If you want to create a multi million dollar business and personally become successful, you will need to be able to present difficult concepts to investors, staff and key stakeholders. The creation of wealth through business will not be possible unless you are able to do the following three things very well.

1. Simplify, conceptualize and analyze business models and marketplaces. Then develop this opportunity analysis into solid strategies for growth.

2. Make people understand the key vision and direction of the company.

3. Produce a clear concise action plan to ensure that we follow through on the plan.

The biggest tip I can give any fellow business person is to learn the art of simplifying the world around you and explain it in simple terms to those that you wish to follow you.

When it comes to preparing a business plan with punch...

The first thing to do when preparing a business plan "with punch" is to understand the reason why you are actually undertaking to do a business plan.

A plan that you might do for your employee might be a simple one to three page document. You need to get the employees to understand your vision and your strategy. In most cases you will want to leave your analysis out of your final document as this will just bulk it up. (That is of course assuming that you are reporting down the chain. I.e. you are the MD or CEO. If you are in a larger company and doing a business plan then you will need to include your analysis. In both cases a simplified version of your analysis presented in a Microsoft PowerPoint type presentation is essential. Why, because your staff will not blindly follow your direction unless you map it out and prove it is logical and possible.

My hints therefore would be

• Use more diagrams than words. Diagrams such as competitive positioning, product life cycle or simple illustrative concepts such as those in this article.
• Keep the document as short as possible.
• Maintain a strong emphasis on the final Milestones
• Focus on the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) that need monitoring.
• Develop financials that have best and worst case scenarios, so you can do what if analysis and examine the risks.

If your business plan was for government, banks or investors then your first goal is to impress.

My hints therefore would be

• Print in colour. Color graphs, financials and product shots impress and bring the document to life.
• Bind the final plan with a good hard back cover and transparent front.
• Attach the financials and graphs to the document and make sure they are formatted nicely.
• Have copies of certificates or awards that your company or your products have won. Scan and get a screenshot and paste into the text of your document.
• Show some nice positioning maps
• Make sure your document is at least 10 pages. Probably more like 20-30. The important thing is that the reader has the impression that the document is comprehensive.

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Peter Hickey Corprat