Business Plans for Dummies Author:Paul Tiffany, Steven D. Peterson, John B. Schulze For some people, a business plan is a map to success that they're required to put together to raise money for a startup company. At best, it's a formality; at worst, it's a sizable pain in the neck. But a business plan doesn't exist just to garner financial support; it's also a powerful tool – one that's bound to make your company a better... more » place to work and your business a more successful operation. Business Plans For Dummies can guide your business in the right direction no matter who you are or how your job description reads, whether you're part of a large corporation or a one-person show. If you've struggled through the planning process before – or if you're brand new to plotting out goals and objectives – this expert reference will show you how to
Create a right-on mission statement
Pinpoint the needs of your customers
Scope out the competition
Simplify all the financial stuff
Stay on top of trends
Foster a winning atmosphere for your staff
Packing the greatest value into a business plan calls for a look back at where your company's been and how it's changed over the years, a look forward to where and how you'll compete in the marketplace, and a look around at what you want to show and tell the world about your enterprise. This down-to-earth guide steps you through every milestone in business planning, including
Determining where you want to go with your business
Checking out the business environment: customers and competition
Assessing your capabilities and resources
Getting into strategic thinking mode
Facing the facts about product life cycles
Motivating and appreciating the people who make it all happen in-house
Riding marketplace tides isn't the sport of amateurs these days; only 250f new businesses survive beyond their first three years of operation. This invaluable resource gives you a no-nonsense approach to staying afloat, rising above the risks, and enjoying the rewards as you take care of business.« less