Remember when we talked about strategic plans? Well, many established businesses lack business plans as well. And many new businesses don’t know where to start when it comes to drafting one.

For something as important as your business plan, it is sometimes better to defer to the experts. A good business writer will likely charge $2,000 to $10,000 or more to write your business plan, depending on the complexity involved. There are writers who will charge less, but sometimes, you get what you pay for.

Of course, not all start ups or even existing businesses can afford that much. If you’re starting out, it’s quite a catch-22. After all, you need a solid business plan to get funding, and you can’t afford a business plan writer until you have funding. What is a business owner to do?

When you have no other resources, you can definitely complete a business plan yourself. You’ll need to do a lot of research, and have a lot of patience, and be ready to revise the plan as requested by your investors or stakeholders.

There are a number of pieces in a business plan, and many experts do them differently. Research the various formats and discover what you think is best. Some essential pieces of a business plan are:

• Executive Summary

• Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Marketing Strategy

• Financial Analysis

• Resumes of Principals

• Supporting Documents/Appendices

If you have an established business and think your business plan may be lacking, it is okay to revisit it to improve. Business plans are dynamic documents, and meant to be altered as the business and market changes.

Remember, we will consistently bring you the most recent, must-have information, so come back frequently. After all, we’re your Best Business Expert. You don’t want to miss what’s coming next.

Your Best Business Expert,

Lisa on behalf of Contemporary VA

www.contemporaryva.com