Business Development 

Up-skilling Micro & Small Enterprises

A five-day training programme delivering practical, hands-on guidance in business development for MSMEs, equipping entrepreneurs, small business owners, and sales teams with the skills and knowledge needed to convert leads into paying customers and drive sustainable growth.

The programme is delivered through in person, facilitator led workshops or training cohorts designed to support both individual and collective milestones

The Goal: 

To strengthen the capacity of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and managers to build strong, market-ready brands and business that attract customers, inspire trust, and fuel long-term business growth.

Format: 5 days (3–5 hours per day)
Approach: Practical, participatory, action-oriented

Who Needs It

• Youth SACCOs

• Youth agribusiness groups

• Youth tech or creative hubs

• Youth self-help groups

• Youth enterprise groups

• Farmer cooperatives

• Dairy groups

• Beekeeping groups

• Fishing cooperatives

• Agro-processing groups

• Chamber of commerce SME members

• Business hubs and incubators

• SME trade associations

• Artisan training cohorts

• Incubation program alumni

• Loan recipients running SMEs

• Women-led microbusinesses

• Youth enterprise members

• Informal traders transitioning to formal markets

Program Offering

DAY 1 — Foundations of Business Growth

Session 1: Introduction to Business Development

Goal: Shift mindset from survival to structured growth

Topics:

• What is Business Development (BD)?

• Difference between marketing, sales, and BD

• Common growth challenges for MSMEs

Activity: Participants map how they currently get customers

Session 2: Understanding Your Business Model

Goal: Help participants see how their business actually makes money

Topics:

• What do you sell, to whom, and how?

• Revenue streams

• Key costs and value drivers

Tool: Simple Business Model Canvas (MSME version)

Session 3: Setting Business Growth Goals

Goal: Move from vague ambition to measurable targets

Topics:

• Revenue goals

• Customer targets

• Growth vs. survival

Exercise: Set growth goals

DAY 2 — Knowing Your Market & Customers

Session 4: Identifying Your Target Market

Goal: Stop selling to “everyone”

Topics:

• Market segments

• Who is most likely to buy from you?

• High-value vs. low-value customers

Exercise: Define your best type of customer

Session 5: Understanding Customer Needs

Goal: Link products to real problems

Topics:

• Customer pain points

• Why people actually buy

• Matching solutions to needs

Tool: Customer Problem–Solution Worksheet

Session 6: Crafting Your Value Proposition

Goal: Help participants clearly explain their business

Topics:

• Features vs. benefits

• What makes you different?

• Why customers should choose you

Exercise: Develop a 30-second business pitch

DAY 3 — Finding and Creating Business Opportunities

Session 7: Spotting Growth Opportunities

Goal: Train entrepreneurs to look beyond daily sales

Topics:

• New markets

• New products/services

• Upselling and cross-selling

• Seasonal opportunities

Activity: Identify 3 new growth opportunities

Session 8: Competitor Awareness

Goal: Compete smarter, not cheaper

Topics:

• Knowing your competition

• Standing out without lowering prices

• Positioning your business

Exercise: Compare your business with 2 competitors

Session 9: Pricing for Growth

Goal: Improve confidence in pricing

Topics:

• Cost vs. value pricing

• Underpricing risks

• Communicating value

DAY 4 — Sales & Marketing That Drive Growth

Session 10: Simple Sales Skills for Entrepreneurs

Goal: Make sales less intimidating

Topics:

• The sales process (Lead → Talk → Offer → Close → Follow-up)

• Handling customer objections

• Following up professionally

Activity: Role-play a sales conversation

Session 11: Marketing on a Small Budget

Goal: Practical, low-cost marketing

Topics:

• Word of mouth & referrals

• Social media basics

• WhatsApp for business

• Community visibility

Exercise: Create a 1-month marketing plan

Session 12: Customer Retention & Repeat Sales

Goal: Increase income without finding new customers

Topics:

• Keeping customers loyal

• After-sales service

• Encouraging repeat business

DAY 5 — Partnerships & Action Planning

Session 13: Partnerships That Grow Your Business

Goal: Encourage collaboration

Topics:

• Who can help you reach more customers?

• Types of partnerships (suppliers, influencers, other businesses)

• How to approach a partner

Exercise: Identify 3 potential partners

Session 14: Managing Business Relationships

Goal: Maintain trust and professionalism

Topics:

• Communication

• Reliability

• Building long-term relationships

Session 15: Building Your 90-Day Business Development Plan

Goal: Turn learning into action

Participants define:

• Sales targets

• Marketing activities

• New customer strategies

• Partnership actions

• Weekly BD tasks

Output: Each participant leaves with a written 90-Day Business Development Plan

Participants will:

• Learn how branding shows up in real life

• Understand customer touchpoints

• Plan brand consistency across platforms

Topics

• Brand consistency (online & offline)

• Social media presence basics

• Packaging, uniforms, signage, service style

• Customer experience as branding

• Personal brand for entrepreneurs

Activities

• Map your customer journey (from discovery to repeat purchase)

• Identify 5 brand touchpoints to improve

• Review examples of strong small business branding

Outcome

✔ Brand visibility checklist
✔ Customer experience improvement ideas

Committed to Support Small Businesses Level-Up Visibility for growth

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