Business Plans for Dummies (Paperback)

by Paul Tiffany (Author), Steven D. Peterson (Author), John B. Schulze (Author) "Most of us go through life thinking ahead..." (more)
Key Phrases: Global Gizmos, United States, General Motors (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Twenty-three books published in 1997 have been selected as finalists in five main categories for The Financial Times, Booz-Allen & Hamilton Global Business Book Awards. In the "How-To" category, "Business Plans For Dummies" - which made it through to the shortlist - is a solid offering. One business expert who read it said that most big-company bosses would benefit from it: "The book makes it clear that a business plan is not just a budget." That is something too few executives realize. -- Financial Times, April 21, 1998

What's Hot: Save It! "Business Plans For Dummies." This guide by Paul Tiffany, a management consultant and business-school professor, and Steven D. Peterson, a software designer and entrepreneur, is, quite frankly, the best work that you'll find on this subject. What makes this 354-pager a standout is that it urges business owners to write plans that are not only informative but captivating. Five stars! -- Inc. Magazine, January, 1999

Product Description
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 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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568848684
• ISBN-13: 978-1568848686
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #266,254 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference for Beginners and Intermediates Alike, March 21, 2004

By	B. McEwan "yellokat" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've done a number of business plans in my time and bought this book as a gift for a friend who wants to start her own business. I purchased it because it includes all of the basics needed to develop a business plan that will guide you as you start and build your business and will also give you the credibility you need to secure outside financing. This is a very good step-by-step guide for those completely new to business and an excellent refresher guide for those who already know the basics.

And, by the way, you can skip the companion Dummies book called Business Plans Kit, which covers the same ground as this book but includes a CD-ROM that doesn't add much value. The truth is, this book is cheaper and offers just as much help as the larger and more expensive kit version.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book available for writing your plan, March 25, 2000

By	Holden Westland (Dana Point, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Bypass the complete book of business plans and go right to this book. Not only did it assist me (tremendously!) in the writing of my plan, but I enjoyed it from both the perspective of useful information and it's concise yet comprehensive content. This book attempts to do what so many "how to" books fail to do... it tells you how to do what you're looking to do in a straightforward and matter-of fact way. There's not a lot of philosophizing in this book (yawn!) like you might find in others but rather an abundance of useful, timely and real world information. Writing a plan? Read this book!

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only source you need, January 23, 2000

By	R. Kingston (San Clemente, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When we had the germ of an idea for a new company, I explored many sources for business plans including many computer CD progams. By comparison, others books generated more confusion than lucidity. Using Dummies as a template, we developed a great business plan that reflected exactly our challenges, prospects, and a road map for getting THERE. Save yourself time and money. Stick with this Dummies guide. R. Kingston