How to Write Products & Services in a Business Plan

Writing the products and services section can be harder than it first seems. You may know exactly what your business sells, but deciding how to explain it in a business plan is a different task.

What should you include? How much detail is actually useful? Does pricing belong here? And if you offer several products or services, how should you organize them?

And that’s usually where the confusion starts. Say too little, and the reader may not fully understand the offer. Add too much, and the section can start reading like a product catalog or repeat information that belongs elsewhere in the plan.

That’s why I’ve created this guide to show you how to write the products and services section step by step, with practical examples you can use to shape your own.

What to include in your products and services section?

The products and services section should give a lender, investor, or grant approver a clear picture of what your business sells, what customers actually receive, and how the main offerings are priced or purchased.

For most businesses, that means covering:

• Your main products or services
• What is included or provided
• Pricing or how customers pay
• Important packages, add-ons, or related offers

Some businesses may also need a few supporting details that affect the product or service.

Now, let’s look at how to organize and write the section clearly.

How to write the products and services section?

There is no fixed way to draft a products and services section for every business. A retailer with dozens of products will structure it differently from a consultant with three service packages or a startup still developing its first product.

What matters is that the section presents the offer in a way that is easy for someone outside the business to understand.

The steps below will help you work through it without overcomplicating the section.

Step 1: Organize and describe your main offers

Start with the products or services that form the core of your business. These are the offerings that deserve the most attention in this section.

For each one, explain:

• What it is
• What the customer receives
• What is included

I’d also suggest adding any specifications, materials, deliverables, or quality details that help someone understand the offer.

Here’s what that level of detail could look like:

If you sell only a few products or services, you can describe them individually.

If you have a larger range, group similar items instead of listing every SKU, menu item, or variation. For example, a grocery store might organize its products into fresh produce, dairy, pantry goods, frozen foods, beverages, and household items.

You can then give more detail to the categories that contribute most to the business rather than treating every item equally.

Service businesses can follow the same approach. If you offer several services, organize them by core service or service package rather than describing everything in one long paragraph.

For example, a marketing agency might separate social media management, content creation, and paid advertising as its core services. If it sells different packages for social media management, it can briefly show what each package includes.

What if my business sells both products and services?

If the products and services are closely connected, describe them together. For example, a furniture company may present custom furniture along with installation when both are part of the same customer offer.

If they are separate parts of the business, give each its own group or subsection. This makes it easier to understand what belongs to each offer.

What if my product is not finished yet?

You can still describe it in this section.

State what you are developing and make its current stage clear, such as concept, prototype, MVP (minimum viable product), pilot, or beta.

Briefly explain what has already been completed and what still needs to happen before launch. Keep existing features separate from planned ones so anyone can clearly see what is available now and what is still being developed.

Step 2: Explain pricing and purchase details

Once you have described the offer, show what customers pay for it and any terms that affect the purchase.

Use an exact price when it is reasonably fixed. If the amount varies, give a useful range or state how the customer is charged, such as per unit, per project, monthly, or by custom quote.

If you offer packages or tiers, list the price for each without repeating what is included. Simply focus on the price and any differences in how customers pay. For example, a web design business might charge:

If you sell many individually priced items, such as in a restaurant, grocery store, or retail business, you do not need to list every price. Instead, show a representative price selection, sample menu, or useful price ranges for the main categories.

If there are important purchase conditions that materially affect the sale, mention them too. These could include:

• Minimum order quantities
• Required deposits
• Minimum contract periods
• Booking requirements
• Lead times

Here’s one thing I’d mention: You do not need to explain your full pricing strategy here. Detailed margins, cost structures, sales assumptions, and revenue projections can stay in the financial plan section.

What if my prices vary by customer or aren’t finalized yet?

Do not force an exact price to make the business plan look complete.

If you provide custom quotes, explain what affects the final amount. For example:

Projects typically range from $2,500 to $8,000 depending on scope, number of pages, required integrations, and content needs.

If the business is pre-launch and pricing is still being tested, you can use an expected range or planned pricing structure. Just make it clear that the figures are not final.

Step 3: Add secondary offerings, add-ons, or related services

After covering the main offers, include any additional products or services customers can buy alongside them.

These might include:

• Optional add-ons
• Product upgrades
• Accessories
• Maintenance plans
• Installation services
• Premium support

For example, a photography business may offer portrait sessions as its main service, while customers can separately purchase extra edited images, printed albums, or rush delivery.

