strategic business plan jotform

Small Business Trends

How to create a business plan: examples & free template.

This is the ultimate guide to creating a comprehensive and effective plan to start a business . In today’s dynamic business landscape, having a well-crafted business plan is an important first step to securing funding, attracting partners, and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.

This guide has been designed to help you create a winning plan that stands out in the ever-evolving marketplace. U sing real-world examples and a free downloadable template, it will walk you through each step of the process.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or launching your very first startup, the guide will give you the insights, tools, and confidence you need to create a solid foundation for your business.

Table of Contents

How to Write a Business Plan

Embarking on the journey of creating a successful business requires a solid foundation, and a well-crafted business plan is the cornerstone. Here is the process of writing a comprehensive business plan and the main parts of a winning business plan . From setting objectives to conducting market research, this guide will have everything you need.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary serves as the gateway to your business plan, offering a snapshot of your venture’s core aspects. This section should captivate and inform, succinctly summarizing the essence of your plan.

It’s crucial to include a clear mission statement, a brief description of your primary products or services, an overview of your target market, and key financial projections or achievements.

Think of it as an elevator pitch in written form: it should be compelling enough to engage potential investors or stakeholders and provide them with a clear understanding of what your business is about, its goals, and why it’s a promising investment.

Example: EcoTech is a technology company specializing in eco-friendly and sustainable products designed to reduce energy consumption and minimize waste. Our mission is to create innovative solutions that contribute to a cleaner, greener environment.

Our target market includes environmentally conscious consumers and businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. We project a 200% increase in revenue within the first three years of operation.

Overview and Business Objectives

In the Overview and Business Objectives section, outline your business’s core goals and the strategic approaches you plan to use to achieve them. This section should set forth clear, specific objectives that are attainable and time-bound, providing a roadmap for your business’s growth and success.

It’s important to detail how these objectives align with your company’s overall mission and vision. Discuss the milestones you aim to achieve and the timeframe you’ve set for these accomplishments.

This part of the plan demonstrates to investors and stakeholders your vision for growth and the practical steps you’ll take to get there.

Example: EcoTech’s primary objective is to become a market leader in sustainable technology products within the next five years. Our key objectives include:

• Introducing three new products within the first two years of operation.
• Achieving annual revenue growth of 30%.
• Expanding our customer base to over 10,000 clients by the end of the third year.

Company Description

The Company Description section is your opportunity to delve into the details of your business. Provide a comprehensive overview that includes your company’s history, its mission statement, and its vision for the future.

Highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) – what makes your business stand out in the market. Explain the problems your company solves and how it benefits your customers.

Include information about the company’s founders, their expertise, and why they are suited to lead the business to success. This section should paint a vivid picture of your business, its values, and its place in the industry.

Example: EcoTech is committed to developing cutting-edge sustainable technology products that benefit both the environment and our customers. Our unique combination of innovative solutions and eco-friendly design sets us apart from the competition. We envision a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, leading to a greener planet.

Define Your Target Market

Defining Your Target Market is critical for tailoring your business strategy effectively. This section should describe your ideal customer base in detail, including demographic information (such as age, gender, income level, and location) and psychographic data (like interests, values, and lifestyle).

Elucidate on the specific needs or pain points of your target audience and how your product or service addresses these. This information will help you know your target market and develop targeted marketing strategies.

Example: Our target market comprises environmentally conscious consumers and businesses looking for innovative solutions to reduce their carbon footprint. Our ideal customers are those who prioritize sustainability and are willing to invest in eco-friendly products.

Market Analysis

The Market Analysis section requires thorough research and a keen understanding of the industry. It involves examining the current trends within your industry, understanding the needs and preferences of your customers, and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors.

This analysis will enable you to spot market opportunities and anticipate potential challenges. Include data and statistics to back up your claims, and use graphs or charts to illustrate market trends.

This section should demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of the market in which you operate and that your business is well-positioned to capitalize on its opportunities.

Example: The market for eco-friendly technology products has experienced significant growth in recent years, with an estimated annual growth rate of 10%. As consumers become increasingly aware of environmental issues, the demand for sustainable solutions continues to rise.

Our research indicates a gap in the market for high-quality, innovative eco-friendly technology products that cater to both individual and business clients.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis in your business plan offers a comprehensive examination of your company’s internal and external factors. By assessing Strengths, you showcase what your business does best and where your capabilities lie.

Weaknesses involve an honest introspection of areas where your business may be lacking or could improve. Opportunities can be external factors that your business could capitalize on, such as market gaps or emerging trends.

Threats include external challenges your business may face, like competition or market changes. This analysis is crucial for strategic planning, as it helps in recognizing and leveraging your strengths, addressing weaknesses, seizing opportunities, and preparing for potential threats.

Including a SWOT analysis demonstrates to stakeholders that you have a balanced and realistic understanding of your business in its operational context.

• Innovative and eco-friendly product offerings.
• Strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
• Skilled and experienced team with expertise in technology and sustainability.

Weaknesses:

• Limited brand recognition compared to established competitors.
• Reliance on third-party manufacturers for product development.

Opportunities:

• Growing consumer interest in sustainable products.
• Partnerships with environmentally-focused organizations and influencers.
• Expansion into international markets.
• Intense competition from established technology companies.
• Regulatory changes could impact the sustainable technology market.

Competitive Analysis

In this section, you’ll analyze your competitors in-depth, examining their products, services, market positioning, and pricing strategies. Understanding your competition allows you to identify gaps in the market and tailor your offerings to outperform them.

By conducting a thorough competitive analysis, you can gain insights into your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to develop strategies to differentiate your business and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Example: Key competitors include:

GreenTech: A well-known brand offering eco-friendly technology products, but with a narrower focus on energy-saving devices.

EarthSolutions: A direct competitor specializing in sustainable technology, but with a limited product range and higher prices.

By offering a diverse product portfolio, competitive pricing, and continuous innovation, we believe we can capture a significant share of the growing sustainable technology market.

Organization and Management Team

Provide an overview of your company’s organizational structure, including key roles and responsibilities. Introduce your management team, highlighting their expertise and experience to demonstrate that your team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.

Showcasing your team’s background, skills, and accomplishments instills confidence in investors and other stakeholders, proving that your business has the leadership and talent necessary to achieve its objectives and manage growth effectively.

Example: EcoTech’s organizational structure comprises the following key roles: CEO, CTO, CFO, Sales Director, Marketing Director, and R&D Manager. Our management team has extensive experience in technology, sustainability, and business development, ensuring that we are well-equipped to execute our business plan successfully.

Products and Services Offered

Describe the products or services your business offers, focusing on their unique features and benefits. Explain how your offerings solve customer pain points and why they will choose your products or services over the competition.

This section should emphasize the value you provide to customers, demonstrating that your business has a deep understanding of customer needs and is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that address those needs and set your company apart from competitors.

Example: EcoTech offers a range of eco-friendly technology products, including energy-efficient lighting solutions, solar chargers, and smart home devices that optimize energy usage. Our products are designed to help customers reduce energy consumption, minimize waste, and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Marketing and Sales Strategy

In this section, articulate your comprehensive strategy for reaching your target market and driving sales. Detail the specific marketing channels you plan to use, such as social media, email marketing, SEO, or traditional advertising.

Describe the nature of your advertising campaigns and promotional activities, explaining how they will capture the attention of your target audience and convey the value of your products or services. Outline your sales strategy, including your sales process, team structure, and sales targets.

Discuss how these marketing and sales efforts will work together to attract and retain customers, generate leads, and ultimately contribute to achieving your business’s revenue goals.

This section is critical to convey to investors and stakeholders that you have a well-thought-out approach to market your business effectively and drive sales growth.

Example: Our marketing strategy includes digital advertising, content marketing, social media promotion, and influencer partnerships. We will also attend trade shows and conferences to showcase our products and connect with potential clients. Our sales strategy involves both direct sales and partnerships with retail stores, as well as online sales through our website and e-commerce platforms.

Logistics and Operations Plan

The Logistics and Operations Plan is a critical component that outlines the inner workings of your business. It encompasses the management of your supply chain, detailing how you acquire raw materials and manage vendor relationships.

Inventory control is another crucial aspect, where you explain strategies for inventory management to ensure efficiency and reduce wastage. The section should also describe your production processes, emphasizing scalability and adaptability to meet changing market demands.

Quality control measures are essential to maintain product standards and customer satisfaction. This plan assures investors and stakeholders of your operational competency and readiness to meet business demands.

Highlighting your commitment to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction underlines your business’s capability to maintain smooth, effective operations even as it scales.

Example: EcoTech partners with reliable third-party manufacturers to produce our eco-friendly technology products. Our operations involve maintaining strong relationships with suppliers, ensuring quality control, and managing inventory.

We also prioritize efficient distribution through various channels, including online platforms and retail partners, to deliver products to our customers in a timely manner.

Financial Projections Plan

In the Financial Projections Plan, lay out a clear and realistic financial future for your business. This should include detailed projections for revenue, costs, and profitability over the next three to five years.

Ground these projections in solid assumptions based on your market analysis, industry benchmarks, and realistic growth scenarios. Break down revenue streams and include an analysis of the cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and potential investments.

This section should also discuss your break-even analysis, cash flow projections, and any assumptions about external funding requirements.

By presenting a thorough and data-backed financial forecast, you instill confidence in potential investors and lenders, showcasing your business’s potential for profitability and financial stability.

This forward-looking financial plan is crucial for demonstrating that you have a firm grasp of the financial nuances of your business and are prepared to manage its financial health effectively.

Example: Over the next three years, we expect to see significant growth in revenue, driven by new product launches and market expansion. Our financial projections include:

• Year 1: $1.5 million in revenue, with a net profit of $200,000.
• Year 2: $3 million in revenue, with a net profit of $500,000.
• Year 3: $4.5 million in revenue, with a net profit of $1 million.

These projections are based on realistic market analysis, growth rates, and product pricing.

Income Statement

The income statement , also known as the profit and loss statement, provides a summary of your company’s revenues and expenses over a specified period. It helps you track your business’s financial performance and identify trends, ensuring you stay on track to achieve your financial goals.

Regularly reviewing and analyzing your income statement allows you to monitor the health of your business, evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies, and make data-driven decisions to optimize profitability and growth.

Example: The income statement for EcoTech’s first year of operation is as follows:

• Revenue: $1,500,000
• Cost of Goods Sold: $800,000
• Gross Profit: $700,000
• Operating Expenses: $450,000
• Net Income: $250,000

This statement highlights our company’s profitability and overall financial health during the first year of operation.

