New York Investment Network

Business Plan Tips

What Investors Are Looking For In A Plan

Investors, whether angels or VC's, are looking for the same things when reading a business plan. They want to know how big the opportunity is, whether this is the right team to exploit the opportunity, who the competition is, what the risks are, and why they can expect this team to implement successfully. Your job in writing the business plan is to address these questions convincingly and clearly.

Emphasize Your Real Strengths

Highlight what your team brings to the table. If your business hinges on a particular competency (for example, understanding the procurement process), your plan will be more persuasive if one of your team members knows something about it and that is brought out in your plan. Rather than including generic resumes of team members, tailor the resumes to draw out the experience each member has that will make him or her a valuable contributor.

Get To The Point And Make It Clear And Comprehensive

Investors see many business plans. A 20-page plan which clearly lays out your business is far more likely to be read than a 100 page plan. Today, some entrepreneurs are using a 15 slide Powerpoint presentation. If your text is short and punchy, you won't need to repeat yourself, because the reader won't be bogged down keeping ten chapters in their head. Reading the same thing over and over, even if it's in different words, can get really tiring. The more you use brevity and give each concept a single home in your document, the more people will want to read it.

Write In Plain English

If you can't explain your idea in English, either you don't understand what you're talking about (What is a transaction enabled atomic journaling database server, anyway?) or you haven't simplified the idea enough. Think, revise, and try again.

Get Rid Of The Hype

Yes, we know you will be the "premier insert product category here of the Internet, achieving 99% market penetration with 60% customer retention in 3 months". Your product will reach "new heights in customer experience through the use of personalization and one-to-one profiling and customization". It will be "user friendly" because you will be creating a truly "ecstatic customer experience". It is a "quantum leap forward" in the marketplace for product category here. Um, yeah. Believe me, we've read it before. About a dozen times today, in fact. (And by the way, the phrase "quantum leap" really doesn't mean anything.) Stick to a tight, simple explanation of your idea. Convince your reader you'll be the best because your idea is the best, not because you can string a dozen buzzwords together.

Use Quantifiable Information

In each section, back up your assertions with solid facts. Even if you are a new venture and cannot give specific figures on the performance of your business, quote figures for the industry or your competitors. These real figures carry more weight than your assumed projections and give more reality to your plan.

Choose A Huge Market

Especially in the internet world, investors are looking more at the market than at the detailed specifics of your financials. Choose a market that is big enough to be an obvious good opportunity. A business which targets teenage girls who listen to music and has a reasonable chance of capturing 90% of the girls that are online is a huge opportunity. A business which targets net-savvy SAAB mechanics who need prosthetic limbs is not.

Local Investors

United States > Pennsylvania

I have some knowledge of investing and am looking to find more opportunities.

$100 to $5,000

United States > North Carolina

I have run a family owned group of businesses fro the past twenty five years. The businesses included industrial development, logistics, fulfillment and trucking operations. In the last five years I've invested in several startups ranging from areas of experience to consumer product development. I have my MBA from Duke's Fuqua School.

$100,000 to $2,500,000

United States > California

Recent: July 2006 – Present, Managing Director of a Capital Group We provide a select array of debt financing solutions critical to the growth of middle-market and emerging growth companies looking to leverage their cash and equity to acquire debt for equipment or growth capital. We understand the relation between your company's cash and equity, where the key to success is conserving both and having access to additional sources of capital for capital expenditures. The key to our success is having the resources, the insight and the talent to extract the highest value from your business assets and being able to leverage them to facilitate a loan to achieve maximum growth and profitability.

$5,000 to $10,000,000

United States > Florida

Business consultant for over 40 years with extensive experiences in private offerings. Have owned multiple businesses, some have achieved IPO Acquisition or Merger status.

$250,000 to $1,000,000

United States > Virginia

Our firm has private lenders(for loans only) who can fund Commercial Projects for USA deals ONLY. Assisted Living, Golf Courses, Hotel/Motel, Alternative Energy, Oil and Gas, DIP, Raw Land Lots, Commercial Land Development, 100% Joint Venture, Hard Money(30 to 45 days closing), Income Producing Property, Mixed Use Buildings, Mining, Rehabs, Flips, Refinances, Distressed Properties, and much more! Contact Annette at 804 654 9843 or via email giannette@aol.com. Look forward to doing business with you!!!

$250,000 to $5,000,000,000

United States > Pennsylvania

Investment firm with 6+ year of experience. 6 MBAs with experience in multiple industries came together to form investment firm.

$50,000 to $250,000

United States > New York

I am Chinese. I have about 100 clients that are willing to invest in US businesses for their green card. The amount of money is about $500,000 to several millions. They prefer a low risk industry. The green card is the most important thing.

$500,000 to $1,000,000

United States > Arizona

I work directly with private individuals who have been investing in private funds for over 20 years. We fund almost any type of project and/or business. Terms and investments are on a case by case basis, and may be syndicated amongst our investment partners.

$10,000,000 to $9,000,000,000