presentation vs business plan

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

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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 Business Plan Presentations: A Guide

Business Plan Presentations: A 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.

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. 

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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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. 

Create a business plan that maximizes your chances of securing funding

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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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.

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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.

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How to Make a Business Plan Presentation? Guide & Examples

This guide helps you make a strong business plan presentation easily. You will learn about important parts, how to organize them well, and use visuals effectively to explain your business idea clearly. You will get better at telling your business story to feel more confident in a competitive environment.

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:

Customer Profiles

Marketing and sales strategies.

• Organizational Structure And Management

Services And Products

Financial plan.

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 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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How to Make a Business Plan Presentation

Back to Business Plans

Written by: Carolyn Young

Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.

Edited by: David Lepeska

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

Published on February 19, 2023 Updated on December 12, 2023

Congrats! You’ve tackled the arduous task of writing a business plan . Now comes the next big hurdle – presenting that plan to potential funders. It would be nice if you could just hand them the plan so they can read it, fall in love with your vision, and give you money. But that’s just not how it works. 

You and your partners, if you have any, will likely need to present your plan. Investors, in particular, tend to expect a presentation with graphs and tables and persuasive projections of growth. Lenders, on the other hand, often just want to see the business plan, but you might prepare a presentation just in case. 

A presentation relays the main points of your vision and gives potential backers a sense of who you are. Thus, making a great presentation is often crucial to securing investor financing. Fortunately for you, this handy guide shows you how to do just that.  

• Know Your Audience

Your business plan and presentation need to be tailored to your audience because they will have different goals. A lender, for example, wants to know that the business will have ample income and cash flow to make payments on the loan.

An investor, on the other hand, wants to be convinced that the business can grow significantly over three to five years. Investors typically want a five to ten times return on their money in that time period. That return will come from a successful exit of the business, which could be the acquisition of the business, a merger, or an initial public offering. 

So if you’re pitching to a lender, focus on income. If you’re pitching to an investor, focus on growth.

• The Pitch Deck

A pitch deck can be tricky because you need to highlight the key points of your business plan in 15 to 20 slides. Each slide should contain as few words as possible and quickly get to the point. Include visuals such as charts and graphs, but don’t overdo it.

Here are the components of a good pitch deck.

• Quick introduction of you and your partners. Don’t go into detail; names and titles are enough.
• The business opportunity: what problem are you solving and for whom? Be sure to start here. 
• Your product or service – what are you offering and why and how does it solve the market problem? Point out any differentiating features of your product or service.
• Market summary – how big is the market, is it growing, and what trends are occurring?
• Your competitive advantage – what will make your business stand out from the crowd? This is very important, so justify how you can create and sustain this advantage.
• A summary of your marketing and sales strategy. Focus on value proposition, not tactics.
• Any milestones you’ve achieved so far. If you’ve already had some big sales, be sure to spend some time highlighting them. 
• Management summary – who will manage what and why are they qualified? Discuss their education and experience. Investors are very interested in the management team. They won’t invest in even the greatest idea if they don’t think the managers can execute.
• 3-5 years of financial projections. Don’t go into too much detail, which is a common mistake. A summary of the key numbers will suffice. 
• Your funding “ask:” how much do you need and for what? As a general rule, you should NOT talk about how much equity you’re offering if the presentation is to an investor. You’ll negotiate that later, and unfortunately, the investor tends to have the upper hand in that process.

Use your business plan as your guide to create the pitch deck. Be sure to highlight the most compelling points of your plan in your slides.

An important point is that you absolutely must write your business plan before creating your pitch deck. A business plan requires a great deal of time and research , and your presentation is merely a more concise, visual summary, so doing it the other way around is likely to fail. 

If time allows, after your presentation you could give a brief demonstration of your product. 

Be prepared for questions!

• How to Present

First of all, you’re likely to have a limited time frame to make your presentation, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Practice your presentation over and over to nail down your timing as well as any tricky phrases or concepts. Do a run-through for a few people you trust and listen to their feedback. 

When presenting, be confident but not arrogant. If you have areas that you need help with in your business, don’t be afraid to mention them. When they invest, investors are generally happy to offer guidance as well. 

Avoid tangents. Stay focused and be sure to get to all your important points. 

Spend the most time on the elements investors are most interested in: the business opportunity, competitive advantage, management team, and financial plan and projections.

Remember, you’re not just selling a business idea; you’re selling yourself and your ability to execute. Convince them that you can get it done and deliver. 

Answer any questions directly and honestly. Investors will know if you’re just blowing smoke. 

Presenting a business plan is daunting – after all, your future is on the line! But if you take the time to prepare, there’s no reason you can’t deliver a fantastic presentation. After that, it’s beyond your control. 

You might not get the capital you seek, but the investors may just have other interests or are limiting their commitments at the moment. Don’t take it too hard, and don’t be afraid to fail. 

Countless entrepreneurs were repeatedly denied funding before finally making the presentation that put them on the road to success! It’s all about hard work, determination, and a dash of luck. And now you know just what you need to do to deliver a persuasive presentation. 

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Home / Blog / Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan: What is the Difference?

Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan: What is the Difference?

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Deciding between a pitch deck and a business plan for your next fundraiser? In reality, both documents play an important part in your fight for the next round. 

• Research shows that a clear, concise pitch deck can increase the chances of securing an initial meeting with investors by up to 72% .
• A business plan reduces internal confusion by 25% by clearly outlining the goals, strategies, and financial projections, leading to a 30% increase in team collaboration .

Both documents require heavy research and are designed to convince investors to back your venture. However, they accomplish it in different ways.

Having raised over $505M in 2023 for startups with our pitch decks and business plans , we’ll walk you through a detailed Pitch deck vs. Business plan comparison and their role in the fundraising game.

What is the pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a 10-20-slide presentation showcasing the potential of your business idea and startup to investors. Briefly and compellingly, it introduces your company, product, market, business model and overall strategy. 

An effective must showcase your market research, traction to date, and a roadmap to where you want to get. No one-sized pitch deck exists, so you can even pitch someone in the elevator .

Think of it as an introductory sales document designed to pique investor interest and encourage further dialogue.

Components of a pitch deck:

• Introduction: Brief overview of your company and its purpose.
• Problem Statement: Clearly define the problem your product or service solves.
• Solution: Describe your product or service and how it addresses the problem.
• Market Opportunity: Showcase the potential market size and target audience.
• Business Model: Explain how your company plans to generate revenue.
• Traction: Highlight any milestones, achievements, or user statistics.
• Market Strategies: Outline your marketing and sales approaches.
• Competitive Analysis: Identify and analyze your competitors.
• Team: Introduce key team members and their roles.
• Financial Projections: Present forecasts for revenue, expenses, and profitability.
• Ask/Investment: Clearly state what you’re seeking from potential investors.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a 30-100-page document showcasing an in-depth analysis of your business idea to potential investors to convince them to invest. It elaborates on things like:

• Your sales, marketing, and operational plans for growth
• Where your company will be in the next 1,3 or 5 years
• A step-by-step plan of how you’ll get there.

The business plan is the first part of the investor’s due diligence process before finalizing the deal. It lays out more detailed research on your industry and competitors, contains many charts, graphs, and pictures, and is very text-heavy. 

Think of it as a comprehensive blueprint of your venture designed to persuade interested investors to pull the trigger and invest.

Components of a business plan:

• Executive Summary: A brief business overview, goals, and plans.
• Company Description: Details about your business, mission, vision, and structure.
• Market Analysis: Research your industry, market, and competitors.
• Organization and Management: Information about your team, structure, and key personnel.
• Product or Service Line: Description of your offer and its benefits.
• Marketing and Sales: Your strategies for promoting and selling your product or service.
• Funding Request: If you seek funding, outline your financial needs.
• Financial Projections: Projected financial statements, like income statements and balance sheets.
• Appendix: Additional supporting documents, charts, graphs, etc.

What are the differences between a pitch deck and a business plan?

While the business plan and pitch deck give a view of your venture, they serve different goals, reach different audiences, and build the story differently. These distinctions manifest in the length, format, target audiences, and funding stages. 

Length and Format

• Pitch Deck:

Brief and eye-catching 10-20 slides with engaging visuals, like images, charts, and minimal text. Generally highlights critical points, like product or service, target market, business model, and future potential.

• Business Plan:  

Detailed 30-100 page text-heavy document armed with visuals like charts and graphs. It typically emphasizes projected revenue, expenses, and profitability through financial statements and forecasts. The document details strategies for sales, marketing, operations, and human resources, along with a description of team members’ expertise, experience, contributions to the company’s success, etc.

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Targeted Audience

• Pitch Deck: Investors (initial stages)
• Business Plan: Investors (due diligence), internal team

Stages and Objectives

• Pitch Deck: 1. Shines in early stages: Pre-seed, seed, Series A. 2. Captivates investors: Concisely delivers the problem, solution, market, and team.
• Business Plan: 1. Dominates later stages: Series B and beyond. 2. Secures substantial funding: Demonstrates viability and potential return on investment (ROI).

Frequency of use

• Pitch Deck: 1. High Frequency: Used frequently and repeatedly throughout the fundraising process. You might prepare several variations tailored to different investors or stages of funding. Examples: Initial investor meetings, pitch competitions, and conferences seeking investment opportunities.
• Business Plan: 1. Lower Frequency: Typically used once during the later fundraising stages, specifically during due diligence. 2. Focus: Providing detailed information for investors to thoroughly assess your business’s viability.