Cash Flow Statement

A cash flow statement is a crucial part of a financial business plan that shows the inflows and outflows of cash within your business. It helps you monitor your company’s liquidity, ensuring you have enough cash on hand to cover operating expenses, pay debts, and invest in growth opportunities.

By including a cash flow statement in your business plan, you demonstrate your ability to manage your company’s finances effectively.

Example:  The cash flow statement for EcoTech’s first year of operation is as follows:

Operating Activities:

• Depreciation: $10,000
• Changes in Working Capital: -$50,000
• Net Cash from Operating Activities: $210,000

Investing Activities:

•  Capital Expenditures: -$100,000
• Net Cash from Investing Activities: -$100,000

Financing Activities:

• Proceeds from Loans: $150,000
• Loan Repayments: -$50,000
• Net Cash from Financing Activities: $100,000
• Net Increase in Cash: $210,000

This statement demonstrates EcoTech’s ability to generate positive cash flow from operations, maintain sufficient liquidity, and invest in growth opportunities.

Tips on Writing a Business Plan

1. Be clear and concise: Keep your language simple and straightforward. Avoid jargon and overly technical terms. A clear and concise business plan is easier for investors and stakeholders to understand and demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively.

2. Conduct thorough research: Before writing your business plan, gather as much information as possible about your industry, competitors, and target market. Use reliable sources and industry reports to inform your analysis and make data-driven decisions.

3. Set realistic goals: Your business plan should outline achievable objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Setting realistic goals demonstrates your understanding of the market and increases the likelihood of success.

4. Focus on your unique selling proposition (USP): Clearly articulate what sets your business apart from the competition. Emphasize your USP throughout your business plan to showcase your company’s value and potential for success.

5. Be flexible and adaptable: A business plan is a living document that should evolve as your business grows and changes. Be prepared to update and revise your plan as you gather new information and learn from your experiences.

6. Use visuals to enhance understanding: Include charts, graphs, and other visuals to help convey complex data and ideas. Visuals can make your business plan more engaging and easier to digest, especially for those who prefer visual learning.

7. Seek feedback from trusted sources: Share your business plan with mentors, industry experts, or colleagues and ask for their feedback. Their insights can help you identify areas for improvement and strengthen your plan before presenting it to potential investors or partners.

FREE Business Plan Template

To help you get started on your business plan, we have created a template that includes all the essential components discussed in the “How to Write a Business Plan” section. This easy-to-use template will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you don’t miss any critical details.

The template is divided into the following sections:

• Mission statement
• Business Overview
• Key products or services
• Target market
• Financial highlights
• Company goals
• Strategies to achieve goals
• Measurable, time-bound objectives
• Company History
• Mission and vision
• Unique selling proposition
• Demographics
• Psychographics
• Pain points
• Industry trends
• Customer needs
• Competitor strengths and weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Competitor products and services
• Market positioning
• Pricing strategies
• Organizational structure
• Key roles and responsibilities
• Management team backgrounds
• Product or service features
• Competitive advantages
• Marketing channels
• Advertising campaigns
• Promotional activities
• Sales strategies
• Supply chain management
• Inventory control
• Production processes
• Quality control measures
• Projected revenue
• Assumptions
• Cash inflows
• Cash outflows
• Net cash flow

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a strategic document that outlines an organization’s goals, objectives, and the steps required to achieve them. It serves as a roadmap as you start a business , guiding the company’s direction and growth while identifying potential obstacles and opportunities.

Typically, a business plan covers areas such as market analysis, financial projections, marketing strategies, and organizational structure. It not only helps in securing funding from investors and lenders but also provides clarity and focus to the management team.

A well-crafted business plan is a very important part of your business startup checklist because it fosters informed decision-making and long-term success.

Why You Should Write a Business Plan

Understanding the importance of a business plan in today’s competitive environment is crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners. Here are five compelling reasons to write a business plan:

• Attract Investors and Secure Funding : A well-written business plan demonstrates your venture’s potential and profitability, making it easier to attract investors and secure the necessary funding for growth and development. It provides a detailed overview of your business model, target market, financial projections, and growth strategies, instilling confidence in potential investors and lenders that your company is a worthy investment.
• Clarify Business Objectives and Strategies : Crafting a business plan forces you to think critically about your goals and the strategies you’ll employ to achieve them, providing a clear roadmap for success. This process helps you refine your vision and prioritize the most critical objectives, ensuring that your efforts are focused on achieving the desired results.
• Identify Potential Risks and Opportunities : Analyzing the market, competition, and industry trends within your business plan helps identify potential risks and uncover untapped opportunities for growth and expansion. This insight enables you to develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities, positioning your business for long-term success.
• Improve Decision-Making : A business plan serves as a reference point so you can make informed decisions that align with your company’s overall objectives and long-term vision. By consistently referring to your plan and adjusting it as needed, you can ensure that your business remains on track and adapts to changes in the market, industry, or internal operations.
• Foster Team Alignment and Communication : A shared business plan helps ensure that all team members are on the same page, promoting clear communication, collaboration, and a unified approach to achieving the company’s goals. By involving your team in the planning process and regularly reviewing the plan together, you can foster a sense of ownership, commitment, and accountability that drives success.

What are the Different Types of Business Plans?

In today’s fast-paced business world, having a well-structured roadmap is more important than ever. A traditional business plan provides a comprehensive overview of your company’s goals and strategies, helping you make informed decisions and achieve long-term success. There are various types of business plans, each designed to suit different needs and purposes. Let’s explore the main types:

• Startup Business Plan: Tailored for new ventures, a startup business plan outlines the company’s mission, objectives, target market, competition, marketing strategies, and financial projections. It helps entrepreneurs clarify their vision, secure funding from investors, and create a roadmap for their business’s future. Additionally, this plan identifies potential challenges and opportunities, which are crucial for making informed decisions and adapting to changing market conditions.
• Internal Business Plan: This type of plan is intended for internal use, focusing on strategies, milestones, deadlines, and resource allocation. It serves as a management tool for guiding the company’s growth, evaluating its progress, and ensuring that all departments are aligned with the overall vision. The internal business plan also helps identify areas of improvement, fosters collaboration among team members, and provides a reference point for measuring performance.
• Strategic Business Plan: A strategic business plan outlines long-term goals and the steps to achieve them, providing a clear roadmap for the company’s direction. It typically includes a SWOT analysis, market research, and competitive analysis. This plan allows businesses to align their resources with their objectives, anticipate changes in the market, and develop contingency plans. By focusing on the big picture, a strategic business plan fosters long-term success and stability.
• Feasibility Business Plan: This plan is designed to assess the viability of a business idea, examining factors such as market demand, competition, and financial projections. It is often used to decide whether or not to pursue a particular venture. By conducting a thorough feasibility analysis, entrepreneurs can avoid investing time and resources into an unviable business concept. This plan also helps refine the business idea, identify potential obstacles, and determine the necessary resources for success.
• Growth Business Plan: Also known as an expansion plan, a growth business plan focuses on strategies for scaling up an existing business. It includes market analysis, new product or service offerings, and financial projections to support expansion plans. This type of plan is essential for businesses looking to enter new markets, increase their customer base, or launch new products or services. By outlining clear growth strategies, the plan helps ensure that expansion efforts are well-coordinated and sustainable.
• Operational Business Plan: This type of plan outlines the company’s day-to-day operations, detailing the processes, procedures, and organizational structure. It is an essential tool for managing resources, streamlining workflows, and ensuring smooth operations. The operational business plan also helps identify inefficiencies, implement best practices, and establish a strong foundation for future growth. By providing a clear understanding of daily operations, this plan enables businesses to optimize their resources and enhance productivity.
• Lean Business Plan: A lean business plan is a simplified, agile version of a traditional plan, focusing on key elements such as value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams, and cost structure. It is perfect for startups looking for a flexible, adaptable planning approach. The lean business plan allows for rapid iteration and continuous improvement, enabling businesses to pivot and adapt to changing market conditions. This streamlined approach is particularly beneficial for businesses in fast-paced or uncertain industries.
• One-Page Business Plan: As the name suggests, a one-page business plan is a concise summary of your company’s key objectives, strategies, and milestones. It serves as a quick reference guide and is ideal for pitching to potential investors or partners. This plan helps keep teams focused on essential goals and priorities, fosters clear communication, and provides a snapshot of the company’s progress. While not as comprehensive as other plans, a one-page business plan is an effective tool for maintaining clarity and direction.
• Nonprofit Business Plan: Specifically designed for nonprofit organizations, this plan outlines the mission, goals, target audience, fundraising strategies, and budget allocation. It helps secure grants and donations while ensuring the organization stays on track with its objectives. The nonprofit business plan also helps attract volunteers, board members, and community support. By demonstrating the organization’s impact and plans for the future, this plan is essential for maintaining transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability within the nonprofit sector.
• Franchise Business Plan: For entrepreneurs seeking to open a franchise, this type of plan focuses on the franchisor’s requirements, as well as the franchisee’s goals, strategies, and financial projections. It is crucial for securing a franchise agreement and ensuring the business’s success within the franchise system. This plan outlines the franchisee’s commitment to brand standards, marketing efforts, and operational procedures, while also addressing local market conditions and opportunities. By creating a solid franchise business plan, entrepreneurs can demonstrate their ability to effectively manage and grow their franchise, increasing the likelihood of a successful partnership with the franchisor.

Using Business Plan Software

Creating a comprehensive business plan can be intimidating, but business plan software can streamline the process and help you produce a professional document. These tools offer a number of benefits, including guided step-by-step instructions, financial projections, and industry-specific templates. Here are the top 5 business plan software options available to help you craft a great business plan.

1. LivePlan

LivePlan is a popular choice for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features. It offers over 500 sample plans, financial forecasting tools, and the ability to track your progress against key performance indicators. With LivePlan, you can create visually appealing, professional business plans that will impress investors and stakeholders.

2. Upmetrics

Upmetrics provides a simple and intuitive platform for creating a well-structured business plan. It features customizable templates, financial forecasting tools, and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to work with team members and advisors. Upmetrics also offers a library of resources to guide you through the business planning process.

Bizplan is designed to simplify the business planning process with a drag-and-drop builder and modular sections. It offers financial forecasting tools, progress tracking, and a visually appealing interface. With Bizplan, you can create a business plan that is both easy to understand and visually engaging.

Enloop is a robust business plan software that automatically generates a tailored plan based on your inputs. It provides industry-specific templates, financial forecasting, and a unique performance score that updates as you make changes to your plan. Enloop also offers a free version, making it accessible for businesses on a budget.

