Excerpt
Table of Contents

Introduction
Who should read this book, why it was written, and what it can do for your organization


Chapter One
Defining Your Business
Core Competency Deciding what it is you do best
Specialization The key to success
A Market Perspective Your customer’s point of view
The Mission Statement Defining your business
Start with a Plan The benefits of planning
The Strategic Business Plan An Outline
4 Parts to Any Business Finance, Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources
The Voice of the Customer Start with Marketing
The Role of Marketing The planning process
Getting Your House In Order Before you begin your growth plan
Work More Smart, Less Hard Prioritize
Delegate Four steps to better time management


Chapter Two
The Marketing Mix
The Four P’s Product, Place, Promotion, and Price
Establish Your Image Using Q,S,&P
Competing On Price Find a strategic difference other than price
“Because I Heard of It” Create name awareness
Differentiate Your Product Be unique in a commodity world
Reason vs. Emotion Two schools of thought on promotion and advertising
Humor Me How to put humor in your advertising
The Buying Process How consumers make purchase choices
Organizational Buying Habits vs. B2B vs. B2C
Consumer Buying Habits
Brand Loyalty Get it. Keep it.
Market Motivation Turn needs into wants


Chapter Three
Marketing Planning
The Strategic Marketing Plan The five parts and how they are derived
Who Am I and Where Am I Going? Part one, the Situation Analysis
The Sales Analysis SWOT Analysis
Identify Target Markets Mass markets, market segments, and niche markets
The Market Share Matrix Stars, Cows, Question Marks, and Dogs
Quintile Analysis The old “80/20 Rule”
Demographics, Psychographics and Analyze customers and prospects for similar
Benefits characteristics
America Grows Old The most significant demographic, age
The Race Report The second-most significant demographic, ethnicity
Psychographic Segmentation Understand why people purchase
Benefit Segmentation Segment based upon needs and wants
Segmenting for the Next 25 Years Ch-ch-changes
The Competitive Analysis SWOT the competition
The Environment Analysis Understand your industry
Situation Analysis Quiz Q and A
Setting Objectives Part two, the Objectives

The 5 Strategies
The fundamental principles behind the 5 Strategies, how they were developed, and why there are five and only five ways to build your business. Each of the 5 Strategies is then explained in greater detail in the succeeding five chapters.


Chapter Five
Strategy #1: Buy Market Share
Sell more of the same stuff to the same people.
Hold a Sale Draw customers
Five Reasons for Holding a Sale Every sale must have a reason
Incentives Sales promotions designed to build traffic
Sampling Give someone something for nothing
Guarantees and Warranties Credibility builder
Rebates Another form of discount
Credit Terms Use the time value of money to Buy Market Share
Promotion Another way to Buy Market Share
Mass Media Advertising Strengths and weaknesses
Making the Most of Media More smart, less hard
Publicity and Public Relations More credible than advertising, and it’s free
Direct Marketing Make direct contact with your customers
Setting Your Promotion Budget Use your promotion budget to build market share
War Games Simulation techniques to thwart competitors


Chapter Six
Strategy #2: Hunt
Selling the same stuff to different people
Personal Selling Training, motivation, and luck
Sales People Need Love, Too Supercharge your sales meetings
Anything For You Precious Hunt a whole new target group
The Industry White Paper One hunter’s weapon
Modern Marvels in Marketing The latest and greatest
What’s the Buzz? Create a ‘buzz’ in the marketplace
Adapting to Change What to expect in the next decade
Hunting Ahead of the Curve Adapt ahead of your competitors
Leading Economic Indicators Predict the next wave


Chapter Seven
Strategy #3: Farm
Selling different stuff to the same people
One to One Marketing 100% of ten customers vs.10% of 100 customers
Customer-ize Your Products Customization assures brand loyalty
Selling Thin Air Selling conceptual products and services
Keeping the Customer Satisfied Critical in a commodity world
The Care Quotient Reinforcing the image
Thank the Complainers They can make or break your business
The Goal: Brand Loyalty Customers remain loyal, no matter what your competitors offer
The Three R’s Convert complainers into loyal users
Testimonials Use customer feedback to build sales


Chapter Eight
Strategy #4: New Products
Selling different stuff to different people
The Product Life Cycle Every product can eventually be replaced
How to Avoid the Decline Re-launch your product
Risky Business Why new products fail
How To Get Good Ideas Tap into your inner child
Improvement, Modification, or Innovation From modest product improvements to new
category innovations
Brainstorming How to turn those brainstorms into new products
From Concept to Consumption Step by step process (with examples)
Introducing! Promoting your new product


Chapter Nine
Strategy #5: Merge or Acquire
A growth strategy that incorporates all four of the other strategies
Finding the Right Fit Three ways to find the company that’s right for you
The Screening Process Techniques to cull the good from the bad
Target Companies Approaching, valuing, and making an offer


Chapter Ten
Managing Your Growth
Better purchasing, negotiating, operations management, distribution, and quality
The Transformation Process How your input is transformed into your output
Start With the Little Things Capacity constraints – internal solutions
Where to Locate Add capacity, license, or outsource
Capacity in a Service Business Unique solutions
Professional Service Firms Capacity as a function of expertise
Office Space Functional, efficient and bigger
The Holistic Workplace No feng sui, just smart business
Quality Counts Maintain your quality while you grow
Six Sigma The quality standard
Breaking Bottlenecks Every company has them; how to relieve them
Service Bottlenecks Waiting in line
Purchasing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Negotiating A few simple steps to a better deal



Chapter Eleven
Cash is King
Managing the financial constraints inherent in a rapidly growing company
Dynamic Growth What you can expect
Equity Financing How to raise cash
Angel Investors Early stage financing
Venture Capital Secondary stage financing
Hybrid Financing Part debt, part equity
Debt Financing Where to find the money
Interest Rates (a Primer) How to anticipate (and negotiate) interest rates
Collections Bad debt and how to avoid it
Present Value and Future Value Time value of money techniques simply defined
Return on Investment (ROI) The fundamental principle of investment and how to apply it to your business
New vs. Used Operate worry free or save a bundle?
Rent vs. Buy When renting makes more sense


Chapter Twelve
Managing Your Human Assets
People make or break your business.
Creating a Personnel Department Functions and responsibilities of the ‘people people’
Staff Organization Vertical vs. horizontal vs. matrix
Hiring Four steps to better hiring
Termination Legal and psychological implications
Leadership How to get it and how to recognize it in employees
Motivation. Theories and practical applications
Internal marketing Promote your company to your own employees
Pass the Reins Create industry visibility for key employees
Succession Planning Pass the batons of both ownership and power
Should You Outsource HR? Pros and cons of outsourcing HR


Chapter Thirteen
Social Profit
Ethical behavior is good business
Ethics is Good Business Customers prefer ethical suppliers
Trust Advertising Why your advertising must be truthful

Exponential Growth The process and a promise

Glossary of Terms