Start Your Own Business, Fifth Edition: The Only Start-Up Book You'll Ever Need

970 Pages·2010·5.49 MB·English

by  Entrepreneur Press

Table of Contents

Title Page
Editor: Marla Markman
Foreword
ON YOUR MARK ...
part 1 - THINK

chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION
chapter 2 - TAKING THE PLUNGE
The Entrepreneurial Personality
Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Go For the Goal
chapter 3 - GOOD IDEA!
Just Do It!
chapter 4 - GOOD TIMING
Market Matters
Financial Plan
Family Affairs
Getting Personal
Decisions, Decisions
chapter 5 - BUILD IT OR BUY IT?
Buying an Existing Business
Buying a Franchise
Calling All Franchisees
Buying a Business Opportunity
part 2 - PLAN

chapter 6 - CHOOSE YOUR TARGET
Practicing Nichecraft
On a Mission
chapter 7 - IF YOU BUILD IT, WILL THEY COME?
What It Is, What It Does
Market Research Methods
Secondary Research
Primary Research
chapter 8 - THE NAM E GAME
Expert Assistance
What Does It Mean?
Making It Up
Namestorming
Testing, Testing
Final Analysis
Say It Loud
chapter 9 - MAKE IT LEGAL
Sole Proprietorship
Partnership
Corporation
Limited Liability Company
The Nonprofit Option
chapter 10 - PLAN OF ATTACK
Executive Summary
Business Description
Market Strategies
Competitive Analysis
Design and Development Plan
Operations and Management Plan
Financial Factors
A Living Document
chapter 11 - CALL IN THE PROS
Hiring a Lawyer
Hiring an Accountant
part 3 - FUND

chapter 12 - ALL IN THE FAMILY
Do It Yourself
Friends and Family
How Much Is Enough?
chapter 13 - NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED
Equity Basics
Venture Capital
Earth Angels
chapter 14 - LOOKING FOR LOANS
Types of Loans
Sources of Financing
Applying for a Loan
chapter 15 - FED FUNDS
7(a) Guaranty Loan Program
Making the Most of the SBA
Granting Wishes
part 4 - PREPARE

chapter 16 - WHAT’S YOUR DEAL?
What Is Negotiation?
Preparing for Negotiation
What Do You Want?
The Negotiation Process
Everything Is Negotiable
chapter 17 - SITE SEEKING
Types of Locations
Issues to Consider
What Can You Expect To Pay?
Commercial Leases
chapter 18 - LOOKING GOOD
Office Space
Designing a Logo
Business Cards
Selecting Stationery
Designing Your Sign
chapter 19 - STOCK ANSWERS
Inventory Control
Inventory Accounting
Suppliers
chapter 20 - IT’S IN THE MAIL
Mailing Equipment
chapter 21 - CHARGING AHEAD
Establishing a Credit Policy
Accepting Checks
Accepting Credit Cards
Accepting Debit Cards
chapter 22 - COVER YOUR ASSETS
Basic Insurance Needs
Choosing an Insurance Agent
Insurance Costs
chapter 23 - STAFF SMARTS
How To Hire
Alternatives to Full-Time Employees
chapter 24 - PERK UP
Benefit Basics
Health Insurance
Retirement Plans
Low-Cost Benefits
Employee Policies
Workplace Safety
Discriminatory Treatment?
part 5 - BUY

chapter 25 - BUYER’S GUIDE
Cost Cutters
Wise Buys
chapter 26 - BUSINESS 24/7
Equipping Your Virtual Office
Being Well-Connected
Choosing Partners
Office Productivity Software
chapter 27 - NET WORKS
Sounds Like a Plan
The Name Game
Website Basics
chapter 28 - KEEP IN TOUCH
Do Your Homework
Just the Beginning
Talk Is Cheap
Which Smartphone Is the Smartest?
At Your Service
Wireless Wonders
I’m IMing
Web Calling
It’s Your Turn
part 6 - MARKET

chapter 29 - BRAND AID
What Is Branding, Exactly?
Building a Branding Strategy
Bringing It All Together
Read All About It
chapter 30 - MARKETING GENIUS
Creating a Marketing Plan
Where to Advertise
Print Advertising
Radio and TV Advertising
Direct Mail
Classified Ads
Co-Op Advertising
Measuring Advertising Effectiveness
chapter 31 - TALKING POINTS
Getting Publicity
Special Events
Networking
chapter 32 - SELL IT!
Understanding Your Unique Selling Proposition
Cold-Calling
Making Sales Presentations
Speaking Effectively
chapter 33 - NOW SERVING
Building Customer Relationships
Customer Service
part 7 - ENGAGE
chapter 34 - NET SALES
A Marketing Tool
Attracting Visitors to Your Site
Keeping Visitors at Your Site
chapter 35 - SOCIAL STUDIES
Engaging Online Tools
Video Marketing
Overview of Social Bookmarking Sites
Content Marketing Online
Social Marketing Automation
chapter 36 - CAN YOU RELATE?
High-Level Networking
Target Market Connections
Groups and Discussions
Fan Pages
Media Connections on Social Sites
Center of Influence List
part 8 - PROFIT

chapter 37 - KEEPING SCORE
The Bookkeeping Advantage
Basic Accounting Principles
Accounting System Components
Cost Accounting
Under Control
Financial Statements
chapter 38 - MAKING A STATEMENT
Creating Financial Statements
Cash-Flow Analysis
chapter 39 - ON THE MONEY
Gross Profit Margin and Markup
Break-Even Analysis
Working Capital Analysis
Building a Financial Budget
Sensitivity Analysis
chapter 40 - PAY DAY
What You Need
What You’re Worth
What Your Business Can Afford
chapter 41 - TAX TALK
First Things First
Ins and Outs of Payroll Taxes
Declaration of Independents
Selecting Your Tax Year
Filing Your Tax Return
Sales Taxes
Tax-Deductible Business Expenses
Tax Planning
appendix - BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
GLOSSARY
INDEX
Subscribe to Entrepreneur Magazine
Copyright Page
Editor: Marla Markman

Contributing Writers

Jill Amadio, Leanne Anderson, Jane Easter Bahls, Stephen Barlas, Stephanie
Barlow, Johanna Billings, Bruce Blechman, J. Tol Broome, Andrew Caffey,
Melissa Campanelli, Carolyn Campbell, Melissa Caresosa, Cassandra Cavanah,
Janean Chun, James Clark, Bob Coleman, Charlene Davis, Cyrstal Detamore-
Rodman, Sandra Eddy, Paul & Sarah Edwards, Clifford Ennico, David Evanson,
Barry Farber, Iris Lorenz-Fife, Lorayne Fiorillo, Jerry Fisher, Barbara Frantz,
Charles Fuller, Cheryl Goldberg, Kim Gordon, Cynthia Griffin, Mark Henricks,
Mike Hogan, Frances Huffman, Christopher Keanelly, Danielle Kennedy, Erika
Kotite, Jay Conrad Levinson, David Lindo, Jacquelyn Lynn, Richard Maturi,
Robert McGarvey, Sean Melvin, Gwen Moran, Heather Page, James Park,
Jennifer Pellet, Chris Pentilla, Marcia Perkins-Reed, Debra Phillips, Karen Roy,
Edward Rybka, David E. Rye, Eileen Figure Sandlin, Bev Stehli, Gayle Sato
Stodder, Guen Sublette, Joan Szabo, Conrad Theodore, Bob Weinstein, Glen
Weisman, Geoff Williams, Linda Wroblewski