5. Tarkenton GoSmallBiz

Developed by NFL Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton, GoSmallBiz is tailored for small businesses and startups. It features a guided business plan builder, customizable templates, and financial projection tools. GoSmallBiz also offers additional resources, such as CRM tools and legal document templates, to support your business beyond the planning stage.

Business Plan FAQs

What is a good business plan.

A good business plan is a well-researched, clear, and concise document that outlines a company’s goals, strategies, target market, competitive advantages, and financial projections. It should be adaptable to change and provide a roadmap for achieving success.

What are the 3 main purposes of a business plan?

The three main purposes of a business plan are to guide the company’s strategy, attract investment, and evaluate performance against objectives. Here’s a closer look at each of these:

• It outlines the company’s purpose and core values to ensure that all activities align with its mission and vision.
• It provides an in-depth analysis of the market, including trends, customer needs, and competition, helping the company tailor its products and services to meet market demands.
• It defines the company’s marketing and sales strategies, guiding how the company will attract and retain customers.
• It describes the company’s organizational structure and management team, outlining roles and responsibilities to ensure effective operation and leadership.
• It sets measurable, time-bound objectives, allowing the company to plan its activities effectively and make strategic decisions to achieve these goals.
• It provides a comprehensive overview of the company and its business model, demonstrating its uniqueness and potential for success.
• It presents the company’s financial projections, showing its potential for profitability and return on investment.
• It demonstrates the company’s understanding of the market, including its target customers and competition, convincing investors that the company is capable of gaining a significant market share.
• It showcases the management team’s expertise and experience, instilling confidence in investors that the team is capable of executing the business plan successfully.
• It establishes clear, measurable objectives that serve as performance benchmarks.
• It provides a basis for regular performance reviews, allowing the company to monitor its progress and identify areas for improvement.
• It enables the company to assess the effectiveness of its strategies and make adjustments as needed to achieve its objectives.
• It helps the company identify potential risks and challenges, enabling it to develop contingency plans and manage risks effectively.
• It provides a mechanism for evaluating the company’s financial performance, including revenue, expenses, profitability, and cash flow.

Can I write a business plan by myself?

Yes, you can write a business plan by yourself, but it can be helpful to consult with mentors, colleagues, or industry experts to gather feedback and insights. There are also many creative business plan templates and business plan examples available online, including those above.

We also have examples for specific industries, including a using food truck business plan , salon business plan , farm business plan , daycare business plan , and restaurant business plan .

Is it possible to create a one-page business plan?

Yes, a one-page business plan is a condensed version that highlights the most essential elements, including the company’s mission, target market, unique selling proposition, and financial goals.

How long should a business plan be?

A typical business plan ranges from 20 to 50 pages, but the length may vary depending on the complexity and needs of the business.

What is a business plan outline?

A business plan outline is a structured framework that organizes the content of a business plan into sections, such as the executive summary, company description, market analysis, and financial projections.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

The five most common business plan mistakes include inadequate research, unrealistic financial projections, lack of focus on the unique selling proposition, poor organization and structure, and failure to update the plan as circumstances change.

What questions should be asked in a business plan?

A business plan should address questions such as: What problem does the business solve? Who is the specific target market ? What is the unique selling proposition? What are the company’s objectives? How will it achieve those objectives?

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan focuses on the overall vision, goals, and tactics of a company, while a strategic plan outlines the specific strategies, action steps, and performance measures necessary to achieve the company’s objectives.

How is business planning for a nonprofit different?

Nonprofit business planning focuses on the organization’s mission, social impact, and resource management, rather than profit generation. The financial section typically includes funding sources, expenses, and projected budgets for programs and operations.

Image: Envato Elements

© Copyright 2003 - 2024, Small Business Trends LLC. All rights reserved. "Small Business Trends" is a registered trademark.

• Product overview
• All features
• App integrations

CAPABILITIES

• project icon Project management
• Project views
• Custom fields
• Status updates
• goal icon Goals and reporting
• Reporting dashboards
• workflow icon Workflows and automation
• portfolio icon Resource management
• Time tracking
• my-task icon Admin and security
• Admin console
• asana-intelligence icon Asana AI
• list icon Personal
• premium icon Starter
• briefcase icon Advanced
• Goal management
• Organizational planning
• Campaign management
• Creative production
• Content calendars
• Marketing strategic planning
• Resource planning
• Project intake
• Product launches
• Employee onboarding
• View all uses arrow-right icon
• Project plans
• Team goals & objectives
• Team continuity
• Meeting agenda
• View all templates arrow-right icon
• Work management resources Discover best practices, watch webinars, get insights
• What's new Learn about the latest and greatest from Asana
• Customer stories See how the world's best organizations drive work innovation with Asana
• Help Center Get lots of tips, tricks, and advice to get the most from Asana
• Asana Academy Sign up for interactive courses and webinars to learn Asana
• Developers Learn more about building apps on the Asana platform
• Community programs Connect with and learn from Asana customers around the world
• Events Find out about upcoming events near you
• Partners Learn more about our partner programs
• Support Need help? Contact the Asana support team
• Asana for nonprofits Get more information on our nonprofit discount program, and apply.

Featured Reads

• Business strategy |
• What is strategic planning? A 5-step gu ...

What is strategic planning? A 5-step guide

Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. In this article, we'll guide you through the strategic planning process, including why it's important, the benefits and best practices, and five steps to get you from beginning to end.

Strategic planning is a process through which business leaders map out their vision for their organization’s growth and how they’re going to get there. The strategic planning process informs your organization’s decisions, growth, and goals.

Strategic planning helps you clearly define your company’s long-term objectives—and maps how your short-term goals and work will help you achieve them. This, in turn, gives you a clear sense of where your organization is going and allows you to ensure your teams are working on projects that make the most impact. Think of it this way—if your goals and objectives are your destination on a map, your strategic plan is your navigation system.

In this article, we walk you through the 5-step strategic planning process and show you how to get started developing your own strategic plan.

How to build an organizational strategy

Get our free ebook and learn how to bridge the gap between mission, strategic goals, and work at your organization.

What is strategic planning?

Strategic planning is a business process that helps you define and share the direction your company will take in the next three to five years. During the strategic planning process, stakeholders review and define the organization’s mission and goals, conduct competitive assessments, and identify company goals and objectives. The product of the planning cycle is a strategic plan, which is shared throughout the company.

What is a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is the end result of the strategic planning process. At its most basic, it’s a tool used to define your organization’s goals and what actions you’ll take to achieve them.

Typically, your strategic plan should include: 

Your company’s mission statement

Your organizational goals, including your long-term goals and short-term, yearly objectives

Any plan of action, tactics, or approaches you plan to take to meet those goals

What are the benefits of strategic planning?

Strategic planning can help with goal setting and decision-making by allowing you to map out how your company will move toward your organization’s vision and mission statements in the next three to five years. Let’s circle back to our map metaphor. If you think of your company trajectory as a line on a map, a strategic plan can help you better quantify how you’ll get from point A (where you are now) to point B (where you want to be in a few years).

When you create and share a clear strategic plan with your team, you can:

Build a strong organizational culture by clearly defining and aligning on your organization’s mission, vision, and goals.

Align everyone around a shared purpose and ensure all departments and teams are working toward a common objective.

Proactively set objectives to help you get where you want to go and achieve desired outcomes.

Promote a long-term vision for your company rather than focusing primarily on short-term gains.

Ensure resources are allocated around the most high-impact priorities.

Define long-term goals and set shorter-term goals to support them.

Assess your current situation and identify any opportunities—or threats—allowing your organization to mitigate potential risks.

Create a proactive business culture that enables your organization to respond more swiftly to emerging market changes and opportunities.

What are the 5 steps in strategic planning?

The strategic planning process involves a structured methodology that guides the organization from vision to implementation. The strategic planning process starts with assembling a small, dedicated team of key strategic planners—typically five to 10 members—who will form the strategic planning, or management, committee. This team is responsible for gathering crucial information, guiding the development of the plan, and overseeing strategy execution.

Once you’ve established your management committee, you can get to work on the planning process. 

Step 1: Assess your current business strategy and business environment

Before you can define where you’re going, you first need to define where you are. Understanding the external environment, including market trends and competitive landscape, is crucial in the initial assessment phase of strategic planning.

To do this, your management committee should collect a variety of information from additional stakeholders, like employees and customers. In particular, plan to gather:

Relevant industry and market data to inform any market opportunities, as well as any potential upcoming threats in the near future.

Customer insights to understand what your customers want from your company—like product improvements or additional services.

Employee feedback that needs to be addressed—whether about the product, business practices, or the day-to-day company culture.

Consider different types of strategic planning tools and analytical techniques to gather this information, such as:

A balanced scorecard to help you evaluate four major elements of a business: learning and growth, business processes, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.

A SWOT analysis to help you assess both current and future potential for the business (you’ll return to this analysis periodically during the strategic planning process). 

To fill out each letter in the SWOT acronym, your management committee will answer a series of questions:

What does your organization currently do well?

What separates you from your competitors?

What are your most valuable internal resources?

What tangible assets do you have?

What is your biggest strength? 

Weaknesses:

What does your organization do poorly?

What do you currently lack (whether that’s a product, resource, or process)?

What do your competitors do better than you?

What, if any, limitations are holding your organization back?

What processes or products need improvement? 

Opportunities:

What opportunities does your organization have?

How can you leverage your unique company strengths?

Are there any trends that you can take advantage of?

How can you capitalize on marketing or press opportunities?

Is there an emerging need for your product or service? 

What emerging competitors should you keep an eye on?

Are there any weaknesses that expose your organization to risk?

Have you or could you experience negative press that could reduce market share?

Is there a chance of changing customer attitudes towards your company? 

Step 2: Identify your company’s goals and objectives

To begin strategy development, take into account your current position, which is where you are now. Then, draw inspiration from your vision, mission, and current position to identify and define your goals—these are your final destination. 

To develop your strategy, you’re essentially pulling out your compass and asking, “Where are we going next?” “What’s the ideal future state of this company?” This can help you figure out which path you need to take to get there.

During this phase of the planning process, take inspiration from important company documents, such as:

Your mission statement, to understand how you can continue moving towards your organization’s core purpose.

Your vision statement, to clarify how your strategic plan fits into your long-term vision.

Your company values, to guide you towards what matters most towards your company.

Your competitive advantages, to understand what unique benefit you offer to the market.

Your long-term goals, to track where you want to be in five or 10 years.

