Check out Business Plan Writing Tips at Business.gov.

These links are certainly very valuable. Nevertheless, using a business plan example or a pre-filled business plan template seems easy, but is, in fact, quite risky. An entrepreneur may not want that his/her business plan will be treated as a copy/paste item with no value.

Keep in mind that business plans are tools - tools for the business owner. Thus, when writing a business plan - write a plan for you and your business. Many sample plans and templates try to incorporate everything under the sun into them - many things that do not or will not relate to your business. Your business plan should be as unique as your business - use these templates and samples as inspriation or as building blocks but not as something you feel you need to copy precisely. I have seen well written plans under 5 pages (not including financials) and some as many as 50 pages (without financials). It really depends on your business. Great blog about business plans. Message Edited by NicoleD on 07-15-2009 10:24 AM

I see allot of posts on this forum about people asking what they need to get a business going, and I always sing the songs of a good business plan!! Not only do they get a more firmer grasp of what they are doing, cultivating an idea, but being able to convey all aspects of their idea so someone else, even if they do not understand business can get a great sense of what you are trying to acomplish. What other business templates do you guys use? I think the community can definatly benefit from it.