Joe Erfurt
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 and L) statement. The company’s P and 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 and L.