Your financial forecast and projection, to understand where you expect your financials to be in the next three years, what your expected cash flow is, and what new opportunities you will likely be able to invest in.

Step 3: Develop your strategic plan and determine performance metrics

Now that you understand where you are and where you want to go, it’s time to put pen to paper. Take your current business position and strategy into account, as well as your organization’s goals and objectives, and build out a strategic plan for the next three to five years. Keep in mind that even though you’re creating a long-term plan, parts of your plan should be created or revisited as the quarters and years go on.

As you build your strategic plan, you should define:

Company priorities for the next three to five years, based on your SWOT analysis and strategy.

Yearly objectives for the first year. You don’t need to define your objectives for every year of the strategic plan. As the years go on, create new yearly objectives that connect back to your overall strategic goals . 

Related key results and KPIs. Some of these should be set by the management committee, and some should be set by specific teams that are closer to the work. Make sure your key results and KPIs are measurable and actionable. These KPIs will help you track progress and ensure you’re moving in the right direction.

Budget for the next year or few years. This should be based on your financial forecast as well as your direction. Do you need to spend aggressively to develop your product? Build your team? Make a dent with marketing? Clarify your most important initiatives and how you’ll budget for those.

A high-level project roadmap . A project roadmap is a tool in project management that helps you visualize the timeline of a complex initiative, but you can also create a very high-level project roadmap for your strategic plan. Outline what you expect to be working on in certain quarters or years to make the plan more actionable and understandable.

Step 4: Implement and share your plan

Now it’s time to put your plan into action. Strategy implementation involves clear communication across your entire organization to make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and how to measure the plan’s success. 

Make sure your team (especially senior leadership) has access to the strategic plan, so they can understand how their work contributes to company priorities and the overall strategy map. We recommend sharing your plan in the same tool you use to manage and track work, so you can more easily connect high-level objectives to daily work. If you don’t already, consider using a work management platform .  

A few tips to make sure your plan will be executed without a hitch: 

Communicate clearly to your entire organization throughout the implementation process, to ensure all team members understand the strategic plan and how to implement it effectively. 

Define what “success” looks like by mapping your strategic plan to key performance indicators.

Ensure that the actions outlined in the strategic plan are integrated into the daily operations of the organization, so that every team member's daily activities are aligned with the broader strategic objectives.

Utilize tools and software—like a work management platform—that can aid in implementing and tracking the progress of your plan.

Regularly monitor and share the progress of the strategic plan with the entire organization, to keep everyone informed and reinforce the importance of the plan.

Establish regular check-ins to monitor the progress of your strategic plan and make adjustments as needed. 

Step 5: Revise and restructure as needed

Once you’ve created and implemented your new strategic framework, the final step of the planning process is to monitor and manage your plan.

Remember, your strategic plan isn’t set in stone. You’ll need to revisit and update the plan if your company changes directions or makes new investments. As new market opportunities and threats come up, you’ll likely want to tweak your strategic plan. Make sure to review your plan regularly—meaning quarterly and annually—to ensure it’s still aligned with your organization’s vision and goals.

Keep in mind that your plan won’t last forever, even if you do update it frequently. A successful strategic plan evolves with your company’s long-term goals. When you’ve achieved most of your strategic goals, or if your strategy has evolved significantly since you first made your plan, it might be time to create a new one.

Build a smarter strategic plan with a work management platform

To turn your company strategy into a plan—and ultimately, impact—make sure you’re proactively connecting company objectives to daily work. When you can clarify this connection, you’re giving your team members the context they need to get their best work done. 

A work management platform plays a pivotal role in this process. It acts as a central hub for your strategic plan, ensuring that every task and project is directly tied to your broader company goals. This alignment is crucial for visibility and coordination, allowing team members to see how their individual efforts contribute to the company’s success. 

By leveraging such a platform, you not only streamline workflow and enhance team productivity but also align every action with your strategic objectives—allowing teams to drive greater impact and helping your company move toward goals more effectively. 

Strategic planning FAQs

Still have questions about strategic planning? We have answers.

Why do I need a strategic plan?

A strategic plan is one of many tools you can use to plan and hit your goals. It helps map out strategic objectives and growth metrics that will help your company be successful.

When should I create a strategic plan?

You should aim to create a strategic plan every three to five years, depending on your organization’s growth speed.

Since the point of a strategic plan is to map out your long-term goals and how you’ll get there, you should create a strategic plan when you’ve met most or all of them. You should also create a strategic plan any time you’re going to make a large pivot in your organization’s mission or enter new markets. 

What is a strategic planning template?

A strategic planning template is a tool organizations can use to map out their strategic plan and track progress. Typically, a strategic planning template houses all the components needed to build out a strategic plan, including your company’s vision and mission statements, information from any competitive analyses or SWOT assessments, and relevant KPIs.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. business plan?

A business plan can help you document your strategy as you’re getting started so every team member is on the same page about your core business priorities and goals. This tool can help you document and share your strategy with key investors or stakeholders as you get your business up and running.

You should create a business plan when you’re: 

Just starting your business

Significantly restructuring your business

If your business is already established, you should create a strategic plan instead of a business plan. Even if you’re working at a relatively young company, your strategic plan can build on your business plan to help you move in the right direction. During the strategic planning process, you’ll draw from a lot of the fundamental business elements you built early on to establish your strategy for the next three to five years.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. mission and vision statements?

Your strategic plan, mission statement, and vision statements are all closely connected. In fact, during the strategic planning process, you will take inspiration from your mission and vision statements in order to build out your strategic plan.

Simply put: 

A mission statement summarizes your company’s purpose.

A vision statement broadly explains how you’ll reach your company’s purpose.

A strategic plan pulls in inspiration from your mission and vision statements and outlines what actions you’re going to take to move in the right direction. 

For example, if your company produces pet safety equipment, here’s how your mission statement, vision statement, and strategic plan might shake out:

Mission statement: “To ensure the safety of the world’s animals.” 

Vision statement: “To create pet safety and tracking products that are effortless to use.” 

Your strategic plan would outline the steps you’re going to take in the next few years to bring your company closer to your mission and vision. For example, you develop a new pet tracking smart collar or improve the microchipping experience for pet owners. 

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. company objectives?

Company objectives are broad goals. You should set these on a yearly or quarterly basis (if your organization moves quickly). These objectives give your team a clear sense of what you intend to accomplish for a set period of time. 

Your strategic plan is more forward-thinking than your company goals, and it should cover more than one year of work. Think of it this way: your company objectives will move the needle towards your overall strategy—but your strategic plan should be bigger than company objectives because it spans multiple years.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a business case?

A business case is a document to help you pitch a significant investment or initiative for your company. When you create a business case, you’re outlining why this investment is a good idea, and how this large-scale project will positively impact the business. 

You might end up building business cases for things on your strategic plan’s roadmap—but your strategic plan should be bigger than that. This tool should encompass multiple years of your roadmap, across your entire company—not just one initiative.

What’s the difference between a strategic plan vs. a project plan?

A strategic plan is a company-wide, multi-year plan of what you want to accomplish in the next three to five years and how you plan to accomplish that. A project plan, on the other hand, outlines how you’re going to accomplish a specific project. This project could be one of many initiatives that contribute to a specific company objective which, in turn, is one of many objectives that contribute to your strategic plan. 

What’s the difference between strategic management vs. strategic planning?

A strategic plan is a tool to define where your organization wants to go and what actions you need to take to achieve those goals. Strategic planning is the process of creating a plan in order to hit your strategic objectives.

Strategic management includes the strategic planning process, but also goes beyond it. In addition to planning how you will achieve your big-picture goals, strategic management also helps you organize your resources and figure out the best action plans for success. 

Related resources

How to create a CRM strategy: 6 steps (with examples)

What is management by objectives (MBO)?

Write better AI prompts: A 4-sentence framework

What is content marketing? A complete guide

Not all leads are created equal. Check out our new Leads AI.

10 of the Best Business Plan Examples for This Year

Download Now: Free Business Plan Template

The first step of being a business owner and creating a company is to develop a comprehensive business plan. We aren’t talking about your doodles of growth that you scribbled on a napkin or thought about while mowing the lawn, but an actual written-out plan to build on. A business plan that outlines how it will operate, as well as what overarching goals will guide its growth in the future. Building one from the ground up requires focus, patience, and careful foresight. What’s more, those that are well-crafted should provide a thorough summary of the products or services you intend to sell, the demographic you’re targeting, and your expected profit margins. This may also include benchmarks you hope to meet along with the estimated timelines to achieve these goals.

‌Putting together a good business plan now will be a foundational piece for you to refer back to during challenging times and to build on when you are growing. Additionally, an attractive and complete business plan can help to grow your business with money from a bank or an outside investor and to better reach your target market.

‌In this article, we’ll review some key components of any successful business plan to help you create a detailed model of your company. We’ll also examine a few sample business plans that can take a lot of guesswork out of the equation.

What is a business plan?

A business plan can help shape who you are and how you grow.

A business plan is a written summary of how you want to run your company and what goals you have to help you get there. While banks and other potential investors in your business rely on reviewing them to decide whether they want to give you money for growth or not, they can also help the owners of a company define their vision and objectives. While their contents vary with some people preferring to do a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), they typically include the following 4 sections.

Business plan executive summary

‌The cornerstone of any business plan is an executive summary section that touches on the basics of your company. Essentially, it explains what products or services you will provide, the customers your company will serve, and the overall goals of your business. This is the first thing anyone you decide to share it with will see, so take your time to make this section truly engaging and unique.

‌ Ideal customers and competition

This section is used to clearly describe how your products or services will fulfill the needs of a specific customer and community. Go into detail regarding how the business you are focusing on has changed over time and what unique offering sets your business apart. Other information included here should cover your projected market share and the kind of competition you expect to face. Explain what makes your business different from others in your industry and why customers will choose your products or services instead of someone else's.

You can also include a market analysis in this part to understand what you are up against when it comes to getting new customers and growing your business with your marketing plan and financial plan.

‌Marketing plan

Marketing strategy is a key piece of any business plan.

‌Here, you’ll want to decide how you intend to reach your customers through social media , content marketing , advertising , and other forms of marketing. The marketing section of your business plan should have clear, achievable goals. Depending on your current size of business, those could be as simple as getting a website up down to how much web traffic and leads you to want each month. goals This portion is also an excellent place to examine marketing trends in your business area, including examples of brands you may want to become, or how you want to talk with your customers in your marketing.

