If you have the patience to learn and the ability to get your ideas and thoughts down on paper, you would greatly benefit from writing your business plan. During the process, you will learn so much of what it takes to operate your venture and achieve success. Besides, when it comes time to articulate your passion, dreams, and vision for your business, what person can do it better than you? However, if you do not feel you have the talent to get it all down on paper, you definitely need to carefully consider the 6 qualities of a good business plan writer.
When you a looking for someone to write your business plan, be careful and take your time. Remember, the cheapest is not always the best. Likewise, an individual who feels he/she is worth an outlandish price may simply have an inflated ego. You may want the plan composed yesterday. But, if you want to impress potential lenders and investors, you need to make sure it is done right-not just fast.
So, here are the six qualities of a good business plan writer:
1. Writing Experience
2. Research Experience
3. Great Listening Skills
4. Inquisitive
5. Business Background
6. Strong References
When you are in a hurry to draft a business plan so you can secure financing for your small business, it may be tempting to rush through the writer evaluation process. Do not do it! Check each quality carefully, before making your decision.
Writing Experience
To save time and money, many new entrepreneurs will enlist the aid of a freelance writing service. After posting the need for a business plan writer, they will receive bids from several people from around the globe, who claim to have the skills necessary to draft a business plan for a specific fee.
Sounds good. But, how do you know they have the writing experience to develop a killer plan that will impress the executives with money? You do not. In a perfect world, you could trust that these people vying for your business are telling the truth. However, you have to be realistic. Anybody who really wants the job will tell you what they think you want to hear, in order to get the opportunity to write your business plan.
So, check them out! Ask for multiple writing samples. Read through each one carefully. Check for grammatical and spelling errors. You do not want any of those problems showing up in your plan and making it look less than professional. Above all, make sure the sample contains all of the key components of any great business plan.
Realistically, you will probably be better off to select someone who is in the business of writing business plans, and only business plans. It will cost you. But, it should be a great resource for finding investors and commercial lenders. If you do not pay now and try to cut corners, you may pay later when no one wants to finance your small business and you have to pay a professional to have the plan redone down the road.
Research Experience
An excellent writer does not necessarily mean he/she has the research experience needed to develop a business plan. The document is not meant to simply sound eloquent and professional. It must contain important facts and analysis that support your venture. In essence, a business plan writer needs to know as much, or more, than you do about your new enterprise. Without all of the facts and figures, all of the fancy words and grammar skills will be absolutely useless.
Listening Skills
A good writer will be absolute useless, when it comes to writing a business plan, if the writer does not have great listening skills. By the time of the actually writing, he/she should know your business as well as you do-maybe even better. In addition, it will be vital to understand your dreams, your goals, and what makes you tick. Without good listen skills, the finished document will not reflect anything other than the basic of any plan. People who might be interested in helping you out want to know about you, not just you enterprise.
Inquisitive
A good business plan writer must be inquisitive and know all the right questions to ask. If he/she is to get to know you and your business, it will be important to understand exactly what potential small business lenders and investors are looking for in a good business venture. It will be extremely important to make sure all the pertinent information is included in the finished product.
Business Background
Of course, your business plan writer should have a business background. For example, you may find an extremely talented writer, but if his/her expertise is in short stories, you business plan will not have the detail and flare needed to attract funding for your small business. Again, it is a good idea to hire someone who writes business plans for a living.
Strong References
Finally, all the examples and other information you have gleaned is great. But, you need some strong references. Then, it is imperative that you call every one. You might even want to check around and see if there have been other clients who have been less than satisfied. For instance, the writer may pen a good business plan, but if he/she is lousy to work with, overcharges, or does not deliver when needed, you should know.
In short, you will learn a lot in the writing of your business plan. But, if you hire a writer, make sure business plans are an area of expertise and he/she has all of the qualities and qualifications.