Financial Times Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan, The

Description

Whether you seek financial backing or board consent, this bestseller gives you the critical knowledge you need to get the go-ahead. Written by a seasoned practitioner with years of experience in both writing & evaluating business plans for funding, you’ll formulate a coherent, consistent & convincing plan with your backer’s needs in mind. Follow its guidance and your plan will have every chance of winning the backing you need.

Preface

Introduction

Part 1: Preparing your plan

Chapter 1 – Essential preparation

Result

Need

Preparation

Plans for SMEs

Part 2: Writing your plan

Chapter 2 – The business

Background

Business mix by segment

Segmentation in a start-up

Chapter 3 – Market demand

Market size

Market growth

Market demand for a start-up

Market demand risks and opportunities

Chapter 4 – Competition

Your competitors

Competitive intensity

Competition in a start-up

Industry competition risks and opportunities

Chapter 5 – Strategy

Competitive position

Strategy

Strategy in a start-up

Strategic risks and opportunities

Chapter 6 – Resources

Management

Marketing

Operations and capital expenditure

Resource risks and opportunities

Chapter 7 – Financials and forecasts

Historic financials

Market-driven sales forecasts

Competition-driven margin forecasts

Funding the plan

Full financial forecasts

Forecasts in a start-up

Financial risks and opportunities

Chapter 8 – Risk, opportunity and sensitivity

Meet the Suns and Clouds chart

What the suns and clouds tell you

Sensitivity testing

Chapter 9 – Conclusion

Conclusion

Executive summary

Investment highlights

Part 3: Using your plan

Chapter 10 – Pitching your plan

Focusing the content

Using PowerPoint

Delivering the message

Chapter 11 – Setting targets

Choosing key performance indicators

Setting milestones

Chapter 12 – Performing to plan

Monitoring your plan

Appraising managerial performance

Evaluating your plan

Epilogue: Beware these characters!

Appendices

Appendix A: Deriving competitive position

Appendix B: Structured interviewing of customers

Appendix C: An example business plan

Appendix D: Further reading

Index

Vaughan Evans is an independent strategy consultant, prolific writer and dynamic speaker(www.vaughanevansandpartners.com). He has specialised in strategy and business planning for business clients, small and large, and strategic due diligence for private equity clients over four decades. He is also the author of FT Publishing titles: FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Strategy, Key Strategy Tools, 25 Need to Know Strategy Tools and Strategy Plain and Simple.

‘At last! A book that explains how to write the kind of business plan that investors and lenders actually want to read. A clear and concise book – I haven’t seen one that approaches the subject so straightforwardly. Evans uses his vast experience in advising real companies and financiers to make this guide authoritative and authentic, yet also practical and easy to follow.’

James Courtenay, Head of Global Corporates, Standard Chartered Bank

 

‘Vaughan Evans’ excellent book shines a light on what suppliers of capital expect in a business plan and why. It is an invaluable resource for all managers and budding entrepreneurs.’

Hugh Lenon, Managing Partner, Phoenix Equity Partners, and former Chairman of the British Venture Capital Association

 

‘Evans has nailed it! Clear, readable, no-nonsense thinking about the fundamentals every business plan must address. If writing a business plan is your next step, this book’s for you.’
John Mullins, Professor at London Business School and author of The New Business Road Test

 

 

YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BUSINESS PLANNING

 

Whether you seek financial backing or board consent, The Financial Times Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan will give you the critical knowledge you need to get the go-ahead. By focusing clearly on your objective, it will help you to gather the necessary evidence and address all your backer’s concerns.

 

This brand new edition draws out the specific challenges faced by start-ups, particularly on pinning down your perceived market niche and determining your competitive advantage. There are new chapters on pitching the plan and performing against the plan, using key performance indicators and milestones. Finally new appendices outline alternative sources of funding and display an example business plan from start to finish.

 

Written by a seasoned practitioner with years of experience in both writing and evaluating business plans for funding, it will help you formulate a coherent, consistent and convincing plan with your backer’s needs in mind. Follow its guidance and your plan will have every chance of winning the backing you need for your business to succeed.

 

 

FINANCIAL TIMES ESSENTIAL GUIDES: THE KNOW-HOW YOU NEED TO GET THE RESULTS YOU WANT

 

 

In one engaging, outcome-oriented book, The FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan gives you:

• The essential knowledge you need to write a winning business plan – quickly and without fuss
• Guidance on how to focus throughout on the plan’s purpose – to win backing
• Samples of what a good plan looks like, so you can benchmark your own as you write it
• Checklists, tips, examples and milestones to ensure you’re on target
• Prompts to reflect on, evaluate and learn from your experience

With advice that’s instantly applicable, whether your business is a start-up or a more established company looking to grow, this is the one guide you need to create a credible and persuasive plan.

Additional information

Dimensions	0.90 × 5.30 × 8.40 in
Series	The FT Guides
Imprint	FT Publishing International
Format	gen
ISBN-13	09781292085142
ISBN-10	1292085142
Author	Vaughan Evans
BISAC	BUS041000
Subjects	BUS041000, higher education, Vocational / Professional Studies, General Vocational / Professional