Cheap Business Plans for Sale in Nigeria: Is 7,000 or 10,000 Naira worth it?

When you are searching online for business plans in Nigeria, it is not uncommon to come across some very questionable business plan adverts being priced ridiculously at 10,000 or less by quacks with very poor business writing skills.

The most obvious reason for the large number of these fake business plans is the desperate need by some people to make a quick buck. The vast majority of these people when you make contact with them cannot even express themselves properly in English and sound like people with low formal education.

The modus operandi of this ilk is to present a sample business plan with an outline and a claim to presenting a complete one once you make payment to an account number which is attached to the blog post/article. Usually, the prices of these business plans go for N10,000 but there are some that will even offer it for as low as N7,000. I will strongly advise you against buying such business plans and here are my reasons;

5 reasons you should not buy a ‘cheap’ business plan in Nigeria

If you don’t have enough money to hire a professional business plan writer, then you should at least put in the effort to write the business plan yourself because most of these so called N10,000 business plans are nothing to write home about. The authors are quacks and copycats and are only interested in duping unsuspecting business plan clients with low quality business plans and I will give you 5 reasons to not waste your time on such business plans;

#1 The Business Plans are usually Poorly written

The most noticeable flaw in these types of business plans is how poorly written they are. The authors don’t do any proper research, they write with very shallow depth as the clear absence of data and credible facts are absent. Just speculation with copy and paste material copied from other sources without due reference.

#2 The Business Plans are clearly unreliable

How credible is the research and the business model proposed in the business plan? A close look at these writeups often reveals the absence of actionable advice, projections or statements that will point the reader in a certain direction. It is like writing a policy document with no clear recommendations or an academic research that doesn’t reach any findings and recommendations. What is the real strength of the writeup besides filling space?

#3 The Business Plans are usually one size fits all

The so called business plan writer tells you the business plan can be submitted anywhere. Really? It can be submitted to a venture capitalists or commercial banks that have very thorough business plan assessments? You mean a poorly written business plan can be submitted to an international development agency when there are no proper financial projections or strategic outlook for how to implement the plan? If at all the business plan can be submitted anywhere are all business opportunities the same that a single business plan can be used for all kinds regardless of location and business concepts?

#4 The Business Plan is not written for you

If a poultry business plan is written and the author offers it for sale at 10,000 naira chances are that he/she wrote a general business plan for poultry business but things are not so simple. If your poultry business is meant to operate in Akure and you have a unique touch to running it different from other poultry businesses, that 10,000 naira business plan isn’t going to capture it for you. In other words, you and all the other people who bought that business plan will have the same document even when it is not tailored to your business needs.

#5 The Business Plans are usually outdated

When you check out most of these business plans they are not written with the current realities in mind. Every 5 to 10 years, the business environment in countries change. Consumer behaviours change, market demands change, inflation takes its toll on the business climate among other factors. So if a business plan was written in 2012, how useful will it be in 2020? That is one of the problems you will face with these knids of business plans.

Final Notes

Business plan writing should be customized to your business needs, capture current business realities and be professionally written but you can only get that from experts who know what they are doing and not quacks pretending to know their work.

To hire an expert business plan writer with a proven track record that will give your business plan the professional touch it deserves, send an email to: paulonwueme@gmail.com or call 0803 206 4106 for enquiries.

Top 10 Questions About Business Plan Writing Services in Nigeria

In this post I will be sharing with you 10 guide questions about professional business plan writing in Nigeria and how you may proceed to contracting a credible business plan writer. Just a side note; the business plan writing service Niche in Nigeria is becoming very competitive and also populated with many quacks. People who copy other people’s blog posts and post it as theirs with the intention of duping unsuspecting business plan consumers/clients. Don’t be a victim. Make sure to research very well before choosing who to patronize for your business plan needs.

That is by the way, to the real issue in this blog post, what questions should guide you when seeking the services of a professional business plan writer in Nigeria? How can you seriously uncover the right business plan writer to prepare a bankable business plan for your funding and startup needs?

The answer is this shortlist of questions you will see below on frequently asked questions by prospective business plan writers and once you have successfully answered these questions on your own, then you are in a good position to have your business plan written and delivered to you.

