Business Plans For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Part IV. Looking to the Future

In this part . . .

Wouldn't life be easier if you could predict the future? You'd never second-guess any of your decisions again. We have some good news: although you can't predict the future with 100 per cent accuracy, you can prepare yourself for the future. And planning for the future – whether in life or in business – is a great way to cut down on all the second-guessing that comes later.

In this part, we help your company look to the future. We prepare you for change by looking closely at where changes are likely to come from. We talk about how you can anticipate changes ahead of time, assessing what effect these changes will have on your business and how likely they are to really happen.

Of course, you don't necessarily have to accept the future that you predict, so we help you shape your own future by thinking strategically. We introduce tried-and-true business strategies that have worked in the past, and show you how to create your own company strategy for the future. Finally, we explore different ways your business can grow. We look at ways to extend your product line, expand into new markets, and branch out into brand new businesses.