A marketing plan should include several pieces of marketing strategy including;

Google My Business Profile

Your Google My Business profile is where you highlight how to find your company and what you do. It will show up in the Google search engine when people look for services like yours. It will also be where people will see Google reviews of your business. It's important to keep your Google My Business up to date and to always be responding to reviews. Having a good customer experience as a part of your business plan will ensure that people see your business as trustworthy and worth calling.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A long-term investment for your marketing plan is SEO . Chances are high that you have either heard of SEO from someone or are already investing money here. It can feel like a black box at times, mostly because it doesn't usually show immediate leads or revenue. At the heart of SEO strategy is continually creating content for a blog on your website or adding pages to your website that are focused on keywords that people search for. It can be complicated and take some time, so worth looking at partners like Scorpion to help you with SEO.

Website management

Your website is the center of your marketing for your business plan. It's important to have the right website management plan to keep things moving in the right direction. At a bare minimum, you should have a nice website design and have multiple ways that people can contact you. There are also great tools like live chat and online scheduling that may be worth investing in.

Paid advertising

There are a lot of places where you can invest time in paid advertising for your business plan. It can also be a key source of immediate lead generation for your business. It can be complicated. If you want to learn more about strategies for paid advertising, check out this paid advertising guide that you can bring into your business plan.

‌Financial summary

‌Another important piece of any business plan is a thorough financial summary of all expenses and income related to your company. If you are an existing business you may already be tracking a lot of this information and can write down some of this. If you are a new business then it may be broken into money you have personally, from family/friends, or from a bank to start your business and how you expect to spend that to grow. The financial portion is especially relevant for banks or other people who may want to invest money to help grow your business. If you have an existing business and are looking to grow, potential banks or investors will look at several key areas in your financial summary, including:

• Projected income
• Projected expenses
• Debt-to-income ratio
• Money coming in
• Desired form of financing (bank, outside investor, family/friends)
• Income statement
• Financial forecast
• Cash flow statements‌

‌Many business plans divide these 4 sections into further-defined categories that cover topics of interest like business structure, market opportunity, or long-term objectives. The plan will change depending on your business and goals. Once it’s completed, it should create a definitive picture of your company from top to bottom, leaving very little up to the imagination.

Don't forget to update!

Many businesses will review plans in quarters or smaller bite-size pieces vs. a whole year. It can be good to set up quarterly goals associated with your key business initiatives to make them stronger and make adjustments. You may find that some strategies aren't working and need a new view.

Having small goals associated with your plan and reviewing those goals often (and the data that comes with it) will set you up for long-term business plan success.

How to build a successful business plan

Before you get started on your business plan, let's go over a couple of tips on how to build a business plan that sets your company up for success. Remember that the goal of your business plan is usually to secure funding and come up with the strategy necessary to get started.

The main thing investors will do is look for holes in your plan. They want a bulletproof plan for success (or as bulletproof as it can get). This means you need to be as detailed as possible . Answer any questions an investor might have. Look at every area that could fail and come up with different plans and strategies for how your business would survive. The main goal is to have a solid foundation for operating your business.

Next, be sure you address your unique value proposition . Why is your company different than competitors? How will you position your brand in the industry? If you don't know your target audience and why people will buy from you instead of a competitor, then your business plan won't be successful.

Your business plan will explain why your business is a good idea both strategically in the industry and financially. The goal is to legitimize your company before getting started.

‌To save time with your business plan, it may help to use a template from various online sources. Many are available online that allow you to create what you want with minimal effort. Here are 11 of the best examples for 2023.

‌ ‌10 business plan examples and templates

Using a business plan template can help you do more.

It can be overwhelming to think of building a plan from scratch. Thankfully, You can find several ready-made templates for restaurants, repair stores, bars, and hotels at the Business Plan Shop. They’re simple and easy to customize to your liking as well. Once completed, you can download them to a Word document or PDF file. While these business plan example templates are available free of charge during a 7-day trial period, the website requires a subscription fee for continued use.

1. Upmetrics' Sample Business Plans

‌There are over 100 different business plan templates available at Upmetrics, each specially crafted for industries like restaurants, retail stores, media companies, or healthcare providers. Within every category are numerous subcategories to further refine your plan to meet your needs. They also come prefilled with information depicting a fictional company that’s easy to edit and download in PDF format.

2. Simple Business Plan Example by Venngage

Like the previous example, Venngage offers numerous samples with information about a fictional company for reference. To cover the basics, try the simple business plan example. It includes engaging graphics between sections to separate walls of text. This is easily adaptable to suit virtually any business across a range of industries. ‌

3. SBA’s Business Plan Outline

‌‌The Small Business Administration provides a comprehensive guide for crafting a traditional business plan that explains every step of the process. You can download a template of a finished fictional example as a Word document so you can see how it’s done. Just rewrite the content in each section to suit your industry, business model, and goals. ‌

4. Score’s Business Plan Template for Startups

‌This template from Score is perfect for new companies entering the marketplace. It’s available to download as a Word document, and it also comes with insightful tips for writing content in each section. Its concise organizational structure makes it very user-friendly and easily adaptable to many industries. ‌

5. Complete Guide to Writing a Business Plan by Review42

‌‌This instructive guide offers a wealth of insights that can help you write the perfect business plan. Review42 outlines the essential elements and provides tips to ease the challenge of the task. The guide also describes 7 different plan formats — one-page, strategic, and internal business plans are some examples.

6. Step-by-Step Business Plan Creator by LawDepot

‌LawDepot’s easy-to-use business plan generator offers a faster, easier way to put your plan on paper. To begin building your plan from the ground up, select the appropriate industry category for your business and follow the provided steps. After filling out each section, LawDepot will provide a draft that you can download or print directly from the website.

7. Growth ink's Business Plan Template

‌Growthink has an enormous amount of information that dives deeper into each section of a professional business plan. Their free PDF template organizes its structure, thus allowing you to fill in the blanks as needed. Additional customizable features and design elements are also available at an additional cost.

8. Business Plan Template by Jotform

‌Several free templates are available from Jotform that include engaging graphics and color schemes. They cover every topic imaginable, ranging from a simple one-page business plan to creative briefs, strategic plans, and more. Aside from the numerous examples that are offered, Jotform also provides access to an enormous amount of tools and resources that can help any small business or startup hit the ground running. ‌

‌9. PandaDoc’s Business Plan Template

This free template by PandaDoc is one of the more popular options available today. In it, you’ll find several tips to help guide you through the entire process. PandaDoc’s template also includes instructions for using Excel to create informative graphics to accompany your business plan’s text. ‌

10.  Single-Page Business Plan Template by HubSpot

Another valuable and free resource for small businesses is HubSpot, a helpful website where you can find templates like this simple one-page business plan. They include easy-to-follow instructions in each section. Once you’re done, simply download the document to a Word document or PDF file. This template also makes it easy to add your unique touch with logos or brand-specific images.

‌If you’re struggling to write the perfect business plan, our experienced team at Scorpion can help. We will work with you to create the perfect business plan to reach your target customer. We have considerable experience providing top-tier marketing solutions for law firms , franchises, healthcare providers, and even home services . Our team and technology will help you create a plan and produce the marketing to create growth for your business. Contact us today to learn more about how Scorpion can help your business thrive.

Let's talk about business planning.  Schedule a consultation today. 

If you liked this, you might also like these.

We partner with you to create a digital marketing strategy that works for your business, not anyone else’s. Your customers find and choose you, again and again. And you get more of what you want out of your business. Every day.

4 Ways to Show Your Customers You Appreciate Them

Using Disney's "Encanto" to Understand Your Employees

FTC Fines for Fake Reviews: What Does it Mean for Local Businesses?

6 ways to take your business mobile with Jotform

Christopher Bass

Jotform Stories

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, 47 percent of organizations saw a big increase in BYOD (bring your own device) practices as remote work became normalized and employees used their own devices to work from anywhere. So the question of how to take your business mobile is no longer one of if but when — and in which ways.

And we get it. Figuring out how to “go mobile” can be confusing with so many options and considerations (hello, cybersecurity).

But do not fear: We’re here to provide some expert recommendations on the ways you can strategically implement mobile practices — and a mobile mindset — for your business.

• Jotform Enterprise Mobile
• Field service management with Mobile Forms
• Touchless kiosk mode
• Jotform Store Builder
• Jotform Health App
• Jotform Teams

By embracing a mobile workflow, you’ll see your team achieve a new level of productivity, whether they’re in the office, in the field, or on a remote beach — just don’t tell the boss!

How to go mobile with Jotform

Smartphone proliferation has reached a point now that the majority of organizations expect their employees to be available remotely. And for the most part, employees are.

But that’s only half of the equation. The other half depends on your business providing the right software, features, and security to empower employees to do their best work — from anywhere.

Here are some strategic ways your business can quickly and easily go mobile with Jotform.

1. Manage your workflow with Jotform Enterprise Mobile

Jotform Enterprise Mobile enables your organization to take the power of their information- gathering and data-management workflows with them wherever they are. Enterprise customers can download it as an app on the Apple Store, Google Play, or via a QR code.

Here’s a breakdown of Jotform Enterprise Mobile’s capabilities:

• Information-gathering: You can create forms and collect and manage all of your form submissions from a mobile device. Whether your processes require barcode scanning, geolocation, or other specialized tasks, you’re covered.
• Communication and team organization: Customize your app to receive push notifications so you’re alerted whenever new form submissions come in. Also, you can assign tasks to team members and customize permissions according to their roles and how they should interact with form responses.
• Approval workflows: Approval workflows on your mobile device let you keep track of every step in your approval process and respond to pending approvals on the go, so you can make important decisions from any device without losing time.

Did you know? Jotform Enterprise Mobile, and our mobile platform in general, is protected by best-in-class security that includes form encryption, regulation compliance, payment provider certification, spam protection, server redundancy and dedicated server locations, and more. We take security seriously, so you can work with confidence.

2. Conduct field service management

Administering remote health clinics, performing inspections, doing on-the-spot surveying, running conference exhibits, delivering and getting sign-off on products and services all fall under the umbrella of field services.

Your field services workflow needs mobile capabilities that empower you to handle all of the above within a reliable interface that can record data offline and sync it back up whenever you reconnect to the web. Jotform Mobile Forms and Jotform Enterprise Mobile let you do just that.

Plus, the ability to white label your mobile application helps your team feel great about engaging with a branded interface and reinforces customers’ confidence in your business. These features are all accessible in Jotform.

3. Enable touchless kiosk mode

One of the impacts of the pandemic was that we all became more aware of the importance of conducting business safely and ensuring all parties are protected from health risks. Setting up a touchless kiosk for your mobile forms lets you take your business mobile while providing a contactless experience.

