Be the Elephant: Build a Bigger, Better Business - Hardcover

Kaplan, Steve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 076114448X ISBN 13: 9780761144489

Publisher: Workman Publishing, 2007

Synopsis

A "New York Times", "Wall Street Journal", "USA Today", and "Business Week" bestseller, Steve Kaplan's 2005 book "Bag the Elephant" helped smart businesspeople win and keep those all-important elephants-the big, make-or-break customers. Now "Be the elephant" shows businesspeople how to grow their businesses and become bigger. Written for the entrepreneur by an entrepreneur - Steve Kaplan has owned 35 businesses, sold 30 of them, and has consulted with more than 100 companies, helping them to grow. "Be the elephant" combines dynamic advice, deep real- life experience, and a friendly, no-nonsense writing style to take the mystery and fear out of achieving significant business growth. In a 10-step process, Kaplan gets readers to understand, without blinkers or delusion, the exact nature of their business. He then shows how to define objectives, identify risks, and get the operation on solid footing in preparation for growth. There are tips on: creating the right strategy; how to avoid the risks of business growth - grow too slow and wither, or grow too fast and lose control; how to create a timeline; develop the all-important USP-unique selling proposition; and, avoid the five killer mistakes that can ruin your company. The book is illustrated throughout, including, of course, the many faces of Nellie the elephant.

About this title

From the Back Cover

In business, there's no standing still. The trick is to become an elephant—big enough to make a difference, healthy enough to withstand financial currents, strong enough to influence your market—and smart enough to avoid the pitfalls of growth.

With Be the Elephant, bestselling author Steve Kaplan provides the business-growing playbook for every entrepreneur, CEO, sales professional, small business owner, and manager alike. The strategy, the process, the toolbox.

Written in a friendly, no-nonsense style, Be the Elephant takes the mystery and the fear out of growing bigger. It shows you how to address potential downsides, point by point, and provides a 25-question quiz to gauge your buisness's current health. There are lessons in strengthening sales, a business's front line. Vertical and horizontal growth. Risk versus reward. How to avoid the twin dilemmas inherent in growth—grow too slowly and wither, or grow too fast and lose control. And finally, how to chart it and start it, from developing an all-important USP—unique selling proposition—to avoiding the Five Killer Mistakes that can ruin a company.

And from there, how to go forth and Be the Elephant

Edition details

• Publisher: Workman Publishing
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 076114448X
• ISBN 13: 9780761144489
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208