Tips and Traps For Writing an Effective Business Plan [Paperback]

Greg Balanko-Dickson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tips and Traps | Publication Date: December 21, 2006

In only 30 days, entrepreneurs can craft business plans that make their goals a reality

A concrete business plan is essential when assessing a business's earning potential or when applying for financing. Tips & Traps for Writing an Effective Business Plan uses the popular Tips & Traps format to guide you step by step through the process of creating an effective plan that will work with a developing business. You'll learn how to assemble information and write each part of your plan, with the goal of having a ready-to-go, working strategy in just 30 days. The book also provides specific advice for crafting plans that apply to different industries and also includes detailed instructions for writing a financial plan.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Write a polished, effective business plan in 30 days or less!

Whether you want to start a business or grow one, buy or sell one, attract investors or obtain a loan, fine-tune your operation or restructure it, attempting to do it without a well-crafted business plan is like going to sea without a compass. But writing a business plan is a complicated, time-consuming chore, right?

Not anymore. In Tips & Traps for Writing an Effective Business Plan Greg Balanko-Dickson arms you with the know-how and tools you need to write your own surefire business plan-in record time!

An expert who has helped hundreds of business owners across three continents create winning business plans, Greg walks you through the entire process. You learn how to:

• Research and write your business plan
• Tailor a plan for virtually any type or size business
• Master the 10 key components of a successful business plan
• Know all your financing options and how to get the cash you need
• Streamline the process using worksheets, sample forms and ready-to-use templates

About the Author

Greg Balanko-Dickson is a third-generation entrepreneur and consultant with clients in more than 30 different industries throughout North America, Europe, and Africa.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (December 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071467513
• ISBN-13: 978-0071467513
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #428,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Business Plans

More About the Author

Greg is a third generation entrepreneur and consultant with clients throughout the US in California, Texas and Ohio plus South Africa and the UK. He has owned photography, advertising & design and entrepreneurial training businesses. In addition, a health education business in Western Canada and a web development business in Houston, TX.

After selling the Houston, TX. business in 2003, Greg returned to his passion - business planning. Recently, he wrote The Business Plan Coach a 60 page ebook that provides the first timers and experienced business owners with the knowledge to write their own business plan.

Greg is a Licensed Professional Business Coach that brings a unique perspective having worked with 100's of business owners in more than 30 different industries

He has been profiled in national magazines, newspapers and as a guest on radio shows. As a keynote speaker to public companies like Tesco Corporation, seminar facilitator and consultant, his advice and experiences reflect an in-the-trenches, street savvy flavor with a practical edge.

Since 2000, he has been on the Board of Experts at bplans.com where he provides expert advice on business planning and development issues to business owners from around the globe.

In 1998, Greg began sharing his knowledge and experience at sbishere.com. Today more than 10,000 people a month from all walks of life, rely on Greg to help them start, buy or expand a business. Employees and managers of Fortune 500 companies read the more than 300 tips, guides and down-to-earth articles.

Married for 29 years, he lives in Western Canada with his wife and son.

I can be reached at:

Toll Free: 1-866-281-8281
email: gregbd at gmail dot com

Greg's Industry Experience

Machine Tools
Manufacturing
Night Club
Trucking
Trenching
Pharmaceutical
Advertising
Direct Mail
Direct Marketing
Music
Bio-Technology
Restaurant
Flooring
Automotive
Chemical
Training
Consulting
Seminars
Software Development
Web Development
Internet Marketing
Promotional Products
Photography
Financial
Accounting
Insurance
Printing
Retail
Wholesale
Home Builders
Mortgage Brokers
Distribution

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good guide for someone to use when preparing their first business plan. Two thumbs up!, September 14, 2007

By 

Jeff Lippincott "JLIPPIN" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tips and Traps For Writing an Effective Business Plan (Paperback)

I've read a lot of business plan books over the past two years. And as a result I've pretty much stopped writing book reviews for the new ones pumped out on the market. There's only so much that can be said about how to research and write a business plan. And I think the market on such books is already saturated. It would be nice if the new books written on the subject would be tailored for specific businesses, i.e., a law firm, an accounting firm, a donut shop, or a fancy restaurant. But that's just me thinking out loud.

I am writing a review for this book because I think it is better than most and it has been recently published. I highly recommend this book for wanta-be entrepreneurs to read and use in pursuing their dream to be an entrepreneur.

It covers all ten sections of a standard business plan well. And it includes a Part IV entitled "Special Considerations for Specific Businesses" that I have not seen included in other business plan books. Definitely a plus for this book. See the online TOC at Amazon for the specific businesses covered.

I had a little problem with Chapter 4 entitled Market Analysis. For me it did not focus enough on studying your competition. You need to know who your competitors are and how much gross revenue they bring in. If you can get (or estimate) this information, then you can fairly easily estimate what your new company's gross sales or revenues will be at the end of year 1, year 2, and year 3. This is because your business plan should provide for a market share estimate at the end of years 1-3. If the market amounts to $5 million in gross revenues a year, and your company will have 5% of the pie in year one, 15% in year 2, and 30% in year 3, then it's easy to calculate your expected gross revenues. And kowing your gross revenues goes a long way in helping you prepare your Pro Forma Financial Plan (Chapter 9).

I would have liked Chaper 9 more if it had included some coverage of the following two resources that your public library should have:

Risk Management Association's Annual Statement Studies (RMAHQ)
Financial Research Associates' Financial Studies of the Small Business (FRASSB)

These two just-listed resources will provide you with much information for your financial plan if you know what your gross revenues will be.

Also, the instant book was a little light on how to actually do the research for your business plan. Consider the following two books:

Successful Business Research (ISBN: 0974080136)
Market Research Made Easy (ISBN: 1551806762)

All in all, this is a wonderful book on business plans. 5 stars!