The Main Sections of the Investor Business Plan and Pitch Deck

A Pitch Deck and investor business plan are both needed in order to raise capital for your business. They may not be the same, but they both include and prioritize information that would grab investor’s attention. That is why they have a few sections in common despite having different formats.

Introduction (executive summary)

When writing any document or presentation you need to start with a good introduction. It needs to be interesting and above all engaging, while summarizing the document’s content. In a pitch deck, an introduction is included on the first slide, but in an investor Business Plan it is usually a separate section, the executive summary.

Investors usually have piles of business offers on their desks or in their inbox, so they value when your documents get straight to the point. This means that introductions should not drag on and should include the most relevant information first, in order to make your documents stand out from the rest.

Financial projections

Investors are looking for many things in a business, but one above all others, is an attractive ROI. They avoid taking uncalculated risks, so showing them that your business is on a path to success is necessary to secure fundings for your business. Presenting your financial projections is the best way to prove your potential financial success and pique their curiosity. Financial projections are estimates of future revenue. Proving that your business is able to generate enough revenue to be worth investors' time and money is something to definitely include in your business plan or pitch deck.

Market research and marketing strategy

In order to run a successful business you need to know if there is a market for your product or service. This is something that investors will definitely want to know before deciding to invest in your business.

That is why market research is a necessary component in investor business plans and pitch decks. Market research is a direct way of knowing customers' opinions of the products or services your business is offering. Having direct feedback from the consumers helps provide pivotal information that can be used in determining your business’s future success.

Additionally, knowing how to reach potential consumers is another part of the equation for success. Sales can suffer without a good marketing strategy. So, investors will want to know if your business will be able to reach its target market and increase its brand awareness. Overall, Market Research and marketing strategies prove to investors that your business has potential to achieve its goals and secure them a ROI.

Management team

Showing that you have the best person(s) for the job is a necessity if you are looking to gain investments. Investors will want to know if your team has the right skills and experience to market and sell your products and deliver the results you promised. This information should not be exclusive just to the Investor Business Plan, but include it in your pitch deck too.

When looking to secure findings for your business it is crucial to prepare the right documents, and knowing what to include in them is half the battle. Both your investor business plan and Pitch Deck need to include information that will convince investors your business is a high profit and low risk investment. That is why they share similar components like an attention grabbing opening, finances, your team description, market research and strategy.

How Market Research Informs Financial Projections in a Business Plan

 

Market research is a cornerstone of the entire business plan. It informs many of the decisions you will make about your business. It is also what will help support many areas of the Business Plan. This is perhaps most evident in the financials. Financial Projections Business Plan are heavily based on Market Research and they have a very close connection.

Understanding Market Research

In order to understand the impact of market research you must first understand what market research entails. In the simplest sense, it is an organized way to gain information about customers. Not only does this include things like looking at consumer data or conducting qualitative analysis, it will also deal with doing research on the overall industry/market, specific locations (if applicable), and competitors.

Understanding Financial Projections in the Business Plan

The financial projections in the Business Plan are the forecast of future positions usually expressed in the format of the three main financial statements. These statements are the income statement, balance sheets, and statement of cash flow. They are presented this way so that they can be used as goalposts, which will be compared to actual results – in this format – later on. This comparison, also called a variance analysis, allows you to carefully compare your expectations to reality and understand why they differ. You can then adjust your expectations for the future and get better at projections and forecasts.

The Connection

If your business already exists and has history, the future Financial Projections for your business plan will still be based on market research. Though, it may be to a lesser degree than when your business is brand new. However, the market, competitors, and consumer preferences are always changing so it will still inform a great deal about your business, even if you have a well-established history.

Competitor analysis will help you determine your own pricing strategy. Pricing is part of the equation to figuring out one of the most basic financial projections, the revenue forecast. The revenue number drives a great deal of the financial projections in the business plan. This includes the break-even analysis, profit & loss statement and the statement of cash flow. It will also be required to project the balance sheet but, not as directly.

