Guidelines for Presenting Your Companys Business Plan

Suggested Slides for Your Presentation

Your Companys Introduction Market Need Customer Needs Your Technology and Product Leading Competitors Your Competitive Advantages Current Management Team Your Objectives and Goals Current Financial Situation Financial Projections (if available)

Slides
Note: The statements and questions below are suggested information that you may want to include on your slides or have available as answers to questions that may be asked.

1.

Your Companys Introduction

a. b. Company name You may include your logo or graphics with your companys name. What We Do Statement 1-sentence summary or 2-3 bullet points about what your company does Your companys market-position statement, tagline or elevator pitch. Presenters Name and Title

c.

2.

Market Need (The problem)

a. b. Whats the market need? Whats the problem is your company trying to solve? How large is this market need or problem? How many potential customers have or are affected by this problem? How much is currently being spent on this problem? Is this problem growing? How long has this been a problem? How fast it is growing?

c.

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Business Plan Presentation Guidelines

3.

Customers Needs (The pain)

a. b. How many potential customers need a solution to this problem? How many potential customers have a compelling or urgent need? Who are the potential customers for your companys products? Define the sizes and characteristics of your potential customers. Are these potential customers small, medium or large in size? Be specific about customer descriptions. Current expenditures How much is currently being spent on this problem? Is customer demand for your product ready made or will you have to create it?

c. d.

4.

Market Segments
a. b. Identify the 2-3 most important segments of the market for your product. For each market segment: Estimate the market sizenumber of potential customers and sales What distinguishes this market from broader market? What distinguishes this market from other market segments identified? Whats the compelling or urgent customer need in this segment?

5.

Your Companys Product (Your companys solution)

a. Explain how your companys technology works. In your explanation, use simple everyday language and examples. Dont disclose confidential information about your technology. Clearly explain what your companys product is. Explain what your customers will be buying. Describe the benefits your companys product will deliver to its customers. Why will customers buy your companys product? What benefits will customers get from buying your companys product, including avoid or eliminated expenses? Justify cost of your product vs. expected benefits your customers will receive. Whats your companys value-added proposition? Identify the value your companys product adds, that is, what portion of the whole solution will your companys product provide? Explain, from the customers perspective, where your companys product fits into the whole solution to the problem (market and customers need). Will customers see your product as being the total, a major part or a minor part of the solution? What enablersother products, services, technologies or platformswill be required to make your companys product effective? What customer conversionschanges in customers systems, behavior or procedurewill be required to realize key benefits from your companys product?

b. c.

d.

e.

f. g.

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6.

Leading Competitors
a. Identify your companys anticipated 3-5 largest competitors. Please dont use the phrase, We dont have any competitors. Every company has competitors, including sellers of existing products, so identify them. Your competitors should be companies that are currently selling or you expect to sell similar products in your market to your targeted customers. For each competitor identified, list 1-2 characteristics or competitive strengths, for example, a Fortune 500 corporation. Rank your companys largest anticipated competitors in your market. Competitors should be ranked in order of how strongly you anticipate that they will compete against your companys product.

b.

7.

Your Competitive Advantages

a. b. Hows your companys product better than your competitors products? List 4-5 competitive or technological advantages of your companys product: Technology. Potential or existing patents, copyrights or other intellectual property. Product features or functioning. Rank your competitive or technological advantages in order of strength, with your strongest advantage being listed first.

c.

8.

Current Management
a. List the following management, if any: President or chief operating officer (CEO) Chief science officer (CSO) or chief technology officer (CTO) Other management For each of person in management, provide: Previous accomplishments and successes Years of experience in this or related technology field

b.

9.

Your Objectives and Goals

a. Describe your companys objectives and goals for: The near term1 year or less. The longer termnext 1-3 years An objective or goal should be specific and measurable. Identify key milestones your company will have to reach to accomplish these objectives or goals. Place these key milestones in a time chart. Explain your companys plans for developing its product. Explain the current state of development of your companys product. How much product-development work remains.
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b. c.

d.

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Show a timeline of your product-development plans over next 3 years. Provide estimated levels of effort and costs for each level or milestone. Identify major development or technology risks or challenges.

10. Current Financial Situation

a. b. How much cash your company currently has on hand. Additional funds you anticipate receiving within next 60-90 days, including from: Family and friends Angel investors or other seed capital. Government grants. Projected monthly expenses for next 6-12 months for: Product development. Employees Professionals and consultants.

c.

11. Financial Projections (3-5 years)

Months 1-12 Months 13-24 Months 25-36 Months 37-48 Months 37-48

New Customers Units Shipped Revenues Gross Profit ($) Gross Profit Margin (%) Net Profit ($) Net Profit Margin (%) Cash Flow Cash Flow (cumulative) a. Be prepared to explain dramatic numbers in your projections, such as: Instant market penetration (rapid initial sales) and dispersion (to many customers). Hockey stick growth (a growth chart that looks like this ) Unprecedented profit margins (those outside of industry norms). Long periods of a negative cash flowrevenues coming into your company are not sufficient to cover expenditures going out. Explain key assumptions behind your companys financial forecast. (Make certain that your companys forecast relates in a logical way to the market forecasts you have described previously.)

b.

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