business plan vs presentation

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The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Business Plan PowerPoint Presentation That Wins

• October 22, 2024
• 10 minutes read

TABLE OF CONTENT

In today’s competitive business landscape, having a great idea isn’t enough – you need to present it effectively to gain support, secure funding, or align your team. While traditional business plans still have their place, a powerful business plan presentation has become essential for communicating your vision and strategy.

However, creating a compelling business plan PowerPoint presentation can be overwhelming. From structuring your content to designing impactful slides, the process often feels complex and time-consuming. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide to help you transform your business plan into a winning presentation that captures attention and drives results.

Whether you’re seeking investment, launching a new venture, or planning your company’s growth strategy, this guide will show you how to create a professional business plan presentation that effectively communicates your vision and potential.

What is a Business Plan Presentation?

A business plan is your company’s strategic roadmap – a comprehensive document that outlines your business concept, market strategy, financial projections, and growth plans. More than just a static document, a modern business plan presentation transforms these crucial elements into a compelling visual story that engages stakeholders and drives action.

Think of it as your business blueprint that answers key questions about your venture:

• What problem are you solving?
• How will you make money?
• Who are your customers?
• What’s your competitive advantage?
• How will you grow?
• What resources do you need?

Why You Need a Business Plan Presentation?

A well-crafted business plan serves multiple critical purposes:

• Strategic Direction Your plan acts as a compass, guiding business decisions and keeping your team aligned with company objectives. It helps you think through every aspect of your business systematically and identify potential challenges before they arise.
• Resource Planning Whether it’s financial investment, human capital, or operational resources, your plan helps determine what you need to succeed and how to allocate these resources effectively.
• Stakeholder Communication From potential investors to team members, your business plan helps communicate your vision clearly and build confidence in your venture’s potential. A professional business plan PowerPoint presentation makes this communication more engaging and memorable.
• Performance Measurement Your plan establishes benchmarks and milestones, allowing you to track progress and make informed adjustments to your strategy as needed.

Business Plan vs Pitch Deck

While both tools are essential for business communication, they serve different purposes and audiences:

Business Plan Presentation

• Comprehensive overview of your business strategy
• Detailed analysis and projections
• In-depth explanation of operations and systems
• Typically 15-20 slides
• Used for internal planning, stakeholder updates, and detailed investor discussions
• Focus on both strategy and execution
• Concise overview focused on investment opportunity
• High-level key metrics and market potential
• Emphasis on growth and return potential
• Usually 10-12 slides
• Primarily used for initial investor presentations
• Focus on vision and opportunity

Want to learn more about creating effective pitch decks? Check out our comprehensive pitch deck guide here.

Now that you understand the key differences between a business plan and a pitch deck, let’s explore how to create a winning business plan PowerPoint presentation using our professional template. We’ll guide you through our proven framework that has helped thousands of businesses create powerful business plan presentations that drive results.

How to Create a Business Plan With Our Template

Creating an impactful business plan presentation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Our professional business plan template PowerPoint streamlines the process while ensuring you maintain consistency and professionalism throughout your presentation.

1. Mastering the Business Plan Framework: A Step-by-Step Guide

We have developed a proven framework for creating compelling business plan presentations. Each component is carefully designed to tell your business story effectively and answer critical questions investors, stakeholders, or team members might have. Follow this structure to create a comprehensive and professional business plan presentation that drives results.

Use this framework to build your very own business plan. Each section is explained with detailed descriptions and key questions to answer, making it easy for you to understand and create compelling content for your presentation. Whether you’re a startup seeking investment or an established business planning growth, this framework ensures you cover all crucial aspects of your business story.

1. Title Your opening slide sets the tone for your entire presentation. More than just a company name, this slide should instantly communicate what your business does and grab your audience’s attention. Think of it as your business’s first impression – make it count.

• What’s your company name and logo?
• What does your business do? (Create a clear, concise description)
• What’s your compelling tagline or value proposition?
• When was the presentation prepared?
• Who are the key presenters?

