SAAS Business Plan Template

Are you interested in starting your own SAAS Business?

Introduction
Starting a SAAS business can be a great way to get into the tech industry and create a successful company. There are a few things you need to know before you get started, however. In this section, we'll cover the basics of what you need to do to start a SAAS business. First, you need to decide what type of SAAS business you want to start. There are many different types of SAAS businesses, so you'll need to narrow down your focus. Do you want to create a business that provides software to businesses? Or do you want to create a consumer-focused SAAS business? Once you know what type of SAAS business you want to start, you can begin to research the market and figure out what type of software you'll need to create. Next, you need to create a business plan. This will help you figure out the financial side of starting a SAAS business. You'll need to determine how much money you'll need to get started, how you'll generate revenue, and what your expenses will be. A business plan will also help you raise money from investors, if you decide to go that route. Finally, you need to build your software and launch your business. This is the most important part of starting a SAAS business. You'll need to create a product that meets the needs of your target market and that is easy to use. Once your software is built, you'll need to launch it and start marketing it to your target market. If you can do these things, you'll be well on your way to starting a successful SAAS business.
Global Market Size
The global market for software as a service (SaaS) is expected to reach $85.1 billion by 2020, up from $46.3 billion in 2015, according to market research firm Gartner. The North American SaaS market is the largest, with $32.4 billion in revenue in 2015, followed by Western Europe ($12.2 billion) and Asia/Pacific ($9.9 billion). Growth in the SaaS market is being driven by the shift from traditional software licenses to subscription-based models, as well as the growing adoption of cloud-based applications. There are a number of factors to consider when starting a SaaS business, including the size of the potential market, the competition, and the business model. The first step is to identify a problem that people are willing to pay to solve. Once you have a problem that people are willing to pay to solve, you need to validate your solution. The best way to validate your solution is to build a minimum viable product (MVP) and get it in front of potential customers. Once you have validated your solution, you need to think about your business model. There are a number of different business models for SaaS businesses, including subscription-based, usage-based, and feature-based. You also need to consider your go-to-market strategy. There are a number of different ways to market and sell SaaS products, including direct sales, channel sales, and inbound marketing. The last thing to consider is your pricing strategy. There are a number of different pricing models for SaaS products, including pay-as-you-go, subscription, and usage-based. The most important thing to remember when starting a SaaS business is to focus on solving a problem that people are willing to pay to solve. Once you have a problem that people are willing to pay to solve, the rest will fall into place.
Target Market
When starting a SAAS business, it's important to think about your target market. Who are you trying to reach with your product? What needs does your target market have that your product can address? Once you've identified your target market, you need to figure out how to reach them. What channels will you use to market your product? How will you position your product in the market? Your target market and your go-to-market strategy are two of the most important aspects of starting a successful SAAS business. Take the time to think through both carefully before moving forward.
Business Model
There are a few key things you need to consider when starting a SAAS business. The first is your business model. What will your revenue streams be? Will you charge per month? Per user? Or will you have a freemium model? The second is your target market. Who will you be selling to? What needs do they have that your software can solve? And finally, you need to consider your go-to-market strategy. How will you reach your target market? What kind of marketing and sales efforts will you need to make? Each of these questions is important to consider when starting a SAAS business. But don't get overwhelmed - there are plenty of resources out there to help you figure out the answers. Check out our blog post on How to Choose a Business Model for Your SAAS Business for more information..
Competitive Landscape
If you're thinking about starting a SAAS business, you'll need to be aware of the competitive landscape. There are a lot of SAAS businesses out there, and you'll need to stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is to focus on a niche market. There are many SAAS businesses that serve a specific industry or type of customer. By focusing on a specific market, you can become the go-to provider for that market. You'll also need to be aware of the major players in the SAAS space. These are the businesses that have been around for a while and have established themselves as leaders in the space. You'll need to be able to compete with these businesses on features, price, and customer service. Finally, you'll need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the SAAS space. This industry is always changing, and you'll need to be able to adapt to the latest changes. By staying up-to-date, you'll be able to offer the latest and greatest features to your customers.
Conclusion
Assuming you have a great SAAS idea, there are a few key things you need to do to get your business up and running. First, you need to validate your idea and make sure there is a market for it. You can do this by talking to potential customers, conducting market research, and/or building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Once you have validated your idea, you need to build out your team. This includes finding a co-founder, hiring developers, and putting together an advisory board. Next, you need to raise money. This can be done through grants, angel investors, or venture capitalists. Finally, you need to focus on growth. This means acquiring customers, building out your product, and scaling your team. If you can do all of these things, you will be well on your way to starting a successful SAAS business.