Touchless kiosk mode allows healthcare providers, the utilities/service industry, conference exhibitors, beauty professionals, and the food-service industry, among others, to collect vital data, screen customers, and take orders through their mobile devices via a simple QR code.

Touchless kiosk mode streamlines your mobile data collection and makes for a better customer experience.

4. Create your own online store with Jotform Store Builder

Jotform Store Builder is a free and easy no-code app builder that lets you set up your own online storefront. Now that’s a direct way to take your business mobile!

Jotform Store Builder enables you to get your very own app up and running quickly, meaning there’s no need for development. You can include order, donation and contact forms, individual product lists, flyers, videos, menus, 80+ widgets, and more in your storefront app — all under your own branding.

Additionally, more than 25 payment gateways make it easy for you to accept secure credit card or mobile payments through your brand’s new app. Customers can even “favorite” their most liked products by clicking the heart icon.

5. Use Jotform’s Health App

Healthcare practitioners are feeling good! Why? Because Jotform’s Health App offers easy access to your forms on a tablet or smartphone and includes HIPAA compliance features to protect your patients’ information.

Healthcare professionals love streamlining the administrative paperwork they have to do so they can focus on their patients. By automating intake and registration forms, health histories, appointment forms, and more in a neat app, professionals can save time, eliminate manual data entry, and be confident that they are safely collecting sensitive medical information.

As an FYI, the Jotform Health App is only accessible to Jotform users who have Gold (or Enterprise) plans.

6. Boost collaboration with Jotform Teams

Imagine a shared online workspace where all of your teams can access and edit assets like forms, tables, reports, and apps from one centralized location.

Now imagine assigning specific roles to team members so you can control what a user is able to view and do within your workspace, and creating folders in each workspace to organize your projects neatly by department, project, or other category.

The capability to administer and manage all of your organization’s form-related activity from your mobile device — and doing so with a customized interface suited to your brand’s look and feel — isn’t a figment of your imagination. It’s all possible with Jotform Teams .

No matter your field, Jotform’s mobile features will improve your organization’s flexibility and responsiveness, enabling today’s distributed workforce to be more productive.

To learn more about Jotform’s mobile capabilities, check out how we’re reimagining mobile forms and the workflows they can empower.

Written by Christopher Bass

More from christopher bass and jotform stories.

How users perfect their workflows using Jotform Tables

We released jotform tables in late 2020, the middle of the pandemic..

Leah Hamilton

Do Contact Us Forms Need Terms of Use and Privacy Policies?

A terms of use and a privacy policy are two documents that you have probably seen on most websites and many web forms. the terms of use is….

Privacy Policies in Your Web Forms: What You Need to Know

How to protect yourself with a privacy policy.

10 updates to streamline your Jotform Approvals workflow

It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago jotform approvals was launched. we must be having fun because time is flying by, recommended from medium.

Hazel Paradise

How I Create Passive Income With No Money

Many ways to start a passive income today.

How to become a Senior Designer — from an ex-Google, Meta Designer

Growth starts with you, stepping up proactively, building opinions and voicing opinions like an owner, despite your fear and doubt….

Productivity

Natural Language Processing

Artturi Jalli

I Built an App in 6 Hours that Makes $1,500/Mo

Copy my strategy.

Talha Şahin

High-Level System Architecture of Booking.com

Take an in-depth look at the possible high-level architecture of booking.com..

Benoit Ruiz

Better Programming

Advice From a Software Engineer With 8 Years of Experience

Practical tips for those who want to advance in their careers.

Torsten Walbaum

Towards Data Science

What 10 Years at Uber, Meta and Startups Taught Me About Data Analytics

Advice for data scientists and managers.

Text to speech

• Integrations
• Real Estate
• Legality Guide
• Signature Generator
• Get Started Now — It’s Free!
• Sign Up for Free

• How to Write a Contract

7 best proposal management software tools in 2024

Top 7 proposal management software tools

• Better Proposals

Proposals are an important element of any small business. The goal of these persuasive sales documents is to sell the benefits of working with your company, set you apart from the competition, demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the job, and ultimately, help you win new business.

If you’re in the lucky position of having to juggle several proposals at a time in different stages of deal completion, then one of the most valuable investments you can make is in good proposal management software to help you optimize and streamline the proposal process.

In this article, we’ll share seven of the best proposal management software tools across a range of use cases, from a single-person business owner or freelancer to large companies and organizations.

What is proposal management software, and why should you use it?

Proposal management software allows businesses of all sizes to create and send professional-looking proposals quickly, and to automate many parts of the process, using a mostly cloud-based system, for a monthly or yearly fee.

The benefits include time and cost savings (no more writing and designing a proposal from scratch in Word each time you try to win new business) and proposals that close sales more frequently because they’re beautifully branded, collaborative, and consistent across each client presentation.

What to consider when comparing proposal management software tools

When you begin researching proposal management software tools, you might feel a tad overwhelmed. After all, Google returns 112,000,000 results for the search term “best proposal management software 2021.” And many of the articles that turn up in that search share upwards of 25 proposal management products.

The best way to handle the information overload is to determine what you need out of proposal management software first, then hunt for the tool that offers the features and integrations you need.

For example, you might want to ask yourself such questions as

• How user-friendly and intuitive is this software? What’s the learning curve? Will my team be able to adopt and implement this tool quickly?
• What features are nonnegotiable for my type of business? For example, how many templates are available, and do they support my business use case? Does the software offer real-time collaboration? What about reporting and analytics? What integrations are available?  
• Does this software offer electronic signature capabilities?
• What is the customer support experience like?
• What is the monthly or yearly cost?

With those questions in mind, let’s take a look at seven of the top proposal management software tools for 2024. (The tools below are in no particular order.)

Get e-signatures for online proposals with Jotform Sign . It’s free!

Jotform is a simple and stress-free solution for creating proposals . It allows you to collect relevant data like contact information and get e-signatures on proposals.

You can create a winning, professional-looking proposal in minutes using one of Jotform’s free proposal templates . You’ll be able to add sections like objectives, strategy, and budget information.

Additionally, Jotform offers consulting proposal templates with form fields for company and customer details, project description, company background, objective, scope of work, start date, completion date, consulting rates, payment terms, and signatures. Job proposal form templates are available when you need to create a job proposal quickly.

Getting a signed proposal back has never been easier. Jotform Sign makes it easy to track any proposal you create and send. All signatures you collect with Jotform Sign are legally binding, so you never have to use another product to collect proposal signatures. 

Proposal submissions will automatically be converted into PDFs that are easy to print, pitch, and present. 

Jotform also offers a free project proposal form , commonly used by an organization’s project team or by a research company to convince customers or clients to approve the proposed project or research.

And finally, Jotform’s 300+ free table templates are ideal for team projects and when you need to create a database for tracking and managing proposals. All data is stored securely in your Jotform account, which you can access seamlessly on any device.

The Jotform customer support team is available 24-7. 

Send my document for signature

File type is not allowed.

Maximum file size limit exceeded. (5MB)

Something went wrong.

Best for: Teams in the nonprofit, healthcare, real estate, human resources, marketing, and small business categories, as well as individuals and solo business owners

Pricing: All of the above functionality is available for free; if you want more forms, submissions, storage, or signatures, you can upgrade to one of the paid plans

2. PandaDoc

PandaDoc is a robust and sophisticated tool that enables you to build proposals, interactive quotes, contracts, and more. The freemium version allows you to upload, create, send, track and e-sign documents, and collect payments.

You can upgrade to a paid plan to unlock more features. PandaDoc offers more than 30 integrations, including Slack, Freshbooks, Google Drive, Pipedrive, HubSpot CRM, and many others. Some integrations are available only for paid accounts. It also offers 24-7 online support.

Best for: Small and medium-sized businesses; enterprises

Pricing: 14-day free trial; free version available; paid plans start at $19 per user, per month

3. Better Proposals

Better Proposals is a simple-to-use proposal builder with features like automatic formatting, contact management, collaboration, e-signature capabilities, pipeline management, and more.

Its ready-made templates and drag-and-drop tools make creating professional-looking proposals easy. Predesigned templates include proposals, quotes, contracts, statements of work, and online brochures. Better Proposals offers dozens of integrations via Zapier. Support is available through the Help and Support center on the company’s website.

Best for: Freelancers and small businesses

Pricing: 14-day free trial available; paid plans begin at $13 per user, per month

4. Prospero

Prospero offers more than 30 proposal templates geared to different niches such as photography, graphic design, and writing. You can edit and customize templates with your own branding, including logos, images, and videos.

Prospero features e-signature capabilities, the ability to send a proposal directly to clients, and various integrations, such as Stripe, FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and others. Support is available through the “Help” prompt inside the dashboard and via email.

Best for : Solo entrepreneurs and freelancers

Pricing: 14-day free trial available; unlimited proposals for $10 per month (or $8 per month if paid annually)

5. Proposify

Proposify offers customizable and pre-made proposal templates. Templates are organized by component, allowing you to add sections like overview and goals, team bios, scope of work, and more.

The drag-and-drop feature allows you to adapt previously created templates into new proposals, and the metrics function lets you track the progress of your proposal and see who’s viewing your documents.

Proposify offers several third-party integrations, including Stripe, HubSpot, Infusionsoft, QuickBooks, Basecamp, and others. Support is available via phone during business hours as well as online.

Best for: Larger companies that serve a high volume of clients

Pricing: Free version available for individuals; team plans begin at $49 per user, per month

6. HoneyBook

HoneyBook is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that allows you to create proposals — and a whole lot more. You can also use it to manage projects, book clients, sign contracts, send invoices, and accept payments.

Because the proposal function brings invoicing, contracts, and payment together, your clients will enjoy a more seamless, professional proposal experience, and that could lead to more closed deals.

Integrations include Calendly, QuickBooks, Gmail, Google Calendar, and others. HoneyBook offers six months of concierge support with its $9-per-month starter plan and unlimited concierge support with $39-per-month and higher plans.

Best for: Small businesses; focused on single users rather than teams

Pricing: Seven-day free trial; $8 per month Starter plan; $16 per month Essentials plan; $33 per month Premium plan (in yearly billing)

7. QuoteWerks

QuoteWerks is sales quote and proposal software that claims it “can save time and increase deals.”

You’ll be able to create interactive PDF proposals using templates and seamlessly integrate them with your customer relationship management tool of choice. You can also create quotes, invoices, and purchase orders, plus build reports and manage databases.

QuoteWerks offers 55-plus integrations with other tools, including HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Outlook, Gmail, QuickBooks, more than 10 payment gateways, and many, many more. Support is available via phone during business hours as well as online.

