The goal of your marketed business plan is usually to generate sufficient interest after reading it to set up a face-to-face meeting. Venture capitalists have numerous business plans to review. Consequently, your business plan needs to stand out by delivering a succinct and well thought-through message.
Components of Your Plan
Your executive summary should:
Be no more than three to five pages
Answer the basic "who, what, why, and how" questions
Who is on the team?
What do you sell and to whom?
Why do your customers buy your products or services?
How much money is required?
Your business plan should include:
Executive summary
Brief history of the company
Description of products or services (including detailed value proposition)
Market overview (including trends and competitive analysis)
Business model (including evidence to support critical assumptions)
Operations overview and strategy
Product development and delivery
Distribution channels
Organizational charts and management resumes
Historical and projected financial statements (including cash flows)
Description of short and long-term financing requirements
Ironically, our experience has shown that the shorter the plan, the higher the likelihood of success. The concise articulation of a simple but powerful concept is the hallmark of a good business plan.
