preparing the business plan presentation

How to Make a Killer Business Plan Presentation (+Templates)

Learn how to make a business plan presentation with tips for slide design, structure, and engaging examples, as well as templates to bring your vision to life.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What slides should a business plan presentation include?

• Opening slide
• Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
• Business overview
• The challenge you're addressing
• Market analysis
• Your solution
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Team composition
• Funding request and allocation

Your business plan presentation needs to be as strong as your idea

Having a well-crafted business plan is crucial, but if it's not presented effectively, it's like having a treasure map that no one can read.

Even the best ideas can fall flat if they're not communicated clearly, potentially burying your chance of getting your business off the ground.

Remember, presenting a business plan is more than just sharing facts and figures. It's about engaging your audience, whether they're investors or stakeholders, and making them believe in your vision.

But don't worry, you're not alone in this. This guide is here to help you master the art of business plan presentation. You'll learn how to structure your presentation, design slides that captivate, and conclude in a way that leaves a lasting impact and drives action.

Let's dive in!

What to include in a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is your chance to delve deep, showcasing not just the what and the how, but also the why of your business. It's your strategic playbook that can persuade investors, guide your team, and set the foundation for your business's success.

11 essential slides of a business plan presentation:

Opening slide: Set the tone with an engaging first impression.

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define what sets your business apart.

Business overview: Offer a concise snapshot of your company.

The challenge you're addressing: Describe the problem your business solves.

Market analysis: Demonstrate your understanding of the industry and market trends.

Your solution: Detail how your product or service addresses the problem you’ve identified.

Marketing and sales strategy: Outline your approach to winning and keeping customers.

Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specify your objectives and how you’ll measure success.

Team composition: Introduce key team members, their roles, and expertise.

Funding request and allocation: Explain your financial requirements and how the funds will be utilized.

Next steps: Guide the reader on the next steps after reviewing your plan, whether it's a meeting request, further discussion, or a specific action you want them to take.

What does a business plan presentation look like?

In today's fast-paced business world, static business plan presentations are losing their edge. Imagine having to constantly pinch and zoom on a mobile device just to see the details. It's frustrating and distracting.

People also get disengaged when faced with walls of text. They're there to hear a story, not read a novel.

Interactive presentations, on the other hand, bring your business plan to life. They encourage audience participation, adapt to the flow of discussion, and make complex ideas more digestible and memorable.

You can see what an interactive business plan presentation looks like below:

How to turn a business plan into a presentation

Transforming your business plan into a presentation is a crucial step in bringing your vision to life. It's not just about having a plan; it's about presenting it in a way that resonates with investors and partners.

Start by distilling the essence of your plan, focusing on key points like your mission, market analysis, and financial projections. Use engaging visuals and a clear narrative to make complex information accessible.

For detailed insights on how to write a business plan , check out our guide.

How to make a business plan presentation in 6 easy steps

Crafting a business plan is about blending vision and strategy into a narrative that captivates your audience. With Storydoc's AI business presentation maker, creating this narrative becomes intuitive and easy.

In the guide below, we'll show you how to turn your plan into an engaging presentation in 6 simple steps. Stick around to see how seamlessly Storydoc can bring your business story to life.

1) Describe your presentation’s objective

Kick things off by sharing with our AI the type of business plan you're looking to create. This is like setting the GPS for your journey, ensuring every part of your plan is aligned with your end goal.

2) Give an overview of yourself, your organization, and your offering

Introduce the essence of your business - who you are, what your company stands for, and the unique value of what you offer. This sets the stage for a personalized and relevant presentation.

3) Select a suitable design template

Dive into our collection of design templates and pick one that resonates with your business's personality.

4) Tailor your business plan presentation to your needs

Now, here’s where you add your personal touch. Fill in your details, tweak the design, and watch the magic happen as the template adapts to your content. This is where your business plan presentation starts to take on a life of its own.

Then, you can either upload your own multimedia elements or sit back as our AI assistant generates some for you.

5) Add personalized elements

Next up, sprinkle in some personalization. It works just like personalizing a newsletter - you can insert dynamic variables that automatically fill up with your recipient's data.

This level of customization not only makes your presentation feel tailor-made for each reader but also adds a layer of engagement. As a matter of fact, it can get 68% more people to read your deck in full , and share it internally 2.3x more often!

6) Review and refine your business plan presentation

Finally, take a step back and review your plan. Ensure it looks good, flows well, and clearly conveys your message.

The beauty of Storydoc is that it's a living document – if you spot a mistake or need to update information after sharing, you can. You're in control, ensuring your audience always sees the most polished and up-to-date version of your business plan presentation.

Business plan design principles to turn average into impressive

Designing a business plan presentation is about more than just putting words on a page; it's about creating an experience that captures and holds attention. In today's digital age, the way you present your plan can be just as important as the content itself.

Let's explore how to design a business plan presentation that stands out in the modern business landscape.

1) Move from static to interactive

Gone are the days of static, text-heavy business plan presentations. Today's plans are interactive, engaging readers with clickable elements, dynamic charts, and even embedded videos.

This interactivity not only makes your plan more interesting but also allows readers to engage with the content in a more meaningful way.

Here's a great example of an interactive business plan presentation:

2) Use scroll-based design

Forget the hassle of pinching and zooming on a PDF. A scroll-based design, similar to a modern website, offers a fluid reading experience.

It's straightforward and aligns with how we naturally consume content online, making your business plan presentation easier and more enjoyable to read.

Here's an example of scroll-based design:

3) Make sure your business plan presentation is mobile-friendly

With so many people reading on their phones, your business plan presenttion needs to look good on any device.

Responsive design means your plan is easily readable on a phone, tablet, or computer, ensuring that your message is clear no matter how your audience accesses it.

4) Shift from local files to online documents

Step away from traditional Word docs or PDFs and embrace online documents. They're great for sharing, updating in real time, and collaborating with others.

Plus, they're accessible from anywhere, which is perfect for busy investors who are always on the move.

For more information, check out our comparison of the best business plan document types .

5) Embrace visual storytelling

Use visuals like infographics and charts to tell your business's story. They can turn complex data into easy-to-understand, engaging information. A well-placed visual can often do a better job of explaining your points than text alone.

Here's a great example of visual storytelling:

Best business plan software

Selecting the right tool to create your business plan presentation is vital for any startup. To ease your journey, I've compiled a list of the top business plan software, each designed to cater to different needs.

From comprehensive platforms guiding you step-by-step to dynamic tools that add interactive elements to your presentation, there's something for every entrepreneur.

The best business plan software currently available:

LivePlan.com

BizPlan.com

Upmetrics.co

GoSmallBiz.com

Business Sorter

MAUS Master Plan Lean

For a deep dive into each tool and to find the one that best fits your business's needs, explore our detailed guide to the best business plan software .

Interactive business plan presentation templates

The pressure to get your business plan presentation right can be overwhelming. After all, in many cases, you only get one shot to impress.

These business plan presentation templates offer a framework that takes care of the structure and design, allowing you to focus solely on fleshing out your strategy.

Whether you're pitching to investors, partners, or stakeholders, these templates give you the confidence that your plan is presented in the best possible light.

Grab one and see for yourself.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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Home Blog Business How To Craft & Deliver an Effective Business Plan Presentation (Quick Guide)

How To Craft & Deliver an Effective Business Plan Presentation (Quick Guide)

A vital element in today’s highly competitive business landscape is the ability to craft and deliver a business plan presentation. This applies to both entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. 

This guide describes essential aspects required to build a business plan presentation and deliver it to stakeholders. 

Table of Contents

What is a Business Plan Presentation?

Is a business plan presentation the same as a business presentation, executive summary, justification of the business proposal, swot analysis, the niche of the proposal & actors in the industry, competitors, competitive intensity, trend analysis and critical variables, value chain, market analysis, jobs-to-be-done, value proposition, revenue streams, cost structure, distribution channels, key partnerships for the business model, organizational structure & management, go to market and marketing plan, development plan, qa, and continuous improvement model, distribution plan, inventory management, initial funding and financing structure, projection of income and costs.

• Evaluation of Projected Return vs. Required

Risk Evaluation

Sensitivity to critical variables, how to present bibliographical information in a business plan presentation, how to deliver a business plan presentation.

A business plan presentation is the medium we use to communicate a business plan to an audience. 

Presenters commonly ask what is the target length of a business plan presentation in terms of slides. Our expertise in this field tells us it’s advisable to work between 13-20 slides, remaining as concise as possible and using the help of visual aids. Let the graphics speak rather than fill your slides with text blocks.

No. A business plan presentation is used to communicate an identified business opportunity and how it is planned to be served in a way that generates profit. A business presentation is a more generic term, explained in our article about business presentation examples . 

How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

This section will list our recommended content for a successful business plan presentation. We broke it down into four stages which help the presenter build the story backing the business: a-. The opportunity and the competitive landscape analyzed, b- the business model designed and tested to serve the opportunity, c- the implementation plan of the business model, and finally, d- the financial and economic projections estimated that show the profitability of the opportunity.

For the purpose of this guide, the slides will refer to a case study of photo editing software. To replicate this slide deck creation process, you can speed up design decisions by working with the SlideModel AI Presentation Maker and tailoring it to your project.

So, how to make a business plan presentation? Let’s see a step by step guide.

Stage 1 – Identifying the Opportunity

After the title slide that defines how to start a presentation , any business plan should proceed by introducing the executive summary in a concise but impactful format.

The purpose of the executive summary is to inform the audience what to expect from the presentation and its conclusion.

Work with a maximum of two slides for this section, highlighting the key elements through visual cues. Check our guide on how to present an executive summary .

The next slide should disclose all the reasoning behind the business plan proposal, why this plan is being presented at this present moment, and projections of how the plan aligns with the current market trends.

Presenters can share the analysis done by the Market research team as long as it’s made clear which problem is relevant to the current market trends that this business plan aims to solve.

Mention all the references used to arrive at the conclusions expressed so data is backed with meaningful sources.

Any corporate PPT template can help you craft this slide, but presenters can also boost their performance through the use of infographics . If your solution for the selected problem involves a complex process, consider using a process flow template to expose the step-by-step justification of this proposal.

Use a SWOT template to showcase the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of this business opportunity.

Make sure the SWOT diagram is legible. Work your way to meet the same aesthetic style despite speeding up the process with templates. Mention the tools used for gathering the information for this SWOT Analysis in the footnote and ensure the audience understands which information elements help you reach conclusions in each quadrant. Check our guide on how to create a SWOT analysis and see if your business plan requires a SWOT or SOAR analysis . 

Every business plan is scoped under a niche or industry sector. With this slide, describe the sector in which the proposal is immersed. Communicate its value,  list the actors involved, and describe their high-level relationships.

List the analyzed competitors. Communicate their attributes. The competitors’ comparison in business plan presentation can be visually explained using tools from the Blue Ocean Strategy framework, like the Strategy Canvas . 

The competitive intensity of an industry sector is studied through the Porter’s 5 Forces model. This intensity expresses how attractive the industry is. Explain the conclusion in each force showcasing the model.

First, introduce the variables identified as important for the industry sector, citing the insight’s source. Secondly, drill down each variable and break down the different trend dimensions ( PESTEL ) 

• Use a highly visual slide, like a dashboard template , to introduce factual data regarding the trends over a specific time period. Growth rates must be represented in time frames of over 180 days to evaluate the trend accurately.
• List the critical variables (consumers, product, production capability, and financing) briefly.
• Disclose how each variable can affect pricing and your position within the niche for that trend. Presenters can refer to case studies from successful competitor stories on how they responded to trend changes in the niche.

When presenting the value chain, we ought to articulate the sequence of activities the company handles to create value within the business plan. Start by breaking down the value chain into its key components, briefly explaining the stages from inbound logistics all the way through customer service. It is important to highlight the linking point between each stage and express the value of coordinating team activities to enhance overall efficiency.

We can use flowchart diagram templates as visual aids for the audience so they can understand the process sequence. Check our guide on how to make a flowchart .

Present the identified Market and its Segments. Continue explaining how conclusions were driven through the analysis and sizing of the market.

Presenters can use target market analysis templates , market segmentation templates , or TAM SAM SOM templates to compare their target market with the total available market. 

We recommend you check our guide on market segmentation for this process.

Then drill down with a Persona definition.

This study can be made by creating ideal customers, describing their demographics and psychological factors that make them prospective candidates to purchase the product or service this business plan presentation refers to.

Here is our guide on creating buyer personas . 

The Jobs-to-be-Done theory explains why certain customers are attracted to products and services and how those elements solve core problems in the consumers’ lives. 

A Perceptual Map is a tool we can use to measure the consumer perception of different products/services in the same market. This can be particularly useful if our value proposal is to brand ourselves as cheaper alternatives to already existing solutions. Check our guide on perceptual maps for further information.

Check our guide on the Jobs-to-be-Done framework and add suggestions to the business plan presentation.

Stage 2 – Business Model

To describe the  Business Model in your Business Plan Presentation, use the business model canvas analysis tool. Display your design in one slide.

For specific sections of the BMC, you can add slides if you need to drill down for further details. In our experience, the following sections require a deeper level of explanation.

List the Segments targeted in your Business Model. You can include a slide with additional information and segment size. Reference the Market analysis explained earlier to justify the selection or which were the pivots applied.

In order to explain the reasoning behind the Value Proposition and how it serves the segments selected, you can use the Value Proposition Canvas tool to explain the logic behind this selection.

The Value Proposition outlines the unique benefit our product or service offers the market and why customers should choose our offer over potential alternatives. Since we have already analyzed the potential buyers and presented the market, it’s time to deliver that value proposition using our best assets: customer testimonials, report data, surveys, etc.

As testimonials often weigh the most in established brands, be sure to present this information through a narrative that showcases why your product or service had a positive impact on the life of that customer. You can use customer testimonial templates to give an extra boost through visual aids.

Explaining how much the customers will pay for the product/services is critical to understanding the viability and profitability of the business. Showcase for each segment the pricing model and the engagement terms.

The Income Model expresses the sources of revenue for our business plan. This has to be in relationship with the pricing strategy for established businesses. Lean startups can work concerning their minimum viable product (MVP) and then elaborate with projections for future releases or changes in their income stream structure.

At this point, companies need to present the sources of revenue depending on their origin:

• Product Sales
• Subscription Model
• Freemium Model
• Partnerships with other brands in different niches
• Advertising and Sponsorships
• Monetization

Check our guide on pricing strategy models for more information about how to present this point. You can use revenue stream templates to represent this data in style.

Drill down the cost structure categories and relate them to the Value Chain explained earlier. Show a cost breakdown chart to make it easier for the audience to understand their weight in the total costs.

As this step can be a bit complex to articulate, we recommend you check our guide on Cost Structure to see how you can resume all that information in one slide.

