Part 2: How to write a knock-out 12 page business plan

Yesterday I wrote about pitching ideas to money-men (or women, but the alliteration of money-men sounds better), ie. raising capital. If you manage to spark the interest of a money-man you may either get the opportunity for a quick pitch (see previous post) or they will request a business plan.

When they ask for a business plan, they don’t want a tome. Try and keep it to 12 pages. Why 12 pages? It’s a nice number, 10, 13, 9, whatever. Keep it short.

Here are the components of those pages broken down (hint: they are in a meaningful hierarchal order, the most important is first..):

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So my brother emails me asking what he would need to present a business idea to raise capital. And this is part 1 of my reply to his query…

Part 1: How to get an investor to cut you a check on the spot

Ok, I’ve raised some cash in the past, angel money mostly, some bank loans, and negotiated with VCs, but never closed that loop. So here’s what I know, a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge.

You need a business plan. But it’s not really a biz plan, it’s more of a sales pitch. Asking for money is the ultimate sales pitch, you’re not asking someone to take a chance on buying 1 widget, but to invest money, time and energy in the business. So for any good sales pitch, you need to have your act together.

30 second pitch. Also known as the elevator or phone pitch. It needs to be hard hitting, concrete and credible. You’re not even talking about what your widget (could be product of service) is, you’re talking about what problem its solving; what’s the pain, who has it, and why would they buy your solution to it?

15 minute presentation. Get your Power Point cued up.

• Put it on your laptop, on your PDA in micro version.
  
• No more then 10 words per slide, use images.

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