- Market Directly to the Consumer
- Party Plan
- Direct Mail
- Telemarketing
- Multilevel Marketing
- Television Infomercials
- Pay-Per-Call
- Internet
- Market Through the Government
- Market Through Distribution Channels
- Market Through Foreign Trade
- Market Through Specialty Channels
- Market Through Email
- Retail Stores
- Sales Promotion
- Media Outlets
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Start-Up Costs
- Operating Costs
- 20 Financing Approaches
- Choosing a Bank
- 4 Cs of Credit
- Underwriting
- Loans
- Equity Financing
- Extending Credit
- Equipment Leasing
- Venture Capital
- Angel Investors
- Personal Guarantees
- Bookkeeping and Financial Statements
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Tax Basics
- Income Taxes
- When To Pay
- Minimizing Taxes
- Home Business
- Travel and Entertainment Expenses
- Automobile Expense and Mileage
- Retirement Plans
- Medical Expenses
- Sales and Use Taxes
- Property Taxes
- W-4 and I-9
- W-2, W-3 and Form 1096
- FICA, Social Security and Medicare
- Unemployment Taxes
- Form 1099
- Payroll
- Business Tax
- Excise Tax
- Tax Tips
- Audits
- Business Insurance Agents
- Workers’ Compensation
- Property Insurance
- General Liability
- General Medical
- COBRA
- Directors and Officers
- Employment Practices Liability
- Errors and Omissions
- Product Liability
- Operations
- Business Interruption
- Disability
- Life
- Claims
- IRS Section 125
- Home-Based Business
- Entrepreneur Profile
- Nondisclosure Agreement
- Sale of Goods Agreement
- Sale of Specialty Goods Agreement
- Terms and Conditions
- Promissory Note
- Guarantee
- Corporation Articles of Incorporation
- Corporation Bylaws
- Bank Resolution
- IRC Section 83 Election
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Employment Agreement
- Sexual Harassment Policy
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Joe Kennedy
Author of The Small Business Owner's Manual |
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ORDER NOW: The Small Business Owner's Manual |
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Tom Severance
Author of Business Start-Up Guide |
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ORDER NOW: Business Start-Up Guide |
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Stephanie Chandler
Author of The Business Startup Checklist & Planning Guide |
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ORDER NOW: The Business Startup Checklist & Planning Guide |
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Steven D. Strauss
Author of The Small Business Bible |
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ORDER NOW: The Small Business Bible |
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4 - MARKET ANALYSIS
TARGET CUSTOMER
Is your business B2C or B2B? (Are your customers individual consumers or other businesses?) Describe your target customer. Are your customers trend setters, or are they conservative and loyal? What is the primary motivation of your customer? Is it price, convenience, service, quality, unique features or something else? How do they make their purchasing decisions?
MARKET SIZE
What is the approximate size of your target market? Is your business reliant on its location, such as its city, street or proximity to an attraction? If so, describe the applicable market information, including population, age, ethnicity, income, spending patterns and street or pedestrian traffic. If your business has no geographic limitations, or a large market area, define your market by its industry size in number of potential customers and total spending. Demonstrate that the market is large enough to support your business and provide substantial opportunity for growth. (TIP: Contact your local Chamber of Commerce or industry trade publications for statistics. Also, managers of large shopping centers often have accurate traffic and population data.)
TRENDS
Is your market growing or shrinking? What are the relevant population, economy or industry trends? How will your business compete as technology and competition changes? Explain why this is a good industry for the long term.
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS - What are the strongest attributes of your business?
WEAKNESSES - What are your biggest weaknesses? (Be honest here.)
OPPORTUNITIES - Where might you find the best growth opportunities and profit sources?
THREATS - What are the obstacles or challenges that you will need to overcome?