A bicycle shop might sell bikes as its main products, while offering assembly, accessories, maintenance plans, or delivery for an additional charge.

Include these only when they are sold separately. If they already come with the main product or service, describe them as part of the main offer instead.

Keep these secondary offerings brief. In many cases, the name, a short description, and the price are enough. And yes, I’d say skip this step if your business does not sell any separate add-ons or related products or services.

Step 4: Show the value customers get

Describing a product or service tells the reader what you sell. Now, explain why it matters to the customer. A simple way to do this is to take details (one or two) from each main product or service and ask:

Why would the customer care about this?

I’d recommend that you focus only on the details that are most likely to affect the customer’s decision. Then explain the benefit in simple terms.

For a product business, look at details that affect how useful, durable, suitable, or convenient the product is. This could include its materials, design, size, quality, or customization options. If you sell many products, explain what matters about the overall selection, such as variety, availability, freshness, or convenience.

For a service business, focus on what the service helps the customer accomplish or makes easier. This may come from faster service, specialization, convenience, support, or the result the customer gets.

After explaining the main benefits, check whether they add up to one clear reason a customer would choose your product or service over other options. If they do, mention it briefly. This is often called your unique value proposition (UVP).

Avoid vague claims such as “best quality” or “superior service.” Use specific details that show why the product or service is useful instead.

What if my product or service is not genuinely unique?

That is fine. Your product or service does not need to be completely different from everything else available.

Do not force a unique angle if there isn’t one. If there is a practical reason it fits your intended customers better, mention it. Otherwise, explain the real customer benefits and leave detailed competitor comparisons for the competitive analysis section.

Step 5: Add supporting details only when they matter

Before finishing the section, check whether there is any important information readers need to know about your business products or services or your ability to provide it.

Include these details only when they materially affect the offering:

You do not need all of these. Include a supporting detail only if leaving it out would give readers an incomplete picture of the offer or how the business will provide it.

For example, if a bakery depends on one supplier for a specialty ingredient used in its main products, mention that relationship. There is no need to list routine suppliers that do not materially affect the business.

Keep the explanation short and practical. Explain what the detail is and why it matters to the product or service.

Once you’ve covered these points, read the section as someone who knows nothing about your business. They should be able to understand what you sell, what customers receive, how pricing works, and any other details needed to understand the offer.

If any part still feels unclear, add only the information needed to make that point easier to understand.

To see how this comes together in practice, look at the examples below.

Business plan products and services section examples

Below are two examples for different types of businesses: one product-based business and one service-based business. Both use the same approach from this guide, so you can see how the information comes together in an actual business plan.

Use them as a reference when writing your own products and services section.

Example 1: Product business (Hearthstone Meal Prep)

Example 2: Service business (Northline Home Cleaning)

Common mistakes to avoid in the products and services section

Even when you include the right information, a few small mistakes can still make the section unclear or inconsistent. Before you finalize it, check for these common issues.

(1) Describing capabilities instead of the actual offer

Make the product or service clear before explaining about your tools, software, process, or experience.

For example, “We use advanced design software and a proven workflow” does not tell the reader what the customer actually receives. Describe the product or service first.

(2) Leaving out purchase conditions that affect the sale

If customers must meet a minimum order, pay a deposit, sign a contract, book in advance, or meet another important condition, make that clear. Leaving these details out can give readers an incomplete picture of how the product or service is actually sold.

(3) Using inconsistent names or prices across the plan

Keep product names, package names, and prices consistent throughout the business plan. If the same service appears under different names or prices in different sections, it can create confusion.

(4) Using industry terms without explaining them

Avoid language that only someone in your industry would understand. If a technical term is necessary, briefly explain what it means for the customer.

Most mistakes come from overexplaining some details while missing what actually affects the purchase. So keep the section specific, consistent, and easy to verify.

Conclusion

By this point, you should know what belongs in your products and services section and how to put the information together.

The next step is to turn that information into your own draft. Keep the focus on the products or services that matter most, explain them in simple terms, and leave out details that belong elsewhere in the plan. The examples above can help you decide how to organize the section based on what your business sells.

If starting from a blank page still feels difficult, Upmetrics can help you draft the products and services section using your business details. You can then review the draft, correct anything that needs changing, and add the details that are specific to your offers.

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