Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #721982 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Customer Reviews

Writer's Block? Get started now!
I am an proficient writer, but I had never written a business plan before, so I had trouble getting started. Of the three books I purchased on writing business plans, this one was the most helpful because it provides "lead ins" to get me started, with suggestions for elaborating on details. For example, "Our key competitive advantage is..."

Over a few days, I was able to assemble a skeleton of a business plan. After researching my industry for marketing and competition, I was able to fill in the sections I had outlined with the use of the book. My business plan was well-received by bankers and business people. It gave me confidence from having done thorough research on operating the business.

I had bought a used paperback (without software) on Amazon for $6.00. In hindsight, the software may have saved typing time. I couldn't have written my business plan without this book!

Good, Simple Guide
This is an excellent book that will walk you through the process of writing your business plan. It covers all of the major sections of creating a business plan including Executive Summary, Market Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Strategy, Sales and Marketing, and so on. For each area, it asks clear questions, offers guidance to answering them, and offers different examples and formats that could be appropriate for different types of businesses. This is also one of the only business planning books that offers help with the financials!

Also, the book is well laid out and organized. It can be easily skimmed or read cover-to-cover with the major points highlighted well with excellent graphics. The sample business plans are very simple but concise and well written. Though they are not "real" examples, they can help provide guidance and get the juices flowing. Do not expect the book to make you a master of business planning, but as a tool to get started it is excellent. Furthermore, it can help you get thinking strategically and to get you asking yourself the right questions.

The only real negative about the book is that it does not tell you what types of formats or plans are appropriate for different types of businesses, and different types of financing.

Excellent Step-by-Step Guide for Writing a Winning Plan!
I am a very proficient writer who found the task of writing a business plan for my consulting practice overwhelming. I knew what I needed to say, yet getting that perfect concise wording proved more than a notion. After reviewing several business plan "how-to" books, I found that only Bob Adams has made writing a first-rate business plan painless and pleasurable.

Whether a start-up or existing business, Bob has done the "scratch work" for each section of your plan and provided a wide variety of pre-written text options for you to tailor to your specific situation. In addition, he walks you through every step of creating those much scrutinized financial documents, item by item, giving formulas when necessary so that nothing is omitted or misunderstood.

It has been 18 monnths since I used Bob's book to construct my initial business plan. The results was a "living" document that has served me better than I ever anticipated.