Got a new business idea, but don’t know how to put it to work? Want to improve your existing business model? Overwhelmed by writing your business plan? There is a one-page technique that can provide you the solution you are looking for, and that’s the business model canvas. In this guide, you’ll have the Business Model Canvas explained, along with steps on how to create one. All business model canvas examples in the post can be edited online. What is a Business Model Canvas A business model is simply a plan describing how a business intends to make money. It explains who your customer base is and how you deliver value to them and the related details of financing. And the business model canvas lets you define these different components on a single page. The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management tool that lets you visualize and assess your business idea or concept. It’s a one-page document containing nine boxes that represent different fundamental elements of a business. The business model canvas beats the traditional business plan that spans across several pages, by offering a much easier way to understand the different core elements of a business. The right side of the canvas focuses on the customer or the market external factors that are not under your control while the left side of the canvas focuses on the business internal factors that are mostly under your control. In the middle, you get the value propositions that represent the exchange of value between your business and your customers. The business model canvas was originally developed by Alex Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur and introduced in their book Business Model Generation’ as a visual framework for planning, developing and testing the business models of an organization. Business Model Canvas Explained Click on the template to edit it online What Are the Benefits of Using a Business Model Canvas Why do you need a business model canvas? The answer is simple. The business model canvas offers several benefits for businesses and entrepreneurs. It is a valuable tool and provides a visual and structured approach to designing, analyzing, optimizing, and communicating your business model. The business model canvas provides a comprehensive overview of a business model’s essential aspects. The BMC provides a quick outline of the business model and is devoid of unnecessary details compared to the traditional business plan. The comprehensive overview also ensures that the team considers all required components of their business model and can identify gaps or areas for improvement. The BMC allows the team to have a holistic and shared understanding of the business model while enabling them to align and collaborate effectively. The visual nature of the business model canvas makes it easier to refer to and understand by anyone. The business model canvas combines all vital business model elements in a single, easy-to-understand canvas. The BMC can be considered a strategic analysis tool as it enables you to examine a business model’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. It’s easier to edit and can be easily shared with employees and stakeholders. The BMC is a flexible and adaptable tool that can be updated and revised as the business evolves. Keep your business agile and responsive to market changes and customer needs. The business model canvas can be used by large corporations and startups with just a few employees. The business model canvas effectively facilitates discussions among team members, investors, partners, customers, and other stakeholders. It clarifies how different aspects of the business are related and ensures a shared understanding of the business model. You can use a BMC template to facilitate discussions and guide brainstorming brainstorming sessions to generate insights and ideas to refine the business model and make strategic decisions. The BMC is action-oriented, encouraging businesses to identify activities and initiatives to improve their business model to drive business growth. A business model canvas provides a structured approach for businesses to explore possibilities and experiment with new ideas. This encourages creativity and innovation, which in turn encourages team members to think outside the box. How to Make a Business Model Canvas Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a business canvas model. Step 1 Gather your team and the required material Bring a team or a group of people from your company together to collaborate. It is better to bring in a diverse group to cover all aspects. While you can create a business model canvas with whiteboards, sticky notes, and markers, using an online platform like Creately will ensure that your work can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. Create a workspace in Creately and provide editing/reviewing permission to start. Step 2 Set the context Clearly define the purpose and the scope of what you want to map out and visualize in the business model canvas. Narrow down the business or idea you want to analyze with the team and its context. Step 3 Draw the canvas Divide the workspace into nine equal sections to represent the nine building blocks of the business model canvas. Step 4 Identify the key building blocks Label each section as customer segment, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, and cost structure. Step 5 Fill in the canvas Work with your team to fill in each section of the canvas with relevant information. You can use data, keywords, diagrams, and more to represent ideas and concepts. Step 6 Analyze and iterate Once your team has filled in the business model canvas, analyze the relationships to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. Discuss improvements and make adjustments as necessary. Step 7 Finalize Finalize and use the model as a visual reference to communicate and align your business model with stakeholders. You can also use the model to make informed and strategic decisions and guide your business. Key Building Blocks of the Business Model Canvas There are nine building blocks in the business model canvas and they are Customer Segments Customer Relationships Channels Revenue Streams Key Activities Key Resources Key Partners Cost Structure Value Proposition When filling out a Business Model Canvas, you will brainstorm and conduct research on each of these elements. The data you collect can be placed in each relevant