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Business plan template for consulting firms and agencies

Turn your agency or consultancy idea into a clear, actionable plan with this free, customizable template.
Access Template

How to write a business plan with the template

Fill it out at your own pace

Use the prompts included in the business plan template to move through each section, detailing your consulting model, services, target market, operations model, and growth plan.

Customize it to fit your business

Add, remove, or rearrange sections to better match your niche, stage, and goals. There’s no one right way to use it, so feel free to make it your own.

Save and share your finished plan

Export and use your document as needed — to get alignment with co-founders, share with advisors and investors, and to gather feedback around your company’s next steps.

A closer look at business plans

Why a business plan is important for consultants and agencies

A solid business plan is a working blueprint that helps you clarify your vision and chart a path for your consultancy or agency to succeed. Whether you’re validating your service offering, pitching to potential partners, setting future goals, or expanding the team, a written plan helps to align your vision with your reality.

What are the next steps after penning your business plan

Once your plan is in place, you can use it to attract partners and investors, guide your hiring and growth decisions, and more. It becomes a go-to reference when making strategic decisions in your business.

FAQs

A consulting business plan is a written framework describing your firm’s services, target clients, revenue model, operations, and growth roadmap. It’s part strategy, part communication tool for clients, partners, and potential investors.

It’s not mandatory — but it’s highly useful. Even solo consultants can benefit from having a clear roadmap that shows focus and professionalism. If you aim to scale, bring in partners, or pursue funding, it becomes especially important — for example, investors and collaborators often look for a structured plan that demonstrates how you will grow your firm sustainably and manage resources effectively.

Ideally, you should create your business plan early — before taking big steps like hiring or signing major contracts — so you can make informed decisions, avoid costly missteps, and set clear priorities from the start. But it’s never too late. Refining your plan later can help you realign your strategy, adapt to new opportunities, or course-correct based on real-world experience.

While the specifics vary by stage and industry, a good rule of thumb is to include projected revenue, expenses, and funding requirements. Projections, even rough ones, can support planning and funding discussions, as long as they’re clearly presented as estimates (and not guarantees).

Not necessarily. A single foundational plan works, but you may choose to emphasize different sections depending on the audience. For example, with investors, you might emphasize financial projections and growth levers. For clients or partners, you might highlight your service model and value proposition.

There’s no universal rule for length — it depends on your stage, audience, and goals. A lean plan might be just a few pages, while a more detailed version could run 20 or more. When in doubt, keep your core plan focused and on the leaner side, so it’s easy to digest and act on. You can always add supplemental details (such as detailed market research, financial models, or product roadmaps) in an appendix. This way, you maintain clarity and focus for most readers while still giving stakeholders access to deeper context when they want it.

There’s no strict rule, but a business plan is most useful if it’s up to date. Treat it as a living document — revisit it at least yearly, and adjust whenever your strategy, finances, or market conditions change.

Yes, but proceed with care. Hiring someone can save time and add polish, but your business plan is only valuable if it reflects your own thinking. A hybrid approach can often work best: start by drafting with a template yourself, then bring in an expert to review and provide feedback.

Absolutely. While it’s designed for consultants and agencies, the framework also works for freelancers and other service-based businesses that want a clear, professional plan to guide growth and communicate their value.

Yes — it’s a great reference for new colleagues or collaborators to understand your vision, processes, and goals.

It helps you sharpen your message and differentiates your firm, which can make it easier to communicate your value in proposals, pitches, and marketing materials.

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Disclaimers and footnotes

Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank.