Bankable Business Plans ISBN: 9780979152207

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Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XI FOREWORD XV JEFF BEZOS, FOUNDER AND CEO, AMAZON.COM PREFACE XIX PART I THE POWER OF A BANKABLE BUSINESS PLAN 1 WHAT A BANKABLE BUSINESS PLAN IS AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU START A SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISE 3 BANKABLE BUSINESS PLANS SERVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE 4 YOUR BUSINESS PLAN IS AN EXTENSION OF YOU 7 ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS A TEAM SPORT 14 PART II THE TEN ESSENTIAL ACTION STEPS 17 ACTION STEP 1 DEFINE YOUR COMPANY: WHAT WILL YOU ACCOMPLISH FOR OTHERS...AND YOURSELF? 19 WHAT WILL YOUR BUSINESS ACCOMPLISH FOR... YOUR CUSTOMERS? 21 YOUR INVESTORS? 21 YOUR LENDERS? 23 YOUR SUPPLIERS? 24 YOUR EMPLOYEES? 25 YOU? 27 ACTION STEP 2 IDENTIFY YOUR COMPANY'S INITIAL NEEDS: WHAT WILL YOU REQUIRE TO GET STARTED? 29 THE MAJOR EXPENSES 32 REAL ESTATE 33 EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 33 STARTUP AND CAPITAL COSTS 34 ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION 34 ACTION STEP 3 CHOOSE A WINNING STRATEGY: WHAT WILL DISTINGUISH YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE FROM YOUR COMPETITION? 37 CREATE A POWERFUL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 38 USE A SWOT ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS 44 PLAN AHEAD: ANTICIPATE AN EXIT STRATEGY 45 MATCH YOUR STRATEGY TO ANY TYPE OF INDUSTRY 45 EMERGING 46 MATURING 49 STAGNANT AND DECLINING 52 FRAGMENTED 53 INDUSTRIES WITH DOMINANT LEADERS 54 ACTION STEP 4 ANALYZE YOUR MARKET: WHO WILL WANT YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE? 57 RESEARCH YOUR POTENTIAL MARKET THOROUGHLY 60 TARGET YOUR MARKET LIKE A BULL'S-EYE 65 TEST BEFORE YOU LAUNCH 66 ACTION STEP 5 DEVELOP A STRONG MARKETING CAMPAIGN: HOW WILL YOU REACH YOUR CUSTOMERS AND WHAT WILL YOU SAY TO THEM? 69 THE FOUR PS 72 PRODUCT 72 PRICE 74 PLACE 75 PROMOTION 78 ACTION STEP 6 BUILD A DYNAMIC SALES EFFORT: HOW WILL YOU ATTRACT CUSTOMERS? 83 GET AN ORDER TODAY-OR YESTERDAY 87 MAKE SALES A PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE 87 NEVER DELEGATE YOURSELF COMPLETELY OUT OF SALES 88 CREATE THE RIGHT ETHICAL ENVIRONMENT 89 BE HIGHLY ORGANIZED 89 COMPENSATE BASED ON LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE 90 YOUR SALES FORCE CAN BE YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 91 ACTION STEP 7 DESIGN YOUR COMPANY: HOW WILL YOU HIRE AND ORGANIZE YOUR WORKFORCE? 93 STRUCTURING YOUR COMPANY 96 PRODUCT ORGANIZATION 96 GEOGRAPHICAL ORGANIZATION 97 FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION 97 MATRIX ORGANIZATION 98 HYBRID ORGANIZATION 99 MEANS OF CONTROL 99 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 99 LEGAL STRUCTURES 103 MATCHING THE LEGAL STRUCTURE WITH YOUR INVESTORS 105 FRANCHISES 106 ACTION STEP 8 TARGET YOUR FUNDING SOURCES: WHERE WILL You FIND YOUR FINANCING? 107 POTENTIAL SOURCES OF FINANCING 111 HOW BANKS DECIDE ON LOANS 115 ACTION STEP 9 EXPLAIN YOUR FINANCIAL DATA: HOW WILL YOU CONVINCE OTHERS TO INVEST IN YOUR ENDEAVOR? 119 THE ESSENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 121 THE SIX KEY FINANCIAL ASSUMPTIONS 125 HOW TO CREATE STATEMENTS 128 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR LIGHTNING LARRY'S, INC. 131 ACTION STEP 10 USE THE RMA DATA: CHECK YOUR ANSWERS AGAINST THE ANSWER KEY 139 WORKING WITH THE RMA DATA 140 THE ANSWER KEY REVEALED 143 IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE 146 RMA DATA PAGES — RETAIL FLORISTS 148 PART III PUTTING IT INTO ACTION 153 WHAT A BUSINESS PLAN SHOULD LOOK LIKE 155 THE PHYSICAL QUALITIES 156 THE ACTUAL LAYOUT 159 HAVE OUTSIDERS READ IT 167 HOW LONG SHOULD IT TAKE ME? 168 HOW TO CREATE A TIME LINE 169 THE PRIMARY COMPONENTS 170 EXAMPLES OF TIME LINES 172 DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU CAN MANAGE CONTRADICTIONS 177 KEEP IT SIMPLE...YET DETAILED 177 FOCUS ON GROWTH...EVEN IN MATURE INDUSTRIES 179 REASSURE INVESTORS...EVEN WITH COMPETITION ALL AROUND 181 COMMIT To YOUR PLAN...BUT BE WILLING TO PURSUE OTHER GOOD OPPORTUNITIES 182 PRESENT YOURSELF IN THE BEST LIGHT 185 THE TEXT OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN 188 YOUR RÉSUMÉ 190 MAKE A GREAT IN-PERSON PRESENTATION 195 CONTEXT 196 CONTENT 197 CODE 199 OUTLINES AND A SAMPLE BUSINESS PLAN 203 OUTLINE FOR A SIMPLE BUSINESS PLAN 204 OUTLINE FOR A COMPLEX BUSINESS PLAN 206 S&J ADVERTISING BUSINESS PLAN 223 RMA DATA - ADVERTISING AGENCIES 237 RESOURCES 243 INDEX 251

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Made available by Baker & Taylor, Copyright 2006.