A business planning templete that covers far more than just finance.

1. OUTCOME BASED, ACTION
FOCUSSED BUSINESS & INDIVIDUAL
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMMES
BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT PLAN
TEMPLATE

2. 2
CONTENTS PAGE
No Title Page No.
1 SUMMARY AND BUSINESS INTRODUCTION
2 PRODUCT/SERVICE
3 RESOURCES
4 BUSINESS ANALYSIS
5 MARKET ANALYSIS
6 MARKETING
7 FINANCE
8 MANAGEMENT PLAN
9 SECTION REVIEW
10 APPENDIX
7 Key Strategies
Goal and Action Planning

3. 3
1. SUMMARY AND BUSINESS INTRODUCTION
1.1 Business Description
Give a brief description of the business, or business idea that you have.
1.2 Statement of Intended Purpose
This should be short, specific and relevant to your business – examples have been provided in the
appendix. Consider the SoIP as a ‘destination’ on a map.
1.3 Business Values
Give a short descriptive list of your business values.

4. 4
1.4 Ethical Code
If your business requires an Ethical code, or set of ethics, write them here.
1.5 Business Structure
Will this be Sole trader/Partnership/Ltd Company? Seek legal advice if necessary.
1.6 Business Location
Where will your business be run from – premises, home, etc.
1.7 Business Licences, indemnities, etc.
Does your business need a licence/s, and/or indemnities, etc?
1.8 Business Finance
What finance do you need and where will it come from?

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1.9 Personal details
Brief description of you – leadership and management skills, experience, etc.
1.10 Further Training
Give a summary of the types of further training that you have identified in the plan.
1.11 Professional Memberships
What Professional memberships do you need?
Personal notes

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2. PRODUCT/SERVICE
2.1 PRODUCT/SERVICE Description of benefits % of sales
Describe your product, or service below and indicate the % of each one as a total of your full
provision. Remember – Benefit, Benefit, Benefit – people buy benefit NOT spec.

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2.2 Product/Service Differentiation
How is your product/service different from those suppliers already in the market?
2.3 Business Patents
Does your business require any patents, etc?
2.4 Business Trademarks and/or copyrights?
Does your business require any trademark or copyright registration – state them here.
2.5 Business Guarantees & warranties?
Will you be providing any guarantees or warranties – state them here
Personal notes

8. 8
3. RESOURCES
3.1 Type of resource Description.
Premises Where will you work from, etc?
Equipment What equipment do you need (have), etc?
Materials What type, how much, supplied by, etc?
People What staff do you need, how will they be managed, paid, etc?

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4. BUSINESS ANALYSIS
4.1 SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS (internal) WEAKNESSES (internal)
(what are you good at) (what are you not so good at – is it worth
concentrating on this area to improve or is it
okay as it is?)
OPPORTUNITIES (external) THREATS (external)
(areas that you can attack – they offer
earning potential)
(areas you need to monitor and take action
over if needed.)

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4.2 PEST Analysis
POLITICAL ECONOMIC
Change of Government
Legal changes, etc
Market changes
Interest rates, etc.
SOCIAL TECHNOLOGICAL
Change in attitudes toward personal
development.
Cultural attitudes.
Internet providers, etc.

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4.4 Business Issues.
Are there any issues coming out of the SWOT & PEST analysis that you need
to plan for? These should be reviewed each quarter.
ISSUE DESCRIPTION
Presence in the local market We have little presence in the local market which
means we are not recognised as a quality provider. No
one knows we are here.

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5. MARKET ANALYSIS
5.1 Customers.
Who are your Customers and what do they require from you?
CUSTOMERS/GROUPS Describe
them in detail.
CUSTOMERS/GROUPS
REQUIREMENTS
5.2 Customer care
Consider your quality, delivery and customer care performance against the competitions.

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5.3 Market research.
How do you know if they need/want your product/service?
What action are you going to take to find out?
Customer group?
Segment – niche?
Action to take? When?

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5.4 Supplier analysis.
SUPPLIER PRODUCT / SERVICE PRICE

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5.5 What are your alternatives if your main suppliers go out of business, etc?

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5.6 Competitor analysis.
Your main
Competitors
are?
Their strengths/weaknesses are? Their prices
compared to
yours are?

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6. MARKETING
6.1 Advertising & Promotion
TARGET
CUSTOMER GROUP
PROMOTIONAL
METHOD
SPECIFY WHICH MONTHS YOU
WILL TARGET YOUR
CUSTOMER GROUPS.