At the business model stage, distribution channels should be briefly introduced since they will be mentioned again in the Distribution Plan . In some industries, it is important to highlight which channels are chosen over others for the sake of revenue and faster operation.

Our Distribution Channels PowerPoint Template is a perfect resource for this.

Presenting the strategic partnerships for the business plan is a way to prove the plan’s potential reach and success factor. On this behalf, companies must list which resources they are sharing with their business partners regarding expertise, technology, distribution channels, or capital, as these elements will impact the cost structure.

You can use the Business Partnership PowerPoint Template to present this information in a professional-looking format.

Stage 3 – Implementation

The business plan is designed to offer a product, deliver a service, or combine both. At this stage, the business plan presentation drills down on how the organization will build/deliver the product/service implementing the business model outlined earlier.  

Describe how the company operates regarding human capital and its roles. Presenters must describe to the audience the hierarchical structure, responsibilities, and how they play a role within the value chain.

You can use Org Charts to represent the roles and responsibilities in the organization visually. It is also advisable to highlight the expertise and experience of the management team, as it helps to build trust.

The Human Resource Plan must refer to your planned recruitment, training, and employee onboarding. Which talent will be required, and how is it planned to build the different teams of the structure.

Check the Go To Market Strategy guide and describe how the Business Plan will enter the market and overcome the initial barriers. Continue with the Marketing Plan limited to 1-2 slides resuming the plan’s tactics to increase brand awareness and the selected channels for this strategy. 

You can use the Marketing Plan Templates help to speed up the process by focusing on the content to fill rather than the design or creating complex charts from scratch.

Present the sales plan describing the full sales process, lead generation, nurturing customers, and conversion strategies.

Use Sales PowerPoint Templates to visually illustrate your sales process, like the Sales Pipeline Slide Template for PowerPoint , which depicts the process from lead acquisition to a closed deal.

Check our guide on Sales Plan for further information on this topic.

This step refers to presenting the product/service development plan, the Quality Assurance processes behind its validation, and your company’s commitment to a continuous improvement process based on surveyed data or customer feedback.

We can refer to testimonials, user case experiences our team successfully troubleshot, or experiences we learned from competitors in the same niche.

Presenting the distribution plan involves addressing logistics topics, supply chain , and sharing fulfillment strategies. Although we already presented the potential distribution channels, this is the step in which you detail how each will interact and their impact on the estimated revenue. 

Present one slide mentioning your company’s approach to these channels, if applicable:

• Direct Sales (either physical store or e-commerce)
• Retail Partnerships
• Wholesalers or Distributors
• E-Commerce marketplaces

This step involves two different approaches depending on the kind of industry we’re in. For traditional business, inventory management in a business plan presentation must highlight how the inventory will be handled to minimize transportation costs or overproduction. Projections must be shown per quarterly period and take into account seasonality if it has a significant impact on the required storage capacity.

On the other hand, e-commerce companies have to present their online infrastructure to secure the product’s availability 24/7, how customer tickets are handled when the customer cannot access the product, server costs, and how we prevent online leaks.

Stage 4 – ROI and Risk Evaluation

This section will outline the Financial Plan of your Business.

Showcase the financial structure, including equity, debt, and potential investors, at the moment of kick-starting this business. It is a good practice to consider the initial funding slide to be a brief summary of those points, with particular emphasis on the funding needs.

Cash Flow Diagrams , Comparison Chart templates , and Timeline templates to showcase when funds help to meet each of the plan’s milestones are good ideas to represent the elements on this slide.

Income and expense projections must be presented over a defined time period by using graphs or charts to clearly visualize the trends supporting each change.

Break down the revenue sources with clear, identifiable icons to showcase: product sales, subscription fees, advertisement, affiliates, etc. Sales estimations have to be realistic and conservative, as they will be contrasted with the production, marketing, administrative, and personnel costs to leave a gross profit margin calculation. 

Evaluation of Projected Return vs. Required 

Demonstrate the feasibility of your business plan. Start by presenting the profit margins in relation to the projection of income and expenses, then introduce the break-even analysis .

Presenters can make their message more relevant by presenting an ROI calculation and contrasting it with industry benchmarks in the same niche. By following this approach, presenters prove how the ROI offered by this business plan aligns with the investment’s risk projection.

Presenting a risk evaluation analysis in a business plan presentation involves introducing both risks and their mitigation strategies. 

Risk Management templates , like the ROAM framework, can help organize potential risk sources by their severity and impact on the organization. A pyramid diagram can be used to demonstrate how risk management can be delegated across the organization to completely eradicate the risk factor depending on its severity. 

The elements you should consider presenting are mainly regulatory changes, market changes, competitors (new or existing), and financial crises. 

The final point in our business plan presentation involves summarizing how key variables can influence the projected returns in our plan. Examples of these variables can be sudden increases in raw materials (affecting production costs and sales prices), a new pandemic (affecting workforce capacity and shortage of raw materials), geopolitical situations like war, etc.

We highly recommend presenting these critical variables using scenario analysis techniques according to measured data. Introduce best-case, worst-case, and most likely-case to give a full panorama of how your organization is prepared against any contingency.

An often overlooked point in a business plan presentation comes when listing the bibliographical information used to craft the business plan. Follow these steps to ensure a professional outcome for this slide or document.

• Use a title like: “Bibliography,” “Source Credits,” or “References.” If your business plan presentation cites examples from other companies, use a “Works Cited” section.
• References are usually shown in the APA style, but the MLE or Chicago style can be requested depending on your location or situation.
• Maintain a consistent style in terms of reference style used, font, text size, and formatting options across the entire slide deck. Footnotes or in-text citations can be used for important data.
• Verbally acknowledge your sources when required throughout the course of your presentation. This helps to establish credibility and respect for other people’s work rather than just dropping a slide with chunks of text.

This section will cover the most commonly asked questions on delivering a business plan presentation.

How many slides should my business plan presentation list?

This will depend entirely on your niche and the complexity of the business plan. Generally, work with at least 15 slides and no more than 30. It is best to use an extra slide rather than overcrowd an existing slide with tons of information.

What is the best format to present a business plan?

There are different options to present any business plan, so the selected option will mostly consist of the presenter’s preferred style and the audience’s age and interests.

• PowerPoint Presentation : You can start from a blank slide and go all the way through a professionally designed PPT template . PowerPoint documents allow you to present images, text, audio, videos, and any kind of graphic to help you convey the core ideas behind the business plan. They can work with any PC or Mac device, as well as mobile devices.
• PDF Documents: This can be a choice made in a hurry or by preference. Sharing a PDF document can work, but you must include the fonts used in the original document, as some compatibility issues can be present. 
• Pitch Deck : Rather than doing a lengthy business plan presentation, a pitch deck consists of a maximum of 15 slides to deliver your proposal concisely. This is the typical approach we can see in TV shows like Shark Tank. 
• Video Presentation : In some cases, using a video in a business plan presentation is relevant, especially if we are to introduce an innovative product in the market. You can use videos to showcase features, present services in a live format, introduce your team, and plenty of other options.

Are printables required in business plan presentations?

Although they are not required, using supplementary material in business plan presentations can be useful. You can prepare reference material for investors, especially involving complex data like graphs in an amplified format (and reference the slide in which they appear and vice versa).

Providing a printable to accompany your business plan presentation helps to give an image of professionalism and respect to your proposal.

What are the don’ts of writing a business plan?

The main purpose of this article is to craft and deliver a business plan presentation. Still, we would like to clarify some common errors seen in business plans that typically affect the performance of the presentation.

• Using overcomplicated language : Jargon or unnecessary acronyms may confuse spectators who are not in touch with all the details relevant to a particular industry. 
• Ignoring the audience : Not considering the variety of interests among investors, partners, and team members can hinder your presentation.
• Neglecting/underestimating competitors : Any realistic business plan considers the existing competitors in their niche and perhaps potential newcomers. Not doing so will leave you unprepared to present a doable business plan.
• Ignoring Risk Assessment : Omitting the Risk Assessment analysis and mitigation strategies does not respect the value investors and your team have. 

How long should the business plan presentation be?

As a general guideline, try to fit your business plan presentation between 20-30 minutes. Some complex plans may require additional time to be presented.

Does the presentation need to be tailored to different audiences? 

Using this tactic can be a winning factor for both investors and your team, as you prioritize effective communication for the roles they are relevant. Take these items into consideration for tailoring the presentation for specific needs.

In-Company Presentation

The focus should be on goal accomplishment and the strategies targeted to the team’s roles. Emphasize how teamwork is the pathway to success and how each individual contributes to the bigger picture.

If new technologies or knowledge are required as part of the business plan implementation, then this is the moment to disclose that information and inform the process to coach the team into it.

Board Meeting

Whenever delivering the business plan presentation to a board of directors, focus on the strategic goals, financial projections, and KPIs. 

Showcase how this business plan aligns with the company’s core values, mission, vision, and long-term strategy. 

Potential Investors

Presenting your unique value proposition, potential ROI, and highlighting the market opportunity is extremely important. Focus on selling your business model and vision with accurate financial projections and growth strategy. 

Dedicate some minutes to present your industry’s competitive landscape and answer why your product or service is a better offering than what competitors produce.

As we can see, creating a business plan presentation is a process that can be time-consuming if we lack the required business plan presentation tools to turn data into visually appealing formats. 

Remember to work concisely without losing the big picture of what you intend to explain. Your presentation is the entry point into the heart of your business; therefore, by adopting a structured approach, you can deliver an experience that engages, inspires, and builds confidence. 

Finally, let’s see some business plan PowerPoint presentation examples & business plan templates that you can use to speed up the presentation design process and save time.

1. Coffee Shop Illustration Business Plan Slides

Create your new business plan presentation with quality vector illustrations for Coffee Shops. Ideal for cafeterias, coffee bars, barista giftshop stores, bookshops and more.

Use This Template

2. Real Estate Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Realtors looking to start their own agencies should take a look at this attractive selection of slides with tailored real estate vector illustrations. These presentation plan slides show the different stages that a prospective buyer may incur, from hiring the services of a Real Estate agent, checking different properties, to finally buying a home.  Graphs and charts are included in vivid colors that are fully editable to meet the required branding.

3. Restaurant Business Model PowerPoint Template

As we’ve seen with the previous cases, these vector images depicting typical restaurant activities can help us build a business plan presentation sample to discuss with our team prior to an important meeting. Save time and money by introducing these professional designs into your presentation.

4. One Pager Business Plan PowerPoint

To briefly summarize the objectives of your business plan, work in-team with this one-pager business plan slide. Ideal to take notes, give a general picture of the current status of the business plan and key growth opportunities.

5. Business Plan PowerPoint Templates

If you want to create the best business plan presentation, this slide deck can make that task 100% easier. Containing all the elements described in this guide, introduce your data and prepare to deliver a powerful speech.

6. Flat Bold Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Another slide deck intended for those looking at how to make a business plan presentation that delivers a memorable experience. With a minimalistic design approach, it perfectly balances formal elements and impactful visual cues to help increase your audience’s retention rate.

7. Car Sharing Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Create the next Uber-like car-sharing service with the help of these carpooling vector illustrations perfectly arranged in a cohesive business plan slide deck. Presenters can explain the ins and outs of their business model with highly detailed graphics that grab the attention of potential investors. Check it out now!

8. Beauty Salon Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Business plan presentations don’t have to look formal or boring. This slide deck is geared towards beauty salon businesses, especially for those targeted to women. Chic design, bold color scheme, and extremely useful tools like a pricing list to present an idea like a subscription-based model where consumers see the total value of their investment.

9. CrossFit Business Plan PowerPoint Template

Finally, we list an option filled with tools and gym vector illustrations for those looking to start a gym business or CrossFit academy. These illustrations were crafted with care to express the core idea on every single slide, such as human-shaped graphs to present relevant KPIs.

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The Easy Guide to Making a Business Plan Presentation

Failing to plan is planning to fail.

That’s why a business plan is crucial to your business. If you want to make sure that the promising business idea in your head is feasible, you have to start with a business plan .

Visuals make anything easier to understand. That’s why including them in your business plan presentation is a foolproof way to ensure that it’s readily welcomed by your audience and digested without confusion.

By no means is this business plan template limited to presentations; you can also include these diagrams in your business plan documents to make them more readable.

Following are downloadable Simple Business Plan Templates

• Business Plan Template PDF
• Business Plan Template Word
• Business Plan Template PowerPoint

What is a Business Plan?

Benefits of using a business plan presentation, executive summary, company profile, customer profiles.

• Perpetual Map
• Porter’s Five Forces

SWOT Analysis

Pest analysis, competitor profile.

• Competitive Intelligence

Marketing and Sales Strategies

Organizational structure and management, product canvas, value proposition canvas.

• Financial plan

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Business Plan Presentation

Faqs about business plan presentations, want to extend the guide to creating a business plan presentation.

Let’s start by clarifying the business plan definition.

A business plan is a document that describes your business in terms of what it does, the products and services it offers, your business strategy and business goals, and your action plan outlining how you plan to achieve your goals and earn money.

The main purposes of a business plan are to

• Show the future financial performance of the company and its economic situation for the owners and investors.
• Help identify risks that may affect the growth of the company and provide strategies to overcome them.
• Help make predictions about market trends, competitor behavior, customer requirements and define and prioritize key business objectives .
• Serve as a key resource for developing budgets

Clarity and Communication

A business plan presentation helps you communicate your business idea, goals, and strategies with clarity. It allows you to distill complex information into concise and visually appealing slides, making it easier for your audience to understand and grasp the key points. Presenting your business plan in a structured and organized manner enhances clarity and ensures that your message is effectively communicated.

Engaging and Persuasive

A well-designed and well-delivered business plan presentation can be highly engaging and persuasive. By using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and images, you can capture the attention of your audience and create a memorable impact. Effective storytelling and compelling visuals can help you convey the value proposition of your business, showcase market opportunities, and convince investors, stakeholders, or potential partners to support your venture.

Feedback and Interaction

Presenting your business plan allows you to receive immediate feedback and engage in discussions with your audience. This feedback can be invaluable in refining your business strategy , identifying potential gaps or weaknesses, and addressing questions or concerns. The interactive nature of a presentation enables you to have a dialogue, gather insights, and build relationships with key stakeholders. It also provides an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, passion, and confidence, which can further strengthen your credibility and increase the likelihood of securing support or funding for your business.

The Key Elements of a Business Plan

A business plan should contain the following key components.

• Executive summary
• Company profile
• Market analysis
• Marketing and sales strategies
• Organizational structure and management
• Services and products

Although this comes first, it’s smarter to write it at the end. The executive summary of your business plan should explain what is great about your business model and its products or services.

It should be concise and appealing to the reader. And it’s easier to write a meaningful summary once you have filled in the rest of your plan.