Pros and cons: Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan

Advantages:

• Comprehensive: This thoroughness is crucial for investors, lenders, and internal stakeholders.
• Strategically complete: Aids decision-making, resource allocation, and risk management.
• Supportive fundraising: Studies suggest that companies with a well-crafted business plan are 18% more likely to secure funding than those without one.

Disadvantages:

• Time-consuming: Requires potential expertise in areas like financial modelling and market research.
• Outdated quickly: Market dynamics and business strategies can evolve rapidly, necessitating regular updates to the plan to maintain its accuracy and relevance.
• It may not be read: Lack of time and poorly structured info can push away the potential investor.
• Concise and engaging: Studies reveal that audiences lose focus after 10-20 minutes of presentations. Pitch delivers a clear and quick message.
• Easy to adapt and share: Adapting the pitch deck for various audiences and situations is simpler due to its brevity.
• This can lead to meetings: Engaging presentations foster positive connections with potential partners and lay the groundwork for long-lasting collaborations.
• Sometimes limited information: By definition, it does not provide the in-depth financial analysis, operational details, and market research needed for comprehensive due diligence.
• Less suitable for later stages: As funding requirements and investor expectations increase, a pitch deck alone may not be sufficient for securing more significant investments.

Which is more important, the pitch deck or the business plan?

There is no one-size answer; in most cases, you need both. The importance of each depends on your industry and fundraising stage. The pitch deck is crucial early on , but investors scrutinise the business plan for details as you progress . 

The pitch deck is vital for visibility. Without it, you may miss opportunities with investors and hinder connections with mentors and partners essential for your startup’s success.

On the other hand, the business plan is crucial to validate everything you’ve outlined in your pitch deck. Investors can quickly spot unprepared founders or unrealistic propositions. While a compelling pitch may secure a meeting, a thorough plan will convince investors to back your venture.

Important: A well-crafted pitch deck often stems from a strong business plan.

When to use a business plan and not a pitch deck

• If you seek debt financing: Banks rely on business plans, emphasizing their importance for loan applications.
• If you fundraise above $500k: Careful planning is crucial for substantial fundraising. Investors will scrutinize your venture, so be thoroughly prepared.
• If you have cooperative ownership planning: A written plan is essential for co-owners to navigate challenges together, staying true to the initial vision while embracing necessary changes.

When to use a pitch deck and not a business plan

• When attracting equity investment: A concise pitch deck is essential to secure funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, or knowledgeable friends and family.
• When looking for networking with potential investors: Crafting a positive initial impression is paramount.
• For pitching opportunities for founders: Explore pitch competitions in the startup community, seizing opportunities for exposure and honing your pitching abilities with a solid pitch deck.
• When seeking co-founders: If you’re looking for cofounders, there is no better way to convey your concept and the value you can bring to the table than through a pitch deck.
• When applying to accelerator programs: A well-crafted pitch deck is typically required. It is a critical asset in the assessment process for entry into the accelerator’s next cohort.

You need both 

Need to grab attention and lock connections? Use a pitch deck. Need to showcase in-depth details and long-term potential? Use a business plan. Both tools are paramount in navigating your fundraising journey effectively.

Want to know how to craft pitch decks that secure investor interest? Check our pitch deck hub to learn all about it straight from the trenches.

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The Entrepreneur's Arsenal: Pitch Deck vs. Business Plan

Learn the differences between a business plan and a pitch deck and when to use each one. Discover the pros and cons of both and how to create a winning pitch deck or compelling business plan.

November 20, 2023

Pitch deck vs. business plan: which one do you need for your business, and when? As a businessman or entrepreneur, do you sometimes wonder why your potential investors aren't responding after you've sent them a long and detailed business plan or a catchy pitch deck? This could be due to the minimal information provided in the pitch deck or the lengthy, boring, and irrelevant details in the business plan that repelled them from reaching back to you. However, you should also know how to send pitch decks to investors. Therefore, it's crucial for an entrepreneur to understand which approach is best for their venture. Before seeking out investors, one should be very well aware of the difference between a pitch deck and a business plan. Luckily, we have all the information you need. Check out our resource on how to send a pitch deck to investors.

Pitch Deck vs Business Plan

What are pitch decks and business plans, and how do you write them? Let’s find out.

A business plan identifies, describes, and analyzes a business opportunity and/or an existing business. It focuses on the technical, financial, and economic viability of the idea, and explains in detail the plans your company has for the next 1, 3, and 5 years. This document is used as a reference point by potential investors when deciding whether or not to invest in your company. Furthermore, it's frequently used in a due diligence step in the funding process. A pitch deck, on the other hand, is a much more summarized version of a business plan that aims to excite investors about a company, to set up a second meeting and the possibility of an investment discussion. It is a pitch presentation used by business owners or entrepreneurs to give potential investors, like venture capitalists or angel investors, a concise but informative overview of their startup or company. Investors can use it to see where your business stands and where it is going, and decide whether they want to support it in getting there. It is purposefully sent to potential investors in order to set up a face-to-face meeting or used as a visual aid during a live presentation to potential investors.

Included Information

A business plan contains the research you have conducted on your industry and competitors as well as your company's operational, marketing, and sales strategies. It also includes financial analysis, growth, success projections, and a road map of where your business will be in the future and how it will get there. These nine sections are combined in a traditional business plan design in one way or another:

• Executive summary
• Business description
• Market research
• Operational plan and management
• Service or line of goods
• Sales and marketing
• Money request
• Financial estimates

If you want a professional business plan, it is highly recommended to use a business plan consultant. On the other hand, a pitch deck usually covers the following sections:

• Introduction
• Target market
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Pitch Deck Competition Slide
• Funding request
• Financial Strength

You can find all the details in our Pitch Deck Outline article. Another element of information that should be included in a pitch deck is how much money the company intends to raise, for what amount of equity, and how the money will be spent. Therefore, it must contain expected financials and a pre-money company valuation. You can also include a timeline of significant events in the company's history, which will help convince investors to approve the funding.

The business plan is a lengthy, in-depth document that typically has 10–100 pages and is created in Word. It is primarily text-based. On the other hand, the pitch deck's length ranges between 10 and 20 pages and is produced using PowerPoint with the intention of using visual aids such as pictures, graphs, tables to convey as much of the critical information as quickly as possible.

Situations Where a Business Plan Is Needed

• Obtaining Debt Financing from Conventional Banks: If you want to obtain any type of loan from a bank, you will need to submit a business plan, as they still review them.
• Company Having Multiple Co-Founders and Co-Owners: A business plan is quite helpful in managing a bigger board of seniors in the company. It ensures that everyone sticks to the company's core values and carries out the intended plans to achieve long-term goals. This should be a dynamic document that is continually updated as circumstances warrant.
• Fundraising over $500K: If you are raising a large amount of cash, you better have a strategy in place for how you are going to use it. Be ready for due diligence from investors.

For an in-depth guide on startup business models , click here.

Situations Where a Pitch Deck is Needed

• Meeting or Starting a Conversation with an Investor: A pitch deck is a conversation starter that encourages investors to get in touch with you. You can email a PDF file or send a printed copy to start building a relationship with investors.
• Pitching in a Competition: The startup community organizes many pitch competitions and events that provide business founders the opportunity to practice pitching their business and gain exposure. In these competitions, a pitch deck is a must-have document that effectively communicates the startup plan.
• Seeking Equity Funding: If you are seeking funding from venture capitalists, angel investors, or knowledgeable friends and family, you need a clear pitch deck.

What to Write First - Business Plan vs Pitch Deck?

At the initial phase of a business, a fundamental document called a business plan is written. This plan is updated as the business develops and as needs and goals change over time. The lengthy document can serve a variety of purposes, including internal use within the company or in banks that still require business plans for loan applications today. Additionally, the business plan document can be very useful in creating a compelling pitch deck. In the eyes of professionals, the pitch deck is considered a child of the business plan. Having a prepared business plan makes it much easier to get depth and length in your plans, which eventually results in more clarity and strong points that you could include in a pitch deck. Research is already completed when writing a business plan, which allows the pitch deck to focus on composing the already-existing information in such a manner that encourages the investor to approve the funding you need.

The Pros and Cons of a Business Plan vs. a Pitch Deck

Both business plans and pitch decks have their advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each.

Business Plan Pros

• Comprehensive: A business plan is a comprehensive document that covers all aspects of your business, from your market research to your financial projections. It may be helpful to seek assistance from a financial modelling agency when creating your financial projections.. It provides potential investors with a detailed understanding of your business and its potential for success.
• Strategic: A business plan helps you to think strategically about your business. By analyzing your industry, your competitors, and your own strengths and weaknesses, you can create a plan that maximizes your chances of success.
• Useful for fundraising: A well-written business plan can be an effective tool for raising funds from investors. It provides potential investors with the information they need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in your business.

Business Plan Cons

• Time-consuming: Writing a comprehensive business plan can be a time-consuming process. It requires a significant amount of research, analysis, and writing.
• Outdated quickly: Business plans can quickly become outdated as your business evolves and circumstances change. This means that you may need to update your business plan regularly to ensure that it remains relevant.
• May not be read: Some investors may not have the time or patience to read a lengthy business plan. This means that your hard work may go to waste if your plan is not read by the right people.

