How to Build a 5-Year Business Plan—And Apply It to an ERP Company

When you're leading a business unit in a competitive industry, having a crystal-clear 5-year plan isn’t just strategic—it’s essential. Whether you're launching a new product or scaling an existing solution, long-term planning helps unify your team, attract investors, and navigate the market with confidence. In this post, we’ll walk through a practical framework for developing a 5-year business plan, then apply it directly to an ERP software company targeting SMEs in Europe. Let’s dig in. Part 1: Universal Steps to Build a 5-Year Business Plan 1. Set Your Vision & Goals Begin with purpose. Clarify what success looks like in 5 years—market share, profitability, product impact—and define measurable objectives aligned with your mission. 2. Analyse Your Market Get intimate with your terrain. Who are your customers? Who are your competitors? What trends, regulations, and innovations are shaping the landscape? 3. Break It Into Milestones Divide your jour...