Creating a Business Plan For Dummies

by Veechi Curtis

Everything you need to know to design a profitable business plan Whether you're starting a new business or you’ve been trading for a while, Creating a Business Plan For Dummies covers everything you need to know. Figure out whether your business idea is likely to work, how to identify your strategic advantage, and what you can do to gain an edge on the competition. Discover why a business plan doesn't have to be a thrity-page document that takes days to write, but can be a simple process that you do in stages as you work through your business concept. Learn how to prepare an elevator pitch, create a start-up budget, and create realistic sales projections. Discover how to predict and manage expenses, and assemble a financial forecast that enables you to calculate your break-even. Look at the risk involved in this business and experiment with different scenarios to see if you’re on the right track. A good business plan is the first step to success for any new business, and getting it right can mean the difference between big profits and big trouble. Creating a Business Plan For Dummies gives you the detailed advice you need to design a great business plan that will guide your business from concept to reality.

Genres: Business, Reference

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I skimmed through, trying to get a general sense of things, as this is only the 2nd business book I've read. There is a lot of terminology that frankly is not for dummies like me. I got some general principles from it, but I would not recommend it for someone trying to create a business plan for the first time, as I am. Here are the key concepts I got from my quick read:
- What makes your business unique?
- Tell the story of your business in your elevator pitch to people
- Being cheaper than a competitor is not enough, as they can lower their price to remove your advantage
- Are you missing out on profit by pricing too low when customers actually would pay more?
- What is your break-even point for making a profit?
- Protect your company's IP
Read the above list, skim the book if you must, but don't take the time to read every word. It's way too wordy and talks a lot about things that I think are just unimportant unless you're already solidly into business and/or starting a very large business.