Preparing a Winning Business Plan

✍ Scribed by Matthew Record

• Publisher: How to Books
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 161
• Edition: 4th
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Preparing a winning business plan is crucial to the success of your business. A carefully structured business plan is the most important component in the development and continuation of any venture. It is a detailed map that shows where you're going and which allows you to identify potential problems long before they arrive. With poor planning being the major cause of business failure, this book could literally save your business and your livelihood!

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 6
List of illustrations......Page 9
Preface......Page 10
Understanding the need for a business plan......Page 12
Assessing yourself......Page 13
Choosing your business......Page 15
Compiling your business plan......Page 16
Designing your plan......Page 18
Simplifying your plan......Page 19
Editing your plan......Page 20
Checklist......Page 21
Case studies......Page 22
Points for discussion......Page 23
Planning your legal entity......Page 24
Choosing your trading name......Page 26
Defining the nature of your business......Page 27
Describing your products or services......Page 28
Defining your business objectives......Page 29
Compiling your mission statement......Page 31
Listing your key personnel......Page 32
Case studies......Page 33
Points for discussion......Page 34
Defining your market......Page 35
Compiling your market research......Page 36
Analysing your competition......Page 39
Analysing your product life......Page 40
Setting your selling price......Page 42
Case studies......Page 45
Points for discussion......Page 46
Making a SWOT analysis......Page 47
Balancing your marketing mix......Page 48
Defining your marketing objectives......Page 49
Promoting and advertising your business......Page 51
Checklist......Page 55
Case studies......Page 56
Points for discussion......Page 57
Choosing your channels of distribution......Page 58
Finding the right premises......Page 59
Obtaining stock and materials......Page 60
Controlling your level of quality......Page 61
Employing your key personnel......Page 62
Insuring yourself and your business......Page 63
Case studies......Page 64
Points for discussion......Page 65
Projecting your sales......Page 66
Compiling your profit and loss forecast......Page 69
Drafting your cash flow forecast......Page 71
Understanding your balance sheet......Page 76
Producing your balance sheet......Page 78
Checklist......Page 81
Case studies......Page 82
Points for discussion......Page 83
Planning your borrowing......Page 84
Understanding the various types of finance......Page 86
Assessing other sources of finance......Page 87
Raising your finance......Page 91
Checklist......Page 93
Case studies......Page 94
Points for discussion......Page 95
What to include in your appendices......Page 96
Positioning your appendices......Page 97
Presenting your appendices......Page 98
Compiling your appendices......Page 100
Checklist......Page 101
Case studies......Page 102
Points for discussion......Page 103
Composing your introductory letter......Page 104
Submitting your plan......Page 106
Explaining your business......Page 108
Making a winning proposal......Page 109
Shopping around......Page 110
Checklist......Page 111
Case studies......Page 112
Points for discussion......Page 113
Monitoring your business......Page 114
Using your business plan......Page 115
Managing your cash flow......Page 116
Keeping business accounts......Page 118
Case studies......Page 121
Points for discussion......Page 123
Sample business plan......Page 124
C......Page 147
H......Page 148
S......Page 149
W......Page 150
Useful addresses......Page 151
Further reading......Page 156
M......Page 160
Y......Page 161