2. Agenda Your roadmap for the presentation that builds credibility and sets expectations. This slide shows you have a structured approach to presenting your business plan and helps your audience follow your story.

• What key topics will you cover?
• How will you structure the information flow?
• What are the main discussion points?
• How will you allocate time to each section?
• What outcomes should the audience expect?

3. Executive Summary A powerful snapshot of your entire business plan that captures immediate interest. This slide should give your audience a clear understanding of your business opportunity and why it matters.

• What is your business opportunity in one sentence?
• What’s your unique solution?
• What’s your current traction or progress?
• What are your key financial highlights?
• What are you seeking from this presentation?

4. Company Overview An introduction to your company’s foundation and purpose. This slide establishes your business identity and helps the audience understand why your company exists.

• When was your company founded?
• What’s your company’s legal structure?
• Where are you located?
• What markets do you serve?
• What stage is your business at?
• What significant milestones have you achieved?

5. Core Values, Mission & Vision The heart of your company’s identity and future aspirations. This slide demonstrates your company’s culture, purpose, and long-term direction.

• What is your company’s mission statement?
• What is your long-term vision?
• What core values guide your business?
• How do these align with your strategy?
• How do they influence your decisions?

6. Team Showcase the people who will execute your business plan. This slide builds confidence in your ability to deliver on your promises.

• Who are your key team members?
• What relevant experience do they bring?
• What are their roles and responsibilities?
• What unique skills does each member contribute?
• What past successes can you highlight?

7. Org Chart A visual representation of your company’s structure and reporting relationships. This slide demonstrates your organizational planning and scalability.

• How is your company structured?
• What are the key departments/functions?
• Who reports to whom?
• What positions need to be filled?
• How will the structure support growth?

8. Industry Overview A comprehensive look at your business environment. This slide shows your understanding of the market you operate in.

• How big is your industry?
• What are the key industry trends?
• What market forces impact your business?
• What opportunities exist?
• What challenges does the industry face?

9. Demographics A detailed analysis of your target market. This slide proves you understand exactly who your customers are.

• Who is your ideal customer?
• What are their key characteristics?
• What are their pain points?
• What is their buying behavior?
• How large is this target market?

10. Competition Analysis A strategic assessment of your competitive landscape. This slide demonstrates your market positioning and competitive advantages.

• Who are your direct competitors?
• Who are your indirect competitors?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What is your competitive advantage?
• How will you win market share?

11. SWOT Analysis A strategic evaluation of your business position. This slide provides a clear picture of your company’s current situation and future potential through an honest assessment of internal and external factors.

• What are your unique strengths?
• What weaknesses need addressing?
• What market opportunities can you exploit?
• What threats could impact your success?
• How will you leverage strengths and opportunities?

12. Problems A clear articulation of the market challenges you’re addressing. This slide demonstrates the significance of the problem you’re solving and why it matters.

• What specific problems are you solving?
• How do these problems affect your target market?
• What is the cost of not solving these problems?
• How are people currently dealing with these problems?
• Why hasn’t this been solved before?

13. Solutions Your unique approach to solving the identified problems. This slide showcases your value proposition and how you’re making a difference.

• How does your solution work?
• What makes your approach unique?
• What are the key benefits?
• How does it address each problem identified?
• Why is your solution better than alternatives?

14. Product/Services Overview A detailed look at your offering. This slide brings your solution to life with specific features, benefits, and capabilities.

• What exactly are you offering?
• What are the key features and benefits?
• How does your product/service work?
• What is your development stage?
• What’s on your product roadmap?

15. Business Model & Pricing Your strategy for generating revenue and creating value. This slide explains how your business makes money and delivers value to customers.

• How do you make money?
• What is your pricing strategy?
• What are your revenue streams?
• What are your margins?
• How scalable is your model?

16. Growth Strategy Your plan for expanding and scaling your business. This slide outlines your path to achieving your business objectives.

