STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PLAN

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you create an organized and well-crafted business plan/pitch deck that will impress your target audience and present your business ideas and plans in the best possible light to investors and lenders.

Slide #1: Title page - Include your company name and logo and a brief description of your company. This description should be no more than one sentence. Adding a tagline would also be appropriate.

Slide #2: Describe the problem - Briefly describe the problem you are solving and who has this problem. Begin telling your story in the presentation. While you should not include the complete story on this slide, including a picture to remind the lender of the story may be advisable. People do not normally retain facts and numbers as readily as they remember a relatable story.

Slide #3: Describe the target market(s) - Continue your story on the third slide by describing your target market (ideal customer) and the projected size of that market. How many people have this problem and how much are they currently paying to solve the problem? Lenders want to know the total size of the market, how much are people currently willing to pay, and how you plan to position your company in the market. Be realistic in your story. Lenders want to know that you have identified a target market that is reachable and that your approach is realistic.

Slide #4: Your unique solution to the problem - Describe your unique approach to solving the problem. This is your unique selling proposition. What are you trying to sell! Again, the point of your presentation is to make it memorable and the listener to ask for more. Keep it short and concise and do not use buzzwords or acronyms. Discuss the impact your product or service has had on the customer.

Slide #5: Your business revenue model - Lenders want to know how they are going to get their money back in a reasonable period of time... On this slide, describe how you are going to make money. Be as precise as possible. Describe your pricing policies and compare that to the market. Do not go into significant detail about the competition because you will do that later in the presentation. How do you plan to compete on price and quality?

Slide #6: Early accomplishments and next steps - Discuss what you have accomplished to date. Early sales results, key hires to the team, and engineering product test results are examples of items discussed here. Discuss next steps to be taken after funding is in place, and finally, outline your goals for the future.

Slide #7: Customer acquisition strategies (marketing and sales strategies) – Similar to the Business Model slide, this is a particularly important slide for lenders. On this slide, explain tactics for getting your product in front of prospective customers and what the sales channels are. Demonstrating to prospective investors and lenders that you have a solid knowledge of your target markets and how to reach them. If your approach is different from your competitors, then you should highlight those differences.

Slide #8: Your team - Share the key members of the team and a brief description of their accomplishments prior to joining the team.

Slide #9: Financial projections - Summarize sales forecasts, profit and loss projections, and cash flow projections for the next three to five years. This should be summary information only. Discuss the numbers in more detail and have more detailed information if requested by the lender.

Slide #10: Describe your competition - Summarize primary competitors. If you are solving a problem in the market, is your target market also finding a solution to the problem somewhere else. Everyone has competition, so describe yours. Highlight how the company’s approach is different. How is your unique approach superior to your competition and why will the market embrace what you are offering?

Slide #11: Describe the investment needed - Summarize how much money you are asking, and how will it be utilized. Also, include how much money has already been invested in the company and its current ownership structure. Reinforce the growth projections by showing confidence in the team’s ability to manage growth profitably.

Slide #12: Exit strategy - Lenders want to know how long it is going to take for them to get their money back. On this slide discuss how they will be compensated for their investment, and how quickly will they earn ROI that is attractive. 

Slide #13: Recap - Provide a short and sweet summary and recap of your business pitch, and make sure to clearly articulate what the next steps are, and how you plan to follow-up with them to answer any additional questions or requests they might have.

Slide #14: Gratitude - Lastly, show your appreciation for their time and willingness to listen to your business pitch. End with gratitude and make sure to provide your contact information.

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