Writing a Winning Business Plan: Not Only How to Prepare a Business Plan But Also the Basics of How to Start Up a Business

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 19 Simplifying your plan......Page 20 Editing your plan......Page 21 Checklist......Page 22 Case studies......Page 23 Planning your legal entity......Page 25 Choosing your trading name......Page 28 Defining the nature of your business......Page 30 Protecting your business idea......Page 31 Defining your business objectives......Page 32 Compiling your mission statement......Page 33 Describing your location......Page 34 Listing your key personnel......Page 35 Case studies......Page 36 Action points......Page 37 Why use marketing?......Page 38 Segmenting your market......Page 39 Compiling your market research......Page 40 Analysing your competition......Page 43 Analysing your product life......Page 44 Setting your selling price......Page 45 Checklist......Page 48 Case studies......Page 50 Action points......Page 51 Making a SWOT analysis......Page 52 Balancing your marketing mix......Page 53 Defining your marketing objectives......Page 55 Promoting and advertising your business......Page 56 Checklist......Page 63 Case studies......Page 64 Action points......Page 65 Choosing your channels of distribution......Page 66 Finding the right premises......Page 67 Meeting safety and quality standards......Page 68 Obtaining stock and materials......Page 69 Controlling your level of quality......Page 70 Employing your key personnel......Page 71 Organising your book-keeping......Page 72 Insuring yourself and your business......Page 73 Case studies......Page 74 Action points......Page 76 Projecting your sales......Page 77 Compiling your profit and loss forecast......Page 78 Drafting your cashflow forecast......Page 83 Understanding your balance sheet......Page 88 Producing your balance sheet......Page 90 Breaking even......Page 91 Checklist......Page 93 Case studies......Page 94 Action points......Page 95 Planning your borrowing......Page 96 Understanding the various types of finance......Page 98 Timing your finance......Page 99 Assessing other sources of finance......Page 100 Raising your finance......Page 104 Checklist......Page 106 Case studies......Page 107 Action points......Page 108 What to include in your appendices......Page 109 Presenting your appendices......Page 111 Compiling your appendices......Page 113 Numbering your appendices......Page 114 Case studies......Page 115 Action points......Page 116 Composing your introductory letter......Page 117 Submitting your plan......Page 119 Explaining your business......Page 121 Making a winning proposal......Page 122 Shopping around......Page 124 Case studies......Page 125 Action points......Page 127 Monitoring your business......Page 128 Using your business plan......Page 129 Managing your cashflow......Page 130 Keeping business accounts......Page 132 Case studies......Page 136 Action points......Page 138 Sample business plan......Page 140 C......Page 162 G......Page 163 S......Page 164 W......Page 165 Useful addresses......Page 166 Other Small Business books from How To Books......Page 172 M......Page 174 Y......Page 175 Whether you run an established business or are contemplating a new start-up venture, only a business plan will convey your company's plans and illustrate how they can be achieved. For you, it is a detailed map that shows you where you are going and allows you to identify potential problems long before they arrive. You need it to measure performance, monitor progress, make future plans and raise additional finance. For potential finance providers or investors, the clarity and detail of the information your plan supplies will be the basis on which they make their decision. This book will enable you to create a well thought-out and carefully structured business plan, and to present it in a clear and logical manner. * Planning the appropriate legal entity * Defining your market * Compiling an effective marketing plan * Setting out your operational objectives * Projecting realistic sales * Specifying your financial needs * Presenting a convincing plan * Monitoring your business progress A business plan is one of the most important documents the business manager will have to produce. This is a practical guide to how to produce a well thought out and carefully structured plan, including checklists, action plans and case studies.