• What are your growth targets?
• How will you achieve these targets?
• What markets will you expand into?
• What are the key milestones?

17. Marketing Plan & Implementation Your strategy for reaching and acquiring customers. This slide demonstrates how you’ll build market presence and drive sales.

• What marketing channels will you use?
• How will you reach your target market?
• What is your customer acquisition strategy?
• What is your timeline for implementation?
• What are your marketing metrics?

18. Financial Projection A forward-looking view of your business’s financial performance. This slide provides concrete numbers that support your business case.

• What are your revenue projections?
• What are your key costs and expenses?
• When will you achieve profitability?
• What are your funding needs?
• What are your key financial metrics?

By following this framework and answering these key questions, you’ll create a comprehensive business plan presentation that effectively communicates your business story and potential. Each slide builds upon the previous one, creating a cohesive narrative that engages your audience and drives your objectives forward.

With our framework as your foundation, let’s explore how to transform this structure into a presentation that reflects your unique brand and business story.

2. Customizing Your Business Plan

Transform our professional template into your unique business plan presentation with these powerful customization features:

Instant Brand Implementation Make the template yours in seconds. Simply input your company colors and upload your logo once, and watch as your entire business plan presentation automatically updates to match your brand identity. Every element – from charts to backgrounds – instantly transforms to your corporate colors, ensuring perfect brand consistency without manual adjustments.

Professional Data Visualization Tell your business story effectively with our comprehensive collection of pre-designed charts and graphs. From market size visualizations to financial projections, each visualization is fully editable and automatically adapts to your brand colors. These carefully crafted data visualization options help you present complex information clearly and professionally.

Extensive Slide Options Your business plan template is complemented by our vast library of 9000+ professional slides. Whether you need additional financial layouts, market analysis slides, or specialized charts, easily mix and match from our extensive collection. Each slide automatically matches your brand colors and style, ensuring consistency throughout your presentation.

By leveraging these customization features, you can:

• Save hours of design and formatting time
• Maintain professional consistency across all slides
• Present data clearly and effectively
• Adapt the template to your specific needs
• Create unique, branded presentations

A well-structured and beautifully designed presentation is just the beginning. Now, let’s learn how to use your business plan effectively to achieve your objectives.

3. Using Your Business Plan Effectively

Creating an impressive business plan presentation is just the first step. Here’s how to use it effectively to achieve your objectives:

Tell a Cohesive Story The easiest way to structure your story is to follow our proven business plan framework provided above. However, every business is unique – you might need to adjust the flow based on your industry, audience, or specific focus areas. What’s important is maintaining a natural progression of ideas. For example, you might want to emphasize product features right after identifying problems if your solution is highly innovative, or highlight market opportunity early if you’re targeting a rapidly growing sector.

Know Your Audience Adapt your business plan presentation based on who you’re presenting to:

• Investors: Focus on market opportunity, traction, and financial returns
• Team Members: Emphasize vision, strategy, and execution plans
• Partners: Highlight mutual benefits and growth potential
• Board Members: Focus on strategic goals and performance metrics

Be Prepared with Details While your presentation provides a high-level view:

• Have detailed backup data ready
• Know your numbers inside and out
• Prepare for deep-dive questions
• Understand market dynamics thoroughly
• Be ready to explain assumptions

Remember, your business plan is both a strategic document and a communication tool. Use it to align stakeholders, guide decisions, and drive your business forward.

Creating a professional business plan doesn’t have to be challenging. Let’s explore why our template is the perfect solution for your business planning needs.

Why Use Our Business Plan Template

Transform your business planning process with our professional template designed to help you create impactful presentations that drive results.

Save Valuable Time Stop starting from scratch. Our professionally designed business plan template eliminates hours of formatting and design work. With pre-built slides and automatic brand implementation, you can focus on what matters most – crafting your business strategy and preparing your content.

