Business Plans For Dummies

Business Plans For Dummies, 2^nd Edition helps you keep your businesses on track and reach your goals. Written by Paul Tiffany, PhD, professor at UC Berkley Haas Business School and the Wharton School of Business and Steven Peterson, PhD, Professor at UC Berkeley Haas Business School and CEO of Strategic Play, it helps you

• Realistically determine where your business is and where you want to go
• Create a detailed business plan and put it into action instead of in a drawer
• Use the plan to secure financing
• Prepare for opportunities avoid common pitfalls

In short, Business Plans for Dummies helps you determine where you want your business to go and create a map for getting there. 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 situation in order to do realistic forecasts and budgets
• Recognize trends and anticipate changes, both in the overall economy and in your industry
• Plan for growth, considering the product life cycle, new products, or new markets
• Structure your organization and nurture leadership

Complete with diverse techniques and approaches plus a sample business plan, Business Plans For Dummies gives you detailed how-to for designing a dynamic, business plan that will keep you on course in spite of the inevitable curves and detours in today’s marketplace. It’s a plantastic resource for business owners and entrepreneurs.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Create a Business Plan that Makes Strategic Sense, 2008-05-01
Are you looking for a template that will allow you to create a business plan by simply filling in the blanks, as some software does? If so, you should beware of the danger in that approach. Without an in-depth understanding of basic business principles, you could end up with a plan that lacks coherence and is strategically flawed. This could undermine your credibility, and you would likely lose the interest of potential investors.

Rather than taking a superficial fill-in-the-blanks approach to business planning, this book aims to help you achieve an in-depth understanding of basic business principles. It explains the most important choices that must be made in any business plan, regardless of the industry. It clarifies the significance of these choices, and how they might impact your business. Hopefully, by reading this book, you will gain sufficient understanding to create a business plan that makes strategic sense.

This book offers a great deal of valuable information and insight on business planning. And you'll find a sample business plan at the end of the book. While this sample plan should prove helpful, some readers may want to consult other books for additional business plan examples. As well, if you lack accounting experience, you might need to consult other books for more detailed help with your pro-forma financial statements.

In any case, you are more likely to achieve optimal results if you obtain professional assistance at some point during your planning process. For example, you could start by going as far as possible with this book, creating your business plan the best way you are able. This should get you off to a good start. Then have your plan reviewed and polished by a qualified accountant or management consultant. Even if no substantial changes are needed, a professional review can help you gain confidence, and support your credibility among bankers and investors as well.

Paul Francis Musgrave, author of Indispensable Marketing Strategies - How to Outwit Your Competition, Attract and Retain Customers, and Multiply Your Profits - Powerful Marketing Strategy Secrets for Profitable Small Business Management



0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Great Information!, 2007-09-23
Business Plans for Dummies has great information in it and is a wonderful resource for those starting or contemplating starting a business. Well worth the cost!


46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

Good Reference for Beginners and Intermediates Alike, 2004-03-21
I've done a number of business plans in my time and bought this book as a gift for a friend who wants to start her own business. I purchased it because it includes all of the basics needed to develop a business plan that will guide you as you start and build your business and will also give you the credibility you need to secure outside financing. This is a very good step-by-step guide for those completely new to business and an excellent refresher guide for those who already know the basics.

And, by the way, you can skip the companion Dummies book called Business Plans Kit, which covers the same ground as this book but includes a CD-ROM that doesn't add much value. The truth is, this book is cheaper and offers just as much help as the larger and more expensive kit version.


18 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

The title says it all..., 2002-12-12
I'm a business planning consultant and a client just gave me a copy of this book. Way too basic, not enough help on the most important part of any business plan: the financials. If you want to get funded, look for a better book.


13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

Not bad, 2002-10-28
This book was not bad, but it needs more sample plans. If you are writing a Business Plan, this book will get you started, but it will not get you finished.

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