The FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan, 2nd Edition

The FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan, 2nd Edition

by Vaughan Evans
Released September 2015
Publisher(s): FT Publishing International
ISBN: 9781292085166

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Book 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.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Contents
  4. About the author
  5. Preface
  6. Introduction
  7. part 1 Preparing your plan
    1. 1 Essential preparation
      1. Result
      2. Need
      3. Preparation
      4. A plan for SMEs
  8. part 2 Writing your plan
    1. 2 The business
      1. Background
      2. Business mix by segment
      3. Segmentation in a start-up
    2. 3 Market demand
      1. Market size
      2. Market growth
      3. Market demand for a start-up
      4. Market demand risks and opportunities
    3. 4 Competition
      1. Your competitors
      2. Competitive intensity
      3. Competition in a start-up
      4. Industry competition risks and opportunities
    4. 5 Strategy
      1. Competitive position
      2. Strategy
      3. Strategy in a start-up
      4. Strategic risks and opportunities
    5. 6 Resources
      1. Management
      2. Marketing
      3. Operations and capital expenditure
      4. Resource risks and opportunities
    6. 7 Financials and forecasts
      1. Historic financials
      2. Market-driven sales forecasts
      3. Competition-driven margin forecasts
      4. Funding the plan
      5. Full financial forecasts
      6. Forecasts in a start-up
      7. Financial risks and opportunities
    7. 8 Risk, opportunity and sensitivity
      1. Meet the Suns and Clouds chart
      2. What the suns and clouds tell you
      3. Sensitivity testing
    8. 9 Conclusion
      1. Conclusion
      2. Executive summary
      3. Investment highlights
  9. part 3 Using your plan
    1. 10 Pitching your plan
      1. Focusing the content
      2. Using PowerPoint
      3. Delivering the message
    2. 11 Setting targets
      1. Choosing key performance indicators
      2. Setting milestones
    3. 12 Performing to plan
      1. Monitoring your plan
      2. Appraising managerial performance
      3. Evaluating your plan
  10. Epilogue: Beware these characters!
  11. Appendices
    1. Appendix A: Deriving competitive position
    2. Appendix B: Structured interviewing of customers
    3. Appendix C: Alternative sources of funding
    4. Appendix D: An example business plan
    5. Appendix E: Further reading
  12. Index
  13. Endorsement
  14. Imprint

Product information

  • Title: The FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Vaughan Evans
  • Release date: September 2015
  • Publisher(s): FT Publishing International
  • ISBN: 9781292085166