Best for: Most industries and companies of all sizes; common users include IT solution providers, manufacturers, value-added resellers (VARs), and managed service providers

Pricing: Free trial available; plans start at $13.75 per user, per month

Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business, or a medium-sized or large enterprise, there’s likely a proposal management software app out there that’s just right for your use case, your budget, and your business goals.

AS ALWAYS, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY BEFORE RELYING ON ANY FORM CONTRACT OR  CONTRACT TEMPLATE. THE CONTENT ABOVE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

Thank you for helping improve the Jotform Blog. 🎉

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

Some Tips on How to Write a Contract

How to write a bid proposal

Agreement vs contract: The difference between them

Void vs voidable contracts

Unilateral vs bilateral contracts

How to write a request for proposal

What is privity of contract?

How to automate the contract review and approval process

Best contract lifecycle management software

How to request a quote

How to prepare for the worst with waivers

How to write an effective business proposal

What to include in a business proposal

What is an e-contract?

What is a clause in a contract?

How to write a liability waiver

Things to keep in mind when writing an employee termination letter

How to negotiate a contract

What is contract law?

10 best PandaDoc alternatives & competitors in 2024

How to give permission to use your copyrighted material

How online contracts are replacing paper contracts

What are the elements of a contract?

What is a breach of contract?

Send Comment :

Create documents and collect e-signatures with Jotform Sign.

BSBHRM614 Contribute to strategic workforce planning

• STUDENT NAME *
• STUDENT ID *

• Student Email * [email protected]
• Location * Brisbane Campus Sydney Campus

Introduction

The assessment tasks for BSBHRM614 Contribute to strategic workforce planning are outlined in the assessment plan below. These tasks have been designed to help you demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have learnt during your course. Please ensure that you read the instructions provided with these tasks carefully. You should also follow the advice provided in the Gamma College Student User Guide. The Student User Guide provides important information for you relating to completing assessment successfully.

Assessment for this unit

BSBHRM614 Contribute to strategic workforce planning describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to Contribute to strategic workforce planning. It covers leadership strategies to motivate and inspire individuals and organisations to work constructively toward attainment of program benefits through consolidating program vision, managing risks and supporting staff.

For you to be assessed as competent, you must successfully complete two assessment tasks: • Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions – You must answer all questions correctly. • Assessment Task 2: Project – You must work through a range of activities and complete a project portfolio.

You will be provided feedback on your assessment tasks through your learner portal

Student Assessment Agreement

Make sure you read through the assessments in this booklet before you fill out and sign the agreement below. If there is anything that you are unsure of, consult your assessor prior to signing this agreement.

• Have you read the assessment requirements for this unit? * Yes No
• Do you understand the requirements of the assessments for this unit? * Yes No
• Do you agree to the way in which you are being assessed? * Yes No
• Do you have any specific needs that should be considered? If so, explain these in the space below * Yes No
• Do you understand your rights to reassessment? * Yes No
• Do you understand your right to appeal the decisions made in an assessment? * Yes No

Assessment Task 1: Knowledge questions

Information for students Knowledge questions are designed to help you demonstrate the knowledge which you have acquired during the learning phase of this unit. Ensure that you: • review the advice to students regarding answering knowledge questions in the Gamma Education & Training Student User Guide • comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide • adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines • answer all questions completely and correctly • submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced • submit a completed cover sheet with your work • avoid sharing your answers with other students.

Assessment information Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix A of the Gamma Education & Training Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for information on: • where this task should be completed • the maximum time allowed for completing this assessment task • whether or not this task is open-book.

Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A template is provided in Appendix C of the Student User Guide. However, if your RTO has provided you with an assessment cover sheet, please ensure that you use that.

1. Describe five key functions of a Human Resources Manager.

2. Explain the importance of the Strategic Workforce Planning function and list three practices related to Strategic Workforce Planning.

3. Explain the aim and scope of the Fair Work Act 2009 and its importance for the human resources function.

4. List the 10 minimum workplace entitlements for a permanent employee of an organisation outlined in the National Employment standards.

5. List four examples of the information that must be kept for each employee according to the Fair Work Regulations 2009.

6. Explain which employees are covered by unfair dismissal laws and which are not.

7. Using the table on the next page, explain each of the following options for sourcing a workforce:

• Recruiting from outside of the company • Casual labour • New graduates or trainees • Offshore workers

• Contractors • Consultants • Outsourcing to recruitment consultants

For each option discuss at least two advantages and two disadvantages of using options for the provision of human resource services.

8. Explain the impact of technology on the human resources function and how this has benefited the recruiting function of human resources.

9. Outline five key steps in the Strategic Workforce Planning process by completing the table.

10. Describe three key areas that could be included in a Strategic Workforce Plan.

11. Discuss three modern philosophies, values and policies applicable to the human resource profession.

Assessment Task 1 Cover Sheet

• To be filled out and submitted with assessment responses * I declare that this task is all my own work and I have not cheated or plagiarised the I understand that if I am found to have plagiarised, cheated or colluded, action will be I have correctly referenced all resources and reference texts throughout these

Assessment Task 2: Project

Information for students In this task, you are required to develop a report on organisational learning strategies for a case study company. You are then required to write an organisational learning strategy and policies and procedures for the company. You will need access to: • a suitable place to complete activities that replicates a business environment including ameeting space and computer and internet access • your learning resources and other information for reference • Assessment and Recognition Policy and Procedures Template • External Training Procurement Policy and Procedures Template • Learning and Development Policy and Procedures Template • Learning Strategies Report Template • Organisational Learning Strategy Template • Performance Appraisal Policy and Procedures • Recruitment, Selection and Induction Policy and Procedures. • Strategic Business Plan. Ensure that you: • review the advice to students regarding responding to written tasks in the Gamma Education &Training Student User Guide • comply with the due date for assessment which your assessor will provide • adhere with your RTO’s submission guidelines • answer all questions completely and correctly • submit work which is original and, where necessary, properly referenced • submit a completed cover sheet with your work • avoid sharing your answers with other students.

Assessment information Information about how you should complete this assessment can be found in Appendix A of the Gamma Education & Training Student User Guide. Refer to the appendix for information on: • where this task should be completed • how your assessment should be submitted. Note: You must complete and submit an assessment cover sheet with your work. A template is provided in Appendix B of the Student User Guide. However, if your RTO has provided you with an assessment cover sheet, please ensure that you use that. Activities Complete the following activities:

1. Carefully read the following

This project requires you to research, contribute towards and support a strategic workforce plan. You can do this for a real situation at your workplace, for a start-up business you are working on yourself or you can use the Simulation Pack provided. Vocational education and training is all about gaining and developing practical skills that are industry relevant and that can help you to succeed in your chosen career. For this reason, basing your project on real relationships with classmates or work colleagues will mean that you are applying your knowledge and skills in a relevant, practical and meaningful way! If you use your own business or workplace, make sure it has policies and procedures that address human resource management (as a minimum Health and Safety Policies and procedures) already developed. You also require sufficient information to monitor, review and evaluate your Strategic Workforce Plan – read through Section 3 for further information. If you are basing this assessment on the case study business, read through the Simulation Pack in preparation for this assessment. All the information needed to complete this assessment is contained in the Simulation pack. You will be collecting evidence for this unit in a Project Portfolio. The steps you need to take are outlined below. Before you begin, complete page 4 of your Project Portfolio. You must describe the organisation you are basing this assessment on. i Start working on Section 1 of your project portfolio. Step 2 forms part of Section 1. If you are basing this assessment on the case study business, further information to complete the next steps is available in the Simulation Pack. If you are basing this assessment on your own business, or a business you work for, make sure that you have access to a Strategic plan and Operations Plan and any other relevant policies, procedures etc. (see step 2 for mor details).

2. Write a Workforce Briefing Report. i This briefing report will be presented at a meeting to senior management (their approval is needed to move forward with developing a Strategic Workforce Plan). If you are using the case study business, the report will be sent to the CEO, Marketing Manager, Finance Manager, Administration Manager and Academic Manager. Develop a Workforce Briefing report to present to senior management (e.g. CEO and other senior managers).

Before you begin: • make sure you are familiar with: o legislation, regulations and codes of practise that will impact your Strategic Workforce Plan, such as: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00323 https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/law-and-regulation https://www.fairwork.gov.au/tools-and-resources/fact-sheets/rights-andobligations/workplace-discrimination https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00424 o policies, procedures, protocols and templates that address human resource management. o your business’ Strategic Plan and Operational Plan that sets out the strategic objectives and operational priorities o other available workforce information. • conduct further research to understand the workforce requirements (e.g. best practice examples). You should consult at least two external sources of information as you conduct your research. Your Workforce Briefing Report should address the following: • an overview of your business’s human resource requirements for the next three years. • overall strategic workforce direction, objectives and targets. • identification and analysis of emerging trends and practices that may impact on human resources management in your business (including any new technologies relevant to your business and its impact on job roles and design). • strategies to address the emerging trends. • a review of any recent and potential changes to industrial and legal requirements that will impact on your business’s workforce. • a review of: o the number and type of staff that will be needed to meet your business’s strategic direction o skill requirements for new and existing staff o the range of options (at least three) for sourcing staff (include a discussion of the costs and benefits of each approach). • the philosophies and values you believe underpin or should underpin your business’s human resources management. • recommended strategic workforce directions (at least three priority areas and objectives and targets).• identification of the technology and systems required to support the recommended human resource programs and practices. i The briefing report should be approximately two pages long. If your business has its own reporting template, use it (make sure you include all the requirements listed above). Otherwise, use the template provided in the Simulation Pack and apply it to your business. The text of the plan should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience. Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 1. You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence – review the documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 1 of the Project Portfolio. Submit Section 1 to your assessor. i Start working on Section 2 of your project portfolio. Steps 4 to 6 form part of Section 2. If you are basing this assessment on the case study business, further information to complete the next steps is available in the Simulation Pack. If you are basing this assessment on your own business, or a business you work for, ensure that your senior management team provides sufficient input (see step 3 for more details).