Pitch Deck Pros

• Concise: A pitch deck is a concise document that provides potential investors with a quick overview of your business. It is designed to be easy to read and understand, which makes it more likely that it will be read by potential investors.
• Engaging: A well-designed pitch deck can be an engaging and memorable way to present your business to potential investors. It can help you to stand out from the competition and make a strong impression.
• Can lead to meetings: A pitch deck is often used to secure meetings with potential investors. If your pitch deck is well-received, it can lead to a face-to-face meeting where you can provide more detailed information about your business.

Pitch Deck Cons

• Limited information: A pitch deck provides only a limited amount of information about your business. This means that potential investors may not have a complete understanding of your business and its potential.
• Not suitable for all businesses: A pitch deck is not suitable for all businesses. If your business is complex or requires a significant amount of explanation, a pitch deck may not be sufficient.
• Not as useful for fundraising: While a pitch deck can be used to secure meetings with potential investors, it may not be as effective as a business plan for actually raising funds.

Ultimately, the decision to use a business plan or a pitch deck will depend on the specific needs of your business and the goals you hope to achieve. It's important to understand the pros and cons of each and use them appropriately to effectively communicate your ideas to potential investors.

How to Create a Winning Pitch Deck

Creating a pitch deck that stands out can be a challenging task, but it's essential if you want to attract investors to your business. Here are some tips to help you create a winning pitch deck:

1. Start with a Strong Introduction

Your introduction slide should grab investors' attention and make them want to learn more about your company. Use a catchy tagline, a powerful image, or a compelling statistic to draw them in.

2. Focus on the Problem You're Solving

Your pitch deck should explain the problem you're solving and why it matters. Use real-world examples and statistics to illustrate the problem and show why it's important.

3. Explain Your Solution

After you've described the problem, explain how your product or service solves it. Be clear and concise, and focus on the benefits of your solution.

4. Show Traction

Investors want to see that your company is gaining traction and making progress. Include data on customer acquisition, revenue, and growth to show that your business is on the right track.

5. Describe Your Marketing and Sales Strategy

Your pitch deck should explain how you plan to market and sell your product or service, including specifics on your target market, your marketing channels, your sales process, and any startup market research services you may use to gain insights into your target audience and industry.

6. Highlight Your Competitive Advantage

Investors want to know what sets your business apart from the competition. Explain your competitive advantage and show how it gives you an edge in the market.

7. Be Realistic About Financial Projections

Your pitch deck should include financial projections, but they should be realistic. Don't exaggerate your projections or make unrealistic promises. Instead, focus on achievable goals and realistic timelines.

8. Keep It Simple and Visual

Your pitch deck should be simple and easy to follow. Use visuals, such as graphs, charts, and images, to convey your message and make your presentation more engaging.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, practice your pitch deck until you're comfortable delivering it. Practice in front of friends, family, or colleagues, and ask for feedback. Refine your presentation until it's polished and persuasive.

By following these tips, you can create a winning pitch deck that will help you attract investors and grow your business. Remember to start with a strong introduction, focus on the problem you're solving, explain your solution, show traction, describe your marketing and sales strategy, highlight your competitive advantage, be realistic about financial projections, keep it simple and visual, and practice, practice, practice.

Tips for Writing a Compelling Business Plan

Writing a business plan can be a daunting task, but it's an essential step in securing funding for your business. Here are some tips to help you write a compelling business plan:

1. Know Your Audience

Before you start writing your business plan, it's essential to know your audience. Who will be reading your plan? What are their goals and objectives? What information do they need to make a decision? By understanding your audience, you can tailor your plan to their needs and increase your chances of success.

2. Keep It Concise

While a business plan is a detailed document, it's essential to keep it concise. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand. Instead, use short sentences and simple language to convey your message. Use bullet points and headings to break up the text and make it easier to read.

3. Focus on Your Unique Value Proposition

Your unique value proposition is what sets your business apart from the competition. It's essential to focus on this in your business plan. Explain why your product or service is better than what's already available in the market. Show how you plan to differentiate yourself and capture market share.

4. Be Realistic

When writing your business plan, it's essential to be realistic. Don't exaggerate your projections or make unrealistic promises. Instead, focus on achievable goals and realistic timelines. Provide evidence to back up your claims and show that you've done your research.

5. Include Financial Projections

Financial projections are a crucial part of any business plan. They show how you plan to make money and when you expect to become profitable. Include projected income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Be sure to explain your assumptions and include a sensitivity analysis to show how your projections could change under different scenarios.

6. Get Feedback

Before submitting your business plan, get feedback from others. Ask friends, family, or colleagues to review your plan and provide feedback. Consider working with a business coach or mentor who can provide guidance and support.

By following these tips, you can write a compelling business plan that will help you secure funding and grow your business. Remember to tailor your plan to your audience, keep it concise, focus on your unique value proposition, be realistic, include financial projections, and get feedback.

Key Components of a Business Plan and a Pitch Deck

A business plan and pitch deck have different components that are essential to the success of your company. Here are the key components of each:

Business Plan

• Executive Summary: This section provides an overview of your entire business plan. It should be concise and highlight key points about your company, such as the problem you're solving, your target market, and your competitive advantage.
• Business Description: This section describes your company in more detail, including your mission, vision, and values. It also includes information about your team, your product or service, your target market, and your business model.
• Market Analysis: This section analyzes your industry and your competitors. It includes information about your target market, your competition, your marketing strategy, and your sales strategy.
• Operational Plan and Management: This section explains how your company will operate on a day-to-day basis. It includes information about your organizational structure, your management team, and your operational processes.
• Service or Line of Goods: This section describes your product or service in detail. It includes information about the features and benefits of your product or service, as well as any intellectual property you've developed.
• Sales and Marketing: This section explains how you plan to sell your product or service. It includes information about your sales strategy, your marketing strategy, and your pricing strategy.
• Money Request: This section explains how much money you're raising and how you plan to use it. It includes information about your funding needs, your use of funds, and your financial projections.
• Financial Estimates: This section includes your financial statements, such as your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. It also includes any other financial information that investors may need to make a decision.

• Introduction: This slide includes your company name, logo, and tagline. It's the first thing investors will see, so it should be attention-grabbing.
• Problem: This slide explains the problem your company is solving. It should be concise and clearly explain why your product or service is needed in the market.
• Target Market: This slide describes your target market. It should include information about your ideal customer, such as their demographics, psychographics, and buying behavior.
• Solution: This slide explains how your product or service solves the problem you identified earlier. It should be concise and clearly explain the benefits of your product or service.
• Traction: This slide describes any traction your company has gained so far. It should include information about your customer acquisition, revenue, and growth.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: This slide explains how you plan to market and sell your product or service. It should include information about your marketing channels, your sales process, and your pricing strategy.
• Competition: This slide describes your competition. It should include information about your competitors' strengths and weaknesses, as well as how your product or service is different.
• Funding Request: This slide explains how much money you're raising and how you plan to use it. It should be concise and clearly explain why you need the money.
• Financial Strength: This slide includes your financial projections. It should include your revenue, expenses, and profit margins.
• Team: This slide describes your team. It should include information about your management team, your advisors, and any other key team members.

Keep in mind that these are just the basic components of a business plan and pitch deck. Depending on your industry and your company's unique needs, you may need to include additional information.

Both a pitch deck and a business plan are essential tools for entrepreneurs seeking funding for their ventures. While a business plan provides a comprehensive overview of a company's operations and financial projections, a pitch deck is a more concise and visually appealing document that seeks to excite potential investors about a company's potential. Understanding the differences and appropriate use cases for each document can greatly increase an entrepreneur's chances of securing funding and growing their business. By following the tips outlined in this article, entrepreneurs can create compelling pitch decks and business plans that effectively communicate their vision and attract potential investors.

Key Takeaways

A business plan analyzes a business opportunity and/or an existing business, while a pitch deck aims to excite investors about a company and set up a meeting for an investment discussion.

A business plan is a lengthy, text-based document, while a pitch deck is a concise document that uses visuals to convey critical information as quickly as possible.

A business plan is helpful for obtaining debt financing from conventional banks, managing a bigger board of seniors in the company, and fundraising over $500k, while a pitch deck is useful for starting a conversation with an investor, pitching in a competition, and seeking equity funding.

A business plan is comprehensive and strategic, while a pitch deck is concise and engaging.

Both business plans and pitch decks have their advantages and disadvantages, so it's essential to understand the pros and cons of each and use them appropriately to communicate your ideas effectively.

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Pitch deck vs business plan: differences and which to use

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Have you ever spent time deciding between creating a pitch deck vs business plan? For startups and new business owners, where every minute counts, it’s crucial to concentrate on activities that deliver the most significant impact.

This blog article demystifies the pitch deck vs business plan, whether you aim to attract investors, secure a loan, or win over partners and clients. We’ll start with pitch decks, followed by business plans, with the goal of helping you choose wisely – so you can spend less time on paperwork and more time building your business.

1. What is a pitch deck?

A pitch deck is a slideshow that concisely conveys your business idea, market opportunity, and value proposition in a presentation format. Also known as a business or investor deck, they are used to quickly present business ideas, products, or services in 10 to 20 slides.

Purpose of a pitch deck

The purpose of a pitch deck is similar to that of an elevator pitch: tell a compelling story to grab the attention of potential investors, partners, or clients.

The goal isn’t to seal a deal on the spot but to spark sufficient interest to secure follow-up meetings and negotiate potential funding.

How long should a pitch deck be?

Your pitch deck should pack a punch, not bore your investors. Aim for 10-20 impactful slides . For complex ideas or specific industries, slightly more might be okay.

