Budget Friendly Business Plans

Many budget conscious entrepreneurs contact me in frustration regarding their business plans. They’ve downloaded a template and tried to write it themselves only to throw up their hands in frustration. SCORE professionals can review your plan but they can’t write it for you. Oftentimes, “cheap” business plan writers produce poor quality products that you can never take to the bank or investors for funding. “Quality” business plan writers can cost tens of thousands of dollars. How can an entrepreneur get a high quality business plan for under $1,000?

There’s a difference between a business plan writer and a business plan strategist. Many entrepreneurs who contact me need a business plan strategist. They need someone who can organize the business plan so that the bank, investor, board member or reader would review their plan and think, “Wow! What a great business. I want to be part of this.”

So here’s my 4 step process to having a business plan written for less than $1,500 (for people who have simple business concepts):

1. Hire a business plan strategist to help you set up your business plan. We have a program that costs $497. Individuals receive templates, video lessons, and an opportunity to speak with me (business plan strategists) every Monday at 6:30PM EST. During these calls, we help you organize your thoughts and setup your plan. Plus, you can ask questions if you’re stuck on one section of the plan. https://businessplanwriting.teachable.com/

2. Hire a great writer to write the plan for you. There are many great writers who would be able to write the plan if they knew what to write. They aren’t strategists and they can’t organize your business plan; however, they can receive instruction and write sections of the business plan based on the direction you give.

3. Hire your accountant to create your financial forecast. Before approaching your accountant, write down what your business goals are. Then write down:
   a. Who you intend to hire, when, and at what pay rate
   b. What marketing you’ll perform to reach clients and how much it will cost
   c. Any and all equipment you’ll purchase
   d. Any real estate you’ll purchase or lease
   e. Any other big ticket items you’ll purchase

Once your accountant has this information, he or she will be able to create a forecast Profit & Loss statement, Cash Flow statement, Balance Sheet, and Startup Cost list for you.

1. Hire an editor to review your plan. When you have a completed business plan, ask an editor to review it. Editors catch grammatical errors, spelling errors, and syntax errors. They ensure the document is cohesive. The editor does NOT know your strategy so they won’t be able to answer the question, “Would an investor view this business plan favorably?”

2. Hire the business plan strategist to review the plan and ensure you have a compelling document. Before giving your document to a bank or investor, I suggest you have your business plan strategist review the document one more time to ensure it’s an investable business plan.

Cheree Warrick is a business plan writer that helps entrepreneurs receive bank loans, angel investment, government certifications, immigrant visas, and more. Contact her at wewritebusinessplans.com or call 703-934-4630.