Module 1 – SELF ASSESSMENT - Start Business Planning Process.
What makes a successful entrepreneur?
Issues facing people in business –Self Employment V Employment
Self-assessment, skills audit
Goal setting using SMART principles
Set goals and targets during session
Local sources of assistance, useful telephone numbers and contacts
Introduce the business plan and access to free templates
Business Plan overview
Module 2– BUSINESS SET UP – Taxation and Book Keeping.
Options on how to set up a business
CRO and Revenue requirements when starting a business
Legal Structures
Records & Bookkeeping.
Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet explained (templates supplied)
Different forms of Taxation.
Module 3. Cash Flow & Cash Collection
What is Cash flow? Causes of Cash flow problems?
The difference between Profit and Cash
Debtors Control Account, Aged Debtors Report and Debtors Days explained The Top Ten Rules of Cash flow
Recap on Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet explained
Profit V Cash in your business
Cash flow problems - The Important figures in your accounts.
Funding your business – sources of long term & short term funding.
Dealing with banks – Your Business Plan and Sources of Assistance.
Cash flow template – practical example completed in class.
Module 4 Costing and Pricing.
Set up costs completed from cash flow module.
Estimate annual running costs of business.
Estimate cost for start-up and sources of funds.
Elements of cost – Direct materials + Direct labour + Direct expenses + overheads = Total cost.
Apportioning overheads using labour hour rate.
Calculating breakeven and some working examples.
Profit margin.
Sales required to make profit.
Pricing – mark up and margin (Using examples).
Product evaluation, monitoring prices.
Module 5 Market Research Module.
Definitions of marketing – how does it apply to me and my business?
The 5 p’s of marketing.
The market research process.
Creating opportunities for customer’s feedback.
Marketing on a limited budget
Module 6 Marketing for a Small Business.
Marketing strategies and plan.
Other factors – image, innovation, information systems.
Being market oriented and competitive advantage.
Customer focused.
Pricing tactics.
Use of Social Media Promotion and the internet.
Creating an effective marketing message.
Factors influencing selection of communication channel.
Segmenting your market.
Effective targeting – personal selling.
Sales promotion and public relations.
Using technology to maximise business – Business website, internet, and mobile phones/texting.