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| Preface | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Before Writing Your Plan | |
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| Plan to Prosper: Business Plan Basics | |
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| How Long Should Your Plan Be? | |
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| When Should You Write It? | |
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| Who Needs a Business Plan? | |
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| Why Should You Write a Business Plan? | |
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| What Your Business Plan Can't Do | |
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| Business Planning Risks | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Digging for Dollars | |
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| Direct Funding Sources | |
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| Indirect Funding Sources | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Put Your Plan to Work | |
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| Evaluating a New Venture | |
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| Selling with Your Plan | |
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| Informing Suppliers and Customers | |
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| Managing with Your Plan | |
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| Monitoring Your Business's Performance | |
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| Attracting Good People | |
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| Plan for the Possibility of Failure | |
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| Update Your Plan | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Before Beginning Your Plan | |
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| Determine Your Goals and Objectives | |
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| Financing | |
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| Planning | |
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| Hiring | |
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| Assessing Your Company's Potential | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| One Plan Does Not Fit All | |
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| Differences Among Industries | |
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| Presenting Yourself in the Best Light | |
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| Types of Plans | |
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| Why You May Want More than One Plan | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Writing Your Business Plan | |
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| Executive Summaries Sell Ideas | |
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| Purposes of the Executive Summary | |
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| How Much Cash | |
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| The Goals of Financiers | |
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| Who Will Own What | |
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| Putting Your Best Foot Forward | |
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| Company Description | |
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| Optional Information | |
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| Extract the Essence | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Management Makes Money | |
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| Your Managers | |
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| Hiring Projections | |
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| Adding and Retaining Key Employees | |
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| Board of Directors or Advisors | |
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| Outside Professionals | |
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| Licenses and Certifications | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| What You Are Really Selling | |
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| What Is Your Product or Service? | |
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| What Makes It Worthwhile? | |
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| Liability Concerns | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Riding Industry Trends | |
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| The State of Your Industry | |
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| Market Research | |
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| Trends | |
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| Barriers to Entry | |
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| Identifing Competitors | |
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| What Makes You Better? | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Marketing: The Plan Within Your Plan | |
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| Defining Your Product | |
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| Defining Your Customer | |
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| Setting Prices | |
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| Place | |
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| Promotion | |
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| Follow-Up Plan | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| How Does Your Business Work? | |
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| Operations for Retail and Service Firms | |
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| Operations for Manufacturers | |
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| Information Technology and Operations | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Expressing Your Ideas in Financial Terms | |
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| Income Statement | |
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| Balance Sheet | |
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| Cash Flow Statement | |
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| Personal Financial Statement | |
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| Financial Ratios | |
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| Forecasts | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Enhancing Your Business Plan | |
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| Enlightening Extras: Appendices | |
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| Key Employee Resumes | |
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| Product Samples | |
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| Advertising Samples | |
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| Press Clippings | |
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| Other Appendix Contents | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| You Only Make a First Impression Once | |
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| Cover Letters | |
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| Cover Sheets | |
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| Stationery, Printing, and Design | |
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| Charts, Graphs, and Tables | |
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| Multimedia Presentations | |
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| Expert Advice | |
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| Information Creates Capital | |
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| Market Research | |
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| General Research | |
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| Communication | |
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| Financing | |
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| Software for Writing Business Plans | |
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| Books and How-To Manuals | |
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| Web Sites | |
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| Trade Groups and Associations | |
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| Business Plan Consultants | |
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| Business Plan Competitions | |
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| Sample Business Plans | |
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| Business Plan for a Retailer Seeking Start-Up Capital | |
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| Business Plan for a High-Tech Company Seeking Financing for Growth | |
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| Business Plan for a Service Firm Seeking Working Capital | |
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| Business Plan for a Manufacturer Seeking a Partner | |
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| Business Plan for a Start-Up Needing an Equipment Loan | |
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| Business Plan for a Freelance Artisan/Contractor | |
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| Government Listings | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Index | |