Developing a Business Plan to shape business ideas into action, to attract investors and clients and financial contrl.

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2. Business Plan in 90 minutes
U Win Thu, Principal of Inspiro Institute
Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI,UK)
MBA (Heriot-Watt University, UK)
PG.Dip BM, Adv Dip HRM, Adv Dip BM (ABE, UK)
IADB, IDB (NCC,UK)
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What Is a Business Plan?
• Business Plan
– A business plan is a written narrative, typically 25 to 35
pages long, that describes what a new business plans to
accomplish.
• Dual-Use Document
– For most new ventures, the business plan is a dual-purpose
document used both inside and outside the firm.
• Inside the firm, the plan helps the company develop a “road map”
to follow in executing its strategies and plans.
• Outside the firm, it introduces potential investors and other
stakeholders to the business opportunity the firm is pursuing and
how it plans to pursue it.

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Who Reads the Business Plan—And What Are
They Looking For?
There are two primary audiences for a firm’s business plan
Audience What They are Looking For
A Firm’s
Employees
Investors and
Other External
Stakeholders
A clearly written business plan, which articulates the
vision and future plans of the firm, helps the employees of
a firm operate in sync and move forward in a consistent
and purposeful manner.
A firm’s business plan must make the case that the firm is a
good use of an investor’s funds or the attention of other
external stakeholders. The key is to include facts generated
through a properly conducted feasibility analysis. A
business plan rings hollow if it is based strictly on what an
entrepreneur or team of founders “thinks” will happen.

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Guidelines for Writing a Business Plan
(1 of 4)
• Structure of the Business Plan
– To make the best impression, a business plan should follow
a conventional structure, such as the outline for the
business plan shown in the chapter.
– Although some entrepreneurs want to demonstrate
creativity in everything they do, departing from the basic
structure of the conventional business plan format is
usually a mistake.
– Typically, investors are very busy people and want a plan
where they can easily find critical information.

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Guidelines for Writing a Business Plan
(2 of 4)
• Structure of the Business Plan (continued)
– Software Packages
• There are many software packages available that employ an
interactive, menu-driven approach to assist in the writing of a
business plan.
• Some of these programs are very helpful. However, entrepreneurs
should avoid a boilerplate plan that looks as though it came from a
“canned” source.
– Sense of Excitement
• Along with facts and figures, a business plan needs to project a
sense of anticipation and excitement about the possibilities that
surround a new venture.

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Guidelines for Writing a Business Plan
(3 of 4)
• Content of the Business Plan
– The business plan should give clear and concise
information on all the important aspects of the proposed
venture.
– It must be long enough to provide sufficient information
yet short enough to maintain reader interest.
– For most plans, 25 to 35 pages is sufficient.
• Types of Business Plans
– There are three types of business plans, which are shown
on the next slide.

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Guidelines for Writing a Business Plan
(4 of 4)
Types of Business Plans

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Putting It All Together
(1 of 2)
The 10 Most Important Questions a Business Plan Should Answer
Is the business just an idea, or is it an
opportunity with real potential?
Does the firm have an exciting and
sensible business model? Will other
firms be able to easily copy it?
Is the product or service viable? Does it
add significant value to the customer?
Was a feasibility analysis completed?
Is the industry in which the product or
service will be competing growing,
stable, or declining?
Does the firm have a well-defined
target market?

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Putting It All Together
(2 of 2)
The 10 Most Important Questions a Business Plan Should Answer
Is the management team experienced,
skilled, and up to the task of launching
the new firm?
Is the firm organized in an appropriate
manner? Are its strategy and business
practices legal and ethical?
Are the financial projections realistic,
and do they project a bright future for
the firm? What rate of return can
investors expect?
How will the firm’s competitors react
to its entrance into their markets?
What are the critical risks surrounding the business,
and does the management team have contingency
plans in place if risks become actual problems?

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Presenting the Business Plan to Investors
(1 of 3)
• Making a Presentation to Investors
– If the business plan successfully elicits the interest of
potential investors, the next step is to meet with the
investors and present the plan in person.
– The first meeting with an investor is generally very short,
about one hour. The investor will typically ask the firm to
make a 20- to 30-minute presentation using PowerPoint
slides and use the rest of the time to respond to questions.
– If the investor is impressed and wants to learn more about
the venture, the firm will be asked back for a second
meeting.

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Presenting the Business Plan to Investors
(2 of 3)
• Tips on Making an Oral Presentation to Investors
– When asked to meet with an investor, the founders of a new
venture should prepare a set of PowerPoint slides that will
fill the time slot permitted.
– The presentation should be smooth and well rehearsed.
The slides should be sharp and not cluttered with material.
• The first rule in making an oral presentation is to follow
instructions. If an investor tells an entrepreneur that he or she has
one hour and that the hour will consist of a 30-minute presentation
and a 30-minute question-and-answer period, the presentation
shouldn’t last more than 30 minutes.

13. Business Plan Contents
 Owner’s (or Owners’) Personal Details
 Executive summary
 Business opportunity (Who you are, Overview , Products and services)
 Your Markets and competitors (Markets, Customer base, Competitors,
Future)
 Marketing and Sales (Position, Customers, Pricing policy, Promotion,
Customer reach, Selling)
 Operations (Location, Facilities, Management Information, Information
technology)
 Financial forecasts
 Risk analysis
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14. Executive summary(10 mins/90 mins)
• Write this section last. It should be a brief
overview of the business and the key points of
the entire plan. Cover the highlights within
each section of the document – from the key
features of the business opportunity through
to the elements of the financial forecast
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15. Business opportunity(15 mins/90
mins)
• Who you are
• Overview
• Products and services
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16. Marketing and Sales(25 mins/90 mins)
– Position
– Customers
– Pricing policy
– Promotion
– Customer reach
– Selling
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17. Operations (15 mins /90 mins)
– Location
– Facilities
– Management Information
– Information technology
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18. Financial forecasts & Risk Analysis (25
mins / 90 mins)
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