Maintain Professional Consistency Ensure every presentation reflects your business’s professional image. Our template provides a consistent structure and polished look throughout your business plan. With automated brand integration and standardized layouts, your presentation will always maintain the highest professional standards.

Tell Your Story Effectively Transform complex business information into a clear, compelling narrative. Our thoughtfully designed slides help you present your business strategy in the most impactful way. From market analysis to financial projections, each component is crafted to help you communicate your vision clearly.

Scale Across Teams Enable your entire organization to create consistent, high-quality business plans. With our template library of 9000+ slides and easy customization features, teams across different departments can maintain presentation quality while adapting content to their specific needs.

Flexible Yet Structured Follow best practices while maintaining flexibility. Our template provides a proven framework that guides you through essential business components while allowing you to customize content and layouts to match you specific business needs.

Reduce Learning Curve Empower new team members to create professional business plans quickly. Our intuitive template and clear structure mean less time training and more time developing strategic content. Anyone can create impressive presentations from day one.

Ready to Create Your Professional Business Plan?

Don’t let creating a business plan slow down your business momentum. Our professional business plan template PowerPoint is designed to help you create impactful presentations in minutes, not hours.

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Guru is the co-founder of Choladeck, a dedicated presentation design agency, and more recently, Twodart. Over the years, his company has specialized in crafting impactful presentations, collaborating with a diverse array of clients. Their portfolio includes work for everyone from individual entrepreneurs to major corporations, some of which are renowned Fortune 500 companies.

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Business Plan vs. PowerPoint Presentation: A Mini Guide

Introduction

Many clients ask me this question, “Should I create a business plan or a PowerPoint presentation?” This is one of my most asked questions as a business consultant for over 15 years, and the answer cannot be answered quite simply by just stating what it is. So let me introduce you to this small article, our very mini guide of when to use a business plan and when to use a PowerPoint presentation. Additionally, we’ll discuss something I call a business plan PowerPoint presentation.

What is a Business Plan PowerPoint Presentation?

A business plan PowerPoint presentation is a hybrid term that indicates a business plan in a PowerPoint presentation format. So it’s a business plan, but when people hear the word “business plan,” they think of documents and A4 or letter-sized papers with a lot of charts and text. When people say “business plan PowerPoint presentation,” they make it more graphic. It’s simply just the format and trust me when I say it does not make any difference whatsoever. What does make a difference is what is in this letter-sized or PowerPoint-structured document. You could have a very boring business plan PowerPoint presentation and a very interesting business plan letter-sized document. It really relies on what’s inside them and that depends on a lot of factors.

One-Pager Recommendation

For instance, I personally advise a lot of my current clients to go with the idea of a one-pager instead of either a PowerPoint presentation or a letter-sized business plan. However, let’s talk about the perfect business plan PowerPoint presentation if you’re interested in going in this direction and what you should do and what you shouldn’t do in this area.

Elements of a Business Plan PowerPoint Presentation

1. average length.

The average length of a business plan PowerPoint presentation usually goes around the 50-slide mark because it’s not as short as a pitch deck. A pitch deck should always be less than 15 slides. A business plan in a document format could go up to 100 pages. A business plan PowerPoint presentation usually has the length of 40 slides because it incorporates a lot of the text from the business document into charts and graphs, which can be a nightmare for designers. It’s just a way of viewing that depends on the reader. Some readers prefer to read it, while others prefer a short pitch deck or a letter-sized document.

A good example is WeWork’s investor presentation . WeWork, at that time, was a public company and usually wouldn’t think of a pitch deck as something just for pitching. This investor presentation is considered a business plan. If you look at the amount of text and information in those 50 slides, you’ll notice that this is exactly what I mean by a business plan PowerPoint presentation. It can’t be as short as a pitch deck, and it can’t be as long as a document business plan. This is what it looks like and, in my opinion, one of the most visual and best documents you could use if you have an interested party in investing in your company.

