Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog.
Note: Electronic data is machine generated. May be incomplete or contain other coding.
Acknowledgments xi Foreword Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com xv Preface xix INTRODUCTION What a Business Plan Is and How It Can Help You Start a Successful Enterprise xxiii Bankable Business Plans Are for Starting, Growing, or Buying a Business xxiv The Power of a Bankable Business Plan xxiv Entrepreneurship Is a Team Sport xxv PART I THE TEN ESSENTIAL ACTION STEPS CHAPTER 1: ACTION STEP ONE Define Your Company: What will you accomplish for others and yourself? 3 What Will Your Business Accomplish for Your Customers? 4 What Will Your Business Accomplish for Your Investors? 5 What Will Your Business Accomplish for Your Lenders? 6 What Will Your Business Accomplish for Your Suppliers? 7 What Will Your Business Accomplish for Your Employees? 8 Last, and Perhaps Least, What Will Your Business Accomplish for You? 9 CHAPTER 2: ACTION STEP TWO Identify Your Company's Initial Needs: What will you require to get started? 11 The Major Expenses 14 Real Estate 14 Employment Market 14 Employee Benefits 15 Startup and Capital Costs 15 Advertising and Promotion 15 CHAPTER 3: ACTION STEP THREE Choose a Winning Strategy: How will you distinguish your product or service from others? 17 Low-Cost Leadership 18 Differentiation 18 Create a Powerful Competitive Advantage 19 Use a SWOT Analysis to Determine the Competitive Advantage of an Existing Business 22 Plan Ahead: Anticipate an Exit Strategy 23 Matching Your Strategies to Any Type of Industry 23 CHAPTER 4: ACTION STEP FOUR Analyze Your Market: Who will want your product or service? 33 Research Your Potential Market Thoroughly 36 Target Your Market Like a Bull's Eye 40 Test Before You Launch 41 CHAPTER 5: ACTION STEP FIVE Develop a Strong Marketing Campaign: How will you reach your customers and what will you say to them? 43 The 4 Ps 45 Product 45 Price 47 Place 48 Promotion 49 CHAPTER 6: ACTION STEP SIX Build a Dynamic Sales Effort: How will you attract customers? 55 Get an Order Today-or Yesterday 57 Make Sales a Priority for Everyone 57 Never Delegate Yourself Completely out of Sales 57 Create the Right Ethical Environment 58 Be Highly Organized 59 Compensate Based on Performance ... but for the Long Term 59 Your Sales Force Can Be Your Competitive Advantage 60 CHAPTER 7: ACTION STEP SEVEN Design Your Company: How will you hire and organize your workforce? 61 Options for Structures 63 Means of Control 65 Human Resource Management 66 Legal Structures 69 Matching the Legal Structure with Your Investors 71 Franchises 72 Use the RMA Database 74 CHAPTER 8: ACTION STEP EIGHT Target Your Funding Sources: Where will you find yourfinancing? 75 Potential Sources of Financing 77 How Banks Decide on Loans 80 CHAPTER 9: ACTION STEP NINE Explain Your Financial Data: How will you convince others to invest in your endeavor? 83 The Essential Financial Statements 85 The Six Key Financial Assumptions 88 How to Create Statements 91 CHAPTER 10: ACTION STEP TEN Use the RMA Database: Check your answers against the answer key. 93 Obtain the RMA Data 94 Put It All into Action 95 The Primary RMA Data 96 SIC and NAICS Codes 99 It Really Is That Simple 99 PART II PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER CHAPTER 11 What a Business Plan Should Look Like 109 The Physical Qualities 110 The Actual Layout 112 Have Outsiders Read It 119 Make the Time to Give It a Rest 119 Reread and Revise 119 CHAPTER 12 How to Create a Time Line 121 Examples of Time Lines 123 Gantt Charts 124 PERT Charts 124 CHAPTER 13 Your Plan Is an Extension of You 127 The Six Immutable Points 128 You Are Profit Oriented 128 You Are Honest 129 You Are Qualified 130 You Are Thorough 130 You Are Committed to Meeting Everyone's Needs 130 You Are Flexible 131 CHAPTER 14 Demonstrate That You Can Manage Conflicting Goals 133 Keep It Simple ... Yet Detailed 133 Focus on Growth ... Even in Mature Industries 135 Reassure Investors . . . Even with Competition All Around 136 Commit to Your Plan . . But Be Willing to Pursue Other Good Opportunities 137 CHAPTER 15 Present Yourself in the Best Light 139 The Text of Your Business Plan 141 Your Resume 143 CHAPTER 16 Make a Great In-Person Presentation 147 The Context 147 The Content 148 The Code 150 PART III BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINES AND SAMPLE PLANS Outline for a Simple Business Plan 157 A Simple Business Plan: S & J Advertising Agency 159 Outline for a Complex Business Plan 177 A Complex Business Plan: Zif Medical Devices 189 References 237 Index 241Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Business planning, New business enterprises Finance, Business enterprises Finance