ABSTRACT
Key business issues Section
O Business planning must be based on marketplace realities, not on internal aspirations 12.1
O Business groups have the advantage of defining clear profit responsibility for achieving results in the marketplace 12.2
o There may be a role for a full time business development function, but qualified fee-earners are often the best people to market their own highly sophisticated services
o Plans should be regarded as essential working documents, not theoretical exercises 12.3
o The business plan sets out a viable future for the business and ensures that everyone is working to the same objective 12.4
o It is strongly recommended that a business planning workshop should be set up
o The marketing plan shows that marketing strategies and tactics have been clearly thought out, and ensures that everyone understands the commitment to marketing which the plan requires 12.5
o The sales plan forces us to say who is going to do what by when 12.6
o Internal business proposals are marketing documents. Some key factors which would lead to early approval are often ignored 12.7
o Models and techniques can assist us in understanding our business situation 12.8
o They are only worth using if we treat them realistically and act upon the findings
Business planning must be based on marketplace realities rather than on internal aspirations. This is yet another example of ‘out-to-in’ thinking which has frequently been commended in this book.