Your company profile should provide details on,

• Company history
• Overview of the company
• Mission Statement
• Key resources
• Business contact information
• Products or services
• Location details
• The market you serve
• Your key customers
• The customer issue you seek to solve

All these details can be presented in a much nicer way with an infographic like the one below. It’s easier to read and understand and more compact and clearer than paragraphs of detail.

Market Analysis

Through a market analysis , you can find enough detail to define your target market, its size, customer segments, and their needs.

Your market analysis should also include a competitor analysis, where you will research your key competitors in terms of their influence in the market, their strengths and weaknesses, the threats they pose to you, their products and services, their pricing plans, their marketing strategies etc.

Some visual techniques you can use in this section to present your data are

These aptly summarize all your findings on your customers such as their demographic details, jobs, responsibilities, needs, challenges etc.

Perceptual Map

This tool helps you depict and analyze how your (potential) target customer perceives the brands or products of your competitors. It helps you make sense of your product or service’s competitive positioning through the survey data at your hand.

Porter’s Five Forces

This tool is used to assess your business competitive strength and position against your competitors. Using it you can understand whether your new product or service is profitable.

SWOT analysis is a great way to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors and the opportunities and threats they bring to you within the industry. You can also use it to assess the capabilities of your own company.

More on SWOT Analysis: What, Why and How to Use Them Effectively

PEST stands for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Technological factors. It’s a great way to examine how the external forces in your market can impact your company. It will also help you shape your marketing strategy and develop your risk management plan.

View More More on SWOT Analysis: PEST Analysis Tools

All the details you have gathered on your competitors, such as their sales numbers, strategies, partners, suppliers etc. can be organized here. It’s a great way to prepare your competitor analysis data to be added to your business plan presentation.

View More Competitor Analysis Tools

Competitive Intelligence Mind Map

Or you can convey these data in a mind map. You can use Creately Viewer to add this to your online documents, websites, intranet, Wiki, or business plan presentations. This way you can view any links included in the mind map and navigate through it easily.

You can learn how to use these tools along with other useful techniques in more detail in;

View More Market Strategy Planning Tools

This is where you outline how you plan to market and sell your product. It’s easier to do now as you have extensive knowledge about your market, target customer and your competitors.

With your marketing strategy, you have to consider factors like your marketing or communication channels, marketing goals, marketing budgets, resources etc.

With your sales plan , pay attention to your sales targets, sales tools, resources etc.

You can use mind maps to visualize all this data to your audience. You can either use two mind maps to outline your sales and marketing strategies separately or a single mind map to showcase both.

Marketing and Sales Plan Template

If you want separate a marketing plan and sales plan, check out the templates below,

• Marketing Plan Template for Business Plan Presentation
• Sales Plan Template for Business Plan Presentation

Who are the key personnel involved in your organization? List them down in this section along with their expertise.

Use an organizational chart to represent your team, their roles and skills. It can help you highlight the hierarchy of your organizational structure as well.

Services and Products

This section explains your services or products and how they can benefit the customers. Here are some visualizations you can use to make this section more interesting to your audience.

Product canvas is a tool used to map, design and describe your product strategy. It takes into consideration your target audience, the important features of your product decided by storyboards , epics, design sketches, mockups , and the tasks you need to carry out to build the product.

Learn about this in more detail here .

It’s a tool you can use to ensure that your product or service fits the requirements of your customer. It helps you look into

• The value you can deliver to the customer via your product or service
• Which customer problems/s that you are trying to solve
• Which is the job that your product helps the customer to finish
• Which customer needs you are satisfying
• What are the different products you are offering to each customer segment

Financial Plan

This is the section where you provide all financial information related to your business. This section is required if you are presenting your business plan to investors.

It will include both historical data such as cash flow statements,profit and loss statements, income statements etc. and financial projections based on the impact of your new product.

If you are pitching a new product to your investors, you may also want to include your funding requirements.

For a business plan presentation, you can use a digital database of your financial information with a simple Creately mind map. You can link up all your financial statements on your mind map.

This way anyone who refers to the mind map can easily access the linked resources from one single place.

Overloading with Information

One of the most common mistakes is including too much information on each slide. This overwhelms the audience and makes it difficult for them to follow along. Keep your slides concise and focused on key points. Use bullet points or visuals to convey information effectively.

Lack of Visual Appeal

A presentation that lacks visual appeal can fail to engage the audience. Avoid using too much text and opt for visually appealing elements such as images, graphs, and charts. Use a consistent color scheme and fonts that are easy to read. Make sure your visuals support your message rather than distract from it.

Ignoring the Audience’s Needs

It’s essential to consider the needs and interests of your audience when creating a presentation. Tailor your content to address their concerns and provide relevant information. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand. Focus on presenting the most compelling aspects of your business plan that align with their interests.

Lack of Practice and Rehearsal

Presenting a business plan without sufficient practice and rehearsal can lead to a lack of confidence and a disjointed delivery. Practice your presentation multiple times to become familiar with the content, timing, and transitions. Rehearse in front of a mirror or a small audience to receive feedback and improve your delivery.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a compelling and effective presentation that effectively communicates your business plan to your audience.

In this post we have explained how to create a business plan presentation step-by-step. Make use of the templates that are provided to make your presentation more eye-catching and easy-to-understand.

Here are some more tips on making your presentation a hit.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

How To Present A Business Plan: 9 Key Elements

• By Judhajit Sen
• April 22, 2024

Key Takeaways:

• A business plan serves as a roadmap for your business journey, outlining its purpose, operations, and future trajectory.
• A business plan presentation, or pitch deck, is a condensed version of your plan that showcases essential details to potential investors or partners.
• A compelling plan presentation is crucial for securing funding, attracting investors, and rallying support for your venture.
• A successful presentation includes the executive summary, company overview, business opportunity, management and leadership team, product and service details, sales and marketing plan, funding request, financial projections, and the appendix. Each section plays a vital role in articulating your business vision and potential for success.

A business plan is like a map of your business journey. It’s a formal paper explaining what your business is all about and what it aims to do. Think of it as a kind of storybook about your business, where you tell people what it does, how it works, and where it’s headed.

Inside a business plan, you’ll find information about the business structure, who’s in charge, and how things are set up. It also discusses how the company plans to sell stuff and make money with fancy financial projections. Plus, it lists everything the business needs, like equipment and supplies, to do its job well.

A winning business plan is like a guidebook for your business adventure. When you write a business plan, it helps you figure out where you’re going, what you need to get there, and how you’ll know when you’ve arrived. And if you’re looking for extra cash for your business, having a solid plan can help persuade folks to invest in your big ideas.

Business Plan Presentation

A business plan presentation, sometimes called a “pitch deck,” is like a slideshow introducing your business basics. It’s something you show during a meeting, whether in person or on Zoom, to give folks the lowdown on your business.

A good presentation covers the essentials: what you’re all about, who you’re trying to reach, how your business works, and what you’re asking for. When you’re presenting your plan, you’re not just sharing your cool idea—you’re hoping to get your audience to help you out with something.

Importance of a Business Plan Presentation

A plan presentation is crucial for your business journey. It’s not just about jotting down ideas; it’s a strategic tool that can help you overcome hurdles and spot opportunities you might have missed. When you present your business plan successfully, you’re clarifying it for yourself and making a compelling case for potential backers—like lenders, investors, or partners—that your venture has what it takes to succeed.

Research backs this up: Studies suggest that entrepreneurs who create a business plan are more likely to build viable businesses and secure funding than those who don’t. It’s not just about writing it down; how you present your plan matters. A polished, professional-looking presentation can make all the difference whether you seek a business loan, pitch your business to investors, or wooing potential partners.

Your business plan is a roadmap for your business endeavors, guiding your decisions and actions.  It’s not just a document for internal use; it’s also a key asset in external interactions. From securing loans to attracting investors or leasing a commercial space, having a solid plan can open doors and set you on the path to success in various professional arenas.

Following are nine tips for presenting your business plan step-by-step.

Executive Summary: A Snapshot of Your Business

The executive summary is the highlight reel of your plan presentation, offering a quick glimpse into your business. It’s your chance to grab the attention of potential investors and lenders right from the start, so it needs to be engaging and informative.

Start by revisiting your plan and picking out the most significant bits. Consider what makes your business unique and why  it’s  poised for success. Highlight vital elements like your business concept, goals, and vision for the future. Describe your offerings and what sets it apart from the competition. Identify your target market and outline your strategy to reach them.

Give a snapshot of your financial standing and lay out your projected revenue and profits for the next few years. Be clear about how much money you need to achieve your goals. Introduce the members of your management team, emphasizing their relevant experience.

The executive summary  must include:

• Your mission statement.
• Details about your products or services.
• Information  about your team.
• Your plans for growth.

Keep it concise yet comprehensive, giving readers a clear understanding of your business and why they should invest.

Company Overview: Setting the Stage for Success

The company overview section of your business plan demonstrates why your venture is poised for greatness. Start by pinpointing the problem your business aims to solve and who will benefit from your solution. Provide demographic data about your target customers and highlight what differentiates your company from the competition, whether it’s specialized expertise or unique product features.

Offer a brief history of your business and detail your products or services. Explain how your offerings address the identified problem and outline your business model , such as direct-to-consumer sales or online distribution. Clarify your business structure, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, and why this setup is advantageous.

Use storytelling techniques to make the problem relatable to your audience and emphasize the significance of your solution. Describe how your offerings meets your customers’ needs and surpasses alternatives in the market.

Outline your revenue model, whether it’s through direct sales, subscription fees, or advertising revenue. Provide examples of early success, such as initial customers, pre-orders, or signed contracts, to demonstrate the viability of your business and build confidence in its prospects. This section sets the stage for the rest of your presentation, showcasing the potential for success and garnering interest from potential investors or partners.

Business Opportunity: Seizing the Moment

This section of your business presentation showcases the potential for growth in your chosen market. Begin by delving into your market analysis, which sheds light on the landscape of your industry. Research competitors’ actions, identify trends and understand what resonates with customers.

Investors look for growth potential of your business, so provide insights into your target market’s size and demographics. Conduct a SWOT analysis to highlight your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Detail how you developed projections, citing interviews or market research data to lend credibility.

Describe the industry’s current state and areas ripe for improvement. If your business operates locally, assess the market in your area and identify gaps or areas for enhancement. List competitors and explain how your business will stand out in the crowd.

Use data to illustrate your business’s performance compared to others in the industry. Incorporate facts and statistics from reputable sources to bolster your presentation’s credibility and professionalism.

Finally, articulate the size of your market and the specific business opportunities it presents. Utilize market research to quantify potential customers and identify target segments. This section paints a clear picture of the market landscape and underscores the vast opportunities awaiting your business’s success.

The Management and Leadership Team: Key Players in Success

Spotlight the individuals driving your business forward. Start by confirming your business’s legal entity status, whether it’s an LLC or another form. Then, introduce your ownership and leadership teams, clarifying roles with an organizational chart and providing resumes to showcase key members’ skills and experience.

Investors often prioritize the team behind a business over the idea itself. Highlight the expertise and talent of your management team through short bios that emphasize relevant experience and industry recognition. Consider including headshots to put faces to names and build rapport.

Describe your organization’s structure, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. If you plan to hire staff or rely on outside consultants , outline your staffing plans here. Investors are looking for assurance that you’ve consulted experts in your field needed to drive your business forward.

Ultimately, investors want to know why your team is the right one to bring your business idea to life. Use this section to showcase the capabilities and dedication of your team, emphasizing their ability to turn your vision into reality. The strength of your team can be the deciding factor in securing support for your business venture.

Product and Service Details: Delivering Value to Customers

Start by describing what you offer and how it meets the needs of your market. Highlight its unique features and the benefits it brings to customers. If you’re taking steps to protect your intellectual property, such as trademarks or patents, be sure to mention it. Similarly, if you’re investing in research and development to enhance your offerings, explain how this will benefit your business and customers alike.

Success depends on offering products or services that customers want or need. Explain the value your offerings provide, how they differ from competitors, and the buying cycle. Demonstrating your understanding of customer needs and preferences boosts confidence in your ability to deliver.

If you’re pursuing intellectual property protections like copyrights or patents, outline your strategy. Additionally, discuss any ongoing research and development efforts aimed at expanding your product line or improving existing offerings. This showcases your commitment to innovation and highlights potential avenues for future revenue growth. By clearly articulating your product and service details, you lay the groundwork for success and instill confidence in potential investors or partners.

Sales and Marketing Plan: Reaching Your Audience

In crafting your sales and marketing plan, remember that even the best product needs a push to reach customers. Outline your strategy for reaching, convincing, and retaining your target audience. Describe the steps leading to a sale, essentially designing your sales funnel, a crucial aspect of effective planning.

Give details on how you’ll spread the word about your offerings. Will you utilize paid online ads, social media promotions, direct mail, local print ads, radio or TV sponsorships, YouTube content, or other methods? List all chosen approaches.

Ensure clarity on the sales journey and why it resonates with your target and existing customer segments. If you’ve begun implementing these methods, share data on their effectiveness.

Include an overview slide of your marketing and sales plan , emphasizing how you’ll reach and sell to your target market. You’ve identified your audience; now explain how you’ll engage and convert them. This section underscores your commitment to connecting with customers and driving sales, essential for business growth and success.

Funding Request: Securing Support for Growth

Outline your financial needs and how you plan to use that money to fuel your business’s growth over the next five years. Clearly articulate the amount of funding required and its intended use, whether for marketing, research and development, hiring key personnel, or expansion into new markets or locations.

Specify whether you’re seeking equity, debt, or a combination of both, and outline the terms  you’re  seeking for the funding. Potential investors or lenders will want to understand the rationale behind the requested amount and the type of financing being sought.

If you’re contributing personal funds to the project, highlight this to demonstrate your commitment and confidence in the venture. It shows that you have “skin in the game “  and are invested in its success.

Explain the purpose behind the funding request, detailing how it will support your business objectives and drive growth. Whether it’s to enhance product development, scale operations, or increase market presence, clarify why the funding is necessary and how it aligns with your overall business strategy. This section is crucial for garnering support from investors or lenders, showcasing your vision and readiness to take your business to the next level.

Financial Projections: Mapping Your Business’s Future

Demonstrating profitability is paramount to securing funding for your business. If your company is operational, include financial statements like profit and loss, balance sheets, income, and cash flow statements.

For both established and new business, a five-year financial plan is crucial. Detail forecasted income and expenditures, breaking the first year into quarterly or monthly projections. Utilize professional-looking charts, graphs, and tables for clarity.

Even if your business lacks past financial data, preparing a budget and financial plan showcases your domain understanding. For new ventures, utilize resources like the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guide or SCORE’s financial projections template. For existing businesses, provide income statements, profit and loss statements, and balance sheets, ideally covering the past three years.