3. Template

If you’re looking for a template to use I would advise you to enter our marketplace . You’ll find a lot of products there for free, based on the industry. If you’re working on an AI startup, you can find at least two or three AI templates that you can download and merge to create this document. There are a lot of templates in letter-sized documents as well, but most of our designers are focused on building something that looks like a business plan PowerPoint presentation.

4. Pros and Cons

The pros are the fact that it’s easy to read but only if you have 30 to 60 minutes to spare. So I would sometimes prefer, not personally, but I would sometimes prefer to read it if the product is quite technologically sophisticated. Let’s say you’re explaining the technology of blockchain and how your deep tech company works. In a letter-sized document full of text, it’s better to present it in a way that makes it a lot easier for a person to understand, which makes it a perfect solution for this exact example.

When it comes to cons, on the other hand, it is a very long document, so people get bored. You have to click next every few seconds, which is quite exhausting. I also sometimes will prefer to just find the number that I want to find using my eyes on the same page. No, I have to keep navigating through it back and forth in order to find what I need. This is one of the biggest cons. So it really relies on the readers.

There are AI tools that you can use to build a such a presentation. I have tried tome.app, and that’s the only one I’ve tried so far that actually works to create an investor presentation with AI, but it’s not perfect when it comes to text or writing. The designs are just okay. At this current state, there are different AI tools.

There’s also Microsoft’s Copilot that is integrated into PowerPoint. You can also use that depending on your design needs. We’re building ourselves at Intensify.ai something that resolves this particular problem because there isn’t a single AI tool that actually gets good design with good content when it comes to AI. Copilot is the closest thing, but it’s really not that good looking, and the text is really not that good. That’s why I would advise you, at the moment, to just purchase a template or download one of our templates and just write it your own way in your own words.

Use Cases for a Business Plan PowerPoint Presentation

If you decide to create a business plan PowerPoint presentation, there are good use cases for such a decision. For example, if you’re applying for a bank loan or sending it to a bank, in many cases they would say, “Please use our template,” or “Please use this template,” and they expect a letter-sized document. But if they don’t, it’s a good opportunity for you to show them visually what you’re talking about when it comes to a business plan that is well designed visually. This is when you should actually use such a document.

On another note, something like the presentation of WeWork that you saw earlier in this article is perfect for late-stage investors. This is the use case of WeWork’s deck because people who are late investors already know their product is working. So you don’t have to convince them to pitch them a product.

You only have to showcase numbers and data, technology, and team members. Those things just need visual simplicity and not a lot of explanation. In this case, I really, really advise you to create a business plan that looks like that.

Finally, the third and most preferable use case is if you’re pitching to a co-founder. Now, that’s not very common because a lot of people pitch to co-founders directly. But if you want to send off your presentation of your company to a person that you might be interested in joining you in co-founding your startup, then this is a perfect way. There will be a certain level of patience that is required from this co-founder to read about your company. The visuals make it easier when it comes to sophistication. That is the best use case scenario of building a business plan PowerPoint presentation.

How to Make a Killer Business Plan Presentation (+Templates)

Learn how to make a business plan presentation with tips for slide design, structure, and engaging examples, as well as templates to bring your vision to life.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What slides should a business plan presentation include?

• Opening slide
• Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
• Business overview
• The challenge you're addressing
• Market analysis
• Your solution
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Team composition
• Funding request and allocation

Your business plan presentation needs to be as strong as your idea

Having a well-crafted business plan is crucial, but if it's not presented effectively, it's like having a treasure map that no one can read.

Even the best ideas can fall flat if they're not communicated clearly, potentially burying your chance of getting your business off the ground.

Remember, presenting a business plan is more than just sharing facts and figures. It's about engaging your audience, whether they're investors or stakeholders, and making them believe in your vision.

But don't worry, you're not alone in this. This guide is here to help you master the art of business plan presentation. You'll learn how to structure your presentation, design slides that captivate, and conclude in a way that leaves a lasting impact and drives action.

Let's dive in!

