Why You Need This Book -- How to Use This Book -- How This Book Is Organized -- Icons Used in This Book -- Where to Go From Here -- Part I. Determining Where You Want to Go -- Chapter 1. Starting Your Business Plan -- Getting the Most Out of Your Plan -- Naming Your Planners -- Putting Your Plan on Paper -- Chapter 2. Charting the Proper Course -- Creating Your Company's Mission Statement -- Introducing Goals and Objectives -- Setting Your Own Goals and Objectives -- Chapter 3. Setting Off in the Right Direction -- Why Values Matter -- Identifying Your Company's Values -- Putting Together the Values Statement -- Creating Your Company's Vision Statement -- Part II. Sizing Up Your Marketplace -- Chapter 4. Checking Out the Business Environment -- Defining the Business That You're In -- Analyzing Your Industry -- Recognizing Critical Success Factors -- Preparing for Opportunities and Threats -- Chapter 5. Taking a Closer Look at Customers -- Checking Out Who Your Customers Are -- Discovering Why Your Customers Buy -- Finding Out How Your Customers Make Choices -- Remembering the Big Picture -- Dealing with Business Customers -- Chapter 6. Dividing Customers into Groups -- Defining Market Segments -- Ways to Make Market Segments -- Finding Useful Market Segments -- Figuring Out How Market Segments Behave -- Chapter 7. Scoping Out Your Competition -- Understanding the Value of Competitors -- Identifying Your Real Competitors -- Tracking Your Competitors' Actions -- Predicting Your Competitors' Moves -- Competing to Win -- Part III. Weihing Your Company's Prospects -- Chapter 8. Establishing Your Starting Position -- Situation Analysis -- Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses -- Analyzing Your Situation in 3-D -- Chapter 9. Focusing On What You Do Best -- Describing What You Do -- Staying in Business -- Earmarking Resources -- Chapter 10. Figuring Out Financials -- Reading an Income Statement -- Interpreting the Balance Sheet -- Examining the Cash-Flow Statement -- Evaluating Financial Ratios -- Chapter 11. Forecasting and Budgeting -- Constructing a Financial Forecast -- Exploring Alternatives -- Making a Budget -- Part IV. Looking to the Future -- Chapter 12. Preparing for Change -- Defining the Dimensions of Change -- Anticipating Change -- Assessing the Effects of Change -- Chapter 13. Thinking Strategically -- Making Strategy Make a Difference -- Applying Off-the-Shelf Strategies -- Checking Out Strategic Alternatives -- Coming Up with Your Own Strategy -- Chapter 14. Managing More Than One Product -- Facing the Product Life Cycle -- Finding Ways to Grow -- Managing Your Product Portfolio -- Part V. A Planner's Toolkit -- Chapter 15. Making Your Business Plan Work -- Shaping Your Company -- Preparing Your People -- Chapter 16. Learning From Others: A Sample Business Plan -- Part VI. The Part of Tens -- Chapter 17. Ten Questions to Ask about Your Plan -- Are Your Goals Tied to Your Mission? -- Can You Point to Major Opportunities? -- Have You Prepared for Threats? -- Have You Defined Your Customers? -- Can You Track Your Competitors? -- Do You Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses? -- Does Your Strategy Make Sense? -- Can You Stand Behind the Numbers? -- Are You Really Ready for Change? -- Is Your Plan Clear, Concise, and Up to Date? -- Chapter 18. Top Ten Business-Planning Never-Evers -- Failing to Plan in the First Place -- Shrugging Off Values and Vision -- Second-Guessing the Customer -- Underestimating Your Competition -- Ignoring Your Own Strengths -- Mistaking a Budget for a Plan -- Shying Away from Reasonable Risk -- Allowing One Person to Dominate the Plan -- Being Afraid to Change -- Forgetting to Motivate and Reward -- Chapter 19. Ten of the Best-Planned Organizations Around -- Netscape Communications Corporation -- Harvard University -- The LEGO Group -- Republic of San Marino -- General Electric Corporation -- The 1960s Boston Celtics -- Your Local McDonald's Restaurant -- Madonna Louise Ciccone -- Southwest Airlines -- (Insert Your Own Nominee Here!) -- Book Registration Information.

"Are you an entrepreneur, executive, or a manager charged with creating a business plan, but don't know where to begin? Don't worry! With Business Plans For Dummies as your handy reference, you'll find quick, easy solutions to all of your planning delimmas. Equipped with tips, techniques, and expert advice, you'll develop a dynamite business plan like a pro in no time! Book jacket."--BOOK JACKET.