Detail specific steps to achieve outlined financial goals, with more emphasis on the first year. Include interactive spreadsheets for a detailed financial analysis covering production costs, profits, planned investments, and tax projections.

A detailed sales forecast spanning up to five years helps attract outside support. If your business hasn’t launched yet, utilize market research for estimates.

In your presentation, highlight key financial data such as sales forecasts, profit projections, and estimated profitability timelines. Aim to pique interest and prompt further inquiries using facts and figures without overwhelming your audience with excessive details.

Appendix: Additional Resources for In-Depth Understanding

In the appendix section at the end of your presentation , provide supplementary materials to address potential questions and offer deeper insights into your business. Anticipate inquiries and include slides that offer the information you need, showcasing your thorough preparation and understanding of all aspects of your venture.

While the core slides of your PowerPoint presentation capture the essence of your business, the appendix offers additional resources to enrich understanding. Depending on your industry, include permits, licenses, deeds, professional certifications, media clips, patents, customer contracts, and other relevant documents. These materials offer investors and bankers a comprehensive view of your business’s potential.

Consider including a list of critical concepts and industry terms to aid understanding, mainly if your business operates in a niche field. This ensures clarity and fosters better comprehension among readers unfamiliar with industry-specific terminology.

Remember, the appendix is an opportunity to provide supplementary information that bolsters your presentation and demonstrates your thoroughness and preparedness. While the plan document may not be directly referenced, the planning process equips you to present and advocate for your business efficiently.

Navigating Your Business Journey: How To Present A Business Plan

Crafting a plan presentation is akin to mapping out your entrepreneurial journey. It’s more than just a slideshow; it’s your opportunity to portray a vivid picture of your business, its potential, and its path to success. Whether you’re seeking funding, pitching to investors, or rallying support from partners, a well-prepared presentation can make all the difference.

At its core, the presentation distills the essence of your venture into digestible bits, offering a snapshot of your business basics. It covers everything from your business concept and target audience to your revenue model and financial projections. But it’s not just about sharing information—it’s about persuading your audience to join you on your business adventure.

By outlining the importance of a plan presentation and dissecting its key components, we’ve delved into the strategic approach needed to craft a compelling pitch. From the executive summary to business projections, each section plays a vital role in articulating your vision and garnering support for your venture.

Armed with insights into what makes a successful plan presentation, you’re better equipped to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. Whether you’re a veteran business owner or a debutant entrepreneur, a well-crafted presentation can pave the way for future growth and success. So, harness the power of storytelling , data, and strategic planning to chart a course for your business’s bright future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a business plan, and why is it important?

A business plan is like a roadmap for your business journey, detailing what your business is about, what it aims to achieve, and how it plans to do so. Think of it as a storybook about your business, explaining its concept, structure, target market, marketing strategy, financial projections, and more. It’s essential because it helps you clarify your business vision, spot opportunities, overcome obstacles, and persuade potential backers to invest in your ideas .

2. What is a business plan presentation, and why do I need it?

A business plan presentation, also known as a “pitch deck, “  is a slideshow that introduces the basics of your business to potential investors, lenders, or partners. It offers a concise overview of your business concept, target audience, operations, and funding needs. It’s crucial because it allows you to present your business in a visually appealing and engaging format, making it easier for others to understand and support your venture.

3. What are the critical elements of a successful plan presentation?

A successful plan presentation comprises several key elements, including the executive summary, company overview, business opportunity, the management and leadership team, product and service details, sales and marketing plan, funding request, financial projections, and appendix. Whether you want to grab your audience’s attention or provide detailed insights into your business and its potential for success, each section serves a specific purpose,

4. How can I make my plan presentation more compelling?

Focus on storytelling, clarity, and professionalism to make your presentation more compelling. Use engaging visuals , such as charts, graphs, and images, to illustrate key points and data. Keep your language simple and concise, avoiding  jargon that may confuse your audience.  Practice your presentation beforehand to ensure smooth delivery and confidence. Finally, be prepared to answer queries and address concerns raised by your audience, demonstrating your knowledge and readiness to lead your business to success.

Supercharge Your Business Plan Presentation with Prezentium

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Unlock the full potential of your presentation with Prezentium’s AI-powered services. From compelling visuals to data-driven insights, we’re here to help you shine. Contact us today to supercharge your presentation and take your business to new heights!

Why wait? Avail a complimentary 1-on-1 session with our presentation expert. See how other enterprise leaders are creating impactful presentations with us.

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Business plan presentation: A complete guide for executives

Ever wondered what goes into creating a killer business plan presentation that leaves your audience in awe? Well, you're in the right place.

Sahul Hameed

Building presentations

Hey there, fellow business enthusiast! 🚀

Have you ever wondered what sets successful entrepreneurs apart from the rest?

It's not just a great business idea; it's the ability to present that idea effectively through a stellar business plan presentation. In today's digital age, where first impressions matter more than ever, mastering the art of business plan presentations is crucial.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of crafting a winning business plan presentation that will leave potential investors, partners, and stakeholders eager to jump on board.

What is a business plan?

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of presentations, let's start with the basics. A business plan is the blueprint for your entrepreneurial journey. It's a detailed document that outlines your business idea, strategy, and financial projections. It's like the GPS for your business, guiding you from start to success.

Purpose of a business plan: Why do we need one?

Now, you might be thinking, "Do I really need a business plan?"

Absolutely! A well-crafted business plan serves multiple purposes. It not only clarifies your business goals but also acts as a roadmap for your team. Moreover, it's a powerful tool to attract investors, secure loans, and demonstrate your expertise in your industry.

Types of business plans

When it comes to business planning, one size doesn't fit all. Depending on your specific goals and needs, there are various types of business plans to choose from. Let's explore some of the most common ones:

1. Startup business plan

Starting a new business venture? A startup business plan is your go-to document. It's like the blueprint for your entrepreneurial dream. This plan outlines essential elements such as your products or services, target market, competition analysis, and financial projections. Its primary purpose? To attract investors and secure the necessary funding to kickstart your business.

2. Strategic business plan

Looking at the bigger picture? A strategic business plan is your long-term roadmap. It not only sets your business goals and objectives but also outlines the strategies to achieve them. Think of it as your guiding star, ensuring that your business stays on track and steadily moves towards its goals.

3. Feasibility business plan

Before taking the plunge, it's wise to assess the waters. A feasibility business plan helps you evaluate the viability of your business idea. It dives into market analysis, competition assessment, and financial projections. This plan is often used to secure loans or grants, especially from banks or government agencies.

4. Operations business plan

Want to optimize your day-to-day operations? An operations business plan is your tool for streamlining processes. It covers everything from your products or services to supply chain, manufacturing, distribution, and customer service procedures. This type of plan helps enhance efficiency and productivity within your business.

5. Growth business plan

Ready to take your business to new heights? A growth business plan charts the course for expansion. It involves a thorough market analysis, competition assessment, and financial projections. This plan is instrumental in attracting investors or securing financing for ambitious growth projects.

6. Specialized business plans

Beyond the broad categories, there are specialized business plans tailored to unique needs. These include:

• Marketing business plans : Focused on marketing strategies and tactics.
• Financial business plans : Emphasizing financial projections and budgeting.
• Product launch business plans : Geared towards launching new products or services.

Here is a guide on new market entry strategy presentation .

Types of business plans based on size

Business plans can also be categorized based on their size and complexity. Here are the main types:

1. Traditional business plan

Think of a traditional business plan as the comprehensive encyclopedia of your business. It delves into every aspect, from products and target markets to competition and financial forecasts. Typically, it's used to woo investors or secure funding from banks.

2. Lean startup business plan

For startups seeking a more streamlined approach, the lean startup business plan is the way to go. It's a shorter, more focused version of the traditional plan, highlighting key elements like the problem you're solving, your solution, and your business model. Ideal for early-stage businesses looking to attract investors.

3. One-page business plan

Short on time but big on ideas? The one-page business plan is a concise summary of your business. It covers essential information like products or services, target markets, competition, financial projections, and your team, all on a single page. It's perfect for quickly pitching your business concept to potential investors or partners.

Remember, the type of business plan you choose depends on your specific business goals, size, and the stage of your entrepreneurial journey. Whether you're just starting out or aiming for growth, there's a business plan tailored to your needs.

Why presentation is important for a business plan

Now, let's talk about the secret sauce that makes your business plan stand out – presentation.

Think of it this way: You've got a fantastic business idea, but if you can't convey it effectively, it's like having a treasure map but no one to read it. This is where a well-crafted business plan presentation comes into play.

But don't just take our word for it. Numerous studies and statistics underline the crucial role of business plan presentations in the success of entrepreneurs and businesses:

Higher chance of success

Companies armed with well-structured business plans are more likely to succeed. According to a study by Harvard Business Review , business owners who create a formal business plan have a 16% higher chance of succeeding than those who don't. It's like having a roadmap that not only guides you but also significantly increases your odds of reaching your destination.

Securing funding

If you're in the pursuit of investors or loans, a well-crafted business plan presentation is your golden ticket. It's the bridge that connects your vision, strategy, and financial projections to potential investors. This critical step can't be underestimated, as 72% of investors consider a business plan presentation an important factor in their decision to invest in a company, according to CB Insights .

Attracting and retaining top talent

Your team is the backbone of your business, and attracting top talent is a vital aspect of growth. A business plan presentation plays a pivotal role here. It offers prospective employees insights into your company's goals and values, helping them understand the bigger picture. In fact, 85% of employers state that they would be more inclined to hire a candidate who demonstrates a clear understanding of the company's business plan, as reported by Glassdoor.

The power of well-designed presentations

It's not just about having a presentation; it's about making it count. Well-organized, informative, and engaging business plan presentations have a higher chance of success. A study by the University of California, Berkeley, found that such presentations, when thoughtfully designed and expertly delivered, are more likely to persuade investors and attract top talent.

In essence, a business plan presentation is your voice, your vision, and your opportunity to shine. It's not merely a formality; it's the vessel through which you convey your passion and dedication to your business. So, craft it thoughtfully, present it passionately, and watch how it can transform your business journey.

How to structure an effective business plan presentation

Creating an impactful presentation requires more than just slapping together a few slides. You'll need to structure it thoughtfully. Here's a winning formula:

• Title slide : The first slide should be eye-catching and informative. It's like the cover of a book – make it compelling.
• Executive summary : In a nutshell, summarize your business plan. Keep it concise and captivating, like the teaser of a movie.
• Business Idea : Dive into the heart of your business. Explain your idea in a way that sparks curiosity.
• Market analysis : Who's your target market ? What is the size of your market? Show investors that you've conducted a thorough market analysis in your business plan .
• Business model : Explain how your business operates. What sets your business apart? Highlight your competitive advantage .
• Marketing and sales plan : How will you enter the market? What strategies will you use to promote your products or services ?
• Financial projections : Lay out your financial plan. Investors want to see the numbers – revenue, expenses, and profit.
• Management team : Introduce your team. Highlight their expertise and why they're crucial to your business.
• SWOT analysis : Assess your business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Conclusion : Summarize the key points and leave your audience with a sense of urgency to join your journey.

Do's and don'ts on a business plan presentation

Now that you know the structure, let's talk about some do's and don'ts to ensure your presentation hits the mark.

• Use visuals : Charts and graphs speak louder than words.
• Be concise : Avoid using too much text; let your slides complement your speech.
• Rehearse : Practice makes perfect. Be well-prepared for questions.
• Engage your audience : Make your presentation interactive. Ask questions and involve your audience.

Don't :

• Overload with information : Stick to the essentials.
• Read slides word-for-word : Your presentation should augment your words, not replace them.
• Waste time : Keep your presentation within the allocated time frame.
• Lack confidence : Believe in your business and your presentation.

1. Why is it important to make a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is your opportunity to showcase your business in its best light. It's not just about information; it's about capturing your audience's attention and conveying your ideas effectively. Think of it as a powerful tool to explain your business, highlight key aspects, and ultimately secure the support and funding you need. Whether you're presenting to investors or stakeholders, a well-crafted presentation can make a significant difference in conveying your unique value proposition.

2. How many slides should my business plan presentation have?

The number of slides in a business plan presentation can vary, but a common guideline is to aim for 10-12 slides . This range allows you to explain your business comprehensively without overwhelming your audience with too many details. It's essential to create an outline and plan your presentation strategically to fit your entire story within these slides. Remember, it's not about how many slides you have, but how effectively you use them to highlight the key points of your business plan.

3. What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating a business plan presentation?

One of the most common mistakes to avoid in a business plan presentation is overloading it with text and data. Instead, focus on using bullet points and visuals to convey your message clearly and concisely. Additionally, don't forget to include a value proposition that sets your business apart. It's crucial to answer the following questions: What services or products do you offer? Who is your target audience ? How do you plan to reach them? What channels will you use? By addressing these aspects and avoiding information overload, you'll be on the path to creating a winning presentation.

4. Do I need a specific presentation template for a business plan presentation?

While it's not mandatory, using a business plan presentation template can be highly beneficial. Templates provide a structured format that makes it easier to organize your content effectively. They often include slide designs tailored for different aspects of your business plan, such as market analysis, financial projections, and product development. By using a template, you can save time, ensure a professional look, and focus on the details about your business rather than the design of your slides.

5. How should I time my business plan presentation?

Timing your business plan presentation is crucial to keeping your audience engaged and respecting their time. Generally, a business plan presentation should last around 20-30 minutes to allow for questions and discussions afterward. However, it's essential to rehearse and ensure that you can present your content effectively within this timeframe. Make sure to plan and highlight the most critical points, keeping your audience's attention throughout the presentation. Remember, a well-paced and engaging presentation can leave a lasting impression and increase your chances of success.

Summarizing key takeaways

In this comprehensive guide, we've unraveled the art of crafting a compelling business plan presentation. From understanding the types of business plans to mastering the do's and don'ts, you're now ready to create presentations that leave a lasting impression.

Remember, a successful business plan presentation is not just about the slides; it's about telling a captivating story that resonates with your audience. So, go ahead, use those templates , slides , and presentation software to make your business idea shine.

And always keep in mind: Your business plan presentation isn't just a pitch; it's the first chapter of your entrepreneurial journey. Make it count!

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How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

Noah Parsons

9 min. read

Updated April 9, 2024

It’s been said that business plans are worthless – it’s the planning process that is truly valuable . In many ways, this is a true statement. The business plan document that you create isn’t necessarily that useful because few people will ever review it in detail.

But, the process you went through to create that document forced you to think in detail about your business and answer questions that you might not have answered otherwise.

The planning process forced you to become an expert in your business, your target market, and your operations.

The expertise that you created in the planning process is what you need to showcase when you pitch your business to lenders and investors. Figuring out how to distill all of that knowledge into a few slides and a ten-to-twenty-minute presentation is the next challenge.