What to include in a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is your chance to delve deep, showcasing not just the what and the how, but also the why of your business. It's your strategic playbook that can persuade investors, guide your team, and set the foundation for your business's success.

11 essential slides of a business plan presentation:

Opening slide: Set the tone with an engaging first impression.

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define what sets your business apart.

Business overview: Offer a concise snapshot of your company.

The challenge you're addressing: Describe the problem your business solves.

Market analysis: Demonstrate your understanding of the industry and market trends.

Your solution: Detail how your product or service addresses the problem you’ve identified.

Marketing and sales strategy: Outline your approach to winning and keeping customers.

Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specify your objectives and how you’ll measure success.

Team composition: Introduce key team members, their roles, and expertise.

Funding request and allocation: Explain your financial requirements and how the funds will be utilized.

Next steps: Guide the reader on the next steps after reviewing your plan, whether it's a meeting request, further discussion, or a specific action you want them to take.

What does a business plan presentation look like?

In today's fast-paced business world, static business plan presentations are losing their edge. Imagine having to constantly pinch and zoom on a mobile device just to see the details. It's frustrating and distracting.

People also get disengaged when faced with walls of text. They're there to hear a story, not read a novel.

Interactive presentations, on the other hand, bring your business plan to life. They encourage audience participation, adapt to the flow of discussion, and make complex ideas more digestible and memorable.

You can see what an interactive business plan presentation looks like below:

How to turn a business plan into a presentation

Transforming your business plan into a presentation is a crucial step in bringing your vision to life. It's not just about having a plan; it's about presenting it in a way that resonates with investors and partners.

Start by distilling the essence of your plan, focusing on key points like your mission, market analysis, and financial projections. Use engaging visuals and a clear narrative to make complex information accessible.

For detailed insights on how to write a business plan , check out our guide.

How to make a business plan presentation in 6 easy steps

Crafting a business plan is about blending vision and strategy into a narrative that captivates your audience. With Storydoc's AI business presentation maker, creating this narrative becomes intuitive and easy.

In the guide below, we'll show you how to turn your plan into an engaging presentation in 6 simple steps. Stick around to see how seamlessly Storydoc can bring your business story to life.

1) Describe your presentation’s objective

Kick things off by sharing with our AI the type of business plan you're looking to create. This is like setting the GPS for your journey, ensuring every part of your plan is aligned with your end goal.

2) Give an overview of yourself, your organization, and your offering

Introduce the essence of your business - who you are, what your company stands for, and the unique value of what you offer. This sets the stage for a personalized and relevant presentation.

3) Select a suitable design template

Dive into our collection of design templates and pick one that resonates with your business's personality.

4) Tailor your business plan presentation to your needs

Now, here’s where you add your personal touch. Fill in your details, tweak the design, and watch the magic happen as the template adapts to your content. This is where your business plan presentation starts to take on a life of its own.

Then, you can either upload your own multimedia elements or sit back as our AI assistant generates some for you.

5) Add personalized elements

Next up, sprinkle in some personalization. It works just like personalizing a newsletter - you can insert dynamic variables that automatically fill up with your recipient's data.

This level of customization not only makes your presentation feel tailor-made for each reader but also adds a layer of engagement. As a matter of fact, it can get 68% more people to read your deck in full , and share it internally 2.3x more often!

6) Review and refine your business plan presentation

Finally, take a step back and review your plan. Ensure it looks good, flows well, and clearly conveys your message.

The beauty of Storydoc is that it's a living document – if you spot a mistake or need to update information after sharing, you can. You're in control, ensuring your audience always sees the most polished and up-to-date version of your business plan presentation.

Business plan design principles to turn average into impressive

Designing a business plan presentation is about more than just putting words on a page; it's about creating an experience that captures and holds attention. In today's digital age, the way you present your plan can be just as important as the content itself.

Let's explore how to design a business plan presentation that stands out in the modern business landscape.