The 10/20/30 rule is your friend: make a 10-slide deck that grabs attention. Investors see hundreds of pitch decks a year. Choose quality over quantity – make each slide count!

💡 Related article: How many slides do you need for a 10-minute presentation?

What should be in a pitch deck

Most successful pitch decks follow a similar flow to keep investors hooked. The tried-and-tested 10-slide pitch deck format is a great starting point but be prepared to adjust or add slides for emphasis.

These are the 10 core slides for a pitch deck based on Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule:

• Problem slide
• Solution slide
• Market size and opportunity
• Product/service
• Business model
• Competition
• Financials and key metrics
• Ask (funding needs)

Here are additional slides you may include based on specific business and investor preferences:

• Introduction
• Go-to-market (GTM) slide
• Sales and marketing strategy
• Use of funds
• Exit strategy

💡 Learn more about the 10/20/30 rule: How to create a pitch deck (and the 10 slides you need)

Pitch deck examples

Curious how some tech unicorns have pitched their ideas in the early stages? Here are two examples that have proven successful.

✅ Snapchat pitch deck (2013, Pre-seed)

✅ Tinder pitch deck (2016, Seed)

Examples from Best Pitch Decks

2. What is a business plan?

A business plan is a written document with detailed information that acts as a roadmap for your business. A traditional business plan is a formal document that outlines all aspects of your business, including its goals, strategies, market analysis, operational structure, and financial forecasts for the next 3 to 5 years. Most business plans are created in a Word document or report format, ranging from 10 to hundreds of pages long. 

There are other types of less formal business plans used by startups or for internal alignment:

• Lean startup plan/Lean canvas: Summarizes the value proposition and business model into a single page, with a focus on the problem-solution fit.
• One-page business plan: Fits the essential information of a business into one page. Great for quickly testing an idea’s viability or getting immediate feedback.
• Internal business plan: Less formal, designed for use within an organization — for example, a feasibility business plan, operations plan, strategic, or expansion plan.

Purpose of a business plan

Business plans aren’t just for paperwork – they drive action and results. Think of your business plan as a multi-purpose tool that serves several vital functions:

• Attract investors
• Fundraising or securing loans
• Map your strategy
• Provide a strategic roadmap
• Track business progress or provide a performance benchmark
• Win over partners, talents, and potential hires

Components of a business plan

Business plans don’t have a right or wrong format; only different situations call for other formats. You can mix different plan types to prioritize components that directly support your objectives.

What to include in a traditional business plan:

• Executive summary: A concise overview of your entire business plan, highlighting the most critical points.
• Company description: What your business does, the problem it solves, your target market, and competitive advantages.
• Market analysis: Research data like market size, trends, competitors, and customer demographics.
• Organization and management: The business structure, roles, and experience of key team members.
• Products or services: Details on your offer, including features, benefits, pricing, and any intellectual property considerations.
• Sales and marketing strategy: How you plan to reach your target customers (market) and tactics to promote and drive sales.
• Financial projections: Forecasts of your income, expenses, cash flow, and profitability for the next 1 to 5 years.
• Funding request: If you are fundraising, state the amount, how it will be used, and the terms you offer investors.
• Appendix: Include any supplemental information and documents.

💡 Pro tip: Customize your plan! Add, remove, or rearrange sections to achieve your goals.

How long should a business plan be?

Think about your reader and your goal.  Need a detailed plan for a bank loan? That might be 15-25 pages. Want a quick internal roadmap? A one-page Lean Canvas could work. Consider your industry, who’s reading it, and what you need the plan to do.

💡 Pro tip: Choose quality over quantity. Focus on clarity, regardless of length.

How long does it take to write a business plan?

It can take anything from 20 minutes to 20 weeks. The whole process of creating a business plan can be time-consuming (if opting for a long format), and it can also be quick (for example, the Lean Canvas).

The general advice is: Don’t overthink your first business plan. Start simple, move fast, and build as you grow. Business plans aren’t static, so be prepared to refine and expand your plan as the business evolves.

💡 Pro tip: It’s not uncommon to uncover some challenging sections while writing the plan – the key is to show awareness of these issues and ways to overcome them.

Business plan templates

Not sure where to start? Use these example plans and templates from these reputable sources to get you started: 

• SBA.gov: Write your business plan –  Has the traditional business plan and lean startup business plan templates
• SCORE.org – Has business plan templates for a startup , an established business , and the Business Model Canvas
• Bplans has over 550 business plan examples across multiple industries, which you can use for inspiration.

3. Pitch deck vs business plan: the differences

Now that you understand pitch decks and business plans, let’s dive into their key differences.

• Pitch decks are short and punchy, designed to grab investors’ attention and get you that crucial meeting.
• Business plans are thorough and detailed documents, perfect for in-depth analysis or large funding requests.

💡 Think of it this way: Pitch decks are the attention-grabbing movie trailers that sell the whole project. Business plans are your complete blueprint.

Both documents can serve you, but understanding their differences helps you select the best tool for attracting investment or charting your company’s path.

4. Do you need a pitch deck or a business plan?

In the past, business plans were the standard document to present a business idea to investors. However, simple business plans and pitch decks are increasingly popular, especially in startups.

Here’s how to choose the right tool for the job:

🎯 Pitches and investor meetings

Pitch decks provide a snapshot of your business or idea’s potential to spark interest and secure future investor meetings.

🎯 Early stages or for idea validation

Use a simple business plan or Lean Canvas, as the format forces you to focus on the core problem you’re solving and the solution.

🎯 Internal roadmap and planning

Formal business plans will aid in longer-term strategic planning, or they can be shorter since they are for internal use.

🎯 Complex business model

Create a thorough business plan with intricate details; short plans and pitch decks wouldn’t cut it for specific industries or complicated business models.

🎯 Fundraising, loans, or traditional financing

Banks, investors, and government-funded grant applications often require a detailed business plan. Whether you seek debt or equity funding, angel investors, VCs, and banks need compelling reasons to support your venture.

💡 Pro tip: You’ll still need a traditional business plan for detailed strategy or significant funding!

5. Conclusion

Pitch decks and business plans aren’t simply documents – they’re essential tools for driving your business forward. Now that you know the difference, consider your current needs. Ready to capture investor attention? Start crafting a compelling pitch deck. Need a detailed roadmap? Begin writing a winning business plan. Use the resources in this guide to get started and put your business on the right track toward success!

When should you write a business plan?

According to research by Harvard Business Review , between six and 12 months after deciding to start a business. For various reasons, crafting a comprehensive business plan either earlier or later doesn’t necessarily impact business success:

• Most startups pivot from their original ideas and plans.
• The time needed to create a thorough plan is better spent on other business activities (at least initially).
• Creating an elaborate plan may distract entrepreneurs from seeing opportunities in real time and responding to real customers’ needs.

Planning is valuable, and entrepreneurs who plan are more likely to start a successful business. However, you don’t need a complex business plan to begin working on your business. It’s okay to create a plan early on but remember; it’s more about being strategic with your time than trying to forecast the future from the start.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a canvas?

They differ in complexity and length. Business plans are longer and more detailed and are typically used to secure funding from investors or financial institutes.

A canvas, Lean Canvas , or business plan canvas, is a 1-page business plan. The Lean Canvas template helps you deconstruct your idea and focus on finding customer problems worth solving without a significant time investment. 

It is popular as a direct replacement for traditional business plans within startups. The canvas can be used for quick and efficient brainstorming of multiple business models in a few hours or less.

How do I turn a business plan into a pitch deck?

Once you’ve done the groundwork of creating a business plan, you can reuse some of the insights, data, and information for a pitch deck. 

• First, extract the core details from the business plan, such as the problem you solve, the solution, the size of the market, team strengths, and financials.
• Translate that information into your chosen pitch deck template (for example, the 10-slide pitch deck ) or use an AI presentation generator tool such as SlidesAI to structure your slides. 
• Add and emphasize visuals. Replace some text with charts, diagrams, and graphs whenever applicable.
• Edit and keep the pitch deck focused and clear. Quality over quantity!
• Get feedback, practice your pitch, and then iterate on the deck until you are ready to show it to investors.

💡 Related article: 5 best free AI pitch deck generators 2024

Is a pitch deck only for investors?

No, while the primary purpose of a pitch deck is to attract funding, it can be adapted for various audiences and goals, such as partnerships, customers (especially enterprise customers), grant applications, startup or pitch competitions, or even for internal alignment within your team.

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Business Plan vs. Business Proposal

The terms “business plan” and “business proposal” are sometimes used interchangeably, however, they are very different. The main difference between a business plan and a business proposal is that a business plan documents your growth strategy while a business proposal is a specific ask for someone to take an action you desire (e.g., buy your product/service, invest in your company, partner with you, etc.).

In this article, we will define a business plan and a business proposal and give you examples of when each is appropriate for you to use.  

What is a Business Plan?

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here

Business Plan Structure

Typically, the business plan structure contains the following 10 components:

• Executive Summary
• Business Description & Overview
• Market Research & Analysis
• Customer Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• Marketing Strategy & Plan
• Operations Plan
• Management Team
• Financial Projections & Plan

It is recommended that a business plan is updated annually to adjust for changes in the industry trends and the business itself.  

What is a Business Proposal?

In terms of what you are asking from them, it can be anything that involves funds and time on their end including cash investment, product development assistance, and even employees if they have applicable skill sets.  

Business Proposal Structure

An invited business proposal is written in response to an RFP. A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that invites potential suppliers to submit business proposals. How to write a business proposal depends on the format requested and the questions included in the RFP.