This guide will help you turn your business plan into a cohesive and convincing presentation that will help you win investors and wow your audience. 

• What is a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is also often called a “ pitch deck .” It’s a set of slides, often designed to accompany an in-person or Zoom meeting, that presents the fundamentals of your business.

A great business plan presentation explains what you do, who your target audience is, how your business operates, and what your “ask” is. After all, you probably aren’t just presenting your business plan to share your great idea, you’re trying to convince your audience to do something for you.

When you’re designing your business plan presentation, it’s helpful to know if you’re going to be able to talk through your presentation, or if it’s just going to be emailed out. This 

• Why do you present a business plan?

Your business plan presentation is all about the “ask”. Whether you’re trying to raise money for your business, win a business plan competition, or pitching a potential new employee to join your business, you have a reason for presenting your business. As you work on your business plan presentation, keep this in mind. Know who your audience is and what you want from them at the end of your presentation. More often than not, your goal will be simply to get to the next meeting or have some opportunity to continue the conversation. 

• 6 Tips to create a convincing business plan presentation

We’ll cover exactly what to include in your business plan presentation in the next section, but first let’s go over a few tips that will help you prepare a great presentation.

1. Start with a review of your business plan

Your business plan presentation is a summary of your business plan, so use your plan as a starting point. You already have all the information you need to, so just go back to your plan and highlight the key points that you plan to cover in your presentation. If there are key statistics or facts about your market that you want to highlight, identify those so that you don’t forget to include them in your presentation.

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2. Tell a story

The key to engaging your audience is to hook them with a story. Think about the problems your customers face when they’re using a product or service from the competition. Explain what life is like before your business arrives to provide a novel solution. The more that you can get your audience to nod along and understand the point of view of your customer, the more likely they are to support your business. 

3. Use visuals

Business plan presentations shouldn’t be slides crammed with text and other information. Instead, focus on using imagery to convey your message. You don’t want your audience to just be reading a slide full of information while you talk – they won’t really give you their full attention when this happens. Instead, use photos, charts and graphs, or diagrams to explain your business and the problems you are solving. 

4. Use large, easy to read font

Always use a relatively large font in your presentation – 30pt or larger. Your audience shouldn’t have to strain to read what’s on your slide. Using a large font will also force you to choose your words carefully because you won’t have that much room on the page for a lot of words. 

6. Research who you’re presenting to

Nailing your presentation requires knowing your audience. For example, suppose you’ve invented a new medical device and are presenting to a room full of industry experts and medical professionals. In that case, you’ll want to present using terminology that they are familiar with.

However, if your presentation is to investors who may not be as familiar with your industry, you may need to simplify things and make sure to use language that they will understand. 

• What to include in your business plan presentation

As a general rule, try to keep your presentation to 10-12 slides. Although you could probably talk about your business all day, your audience is looking for a concise presentation that clearly communicates what your business does and where you are going.

Here are the 10 slides you should include your presentation:

1. Introduction 

This is sometimes also called the title slide. You should include your company name and logo and a one line summary of your business. This might be your mission statement, or just a short tagline that explains what you’re doing in a nutshell. For example, Spotify might have said, “We’re revolutionizing how people listen to music and how artists get paid”. Instagram might have said, “We make it easy for anyone to produce professional-looking photos”.

2. The problem and your solution

This is where your story-telling skills need to come into play. You want to make your problem real to your audience. You want them to relate to people who have the problem, even if they don’t have the problem themselves. You want your audience nodding along in understanding.

With your problem clearly identified, you now explain your solution. This is a description of what your product or service is and what it does. Explain how it solves your customer’s problem and how it compares to the competition. 

3. Target market and opportunity

Your next step is to explain the size of your market and what your business opportunity is. You’ll use the market research data from your business plan in this slide to show how many potential customers are out there and you’ll show the different market segments that your business will target . 

4. Business model and pricing strategy

Your business model is an explanation of how you make money. For many businesses, this is very straightforward and doesn’t require much, if any, explanation. For others, more details will be required. For example, a business like Google provides their search engine for free to users, but sells ads in the search results. 

5. Traction

Traction is evidence of early success with your business. This might mean a list of initial customers, pre-orders through a Kickstarter campaign, or signed contracts with potential buyers. Any evidence that you can provide that proves that your business will be a success is useful to showcase here. 

6. Marketing and sales

Be sure to include a slide that provides an overview of your marketing and sales plan . You’ve identified your target market and now you need to explain how you’re going to reach them and sell to them. 

7. Financial projections

You shouldn’t try and fit your entire financial plan into your business plan presentation. Instead, extract the highlights and present them here. A sales forecast chart and profits chart could be useful. If you have a guess as to when you’ll become profitable, include that information. The goal of your presentation is to spark interest and get your audience to ask for additional information, so don’t overload things in your initial presentation.

8. Your team

Who is behind your business is often even more important than your idea. People come up with good ideas all the time. Investors are looking not just for a great idea, but for a team of people who can turn that idea into reality. Use this slide to provide a brief overview of your team and the rationale behind why your team is the right team to make the business a success. 

9. Use of funds

Assuming that you are presenting your business plan to raise money for your business, you’ll need to explain how you’re going to use that money. Is it for marketing or perhaps R&D? Maybe you need to raise funds to hire key additions to your team or to expand to a new location. Make it clear why you need the money and how you’re going to use it.

10. Call to action

Finally, don’t forget your “ask.” If you’re seeking investment, ask for it. If you are trying to convince someone to join your team, ask them to join. Your business plan presentation exists for a reason and there’s no harm in being direct about what you are looking for.

11. Appendix

Aside from the core slides of your presentation, it’s always useful to have additional slides ready to answer questions that come up. A great presentation leaves the audience interested and wanting to know more. Try and anticipate those questions and add slides in the appendix that helps answer those questions. When the audience asks a question that you’ve prepared a slide for, skip into the appendix and answer that question with your slide. This method shows your audience that you’re well prepared and have thought through all aspects of your business.

This is where it all comes back to planning. The plan document itself may not be useful, but the process you went through will leave you well-prepared to present your business plan expertly and successfully.

Check out our analysis of 7 well-known startup pitch decks for examples of businesses that successfully did this.

• Download your free pitch deck template

Get a jump start on your business plan presentation by downloading our free pitch deck template . It has everything you need to get started and includes all the key slides you need for a winning presentation. 

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

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How to Make a Business Plan Presentation? Guide & Examples

An innovative way to display your ideas and convince your team or clients is to present an idea with a business plan presentation. An effective presentation can showcase your mind and create an engaging meeting covering all necessary plan elements.

Every venture requires funding to start or grow and expand its business. A clear and detailed business plan will make it easy for the investor to understand your vision and goals. Hence, making it easier for them to fund you.

Whether you are a team, investor, or client, you must understand the importance of a business plan PowerPoint presentation. With the right strategy, you can influence anyone about your objectives and pitch your idea with an effective presentation. In this article, you will learn how to make a business plan presentation to grow your business. 

What is a business plan presentation?

The purpose of a business plan presentation is to summarize a company’s strategic goals, operational details, and financial forecasts concisely and visually engagingly. It typically includes key information such as the business model, target market, competitive analysis, marketing strategy , and financial projections. The business plan aims to communicate the business concept, demonstrate viability to stakeholders, and secure support or funding.

Key elements Of A Business Plan Presentation

A business plan presentation must include certain content that accurately represents your ideas. Usually, about 10 to 12 slides are required for an effective presentation. The key elements of the business plan must include the following:

Company Profile

Market analysis, customer profiles, marketing and sales strategies.

• Organizational Structure And Management

Services And Products

Financial plan, executive summary.

Your plan must have details about the company profile and should be explained using infographics in your slides. With the right graphics, one can better understand your company and its objectives. The company profile usually includes the history of the company, an overview of products and services, its customers, and its targeted market. 

The market analysis in your business plan presentation explains the size of your target audience, the problem it solves, and the consumer’s needs. It should include the strengths and weaknesses of your products and services. It must also include competitors’ market research and how your product will handle the competition. This way, you can show your investors how your product will stand out from the competition and your Unique Selling proposition. 

It is a sub-part of your market analysis. Your market research not only focuses on the competition but also the consumers. The customer profile includes most customers’ age, career, or location. It also includes their goals, problems, and behavior patterns. It can also provide how to attract that particular audience section and how they will trust your products. With customer profiles, you can determine the right price point, after-sales services, and market reach for consumers (both online and offline).

Once you explain your products’ needs, the next step is to market them. It is best to have a better market analysis to understand the ins and outs of your targeted market. The strategies usually include budgets, communication channels, marketing goals, and the resources needed to sell the products. Any investor investing in your product will be more easily convinced if they see a foolproof plan that guarantees a solid return on investment. Nothing is better than showcasing your marketing and sales strategies and impressing investors with effective plans. 

Organizational Structure and Management

The next order of business after your marketing strategy is the team. It is better to introduce your team and management people to make your investors acquainted with the ones in charge. Investors bet on the foundations, and your team is your foundation to grow your business It is easier for them to trust when they know who your team members are. 

An organizational chart representing your team and explaining their work and roles in the project is a good start. It will also highlight the effective hierarchy of work and establish a formal order of command that is followed. This structure will ensure your team follows a professional work culture. 

The services and products include tools that can benefit the targeted consumers. These tools include product canvas, value proposition canvas, and many others. Such tools ensure that the product fits the said customer. It also helps define your customer profiles and explains the market needs. 

The last but most important section of this business plan is the project’s financials. It is what the investors most care about. You can include the history data to establish your successful operations and how it will give you an edge in handling your new product.

Along with history, a future plan about how much funding you need and how you will execute your plan to use the said funding. You can use templates to save your time. They are available online. For example, try SlideUpLift templates to create a financial map for your investors. This plan must include all financial data and a plan B. This shows the investors that you are well prepared for all the situations.

It is best to conclude your presentation with an executive summary . It is a great way to explain how and why your plan is the right step for them. You can also add features and services you will offer. A precise yet appealing conclusion can offer you an edge. You can take it as the perfect ending as it concludes your plan. 

What is the difference between a business presentation & a business plan presentation?

A business presentation is a method of presenting information about your business. It can include marketing strategy or any other aspect related to the business. 

On the other hand, a business plan presentation is a way to interact with your investors, shareholders, and the audience. It includes your objectives, market research, customer profile, financial stakes, and the core of your idea. The business plan PowerPoint presentation is a foolproof roadmap of how you will execute your idea into a business model. 

How to make a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation helps you explain your plan and execution strategies in an organized way through visuals. You can influence your audience with a good presentation that includes step-by-step interaction with all the sections. Each part and content of the presentation displays the need for your product and ensures trust and confidence for the investors. It is best to include useful information through a well-prepared visual aid and verbal explanation.

Here are the steps on how to create a business plan presentation:

Review essential business information

The first step is to review each element of your business plan closely. It acts as the base while collecting information for your presentation. It creates a firm foundation and effectively starts your business plan.

Research business competitors

You must also include your competitors’ information and statistics in your business plan presentation. With sufficient information and facts, you can help your product stand out. This information can help you build your reputation as a unique brand. This will create a professional and reliable image of your business for the consumers.

Network with prospective investors

Once you have collected the necessary information and prepared your strategies, the next step is approaching the right investors and stakeholders to showcase your business plan. You have higher chances of maximizing your investments by reaching the right audience. It also helps you understand and question your product in detail before you enter the market at your full capacity. Investors can also provide their valuable feedback, and all of this requires networking. 

Recommended: Explore our Strategy Roadmap PowerPoint Template here!

Create a slide presentation of your business plan

The next step is to display your plan uniformly and convince them to put their money into your product. One can attract investors and stakeholders better with effective strategy and influential products. Slides presentation is a visual approach and is better at convincing investors than just sharing statistics tables. 

Practice your business plan presentation

The final step is to practice your presentation before presenting. You can do a demo run of the presentation for your team members and understand the common doubts they have. A demo run can help you identify your faults and prioritize which section is more vital than others. Your team must also brainstorm questions your investors are likely to ask so that you are well-prepared beforehand.

Top 10 slides you need for a business plan presentation

You need at least ten slides to present your idea effectively. Covering one topic in each slide is more appealing as it helps the audience counter questions after each slide. Here are the top 10 slides you can add to the plan presentation:

Slide 1: The Title Slide

A title slide is an introduction to your presentation. Just add your business name, logo,  slogan, and motto you believe in. You can begin your presentation with the next slide with just a few introductory lines.

Slide 2: The Problem Statement

As we discussed, it is better to come directly to your product and explain the problem it solves. Rather than beating around the bush, please focus on the facts and explain them with a story. You can also include effective infographics, fun facts, and engaging questions to increase audience attentiveness. You must ensure that your problem statement is short, clear, and easy to understand. This slide will shape your whole presentation. You will attract your audience’s attention by clearly conveying the problem your business solves. 

Slide 3: Your Business Solution

Now, as soon as you discuss the problem, you must focus on the solution to how your products solve the problem and conclude the slide by connecting it with the story. You can add a step-by-step solution or use graphs to help your audience understand the process.

Slide 4: Your Pricing Plan

The following slide should discuss your price strategy. A more effective payment plan will only retain prospective customers. It is better to attract customers with appealing prices and impress them so they keep on purchasing your product or service. It is easier said than done. But once you convince investors of your problem/solutions, you must impress them with your revenue stream strategy. You may also add your competitors’ pricing to this slide to justify how reasonable your pricing plan is.

Slide 5: Business Operations Information

Briefly explain your business objectives and operations in your Business Plan Presentation. Add how you have planned to streamline your business operations to save time and resources. You can help them understand your work better by explaining it step-by-step. 

Slide 6: Your Marketing Plan

Now you have a Problem statement and your solution. But how will you enter the market?  How will you let your target audience know about your services and products? A product is as good as nothing if it doesn’t reach your customers’ hands. For this, you need a marketing strategy. Add your go-to market strategy to this slide. It helps investors understand how you will reach your targeted audience. The more you impress investors with a marketing strategy, the more chances you have of investment. 

Slide 7: Industry Overview

This slide shows current industry conditions. It includes your competitors and how they are operating the market. Just keep the data fact-based to make it more credible. 

Slide 8: Financial Projections

This slide displays how fast you will grow and what your investors can expect in returns. It will include money management and growth strategy as well. Add all the details about how much you will spend on various stages. Include your revenue and profit expectations for the following years as well. Financial projections for 3-5 years can help you reach your goals faster.

Slide 9: Your Team

This slide is an introduction to your team. Add all the crucial team members responsible for executing the plan. This will give investors a sense of your company’s hierarchy. And help them understand who is responsible for what. A well-established team with dedicated and motivated people always boosts investors’ and stakeholders’ confidence in the business.