Frequently Asked Questions about Business Plan Writing Services in Nigeria

Below are the 10 guide questions you should follow when seeking to write a professional standard business plan in Nigeria;

Who usually requires a Business Plan and why?

Why would anyone want you to submit a business plan to them and what kinds of people/institutions would do this? The answer is mostly financiers; banks, development aid agencies, investors and Non-governmental organisations who are providing funding for startups and SMEs to either setup or expand their businesses. The banks (commercial, industrial, agric based, micro-finance and investment based) usually want to grant a loan to a client. They want to be sure they can recover their loans and that the business opportunity is sound. A business plan will show them if this is feasible. Investors on the other hand want to know if your business will work and how much profit they stand to make from investing in your business. The other institutional financiers want a sustainable business that will achieve some economic success – expand, employ people and create income opportunities for others.

Why do I need to write a Business Plan?

If you are the organized, pragmatic visionary, the answer goes without saying. You want a blueprint to guide you in your business and hold yourself accountable for your success or failure. If you are somewhat creative and assertive visionary type you may only see the need for a business plan if you need to bring others on board in making your dream come true. But from a more practical perspective is a bit of both. You want to hold yourself accountable with a blueprint for your business while also using it as a funding request to expand or setup your business.

Who should write my business plan for me?

Anyone with above average intelligence can write a business plan once you have a guideline or format to work with. But it takes skill that comes with experience to write a professional standard business plan you can take to the bank any day. That only comes from experienced business plan writers with expertise and connections to help drive home your idea in a persuasive and reliable way. The downside is, it will cost you money to use them but you will get better appraisal for your business idea that way.

How much does it cost to write a business plan in Nigeria?

I personally charge from 40,000 naira upwards. Most times I charge 50,000 naira (non-negotiable). I have done business plans for over 100,000 naira in the past (depends on the kind of work involved). But there are others who charge more than this or even less. An acquaintance of mine who is far more experienced and connected than myself charges over 600,000 naira per business plan whereas many inexperienced and dubious business plan writers with copy and paste blog posts may charge you 10,000 naira. My advice is – don’t be penny wise, pound foolish when choosing a business plan writer based on the amount they charge. Do your homework.

How many pages should a Business Plan contain?

There is no real limit to the number of pages a business plan should contain. Ideally, 25 to 40 pages is good enough but there are exceptions. Some business plan pages can take up less than 25 pages while others can take up to 100 pages. But a truly standard business plan should be detailed but brief - in my opinion should not exceed 35 pages.

What does a typical Business Plan outline look like?

• Executive Summary 
• Company Summary
• Market Overview
• Industry Analysis
• Target Market Analysis
• Managing Risks and Control factors
• Operational plan 
• Management Plan 
• Financial goals and Projections
• Appendix 

How long does it take to complete a Business Plan?

That depends on the type of business plan and the amount of work involved. It shouldn’t take more than 14 days to prepare a business plan but ideally that should take between 2 to 10 working days.

What kinds of Business Plans Should I know About?

There are different types of business plans to know. Some can be classified based on the intent of the plan while others are based on the presentation style. Based on intent there are; strategic business plans, operational business plans and start-up business plans. Based on presentation there are; pitch decks, business model canvass, power point presentation business plans and conventional business plans. Their prices vary and depend on the writer.

What guidelines should I know about when writing my Business Plan?

Business plan guidelines are useful for creating a bankable business plan document. The guideline needed for every single contract would depend on several factors. Are you writing a business plan to hold you accountable? Are you seeking to achieve growth, quick turnaround or strengthen your market position? Are you partaking in a business plan competition? The guidelines may come from an awarding institution or you could even come up with one yourself or better still work with a professional business plan writer to have one ready for you.

Will I be guaranteed funding for my business with a business plan?

There is no guarantee that your business will be funded even if your business plan is written by the so called best business plan writer in the world, Africa or Nigeria. There are several factors that could determine whether or not your business idea will be funded and the quality of the business plan is just one of them. If the other factors are weighed in and you score low, then even the best written business plan in the world will still not attract funding.

Looking to write a professional standard, bankable business plan? Give a me call: 0803 206 4106 or email me: paulonwueme@gmail.com to get started.

