Looking for government help on business plan assembly? Need the support of an expert to get your draft in order for review by a banker? The Small Business Administration is here to help you, but that doesn't mean that most of the onus of preparing a solid business plan isn't on you – quite the contrary, in fact. As the entrepreneur, you are ultimately the person responsible for making a case for the business idea you have, and therefore it is your responsibility to make sure that the plan you submit is as complete and compelling as it can be. The first place to start if you need the government's help is not an SBA-approved lender, but a regional business development center or SCORE office. You can find an office closest to you on the SBA's website. Questions to cover in this meeting include:
• Am I asking for the right amount of funding?
• Is my break-even projection reasonable?
• What are my competitors failing to do, that I can exploit?
• What sort of marketing campaigns could I put into place?
• When will my loan be repaid?
The most vital questions to most business plans revolve around the market analysis (the most research-intensive and demanding part of the narrative) and the financial model (the section of the plan that lenders and/or investors are most likely to scrutinize). The people at SCORE will be willing to review these components with you, but they are not likely to “take over†any of the writing or relieve you of the responsibility for performing the research or modeling. It is critical that you know who you're competing against, what the market conditions are, and how much your costs and likely revenues will run at, per month. Need assistance with these issues, above and beyond what help you get from the government? Call the experts at MasterPlans.com. Our team of dedicated, on-site planners and modelers has been making business plans for clients since 2002. With 11,000+ plans built to date, we can surely help you as well: (877) 453-2011, toll-free.
