How to Prepare a Business Plan & Project Proposal
A business plan is crucial for new businesses looking for investors. You need to clearly and succinctly explain what your business is, how it can compete effectively against competitors and why you are the one capable of making it work. Not only new businesses need a good business plan. It is helpful for any business seeking investment and a great tool to keep business owners focused on their goals.
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Instructions
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Make an outline of key points that need to be covered. A business plan should include an executive summary, market analysis, company description, and financial needs and potential.
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Type or write out your full plan. Even if you are planning an oral presentation, it is important to give potential investors something they can review at their leisure.
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Use index cards to outline your presentation. Bullet points work best when giving a presentation so that you can make a lot of eye contact with your audience and not just stand in front of them reading a speech.
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Use slides, handouts or graph presentations to highlight key points of your plan. Printing companies such as Kinko's can help you prepare these. Visual aids are easily remembered.
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Use a tape recorder to practice your presentation. Listen to your recording and try to be as critical as possible to make it effective.
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Tips & Warnings
You can never do too much research. Assume that your audience knows nothing about your business or similar businesses and make it simple to understand. Always present with confidence. If you do not project your own belief in the business or project, others will find it hard to have faith in it.
Presentations should not last for more than 20 to 30 minutes. Refer the audience to the printed business plan for additional details that are not key points.