Business Plan Software, Sample Business Plan or Professional Business Plan Writer?

 If you need a business plan to present to investors to raise capital or loans to fund your business which of these three options should you go for? 

Many times people looking for business plans especially here in Nigeria have a tendency to go online to download a sample business plan format to guide them in writing a business plan. Along the line they discover two problems namely; that those online business plans are written for businesses in other countries and do not have realistic or comparable factors which would make them viable in Nigeria. The other problem is that a sample business plan may still have to be edited or discarded off entirely when it doesn’t seem to make sense at least in the Nigerian context and/or suit the particular business opportunity you have in mind. On the other hand, one may be tempted to buy business plan software which would provide one with fill in the blank options or one that is already written as part of a collection of business plans for sale.

Really the choice of which option you should go for would depend on your situation and what is at stake for you when preparing the business plan and I’ll explain this shortly.

Buying a do it yourself business plan software

You can actually order for a ready-made business plan online at various places but I’ll recommend live plan to anyone looking for a business plan software from a reputable business plan writing company. There are many other places to order for a ready-made business plan but I won’t be mentioning them in this post.

Advantages of buying a ready-made business plan

• It’s cheaper than hiring a professional business plan writer as it usually comes at a fraction of the professional’s fee sometimes as low as $10
• It is faster because you can have it prepared in less than 48 hours which is almost impossible if you contact a professional business plan writer to prepare one for you.
• You are directly involved in its preparation because you’ll do the editing, presentation etc yourself

Disadvantages of buying and using a ready-made business plan

• The format may not be suitable for your intended/targeted lender or investor. The bank or investor who looks at your business plan may have specific things he’s interested in e.g working capital turnover or payback plan which your ready-made business plan may not have answers to
• The scope of the business plan may be limited and may not reflect the current situation of your business, the market analysis may need to change because market trends are not constant but change with time. It’s like buying a Nokia 3310 and still expecting it to function like iphone 6. The sample business plan can be likened to the Nokia phone in terms of being outdated or not complete for present day mobile phone usage.

Download and Edit a free sample business plan or business Plan format/template

There are many sample business plan formats available for download online. Some of these business plans have formats that are not suitable for use in certain countries because they are designed to fit into the overall economic situations of their respective countries. For instance a business plan sample on supermarket business from bplans.com will specify locations in the US, target markets specifically showing how potential customers shop (which is a lifestyle issue) and costing in US dollar whereas someone living in say Nigeria in search of a business plan sample sees this business plan, downloads it and edits it removing anything suggesting US without considering the difficulty in adapting realistic assumptions that fits the Nigerian business climate into the downloaded business plan. In other words you have picked up a Toyota vehicle, removed its engine and replaced it with that of a Volkswagen and expect the car to function optimally without any awkward hitches.

Advantages of downloading a business plan sample

• It saves you time because you don’t have to do hard time consuming research
• You have a standard template to work with which would improve your business plan presentation
• It is inexpensive compared to either hiring a business plan writer or buying a ready-made business plan because you get it absolutely free of charge

Disadvantages of downloading a business plan sample 

• Since business plans are not a one size fits all document it follows that a downloaded and edited business plan sample will not provide ample details on the particular business opportunity you’re presenting the business plan for
• They are not sufficiently suitable for your business venture and the opportunity it stands for

Hire a Business Plan Expert to write you a New Business Plan from Scratch

This is the least preferred option by most people because it entails entrusting your business idea to another person who you are not sure won’t go into the business you are about venturing into or possibly sell your idea to another person - although there are ways to overcome this when you come in contact with the right business plan writer. Secondly you have to pay a hefty fee and the chances of you getting exactly what you want can only be guaranteed by the professional’s proven competence which will either be based on a referral or by the claims made by the business plan writer. Thirdly this option is suitable for people who don’t have time to write the business plan themselves, can’t write it even if they had enough time and/or prefer to have a professional write the business plan especially if you are going to present it to a distinguished panel of investors or a bank with very strict standards.

