The Business Plan Book - Sanlam

The Business Plan Book

Insurance Financial Planning Retirement Investments Wealth

Contents

Plan to succeed

Part 1: Planning to plan Making time to plan your business A place to plan your business Make a planning poster board Turning "To Do" lists into action plans Action plan for Part 1

Part 2: The big picture Your BIG pictures Sustainability Your business name and logo The purpose of your business Your product/service Defining your business goals S.M.A.R.T. goals Your strengths and weaknesses Your skills and knowledge Action plan for Part 2

Part 3: Planning the basics Your location The equipment and supplies you need Obtaining the equipment and supplies you need The equipment and supplies you need to buy 12 People who can help you Getting these people involved Your networking Staying informed Action plan for Part 3

Part 4: Your business team Your job positions Filling those positions Pay, training and back-up Action plan for Part 4

Part 5: Your vision and mission Your vision Your mission

Part 6: Market research: what it's all about The what and why of market research Market research sources It's all useless unless...

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Part 7: Market research: your industry Researching your industry Making sense of my industry data

Part 8: Market research: your target market Researching your target market Getting the most out of talking to people Making sense of my target market research

Part 9: Market research: your competitors Researching your competitors Making sense of my competitors' data Comparing my product/service How my product/service measures up

Part 10: Marketing: your target strategy Determining your target strategy Your marketing message Action plan for Part 10

Part 11: Marketing: your product/service Making the changes Pricing your product/service Action plan for Part 11

Part 12: Marketing: your promotions Budgeting for promotions Ads Brochures and flyers Internet Website Creative ways to promote your business The No. 1 promotion: great customer relations Action plan for Part 12

Part 13: Sales management Your selling methods Your sales training Monitoring your sales Action plan for Part 13

Part 14: Focus on financials: start-up costs Your start-up costs Creating a monthly budget Budgeting your first 3 month's costs Action plan for Part 14

Part 15: Focus on financials: finding money The sources of your money The "5 Cs" of credit Being wise about personal finance Action plan for Part 15

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Part 16: Focus on financials: financial statements Profit and loss projection Balance sheet

Part 17: Focus on financials: cash management There's more to cash than money! Break-even point Cash flow projection

Part 18: Focus on financials: keeping records Keeping income records Keeping expense records Keeping asset records Bookkeeping methods Consulting a tax pro Keeping financial control Action plan for Part 18

Part 19: S.W.O.T. analysis Understanding S.W.O.T. Doing your S.W.O.T. analysis S.W.O.T. analysis--strengths S.W.O.T. analysis--weaknesses S.W.O.T. analysis--opportunities S.WO.T. analysis--threats Action plan for Part 19

Part 20: Business continuity 6 Significant risks to investigate My business continuity plans Action plan for Part 20

Part 21: Your nest egg Building a diversified investment portfolio Retirement for you and your employees Using a financial advisor Action plan for Part 21

Part 22: Writing your business plan Writing your business plan

Part 23: Your 12-week planner

Part 24: Big pictures, vision and mission

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Intro: Plan to succeed

Thorough planning is the key to success

1.

Opening a business without a business plan is like setting out into the middle of nowhere with no map or supplies and trying to find a specific location you've never been to. You have an idea where you want to go but you have no idea of which direction to take or what supplies you will need. How can you possibly hope to get there?

2.

The matter of the fact is that most entrepreneurs do exactly that. They have a brilliant idea and the courage to go after it. But that's not enough. There are thousands upon thousands of small businesses that failed, despite that initial great idea and their owner's courage to go after it.

3.

Why do they fail? Lack of funding, ignoring the competition, ineffective marketing, poor location, not understanding customer needs, cash flow problems... there are a multitude of reasons why businesses fail.

4.

However, all these reasons have one crucial factor in common ? they could have been avoided if the business owners had compiled a comprehensive business plan before they opened their doors for business.

5.

The primary purpose of the business plan is to guide you in successfully setting up and operating your business. Preparing the plan forces you to consider all aspects of your business and to confront any problems the plan highlights. . . while your business is still on paper.

6.

The fact is: Your business plan is literally your roadmap to your success. Any road will take your business somewhere, but only a well-executed business plan will help you take your business where you want it to go.

No matter how small or how large your business, you've got to aggressively plan the work -- and then aggressively work the plan!

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