The following are the components that usually make up a business proposal:

• Brief description of your company’s services/products as the proposed solution to the goals of the RFP
• Reiteration of the scope of the particular project
• Responses to questions asked in the RFP
• Cost of the project, including drafting services, materials, tools, labor, delivery and other expenses

An unsolicited business proposal is essentially the same format, but it will solicit the client’s business while anticipating the clients’ concerns and issues. A business proposal is more of a marketing document than an offer because it attempts to persuade the potential client to do business by demonstrating your value proposition and a call to action.  

So, What’s the Difference Between a Business Proposal vs. a Business Plan?

In a business proposal, company representatives typically work with the customer to tailor a business proposition that is attractive to both parties. This usually comes in the form of a written document detailing the services and cost associated with fulfilling an offer or request but can also include electronic contracts.

In contrast, a business plan is a description of your company on the executive and operational levels aimed at investors for raising financial support or other stakeholders in order to facilitate long-term growth. For example, an investor will want to know about how different departments within your business interact with one another, while somebody who will be implementing your product probably only needs more limited information such as design specs because they are not going into production themselves.

A business proposal may provide you with more details of the project, but it does not include information about your company’s operations or future plans.  

Examples of Business Plans vs. Business Proposals

• When you give a potential investor your business plan which includes all sorts of information about how we will achieve your goals together as well as the amount of money it’s going to take. The business proposal is for them to write you a check in return for interest/principal payments or a percentage of your company.
• You might be getting partners involved in your business who will help with product development and distribution. You are offering them a business proposal to work together. However, they may request to see your business plan to better understand your goals, potential profitability, and how you plan to reach these goals before deciding to work with you.
• Your existing business has been so successful that you decide to outsource the social media marketing efforts to a freelancer to free up more of your time. The freelancer would provide a business proposal stating their terms and conditions along with the agreed-upon pay arrangement for their services. This change in organizational structure may be noted in your business plan to demonstrate expansion and financial stability to continue growth.
• In your business plan , one of your goals is to grow your client base by 5% each month. You identify potential clients in need of your services or products and send an unsolicited business proposal to demonstrate how your products or services can benefit them in order to develop a new prospective client list.

The business plan is a roadmap for your company’s present and future, while the business proposal has to do with what you are asking someone else for money.  Applying this difference into practice can be difficult at times because business plans are often marketed as business proposals. However, it is important to be able to identify the difference between a business plan and business proposal in order to maximize their effectiveness and importance with potential investors or partners.

How to Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

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

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Pitch deck vs business plan – Which do you need for your business?

What is a pitch deck.

A pitch deck is a presentation that entrepreneurs use to sell their business idea to potential investors. The purpose of a pitch deck is to give an overview of the business, its products or services, its market opportunity, and its team in order to persuade the audience to invest in the company.

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections of a business. It is used to persuade potential investors to invest in the company.

Pitch deck vs Business plan

Pitch decks and business plans are different in their purpose, content, and format.

Pitch decks are typically shorter and more visual than business plans. They are used to give an overview of the business and its opportunity, and to persuade the audience to invest in the company. Business plans are longer and more detailed. They are used to outline the goals, strategies, and financial projections of the business.

Whether you need a pitch deck vs a business plan will depend a lot on the type of business you are running or planning to set up.

Both these documents help entrepreneurs navigate their businesses over the next few years. And both these documents help investors in deciding whether to fund the business or not. However, where business plans are essential for traditional businesses that have a more concrete pathway to success, startups don’t require business plans. A pitch deck is more appropriate for a startup as a lot will change in the course of business.

In this post, we will discuss the differences between pitch deck and business plan and help you determine which one is necessary for your business.

The purpose of a pitch deck is to raise money from venture capitalists and angel investors. The purpose of a business plan is for traditional businesses or late-stage companies to raise money from investors and banks and also to forge partnerships with other organizations.

A pitch deck is a summary to help investors get a decent understanding of the business and helps create opportunities for entrepreneurs to get meetings with venture capital firms and angel investors. Business plans on the other hand serve as full-proof research to help investors understand whether they should invest.

As mentioned previously, pitch decks are more apt for tech startup companies whereas business plans are prominently used by established businesses, small or big.

If I am an angel investor or a venture capitalist investing at a seed stage (up to $1 million), I am more interested in the team and the idea and how the business could disrupt a whole industry or create a new one. When the company has grown from an idea to a company with employees and millions of dollars in revenue, I am more interested in seeing how they will reach stability and become the number 1 or 2 player in the market, and I am interested in detailed strategies. That is when I want to look at the business plan and understand how they will execute their plans.

Pitch decks can range between 10-50 pages and depend on the stage of the startup. For example, investors who invest in very early-stage startups require not more than a 10-page pitch deck. However, as the startup grows and raises more money, investors who come in at a later stage would want more information and might require a detailed pitch deck that can range up to 70 pages.

Business plans on the other hand are very detailed as cover every aspect of the business and can easily be 100 pages long. A business plan can even contain forecasts for the next 5 years.

A typical investor will spend 2-3 minutes going through a pitch deck but needs to spend more time going through a business plan as there are more details.

Audience Focus

A pitch deck focuses on the team, product, market, and traction metrics. These are 4 primary features investors look at to decide whether to invest or not. And these features can easily fit into a 10-page deck.

When the relevant audience looks at a business plan, they want to know if the business they are getting into is/can be profitable and also runs stable operations. In other words, since business plans look at a much longer-term, it includes a lot of details.

Presentation

Pitch decks are more visual compared to business plans and are presented vocally to an audience or a set of investors. Business plans are presented verbally as they are read by the relevant audience. Since business plans are longer, they are not presented to an audience.

Pitch decks are usually created with software like Microsoft PowerPoint or Google slides. There is also other software like Prezi and Slidebean which specifically help in preparing pitch decks.

Business plans are usually prepared in Word format as they are heavily text-based.

These are the key differences between startup pitch decks vs business plans.

Pitch deck vs business plan, w hat comes first?

The pitch deck is a teaser and comes first. If you are running a business and have decided to raise funds from investors, it’s obvious that you probably don’t know most of them. So, a pitch deck is a great way to get your foot on the door and make a good first impression.

With many new entrepreneurs starting up, you can imagine that every investor gets plenty of pitch decks and business proposals to invest in. Probably hundreds, every month. So, if they have to read lengthy business plans, they won’t have time to actually make investments. That’s why it’s essential to capture their attention with a crisp 10-15 page pitch deck that introduces them to the team, the idea, and how the business can make investors rich.

Do you have all the elements of a good pitch deck?

A good pitch deck gives you the opportunity to grab the attention of investors. A good pitch deck contains most of the necessary information required for investors to make a decision on whether they should talk to you. Take the free assessment to find out if you have all the elements that should be included in your pitch deck .

Also, check out our post on how to create a good elevator pitch to get investors interested in what you’re building.

Tips for creating a good pitch deck

Here are a few tips for creating a successful pitch deck:

– Keep it short and sweet: Remember that you only have a few minutes to make your case, so make sure your deck is concise and to the point.

– Focus on the key points: Investors will want to know about your team, your business model, your traction, and your financial projections. Make sure you hit on all of these points in your deck.

– Use visuals: A pitch deck is a great opportunity to show off your company with some visuals. Include slides with graphs and charts to illustrate your key points.

– Practice, practice, practice: Before you ever step in front of investors, make sure you’ve practiced your pitch a few times. This will help you deliver it confidently and ensure that you don’t leave anything out.

Do you need a pitch deck and a business plan?

This is a common question for entrepreneurs. The simple answer is that it depends on your stage of business and what you’re using the documents for.

A pitch deck is a shorter, more visual version of a business plan that you use to introduce your company to potential investors, customers, or partners. A business plan, on the other hand, is a more formal document that you use to map out the details of your business, including your business model, marketing plan, financial projections, and other operational details.

So which one do you need? If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably want to focus on creating a solid business plan. Once you’ve got that in place, you can use it as the foundation for your pitch deck. If you’re further along in your business and are looking to raise money or secure partnerships, then you’ll need to create a pitch deck.

Creating a pitch deck is a good way to concisely communicate your business plan and get feedback from potential investors, customers, or partners. If you’re raising money, your pitch deck will be one of the first things investors look at, so it’s important to make a good impression.

Partha Chakraborty

Partha Chakraborty is a venture capitalist turned entrepreneur with 17 years of experience. He has worked across India, China & Singapore. He is the founder of Tactyqal.com, a startup that guides other startup founders to find success. He loves to brainstorm new business ideas, and talk about growth hacking, and venture capital. In his spare time, he mentors young entrepreneurs to build successful startups.

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Business Plan vs. Business Proposal: Everything You Need to Know

“Ok, so you sell things.”

Well, honestly, I wasn’t surprised or peeved at the half-baked knowledge of my friend’s father when he made a snap judgment and conveniently labeled my marketing profession as sales.

After all, this wasn’t my first time when someone tagged me as a salesperson. So, I took a deep breath and explained to him how sales are different from marketing.

We, humans, dwell in a herd mentality and hone our word skills from our surroundings. Sometimes, we are simply careless, sometimes oblivious, but most of the time, we actually don’t know that the word has a different meaning.

This can be ignored in a casual conversation, but using the wrong words in a business space can change the implied meaning and lead to miscommunication. For example, cost vs. price , digitization vs. digitalization , warranty vs. guarantee , machine learning vs. artificial intelligence , etc.

“Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say ‘infinitely’ when you mean ‘very’; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” – C. S. Lewis

This Process Street guest post untangles the confusion between two crucial terms – business plan and business proposal. These are used interchangeably in the business world, but their meaning and application are pretty different.

Words are the building blocks of communication. There is a French phrase for using the right word – le mot juste .

Let us strive for le mot juste !

Hop on and be a part of this fantabulous journey.

What is a business plan?

What is a business proposal, business plan vs. business proposal: what are the differences.

• Bonus: How to make ‘wow’ business plans and business proposals?

Winding-up: Key takeaways

Here we go!

A business plan is a formal guide that acts as a blueprint, deciphering every root and branch to make a business successful. It is a written document that provides insights to internal and external stakeholders on business vision, goals, and strategies to achieve those goals.

“Without a plan, even the most brilliant business can get lost. You need to have goals, create milestones and have a strategy in place to set yourself up for success.” – Yogi Berra

A business plan, at its core, is an explanation of the below questions –

• Who are we?
• What are our offerings?
• Who are our customers?
• Who are the competitors?
• What is our competitive advantage?
• What are the business projections?
• What is the roadmap to achieve the goals – marketing, operations, research and development, manufacturing, and financial plans?
• What are the funding/investment requirements?
• What is the return on investment?

Why do you need a business plan?

A business plan is not a bag of puffery statements. It is a document with factual information necessary for the survival of a business. You can create a business plan with the right tools or opt for a good business coach to get you started.

Let’s see what Tim Berry , business plan expert, founder and chairman of Palo Alto Softwar and bplans.com , has to say on business plans.

“What I love most about business plans is the business planning: like walking, it’s constant correction and review and revision. Planning, done right, is steering a business, managing growth, aiming the business towards the right future.” – Tim Berry ,  Small Business Trends

According to a study done by Palo Alto Software, those who create business plans double their chances to succeed in business .

Let us get down to brass tacks and understand why a business plan is super-duper important.

Record and present business information The primary intent of a business plan is to record and communicate information. It must document the business goals and the methods to attain those goals in a structured manner. It keeps businesses on track with their objectives.

A blueprint for seeking business investment ️ Whether you are a fledgling start-up or an established business seeking expansion or diversification, writing a winning business plan acts as a magnet to attract investors. It builds confidence and trust among investors about the lucrativeness of a business idea.

Lay down the right path ✔️ Not everything discussed verbally at an ideation stage transforms into reality in a pragmatic environment. Jotting down a business plan differentiates achievable from impracticable based on market dynamics, opportunities and threats, and company’s strengths and weaknesses. It sets the right track for business growth.

Establish short-term and long-term goals A business plan sets down short-term and long-term goals and the direction to accomplish them, right from baby steps to giant leaps. It becomes a basis to revisit the goals from time-to-time and make iterations depending on the present scenario.

“Any business plan won’t survive its first encounter with reality. The reality will always be different. It will never be the plan.” – Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon

Get clarity on your business A frequent question that pops-up in business discussions is: “Are we doing it right?”

A well-articulated business plan brings insightful knowledge on each aspect of a business – from what it has to offer to how to market the offerings.

Make informed decisions A business plan is a reality check to track what is being fruitful and what is causing hindrance. It paves the way to make a business sustainable.

Predict future financial performance Financial projection is the spotlight of a business plan. It’s the carrot that captivates the eyeballs and tickles investors to fund a new business.

A promising business plan talks about the company’s future financial performance – expenditure, profit, revenue, etc.

Explore new business opportunities A business plan is a flexible document that enables learning on the go. It bolsters research and infuses businesses with new and more feasible business opportunities. It gives organizations a fresh outlook and ushers them to be a howling success.

How to prepare for a business plan

Now that we have answered the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of a business plan, let us move forward to solve the next riddle – how do you prepare it?

Identify your company’s vision, mission, and values Start by answering and figuring out your business personality:

• What do you desire to be?
• How do you want to be perceived?
• What values put your business in motion?

This is your organization’s compass that acts as a foundation for the succeeding steps.

Know your target audience ‍ Dig deep into:

• Whom are you going to cater to?
• What is your target market?
• What is the size and potential of the target market?
• What are the needs of a prospective customer?
• How are the needs addressed presently?

Learn market trends Identifying market trends keeps businesses ahead of the game. Analysis of industry data leads to business growth and profitability in the long run.

Weigh in the impact of unforeseen circumstances From financial turbulence to natural calamities and pandemics – a lot can go wrong in the future and leave a business shaking. Expect the unexpected and gird your loins for these testing times.

How to write a business plan

Creating a winning business plan increases the chances of success and spurs investors to fund your business.

According to a study published in Small Business Economics , entrepreneurs that create a plan are 152% more likely to start their business and appoint a registered agent and 129% more likely to push forward with their business beyond the initial start-up phase and grow it.

Here are the key components of an excellent business plan:

Executive summary First impression is the last impression!

An executive summary is a crucial part of this document. It provides the essence of the whole plan:

• Company details;
• Size and scope of business opportunity;
• A description of your offerings and how it will solve the problem;
• Growth projection;
• Financial requirements.

It should be informative and able to spark readers’ interest to know more about the business plan.

Overview of the business This section lists down information on:

• Your business;
• Your target market;
• Description of your products/services;
• Why and how your offerings are a great fit for prospective customers;
• Your capabilities to handle the demands;
• Your value proposition and competitive advantage.

…and all other related details.

Market analysis and strategies Put forth a strong case built on the solid rock of data analysis and statistics – present data on target market size, industry trends, sales forecasts, and marketing strategy.

Operating plan The operating plan highlights the operational requirements for the smooth functioning of a business. It includes facilities, supply chain management, inventory, manufacturing, shipment, logistics, staff management – everything under the sun that covers capital and expense (CapEx) requirements.

Growth plan This section answers the question: “Where do you see the business going in the next few years?” It provides visibility to investors on the milestones and how you will make money in near future.

Marketing plan Thee marketing plan section describes how to market the offerings to create and fulfill customers’ needs (who are the customers, product positioning, pricing policy, and promotional strategies?)

Management plan This section outlines how your organization is structured and basically how strong you are together. It describes the skills, background, and responsibilities of the management team. It builds conviction that the business is in good hands and has a proficient human capital.

Financial plan and projections This is the part where numbers become the king.

It draws up deets on inflow and outflow of money, sales forecast, profit and loss statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and budget expense. It discloses and forecasts the company’s financial goals, profitability model, and charts a course for the coming years.

Conclusion and appendix Conclude the business plan by succinctly bringing out the key pointers – the business’s vision, mission, goals, strengths, and growth trajectory. Make it compelling and to-the-point. Add relevant appendices to strengthen your business plan.

Pro tip: Use an all-inclusive ready-made business plan template document and Process Street ‘s business plan workflow to create unbeatable business plans.

Business Plan Workflow

Click here to access the Business Plan Checklist!

Types of business plans

There are varying types of business plans depending on the purpose and usage:

• Business plan for start-ups A winning start-up business plan can be a game-changer to attract funding from investors. It should weave all key components to make it a promising investment – company overview, products/services, estimated costs, market evaluation, competition insights, risk analysis, cash flow projections, marketing strategies, and the management team’s strengths.
• Strategic business plan It lays down the details of a company’s strategies to fulfill its goals. It outlines the company’s vision, mission, strategy, and goals, the driving force for success, and the timelines.
• Internal business plan This plan moves the needle and steers focus on in-house planning and growth. It ensures that everyone grasps the company’s overall plan for growth. It prepares organizations to move forward by identifying and removing any blockages and assess and revise the strategies when required.
• Operations business plan It is an internal plan that maps out the nitty-gritties of a company’s operations plans and activities.
• Development business plan This is a development or an expansion plan of a business. It is used for both internal and external purposes. An external growth plan is written to attract investment from external sources. An internal development plan counts on its own business capabilities, revenue, and resources. It works as a guide to provide the right directions.
• Feasibility business plan A company scouts out a feasibility study when it plans to foray into a new venture, new product, or a new market. It articulates: How well will the product or service perform? Is the business promising? What is the expected return on investment (ROI)?
• What-if business plan At a point where you face unordinary conditions, you need a variation on the existing plan. A what-if business plan arranges to fall back on a contingency plan when things go sideways. For example, an unexpected surge in demand, new competition, drop in market size, etc.

A business proposal is the mantra that draws you closer to win a customer or bag a project.

Generally, it is a formal response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) sent by a prospective client looking for the right solution to their problems. It explains the particulars of a seller’s offerings and convinces the buyer that the proposed solution is the gateway to their business’s success and productivity.

“And, after all, winning business is what writing proposals is all about.” ― Tom Sant, Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts

A business proposal comprises of four main points :

• What are the challenges of prospective clients?
• How can our solution solve their problems?
• Why should they choose us over others?
• What are the best pricing options available?

Why do you need a business proposal?

A business proposal is a testimony in itself that asserts, “I am the best you can get.”

Here are the reasons why you should and must make a business proposal :

• Create or leverage a business opportunity The prime motive is to win, win, and win! It is a medium to encash a business opportunity by putting forward an I-can’t-say-no-to-this proposal.
• Stand out from the competition It persuades the prospects that you are way ahead of other rivals in the industry in terms of the value you offer.

How to prepare for a business proposal

The heart of preparedness is research and further research. After all, the devil is in the details.

Talk to prospective customers, visit their website(s), read published articles, and be a know-it-all for your prospective clients.

