Business Plans - How To Prepare and Implement Them

About the Book

On what basis do companies prepare their business plans? How do they know that they are maximising their opportunities as well as limiting their risks with their existing or planned resource base?  How can they plan revenue generation if the market mix does not have a foundation in relation to macro environmental factors?

The intent of the book is to remove some of the complex specific marketing criteria alluded to by text book authors.  One can then appreciate how a marketing plan can be used for the creation of a business plan.   

Major benefits are associated with this title, these are:-

·       It provides a more simplified corporate management tool.  A subject that attracts limited text book coverage by marketing strategy authors.

·       It allows readers to gauge the importance of their own positions within a company environment and the overall impact their actions may have.

·       It is most useful as tool to gauge more effectively training requirements within a given company environment.

·       It is of paramount importance for SME’s who may not employ a sales person.

·       Last but not least is the importance placed upon research journal authors to limit their “Micro” environmental focus and to concentrate more on “Macro” environments.

The book consists of a 10 stage marketing plan (see page 32).  Each stage has its own chapter that is both chronological and iterative in terms of its impact upon a company’s profit and loss (P&L) statement.

The company’s P&L is that which states the revenue one can expect to generate by way of the business plans proposed by way of each marketing plan activity.  Added to this is cash flow and the manner in which is corresponds directly with the P&L.

About the Author

Born in a South Yorkshire mining village, Joe Erfurt initially worked for British Steel and then in automation engineering in the glass container industry. This led to ten years work in Johannesburg, South Africa during which time he became a leading designer of advanced automation solutions for the glass container industry.  On his return to the UK in 1983 he joined British GEC, where he began his sales career as a regional export sales manager.  Initial successes in China and the USA eventually led to a general management position within America where he lived for 5 years since when he has worked for a number of companies including Siemens UK, and the American and European GEC companies.

During his period with Siemens and GE, Joe had unparalleled success in securing and managing multi-million pound contracts for the Middle East via world wide consultants and contractors, mainly Japan, France and Italy.  These three being amongst the 38 countries he has travelled to on business throughout his career.

He currently runs a guest house business with his wife Diane.  He shares this activity with work as a chartered marketing consultant for marketing planning and its impact upon corporate strategy.  He is a fellow of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Managers a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and holds an MA from Portsmouth University and a Diploma in Business Management.