3. Conduct a meeting with relevant senior managers to discuss your briefing report. i You are required to conduct the meeting to discuss your Workforce Briefing Report to inform the development of the Strategic Workforce Plan. Ensure that you have senior management input and support from at least two senior managers (of varying levels such as CEO and General Manager). If you are using the case study, assume you are meeting with the CEO, Marketing Manager, Finance Manager, Administration Manager and Academic Manager. Prepare for the meeting by reading through the remainder of this step and by making notes to guide your discussion. At the meeting, you are required to: • provide an introduction to the meeting and state the purpose of the meeting. • explain the key points from the briefing paper and provide the opportunity for questions• seek input on all aspects of the briefing paper for the development of the Strategic Workforce Plan including: o asking Managers about their preferences for human resources requirements. o discussing and agreeing on the philosophies, values and polices that you have identified for your business’s workforce. o discussing strategic objectives and targets for human resource services. o confirming the required technology and systems to support human resource programs and practices. i Throughout the meeting, make notes. You will need to use the ideas you write up to develop the Strategic Workforce Plan. During the meeting, you will need to demonstrate effective communication and negotiation skills including: • Selecting appropriate gestures and conventions (e.g. handshake, greeting etc.) • Speaking clearly and concisely • Using effective non-verbal communication skills to assist with understanding • Asking questions to identify required information • Responding to questions • Using active listening techniques to confirm understanding • Persuading managers of your point of view (for at least one point). The meeting should take 30 minutes. This will either be attended in person by your assessor or they will attend online. If you are in the workplace, you may like to video record the session for your assessor to watch later (attach proof to Section 1 of your portfolio). Your assessor can provide you with more details at this step. Make sure you follow the instructions above and meet the timeframes allocated.

4. Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan. Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan using your research and input from the meeting. i If your business has its own Strategic Workforce Plan template, use it. Otherwise, use the template provided in the Simulation Pack. The text of the plan should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience.

5. Develop a Risk Management Plan. Develop a develop a risk management plan to identify the potential risks and risk management strategies related to the strategies and actions in your Strategic Workforce Plan. i If your business has its own Risk Management template, use it. Otherwise, use the template provided in the Simulation Pack. The text of the plan should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience.

6. Obtain support for the Strategic Workforce Plan and risk Management Plan. Draft an email to the Management Team to seek approval for your Strategic Workforce Plan and Risk Management Plan. Your email should introduce and summarise the contents of the attachment and ask for final approval. i The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate polite, business-like style. Remember to attach your Strategic Workforce Plan and risk Management Plan to the email. Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 2. You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence – review the documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 2 of the Project Portfolio. Submit Section 2 to your assessor.

7. Develop a survey to seek staff input. i In order to implement the Strategic Workforce Plan, you are required to develop an organisational climate survey. You may use the following link to assist you in designing your questionnaire: http://workplaceinfo.com.au/hr-management/communication-in-theworkplace/climate-surveys While the organisational climate survey is designed to seek feedback in relation actions outlined in the Strategic Workforce Plan, the intention is to alsogain feedback on overall employee satisfaction to assist with future workforce planning initiatives. Design an online survey (e.g. Survey Monkey) that: • includes at least 12 questions about general satisfaction with the workplace. • includes at least eight questions about satisfaction with new initiatives. • allows employees to provide an answer based on a five-point scale.Draft an email to all staff. Your email should introduce and outline the purpose of the survey, give the link to the survey and give an appropriate deadline for completing it. i The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. Assume that a period of time has passed and that Strategic Workforce Plan has been implemented. If you are basing this assessment on the case study business, further information to complete the next steps is available in the Simulation Pack. If you are basing this assessment on your own business or workplace, you should have sufficient information to: • monitor and review your Strategic Workforce Plan such as: o Workforce information for two consecutive years o Exit interview results o Focus group results (See step 8 for more detail). Evaluate your Strategic Workforce Plan (see step 11 for more details).

8. Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan Review Report. i You are required to monitor implementation of the plan. Use relevant information such as the focus group results, exit interview results and other workforce information to complete this step. Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan Review Report. Your review report should address the following components: • an analysis of workforce information data. • a review the workforce information over two consecutive years to identify: o current staff turnover rate o workforce characteristics, including age, gender and cultural backgroundchanges in performance. • an analysis of the focus group results. • a review all of the comments from the focus group (overall employee satisfaction and areas of need that should be considered as part of an ongoing review). • an analysis of exit interviews. • a review all of the comments from the exit interviews (reasons for leaving that should be considered as part of an ongoing review ). • analysis of the effectiveness of the Strategic Workforce Plan • evaluation of the effectiveness of the Strategic Workforce Plan to date in terms of the objectives. • changes required to objectives ( at least two new objectives and actions for the upcoming year). i If your business has its own Review template, use it. Otherwise, use the template provided in the Simulation Pack. Make sure you include all the elements described above. The text of the report should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience (i.e. formal).

9. Develop a Work Life Balance Report and Action Plan. i Assume that one of actions identified from the employee survey is to develop a business Work/Life Balance Strategy. You are required to implement this action. Conduct research and develop a short report to present to staff about options for the range of potential work/life balance programs that could be implemented and recommendations on which programs you think are most appropriate for your business. i Use the Work Life Balance Report and Action Plan Template to guide your work. You report should be approximately one page long and written in clear and concise English. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience.

10. Update Health and Safety Policy and Procedures. i Assume that the Health and Safety Officer of your business has emailed you to support your proposed actions for Work/Life Balance actions. They advise that a further improvement would be to ensure that the actions are formalised in thebusiness’s Health and Safety Policy and Procedure. This should be a policy statement about the organisation’s commitment to Work/Life Balance. Review the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures and update it as recommended by the Health and Safety Officer. The update will be a short statement about the organisation’s commitment. i Highlight any changes you make to the Health and Safety Policy. Assume that more time has passed and the work-life balance policies and procedures have been implemented (for the cases study, this is 12 months).

11. Evaluate the performance of the Strategic Workforce Plan. i Assume that one of the initiatives implemented was “working from home arrangements for some staff members”. Develop a short evaluation report (to top management such as the CEO) summarising the impact of the working from home arrangements and performance against objectives from the Strategic Workforce plan. i The report should be in your own words (half a page to one page long). You report should be written in clear and concise English. Make sure you match the style of your writing to suit the audience.

12. Update your Strategic Workforce Plan. Include additional actions in your Strategic Workforce Plan based on the scenario information and assumptions made during this section. i Highlight the changes you’ve made and change the version number of your plan.

13. Submit your completed Project Portfolio Make sure you have completed all sections of your Project Portfolio, answered all questions, provided enough detail as indicated and proofread for spelling and grammar as necessary. Submit to your assessor for marking.

Section 1: Research planning requirements

Workforce briefing report.

Provide an overview of King Edward VII College’s human resource requirements for the next three years. This should include the College’s overall human resource strategic direction, objectives and targets.

Emerging trends and practices Provide a review and analysis of emerging trends and practices that may impact on human resources management in King Edward VII College, and strategies to address these. This should also include a review of any new technology relevant to King Edward VII College and all of its departments and staff and impacts on job roles and design.

Changes to industrial and legal requirements A review of any recent and potential changes to industrial and legal requirements that will impact on the King Edward VII College workforce.

Staffing Provide a review of the number and type of staff that will be needed to meet the company’  strategic direction, skill requirements for new and existing staff, and options for sourcing required staff. Consider and review the range of options for sourcing staff and discuss the costs and benefits of each approach. Include a discussion of at least three options.

Philosophies and values Discuss the philosophies and values that underpin or should King Edward VII College’s human resources management, as well as the policies and procedures that are required to ensure this. Review the scenario information to identify gaps in existing policies, procedures and systems.

Recommended human resources strategic directions Recommended human resources strategic directions based on scenario information, research conducted and review of Strategic Plan. As a minimum, the Strategic Workforce Plan should include three priority areas and objectives and targets.

Technology and systems Outline the technology and systems required to support the recommended human resource programs and practices documented in the Strategic Workforce Plan . Include new technology and how it will impact on the job role and design.

Section 2: Develop a Strategic Workforce Plan

King edward vii college.

Strategic workforce plan

Introduction Provide an introduction to the strategic plan.

List priorities.

Operational Priorities Plan

Indicate purpose of the operational priorities plan

Recruitment, selection and induction

Objective: To ensure the recruitment and retentions of first-class employees.

Workforce development Objective: To drive individual and team performance.

Supporting and valuing the workforce

Objective: Develop and implement more effective performance management for staff

Workforce Skilling Objectives: • Develop and implement more effec • Expand employee developmenttive performance management for staff

Human Resource Information Management Objectives: • Develop and implement more effective performance management for staff • Expand employee development

Overview of costs and benefits of human resources services indicated in operational priorities plan

List and total projected costs.

Section 3: Support the implementation of the Strategic Workforce Plan

Review Report Introduction Outline the purpose of the review report.

Analysis of workforce information data Review the workforce information for King Edward VII 2018 provided to you and compare it to the 2017 data to identify: • Current staff turnover rate • Compare workforce characteristics, including age, gender and cultural background in the 2017 and 2018 data to assess performance

Analysis of focus group results Review all of the comments from the focus group and comment on overall employee satisfaction, as well as areas of need that should be considered as part of an ongoing review of workforce planning objectives.

Analysis of exit interviews Review all of the comments from the exit interviews and comment on reasons for leaving.Determine what should be considered as part of an ongoing review of workforce planning objectives.

Effectiveness of the Human Resources Strategic Plan Based on your analysis above, evaluate effectiveness of the Strategic Workforce Plan to date in terms of the objectives specified in the scenario information. Identify changes required to objectives and document at least two new objectives and actions for the upcoming year.

Work/life balance report Introduction State purpose of report.

Work-Life Balance Strategies

List and discuss a range of possible strategies. A minimum of five should be discussed in approximately a paragraph each.

Work-Life Balance Strategies Recommendations

Discuss recommended options and rationale for such.

Actions to achieve recommendations Refer to action plan next page to achieve recommended options

Assessment Task 2 Cover Sheet

ASSESSMENT SUMMARY SHEET After the assessment, the Assessment Summary Sheet should be signed the Assessor, Student and the Academic Manager. If a Not Competent, has been achieved then strategies to address the gaps in the performance should be have been identified and a time for reassessment organised on the attached resubmission / feedback

• I declare that: * The Trainer/assessor advised me of the date and time of the assessment The Trainer /assessor explained appropriate evidence required to complete assessment The Trainer/assessor explained the purpose and the consequence of assessment I was provided with any special needs required relating to the assessment process The Trainer/assessor explained my rights regarding the appeals process This assignment is my own work and that I have correctly acknowledged the work of others This assignment is in accordance with Gamma Education & Training guidance on good academic conduct (and how to avoidplagiarism and other assessment irregularities)
• File Upload Browse Files Drag and drop files here Choose a file Cancel of
• Save Submit
• Should be Empty:

Strategic Plan Template - PDF Templates | Jotform