section of the canvas. So have a business model canvas ready when you start the exercise. Business Model Canvas Template Click on the template to edit it online Let’s look into what the 9 components of the BMC are in more detail. Customer Segments These are the groups of people or companies that you are trying to target and sell your product or service to. Segmenting your customers based on similarities such as geographical area, gender, age, behaviors, interests, etc. gives you the opportunity to better serve their needs, specifically by customizing the solution you are providing them. After a thorough analysis of your customer segments, you can determine who you should serve and ignore. Then create customer personas for each of the selected customer segments. Customer Persona Template for Business Model Canvas Explained Click on the template to edit it online There are different customer segments a business model can target and they are; Mass market A business model that focuses on mass markets doesn’t group its customers into segments. Instead, it focuses on the general population or a large group of people with similar needs. For example, a product like a phone. Niche market Here the focus is centered on a specific group of people with unique needs and traits. Here the value propositions, distribution channels, and customer relationships should be customized to meet their specific requirements. An example would be buyers of sports shoes. Segmented Based on slightly different needs, there could be different groups within the main customer segment. Accordingly, you can create different value propositions, distribution channels, etc. to meet the different needs of these segments. Diversified A diversified market segment includes customers with very different needs. Multi-sided markets this includes interdependent customer segments. For example, a credit card company caters to both their credit card holders as well as merchants who accept those cards. Use STP Model templates for segmenting your market and developing ideal marketing campaigns Visualize, assess, and update your business model. Collaborate on brainstorming with your team on your next business model innovation. Create a Business ModelCustomer Relationships In this section, you need to establish the type of relationship you will have with each of your customer segments or how you will interact with them throughout their journey with your company. There are several types of customer relationships Personal assistance you interact with the customer in person or by email, through phone call or other means. Dedicated personal assistance you assign a dedicated customer representative to an individual customer. Self-service here you maintain no relationship with the customer, but provides what the customer needs to help themselves. Automated services this includes automated processes or machinery that helps customers perform services themselves. Communities these include online communities where customers can help each other solve their own problems with regard to the product or service. Co-creation here the company allows the customer to get involved in the designing or development of the product. For example, YouTube has given its users the opportunity to create content for its audience. You can understand the kind of relationship your customer has with your company through a customer journey map. It will help you identify the different stages your customers go through when interacting with your company. And it will help you make sense of how to acquire, retain and grow your customers. Customer Journey Map Click on the template to edit it online Channels This block is to describe how your company will communicate with and reach out to your customers. Channels are the touchpoints that let your customers connect with your company. Channels play a role in raising awareness of your product or service among customers and delivering your value propositions to them. Channels can also be used to allow customers the avenue to buy products or services and offer post-purchase support. There are two types of channels Owned channels company website, social media sites, in-house sales, etc. Partner channels partner-owned websites, wholesale distribution, retail, etc. Revenue Streams Revenues streams are the sources from which a company generates money by selling their product or service to the customers. And in this block, you should describe how you will earn revenue from your value propositions. A revenue stream can belong to one of the following revenue models, Transaction-based revenue made from customers who make a one-time payment Recurring revenue made from ongoing payments for continuing services or post-sale services There are several ways you can generate revenue from Asset sales by selling the rights of ownership for a product to a buyer Usage fee by charging the customer for the use of its product or service Subscription fee by charging the customer for using its product regularly and consistently Lending/ leasing/ renting the customer pays to get exclusive rights to use an asset for a fixed period of time Licensing customer pays to get permission to use the company’s intellectual property Brokerage fees revenue generated by acting as an intermediary between two or more parties Advertising by charging the customer to advertise a product, service or brand using company platforms Key Activities What are the activities/ tasks that need to be completed to fulfill your business purpose? In this section, you should list down all the key activities you need to do to make your business model work. These key activities should focus on fulfilling its value proposition, reaching customer segments and maintaining customer relationships, and generating revenue. There are 3 categories of key activities; Production designing, manufacturing and delivering a product in significant quantities and/ or of superior quality. Problem-solving finding new solutions to individual problems faced by customers. Platform/ network Creating and maintaining platforms. For example, Microsoft provides a reliable operating system to support third-party software products. Key Resources This is where you list down which key resources or the main inputs you need to carry out your key activities in order to create your value proposition. There are several types of key resources and they are Human employees Financial cash, lines of credit, etc. Intellectual