A Highly Interactive Training Course On

Practical Business Planning

Develop and Deliver Effective Business Plans for Strategic Success

Practical Business Planning
Course Schedule

ONLINE

10-14 Aug 2026
Online
$4,950
12-16 Oct 2026
Online
$4,950
11-15 Jan 2027
Online
$4,950
19-23 Apr 2027
Online
$4,950
09-13 Aug 2027
Online
$4,950
11-15 Oct 2027
Online
$4,950
Certificate
  • Coventry Academy Certificate of Attendance will be provided to delegates who attend and complete the course

Training Overview

Training Overview

The Practical Business Planning Training Course provides participants with a structured approach to developing and delivering actionable business plans. In today’s competitive global marketplace, effective business planning is critical to achieving strategic objectives and demonstrating accountability to stakeholders. However, plans are only valuable if supported by robust execution; without this, they risk becoming decorative “shelfware.”

This course guides delegates through a practical and evidence-based approach to business planning. Participants will learn to create a clear business vision rooted in analysis and debate, then implement it through well-managed projects delivered by engaged managers. By combining strategic thinking with practical delivery tools, this course ensures that plans result in meaningful organizational change and measurable results.

Delegates will also explore tools and techniques for analysing the business environment, mobilising resources, and communicating effectively with stakeholders. The course emphasises practical methods to bridge the gap between planning and execution, ensuring business plans drive real-world impact.

Key Focus Areas of This Course:

  • Designing and managing a business planning process aligned with organisational needs
  • Mobilising resources and information to develop a robust plan
  • Analysing the business environment to define a clear business vision
  • Using structured tools and frameworks for strategic planning and evaluation
  • Communicating business plans effectively to all stakeholders
  • Delivering the plan through coherent, project-based execution

What are the goals?

This training course equips participants to develop, communicate, and implement effective business plans that drive organizational performance. It emphasises practical methods for linking planning with delivery, ensuring plans lead to tangible results.

By the end of this Business Planning Training Course, participants will be able to:

  • Design a business planning process tailored to their organisation
  • Mobilise the required resources and information to create a robust business plan
  • Analyse the business environment to support strategic decision-making
  • Finalise and communicate the business plan to relevant stakeholders
  • Manage the delivery of the plan through structured project approaches, such as PRINCE2
  • Embed planning processes into organisational culture to ensure accountability and effectiveness
  • Monitor performance, celebrate milestones, and drive continuous improvement

Who is this Training Course for?

This training course is suitable for professionals responsible for business planning, project delivery, or organisational strategy. It is ideal for managers seeking practical methods to translate strategy into actionable plans.

This training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

  • Senior leaders in Marketing, Finance, Operations, and HR functions
  • Headquarters staff in complex organisations across public and private sectors
  • Departmental heads responsible for components of the business plan
  • Senior programme and project management staff
  • Small and medium enterprise (SME) leaders aiming to grow their businesses
  • Professionals seeking to link strategy, planning, and execution in practical ways

How will this Training Course be Presented?

This course employs a highly interactive and experiential approach, combining lectures, case studies, workshops, and practical exercises. Participants will work through realistic scenarios to apply business planning tools and techniques in a controlled, collaborative environment.

Delegates will engage in group discussions, planning exercises, and project simulations, allowing them to practice analysis, resource allocation, and plan delivery. By combining theory with hands-on application, the Practical Business Planning Training Course ensures participants leave with actionable skills to develop, communicate, and implement effective business plans within their organisations.

The Course Content

Day One: Introduction and Background
  • Introduction – planning as leadership
  • Business Planning as a cross-business process – “Train hard, fight easy!”
  • Bottom-up and Top-down planning approaches
  • Resources and facilities required for successful planning
  • Financial Planning and Business Planning
  • The importance of practical delivery – “where the rubber meets the road!”
Day Two: The Planning Workshop – Walk-through of the “Fishbone”© Method
  • Using the Fishbone© approach to shape the problem for an imaginary client described in student case study material
  • Appraisal of the plan start point
  • Formulation of the desired end-state
  • Analysis of the “terrain of travel”
  • Planning for Effectiveness
  • Planning for Efficiency
Day Three: Using the Planner’s Toolkit
  • Porter’s Five Forces analysis
  • SWOT and Force-field analysis
  • The Boston Matrix
  • The Ansoff Matrix
  • The Communications Matrix©
  • The Balanced Scorecard
Day Four: Plan Delivery through Projects
  • PRINCE2 programme/project management
  • Plan delivery and governance
  • Engaging and motivating the organization’s resources
  • Business Planning as part of Total Quality Management and “Lean”
  • Measurement and Display
  • Building a planning culture
Day Five: From Concept to Practical Reality
  • Communicating the plan to stakeholders
  • Stepping stones, trip-ups and milestones
  • Resourcing the projects
  • Monitoring and celebrating success
  • Continuous improvement of the process
  • The “proof of the pudding”

Providers and Associations

Anderson
Anderson
Aztech Training
Aztech Training
COPEX
COPEX