|
Foreword
|
i |
| How to Use This Manual |
i |
| About the Author |
ii |
| Introduction |
iii |
| 1. Getting Started with BPSR |
1 |
| First Stop: Reality Check |
1 |
| Why Even Use a Business Plan? |
2 |
| Know Your Investor |
5 |
| Your Single Biggest Challenge |
7 |
| Three Steps to Bridge the Investor Confidence Gap |
7 |
| The Villains of Effective Communication and How to Stop Them |
10 |
| Identify Your Team |
11 |
| Organize Now and Save Time! |
12 |
| 2. Gathering Evidence and Picking Out Talking Points |
16 |
| First, Sell Yourself on Your Idea |
16 |
| What to Gather… |
17 |
| Do Your Own Due Diligence |
18 |
| Classifying Your Material |
19 |
| Sources of Evidence |
20 |
| Web Evidence |
22 |
| Selecting Your Arguments |
24 |
| 3. Show Me the Numbers |
29 |
| Start from a High-Level |
30 |
| Financial Statement Basics |
33 |
| The Statement of Earnings |
33 |
| Statement of Financial Position |
37 |
| Statement of Cash Flows |
40 |
| General Suggestions |
43 |
| Compiling Your Financial Statements |
44 |
| Valuing Your Business |
46 |
| 4. Drafting Your Document |
50 |
| Take Action |
50 |
| Outline Your Plan |
50 |
| Formulate Interrupting and Engaging Openers |
57 |
| Pack in the Information |
57 |
| Incorporate Your Evidence |
57 |
| Seven Remedies When Your Writing Stalls |
57 |
| Check Your Work with Everything Together |
58 |
| Principles of Good Organization |
63 |
| 5. Writing in Plain English |
66 |
| Nine Common Writing Mistakes |
66 |
| Use the Active Voice with Strong Verbs |
67 |
| Try Personal Pronouns |
70 |
| Bring Abstractions Down to Earth |
71 |
| Omit Superfluous Words |
72 |
| Write in the Positive |
73 |
| Use Short Sentences |
74 |
| 6. Designing Your Document |
80 |
| Beginning the Design Process |
80 |
| Hierarchy |
81; |
| Typography |
81 |
| Layout |
84 |
| Graphics |
88 |
| Color |
92 |
| 7. Finalizing Your Document |
94 |
| Get a Fresh Set of Eyes |
94 |
| The Second Draft |
94 |
| The Third Draft |
95 |
| Final Proofing |
95 |
| 8. Time to Go to Press |
97 |
| Hard Copies |
97 |
| Electronic Copies |
99 |
| Congratulations! |
100 |
| 9. Preparing Your Oral |
101 |
| Arguments |
101 |
| Six Steps to Your “Elevator Pitch” |
101 |
| What to Expect in Your First Investor Meeting |
103 |
| 10. How to Find Investor Addresses |
106 |
| Use a Consulting Firm |
106 |
| Buy an Investor Database |
106 |
| Create Your Own List Off the Web |
107 |
| Use Resources at the Public Library |
108 |
| Capturing and Storing Address Information |
108 |
| 11. Getting the Word Out! |
109 |
| Pitfalls to Avoid When Using E-mail |
109 |
| Utilizing the Web |
110 |
| Making Your Investor Relations Web Page Powerful |
111 |
| Press Releases & Publicity – Overlooked Investor Relations Tools |
113 |
| Appendix A. Due Diligence Sample Request List |
116 |
| Appendix B. Companies & Resources Referred to in This Manual |
123 |
| Books/Ebooks |
123 |
| Understanding Investors |
124 |
| General Economic and Reference Information |
124 |
| Competitive, Market & Industry Research |
124 |
| Business Plan Software |
125 |
| Business Valuations |
125 |
| Writing and Layout Aids |
125 |
| Printing and Binding Tools & Information |
125 |
| Business Plan-related Services |
126 |
| Investor Databases |
126 |
| Database Programs |
127 |
| Creating a Web Site |
127 |
| Investor Relations |
127 |
