Struggling to understand what your financial figures actually mean?
You’re not alone. Many UK business owners meet compliance deadlines but still don’t know where profits leak, how to price correctly, or when the cash will run dry. That’s where we come in.
At Total Books, we help you make sense of your numbers—so you can make smarter decisions with confidence. Our financial analysis and strategic planning services are designed for business owners who want more than just year-end accounts. Whether you’re facing cashflow pressure, planning to scale, or simply want clarity, we turn raw data into real insight.
This isn’t just a service—it’s a mindset shift. You’ll go from reactive decisions to confident planning, backed by facts. Delivered as a one-off review or ongoing advisory, our service helps you align financial clarity with long-term business success.
Key Takeaways
- 52% of UK SMEs don’t track profitability accurately (British Business Bank, 2024)
- Many business owners confuse turnover growth with financial health
- Our insights highlight where profit leaks, pricing gaps, and cashflow issues arise
- Strategic planning supports better decisions, tax efficiency, and growth readiness
- One-off or recurring plans available, with optional Virtual Finance Director support
Why UK Businesses Struggle Without Financial Clarity
Most UK businesses struggle with financial clarity because they don’t have the time, tools, or financial expertise to interpret the numbers behind their operations.
This lack of visibility means many owners are unsure whether they’re pricing correctly, overspending in the wrong areas, or missing growth opportunities. According to the British Business Bank (2024), over 52% of UK SMEs say poor cashflow visibility limits their ability to plan or grow.
In our experience, it’s not uncommon for businesses to file accounts just to stay compliant, without ever using the data to make better decisions.
Common struggles include:
Not knowing which services or clients generate the highest margins, Inability to forecast cashflow or budget accurately, Lack of financial strategy during growth or loan applications, Overspending on underperforming areas, Delayed tax or payroll due to missed financial signals. When financial data is underused or misunderstood, even profitable businesses can feel like they’re treading water. Without strategic analysis, owners are left reacting — not planning. This is where real financial insight transforms businesses. Not just numbers, but meaningful direction.
What Is Financial Analysis & Strategic Planning?
Financial analysis and strategic planning help business owners turn financial data into practical decisions. It answers the critical question: what’s really driving (or draining) your business performance?
This service combines key financial metrics, forecasting, and risk review to help you understand where your business stands now—and where it could be with smarter planning. For many SMEs, it’s the missing link between filing annual accounts and actively improving profit margins.
Rather than just crunching past numbers, we focus on forward-looking insight.
Here’s what the service involves:
- Reviewing margins, overheads, and profitability across services or products
- Identifying financial blind spots, risk exposures, and waste
- Building cashflow forecasts and scenario models to plan ahead
- Aligning business goals with financial targets and available resources
- Analysing trends in revenue, customer behaviour, and seasonal fluctuations
- Evaluating tax efficiency and the impact of structural decisions
- Simplifying KPIs and building actionable dashboards for non-financial directors
Delivery options:
- One-off financial insight reports with action steps
- Monthly or quarterly strategic reviews, ideal for growing businesses
- Virtual Finance Director (VFD) service for ongoing board-level advisory
Ready to Take Control of Your Business Finances?
Stop guessing and start making confident, data-driven decisions. Whether you’re struggling with cashflow clarity, planning your next move, or just want to understand your numbers better — our expert team is here to help.
Our Service Offering at Total Books
Business Performance Reviews
We help you understand exactly how your business is performing using accurate financial insights. Our reviews go beyond basic figures to highlight what’s working, what’s underperforming, and where improvement is possible.
- We analyse key financial ratios such as gross profit margin, current ratio, debtor days, and return on capital employed.
- We review monthly and quarterly trends in revenue and profitability to track consistency and growth patterns.
- Expense categories like marketing, wages, and overheads are broken down to identify inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities.
- For service-based businesses, we assess sales pipelines — looking at conversion rates, average deal values, and client churn rates — to evaluate future revenue reliability.
- You’ll receive a “business health scorecard” benchmarking your performance against sector norms, with suggestions for improvement.
Cashflow Forecasting & Scenario Planning
Predicting cash movements is essential for staying in control. We build rolling forecasts that help you stay ahead of shortfalls and confidently plan for growth.
- Our 12-month rolling cashflow forecasts model expected income, outgoings, and net position using tools like Float and Futrli.
- We run scenario tests — for example, hiring a new staff member, raising prices by 5%, or delays in NHS payments — to show their financial impact.
- Working capital cycles are reviewed, focusing on debtor days, creditor terms, and stock turnover to unlock hidden cash.
- For example, we help pharmacies identify late payers and adjust supplier terms to free up cash flow within 30 days.
- Learn how our 13-week cash rolling cash forecast helps businesses increase profitability.
Goal-Driven Strategic Planning
We turn your business ambitions into a structured financial plan, linking activity to performance and setting measurable targets.
- We set SMART goals tied to financial KPIs like revenue per employee, gross profit margin, or net income growth.
