Regular business planning should be a discipline for any well-run business to assist in establishing direction and strategy, focusing ideas and goals, determining what resources are available and required and providing a benchmark for future performance.

Business plans are also essential when a business has to raise finance. As an external document, it will be a tool for 'selling the business' therefore it must be accurate in language, grammar and business information, and presented in the most favourable manner. This will incorporate relevant information on the company, such as financial information, its management and employees, strategies and the external market.

A fundamental element to the business plan is the financial projections, which support and numerically illustrate the wording contained within the business plan. Funders require as a minimum a profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash flow projection for the short to medium future. This is a complex procedure and requires significant analytical input and extensive logic checks.

The complexity, technical content and time consuming nature of a business plan and financial projections mean the selection of an experienced adviser to assist in the preparation of the documents is fundamental. The level of assistance can vary from a review and critical analysis, to full preparation.

We are able to assist with:

• Advice on content via our innovative business plan template
• Desktop research into the sector, competition and economic environment your business operates in
• A SWOT analysis of your business
• Review and make recommendations to your current plan
• Full or partial edit of your plan by our experienced business planning team
• Advice and recommendations in respect of strategic options available to the business
• A risk review of the business and its strategic options
• A review to assess the plan's attractiveness to investors
• Preparation of detailed financial models
• Advice on systems to produce business plans and financial models in-house

Other Lead Advisory Services available include:

• Business acquisitions and mergers
• Management buy-outs or buy-ins
• Finance raising
• Equity release

Other Transaction Support Services available include:

• Financial due diligence
• Transaction tax
• Succession planning

Advisory services are provided by our dedicated team of full time corporate finance professionals who have experience of handling transactions from £1 to £100m across a wide spectrum of business sectors. Other Transaction Support Services are provided by an experienced team drawn from within Dains Corporate Finance and other specialist departments.

We are pleased to consider proposals of any size and if you have an enquiry, we offer an unconditional and informal discussion of your plans and requirements. Depending on the individual circumstances of each case we are able to negotiate a flexible basis for charging for our services which can be tailored to suit your requirements.

For more information or for a free initial consultation please contact your local office or email: dcf@dains.com