There's no question that you'll need a professional business advisor to help with planning if you're founding a company coming out of the gate with millions of dollars in funding. However, what about much smaller businesses? A vast majority of the businesses in the United States qualify as small businesses, with many operating on relatively tiny budgets.

If you're about to launch your own business, you might wonder whether you need professional planning advice even if your ambitions aren't lofty. While the answer will be different for everyone, here are three reasons why even the smallest businesses can still benefit from professional help during their planning phase.

1. Funding Support

A business planner isn't going to provide your business with funding, but they can provide something far more valuable. Whether you're launching a corner store or a local contracting business, you'll likely need initial funding. If you don't have a large amount of savings, you'll often need to rely on bank loans, grants, crowdfunding, or other traditional and non-traditional sources.

While these funding sources are varied, they have one thing in common: they rely on good planning. Whether you pitch your idea on a crowdfunding platform or apply for a bank loan, a good business plan will give you the highest odds of success. A professional planner can help give you the tools necessary to secure funding for your business.

2. Objective Analysis

Launching a new business is exciting, but that excitement can easily cloud objectivity. An important part of any business plan is a clear view of your goals, market, and the best path to success. A professional business planner will help you view these aspects of your business with clear eyes, helping you avoid many pitfalls that can come from being too invested in your ideas.

Most importantly, they'll help you adjust your plans to overcome these challenges and launch a more successful business. By taking a more objective look at your plans, you'll be able to identify likely problems better and develop the strategies necessary to recognize and address them.

3. Marketing Planning

Any new business requires marketing, but identifying the best ways to market your business can be challenging. This process may be particularly difficult if you're entering into a new industry or you don't have any personal experience with marketing. A professional planner can help you identify marketing strategies that suit your specific needs and goals.

Most importantly, these strategies will help save you money and time over the long run by helping you to avoid many common marketing mistakes. A more streamlined approach to marketing means you can focus your time, effort, and money on the core aspects of your business operations that matter the most.

Contact a professional to learn more about business planning.