You probably know that having a business plan will improve your chances of success in starting and growing your business. Reading the right business plan book can help you craft the perfect plan. But, there are more efficient ways than reading a book to learn about business planning and to complete your plan. In this article, I’ll show you such options, and if you’d still like to read a book, I’ll tell you the top 5 business planning books to consider.
Why You Don’t Need To Read a Business Planning Book
There are many books about business planning that you could read, but why shouldn’t you?
The simple answer, time.
Reading even the best business plan books will take time to read and then process, and this is on top of the considerable time it takes to complete market research and write a solid business plan.
Instead, technology has provided today’s entrepreneurs with easy-to-follow simple business plan templates that teach you how to write the business plan as you complete the plan. Although every business is unique, a business plan template will offer you a great starting point and often includes customizable financial plans specific to your industry.
The right business plan template will include all essential components of a successful business plan including:
- Executive Summary
- Company Overview
- Market Analysis
- Customer Analysis
- Competitive Analysis
- Marketing Plan
- Operations Plan
- Management Team
- Financial Plan
- Appendix
You can learn more about each of these business plan components and how to write a business plan from the business planning experts at Growthink.
If You Enjoy Reading & Want to Learn More…
Reading the best business plan books is a great way to learn more about the ins and outs of writing a business plan. Not only will they help you learn more about writing and planning, but it’s also an opportunity for entrepreneurs to network and gain knowledge from other organizations that have been in your shoes before. If you’re going this route, I’d recommend starting with these 5 bestselling business planning books:
The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies by Rhonda Abrams is a best-selling business plan book that will provide you with the best practices for creating an effective strategy for your company’s future. This book will teach readers how to create a winning business plan that addresses all aspects of running a successful company. The book includes business plan templates, checklists, and illustrations to help you get started on your own.
The Secrets to Writing a Successful Business Plan: A Pro Shares a Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Plan that Gets Results by Hal Shelton will walk you through step-by-step instructions for creating a successful plan. The book covers the fundamentals of everything from setting goals and defining your company’s mission to laying out a comprehensive marketing plan and business development strategy.
Anatomy of a Business Plan: The Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business and Securing Your Company’s Future by Linda Pinson provides you with an step-by-step guide for building the best business plan. This book will teach you how to write a successful business plan: one that not only meets your needs and speaks to your company’s own strengths and weaknesses and overall business potential, but also makes attracting investors easier.
The One Page Business Plan by Jim Horan has been helping creative entrepreneurs create their own business plans from the ground up for over 10 years now. In this business book, readers will find everything they need to write and complete their own one-page business plan: how to define goals and objectives; how to make your plan easy to read; how to start and run your company; and best practices for financial statements and projections. The best part? You can do it all on one page.
Start at the End by Dave Lavinsky is a best-selling book that provides actionable advice and teaches readers how to recognize their company’s best opportunities. The book offers best practices for creating an effective strategy for your company’s future. This book will teach readers exactly what you need to create a winning business plan that addresses all aspects of running a successful company.
So, you don’t actually need to read a business book, but if you do, learn from the experts who have ventured on the same entrepreneurial journey. Their practical advice provides a step-by-step guide through the planning process to help you complete the necessary market research to stay competitive while completing the financial analysis needed to secure funding.
How We Can Help You Succeed
At Growthink, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners develop business plans to start and grow their companies. With this extensive experience, we’ve created a simple business plan template and business plan examples for 100+ sectors (and we’re still going!) to save you time and make it even easier to write a successful business plan. Check out the links below or learn more in our Business Plan Writing Help Center to help you launch or expand your successful business.
How to Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!
Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?
With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!
Business Plan Template & Guide for Small Businesses
How to Write a Great Business Plan
100 Business Plan Examples to Use to Create Your Plan