The One Thing You Need to Know

A tried and tested formula for business planning What is the one thing you need to know in business? What s the single most important aspect of business to master in order to succeed and grow? It has to be planning. Whether you re sitting down to plan a whole brand strategy or tasked with planning a single product and taking it to market, nailing the planning and decision making will ensure you have full buy-in from all stakeholders, a high level of market knowledge, know exactly what value your product or service brings and a thorough understanding of how the financials will work. In short, you ll have an idea that succeeds. Ross Lovelock and his company SCQuARE have spent the last 20 years developing a formula for such planning. Ross has shared this formula with some of the world s leading companies now he s going to share it with you. The One Thing You Need to Know is a complete business planning toolkit. A simple, implementable explanation of how to bring a product plan or a brand strategy together Will teach you the critical business skill of creating and selling plans Learn how to think through a complex business problem, create the right solution and then sell it through the corporate maze Explains exactly how to distil vast amounts of information into a compelling business story that will warrant a YES decision from the boss

A tried and tested formula for business planningWhat is the one thing you need to know in business? What'sthe single most important aspect of business to master in order tosucceed and grow? It has to be planning. Whether you'resitting down to plan a whole brand strategy or tasked with planninga single product and taking it to market, nailing the planning anddecision making will ensure you have full buy-in from allstakeholders, a high level of market knowledge, know exactly whatvalue your product or service brings and a thorough understandingof how the financials will work. In short, you'll have anidea that succeeds. Ross Lovelock and his company SCQuARE havespent the last 20 years developing a formula for such planning.Ross has shared this formula with some of the world's leadingcompanies - now he's going to share it with you. TheOne Thing You Need to Know is a complete business planningtoolkit.* A simple, implementable explanation of how to bring a productplan or a brand strategy together* Will teach you the critical business skill of creating andselling plans* Learn how to think through a complex business problem, createthe right solution and then sell it through the corporate maze* Explains exactly how to distil vast amounts of information intoa compelling business story that will warrant a YES decision fromthe boss

FOREWORD viiiPREFACE xWHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK xix1. MAKING THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE 12. STARTING WITH THE SETTING 233. UNDERSTANDING THE CONSEQUENCES 454. DEFINING THE PIVOTAL QUESTION 635. FINDING THE RIGHT ANSWER 856. MAKING THE ANSWER WORK 1017. TELLING A POWERFUL STORY 1218. THE ONE-CHANCE PITCH 1479. BREAKER; BIG IDEAS REALISED 16910. GLOBAL LEADERS IN STRATEGIC, CREATIVE &PERSUASIVE THINKING 187ABOUT THE AUTHOR 190INDEX 192