Sort out the ‘who’ First and foremost, dig every possible information about the client:

• Who is the client (its vision, mission, and goals)?
• What does it produce?
• What are its key markets and target customers?
• What are its business growth plans?
• Which markets is it presently serving?
• Also, figure out the kingpins of a proposal approval process. This will help you to create a comprehensive proposal with all the necessary answers expected by the decision-makers.

Understand the challenges Find what’s bothering them and what is causing hindrance to their business success. Learn about their existing solution and its challenges.

Stitch the glitch and offer the best solution After a thorough review of all the points mentioned above, find the best solution to your prospective client’s problems.

List down key differentiators This will help you to beat the competition in the dust. It draws a comparison chart and puts you in a superior position.

According to Gray Mackenzie, founder of GuavaBox ,

“Prior to submitting a proposal, make sure you have clearly defined all the major points verbally with the potential customer. By discussing the scope, cost, timeline, and details prior to submitting a written proposal, you can uncover objections earlier in the process.” – Gray Mackenzie, 10 Sales Experts Share Their Best Business Proposal Tips

How to write a business proposal

Let’s get down to the fundamental elements that form a business proposal. Learn how to create a business proposal that stands out and close sales.

Title page/Cover page The name says it all.

Pretty easy-peasy thing to understand, right? After all, you have been creating the title pages since school days.

Still, make a note: Always write a gripping title that intrigues prospective clients’ interest and urges them to read on.

Other components that should be included on the title page are:

• Your company name and logo;
• Prospective customer’s name;
• Submission date.

Table of contents (TOC) As the name suggests, a TOC is a well-structured layout of the document. It helps to skim and scan and navigate speedily through different sections of a business proposal.

Executive summary It sets the tone for a proposal and makes the reader inquisitive about reading subsequent sections. It sums up the entire business proposal – the purpose of sharing the proposal and why and how your solution is the right fit for the prospective client. Leave no stone unturned to boast about your offerings in the executive summary.

Details of offerings This is an in-depth description of the products or services your company has to offer.

How will the offerings solve the client’s problems? This explains why your products/services are the right fit to address a prospective client’s needs and why it is a better alternative than the competition.

The methodology/implementation of offerings This section is a blanket explanation of how the promised deliverables will be executed. It provides step-by-step clarity on each action along with timelines. It gives the client peace of mind and builds trust and confidence in the offering.

Pricing, payment, and legal matters Here, you talk about the pricing structure, applicable taxes, payment schedule, cancellation policy, and how you plan to solve the legal matters (if any arise in the future).

Here are some tips for this section:

• Ensure that the pricing details are concise and complete.
• Providing a comparison chart with different pricing options helps to make decisions faster.
• Don’t go overboard with pricing, and also, don’t underrate yourself.
• Always refer to the RFP and verify if every request has been fulfilled.
• Separate out and create a new legal section if your business demands an extensive list of legal requirements.

Details about your company This is an exhaustive overview of your company. Don’t forget to add relevant customer testimonials, case studies, or success stories to build your case among prospective customers.

Signatures and Call to action This is the moment that gets butterflies in your stomach; the closure. This is the concluding part of a business proposal. Here (if all your prayers get answered), you and your client sign the proposal and secure the deal. Hurray!

Pro tip: Once you send the business proposal, don’t sit idle in your cocoon day-dreaming of winning the proposal. Always proactively do follow-ups with the prospective clients and clarify their doubts.

For start-ups or small businesses, drafting a business proposal can be an unnerving experience. They work fingers to the bone to write a perfect business proposal. Spending too much time on it might lead to missing the deadline and eventually losing out on a golden opportunity.

According to a report by Better Proposal , sending a business proposal within 24 hours increases the likelihood of winning the deal by 25%.

Here’s the secret sauce to speedily create flawless business proposals :

First, pick a professionally vetted and ready-to-use business proposal template and draft a business proposal like a cakewalk. Such as the Business Proposal Template included below.

Next, always use Process Street ‘s super-powered business proposal template checklist and ensure no step gets missed in the process.

Business Proposal Template Checklist

It even turns out a blessing for big businesses since they have to draft multiple proposals all the time. Templates and checklists save a lot of time, enhance productivity, and increase the chances of success.

Types of business proposals

Majorly, there are two types of business proposals:

Solicited business proposal Also known as an invited business proposal, it comes into play when a buyer, or a company, outlines its requirements and requests suppliers to present an offer. It can be a response to a public tender issued by big corporations or government agencies.

Alternatively, a solicited business proposal can also be submitted as a response to the RFP shared by a prospective client.

The difference between the two is that while the earlier one is open to all bidders, the latter’s scope is limited as it is shared with shortlisted suppliers.

Pro tip: Do a thorough check before submitting an invited business proposal. Missing out on-minute details can kick you out from their consideration list.

Unsolicited business proposal An uninvited or unsolicited business proposal is a proactive attempt to create a business opportunity. This proposal is sent to prospective clients without being asked.

The good news is, there are slim chances of your rival sending a business proposal simultaneously, so less or no competition.

The bad news is, it might breathe in the customer’s inbox for a few days and then, without being read, depart to the heavenly abode -the trash folder.

But still, like a cold call, it leaves some impression on prospective clients and shoots up the chances to cut a deal in the long run.

Pro tip: An unsolicited business proposal is mostly sent through emails. Make certain to write an attention-grabbing headline and a convincing explanation to draw attention.

Here’s a comparison chart that distinguishes between business plan and business proposal:

Bonus: How to make ‘wow’ business plans and business proposals

Here are the secret ingredients to make awesome and captivating business plans and proposals:

Follow the principle of KISS (Keep it simple, silly)

This is not the right place to brag about your vocabulary skills. You want the prospective customer to focus on reading rather than wasting time looking up for a word.

Always remember! Communication is the key.

So, go simple and ditch those heavy jargons.

Don’t wear-out the pupils of your prospects with long-winded documents. Capitalize on the multisensorial abilities of humans as well.

Visuals increase people’s desire to read content by 80%.

Leverage the power of visuals and make your document easily graspable by adding graphs, infographics, flowcharts, tables, images, and videos.

Add social proof

Do not forget to add positive feedback or customer testimonials. If similar projects have been delivered in the past, do add relevant links and case studies of that work. It helps to build trust and strengthen your case.

“Make sure you have great success stories that you can share with potential clients. At the end of the day, most, if not all, potential clients want to know you will provide value to them and generate positive ROI.” – Mathew Bivens, Podcast and marketing consultant,  10 Sales Experts Share Their Best Business Proposal Tips

Proofread ️

Ensure the document is free from grammar and spelling errors.

Follow brand guidelines

Your document should reflect your brand. Bring consistency in all your documents and design them as per the brand guidelines.

Use document builder tools ️

Time is money!

The likelihood of getting a ‘yes’ on your business plans and business proposals depends on how fast you can create a flawless document.

Empower your organization with a smart and all-in-one document builder tool like Revv – create, communicate, collaborate, and close your documents in no time.

Business plans and business proposals are two different worlds with distinct purposes and goals. But, both play a prime role in increasing the odds of business success.

People often get the wrong end of the stick and ask for a business plan when they mean business proposal or vice-versa.

But, we don’t need to worry about that since we are now clear on what is what.

Cheers to us!

P.S: Don’t forget to subscribe to the Process Street blog to get notified of our upcoming articles. We also have a podcast “Tech Out Loud” featuring content written by respected industry leaders such as Peep Laja , Sujan Patel , Tomasz Tunguz , and more!

What is your take on business plans and business proposals? Have you ever got your wires crossed with these two terminologies? Don’t forget to post your comments below.

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Molly Stovold

Hey, I'm Molly, Junior Content Writer at Process Street with a First-Class Honors Degree in Development Studies & Spanish. I love writing so much that I also have my own blog where I write about everything that interests me; from traveling solo to mindful living. Check it out at mollystovold.com .

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The Role of Storytelling in Business Presentations: A Conversation with Tim Calkins PodLessons

Listen on Apple Podcasts Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

Putting together a good business plan doesn't mean it's going to get approved, supported, and be successful in the market. The only way people are going to support a plan is if they can understand it, and they know what really is in this plan. In this episode, we talk with Tim Calkins, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and co-author of the book titled “How To Wash A Chicken – Mastering the Business Presentation”, about why a good business plan does not speak for itself and why the role of storytelling is so important.

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2024 federal budget's key takeaways: Housing and carbon rebates, students and sin taxes

Budget sees nearly $53b in new spending over the next 5 years.

What's in the new federal budget?

Social sharing.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland today tabled a 400-page-plus budget her government is pitching as a balm for anxious millennials and Generation Z.

The budget proposes $52.9 billion in new spending over five years, including $8.5 billion in new spending for housing. To offset some of that new spending, Ottawa is pitching policy changes to bring in new revenue.

Here are some of the notable funding initiatives and legislative commitments in budget 2024.

Ottawa unloading unused offices to meet housing targets

One of the biggest pillars of the budget is its housing commitments. Before releasing the budget, the government laid out what it's calling Canada's Housing Plan — a pledge to "unlock" nearly 3.9 million homes by 2031.

The government says two million of those would be net new homes and it believes it can contribute to more than half of them. 

