We have seeing many presentations & business plans from all over the world. Most fail in preparation of a high-quality business plan. Here is what I believe to be the key points to consider when making a presentation for well deserving project:
1. Be very specific and down to point in all aspects. Do not add fluff! This is a red flag to a banker.
2. Make all important information available in executive summary, and have the summary in the very beginning of presentation.
3. Have very basic table of contents with page numbers and follow it.
4. Say what you need and support with facts, numbers, pictures and charts, not the other way around.
5. Try to keep history, philosophy and personal feelings away from this presentation, unless they are a center point of it.
6. Include information on the management team – educations, experience and special achievements.
7. Have the document available in pdf or word and all calculations in excel formats available for the bankers to work with, not on the internet. The bank wants all documents presented to them directly. This is your job. The bank will not go seek your information.
8. Make all electronic pictures of appropriate size, so they will not make the document huge in size.
9. Make document smaller than 10 mega bytes, so it will be possible to email it; if necessary, break it into smaller pieces and call them Part I, Part II, etc.
10. Video presentations – do not stream or vend over the internet – send by Express Mail on a DVD in the several formats – NTSC and PAL at least; no one knows what country they are going to see it in.
11. Try to have as many references as you can on the data you provide in your presentation, for example: this data is from CB Richard Ellis and this is according to such and such – will make a big difference for your document.
12. DO NOT send files in any zip files.
13. DO NOT make bankers look-up stuff on internet.
14. DO NOT send documents that you and your people do not fully understand.
15. DO NOT send any documents that have not been read by you and people in charge of the project.
16. DO NOT send projects with unverified numbers – triple-check all numbers and calculations; the bank will verify all submitted info!
17. DO NOT save money on translation of the documents into English; get good translators, familiar with technical terms and financial terms for your document. Have a native English-speaking person read the documents to make sure that work is done properly.
18. DO NOT send any information that is assumed, everything must be based on facts: if you do not have a permit for construction – do not tell people that you have one until you have it your hands!
19. DO NOT underestimate depth of Due Diligence – all information, including your resume, will be verified.
20. Remember about SWOT! You have to present potential problems or weaknesses, completion and similar projects, products — not the strong sides only.
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