A business plan is essential for clarifying your vision, demonstrating financial viability, and outlining strategies for success. It requires detailing the business opportunity, target market, competition, and operational plans while also offering insights into strengths, weaknesses, and growth strategies. Key components include a vision statement, mission statement, objectives, and a financial plan to guide the business towards achieving its goals.

1. Producing a business plan
means focusing your thinking
and communicating your
vision to others. You also get
the chance to provide
evidence that your business
idea is financially viable
Producing a business plan
means focusing your thinking
and communicating your
vision to others. You also get
the chance to provide
evidence that your business
idea is financially viable
Writing a business plan
requires explaining the
opportunity, what products or
services you will sell, how
they’ll be marketed and sold,
which customers you’ll target
&what competition you face.
Writing a business plan
requires explaining the
opportunity, what products or
services you will sell, how
they’ll be marketed and sold,
which customers you’ll target
&what competition you face.
Writing a start-up business
plan can expose flaws in your
thinking, which enables you
to make changes before you
go ahead and launch your
business.
Writing a start-up business
plan can expose flaws in your
thinking, which enables you
to make changes before you
go ahead and launch your
business.
A business plan should
showcase your vision. The
reader should know where
you want to take your
business (ie your goals) and
how you plan to get there (ie
your development strategy).
A business plan should
showcase your vision. The
reader should know where
you want to take your
business (ie your goals) and
how you plan to get there (ie
your development strategy).
A
TACTICAL
INNOVATICS
PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
3. MISSION, VISION & STRATEGY
4. PRODUCTS & SERVICES
5. REVENUE SOURCES
6. FUTURE GROWTH
7. MARKETING PLAN
8. OPERATIONAL PLAN
9. ORGANISATIONAL PLAN
10. THE FINANCIAL PLAN
(BUDGETS AND FUNDING)
1. I N T R O D U C T I O N
Introduce your business here and provide a high level overview. Don’t get into too much
detail, rather think of this section as an elevator pitch. Answer questions such as
business name, purpose, target market, revenue source(s), structure (CC, Pty etc.),
physical location and ownership. This section should be a few paragraphs (about half a
page).
VISION
WHAT
HOW
WHO
WHY
A vision statement is where you
present a clear and defined
description of the desired
outcome of your business. The
first sentence of your vision
statement should be a short, yet
powerful, sentence which
captures the overall spirit of the
business. The vision statement
can be one paragraph, or several
paragraphs
MISSION
The mission statement is a short statement of the
purpose of the business.
OBJECTIVES
The business objectives are statements defining the
tangible deliverables of the business and what they are
expected to achieve. The objectives should be concisely
written so they can be evaluated at a later date to see
whether they were achieved and to the extent they were
achieved
GOALS
When writing the objectives be sure that they are specific,
measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. Start out
by stating the overreaching objective of the business (the
primary reason for chartering the project), then follow it up
with the more specific detailed objectives of the business.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
In this section you need to identify the keys to success for
your business. What will make your business more likely
to succeed than other comparable businesses? What
makes your business special?
State the purpose
of your business.
Identify Ownership
Target Market &
Growth Plans
Write this section last as it is a
high level summary of your
entire business plan. This
section is read by high level
executives who have a need to
know about your business but
don’t necessarily have the time
to read all the specifics. If they
need specifics on any particular
topic, they will go to that
section of the business plan
2. E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
Unique Selling
Proposition
3. MISSION, VISION AND STRATEGY
10
EASY
STEPS

2. For many of us entrepreneurs it’s
difficult to identify their strengths
and weaknesses; especially our
weaknesses. We like to think that
we are capable of most anything
we put our minds to and that
we’re experts on most everything.
For many of us entrepreneurs it’s
difficult to identify their strengths
and weaknesses; especially our
weaknesses. We like to think that
we are capable of most anything
we put our minds to and that
we’re experts on most everything.
However, successful
entrepreneurs have a
common character where
they are able to objectively
identify their weaknesses and
seek outside help accordingly.
However, successful
entrepreneurs have a
common character where
they are able to objectively
identify their weaknesses and
seek outside help accordingly.
By identifying our weaknesses
we determine where we need
to improve ourselves, but
most importantly for what
areas we should look to
outsource to someone more
qualified.
By identifying our weaknesses
we determine where we need
to improve ourselves, but
most importantly for what
areas we should look to
outsource to someone more
qualified.
Retrospectively, by identifying
our strengths we then know
what can be leveraged to
build the business and ensure
success
Retrospectively, by identifying
our strengths we then know
what can be leveraged to
build the business and ensure
success
Strengths,
Weaknesses,
Opportunities and
Threats
(SWOTs)
4. Products and Services
Every business produces some sort
of product or service. In this section
you will identify and describe the
product and/or service your
business will provide.
STRATEGIES
The strategies section is where you sit down
and develop a high level map of how you’re
going to build your business. The strategies
should be developed from a 15,000 foot view.
You’ll use this section as your roadmap to
building the business.
SALES
PROJECTIONS
Market
Analysis
COMPETITION
CUSTOMER
PROFILE
MARKET
SIZE
Describe the size of the market in
which your business will be
competing. Talk about sales and
market share projections for your
company.
ADVERTISING
Traditional : print, radio, TV, flyers, billboards
Digital: social media, website, Google
PUBLIC RELATIONS
“Public relations is a strategic communication process that
builds mutually beneficial relationships between
organizations and their publics.”
8. OPERATIONS PLAN
Which locations?
What systems?
Which partners?
Which bank?
Loans and gearing?
9.THE ORGANISATIONAL PLAN
This section covers the ownership and management
structure of the company. It is okay to have the same
person fill multiple roles as this is common with many
small businesses.
What does the organogram and reporting lines look like?
The primary reason
to start a business
is to make money.
In this section you
will identify how
your business will
generate revenues.
In what way will
you generate
income?
We entrepreneurs know that
business is dynamic and in
order to succeed we need to
be able to make changes to the
business according to market
demands. This section
identified areas which the
business can expand into.
5. R E V E N U E S O U R C E S
What are your topline
Financial projections
over the next
5 years?
7. THE MARKETING PLAN
6. FUTURE GROWTH OPPORTUNTIES
SALES
STRATEGY
Sales Strategy is where we discuss what
methods we are going to use to reach clients,
what resources we have available
and will use, and our competitive
edge over the competition.

3. 10. THE FINANCIAL PLAN
• DECISION MAKING
• VOTING RIGHTS
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• RECORD KEEPING
• COMMUNICATION
COMPANY OWNERSHIP
PROJECTED CASH FLOW:
What are the funding requirements
and how will this money be spend and tracked?
UPDATING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
COMPANY
OWNERSHIP
MANAGERIAL
STYLE
MANAGEMENT
ADMINISTRATION
START UP
BUDGETS
OPERATING
BUDGETS
ACCOUNTING
CONTROL
INVENTORY
CONTROL
CASH FLOW
PROJECTIONS
FINANCIAL
CHANGE
MARKET
CHANGE
FEEDBACK
NICHE
CHANGE
What’s the key to implementing a business plan
successfully?
A business plan will be easier to implement if it’s simple, specific, realistic and
comprehensive. But even then, someone needs to take ownership for implementation
and monitoring of progress. In a small business, of course, this is usually the owner-
manager. They need the energy and drive to make the plan a success – otherwise it’s
unlikely to happen.
WHEN? ... HOW OFTEN? ... WHY?
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