn't get forgotten

Use the Cash flow forecast table as a simple way to visualize cash-on-hand in your first 12 months. Add rows to estimate your monthly expenses like payroll, rent, utilities, subscriptions, insurance, fees and other ongoing costs.

Goal setting

Tools and Tech

Finally, list out all the tools and technology your new agency will likely need to run an efficient operation. We've listed SEOptimer for you already because it's one of the best, low-cost lead generation tools for your agency. Over 2,000 digital agencies use SEOptimer to generate white label site audits and embed an audit form on their agency website to capture new lead details.

Tools & Tech

Creative Agency Business Plan Slide Deck PPTX Template

If you prefer a slide deck template, use this creative agency business plan example in PowerPoint format:

Business Plan PPTX

Tim's background is in digital marketing working for both large and small digital agencies and diverse client types. He has a passion for tech, software and staying up to date on the latest search engine news.

design agency business plan pdf

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Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their digital marketing agencies.

If you’re unfamiliar with creating a digital marketing agency business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a digital marketing agency business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template here >

What is a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your digital marketing agency as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Digital Marketing Agency

If you’re looking to start a digital marketing agency or grow your existing digital marketing agency, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your digital marketing agency to improve your chances of success. Your digital marketing agency business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Digital Marketing Agency Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a digital marketing agency are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for digital marketing agencies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a digital marketing agency.

If you want to start a digital marketing agency or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your digital marketing agency business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of digital marketing agency you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a digital marketing agency that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of digital marketing agencies?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

  • Give a brief overv iew of the digital marketing industry.
  • Discuss the type of digital marketing agency you are operating.
  • Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
  • Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
  • Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of digital marketing agency you are operating.

For example, your agency might specialize in one of the following types of digital marketing agencies:

  • Full Service Digital Marketing Agency : this type of digital marketing agency tends to be larger than most other types of agencies and offers a variety of digital marketing services. Businesses often partner with full-service digital marketing agencies because they have the experience doing specific projects that the businesses need done, such as lead nurture campaigns or a website redesign. These agencies can also bring added muscle to existing marketing departments at a lower cost than it would take to build them out with new hires.
  • SEO Digital Marketing Agency: this type of agency focuses primarily on helping their clients’ websites and website content rank high on search engine results.
  • Social Media Digital Marketing Agency: this type of digital marketing agency helps companies establish and maintain an effective social media presence. They produce social media content and manage their advertisements on social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram. Other services offered are responding to customer interactions on social media platforms and can also manage influencer outreach for cross promotion and/or affiliate marketing.
  • Web Design Digital Marketing Agency: this type of agency is a team of creative designers who build customized and optimized websites for their clients’ businesses.

In addition to explaining the type of digital marketing agency you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

  • When and why did you start the business?
  • What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of clients with positive outcomes, reaching X number of clients served, etc.
  • Your legal business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the digital marketing industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the digital marketing industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your digital marketing agency business plan:

  • How big is the digital marketing industry (in dollars)?
  • Is the market declining or increasing?
  • Who are the key competitors in the market?
  • Who are the key suppliers in the market?
  • What trends are affecting the industry?
  • What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
  • What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your digital marketing agency? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your digital marketing agency business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: large companies, small businesses, and nonprofits.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of digital marketing agency you operate. Clearly, nonprofits would respond to different marketing promotions than large companies, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other digital marketing agencies.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes social media platforms, apps, and freelancers. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

  • What types of clients do they serve?
  • What type of digital marketing agency are they?
  • What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
  • What are they good at?
  • What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

  • Will you provide non digital marketing services?
  • Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
  • Will you provide better customer service?
  • Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a digital marketing agency business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type o f digital marketing agency that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide website design, SEO management, social media management, or public relations?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of yo ur plan, yo u are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your digital marketing agency. Document where your agency is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your digital marketing agency located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your digital marketing agency marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

  • Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
  • Reach out to websites
  • Distribute flyers
  • Engage in email marketing
  • Advertise on social media platforms
  • Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your digital marketing agency business, including client communication, planning and scheduling advertisement campaigns, staff meetings, billing clients, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth session, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your digital marketing agency to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your digital marketing agency’s potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing digital marketing agencies. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a digital marketing agency or successfully running an advertising and/or public relations agency.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance s heet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you book 5 clients per day, and/or offer advertising packages that can be customized ? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your digital marketing agency, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a digital marketing agency:

  • Cost of equipment and office supplies
  • Payroll or salaries paid to staff
  • Business insurance
  • Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a list of digital marketing services you plan to offer.  

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template PDF

You can download our digital marketing agency business plan PDF or use our sample digital marketing agency business plan to help you get started on your own business plan.

If you are looking for the quickest and easiest way to complete your business plan, Growthink’s Ultimate Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template has numerous features not available in the free template including its financial projections template which automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.  

Writing a business plan for your digital marketing agency is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the digital marketing industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful digital marketing agency.  

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Digital Marketing Agency business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan advisors can give you a winning business plan.

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    The first step in launching a new digital marketing agency is to write a plan. In this guide, we'll cover two of the more traditional ways to define a business plan document with handy downloadable templates: Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Document (DOCX & PDF) Template. Creative Agency Business Plan Deck (PPTX) Template.

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