Competitive Analysis: You should put together first draft of this section, as it is almost as important to understand your competitors, as it is your customers. If you find a consultant that is an expert in your field, then you can work together and add to your initial list.

The Dreaded Financials

This is most difficult part of a startup business plan, as you are making projections and assumptions on products / services that you have not even produced or sold yet! If you are stuck on this section you can hire a business plan consultant to just assist you with completing your projections (income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet). Figuring out cost of goods, delivery costs, and return rates can be simplified by breaking them down into a “light” spreadsheet. Next you need to understand your startup and operating costs – items like electricity, travel, phone expenses, etc. Again just organize these and your consultant can make all fancy charts and graphs. Just make sure you understand all of assumptions – for example if you are opening a retail business, you should not look towards your consultant to “guess” your rent – go out and meet with a realtor and come back with real data. If you work closely with your consultant, financials are a great section to bring in professional help.

Managing Expectations

Now that you know a bit more about when to hire a business plan writer you also need to manage your expectations. You can’t expect a $1,000 business plan to have 20 pages of competitive analysis and a full-blown marketing strategy! If you carefully work through which sections of your business plan need outside help and then manage your consultant closely, your final document will be a success! My next two articles will focus on “How to Find / Hire a Business Plan Consultant” and more importantly “When to Fire your Business Plan Consultant!”

Howard Schwartz is a partner in several business strategy groups, including HJ Ventures International, Inc. Howard has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs worldwide with a focus on writing business plans for companies interested in raising capital from Venture Funds and Angel Investors. Howard’s business plans have secured several million dollars in funding.

Nationwide wireless plans are higher priced but do allow for in-network calls without roaming charges. An employee who never travels more than 50 miles from home office may never use this feature. Always check to determine that plans chosen for each employee are an exact fit for usage needed.

3. Paying for wireless insurance coverage, pager protection or roadside assistance coverage.

On accounts with several wireless devices, paying for insurance protection is not cost-effective. On single accounts, insurance coverage may be a good choice, especially if equipment is top-of-the-line and coverage premium is reasonable and insurance comprehensive.

Roadside assistance is one of those "peace of mind" features that can add $40 - $50 per year to each account. Let common sense be guide here. If user never travels for any length by car, eliminate it entirely.

4. Paying for wireless phones that have been lost, stolen or unused.

If a medium to large-size organization fails to properly track wireless inventories, duplication of billing for lost, stolen or even unused wireless phones may result.

Example: an employee is transferred to a new office and brings their wireless phone along. The new office provides them with a new wireless phone. The retired phone is kept inside a desk drawer only to collect dust - and in meantime bill is still being paid each and every month by previous office manager!

Establishing procedures for ordering and maintaining accurate wireless inventories should be routine for organizations that want to keep costs down.

Be sure you keep and maintain a complete inventory of handsets along with their respective bills and accounts. Paying for wireless services that are no longer being used can be huge source of unneccessary spending.