The overall size of the market determined in Market Research will inform your maximum potential. If, in a perfect world, there was not competition. That’s why it is so important to understand the competition and how much of the market competitors are reasonably capturing. Many businesses use a small percent of market share as their goal. This, again, is where we can see how market research feeds into financial projections in the business plan.

Conclusion

Although it may be tempting to view market research as independent from Financial Projections Business Plan, that is just not the case. As with many other aspects of the business plan, they are intimately connected. The above only scratches the surface on how one informs the other. The truth is, the entire business plan is one cohesive document. It doesn’t matter how it is split up or what headers are used, all the pieces fit together and have an impact on the other, especially the financial sections.

 

How NOT to Write Your Pitch Deck, According to a Business Plan Writer

Sometimes, the place to start when figuring out how to do something, is to know what not to do. That same method can apply to your Pitch Deck. A business plan writer is the best way to go when writing a pitch deck. If you are unable or don’t want to hire one, you can at least learn from the most common mistakes they’ve seen.

Making it too long – This is one of the most common mistakes that a Business Plan Writer sees. Potential investors see pitch decks all the time. If you can’t gain their attention and interest in less than 12 slides, you’re probably not going to be able to and may not even understand your own business plan well enough yet.

Not using visuals – A Business Plan writer will tell you that your pitch deck is the place to infuse all the creativity you stifled when writing your business plan. The entire purpose of your pitch deck is to get an investor interested enough to read your plan. Don’t be afraid of images, graphs and charts, and other visual elements. In the pitch deck stage, it is all about keeping eyes on the screen.

Using animations – With the focus on design in mind, it’s important to note that this does not include animations or transitions within the slides. Many investors are going to want your pitch deck ahead of time or will ask you to send a copy after your presentation. You can’t have visualizations/transitions in a PDF. Even during the presentation, animations or transitions can be distracting.

Using a standard PowerPoint template – Using a standard template without any of your own design elements will make it look like a presentation belongs in decades gone by. There are so many custom templates and other programs out there now. If you’re not a design person, that’s okay, all the more reason to hire a business plan writer with a good eye.

Having too much text – You are giving a complete topline overview of your business. That is the entire purpose of the Professional Pitch Deck. If the investor wants to dig deeper, they will ask questions or consult your business plan. When you cram too many words and too much detail onto a slide, not only is it hard to read, it’s overwhelming and will almost always lead to an investor losing interest. Keep it simple. Remember, you want them to ask questions!

Not providing enough info on your team - Even the best business concept and plan will fail in execution if it lacks a strong team. If you work with a business plan writer, they will spend more time than you likely think is necessary trying to understand the complementary skills and experience of all team members. They do this because the team is one of the key elements that factor into an investor’s decision. Make sure you devote a slide to your team and explain how collectively, they have all the necessary qualifications to run your business successfully.

Avoiding the above might not mean your pitch deck is perfect but, it will help you avoid common mistakes. It is always worth the investment to trust a professional, such as a Business Plan Writer, with the tall task of writing and/or designing your pitch deck. But, if you insist on going at it alone, avoiding the missteps above is a good place to start!

Why you’re Business Plan Writer Thinks You Should Have a Pitch Deck (Even if it’s Not Expected)

Pitch decks are standard when approaching investors.  However, your Business Plan Writer will likely tell you that the pitch deck is one of the most powerful tools in your business tool box.   The process of writing the business plan is incredibly important for challenging and supporting your business model.  The pitch deck, however, can be an unsung hero in the business process.   You’ll have a number of audiences that may not be accustomed to viewing pitch decks but, they are often recommended as the first thing you show someone.  Whether your audience asks or expects a Pitch Deck, there are tremendous benefits to creating and presenting one.

Grabs Attention – Put a business plan in front of most people and they are going to daze off or maybe even fall asleep.  Even if you happen to put it in front of people that are accustomed to looking at business plans, like potential lenders, they see so many they are often underwhelmed.   In either case, a business plan writer knows the positive effects a pitch deck can have on capturing attention, regardless your audience.