- Revenue planning includes capacity reviews — e.g. how many prescriptions or service bookings are needed per month to hit targets.
- Budgets are aligned with operational timelines, helping teams stay accountable to monthly goals.
- We help link your personal goals too — such as saving for a retirement property or reducing director hours — to a tangible business plan.
Tax-Efficient Business Structuring
The wrong structure can drain profits. We review your setup and identify better ways to manage tax and improve flexibility.
- We restructure director income through an optimal mix of salary, dividends, and pension contributions to reduce Income Tax and National Insurance.
- Where relevant, we review director’s loan accounts and advise on repayment, interest, or reinvestment options.
- We plan proactively around Corporation Tax, VAT thresholds, and Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), especially if you plan to exit within 3–5 years.
- For example, many pharmacy directors miss out on BADR due to incorrect share structures or passive holding company setups.
When Do You Need This Service?
You need financial analysis and strategic planning when your business numbers stop making sense or you’re unsure what’s driving results. These are signs that you’re running your business blind — and it’s time to get clarity:
- You’re making decent sales, but profits are inconsistent and disappearing into overheads or hidden costs.
- Revenue is rising, yet cashflow remains tight — possibly due to long debtor cycles, overspending, or inefficient pricing models.
- You’re applying for external funding, government grants, or preparing financials for a lender, and your numbers aren’t investment-ready.
- You’re exploring a major change like a merger, acquisition, or business sale — and need to improve valuation through clean, strategic performance data.
- You want to scale the business but don’t know which service, product, or location is truly profitable.
We’ve helped UK businesses in these exact situations, from small clinics unsure about breakeven to retailers prepping for investment. We bring clarity, confidence, and control to your next move.
Related Service: Virtual Finance Director (VFD)
A Virtual Finance Director (VFD) gives you high-level financial insight and strategic oversight without hiring a full-time FD. It’s ideal for SMEs that need sharper decision-making, better cash control, and forward-thinking planning — but want to stay lean on cost.
At Total Books, our VFD service brings clarity to your boardroom with regular analysis, risk spotting, and tailored financial roadmaps. You get the same strategic input a large firm would have — but on flexible, scalable terms.
- Monthly or quarterly board-level performance reports, including key ratios like EBITDA, net profit margin, cash runway, and working capital efficiency.
- Capital planning for major decisions — from asset purchases to staff expansion or refinancing.
- Active risk flagging using historic trends and forecasting models.
- Seamless integration with tax planning, cashflow forecasts, and budgeting processes.
- Works alongside your internal finance team or accountant to enhance outcomes.
Many of our VFD clients are growing businesses who’ve outgrown basic bookkeeping — but aren’t ready for a full-time CFO. Our service fills that gap with clarity, insight, and strategic discipline.
Benefits of Working With Total Books
Please add more if you want
- Strategic advice backed by 30+ years’ combined experience
- Xero, Bright Manager, and reporting tool integrations
- Local support in Cardiff, Bristol & Newport
- Fully AAT-licensed and HMRC-registered
- Trusted by UK SMEs in healthcare, trades, services, and e-commerce
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between financial analysis and standard accounting?
Financial analysis helps business owners interpret data to make strategic decisions, while standard accounting focuses on record-keeping and compliance. For example, accounting ensures your VAT and Corporation Tax filings are accurate, but analysis reveals where you’re losing profit, overspending on suppliers, or missing growth targets.
Why is strategic planning important for small businesses?
Strategic planning ensures small businesses focus on what drives growth and profitability. Without a plan, UK SMEs risk low margins, poor cashflow, or failed expansions. A clear strategy backed by financial data — like breakeven points and ROI per service — helps owners set priorities and make confident decisions.
How often should a business review its financial performance?
Most SMEs should review their financial performance monthly or quarterly. Regular reviews help track KPIs like net profit margin, debtor days, and sales conversion rates. At Total Books, our clients use performance dashboards to identify red flags early — like rising overheads or falling margins — before they affect cashflow.
What is scenario planning in financial forecasting?
Scenario planning is a tool to model ‘what if’ situations, such as losing a major client, raising prices, or hiring new staff. It helps SMEs plan for best- and worst-case outcomes. For example, we use 12-month rolling forecasts to test how wage increases or supplier delays will impact working capital.
Can this service help if my business is already profitable?
Yes — even profitable businesses need financial clarity to scale sustainably. You might be growing revenue while unknowingly losing margin or increasing risk exposure. Our strategic planning identifies areas to reinvest profits, optimise tax, and prepare for exit or investment with cleaner, data-driven decision-making.
What is the cost of financial analysis and planning services?
Costs vary depending on whether it’s a one-off insight report or a recurring advisory package. Most clients recoup the cost through improved tax efficiency, better cashflow, and stronger margins. At Total Books, we offer fixed-price packages with clear deliverables and no surprise fees, designed to suit SMEs.