1) Move from static to interactive

Gone are the days of static, text-heavy business plan presentations. Today's plans are interactive, engaging readers with clickable elements, dynamic charts, and even embedded videos.

This interactivity not only makes your plan more interesting but also allows readers to engage with the content in a more meaningful way.

Here's a great example of an interactive business plan presentation:

2) Use scroll-based design

Forget the hassle of pinching and zooming on a PDF. A scroll-based design, similar to a modern website, offers a fluid reading experience.

It's straightforward and aligns with how we naturally consume content online, making your business plan presentation easier and more enjoyable to read.

Here's an example of scroll-based design:

3) Make sure your business plan presentation is mobile-friendly

With so many people reading on their phones, your business plan presenttion needs to look good on any device.

Responsive design means your plan is easily readable on a phone, tablet, or computer, ensuring that your message is clear no matter how your audience accesses it.

4) Shift from local files to online documents

Step away from traditional Word docs or PDFs and embrace online documents. They're great for sharing, updating in real time, and collaborating with others.

Plus, they're accessible from anywhere, which is perfect for busy investors who are always on the move.

For more information, check out our comparison of the best business plan document types .

5) Embrace visual storytelling

Use visuals like infographics and charts to tell your business's story. They can turn complex data into easy-to-understand, engaging information. A well-placed visual can often do a better job of explaining your points than text alone.

Here's a great example of visual storytelling:

Best business plan software

Selecting the right tool to create your business plan presentation is vital for any startup. To ease your journey, I've compiled a list of the top business plan software, each designed to cater to different needs.

From comprehensive platforms guiding you step-by-step to dynamic tools that add interactive elements to your presentation, there's something for every entrepreneur.

The best business plan software currently available:

LivePlan.com

BizPlan.com

Upmetrics.co

GoSmallBiz.com

Business Sorter

MAUS Master Plan Lean

For a deep dive into each tool and to find the one that best fits your business's needs, explore our detailed guide to the best business plan software .

Interactive business plan presentation templates

The pressure to get your business plan presentation right can be overwhelming. After all, in many cases, you only get one shot to impress.

These business plan presentation templates offer a framework that takes care of the structure and design, allowing you to focus solely on fleshing out your strategy.

Whether you're pitching to investors, partners, or stakeholders, these templates give you the confidence that your plan is presented in the best possible light.

Grab one and see for yourself.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to Create a Business Plan Presentation

Noah Parsons

9 min. read

Updated August 1, 2024

It’s been said that business plans are worthless – it’s the planning process that is truly valuable . In many ways, this is a true statement. The business plan document that you create isn’t necessarily that useful because few people will ever review it in detail.

But, the process you went through to create that document forced you to think in detail about your business and answer questions that you might not have answered otherwise.

The planning process forced you to become an expert in your business, your target market, and your operations.

The expertise that you created in the planning process is what you need to showcase when you pitch your business to lenders and investors. Figuring out how to distill all of that knowledge into a few slides and a ten-to-twenty-minute presentation is the next challenge.

This guide will help you turn your business plan into a cohesive and convincing presentation that will help you win investors and wow your audience. 

• What is a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is also often called a “ pitch deck .” It’s a set of slides, often designed to accompany an in-person or Zoom meeting, that presents the fundamentals of your business.

A great business plan presentation explains what you do, who your target audience is, how your business operates, and what your “ask” is. After all, you probably aren’t just presenting your business plan to share your great idea, you’re trying to convince your audience to do something for you.

When you’re designing your business plan presentation, it’s helpful to know if you’re going to be able to talk through your presentation, or if it’s just going to be emailed out. This 

• Why do you present a business plan?

Your business plan presentation is all about the “ask”. Whether you’re trying to raise money for your business, win a business plan competition, or pitching a potential new employee to join your business, you have a reason for presenting your business. As you work on your business plan presentation, keep this in mind. Know who your audience is and what you want from them at the end of your presentation. More often than not, your goal will be simply to get to the next meeting or have some opportunity to continue the conversation. 

