How to write a business plan : win backing and support for your ideas and ventures

Description

Cover Creating Success Online Courses Creating Success Series Title Page Copyright Table of Contents Introduction Why this book? What is the plan for and who is theaudience? You are telling a story Presentation Facts and evidence Gathering data Repetition Review your document 01 The structure of the plan Using appendices 02 Summary 03 The business background What your business is about and how you got here The business What is the product or service? The markets Supply How did you get here? 04 The market Overview Market structure Competitors Customers Distribution Trends Competitive advantage Market segmentation Differentiation Pricing Barriers to entry Big changes and new technologies Examples of market change Mixed strategies 05 Operations Differences Processes Control Experience Supply Systems Location and environment Regulatory control 06 Management The essential difference What skills are required? Organization structure Demonstrating control Management 07 The proposal Explain The proposition Why will you succeed? Ask for what you want! What have you invested? Second round finance Closing the deal The exit 08 The forecast The sales forecast Costs The five-year forecast Reviewing the plan Sensitivity Key assumptions Explain important points 09 Financial information Profit and loss account Cash forecast Sensitivity Break-even Funding Reconciling and checking Timing Balance sheet Trends Some important terms 10 Risks What did we get wrong? Long term versus short term Focus on the big stuff Don’t forget the everyday stuff 11 Legal issues and confidentiality Confidentiality 12 Selling your business Explain why you are selling Emphasize the great opportunities for the business Don’t waste time illustrating that sudden upturn in business expected imminently Do you include a forecast? Who is the buyer? Holding back information Due diligence Do you own what you are selling? 13 Improve business performance Planning is not budgeting Strategic vision and action Creating strategy Planning for people Practicalities 14 Bidding for business APPENDICES Appendix 1 The confidentiality letter Appendix 2 Reconciling profit and cash flow Appendix 3 The cash forecast