Slide 10: Concluding Slide

The last slide must be an executive summary or a conclusion. This slide will discuss all the essential topics you discussed in a precise form and help you conclude better. Adding this slide is best; it helps your audience remember the vital topics and keeps them engaged throughout. 

Business plan powerpoint presentation examples

There are thousands of business plan powerpoint presentation examples and templates you can select from. Besides basic free presentations, you can download executive summary templates , project management presentation templates , and other templates from many online resources. It is easier to select among these templates once you have a concept in mind. Even if you have no budget to buy premium PowerPoint templates , you can download a free template to cater to your needs from SlideUpLift’s website.

How to present a business plan presentation?

The best way to present your business plan is with PowerPoint presentations. You can use ready-made templates and edit them as per your requirements to ease the job. Usually, up to 15 slides must be displayed to display your overall execution strategy. But you can add or remove slides as per your content. Using simple vocabulary and easy-to-understand terminology for such business presentations is vital. 

Most interesting presentations have a variety of graphs, tables, and infographics to engage the audience. You can also add a risk assessment to ensure you are prepared for every situation. With effective market and consumer research, you can convince investors better. Even if you have the best presentation, you might lose the opportunity if you don’t practice it well. Always practice presentations multiple times and be prepared for questions from investors. 

Tips and Tricks to make your Business Plan powerPoint more Memorable

Here are some tips that can help you present your business plan presentation effectively and influence investors easily:

Focus on the Main Points

The presentation usually covers a vast range of topics and information. However, it is necessary to focus on the prioritized data. Most investors are more interested in financial data than understanding each other’s aspects. Provide precise yet critical points about each slide and ask questions after each topic to ensure they know everything. It is not ideal to explain each topic in detail as It will make your presentation boring.

Use Common Language

Use simple yet professional language for your presentation. Try to use easier words over technical language or over-the-top vocabulary, as it will make the presentation challenging to understand. Most financial data is already too entangled, and using confusing language can make it worse. Using simple, layman-like, and understandable language to express your viewpoint is better. Also, use infographics and graphs to make it more engaging and easy to grasp.  

Genuinely Deliver Information

A presentation is a serious matter for your business. It is essential to maintain professionalism so that your investors can rely upon you with your money. Always stay excited and try to deliver information genuinely. Try to avoid using filler content. Write to the point and short content. Ensure your overall presentation is easy to read and skimmable. 

Prepare for the Questions Beforehand

Always prepare an expected questionnaire for the investors. These must include all questions you and your team think your investor will be curious to ask. Put yourself in the investors’ shoes and think. If prepared beforehand, you can give accurate answers and include the necessary information.

Practice Again and Again

The best thing you can do is practice repeatedly. The more presentations you give, the better you will be at presenting them. It’s better to present twice in front of your team so you are prepared overall. 

Time Management

Any presentation that goes on for long will eventually become boring. With just facts and data, your audience will lose interest. Hence, it is better to share necessary information quickly. Always time your presentation and try to keep it on point. This will maintain audience enthusiasm about your product and help you answer their questions correctly.

Mistakes to Avoid When Making A Business Plan Presentation

Sometimes, no matter how much you try, mistakes are unavoidable. But there is no harm in minimizing these to present your product efficiently. Hence, here are the most common mistakes one can avoid in a business plan presentation:

Not Timing Your Presentation

The most obvious mistake is not timing your presentation. If one fails to time the presentation, it can become extended and boring. It must catch up on the targeted goals and shouldn’t become repetitive. It is better to keep the presentation precise and short. With just 10 to 12 slides, one can present effectively and share the overall project without wasting time on unnecessary topics. 

Focusing on Non-Essential Information in the Presentation

The presentation usually involves a variety of topics. You must focus on the priority topics more than the rest of the information. If each topic is explained thoroughly, it will consume a lot of time. Deciding what is necessary and what must be explained well is better. This also guides investors to understand what your primary goal is and what comes next.

Overloading Data

Refrain from overloading your presentation with information. Keep your slides’ data content precise and short. Also, explain it in keynotes, as explaining each topic will elongate the presentation. The audience can better understand your presentation with simple bullet points and visuals.

Lack of Graphs and Tables

A presentation is more engaging than raw data because of the infographics. It can be just a data dump if your presentation lacks graphs, tables, and other visuals. Creating a business plan presentation filled with visuals, color schemes, and easy-to-read fonts is better to keep the audience interested in your idea.

Ignoring Audiences and Their Needs

One of the blunders you can make while creating a presentation is to ignore your audience. You must prioritize your audience’s needs and keep pushing how your products solve those needs. You should buy your product and assess it like your consumers. This can decide whether your investor thinks your product is worth it.

Why you should choose SlideUpLift’s pre-made business plan presentation templates

A premade presentation template from SlideUpLift can offer you an edge and make the business plan presentation process much faster. Our ready-made, fully editable presentation template can be easily altered to your needs and likes in just a few clicks. You can add more or reduce the amount of data you want. With thousands of templates, SlideUpLift covers all bases to create your desired perfect presentation. Not only do we offer free PowerPoint templates, but we also have an exclusive variety of templates for Google Slides as well at affordable prices.

How To download SlideUpLift’s business planning templates? 

The most essential step before downloading SlideUpift Templates is registering on our website. You can then login and select from a range of templates. Depending on your need, you can either pay for a template or select a free template for your presentation. In addition, we also offer membership plans if you are interested in getting various other services apart from professionally designed business plan presentations. The process of getting the membership and downling these templates is simple and easy to follow. 

Here is a list of some of the best and most used templates from SlideUpLift:

• Executive Summary Templates For PowerPoint & Google Slides
• Project Management Presentations Collection PowerPoint Template
• Roadmap Templates For PowerPoint & Google Slides
• 30 60 90 Day Plan Collection For PowerPoint
• List Templates Collection For PowerPoint  
• Business Planning Isometric PowerPoint Template
• One Page Strategic Plan PowerPoint Template

Business Plan Presentation — Conclusion

The best answer for how to make a business plan presentation is to use research data appealingly. A simple download template can be converted into an effective way to engage an audience and convince them to understand your business model. 

With effective sales, marketing, and business strategies, a business plan presentation can showcase your objectives clearly and ensure your idea influences the investors. Your presentation can become a vision for your business, so it should inspire your investor as it motivates you. 

With SlideUpLift, download, edit, and create your own version of a presentation that helps you to see the bigger picture. With attractive templates, fonts, and color schemes, find your own way to deliver your vision and display it in a structured manner. 

A business plan presentation is a way to interact with your audience to display your business plan. It is a detailed presentation that targets investors and shareholders to get inspired by the product and acquire funding for the business.

How do you create a business plan presentation?

The simplest way to create a business plan presentation is to download a premade template online. You can then edit it according to your needs. You must research the market, targeted audience, and your competition in-depth. 

This will include information, and your business plan must include such data. Also, include a financial strategy to ensure your business is a wise choice for investment. One can also include sales marketing and awareness strategies to attract more customers. Finally, a risk assessment makes your plan more foolproof. Hence, including one will make your presentation more engaging

One can present a business plan presentation with at least ten slides. Each slide should include a topic and explain why the product stands out to the investors. Data must be kept short and precise, and graphs and infographics must be presented enough to engage the audience. With easy-to-understand language, more straightforward vocabulary, and effective planning, a presentation can inspire your audience and encourage them to invest more and more in your project. 

What should be included in a business plan presentation?

The business plan presentation must include every detail of your overall business plan. It must include your team, operations, marketing, and sales strategies, and financial goals. Along with these, it must also include your mission, vision, objectives, and how you solve the issues. It should be a gateway to your product’s vision, so you must be precise and explain why and how it is essential. 

Where do you find the best templates related to business plan PowerPoint?

There are hundreds of websites that offer business plan PowerPoint templates. Among others, SlideUpLift stands as the best there is to offer. With over 4000 templates, we cater to every professional’s needs. You can select free-of-cost, affordable, or exclusive templates depending on your needs. Professionally designed templates allow you to edit and create unique presentations as per your requirements. With SlideUpLift’s easily customizable templates, you can inspire the audience better.

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How to Make a Business Plan Presentation

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How to design powerpoint slides for oral presentations, how to write a preface for a business plan.

• Marketing Presentation Objectives
• How to Pitch a Business Plan

Making a business proposal presentation to prospective investors is stressful for nearly all entrepreneurs. Even if they are confident their business plan is well thought out, they still worry that they will not be able to express the most important aspects of their plan and engage the investors’ interest in the short time allotted for the in-person presentation. The keys to a successful presentation are advance preparation and rehearsal until your delivery is smooth and polished.

Preparing the Business Plan Presentation

Business plan presentations are designed to sell your idea to investors through a concise and engaging overview of what your business does, how it fills a consumer need and what you are looking for in terms of an investment. Seasoned investors are busy, and typically aren't interested in a long, drawn-out presentation filled with irrelevant information. In fact, many seasoned venture capitalists and angel investors will give you a specific time limit and a suggested outline for your presentation; if you receive these suggestions, it's a good idea to follow them. If you don't receive specific guidance, focus your presentation on the following key points:

• Introduce yourself, your company and its products. 
• Describe your market and how you solve your customers' problems. 
• Explain how your product is different than anything else on the market.
• Discuss the size of the market for your product
• Explain who your customers are
• Demonstrate growth in your market in the next 3-5 years 
• Discuss the competitive advantages your venture has that will lead to outstanding revenue growth and profitability. 
• Demonstrate your projected revenues and pretax profits for the next 3-5 years. 

Slides 9-10

• Discuss your marketing strategies, including distribution channels and sales strategies

Slides 10 and beyond

• Introduce your management team and advisory board members. Include one or two points about each person’s background and experience. and explain how each person on the team brings a critical element necessary for your company’s success.

Final slides

• Reveal the total amount of capital you need and a short list of major expenditures.

By following this general outline and focusing on the most important information, you'll answer most of the investors' questions and give them the details they need to make a decision. Remember to only hit the highlights, and don’t try to fit your entire business plan into the presentation. Too many slides can result in information overload, and they will not remember the most important pieces of information. Aim for a business plan PowerPoint of about 10-12 slides.

Rehearsing Your Presentation

Once you've created the presentation, practice presenting it to ensure that you appear polished and professional come presentation day. Again, keep time limits in mind, and respect the investors' time. Don't forget to include time for questions in your overall presentation plan.

To begin rehearsing, create an outline of your the presentation, addressing the important points that you want to cover. If you are using presentation software like PowerPoint, print a copy of your presentation in outline view, and use that to identify the key points you want to make from each slide and jot down additional notes about what you want to say. Creating the outline not only ensures that you cover all of the key points, it also keeps you from simply reading what's on the screen, which will quickly bore the audience.

Once you have an idea of what you are going to say, rehearse your presentation with colleagues. Invite members of your management team or trusted associates into a conference room and conduct a dress rehearsal of the presentation. Get their feedback on what parts of the presentation might need editing or clarification. Time your presentation and cut it down if necessary. Rehearse the presentation several more times on your own.

Succeeding on Presentation Day

It's normal to be nervous come presentation day, but do your best to relax and calm your nerves. Try some breathing or visualization exercises ahead of time to clear your mind and get into the right frame of mind. If you are well-prepared and know your presentation inside and out, there is nothing to be nervous about. Just be yourself – the investors are evaluating you as well as your business plan, after all – and do your best to project an image of confidence and competence.

Show enthusiasm and urgency, but avoid coming across as desperate or unfocused. Speak slowly, smile, make eye contact and refer to your notes if you need to and you'll impress investors with both your business and your presentation skills.

• Entrepreneur: 10 Tips for Creating a Winning Business Plan in PowerPoint
• Business News Daily: How to Give a Great Business Presentation
• Close the presentation with a sense of urgency. Show why now is the right time for your company to enter the market. Timing is often critical with early stage companies.
• Don’t try to fit your entire business plan into the presentation. Too many slides can result in information overload for the people you are presenting to, and they will not remember the most important pieces of information. Ten to twelve slides is sufficient.

Brian Hill is the author of four popular business and finance books: "The Making of a Bestseller," "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital," "Attracting Capital from Angels" and his latest book, published in 2013, "The Pocket Small Business Owner's Guide to Business Plans."

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How to create a business plan presentation?

Business plans are essential for any company. Start with a business plan to ensure your business idea is promising and feasible.

It can be much easier to understand with business plan slides and attractive visuals. Hence, it is best to include them in your business plan presentation so that the target audience will welcome and internalize them without confusion.

What is a Business Plan Presentation?

The business plan presentation PowerPoint is an animated document describing your company’s activities, the services and products offered, your company’s business goals and strategy, and the action plan you have defined. A business plan must outline how you plan to make money and achieve your goals.

The main objectives of a business plan PPT include:

• Assistance in identifying risks affecting the company’s growth and strategies to overcome those risks.
• Demonstration of the company’s financial performance and the state of the economy to investors.
• Help predict competitors and major market trends and explain key business objectives.
• An essential resource for various development budgets.

Ten tips for creating a business plan presentation:

• Add your company details: name, headline, name, and tagline to the first slide of your business plan. When introducing the slide, you can describe your actions in one sentence.
• Imagine a specific problem. Make sure it relates to your target audience. You can also add statistics to this part of a business plan to clarify how you influence others.
• Describe the solution in simple terms. Offer a solution to the problem mentioned in slide 2. Offer a unique approach.
• Explain how you want to make money. Indicate the pricing structure, customers, sources of income, and ways of making a profit.
• Add some details to your business plan. Explain how it works and make a summary. Add a visual slide to show how it all works.
• Briefly outline the strategy. Briefly explain how you can plan for your company to go to market. Provide specific details to your audience. Publish your marketing plan and budget.
• Tell about your main competitors and indicate how and how you differ from them.
• Name something about your team. Highlight each participant’s business experience.
• Provide your audience with a clear and concise financial forecast for several years. Tell about the methods by which you have reached the current numbers.
• Show where you are now. Presentation of the business plan must share what you have done, what you are looking for, and how you plan to achieve your goals. On the last slide, call your audience to action.

How to Create a Business Plan: 16 Components of a Business Plan

You can make a business plan summary at the end or do it first. However, it would be better to generate it in the episode. It is where you need to explain the benefits of your business model and present your products and services.

It should be attractive and concise for the reader. After you complete the rest of the plan, it’s easy to write a meaningful resume.

Company Profile

In your company profile, tell readers certain information:

• The customer problem you want to solve;
• History of the company;
• Business contact data;
• Services or products;
• The market you serve.

It would be better to use an infographic to show all these details in the business plan. Much easier to understand and read more clearly and concisely than tons of paragraphs of additional information in your business plan.

Market analysis

With market analysis, you can add many bright details to the business plan presentation PPT: determine customer segments, their needs, your target market, or its size and present them with graphs, pies, and charts.

