With a big year for KBB coming in 2025, it’s time to start putting your business plan together.
A business plan not only helps if you need investment, financial support or grants, but also so that everybody in the business understands the vision and road map for the company.
I have put many of these plans together for clients in the past, and this is still an ongoing document that is being adapted and improved all the time.
In terms of putting a strategic pack together, these sections will cover all areas of your business.
These are flexible at the moment, but should give some framework which can be worked through.
They are very top line information, but they are a lot more granular in the finished plans.
1 - Introduction - History of the business, the staff, and location etc
2 - Highlights - Total sales, profit, growth etc.
3 - Business Overview - Sales / forecast / recent news / business updates (ie TruBlue for more accurate quoting)
4 - Market Overview - So more general, not shop specific. Interest rates, cost of living, material price increases and all things that affect the business outside of your control.
5 - Product Offering - So, how many different kitchen suppliers, appliance suppliers and looking at worktop suppliers and how many you need
6 - Analysis between the kitchen manufacturers and where you position each one and what you expect their share to be of the total turnover.
7 - Routes To Market - Retail, trade and contract and what they look like
8 - Competitive Landscape - Who is your local competition and what is happening in your area regarding new developments etc
9 - Operations Overview - Installations teams, storage, deliveries etc
10 - Areas for future growth - New out of town premises, apprenticeships, in house installers etc
11 - Marketing Plan - Social media, print, brochures etc
12 - Financial Information - Overview - Headline numbers
13 - Financial Information - Key Financials - Sales / profit / enquiries etc by year - History
14 - Financial Information - 5 year forecast
When you are looking at the above details, always think of the ten S's.
Safety, staff, systems, security, social, suppliers, showroom, service, stock and sales.
Each of these ten headings needs to be considered within each point of the plan.
Also, as part of this plan, we need to include a "Mission Statement", and a "Vision Statement".
The descriptions of these are ...
A vision statement is an inspirational statement of an idealistic emotional future of a company or group. Vision describes the basic human emotion that a founder intends to be experienced by the people the organisation interacts with.
A mission statement is a short statement of why an organisation exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operation.
These statements are integral to any business plan and are usually one of the first things listed. And often, they are the things people want to read before anything else. It gives external people the best idea of who your business is, and what is important to you.
Examples ...
Howdens Vision Statement
I set out to make Howdens feel like home. The sort of business our customers' fathers were proud to buy from. I hope our children and our customers' children use Howdens too and feel the same way.
Howdens Mission Statement
To supply from local stock nationwide the small builder's ever-changing, routine, integrated kitchen and joinery requirements, assuring best local price, no-call-back quality and confidential trade terms...... and to provide the builder's customer with enough choice, advice and after sales to make a home to be proud of.
For those of you with a "messy mind", a strong business plan will give you some clarity and focus, and provide a journey to success for your business.
Also, if you are already considering ways to exit your company, then having a robust business plan will provide a strong tool and peace of mind for anybody looking to take the next steps ahead of you.
If you need support in putting your 2025 business plan together, please get in touch. Christmas will be here before we know it !
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