What could be more stressful than presenting your project plan you fully believe in to potential investors? Here is a situation. You know that every element of your business plan is thought out, the market is studied, your project plan is waiting to be realized, and word of mouth has almost started to bring your first clients. The last step you have to take is to find initial investments in your project. But how to convince investors that your project is worthy of financial contributions, and how to stand out from the crowd and engage the investors’ interest in the short time allotted for the presentation?
Let’s start with 5 simple tips you should follow to make your business plan presentation truly successful:
- Make your presentation short and demonstrative. Avoid making your presentation too formal with highly detailed information; your listeners can lose focus on the main project message. Use only the key indicators in your presentation: the market potential, amount of customers you already have, the revenue you expect or already have, your cash flows, etc. Remember that the main aim of the 2-minutes presentation is to gain investors’ interest. Keep your comprehensive financial and statistical data for a private meeting with interested in your project investors.
- Remember to introduce yourself. The potential investors are going to give their money to you, and there is no difference they invest few millions or hundred bucks in your project. The investors want to be sure that you will manage this money wisely enough to grow your business idea and multiply their investments. Make they believe you have enough experience and knowledge to start this project, understand the market and know how to make customers turn to you.
- Make an accent on the positive step-by-step progress. Is your idea innovative? That is great. Will it bring billions right after the launch? Please do not rely on it and do not try to persuade potential investors it will. Within your presentation focus on what you have already made for your project and how investments can contribute to its development. Remember about the most important question: How will investors earn profits from there?
- Show the problem you solve. You are a professional, and your business idea is not only a dream of your life, but it also solves a particular problem that exists on the market. Demonstrate the size of the market; explain why you think it is perspective (is it a large or rapidly emerging market?), and allocate the slide of your presentation to describe the niche and the target market for your business.
- Talk about your own investments. You are optimistic about your project, so let your investors know you invest your money on the business too.
Okay, now we know the key “dos” and “don’ts” of your presentation. What tools can help you to present business plans to angel investors successfully?
Visualize your project plans with GanttPRO
Visualize your business plan by creating charts and graphs that will tell about your project even better than you will. For this aims, you can use GanttPRO and create Gantt charts online. It allows scheduling your project and easily adding the created project plan to your presentation. In addition, you can instantly share it with potential investors during or after the presentation, and keep them informed about its status and progress if they are interested in investing in your business in future.
It is better to work on presentation together. Use Google Slides
A good old PowerPoint alternative, use Google Slides to cooperate with your team members to create your presentation or ask for suggestions and improvements when it is ready. Your team members’ approval will make you sure the presentation is ready to be shown to the potential investors.
Be more engaging and memorable with Prezi
Effective presentation does not have to be boring. Try to be not only a presenter, but also an engaging storyteller. Use Prezi as a creative way to present a project and make it truly memorable. If you are afraid of being too casual, choose professionally designed templates (yes, Prezi can be professional too). However, please do not overdo your project plan with animation and media elements; remember that your main goal is to find investments, not to create a childish presentation.
Do not be afraid of being different. Create video presentations with PowToon
Not every presentation you will be able present in person. When it comes to a distanced presentation of your business idea, engaging the audience makes all the difference. Try to do something different instead of sending your potential investors PDF or boring PowerPoint presentation: create animated presentations and videos with PowToon or another animation software.
SlideShark will let you share your presentation instantly
So, you’ve decided to use PowerPoint to create your presentation. Well, you can create a great and demonstrative one with graphs, charts, and stuff. Okay, but what about instant sharing of your presentation in case of need? Try to use SlideShark to present and share PowerPoints via chosen devices. Its features include cloud storage integration, sharing and tracking views, broadcasting or presenting over the web, creating annotations on the slides, and of course presenter mode.
Good luck with your business plan presentation!