Why write a business plan?

A business plan is a critical tool for businesses and startups for a number of reasons:
  • Business Plans can help to articulate and flesh out the business’s goals and objectives. This can be beneficial not only for the business owner, but also for potential investors or partners
  • Business Plans can serve as a roadmap for the business, helping to keep it on track and on target. This is especially important for businesses that are growing and evolving, as it can be easy to get sidetracked without a clear plan in place.
  • Business plans can be a valuable tool for communicating the business’s vision to employees, customers, and other key stakeholders.
  • Business plans are one of the most affordable and straightforward ways of ensuring your business is successful.
  • Business plans allow you to understand your competition better to critically analyze your unique business proposition and differentiate yourself from the market.
  • Business Plans allow you to better understand your customer. Conducting a customer analysis is essential to create better products and services and market more effectively.
  • Business Plans allow you to determine the financial needs of the business leading to a better understanding of how much capital is needed to start the business and how much fundraising is needed.
  • Business Plans allow you to put your business model in words and analyze it further to improve revenues or fill the holes in your strategy.
  • Business plans allow you to attract investors and partners into the business as they can read an explanation about the business.
  • Business plans allow you to position your brand by understanding your company’s role in the marketplace.
  • Business Plans allow you to uncover new opportunities by undergoing the process of brainstorming while drafting your business plan which allows you to see your business in a new light. This allows you to come up with new ideas for products/services, business and marketing strategies.
  • Business Plans allow you to access the growth and success of your business by comparing actual operational results versus the forecasts and assumptions in your business plan. This allows you to update your business plan to a business growth plan and ensure the long-term success and survival of your business.

Business Plan Content

 

Many people struggle with drafting a business plan and it is necessary to ensure all important sections are present in a business plan:
  1. Executive Summary
  2. Company Overview
  3. Industry Analysis
  4. Consumer Analysis
  5. Competitor Analysis & Advantages
  6. Marketing Strategies & Plan
  7. Plan of Action
  8. Management Team

The financial forecast template is an extensive Microsoft Excel sheet with Sheets on Required Start-up Capital, Salary & Wage Plans, 5-year Income Statement, 5-year Cash-Flow Statement, 5-Year Balance Sheet, 5-Year Financial Highlights and other accounting statements that would cost in excess of £1000 if obtained by an accountant.

The financial forecast has been excluded from the business plan template. If you’d like to receive the financial forecast template for your start-up, please contact us at info@avvale.co.uk . Our consultants will be happy to discuss your business plan and provide you with the financial forecast template to accompany your business plan.

Instructions for the Business Plan Template

To complete your perfect SAAS business plan, fill out the form below and download our SAAS business plan template. The template is a word document that can be edited to include information about your SAAS business. The document contains instructions to complete the business plan and will go over all sections of the plan. Instructions are given in the document in red font and some tips are also included in blue font. The free template includes all sections excluding the financial forecast. If you need any additional help with drafting your business plan from our business plan template, please set up a complimentary 30-minute consultation with one of our consultants.

Ongoing Business Planning

 

With the growth of your business, your initial goals and plan is bound to change. To ensure the continued growth and success of your business, it is necessary to periodically update your business plan. Your business plan will convert to a business growth plan with versions that are updated every quarter/year. Avvale Consulting recommends that you update your business plan every few months and practice this as a process. Your business is also more likely to grow if you access your performance regularly against your business plans and reassess targets for business growth plans.

 

Want a Bespoke Business Plan for your SAAS Business?

Our Expertise

 

Avvale Consulting has extensive experience working with companies in many sectors including the SAAS industry. You can avail a free 30-minute business consultation to ask any questions you have about starting your SAAS business. We would also be happy to create a bespoke SAAS business plan for your SAAS business including a 5-year financial forecast to ensure the success of your SAAS business and raise capital from investors to start your SAAS business. This will include high-value consulting hours with our consultants and multiple value-added products such as investor lists and Angel Investor introductions.

 

About Us

 

Avvale Consulting is a leading startup business consulting firm based in London, United Kingdom. Our consultants have years of experience working with startups and have worked with over 300 startups from all around the world. Our team has thousands of business plans, pitch decks and other investment documents for startups leading to over $100 Million raised from various sources. Our business plan templates are the combination of years of startup fundraising and operational experience and can be easily completed by a business owner regardless of their business stage or expertise. So, whether you are a budding entrepreneur or a veteran businessman, download our business plan template and get started on your business growth journey today.