Seven Steps to a Successful Business Plan

The book helps managers find a sensible starting point, understand the value of an integrated planning model, and finally write a logical business plan. Four features make it all work:

1. A Seven-Step Planning Process—How you plan to integrate planning down to the lowest level.

2. Your Management Story—Defining what the company is "about," and asking yourself if it makes a good "story."

3. The Concept of backPlanning—Where do you want to be, and how do you work backward from there?

4. The 5-Page Business Plan—How can you create a concise, functional, and user-friendly plan—in just 5 pages?

Contents

• List of Figures
• Introduction: How This Book Can Help You Develop a Powerful Business Plan That Works
• 1 How to Create a Compelling Company Story That Inspires Employees to Excel 1
• 2 The Practical Guidelines for Building a Business Plan in Five Pages 25
• 3 Strategic Planning: The Five Critical Considerations That Can Help Your Plan Succeed 57
• 4 Vision and Mission: The Two Key Anchors That Add Passion and Purpose to Your Story 85
• 5 Strategic Goals, Objectives, and Tasks: How to Set Them and Then Make Them Happen 113
• 6 The Six Driving Forces That Affect Your Business Plan - And How to Focus on the Best One for Your Company's Needs 149
• 7 Corporate Culture: The Four Ingredients That Are Crucial to Your Company's Success 177
• 8 How to Build a One-Year Operational Plan That Improves Performance 211
• 9 Structuring Your Story: How to Develop an Organizational Plan 243
• 10 Pulling It All Together: The Resources Plan 267
• 11 Contingency Planning: How to prepare for the Unexpected 297
• 12 Implementing and Sustaining Your Business Plan 323
• Epilogue: A Word From the Author 353
• App. A The Full Business Planning Model 357
• App. B The 1-Page Strategic Plan 361
• App. C The 1-Page Operational Plan 365
• App. D The 1-Page Organizational Plan 369
• App. E The 1-Page Resources Plan 373
• App. F The 1-Page Contingency Plan 377
• App. G Preconference Assignment 381
• App. H Plan Continuity 391
• App. I Master Action Plan Worksheet 397
• App. J Short-Term or "Quick Fix" Action Plan Worksheet 401
• Notes 405
• Bibliography 409
• Index 419