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6.2 Annual Marketing Plan
MARKETING
ACTIVITY
SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG
Web Site Launch Maintenance Maintain. Maintain. Maintain. Maintain. Update Maintain. Maintain. Maintain. Maintain. Maintain.
Targeted Leaflets &
Qualified Lists
First number
sent to main
groups.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
New leaflets
to groups
covering
Xmas Deal.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
New leaflets to
groups
covering Easter
Deal.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Network
members.
Contacts.
New leaflets
to groups
covering
Phoenix Life
Coaching’s
birthday.
Network
members.
Contacts.
Networking Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting
cards and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting cards
and
information
given.
Each weekly
meeting
cards and
information
given.
Referrals Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop clients
and referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop clients
and referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop clients
and referrals.
Develop clients
and referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Develop
clients and
referrals.
Free Taster
sessions
At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time
Teaser material Pre launch in
August
- - Pre Xmas
holiday
Follow up - - - Pre summer Follow up - -
Business card
provision
At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time At any time
Special events Launch BBQ Halloween
party
- Xmas party - - Spring event Easter event - Start of
Summer event
- -

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6.3 Summary of Marketing Plan

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7. FINANCE
Complete the rest of the plan BEFORE you carry out this section.
Pricing
Cash flow Summary
Income
Sales – Cash
Sales – Credit
Owners Investment
Expenditure
Materials / Stock
Insurance
Rates, Rent, Heat & Light
Repairs and Maintenance
Postage and Stationery
Advertising and Publicity
Telephone
Motor Expenses
Professional Fees
Personal Drawings
Business Ratios

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MANAGEMENT PLAN

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8. MANAGEMENT PLAN
The ‘how you are going to progress the business’ bit – add as many pages of these as you like.
Business issue
(from the business
plan)
Objective/s Task/s Performance
Measure/s
Target(s) for
2001-2002
Training
requirements
Progress Report
1/4ly basis
Presence in the
‘local market’
To raise the
profile of the
[xxxxx] within
the ‘local
market’.
To generate
interest in [xxx]
by the
incorporation of
news items into
the local press.
Number of
articles.
To have at least
3 positive items
per year in the
local press.
PR & media skills
Presence in the
‘local market’
To increase the
membership.
Hold open days. Number of
visitors.
Number of
enquires.
Number of new
members.
To have at least
30 visits per
1/4er.
To have at least
5 enquires per
member per
1/4er.
To increase the
membership by
5% each 1/4er.

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9. SECTION REVIEW.
1st
quarter Date completed.
2nd
quarter Date completed.
3rd
quarter Date completed.
4th
quarter Date completed.
Signed

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10. APPENDIX
SEVEN KEY STRATEGIES FOR CONTINUED BUSINESS EXCELLENCE.
Introduction
For a business to be successful, it needs to ensure it has effective processes in all key areas. In this
paper, I set out seven such areas along with definitions of each one. I have also included some of
the precursors to a business being successful as well as a tool to assist in the effective setting of
goals.
Strategy.
The term Strategy used in this document means:
'The framework which guides those choices that determine the nature and direction of an
organisation and includes the art of distributing and applying business means to fulfill the ends of
considered vision.'
Inherent to this approach is that the direction of the organisation is an essential precursor to
setting strategy. Therefore, the 'vision' has to be set first and then strategies designed to enable
the organisation to move toward that vision. I call this the ‘Statement of Intended Purpose’.
What Is a Statement of Intended Purpose?
‘A big picture statement, describing a desired end-state (i.e. the transformed business or post-
transformation steady state) and which is General in scope, not restrictive, and more than simply
the current scenario with all problems solved.
Below is a useful example:
Examples.
BLOOMING MARVELOUS – Arising out of our experiences, we intend to design, make and
market a range of clothes for mothers-to-be that will make them feel they can still be fashionably
dressed. We aim to serve a niche missed out by Mothercare, Marks & Spencer, etc. and so
become a significant force in mail order fashion for the mothers-to-be market.
SIMPLICITY COACHING - Arising out of our experiences, we intend, by 2017, to design and
deliver specifically created, and client focussed, Executive and Business Coaching services to
professional clients (non-industry specific) across the UK who are seeking management and
leadership solutions. We aim to serve a niche missed out by mainstream training, coaching,
mentoring and management development providers and so become a significant provider of action
based, and outcome focussed professional, personal & business building solutions.
Once the vision is established, the organisation then assesses its position to deliver the key
components of that vision. Checking the position will enable gaps within the structures and
approaches to be identified and corrected/developed/maintained according to the relevant
business area.
Cascade Effect.
At all stages of development the organisation has to take into account the ‘cascade effect’ – that is,
if a change is made in one area you have to consider what the corresponding changes will be that
occur elsewhere, either by design or as an unforeseen consequence. Changes made in different

