Business Plans for Dummies

Your one-stop guide to creating a winning business plan from scratch

Whether you're starting a new business or growing an established one, you'll need a solid business plan to get you where you want to go. Revised for today's rocky economic climate, this edition of the UK's bestselling business plan guide gives you what you need to map out your business strategy and stay on course – including a complete sample plan that you can easily adapt for your business!

• Chart your course – assess the current state of your business and where you'd like to take it, and establish clear, achievable objectives

• Get to know your customers – learn the latest techniques for getting a better idea of who your customers are and what they want

• Scope out the competition – find out who your competitors are and what it'll take to get your share of the market pie (and theirs)

• Sort out your finances – construct a value chain, examine your cash flow and calculate a sensible budget

• Enter the Dragons' Den – convince bankers, investors, venture capitalists and other funding sources your business is a good investment

• Read the tea leaves – learn to decipher changing cultural, political and technological trends and to alter your strategies as needed

Open the book and find:

• Tips on developing a sure-fire business strategy

• How to set realistic objectives

• Forecasting and budgeting strategies

• Keys to writing a motivational mission statement

• How to decipher the latest consumer trends

• Advice on building your brand and brand loyalty

• Tips for seeing and seizing opportunities before the competition

• Ways to adapt your plan to economic change

Learn to:

• Prepare a watertight business strategy

• Assess the marketplace

• Devise a sensible forecast and budget