brand, patents, IP, copyright Physical equipment, inventory, buildings Key Partners Key partners are the external companies or suppliers that will help you carry out your key activities. These partnerships are forged in oder to reduce risks and acquire resources. Types of partnerships are Strategic alliance partnership between non-competitors Coopetition strategic partnership between partners Joint ventures partners developing a new business Buyer-supplier relationships ensure reliable supplies Cost Structure In this block, you identify all the costs associated with operating your business model. You’ll need to focus on evaluating the cost of creating and delivering your value propositions, creating revenue streams, and maintaining customer relationships. And this will be easier to do so once you have defined your key resources, activities, and partners. Businesses can either be cost-driven focuses on minimizing costs whenever possible and value-driven focuses on providing maximum value to the customer. Value Propositions This is the building block that is at the heart of the business model canvas. And it represents your unique solution product or service for a problem faced by a customer segment, or that creates value for the customer segment. A value proposition should be unique or should be different from that of your competitors. If you are offering a new product, it should be innovative and disruptive. And if you are offering a product that already exists in the market, it should stand out with new features and attributes. Value propositions can be either quantitative price and speed of service or qualitative customer experience or design. Value Proposition Canvas Click on the template to edit it online What to Avoid When Creating a Business Model Canvas One thing to remember when creating a business model canvas is that it is a concise and focused document. It is designed to capture key elements of a business model and, as such, should not include detailed information. Some of the items to avoid include, Detailed financial projections such as revenue forecasts, cost breakdowns, and financial ratios. Revenue streams and cost structure should be represented at a high level, providing an overview rather than detailed projections. Detailed operational processes such as standard operating procedures of a business. The BMC focuses on the strategic and conceptual aspects. Comprehensive marketing or sales strategies. The business model canvas does not provide space for comprehensive marketing or sales strategies. These should be included in marketing or sales plans, which allow you to expand into more details. Legal or regulatory details such as intellectual property, licensing agreements, or compliance requirements. As these require more detailed and specialized attention, they are better suited to be addressed in separate legal or regulatory documents. Long-term strategic goals or vision statements. While the canvas helps to align the business model with the overall strategy, it should focus on the immediate and tangible aspects. Irrelevant or unnecessary information that does not directly relate to the business model. Including extra or unnecessary information can clutter the BMC and make it less effective in communicating the core elements. What Are Your Thoughts on the Business Model Canvas? Once you have completed your business model canvas, you can share it with your organization and stakeholders and get their feedback as well. The business model canvas is a living document, therefore after completing it you need to revisit and ensure that it is relevant, updated and accurate. What best practices do you follow when creating a business model canvas? Do share your tips with us in the comments section below. FAQs About the Business Model Canvas How do I determine my value proposition? Your value proposition is a crucial driver in the business model canvas. It defines why a customer would choose you over your competitors. A value proposition is critical in driving customer acquisition and retention. To determine your value proposition, understand the unique value that your business offers to customers–it could solve a problem, fulfill specific requirements, or provide a superior product or service. How can I build and maintain customer relationships? Building and maintaining customer relationships involves understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of your customers. Some relationship-building strategies include personal assistance, self-service, automated online support, Regular communications, loyalty programs, and feedback mechanisms. What should I consider when establishing partnerships in the business model canvas? When establishing partnerships, you should consider strategic alliances or collaborations that enhance your value proposition, expand your customer base, or provide access to key markets. It would help if you also looked into the alignment of goals, mutual benefits, roles and responsibilities, legal and financial aspects, and potential risks. How can the business model canvas help to analyze and optimize my business model? The BMC allows you to assess the coherence and effectiveness of your business model by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats. You can review each component of the BMC to identify areas for improvement, innovation, or cost optimization. Can I use the business model canvas for different types of businesses? Yes, of course! It’s a flexible tool that can be used by different types of businesses, including startups, established companies, or even nonprofit organizations. Be it a product-oriented, service-oriented, platform-based, subscription-based, or hybrid model, the BMC can be used to describe, analyze and optimize any business model. How often should the business canvas model be updated or revised? The frequency of updating or revising depends on the nature of your business and the changes in your external or internal environment. Reviewing and updating your Business Model Canvas periodically or when significant changes occur is recommended. Regular reviews can help ensure that your business model remains relevant, adaptable, and aligned with your objectives. How can I effectively communicate my business model to stakeholders using the business canvas model? Use clear and concise language Use visual-aids Customize for your audience Highlight key insights Be open to feedback and discussion