T643 PART 2 DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IDEAS
questioirand-answer period, the presentation shouldnt last more than
20 minutes. The presentation should be smooth and Wellrehearsed. The slides
should be sharp and not cluttered with material.
The entrepreneur should arrive at the appointment on time and be Well
prepared. If any audiovisual equipment is needed, the entrepreneur should
be prepared to supply the equipment ii the investor doesnt have it. These
arrangements should be made before the meeting. The presentation should
consist of plain -talk and should avoid technical jargon. Start-up entrepre?
neurs may mistakenly spend too much time talking about the technology
that will go into a new product or service and not enough time talking about
the business itself. The most important issues to cover in the presentation
and how to present them are shown in Table 4.5. This presentation format
” ` TWELVE Efows1t?on
'r Smoes eo INCLUDE IN an investors
Passsnritriorr r
Topic Expianation
1. Title slide Introduce the presentation vi/ith your companys name, the names of
the founders, and the company logo if availabie.
Bring the presentation to a close. Summarize the strongest points of
2. Problem l- Briefly state the problem to be solved or the need .to be filled.”
T 'S Solutipn ` ' p " " Explain hovv youriflrm yvilllsolv?theproblem _or hot/vit willrlsatisfy the
V need to be filled? T? ‘ ' " TT.”
4 Opportunity and Articulate yourrspecifiotarget market, Talk V
5
6
7
8
9
`IO.
li.
12.
target market r
.Technology
Competition
Marketing and
sales _
Management
team
Financial
projections
Current status
Financing sought
Summary
environmental trends that are providing your target market momentum.
This slide is optional but is normally included. Talk about your technology
or any unusual aspects of your product or service. Don’t talk in an overly
technical manner Make your descriptions easy to understand.
Explain specifically the firm’s competitive advantage in the market-
place and how it vvill compete against more established competitors.
Describe your overall marketing strategy. Talk about your sales
process. lf you’ve administered a buying intentions survey or
conducted other primary research regarding hovv people feel about
your product, repon the results here.
Describe your existing management team. Explain hovv the team
came together and how their backgrounds and expertise are keys to
the success of your firm. If you have a board of advisers or board of
directors, briefly mention the key individuals involved. If you have
gaps in yourteam, explain how and when they will be filled.
Briefiy discuss the financials. Stress when the firm vi/ill achieve
profitability, how much capital it vi/ill take to get there, and when its
cash flow will break even. Use additional slides if needed to properly
display your information, but dont go overboard.
Describe the current status of your firm inthe context of the
milestones you”ve achieved to date. Dorft diminish the value of your
accomplishments.
Lay out specifically how much financing you’re seeking and how
you’ll use the money.
._ your venture and your team. Solicit feedback from your audience.
Source: B. Earrings; Preparing Ertective Business Plans: An Entrepreneurial Approach, ist Edition, ? 2009,
pp. 242~253. Adapted by permission of Pearson Education, inc. Upper Saddle River, ll.l.