Attention Spans Are Short – It’s not just a matter of grabbing attention but, keeping it. Thanks to our trusty smart phones, other technology, and a growing library of content in every format imaginable, attention spans seem to be at an all-time low.  Some people are just not going to read your entire business plan.  A pitch deck, however, is presented in a way that is similar to popular content.  Not only is it short and to the point, there are visual elements.  If your Business Plan writer gets is really ahead of the curve, it may even have multi-media or interactive elements.  Regardless, the pitch deck serves the purpose of being able to overview your entire business concept while you still have their attention.  If you’re really lucky, this will lead to your full plan being read.

Ensure You Understand – There’s a popular saying about how if you can’t explain something to a child you don’t fully understand it yourself.   Not to say your audience are children but, if you can’t explain your business plan in the brief, simplified format expected of a pitch deck, you need to spend more time with it.  One business plan writer suggested that you imagine your pitch deck as “the elevator pitch for your entire business”.  If you can refine and call out the most important aspects and elements, you are ready to present your Pitch Deck or full business plan to the world!

Aligns with How People Learn – Things often make more sense if you know what to expect.  Think back to textbooks and imagine the outline at the beginning of a chapter.  It helps you prepare for what you will be learning and gives you a primer on how everything will tie together.  Many people are “big picture” learners as well.  Falling right in line with this business plan writer piece of advice, is that these types of people have a tendency to let their mind wander if they can’t anticipate how everything connects.  Think of it this way, your pitch deck presents a simplified concept, then your business plan builds on that knowledge.

It would seem like many a skilled and wise Business Plan Writer know the power of the pitch deck.   Incorporating it into your presentation, regardless the audience, can do wonders for forging the important business relationships you will need to be a success.

How Professional Business Plan Writers Use Sales Psychology to Create a Successful Pitch Deck

While your business plan will be lengthy, detailed, and possibly even a little dry, your Pitch Deck should be the opposite.   There is a great deal of sales psychology that professional business plan writers will implement when writing your pitch deck.  These methods help keep your audience captivated, elicit an emotional response, and entice them to invest.

Incorporating Story Telling – Everyone likes a good story and Professional Business Plan Writers know this.  That is why they will weave together your pitch deck into a captivating, cohesive story not merely a collection of informational slides.  This can be difficult to do in such a short format but, the right writer will strike the right balance between keeping it short and telling the story of your business.

Early Emotional Appeal – One thing that professional Business Plan Writers understand is that most of the time, whether they realize it or not, people make decisions based on emotions, not logic.   That is why they will appeal early, often in the first slide, to the audience’s emotion in some way.  One way to do this is on the title slide.   You should have one line that introduces the business but, instead of stating what the business does, go for the gut by explaining WHY the business does what it does.

Present in a Logical Order – Part of why storytelling is so effective is because if gives the human brain something it craves: logic.  Our brains are constantly classifying, categorizing, and filtering information.   We have a strong, inherent mental need to make sense of the world around us.   This is why when professional Business Plan writers create a pitch deck presentation, they make sure it flows and give cues as to what you’re talking about next and why.   It leaves the audience’s brain with a feeling of satisfaction.   This helps ensure that their attention stays on your presentation instead of them trying to figure out what you’re talking about or why you’re talking about it.

Proactively Answering Questions – Every potential investor is different but, in most cases, you can predict the questions they are going to have.   It is important to make it clear at the beginning that you will field questions at the end of your presentation.   You may even write that on an introductory slide for emphasis.   If you are able to get through the presentation and answer all the basic questions, they will be more likely to perceive you and your pitch deck as competent.

Strike While the Iron is Hot – In other words, ask for what you want!  Make it clear what you are looking for and what the next steps are.   Human attention spans are short, and we’re all overloaded with information these days.  Don’t make potential investors or other pitch deck audience guess what it is you are looking for from them or what they need to do.   Even if they aren’t prepared to commit at that meeting, you will be able to gauge their interest or open up the conversation to address any of their concerns.  Either way, it helps moves things along.

