Business, Commerce and Management Studies Generic Management

Business Advisory Services For Small And Medium Enterprises Training

SAQA US 115830 | NQF 5 | Credits 10 | Duration 7 Days
From $1,523 per delegate

Description

This course equips participants with the skills to provide effective business advisory services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It covers key areas such as business planning, financial management, marketing, and regulatory compliance, enabling advisors to support SME growth and sustainability.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply business advisory frameworks to assess SME needs and develop tailored solutions.
  • Analyze financial statements and operational data to identify areas for improvement in SMEs.
  • Evaluate business plans and strategies to ensure alignment with SME goals and market conditions.
  • Design advisory interventions that address legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements for SMEs.
  • Implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track SME progress and adjust advisory approaches.
  • Demonstrate effective communication and relationship management skills when advising SME clients.

Target Audience

This course is designed for business advisors, consultants, and professionals who work with or intend to work with small and medium enterprises in South Africa.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Business Advisory for SMEs

Objectives:
• Understand the scope and role of business advisory services in the SME sector.
• Identify the key characteristics and challenges of small and medium enterprises in South Africa.
• Recognize the regulatory and economic environment affecting SMEs.
• Apply ethical and professional standards in advisory practice.

Topics:
• Introduction to business advisory services and unit standard 115830.
• Overview of the SME landscape in South Africa.
• Common challenges faced by SMEs: access to finance, market access, skills.
• Legal and regulatory frameworks: B-BBEE, tax, labour law basics.
• Professional ethics and confidentiality in advisory relationships.

Day 2: Business Assessment and Needs Analysis

Objectives:
• Conduct a comprehensive business assessment using diagnostic tools.
• Identify gaps and opportunities in SME operations.
• Prioritise advisory needs based on client objectives.
• Document findings in a structured needs analysis report.

Topics:
• Business diagnostic frameworks (SWOT, PESTLE, financial health checks).
• Interview techniques and data gathering from SME owners.
• Analysing financial statements: cash flow, profitability, solvency.
• Identifying operational inefficiencies and growth barriers.
• Writing a needs analysis report.

Day 3: Strategic Planning and Goal Setting

Objectives:
• Facilitate the development of a strategic plan for an SME.
• Set SMART goals aligned with the business vision.
• Develop action plans with timelines and milestones.
• Integrate risk management into strategic planning.

Topics:
• Vision, mission, and values articulation.
• Setting SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
• Strategy formulation: growth strategies, competitive advantage.
• Action planning: tasks, responsibilities, deadlines.
• Basic risk assessment and mitigation strategies.

Day 4: Financial Advisory and Funding Strategies

Objectives:
• Interpret financial ratios to advise on business performance.
• Guide SMEs on budgeting and cash flow management.
• Identify appropriate funding sources and prepare funding proposals.
• Advise on tax compliance and financial record-keeping.

Topics:
• Financial ratio analysis: liquidity, profitability, efficiency.
• Cash flow forecasting and working capital management.
• Funding options: bank loans, grants, equity, crowdfunding.
• Preparing a business plan for funding applications.
• Tax obligations for SMEs: VAT, PAYE, income tax.

Day 5: Marketing and Sales Advisory

Objectives:
• Develop a marketing plan tailored to SME resources.
• Advise on digital marketing and social media strategies.
• Improve sales processes and customer relationship management.
• Measure marketing ROI and adjust strategies.

Topics:
• Market research techniques for SMEs.
• Marketing mix (7Ps) and branding basics.
• Digital marketing: website, SEO, social media, email.
• Sales pipeline management and CRM tools.
• Customer retention strategies and feedback loops.

Day 6: Operational Efficiency and Human Resources

Objectives:
• Identify operational bottlenecks and recommend process improvements.
• Advise on basic HR policies and compliance.
• Implement performance management systems.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Topics:
• Process mapping and lean principles for SMEs.
• Quality management and standard operating procedures.
• HR essentials: recruitment, contracts, leave, disciplinary codes.
• Performance management: KPIs and appraisals.
• Training and development planning.

Day 7: Integration, Evaluation, and Action Planning

Objectives:
• Synthesise all advisory areas into a cohesive business improvement plan.
• Evaluate the impact of advisory interventions.
• Develop a follow-up and monitoring framework.
• Prepare for the unit standard assessment.

Topics:
• Integrating strategic, financial, marketing, operational, and HR advice.
• Measuring advisory success: KPIs and client satisfaction.
• Continuous improvement and sustainability planning.
• Case study: applying the full advisory cycle.
• Assessment preparation: portfolio of evidence requirements.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 09 Sep 2026 Thu 17 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Tue 29 Sep 2026 Wed 07 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
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Fri 31 Dec 2027 Mon 10 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
Thu 20 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 494 sessions across 26 venues
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Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mon 17 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,284 Register
Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mon 17 Aug 2026 Lagos, Nigeria Winter 2026 $5,173 Register
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In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
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Thu 17 Sep 2026 Fri 25 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Wed 07 Oct 2026 Thu 15 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Tue 27 Oct 2026 Wed 04 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Tue 15 Dec 2026 Wed 23 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Tue 26 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
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Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Thu 25 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Wed 31 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Tue 22 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Fri 09 Jul 2027 Mon 19 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Thu 29 Jul 2027 Fri 06 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 15 Sep 2027 Thu 23 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 05 Oct 2027 Wed 13 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Tue 02 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 14 Dec 2027 Wed 22 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Tue 11 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Fri 28 Jan 2028 Mon 07 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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