Advantages of hiring a business plan writer

• The business plan will be customized to your own particular business needs as the business plan writer will seek your input either by oral or written interview and your responses will guide his/her write up
• The business plan will be more professionally written than downloading and editing a sample and is more likely also to be better than a ready-made business plan purchased online
• A professionally written business plan usually has greater impact than a copy and paste business plan sample simply because the uniqueness, viability and the growth potentials of the business opportunity will speak out through the business plan
• A professionally written business plan is usually more realistic than other options because business plan writers work with realistic assumptions and calculations when forecasting and projecting financial details
• It is less Stressful to you because all you do is pay for a service and make needed input by way of feedback you don’t write anything or have to stress yourself doing research and calculations.

Disadvantages of hiring a business plan writer

• It will cost you more money because you have to spend higher than the other two options but then it often proves to be worthwhile – when you hire the right business plan writer.
• The business plan takes longer time to complete: because the business plan writer has to research the business opportunity and do detailed write-ups, rewriting the draft, making the business plan presentations and several other tasks which takes longer time from between 5 to 14 days to complete
• You are only indirectly involved in terms of only making inputs whereas the actual writing and business plan development is not in your hands until after you receive the final draft

Final Thoughts on which business plan option you should opt for

The ball is in the court of the prospective business plan seeker your choice of which option to go for should be based on what you want to achieve with the business and how important that achievement would be to you – if you are highly motivated you are not likely to gamble with your options. Another thing to consider is your budget for the business plan, the higher the cost compared to your budget the more likely you are to pursue less expensive options. However you should be guided by whether you want to succeed or not and which option will best ensure that you succeed.

You can reach an experienced, professional business plan writer in Nigeria either by email: paulonwueme@gmail.com or call: 08032064106

Nigerian Business Plan Writers: What to know before hiring one

If you are looking to hire a Nigerian business plan writer then this article is very important for you to read because of what is at stake namely; you risk wasting your money, wasting your time and not getting desired funding for your business idea even when it is viable and sound. You need to know that there are all manner of people claiming to be ‘professional business plan writers in Nigeria’ but their work ethic, competence, integrity and professionalism is in serious doubt. Let’s set the ball rolling with;

The Wrong Type of Nigerian Business Plan Writers to Hire

Once you know which Nigerian business plan writer is not right for you, you are one step away from not being disappointed and from achieving your business funding and growth goals. Here are some business plan writers you shouldn’t patronize;

Copy and Paste Business Plan Writers

These set of business plan writers commit copyright infringement and dishonest use of intellectual web content property by copying articles and other web contents from renowned business plan websites such as the business plan consulting page on liveplan.com. You can see this even in their sales pitch which is dishonestly written and unoriginal. Look out for the following headings in their sales pitch such as "We specialize in all types of plans", "Types of Business Plans We Write" or Our 5 Proven Business Plan Process" and then visit Live Plans Official Business Plan writer Page to make an informed decision. You’d see just how lazy and irresponsible some people can get just to put up appearances as professionals. The danger in patronizing someone like this is you will most likely be served with another copied sample business plan from bplans.com which is usually designed for businesses in the US or Canada rather than one specific to your needs and relevant for the Nigerian business environment that is if he/she even delivers your business plan to you. When you do a google search for business plan writers in Nigeria, business plan consultants or business plan formats you’ll understand what I mean. 

Nigerian Business Plan Writer making Baseless/Bogus Claims

If you ever see any of these claims it is a warning sign to be very careful because what you are trying to achieve with your business plan is a big deal either you don’t get funded or you are misled with unreliable figures and assumptions. Here are some of the common bogus claims;