It plans to do that by:

• Converting underused federal offices into homes. The budget promises $1.1 billion over ten years to transform 50 per cent of the federal office portfolio into housing.
• Building homes on Canada Post properties. The government says the 1,700-plus Canada Post offices across the country can be used to build new homes while maintaining postal services. The federal government says it's assessing six Canada Post properties in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia for development potential "as a start."
• Rethinking National Defence properties. The government is promising to look at redeveloping properties and buildings on National Defence lands for military and civilian use.
• Building apartments. Ottawa is pledging a $15 billion top-up to the Apartment Construction Loan Program, which says it will build 30,000 new homes across Canada.

Taxing vacant land?

As part of its push on housing, the federal government also says it's looking at vacant land that could be used to build homes.

It's not yet committing to new measures but the budget says the government will consider introducing a new tax on residentially zoned vacant land. 

• Freeland's new federal budget hikes taxes on the rich to cover billions in new spending
• Are you renting with no plans to buy? Here's what the federal budget has for you

The government said it plans to launch consultations on the measure later this year.

Help for students 

There's also something in the budget for students hunting for housing.

The government says it will update the formula used by the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program to calculate housing costs when determining financial need, to better reflect the cost of housing in the current climate.

The government estimates this could deliver more aid for rent to approximately 79,000 students each year, at an estimated cost of $154.6 million over five years.

• Updated Federal budget's funding boost for defence spread out over multiple years
• Liberals pledge $9B in new money for Indigenous communities in 2024 budget

The government is also promising to extend increased student grants and interest-free loans, at an estimated total cost of $1.1 billion this year.

Increase in taxes on capital gains

To help cover some of its multi-billion dollar commitments, the government is proposing a tax hike on capital gains — the profit individuals make when assets like stocks and second properties are sold.

The government is proposing an increase in the taxable portion of capital gains, up from the current 50 per cent to two thirds for annual capital gains over $250,000. 

New investment to lead 'housing revolution in Canada,' Freeland says

Freeland said the change would impact the wealthiest 0.1 per cent.

There's still some protection for small businesses. There's been a lifetime capital gains exemption which allows Canadians to exempt up to $1,016,836 in capital gains tax-free on the sale of small business shares and farming and fishing property. This June the tax-free limit will be increased to $1.25 million and will continue to be indexed to inflation thereafter, according to the budget.

The federal government estimates this could bring in more than $19 billion over five years, although some analysts are not convinced.

Disability benefit amounts to $200 per month 

Parliament last year passed the Canada Disability Benefit Act, which promised to send a direct benefit to low-income, working-age people with disabilities. 

Budget 2024 proposes funding of $6.1 billion over six years, beginning this fiscal year, and $1.4 billion per year ongoing, for a new Canada Disability Benefit.

Advocates had been hoping for something along the lines of $1,000 per month per person . They'll be disappointed.

According to the budget document, the maximum benefit will amount to $2,400 per year for low income individuals with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64 — about $200 a month.

• Federal government plans to lease public lands for construction through new housing strategy
• Alberta premier says she's prepared to take Ottawa to court over housing deals

The government said it plans for the Canada Disability Benefit Act to come into force in June 2024 and for payments to start in July 2025.

Carbon rebate for small businesses coming 

The federal government has heard an earful from small business advocates who accuse it of reneging on a promise to return a portion of carbon pricing revenues to small businesses to mitigate the tax's economic costs.

• What's behind the carbon tax, and does it work?
• Federal government scales back carbon tax rebates for small businesses

The budget proposes to return fuel charge proceeds from 2019-20 through 2023-24 to an estimated 600,000 businesses with 499 or fewer employees through a new refundable tax credit.

The government said this would deliver $2.5 billion directly to Canada's small- and medium-sized businesses.

Darts and vape pods will cost more 

Pitching it as a measure to cut the number of people smoking and vaping, the Liberals are promising to raise revenues on tobacco and smoking products.

• Just Asking  wants to know:   What questions do you have about quitting smoking or vaping? Do you think sin taxes will encourage smoking cessation?  Fill out the details on  this form  and send us your questions ahead of our show on April 20.

Starting Wednesday, the total tobacco excise duty will be $5.49 per carton. The government estimates this could increase federal revenue by $1.36 billion over five years starting in 2024-25.

The budget also proposes to increase the vaping excise duty rates by 12 per cent effective July 1. That means an increase of 12 to 24 cents per pod, depending on where you live. 

• 'Stay the hell away from our kids': Health minister vows to restrict nicotine pouches — but how?

Ottawa hopes this increase in sin taxes will bring in $310 million over five years, starting in 2024-25.

More money for CBC 

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge has mused about redefining the role of the public broadcaster before the next federal election . But before that happens, CBC/Radio-Canada is getting a top-up this year. 

The budget promises $42 million more in 2024-25 for CBC/Radio-Canada for "news and entertainment programming." CBC/Radio-Canada received about $1.3 billion in total federal funding last year.

The government says it's doing this to ensure that Canadians across the country, including rural, remote, Indigenous and minority language communities, have access to independent journalism and entertainment.

Last year, the CBC announced a financial shortfall, cut 141 employees and eliminated 205 vacant positions. In a statement issued Tuesday, CBC spokesperson Leon Mar said the new funding means the corporation can balance its budget "without significant additional reductions this year."

Boost for Canada's spy agency 

As the government takes heat over how it has handled the threat of foreign election interference, it's promising more money to bolster its spy service.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is in line to receive $655.7 million over eight years, starting this fiscal year, to enhance its intelligence capabilities and its presence in Toronto.

• CSIS chief defends his spies' work after PM casts doubt on reliability of agency's reports
• Trudeau says it's his job to question CSIS intelligence, call out 'contradictions'

The budget also promises to guarantee up to $5 billion in loans for Indigenous communities to participate in natural resource development and energy projects in their territories.

These loans would be provided by financial institutions or other lenders and guaranteed by the federal government, meaning Indigenous borrowers who opt in could benefit from lower interest rates, the budget says. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catharine Tunney is a reporter with CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, where she covers national security and the RCMP. She worked previously for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at [email protected]

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Leaked presentation reveals Microsoft's astounding plan to ramp up data-center capacity for the AI boom

• Microsoft's data-center capacity jumped in recent quarters, a leaked internal presentation shows.
• The company is planning even faster data-center growth in the coming quarters.
• Microsoft delivered "record-level GPU capacity," according to the presentation.

Microsoft significantly expanded its data-center capacity recently and plans to ramp up growth to astounding levels going forward, according to an internal document obtained by Business Insider.

Since July 2023, the start of Microsoft's latest fiscal year, the company delivered more than 500 megawatts of new data-center capacity , the document disclosed.

This document was part of a confidential slide deck from the company's Cloud Operations and Innovation team that was presented earlier this year.

Under the heading "Commercial Cloud and AI Demands: Fueling our Expansion," the document said Microsoft surpassed 5 gigawatts of total data-center installed capacity in the first half of its latest fiscal year.

The rise of generative artificial intelligence and huge foundation models is fueling a new data-center boom . Microsoft is leading the way through its partnership with OpenAI , the startup behind ChatGPT and GPT-4 .

These AI models need to be trained on mountains of data and then fine-tuned intensely. That takes thousands of GPUs and a pile of other related gear that's housed in huge data centers. These facilities use so much power that their capacity is measured in megawatts and gigawatts of electricity.

Shaolei Ren , an electrical and computer engineering professor at the University of California, Riverside, said Microsoft's 5 gigawatts of installed data-center capacity, if fully used, would be equivalent to Hong Kong or Portugal's annual electricity consumption.

"Astonishing speed"

It doesn't stop there. The software giant laid out even more radical growth plans for its data-center empire in the document obtained by BI.

Related stories

"With a strong Commercial Cloud business, our goal is clear," Microsoft said in this part of the slide presentation.

Microsoft wants to double new data-center capacity in the second half of its fiscal year. This runs from early 2024 to the middle of this year.

In the first half of Microsoft's 2025 fiscal year, which runs from early July through the end of 2024, the company aims to "achieve 3x growth" in new data-center capacity.

This requires Microsoft to deliver more than 200 megawatts in data-center capacity every month.

"This is an astonishing speed," Ren told BI. "This is a very large data-center capacity."

Ren said Microsoft's capacity plans suggested the company was either seeing huge demand or simply wanting to stay competitive by securing future power capacity that otherwise might be taken by competitors.

He added that this also raised questions about the environmental consequences of adding such a large data-center footprint, given the carbon emissions and water consumption of the facilities.

A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment.

'Record-level GPU capacity'

The company is also securing a record number of GPUs to handle new AI workloads in data centers.

In the second half of last year, Microsoft delivered "record-level GPU capacity," more than doubling its total installed GPU base, the document said, without mentioning actual numbers.

Microsoft's GPU footprint expanded into 39 additional data centers in this period, and the company now has "AI clusters" live in 98 locations globally.

Contact the reporter, Eugene Kim, via the encrypted-messaging apps Signal or Telegram ( +1-650-942-3061 ) or email ( [email protected] ). Reach out using a nonwork device. Check out Business Insider's source guide for other tips on sharing information securely.

Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.

Watch: How tech layoffs could affect the economy

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What caused Dubai floods? Experts cite climate change, not cloud seeding

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DID CLOUD SEEDING CAUSE THE STORM?

CAN'T CREATE CLOUDS FROM NOTHING

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Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; editing by Maha El Dahan and Alexandra Hudson

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Iran's Israel strike coincided with crackdown on dissent at home, activists say

The same day Iran launched its first ever direct attack on Israel it embarked on a less-noticed confrontation at home, ordering police in several cities to take to the streets to arrest women accused of flouting its strict Islamic dress code.