Add competitor analysis to your business plan

There, you research your most important competitors. For example, you can indicate your strengths, weaknesses, and influence on the market. Learn about specific threats and explain products and services, pricing recommendations, and marketing strategies.

Client profiles

Here, you should summarize all the results for your clients, e.g, their problems, needs, and responsibilities.

Perception map

This method will assist you in presenting or analyzing your target group. You should get to know other brands and their products well. This way, you can find out the primary purpose of your competitors’ products or services. You can post research data in a business plan as you see fit.

Porter’s five forces

You can use this device to assess your position relative to competitors and a company’s competitiveness. With it, you can find out if your new service or product is profitable.

SWOT analysis

Use a SWOT analysis when you create a business plan to find out the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as the threats and opportunities they pose to you in the industry. You can also use it to assess your company’s capabilities.

Pest analysis

It is short for political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological factors. It is a great way to learn how the outside forces of your market can affect your business. You can also develop a risk management plan and a marketing strategy to include in the business plan.

Competitor profile

One more critical point of the business plan presentation outline requires all data about your competitors can be collected here, such as suppliers, partners, strategies, sales figures, etc. Use this method to organize information about your competitors to include in your business plan presentation.

Competitive Intelligence/Intelligent Map

You can also transfer this information to a mind map. Add it to business plan presentations, wikis, intranets, websites, or online documents. You can view and quickly navigate all the links in the mind map.

Marketing and sales strategies

It is the part of a business plan where you describe how you will sell and promote your product. It is now easier because you understand your competitors, target customers, and the market well.

• When you have a marketing strategy described in your business plan, you can consider factors such as your resources, marketing budget, marketing goals, communication channels, etc.
• When you have a sales plan , you should pay more attention to your resources, tools, goals, etc.
• Use mind maps to ensure that all this information is visible to your target audience.
• Use two smart cards to show your marketing strategies and sales separately or one smart card to showcase both.

Organizational structure

Tell us about the key personnel who work for the company in your business plan. Mention them in this section and share your knowledge.

Use an organization chart to represent your team and their roles. It can also help you highlight the hierarchy of the organizational structure.

Products and services

This part of the business plan tells about your product or service and how customers can use it. You can use several visualizations to make this piece more appealing to your audience.

Product canvas

Use this device to display, describe or design a specific product strategy. It considers your target customer, the required product features (from models, sketches, epics/sprints, design systems, and storyboards), and the tasks you need to complete to create the entire product.

Core value proposition

Use this device when you want to clarify whether your product or service meets a specific customer need. It will help you learn the following:

• What customer problems are you trying to solve?
• What profit can you provide to your customers through your services or products?
• What customer needs do you want to satisfy?
• What is your product’s job to help a buyer complete it?
• What different products do you offer to each customer segment?

Financial plan

Provide all financial data related to your company. This part is essential when presenting a business plan to investors. It includes historical information such as profit and loss statements, profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, etc., as well as financial projections based on the impact of the new product.

Whenever you offer investors a new service or product, you can also add your own funding requirements. You can use your financial database with a handy mind map to make a great business plan presentation. Anyone accessing a mind map can easily access your linked resources from your business plan when you do.

Want to Create a Good Presentation of Your Business Plan?

We hope you’d take advantage of the above business plan presentation tips. We are also eager to offer our excellent services to get support in submitting your business plan. We promise to create a presentation of your business plan from scratch in no time.

All the data on your slides will be neatly organized and show your target group your personalized plan. You can achieve your goals without knowing how to create a business plan presentation ─ do it by ordering us to create your business plan. Feel free to contact us now!

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• Presenting techniques
• 50 tips on how to improve PowerPoint presentations in 2022-2023 [Updated]
• Keynote VS PowerPoint
• Types of presentations
• Present financial information visually in PowerPoint to drive results

30 60 90 day plan: a blueprint for professional growth

• Design Tips

Inspiration for PPT: how to find design ideas

Conducting insightful market research and creating a compelling presentation

Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Careers Marketing Leadership Sep 6, 2018

4 key steps to preparing for a business presentation, don’t let a lack of prep work sabotage your great ideas..

Timothy Calkins

Yevgenia Nayberg

Being able to effectively present ideas to others is a crucial skill in many careers. But too often, honing the ability to stand in front of colleagues and deliver recommendations gets neglected in the shuffle of other more pressing priorities.

Yet struggling to get your ideas across can shake others’ faith in your abilities. That loss of confidence can quickly reduce your chances of advancement and long-term success, says Tim Calkins , a clinical professor of marketing at the Kellogg School who spent years as a brand manager for Kraft Foods and now serves as a consultant.

“You can be the smartest person in the room,” Calkins says, “but if you can’t put together a good business presentation, you’re going to be frustrated because the senior people will think very highly of the person with the nice presentation, even when they might not have great ideas.”

“It’s not a TED Talk,” he says. “It’s not like doing a speech at a wedding. A business presentation is a really unique event.”

Calkins, the author of the forthcoming book How to Wash a Chicken: Mastering the Business Presentation , offers four recommendations that can help you prepare and present with confidence (for those curious, the book’s title refers to the first presentation Calkins ever gave, as an eight year old boy at a 4-H fair).

Dedicate Time to Prepare

Preparation should start the moment the presentation is scheduled, Calkins says. And by preparation, he may not mean quite what you think.

“A lot of people worry about delivery, their breathing and how they move around the room,” Calkins says. “You should really spend your time ahead of the meeting thinking about your audience, developing a clear recommendation, and finding a clear and logical story.”

Specifically, Calkins stresses the importance of gathering information, drafting the presentation, and allowing plenty of time to incorporate feedback from stakeholders.

Calkins recalls a time at Kraft when he was preparing for a big presentation. He knew that the company needed to shift its strategy with regard to its line of barbecue sauces. After iterating with his team for weeks, the team delivered a strategic recommendation to cut back on promotions and improve the product’s quality. Taking these actions would cause an initial loss, but would lead to later growth. Though the strategy was somewhat risky, it was approved.

The “polish” on the speech Calkins gave to senior leadership—his presence in the front of the room, the authority in his voice—was nearly beside the point.

“The presentation was so logical and clear that we could have sent anyone on the team to present it,” Calkins says. “Heck, we could’ve sent the summer intern up there. The recommendation was just that tight.”

Figure Out Your Story

Calkins is often amazed by how many people deliver presentations with little sense of the narrative they want to convey.

“People often start writing and constructing pages before they know the story,” he says. “That’s a disastrous approach because what you end up with is a lot of data, but you don’t end up with a story, a narrative flow that makes sense.”

Calkins suggests that presenters look to their objective—the recommendation—to determine the key points they can deploy to support that objective. From there, framing the presentation is as simple as determining what information to include in its beginning, middle, and end.

“We’re swimming in a world with so much information. We spend our time thinking about analytics, big data, and all these wonderful things we can do. But people cannot understand a page of numbers very well.” 

Calkins recommends starting with the company’s status quo along with a quick backstory on how it came to be. “If your audience doesn’t know much about your business, then a bit of history might be useful to provide some perspective on the situation,” he writes.

You can move from there into your key points, with data backing up each statement. Once you have established those key points, it is critical to ask yourself how each of those statements clearly relates to the other points—and how it ladders up to the recommendation itself.

“What you’re trying to find is a story that you tell page by page, one point to the next point,” Calkins says.

Make Sure Your Data Serve Your Story

Just as there should be data to back up each of your main points, there should be a main point to each piece of data.

While data are key to building a reasoned, supported argument, you have to be judicious—more is not always better. A deluge of data can muddy a presentation’s flow and frustrate your audience to the point where they tune you out to check their email.

“We’re swimming in a world with so much information,” he says. “We spend our time thinking about analytics, big data, and all these wonderful things we can do. But people cannot understand a page of numbers very well.”

Rather than using every bit of information at your disposal, Calkins recommends whittling that data down to the elements that provide the most compelling support for your points—and which allow you to move on to the next part of your narrative.

Remember, too, that not every piece of data is equally credible. Analysis from a trusted provider will carry more weight. “Only use support points that you understand and trust,” recommends Calkins. “You don’t want people to question your sources.”

Keep Your Language Simple and Relatable

We all want to sound smart—or would that be “ erudite ” ? —when we speak. This signals to others that our opinions are sound and our recommendations are well reasoned. But it turns out that the key to gaining people’s support for an idea rests on quite the opposite track.

“One of the things that happens when people present is they try to use all these fancy words because, in theory, it makes them look smart,” he says. “But it’s totally opposite.”

Studies have shown that reaching for big words tends to make texts unnecessarily complex, when simpler versions are more understandable and digestible. They also make the author of the simpler version seem more intelligent than their more loquacious counterparts.

“The simpler you make it, the smaller the words, the more compelling it is,” Calkins says. “And that’s the heart of any presentation. If it feels simple and easy and logical, people are going to understand it and they’re going to accept it and they’re going to approve it.”

Clinical Professor of Marketing

About the Writer Glenn Jeffers is a writer based in Los Angeles.

The Business Planning Process: 6 Steps To Creating a New Plan

In this article, we will define and explain the basic business planning process to help your business move in the right direction.

What is Business Planning?

Business planning is the process whereby an organization’s leaders figure out the best roadmap for growth and document their plan for success.

The business planning process includes diagnosing the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses, improving its efficiency, working out how it will compete against rival firms in the future, and setting milestones for progress so they can be measured.

The process includes writing a new business plan. What is a business plan? It is a written document that provides an outline and resources needed to achieve success. Whether you are writing your plan from scratch, from a simple business plan template , or working with an experienced business plan consultant or writer, business planning for startups, small businesses, and existing companies is the same.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

The best business planning process is to use our business plan template to streamline the creation of your plan: Download Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template and finish your business plan & financial model in hours.

The Better Business Planning Process

The business plan process includes 6 steps as follows:

• Do Your Research
• Calculate Your Financial Forecast
• Draft Your Plan
• Revise & Proofread
• Nail the Business Plan Presentation

We’ve provided more detail for each of these key business plan steps below.

1. Do Your Research

Conduct detailed research into the industry, target market, existing customer base,  competitors, and costs of the business begins the process. Consider each new step a new project that requires project planning and execution. You may ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your business goals?
• What is the current state of your business?
• What are the current industry trends?
• What is your competition doing?

There are a variety of resources needed, ranging from databases and articles to direct interviews with other entrepreneurs, potential customers, or industry experts. The information gathered during this process should be documented and organized carefully, including the source as there is a need to cite sources within your business plan.

You may also want to complete a SWOT Analysis for your own business to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential risks as this will help you develop your strategies to highlight your competitive advantage.

2. Strategize

Now, you will use the research to determine the best strategy for your business. You may choose to develop new strategies or refine existing strategies that have demonstrated success in the industry. Pulling the best practices of the industry provides a foundation, but then you should expand on the different activities that focus on your competitive advantage.

This step of the planning process may include formulating a vision for the company’s future, which can be done by conducting intensive customer interviews and understanding their motivations for purchasing goods and services of interest. Dig deeper into decisions on an appropriate marketing plan, operational processes to execute your plan, and human resources required for the first five years of the company’s life.

3. Calculate Your Financial Forecast

All of the activities you choose for your strategy come at some cost and, hopefully, lead to some revenues. Sketch out the financial situation by looking at whether you can expect revenues to cover all costs and leave room for profit in the long run.

Begin to insert your financial assumptions and startup costs into a financial model which can produce a first-year cash flow statement for you, giving you the best sense of the cash you will need on hand to fund your early operations.

A full set of financial statements provides the details about the company’s operations and performance, including its expenses and profits by accounting period (quarterly or year-to-date). Financial statements also provide a snapshot of the company’s current financial position, including its assets and liabilities.

This is one of the most valued aspects of any business plan as it provides a straightforward summary of what a company does with its money, or how it grows from initial investment to become profitable.

4. Draft Your Plan

With financials more or less settled and a strategy decided, it is time to draft through the narrative of each component of your business plan . With the background work you have completed, the drafting itself should be a relatively painless process.

If you have trouble writing convincing prose, this is a time to seek the help of an experienced business plan writer who can put together the plan from this point.

5. Revise & Proofread

Revisit the entire plan to look for any ideas or wording that may be confusing, redundant, or irrelevant to the points you are making within the plan. You may want to work with other management team members in your business who are familiar with the company’s operations or marketing plan in order to fine-tune the plan.

Finally, proofread thoroughly for spelling, grammar, and formatting, enlisting the help of others to act as additional sets of eyes. You may begin to experience burnout from working on the plan for so long and have a need to set it aside for a bit to look at it again with fresh eyes.

6. Nail the Business Plan Presentation

The presentation of the business plan should succinctly highlight the key points outlined above and include additional material that would be helpful to potential investors such as financial information, resumes of key employees, or samples of marketing materials. It can also be beneficial to provide a report on past sales or financial performance and what the business has done to bring it back into positive territory.

Business Planning Process Conclusion

Every entrepreneur dreams of the day their business becomes wildly successful.

But what does that really mean? How do you know whether your idea is worth pursuing?

And how do you stay motivated when things are not going as planned? The answers to these questions can be found in your business plan. This document helps entrepreneurs make better decisions and avoid common pitfalls along the way. ​

Business plans are dynamic documents that can be revised and presented to different audiences throughout the course of a company’s life. For example, a business may have one plan for its initial investment proposal, another which focuses more on milestones and objectives for the first several years in existence, and yet one more which is used specifically when raising funds.

Business plans are a critical first step for any company looking to attract investors or receive grant money, as they allow a new organization to better convey its potential and business goals to those able to provide financial resources.

How to Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

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With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Click here to finish your business plan today.

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Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.

Click here to see how Growthink business plan consultants can create your business plan for you.

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• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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• Small Business
• How to Start a Business

How to Start a Business: A Comprehensive Guide and Essential Steps

Building an effective business launch plan

• Search Search Please fill out this field.

Conducting Market Research

Crafting a business plan, reviewing funding options, understanding legal requirements, implementing marketing strategies, the bottom line.

• How to Start a Business: A Comprehensive Guide and Essential Steps CURRENT ARTICLE
• How to Do Market Research, Types, and Example
• Marketing Strategy: What It Is, How It Works, How To Create One
• Marketing in Business: Strategies and Types Explained
• What Is a Marketing Plan? Types and How to Write One
• Business Development: Definition, Strategies, Steps & Skills
• Business Plan: What It Is, What's Included, and How to Write One
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): Meaning, Types, Impact
• How to Write a Business Plan for a Loan
• Business Startup Costs: It’s in the Details
• Startup Capital Definition, Types, and Risks
• Bootstrapping Definition, Strategies, and Pros/Cons
• Crowdfunding: What It Is, How It Works, and Popular Websites
• Starting a Business with No Money: How to Begin
• A Comprehensive Guide to Establishing Business Credit
• Equity Financing: What It Is, How It Works, Pros and Cons
• Best Startup Business Loans
• Sole Proprietorship: What It Is, Pros & Cons, and Differences From an LLC
• Partnership: Definition, How It Works, Taxation, and Types
• What is an LLC? Limited Liability Company Structure and Benefits Defined
• Corporation: What It Is and How to Form One
• Starting a Small Business: Your Complete How-to Guide
• Starting an Online Business: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Start Your Own Bookkeeping Business: Essential Tips
• How to Start a Successful Dropshipping Business: A Comprehensive Guide

Starting a business in the United States involves a number of different steps spanning legal considerations, market research, creating a business plan, securing funding, and developing a marketing strategy. It also requires decisions about a business’ location, structure, name, taxation, and registration. Here are the key steps involved in starting a business, as well as important aspects of the process for entrepreneurs to consider.

