Guide to Business Planning ^{2nd Ed.}

To get any new business idea off the ground you must have a plan or develop and better manage an existing business you must have a plan — and if you need to raise finance to fund the business or get the approval of senior management, it must be a convincing plan. This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of preparing and using a business plan. It explains:

• tools for analysing the market, customers, competitors, and the business environment
• techniques for examining and choosing between different strategic options
• how to use the business planning model that accompanies this book to prepare financial forecasts
• how to analyse and mitigate risk
• how to identify the business's financing needs and select the appropriate type of finance
• how to use the book's business plan document template to write your own plan.

In addition to containing everything you need to know to prepare and write a convincing and sound business plan and then put it into practice, this revised and updated Guide to Business Planning will be invaluable to anyone involved in any form of strategic analysis or business planning.

1. Introduction
2. The business plan
3. The business planning process
4. Strategic planning
5. Analysing the environment
6. Analysing the firm
7. Industry and competitor analysis
8. Product and portfolio analysis
9. SWOT analysis
10. Generating strategic options
11. Market analysis and strategy
12. Market forecasting
13. The operational plan
14. Modelling the business
15. Accounting principles
16. Completing the financial statements
17. Reviewing the financial statements
18. Evaluating strategic options
19. Funding issues
20. Risk analysis
21. Presenting the business plan and obtaining approval
22. Implementing the business plan

The first edition was excellent! This second edition is slightly updated and still excellent!

It is worth every penny and every hour you spend with it.