Sales psychology plays a big role in a successful pitch deck.  You can certainly incorporate these tactics on your own but, professional business plan writers do this for a living.  They are often able to do this with far more success than a business plan or Professional Pitch Deck writing novice.  After all, part of being a successful business owner is effectively managing your time, knowing what you don’t know, and asking for help where and when you need it.   This is one area that is well worth seeking outside expertise.

Professional Business Plan Writers Share Their 5 Top Tips for a Winning Pitch Deck

A pitch deck is a powerful opportunity to get relevant parties interested in your business plan.   You may use the pitch deck to attract potential investors, funders, partners, team members and others.   Professional Business Plan Writers have seen the best and worst of these slide presentations.  These are some of their top tips for producing a compelling, successful pitch deck.

1. Tell a Story

Your pitch deck is not simply a summary of your business plan.  It should act as a teaser to get people interested in the full business plan.  This is one of the main issues professional business plan writers see with a Pitch Deck.  They often become a point by point summary, instead of weaving together the elements of the business plan to tell the story of the business proposition to capture interest.

2. Keep it Short

Your pitch deck should be no longer than 15 slides and the presentation should take no more than 15-30 minutes, or a minute or two per slide.  In fact, many professional Business Plan Writers subscribe to famous marketing specialist Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 approach.  Although it also deals with font size – no less than 30 point font – he suggests no more than 10 slides and a 20 minute presentation time.  The length should be somewhere within this ballpark.  If you can’t explain your business concept that concisely, you’re not ready to present it in pitch deck format to outside parties yet. 

3. Standalone Deck

Your pitch deck should be able to stand on its own.  The best professional Business Plan writers will tell you that your deck should be able to convey your business plan and concept without you being there to present it.   Many times, your audience will request to see the pitch deck ahead of time, or will want to review the deck prior to agreeing to a meeting.   Make sure your deck can do the talking without you.

4. Ask for the Money

This seems obvious but, professional business plan writers consistently see entrepreneurs forgetting to actually make the ask in their pitch deck.   What do you want?   The entire purpose of the pitch deck is to get your potential lender, investor, partner, etc. on board.   Make it clear what you are expecting from your audience and don’t be afraid to explicitly ask for it!

5. Share as a PDF

Sending a pitch deck and having it appear differently than you intended can make a big difference to how it’s perceived.  Professional business plan writers recommend you lock in fonts, formatting, images and other elements by sharing your Pitch Deck in a PDF format.  That way, regardless what device is being used to view your deck, it is seen by your audience in the way you intended it.

In the end, you want to keep the pitch deck simple and remember its purpose.  Your business plan is your opportunity to cover every single detail and answer all foreseeable questions.  Your pitch deck on the other hand is simply the avenue to piquing the interest of your audience.   Think of it this way: your pitch deck is to your business plan what a trailer is to a movie.   If you follow this mindset and apply the tips above from Professional Business Plan Writers, you will be well on your way to creating a winning pitch deck.

Your Franchise Business Plan Pitch Deck Should Include These 4 Things

When most people hear the term Pitch Deck, they often think of investor meetings. However, there are multiple scenarios under which you may want a pitch deck.  There also many types of business plans which will require or benefit from a pitch deck and a franchise business plan is no exception.

It is almost always recommended to consult Business Plan Writers to manage your business plan and pitch deck needs.   However, if you plan to create these yourself or work with a professional, these are the aspects it should absolutely be included in your Franchise Business Plan pitch deck.

1. Demonstration of Problem Solved – Regardless of the year, people still tend to think of pitch decks as slide shows.  While that is still true to an extent, more than ever audiences want more engaging or interactive content.  One way to do this is with integrated video clips.  Did you video record your customer panel during market research?  Can you take videos of random potential customers in the field trying your product or service?   Sometimes it is not enough to tell your audience that you have a good idea, you need to let them see that with their own eyes.

