Writing business plans that speak to investors

Inspired by Eric Tachibana.

February 2012

WRITING BUSINESS PLANS THAT SPEAK TO INVESTORS

ABOUT FUTUREBOOKS

www.futurebooks.com.sg

ABOUT FUTUREBOOKS

We offer affordable incorporation, bookkeeping, business planning and brokering, to entrepreneurs with big ambitions.

Futurebooks is Singapore’s and Hong Kong’s most progressive bookkeeping company.


ABOUT FUTUREBOOKS


ABOUT FUTUREBOOKS

Help you to market and sell your firm


THE READER

Investors receive dozens of business plans every week to read.


THE READER

Written by entrepreneurs claiming to be the next Zuckerberg.


BIG QUESTION

HOW WILL YOUR BUSINESS PLAN HOLD THEIR ATTENTION?


#1 EXPRESS THE SINGLE-MINDED PROPOSITION

If you can’t express your idea in one sentence, you probably don’t have an idea.


#2 DOES YOUR AUDIENCE CARE?

Is the value significant enough to warrant someone paying for it?


#3 WE HAVE NO COMPETITORS

It is unlikely you have no competitors. If there are none, no significant need may exist.


#4 SHOW THEM THE MONEY

Tell the investor simply how they are going to make money.


#5 PRICE IT RIGHT

Have a pricing strategy. The higher the perceived value, the higher the price you can charge for your products and services.


#6 CALCULATE THE REAL COST

Underestimate your costs and you will not ask for enough funding. Add a loading to your people costs by a factor of 1.7 to 3.


#7 TARGET AN AUDIENCE

Your idea should not be all things to all people. Start with segments you can economically reach.


#8 FOCUS YOUR RESOURCES

Focus your resources and take one market at a time. If you spread yourself too thin, you run the risk of achieving nothing.


#9 ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Put in place measures to ensure your audience will be loyal now and in the future.


#10 CREATE BARRIERS TO ENTRY

Patents are not your sole barrier to entry. Cost-leader and product differentiation can be more important to a startup than a patent.


#11 GET USED TO ‘NO’

Not every investor who reads your business plan will love your idea. Learn something from every interaction.


QUESTIONS

Contact Futurebooks to help you write your business plan. www.futurebooks.com.sg

http://futurebooks.com.sg/


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Business

Writing business plans that speak to investors