When you're running a small business, it can be easy to just pay bills as they arise, and live from month-to-month from your income. Unfortunately, however, that's not a good long-term strategy. A comprehensive budget plan can really make a difference in the financial health of your business, particularly when the economy is in a downturn and consumers aren't spending as much money. If you're not sure how to set up a budget, just follow one of these simple templates for events and marketing plans, and you'll be saving cash every month.
Event Budget Template
If your business is going to be participating in a one-time or recurring event, create a budget to keep track of the expenses associated with the event. This event spreadsheet is compatible with Microsoft Excel 2003, or any later version of Excel. Enter estimated expenses and actual costs to measure the accuracy of spending projections. Keep track of expenditures for publicity, refreshments, prizes, and any other category that is applicable to your event. You can also edit the categories for an event without prizes or an event with another special category such as a paid speaker.
Marketing Budget Example
Need to standardize spending for your marketing plan? Use this marketing budget spreadsheet, also compatible with Microsoft Excel 2003 or any more recent version of the software. Enter in the various categories of expense, and fill in the blanks with individual expenses. The form auto-calculates the cost of items based on a per-unit price and the number of units required, and provides a running total of estimated expenses by category and for the entire plan.
Downloading Sample Forms
After you choose the best spreadsheet for your budgeting needs, just click on the "Download" link. You will be prompted to read and accept the Microsoft Terms of Service (TOS) before the download commences. After the file has successfully downloaded to your computer, open it using your version of Microsoft Excel, and customize the form as necessary. Add your company name and details, and edit the categories and other specific information so that the budget more accurately reflects the situation.
When you're setting up a small office, look for samples of expense forms, business plans, and even newsletters and brochures online. Don't forget to save a blank copy of the templates before making changes - after you download the files, you can re-use the forms as many times as you need, to help with your business processes.
Victoria Nicks - Victoria Nicks has a Master's Degree in IT, and extensive hands-on experience with various types of hardware and software.
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