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areas in parallel that have not been thought through can have potentially damaging or fatal
organisational effects. Changes based on incongruent values can also be dangerous.
Critical Mass.
This occurs when the organization has reached a position where it is nearing its maximum
capacity. If it has not planned for the effects of reaching, or exceeding it’s capacity then negative
critical mass will occur – big bang and very messy. If it has planned for critical mass then it will
have taken on extra resource earlier to ensure a smooth transition from one position to the next.
Whilst still a big bang it will not be a negatively messy one.
Review and Evaluation.
At each stage of the organisation's move toward the vision, it has to review that vision and
confirm direction (at least annually). It should review the actions it took and evaluate their
effectiveness, assessing the outcomes gives you a good idea of where your strengths are within the
business as well as discovering areas that need some more work.
Key Process.
You need to use an effective process to deliver the outcomes. Goal planning is an essential model,
which if utilised properly, will deliver success.
The most effective model uses the SMART goal formula.
Smart goals
Any goal set by an organisation should be set in such a way as to be focussed and clear. Each
individual’s job goals should be clearly aligned to those of the organisation so that they can see
how their performance is adding to that of their company.
The SMART mnemonic stands for:
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Actionable
R = Realisable
T = Time framed
EXAMPLES.
The goal of:
‘To be profit making as soon as possible’
gives no idea of when, how, what, where or why.
It could be restated as:
‘By 2010 we intend to have a turnover of £[xxx,xxx] increasing by [x]% on a year on year basis,
this will be in parallel with a profit margin of [xx]% by the same date increasing by [x]% on a year
on year basis.
This is specific in that the amounts are stated by number and percentage.

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It can be measured as they are clearly stated by number and percentage.
It is actionable in that you will now put the processes in place to move you toward those
numbers.
It is realisable, although stretching (a goal that does not stretch the company or person is of
limited value).
It is time framed in that there are definite dates set.
The next step is then to set action points to start you moving toward delivering the goal. I have
designed a form for you to use at Appendix 1.
The next thing for you to do is to consider each of the strategies below and start setting goals in
each area as you see fit.
The Seven Strategies Are:
1. Having a consolidated view and understanding of the company's business.
2. Having effective processes and systems in place.
3. Having established purpose, goals, values, and ethics in place.
4. Having a transparent financial and resource plan in place.
5. Having effective people relationships and balance of responsibilities and accountabilities
across the organisation in place.
6. Having open and dynamic communications systems in place.
7. Having an effective and dynamic marketing plan in place.
Each strategy is defined according to the essential elements of the business. These will be added to
as the system develops. Presently these are defined as follows:
1. Having a consolidated view and understanding of the company's business.
What business is it the company is in?
Statement of company goals and targets in each area.
A statement of what the individual's goals are compared to those of the company and what
the resultant actions are to be.
2. Having effective processes and systems in place.
Includes: HR (team, individual, development, reporting, grievance, handbook, induction,
etc), H&S, Energy, Planning (strategy, operational, tactical, contingency & ‘what if’ scenario
planning, etc), Business scripts (calls, sales, networking, etc) Business process documents –
the system that is used to do [xxx] is [xxxx].
3. Having established purpose, goals, values, and ethics in place.
Includes: Statement of Intended Purpose, strategies, goals, objectives, tasks, statement of
values, and statement of ethics.
4. Having a transparent financial and resource plan in place.
Each section should incorporate cost/benefit analysis, and cover ratios (Income
Profitability; Liquidity; Working Capital; Bankruptcy; Long-Term Analysis; Coverage &
Leverage. Any staff costs should be set out showing hourly rate, super ann, pensions, etc.
5. Having effective people relationships and balance of responsibilities and
accountabilities across the organisation in place.

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Includes management & staff structures in place, statement of job roles, responsibilities and
accountabilities (including associated manual of systems for each role), staff rotation,
development, and training plans in place, reward systems, & competences.
6. Having open and dynamic communications systems in place.
How do you talk to your people (staff and customer/clients)? Team briefing structure,
suggestion schemes, email/letter/report protocols, notice boards, electronic boards, plain
English guide, templates, desk instructions, dress codes, SOPs, etc. Instead of email in office
go talk.
7. Having an effective and dynamic marketing plan in place.
Product/service description, market description (segment, niche, etc) benefit description,
competitor analysis, supplier analysis, clarity of activity, direct comms with sales,
consistency of message and company brand.
The list above is not fully inclusive and as businesses grow and develop so will the contents of each
strategic area. By reviewing and evaluating regularly, you will be able to identify necessary changes
before it becomes too late.
Peter Mackechnie
Simplicity Coaching
www.simplicitycoaching.co.uk
info@simplicitycoaching.co.uk
07881 598671
0845 458 2549

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Appendix 10a
Goal Planner
Statement Of Intended Purpose:
Strategy To Meet The Statement (Select One From The 7 Key Strategies)
Hierarchical Goal/S Date/S To Achieve
Short Term (1 Week –
3mths)
Medium Term (3mths –
12mths)
Long Term (1yr ->Yrs)
Potential Barriers
Resources
Resources Needed Are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Support Team:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How Will You Review Progress? How Will You Evaluate The Outcomes?

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Action Plan
Actions to take – break into sub sections if necessary and use
continuation sheet.
Priority
1, 2, 3, 4
Start
date
End
date