Georgia 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.

Georgia Investors

United States > Georgia

20 years lending and asset management for Fortune 100 commercial bank. Represent diverse group of institutional and individual investors seeking angel or venture capital opportunities.

$500,000 to $30,000,000

United States > Georgia

As a new investor starting out, I am looking looking for opportunities with high return on investment. My professional background is in sales. I'm a private investor.

$2,500 to $5,000

United States > Georgia

I am an IT management professional with 20+ years of technical and management experience. I have good experience executing very challenging projects and working with upper management

$10,000 to $50,000

United States > Georgia

Male. 64 years of age. Single. Dad of (3) girls. Entrepreneur of 50 years. CEO of 30 years. Construction. Real estate.

$100,000 to $1,000,000

United States > Georgia

Commercial Consultant for the past 4 years. Banking for the past nine years. Currently working with commercial financing organization.

$2,500,000 to $50,000,000

United States > Georgia

Our company works in the capacity of a consultant. We have a close relationship with private investors who are aggressively looking to invest in unique startups,businesses looking for capital to expand and projects needing capital raises.The trust we have with our investors allows us to screen, consult and connect. The process that my partner and I have developed has been very successful mainly because of our combined 55 years in the finance, insurance and marketing industries. On a personal note, we are both married with children and use our dedication to our families to motivate us to put our best foot forward with each our our clients. We are a company that believes wholeheartedly in living by the golden rule "treat other's the way you want to be treated".

$10,000,000 to $50,000,000

United States > Georgia

I am a Real Estate Investment Consultant for a wholesale brokerage, who puts under contract 50+ off market investment deals per month. We specialize in distressed single family properties, as well as distressed multi family properties. We also receive rental properties for investors looking for cash flow. We also are always looking for investment properties. We are cash buyers and can close quickly! Lets see how we can network!

$25,000 to $1,000,000

United States > Georgia

I am interested in a silent partnership. However, I maybe be able to help with the business from time-to-time as a consultant when ideas are needed but the business owner would make the final decision. I do currently invest in real estate and stocks (mostly real estate stocks). I am interested in the education field and the healthcare filed. I have been a teacher, school counselor, real estate agent, tax consultant and I have owned a small business online. I also have a PhD in Education with a focus on distance learning.

$1 to $25,000