Would you go on a long and expensive trip without knowing how much money it is going to cost you, how long will it take to get there, know nothing about the country, the language or where you would stay? Probably not. The same principals apply to going into business…
A typical new business owner will say one of three things:
- I don’t need a business plan because I have it all in my head.
- I have too many things to do and don’t have time to do it.
- I cannot afford to pay someone to do it for me.
Contrary to the typical answer, all business owners need to have a business plan regardless of the size, industry, or prior business experience.
Solution Consultants will create a comprehensive business plan that will cover all the essential parts of your business such as Sales Projections, Marketing, Human Resources, Capital requirements to start your business, Operations, Web presence, and any other area that is unique to your business. If all you have is an idea, Solution Consultants will develop your business plan.
What if I am not a new business and just need to get a business plan to get a loan?
We are experienced at working with banks and understand what they are looking for in a business plan. However, this in no way guarantees approval for financing. We will analyze your existing business and provide recommendations for financial projections that will be clear and in a format the banks require. We can even accompany you one bank meeting to serve as your business advisor.
Do we need to meet to talk about the business plan?
We are based in the Atlanta area and will usually meet our client face-to-face for the initial meeting prior to signing an agreement to work together. Depending upon the complexity of the business, we may need to have a series of half-hour phone conversations to collect the rest of the information.
But wait, I want to write it myself but need you to provide editing and forecast advice.
Great! We suggest you use Business Plan Pro (get the Standard Edition for $100).
However, we've often found that even with the best intentions, many business owners get stuck and need help in using Business Plan Pro. If so, we can show you where to enter information and how the numbers are connected in the financial statements.
Or if you have a handle on the software, we can review your plan and provide feedback on areas to change or improve.
How much will it cost?
- Full business plan - $3,000
This entails picking your brain and making sure we get from you all the pieces that a bank needs to see - the market research, the competition, the product or service description, customer description, etc. If you need us to do any additional market research or if your business is particularly complex, the price of the plan will increase. When it is finished, we will deliver two bound color copies. We require half payment up front and the other half when the final version is submitted.
- 10-hr editing/training package - $900
If you need our editing help or Business Plan Pro training, we have seen that most businesses will need at least 10 hours of our time. Half is required to get started and the other half at the end of the 10 hours. If we go over the 10 hours, the rate would be billed at $90/hr.
If you need basic editing/feedback and believe it would be minimal, perhaps only a few hours, then our hourly rate is $95/hr.
How long will it take?
If you need us to write a full plan, we will do our best to get a rough draft to you in 14 days, however, this depends upon whether we get all the information from you in a timely fashion. Depending upon how many edits the draft needs, we are usually able to produce a final business plan within 30 days.
If you need editing and training help, we can usually take care of this within a week or two at the most.