• Nigeria’s Number 1 or the Best Business Plan Writer/Writing Company in Nigeria – in order to make a sale it is standard practice to do some chest thumping except that in Nigeria there has never been a business plan competition to determine the best business plan writer or any coronation ceremony to make them Nigeria’s number 1. So if you ever see such a business plan writer ask this question – how did you become Nigeria’s number 1? Interestingly I know a business consultant with over 22 years’ experience in business management, he is a consultant to Bank of Industry, NEXIM, SMEDAN and some commercial banks with wide industry contacts. His business plans are top quality, his financial analysis is brilliant and yet he thinks the idea of anyone being called Nigeria’ number 1 business plan writer is ridiculous.
• We Write MBA Standard Business Plans – an MBA standard business plan is usually written by a highly experienced and well paid professional usually in the middle management to upper management and in some cases director cadre. These are people who don’t work for peanuts and many of them are consultants to Bank of Industry, SMEDAN, commercial banks or other financial institutions. These professionals are contracted to write business plans for multimillion dollar projects, certainly not SME startups with less than $10,000 startup capital which is what more than 95% of Nigerian Business owners/entrepreneurs people searching online for business plan writers are seeking. But some so called ‘Business Plan writers’ who dishonestly present a sales pitch and copy other website’s contents will want you to believe that they write MBA standard business plans for which they are willing to charge you a paltry N25,000 – that cannot even cover the cost of logistics expenses for many standard MBA business plans
• You can submit/present our business plans anywhere – there are two problems with this claim. First problem is business plans are not a one size fits all document. They are highly individualized and specific for every business opportunity. Market considerations, location and management vary and so also the banks, development agencies, investors and other institutions requesting for such business plans - they have different standards, requirements and formats for business plans. While some like Bank of Industry are very strict with their business plan formats and even go as far as referring you to one of their accredited business plan writers or SME consultants, others like NEXIM will give you a format to work with and would still refer you to an in-house specialist to advise you on how best to present your plan. Commercial banks are a bit more flexible but some also have business plan writers they work with and even at that you must be prepared to revisit your business plan even when it is a quality business plan after submitting it. Second reason is that you need to either work as a consultant with all banks, institutions, investors etc to know their requirements and expectations beforehand which would mean such a business plan writer is accredited to all of them or at the very least has written for all of them before, obviously we know that can’t be true.
• Pirated Sample Business Plan Format – Another claim is with the sample business plan format which is often pirated and presented as an original copy without giving credit to the original source of the format.  One particular 'business plan writer' who also claims to write MBA standard business plans copied his from SBA's business plan format - designed for US and Canadian businesses as an example. Initially it might be okay to use a business plan format copied online but the main challenge is with presenting ideas in a very convincing and impacting way. The other challenge is with covering the most important aspects the banks and investors should see and not all business plan formats are suitable especially if you are based in Nigeria. The macro/micro economic factors, market situations and how the financial projections should be presented are different. A fancifully presented business plan format is not the same thing as a reliable business plan format.

The right type of Nigerian Business Plan Writer to Hire

Now it’s time to ask the next logical question which is - who then is a suitable business plan writer to hire? The answer is both subjective and objective but you have to answer these questions yourself if you don’t want to make a big mistake;

Will this business plan writer present an original document or will he copy and paste from an internet source?

This is where the boys are separated from the men. Those who pretend to be professional but lack originality cannot prove themselves when left to their own resources. You may find out by simply researching some of their top articles or blog posts – google is your friend – a copy and paste pattern will reveal someone who will fail this test.

Does this Business Plan writer have proven track records?

If he has never written a business plan in which his clients were successful in either raising funds to start or grow their dream businesses or gave positive feedback on the quality of the job done then you’ll be gambling with such a business plan writer.

Does this business plan writer have the right imagination and analytical skills to write a standard business plan?

A standard Business Plan requires imagination and great analytical thinking. The difference between the sample business plans you’ll find online and a really professionally written one is in the depth of thinking and accuracy of assumptions both of which can only come if the writer has the right imagination to predict, assume and organize ideas in a way that is accurate and presentable

Will my Business Plan be written according to my business needs?

If the business plan writer cannot see your business needs even after interviewing you what are the odds he will write a business plan tailored to your business needs?

 
Final Tips on Hiring a professional Business Plan Writer in Nigeria

• Contact more than one business plan writer preferably by email or just a simple 3 minute phone chat to gauge the competence and experience of the business plan writer before making a proper inquiry and/or decision
• The business plan writer who understands your business needs even without you explicitly stating it definitely knows his turf
• If you know your business very well then ask technical questions specific to your industry and wait to get his/her feedback

If you’re looking for a reliable Nigerian business plan writer with a string of track records from 2014 till date, access to highly experienced business consultants and original, flawless business writing skills you are an email or a phone call away: paulonwueme@gmail.com or 0803 206 4106