Business Plans For Dummies

Paul Tiffany, Steven D. Peterson

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9781118054413
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Entrepreneurship
• Index: Business

Whether you're launching a new business or working to strengthen or expand an established one, a business plan is your road map tosuccess

Would you take off on a road trip to a new destination without a map or good directions? Probably not. Yetsometimes business owners go full speed ahead withoutobjectives, a mission, orevena destination in mind, much less a mapshowing themhow to get there. That's why so many businesseshave difficulty making it – and unfortunately, severaldon't– intoday's competitivemarketplace.

Business PlansForDummieshelps youstartanewbusinesswith clear goals and a path forward toreachthosegoals.If you already have a business, thisno-nonsense and comprehensive guidecan help you realistically determine where your business is and where you want totake it.You'll learn to:

• Create a detailed businessplan
• Putthat planinto action(instead of in a drawer)
• Use the plan to secure financing
• Prepare for opportunities
• Avoid commonpitfalls

In short, ?Business PlansForDummies?helps youcreate a mapto help you take your business where you want it togo. You'll discover how to:

• Identify and approach potential financial backers, including venture capital firms, angels, bankers, and others
• Clarify and crystallize your company's mission, vision, and values
• Analyze your industry and your competition
• Identify your customers, including their needs, habits, purchase triggers, and decision-making processes
• Objectively analyze your company's strengths and weaknesses
• Analyze your financial situationtocreaterealistic forecasts andbudgets
• Recognize trends and anticipate changes, both in the overall economy and in your industry
• Plan for growth, based on new markets, yourproduct'slife cycle, or the creation ofnewproducts
• Structure your organization
• Nurture leadership

Complete with diverse techniques and approaches plus a sample business plan, ?Business PlansForDummies?gives you detailed how-to for designing a dynamicbusiness plan that willhelp you navigatethe inevitable curves and detours in today's marketplaceandkeep you oncourse.If you're abusiness ownerorentrepreneur– or you want to be one – this friendly and accessible guideis a must-have resource.