Key Takeaways

• Entrepreneurs should start by conducting market research to understand their industry space, competition, and target customers.
• The next step is to write a comprehensive business plan, outlining the company’s structure, vision, and strategy.
• Securing funding in the form of grants, loans, venture capital, and/or crowdfunded money is crucial if you’re not self-funding.
• When choosing a venue, be aware of local regulations and requirements.
• Design your business structure with an eye to legal aspects, such as taxation and registration.
• Make a strategic marketing plan that addresses the specifics of the business, industry, and target market.

Before starting a business, entrepreneurs should conduct market research to determine their target audience, competition, and market trends. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) breaks down common market considerations as follows:

• Demand : Is there a need for this product or service?
• Market size : How many people might be interested?
• Economic indicators : What are the income, employment rate, and spending habits of potential customers?
• Location : Are the target market and business well situated for each other?
• Competition : What is the market saturation ? Who and how many are you going up against?
• Pricing : What might a customer be willing to pay?

Market research should also include an analysis of market opportunities, barriers to market entry, and industry trends, as well as the competition’s strengths, weaknesses, and market share .

There are various methods for conducting market research, and these will vary depending on the nature of the industry and potential business. Data can come from a variety of places, including statistical agencies, economic and financial institutions, and industry sources, as well as direct consumer research through focus groups, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires.

A comprehensive business plan is like a blueprint. It lays the foundation for business development and affects decision-making, day-to-day operations, and growth. Potential investors or partners may want to review and assess it in advance of agreeing to work together. Financial institutions often request business plans as part of an application for a loan or other forms of capital. 

Business plans will differ according to the needs and nature of the company and should only include what makes sense for the business in question. As such, they can vary in length and structure. They can generally be divided into two formats: traditional and lean start-up. The latter is less common and more useful for simple businesses or those that expect to rework their traditional business plan frequently. It provides a vivid snapshot of the company through a small number of elements.

The process of funding a business depends on its needs and the vision and financial situation of its owner.  The first step is to calculate the start-up costs . Identify a list of expenses and put a dollar amount to each of them through research and requesting quotes. The SBA has a start-up costs calculator for small businesses that includes common types of business expenses.  

The next step is to determine how to get the money. Common methods include:

• Self-funding , also known as “ bootstrapping ”
• Finding investors willing to contribute to your venture capital
• Raising money online by crowdfunding
• Securing a business loan from a bank, an online lender, or a credit union
• Winning a business grant from a donor, usually a government, foundation, charity, or corporation

Different methods suit different businesses, and it’s important to consider the obligations associated with any avenue of funding. For example, investors generally want a degree of control for their money, while self-funding puts business owners fully in charge. Of course, investors also mitigate risk; self-funding does not.

Availability is another consideration. Loans are easier to get than grants, which don’t have to be paid back. Additionally, the federal government doesn’t provide grants for the purposes of starting or growing a business, although private organizations may. However, the SBA does guarantee several categories of loans , accessing capital that may not be available through traditional lenders. No matter the funding method(s), it’s essential to detail how the money will be used and lay out a future financial plan for the business, including sales projections and loan repayments . 

Businesses operating in the U.S. are legally subject to regulations at the local, county, state, and federal level involving taxation, business IDs, registrations, and permits.

Choosing a Business Location

Where a business operates will dictate such things as taxes, zoning laws (for brick-and-mortar locations), licenses, and permits. Other considerations when choosing a location might include:

• Human factors : These include target audience and the preferences of business owners and partners regarding convenience, knowledge of the area, and commuting distance.
• Regulations : Government at every level will assert its authority.
• Regionally specific expenses : Examples are average salaries (including required minimum wages), property or rental prices, insurance rates, utilities, and government fees and licensing.
• The tax and financial environment : Tax types include income, sales, corporate, and property, as well as tax credits; available investment incentives and loan programs may also be geographically determined.

Picking a Business Structure

The structure of a business should reflect the desired number of owners, liability characteristics, and tax status. Because these have legal and tax compliance implications , it’s important to understand them fully. If necessary, consult a business counselor, a lawyer, and/or an accountant.

Common business structures include:

• Sole proprietorship : A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business that has just one owner, who pays personal income tax on its profits.
• Partnership : Partnership options include a limited partnership (LP) and a limited liability partnership (LLP) .
• Limited liability company (LLC) : An LLC protects its owners from personal responsibility for the company’s debts and liabilities.
• Corporation : The different types of corporations include C corp , S corp , B corp , closed corporation , and nonprofit .

Getting a Tax ID Number

A tax ID number is the equivalent of a Social Security number for a business. Whether or not a state and/or federal tax ID number is required will depend on the nature of the business and the location in which it’s registered.

A federal tax ID, also known as an employer identification number (EIN) , is required if a business:

• Operates as a corporation or partnership
• Pays federal taxes
• Has employees
• Files employment, excise, alcohol, tobacco, or firearms tax returns
• Has a Keogh plan
• Withholds taxes on non-wage income to nonresident aliens
• Is involved with certain types of organizations, including trusts, estates, real estate mortgage investment conduits, nonprofits, farmers’ cooperatives, and plan administrators

An EIN can also be useful if you want to open a business bank account, offer an employer-sponsored retirement plan, or apply for federal business licenses and permits. You can get one online from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) . State websites will do the same for a state tax ID.

Registering a Business

How you register a business will depend on its location, nature, size, and business structure.  For example, a small business may not require any steps beyond registering its business name with local and state governments, and business owners whose business name is their own legal name might not need to register at all.

That said, registration can provide personal liability protection, tax-exempt status, and trademark protection, so it can be beneficial even if it’s not strictly required. Overall registration requirements, costs, and documentation will vary depending on the governing jurisdictions and business structure.  

Most LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and nonprofits are required to register at the state level and will need a registered agent to file on their behalf. Determining which state to register with can depend on factors such as:

• Whether the business has a physical presence in the state
• If the business often conducts in-person client meetings in the state
• If a large portion of business revenue comes from the state
• Whether the business has employees working in the state

If a business operates in more than one state, it may need to file for foreign qualification in other states in which it conducts business. In this case the business would register in the state in which it was formed (this would be considered the domestic state) and file for foreign qualification in any additional states.

Obtaining Permits

Filing for the applicable government licenses and permits will depend on the industry and nature of the business and might include submitting an application to a federal agency, state, county, and/or city. The SBA lists federally regulated business activities alongside the corresponding license-issuing agency, while state, county, and city regulations can be found on the official government websites for each region.

Every business should have a marketing plan that outlines an overall strategy and the day-to-day tactics used to execute it. A successful marketing plan will lay out tactics for how to connect with customers and convince them to buy what the company is selling. 

Marketing plans will vary according to the specifics of the industry, target market, and business, but they should aim to include descriptions of and strategies for the following:

• A target customer : Including market size, demographics, traits, and relevant trends
• Value propositions or business differentiators : An overview of the company’s competitive advantage with regard to employees, certifications, and offerings
• A sales and marketing plan : Including methods, channels, and a customer’s journey through interacting with the business
• Goals : Should cover different aspects of the marketing and sales strategy, such as social media follower growth, public relations opportunities, and sales targets
• An execution plan : Should detail tactics and break down higher-level goals into specific actions
• A budget : Detailing how much different marketing projects and activities will cost

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Business?

Business start-up costs will vary depending on the industry, business activity, and product or service offered. Home-based online businesses will usually cost less than those that require an office setting to meet with customers. The estimated cost can be calculated by first identifying a list of expenses and then researching and requesting quotes for each one. Use the SBA’s start-up costs calculator for common types of expenses associated with starting a small business.

What Should I Do Before Starting a Business?

Entrepreneurs seeking to start their own business should fully research and understand all the legal and funding considerations involved, conduct market research, and create marketing and business plans. They will also need to secure any necessary permits, licenses, funding, and business bank accounts.

What Types of Funding Are Available to Start a Business?

Start-up capital can come in the form of loans, grants, crowdfunding, venture capital, or self-funding. Note that the federal government does not provide grant funding for the purposes of starting a business, although some private sources do.

Do You Need to Write a Business Plan?

Business plans are comprehensive documents that lay out the most important information about a business. They reference its growth, development, and decision-making processes, and financial institutions and potential investors and partners generally request to review them in advance of agreeing to provide funding or to collaborate.

Starting a business is no easy feat, but research and preparation can help smooth the way. Having a firm understanding of your target market, competition, industry, goals, company structure, funding requirements, legal regulations, and marketing strategy, as well as conducting research and consulting experts where necessary, are all things that entrepreneurs can do to set themselves up for success.

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Market Research and Competitive Analysis .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Write Your Business Plan .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. " Calculate Your Startup Costs ."

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Fund Your Business .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Grants .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Loans .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Pick Your Business Location .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Choose a Business Structure .”

Internal Revenue Service. “ Do You Need an EIN? ”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Get Federal and State Tax ID Numbers .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Register Your Business .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Apply for Licenses and Permits .”

U.S. Small Business Administration. “ Marketing and Sales .”

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Original text

Download this comprehensive guide for completing a business plan narrative. Sections included:

• Executive Summary : Summarize the business, including its name, address, legal form, owners, market need, products/services, financial projections, and financing requirements.
• Company Summary : Detail startup costs, facility descriptions, equipment needed, and operational details, including location advantages and disadvantages.
• Products & Services : Describe the offerings, pricing strategy, cost margins, and any packaging or shipping concerns.
• Market Analysis : Analyze market characteristics, target market demographics, customer profiles, and buying criteria, supported by research.
• Competitive Assessment : Identify competitors, their market share, strengths and weaknesses, and compare their pricing and services to yours.
• Marketing/Sales Strategy : Develop a value proposition, pricing, distribution, sales strategy, and marketing plan to capture market share.
• Management Plan : Outline the roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of owners and key managers, including projected salaries and employee positions.
• Financial Plan : Provide a summary of financial projections for the first three years, with detailed assumptions and sensitivity analysis.
• Appendix : Include pro forma financials, resumes, leases, contracts, and personal financial statements for lenders.

Copyright © 2024 SCORE Association, SCORE.org

Funded, in part, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

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The Power of Networking — 5 Tips on Building Strategic Alliances for Business Growth Who is on your side? Who has your back? It doesn't have to be lonely at the top. We look at five practical ways you can network to achieve the best for you and your business.

By Nicholas Leighton Edited by Chelsea Brown May 24, 2024

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize offering value to others in your network by making introductions, sharing insights and offering assistance with specific challenges. This helps foster trust and reciprocal support.
• Carefully selecting complementary partners and being selective with network members can lead to high-quality and meaningful connections that support mutual success and growth.
• Participate in business advisory boards to learn new skills, share challenges and receive feedback or advice in a collaborative environment.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

As an entrepreneur, it's you against the world. Or, at least that's how it often feels being a small business owner, especially a solopreneur. Here's the reality: Success is rarely achieved in isolation. The most successful business people understand that the power of connecting with others is the key to unlocking new opportunities and growth.

Surrounding yourself with professionals, business owners and industry leaders can provide a myriad of opportunities to access resources, gain knowledge and build strategic partnerships . Let's look at some best practices to build an effective network to support the growth of your business.

Related: 4 Reasons Why Networking Is a Must for All Successful Entrepreneurs

1. Lead with value first

The most successful networks work because both parties have the opportunity to benefit from one another. Establishing a strong, reciprocal relationship from the outset is crucial. Instead of focusing solely on what you can gain, prioritize what you can offer to others.

Providing value can take many forms, such as making introductions within your network, sharing industry insights or offering assistance with specific challenges where you have expertise. By consistently offering value , you can build trust and goodwill, which in turn makes others more inclined to support and help you.

2. Connect with complementary partners

When building networks, it's important to carefully consider what types of relationships would bring the most value to your business. In many cases, the right people are the ones that offer different, but complementary services. For example, a tax accountant might want to build a relationship with an estate attorney.

There are a few benefits to this approach. One, both individuals get the benefit of being able to access expanded knowledge related to their business. This relationship can also be an excellent source of referrals from the other's client base. This is important for business growth since B2B referrals statistically have a 71% higher conversion rate .

Related: Effective Networking Requires Mastering These 5 Skills

3. Be selective about who you let into your circle

Fostering relationships takes a lot of time and effort, so it's essential to be selective about who you include in your network. Studies have shown that half of all people struggle to maintain long-term contact with their professional networks. By limiting the number of people in your circle, you can dedicate more time to building strong, meaningful relationships with each individual.

Additionally, it's important to avoid associating yourself or your business with individuals who have a negative reputation, as their actions could harm your own reputation, despite any access or benefits they might offer. This approach isn't about being pretentious, but rather about valuing your time and ensuring that your network is built on trust and mutual respect.

4. Look within your industry

While finding complementary members to add to your network is helpful, many entrepreneurs tend to lack focus. It's natural to want to avoid others in your industry, as there may be some conflict of interest. However, it's important to build relationships with individuals who totally understand your business, and that will be people who have similar businesses. Look to those in the same industry, but with a slightly different business focus, a different target customer or a different geography.

5. Participate in a business advisory board

Participating in a business (or peer) advisory board is a valuable way to learn new skills and share the burdens that come with operating a small business. These boards provide a platform for entrepreneurs and business leaders to share their concerns and frustrations and also receive feedback or advice based on others' past experiences. This collaborative environment fosters learning and problem-solving, helping you navigate challenges more effectively in a safe environment.

Related: Want to Succeed as an Entrepreneur? Discover the Key to Building Long-Lasting Connections

Networking is more than just a passive activity. It's a strategic investment in the future of your business. At the end of the day, the amount of effort you decide to put into building and nurturing strategic relationships can yield substantial returns for your business.

Building the right network isn't always easy, especially as entrepreneurs and small business owners struggle to keep their heads above water on a daily basis. Having a professional business coach can be an invaluable asset in your networking journey. Coaches can help provide guidance as you navigate the complexities of networking and also provide introductions to influential contacts within their networks.

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Best-selling author, speaker & business owner executive coach

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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