The Everything Business Planning Book

by Jensen, Marlene

• ISBN13: 9781580624916
• ISBN10: 158062491X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Adams Media Corp

Summary

Launch a new business, or grow a business you already have.

Table of Contents

Using What You Have to Get What You Want	3	(18)
A Personal Inventory	4	(2)
The Financial Picture	6	(7)
Look at What You Know	13	(1)
Clarifying Your Interests and Skills	14	(3)
Deciding on a Type of Business	17	(4)
Launching a New Business	21	(20)
Creating a Mission Statement	22	(2)
Knowing Your Goals and Tactics	24	(1)
Why You Need a Business Plan	25	(3)
Executive Summary	28	(1)
The Marketplace	28	(4)
The Competition	32	(1)
The Product/Service	32	(1)
Your Marketing Plan	33	(1)
The Management Team	34	(2)
Financial Statements	36	(3)
Appendices	39	(2)
Learning the Industry	41	(20)
Identify Your Industry	42	(1)
How to Find Trends	43	(2)
A Business Plan's Industry Profile	45	(2)
Finding Your Customers	47	(1)
The Demographics	48	(4)
How Reachable Are Your Targets?	52	(1)
The Psychographics	53	(3)
Using Your Data in a Business Plan	56	(3)
Evaluating Your Market	59	(1)
Using ``Norms''	60	(1)
Learning from the Competition	61	(32)
Direct and Indirect Competitors	62	(3)
Seeing Your Competitive Environment Graphically	65	(2)
Proving Your Quality Claims	67	(3)
Getting Info on Your Competition	70	(1)
Work for Your Competitor	70	(3)
Read Trade News	73	(1)
Search the Web	74	(2)
Examine the Product	76	(1)
Spying!	77	(5)
Discovering the Competition's Marketing Plan	82	(2)
How Information Helps You Get Investors	84	(2)
The Gold in Key Statistics	86	(1)
Competitor Analysis: Health Newsletter	87	(3)
Analysis: Chinese Restaurant	90	(3)
Your Marketing Strategy	93	(22)
Seven Rules of Selling	94	(1)
Test First, Launch Later	94	(1)
Do-It-Yourself Telemarketing	95	(1)
Never Say Never to Test Marketing	96	(1)
Test-Marketing on the Internet	97	(2)
Direct Mail Testing	99	(5)
Pricing Strategy	104	(7)
Reality Check: Your Costs	111	(4)
The Art and Science of Sales	115	(22)
Selling Your Product	116	(1)
Prospecting: How to Find Potential Clients	117	(1)
Contacting Prospects	118	(2)
The Meeting	120	(2)
Customize for the Customer	122	(1)
The Close	123	(4)
The Sales Force	127	(1)
Paying Your Salespeople	128	(7)
Paying Reps and Distributors	135	(2)
The Different Channels of Marketing	137	(32)
Marketing via PR	138	(1)
The Press Release	138	(3)
Contacting Media People	141	(2)
Publicity for Nationally Sold Products	143	(3)
Marketing on the Internet	146	(1)
Research Your New Business Online	147	(1)
Creating Your Own Business Web Site	148	(3)
Hiring Someone Else to Build Your Web Site	151	(2)
Getting Potential Customers to Your Web Site	153	(2)
Marketing Through Your Web Site	155	(3)
Using E-mail to Sell	158	(5)
Marketing by Phone and Fax	163	(1)
Legal Restrictions	163	(2)
Faxing to Sell	165	(3)
The Agony and Ecstasy of Telemarketing	168	(1)
Buying Advertising	169	(12)
Tracking Results	170	(1)
Discounted Advertising	170	(4)
Bartering for Ad Space	174	(1)
Great Places to Advertise	175	(3)
Creating Effective Advertising	178	(3)
Choosing the Form for Your Business	181	(8)
Making It Legal	182	(1)
When You Need an Attorney	182	(2)
Sole Proprietorship	184	(1)
Partnerships	184	(1)
Corporations	185	(3)
Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)	188	(1)
Hiring and Motivating Employees	189	(22)
Employees: Pros and Cons	190	(4)
Ten Tips on Hiring	194	(3)
How to Read a Resume	197	(1)
Protecting Yourself	198	(5)
Monetary Motivation	203	(1)
Other Motivation Tools	204	(1)
Employee Benefits	205	(2)
Stock Ownership Plans	207	(1)
Payroll Taxes	208	(2)
Firing Employees	210	(1)
Secrets of Financial Success	211	(22)
First, Protect Your Cash	212	(1)
The Magic in Cost Cutting	212	(1)
How to Pay Less for Your Expenses	213	(3)
Using Financial Ratios to Stay on Track	216	(1)
Setting Up Financial Systems	217	(4)
Evaluating a Plan	221	(1)
Key Revenue	222	(3)
Your Key COGS (Cost of Goods Sold)	225	(1)
Your Key Selling Costs	226	(2)
Your Key G&A (General & Administrative) Expenses	228	(1)
The Key Assumptions Statement	228	(5)
Moving Forward: Strategy and Tactics	233	(55)
Your Cash Flow Analysis	234	(2)
Adjusting Cash Flow for Tax Benefits	236	(1)
How to Analyze Your Numbers	236	(3)
Monthly Tracking---Finding Your Break-Even Point	239	(1)
Your Final Decision: Should You Launch?	240	(2)
Preparing P&Ls	242	(2)
``Present Value'' and Inflation	244	(2)
Your Risk Level	246	(3)
First Spend Money to Get Test Results	249	(1)
Be Ready for Change	249	(3)
How to Anticipate Change	252	(2)
Guarding Against Recessions	254	(1)
Prospering in Hard Times	254	(2)
Using the Internet	256	(5)
Plan for a Product Sales Business	261	(1)
Rainbow Kites, Inc.	261	(7)
Plan for a Service Business	268	(1)
Lawn Masters of Newton	268	(14)
Plan for a Consulting Business	282	(1)
Capital City Consulting	282	(4)
Plan for a Restaurant	286	(2)
Ling Garden Restaurant	288