2. Visual Appeal – A pitch deck to accompany your franchise business plan must be visually appealing.   The franchise business plan itself may be 20-40 pages of texts and numbers.   That can quickly become monotonous to look at, especially for lenders and investors that see business plans regularly.   How you format the information, how it is synthesized, and where you include graphs, charts and stock photos in the pitch deck can make a big difference in whether or not people are hooked enough to review your entire business plan.   Make sure it entices the intended audience.

3. Concise Visuals – Not only should your plan visually make people want to look at it, your visuals need to be relevant and serve a purpose.  Each slide, page, or clip is like prime real estate and you need to take advantage accordingly.  It is important to keep your pitch deck brief while still presenting all the relevant information that will be most important and hook the viewer.  This means simplifying complex information in as condensed a format as possible while ensuring it still makes sense.

4. Understandable Financials – Part of the goal and purpose of the visuals is to present the financials in a way that makes sense to people.  If you are presenting to someone who has a numbers background, they will dive into details and any information presented with joy.  However, a great deal of your potential audience is likely to look at numbers as a necessary evil.  The numbers need to make sense to everyone.   They need be presented in charts, graphs and other ways that quickly organize and make sense of the information and keep people interested in your overall pitch deck presentation.

In the end, the pitch deck is all about bringing your franchise business plan to life in an attractive and engaging way that hooks your audience.   In many cases, your Pitch Deck is the one and only chance you have of getting your foot in the door and getting your full Franchise Business Plan reviewed by potential lenders, investors, partners, and other audiences.   Incorporating the elements above will help ensure your pitch deck stands out and captures the attention of your potential stakeholders.

Why to Trust Your Pitch Deck to Professional Business Plan Writers

Whether you choose to have Professional Business Plan Writers write your business plan or not, you should definitely consider the option when creating a pitch deck.  A Pitch Deck is an abbreviated version of your business plan, typically presented in a visual-appealing, slide based format.  It is used to present information in a highly engaging way and to encourage people to want to dig deeper into your full plan.  Because of the nature and purpose of the pitch deck, it needs to be the best representation of your business plan possible.  There are many reasons why professional Business Plan Writers are better suited for this than trying to do it yourself of having it done in-house.

Expertise

You may be the expert about your business but, professional business plan writers are experts on how to present that information.   Specifically, for the pitch deck, they know how to make sure it’s visually appealing, attention grabbing and gives the audience just enough information to encourage them to look further into your business and read the full plan.  Professional Business Plan Writers do this for a living, and they have the skills and insight to understand how to balance presenting pertinent information while making it engaging and easy to understand.

Objectivity

You know the details of your business plan and your business.  However, that’s likely a great deal of information.  Professional business plan writers know what your audience really needs to know.  When you are intimately involved with your business, you tend to think everything is important and impressive.  Regarding outside parties, however, that usually is not the case.  An expert, objective set of eyes is better equipped to discern what your audience will truly be interested in, what they really need to know, and how to present it in a short format that makes them want to pay attention and keeps their interest.

Audience

Part of the expertise professional Business Plan Writers possess is understanding exactly how to appeal to your specific audience.   You may need a pitch deck for a potential investor, partner, co-founder, or even customers.  Yet all these audiences will be most interested in different parts of the plan and certain points of information.  The professionals truly understand all these different audiences, as well as your business plan.  They are better equipped to present a fully tailored plan made for the right audience.  This aspect alone is enough to make or break a presentation. The best presentation in the world won’t matter if you aren’t giving your audience what they truly want. This applies to nearly everything even beyond pitch decks.

The most effective way to achieve your goals is to trust both your Professional Pitch Deck and business plan to professional business plan writers. However, if you’re only going to have one component handled by a professional, it should be your pitch deck. We all know the importance of first impressions.  Your Pitch Deck is the first impression of your business that very key people and potential stakeholders will see.  Make sure it makes the best impression possible by hiring a professional!