The Business Plan is now part of the business culture. But, in addition to being known, it should also be handled in the correct way: How to choose the expert consultant?
Hearing about a business plan consulting firms is becoming more common, both in the environments surrounding the innovative start ups in both those typical of the most traditional companies. The business plan is now coming slowly become fully part of the entrepreneurial culture as a tool at the base of any business.
But, who are they and what do they do the business plan consultants in practice? What they can do in practice for our business plan? And what are the pros and cons?
Before answering this question, we assume that the business plan is not a simple task to perform one-off, but it is a practice in which to invest in the time part of its energy. Because the business plan can actually be useful for your company, you need to be updated continuously.
Often, business owners and managers, underestimate the importance of the business plan and think that hiring an external consultant for the planning and writing resolve the issue. Unfortunately, doing so in 99% of cases you will get in return an expensive document.
Because? Because the consultant of your business plan is an external person to your reality and does not know your market, your business, your goals and all the peculiarities that this mix creates.
A business plan consulting firm can help and support you to draft the document but cannot do it for you!
After this brief but necessary bracket, there are some items to consider before applying for a business consultancy for the preparation of its business plan. Few but essential points to get an effective strategic document, accurate and consistent with the established goals.
# 01- An advisory business plan is a medium / long-term
Hiring of consultants for business plan can be very useful, as long as everyone involved in the preparation of this document are fully aware of the possible problems in the company and have the time to immerse themselves in the reality of the client.
The advice also may not be limited to a random partnership but will certainly require a relationship over time that allows continuous updating and refining the plan.
# 02- Knowledge of the market and their business models
A business consultancy for the preparation of the business plan should always start with the sharing of the objectives of the document: internal strategy, finding investors, obtaining public funding, bank loans, etc. …
In any case, the specific experience of the consultant company in our target market and the plan’s specific goals should be the basic condition for adequate and effective choice. Writing a business plan for internal use is completely different from preparing a plan for finding investors.
# 03- Find an internal resource that takes the reins
Internalize this competence is necessary. Being able to count on a team of their own resource for the continuous adjustment and implementation of your business plan is priceless.
A resource formed properly living, breathing your business every day will have the pulse of much more than any external consultant situation. Consider the possibility of using professional advice as the basis for the formation of a co-worker may be a strategic choice in the long run.