How to Write a Business Plan for a Credit Repair Agency
Credit repair companies help consumers raise their credit scores so they can be more likely to get loans and insurance policies. Generally, credit repair companies charge a fee for their services, which typically include disputing errors on credit reports and negotiating with creditors to remove negative items from credit reports. A credit repair company may also offer additional services such as debt settlement or a “pay-for-delete” letter, where the company negotiates with a collector to pay a percentage of what is owed on an account in exchange for having the item removed from the credit report.
To create a business plan for a credit repair agency, start by discussing your target customers. Identify the age, gender and location of your potential clients and describe their psychographic profiles. This helps explain their wants and needs, which will help guide your marketing efforts.
Next, outline how you will make money by determining your pricing strategy. Some credit repair agencies charge a flat fee for all of their services, while others use a monthly subscription model. Then, you need to decide how you will structure your fees — whether you will charge by the month or per deletion from a credit report. Your business plan should also include a breakeven analysis, which determines how much you must charge in order to make a profit.
The industry and market analysis section of your business plan is important because it demonstrates that you have conducted research into the credit repair market and understand your market environment. In addition, the research will help you formulate your marketing strategy by identifying current trends and opportunities. Lastly, the industry and market analysis will give your business plan credibility when it comes time to secure funding from lenders or investors.
If you are looking to secure funds from a bank, your credit repair business plan will be reviewed by loan officers who need to be confident that you have a clear understanding of the market and how your business is expected to thrive. This will help them feel comfortable lending you the capital that you need to begin your new venture. The most common sources of financing for a credit repair business are personal savings and bank loans. To receive a bank loan, you will need to present a detailed and professionally written business plan that outlines your financial projections. The plan will also need to be approved by an underwriter or credit committee. This process can take up to 30 days. If you are unable to secure a loan, you may want to consider an alternative source of funding such as angel investors or venture capital.