• 6 Tips to create a convincing business plan presentation

We’ll cover exactly what to include in your business plan presentation in the next section, but first let’s go over a few tips that will help you prepare a great presentation.

1. Start with a review of your business plan

Your business plan presentation is a summary of your business plan, so use your plan as a starting point. You already have all the information you need to, so just go back to your plan and highlight the key points that you plan to cover in your presentation. If there are key statistics or facts about your market that you want to highlight, identify those so that you don’t forget to include them in your presentation.

2. Tell a story

The key to engaging your audience is to hook them with a story. Think about the problems your customers face when they’re using a product or service from the competition. Explain what life is like before your business arrives to provide a novel solution. The more that you can get your audience to nod along and understand the point of view of your customer, the more likely they are to support your business. 

3. Use visuals

Business plan presentations shouldn’t be slides crammed with text and other information. Instead, focus on using imagery to convey your message. You don’t want your audience to just be reading a slide full of information while you talk – they won’t really give you their full attention when this happens. Instead, use photos, charts and graphs, or diagrams to explain your business and the problems you are solving. 

4. Use large, easy to read font

Always use a relatively large font in your presentation – 30pt or larger. Your audience shouldn’t have to strain to read what’s on your slide. Using a large font will also force you to choose your words carefully because you won’t have that much room on the page for a lot of words. 

6. Research who you’re presenting to

Nailing your presentation requires knowing your audience. For example, suppose you’ve invented a new medical device and are presenting to a room full of industry experts and medical professionals. In that case, you’ll want to present using terminology that they are familiar with.

However, if your presentation is to investors who may not be as familiar with your industry, you may need to simplify things and make sure to use language that they will understand. 

• What to include in your business plan presentation

As a general rule, try to keep your presentation to 10-12 slides. Although you could probably talk about your business all day, your audience is looking for a concise presentation that clearly communicates what your business does and where you are going.

Here are the 10 slides you should include your presentation:

1. Introduction 

This is sometimes also called the title slide. You should include your company name and logo and a one line summary of your business. This might be your mission statement, or just a short tagline that explains what you’re doing in a nutshell. For example, Spotify might have said, “We’re revolutionizing how people listen to music and how artists get paid”. Instagram might have said, “We make it easy for anyone to produce professional-looking photos”.

2. The problem and your solution

This is where your story-telling skills need to come into play. You want to make your problem real to your audience. You want them to relate to people who have the problem, even if they don’t have the problem themselves. You want your audience nodding along in understanding.

With your problem clearly identified, you now explain your solution. This is a description of what your product or service is and what it does. Explain how it solves your customer’s problem and how it compares to the competition. 

3. Target market and opportunity

Your next step is to explain the size of your market and what your business opportunity is. You’ll use the market research data from your business plan in this slide to show how many potential customers are out there and you’ll show the different market segments that your business will target . 

4. Business model and pricing strategy

Your business model is an explanation of how you make money. For many businesses, this is very straightforward and doesn’t require much, if any, explanation. For others, more details will be required. For example, a business like Google provides their search engine for free to users, but sells ads in the search results. 

5. Traction

Traction is evidence of early success with your business. This might mean a list of initial customers, pre-orders through a Kickstarter campaign, or signed contracts with potential buyers. Any evidence that you can provide that proves that your business will be a success is useful to showcase here. 

6. Marketing and sales

Be sure to include a slide that provides an overview of your marketing and sales plan . You’ve identified your target market and now you need to explain how you’re going to reach them and sell to them. 

7. Financial projections

You shouldn’t try and fit your entire financial plan into your business plan presentation. Instead, extract the highlights and present them here. A sales forecast chart and profits chart could be useful. If you have a guess as to when you’ll become profitable, include that information. The goal of your presentation is to spark interest and get your audience to ask for additional information, so don’t overload things in your initial presentation.

8. Your team

Who is behind your business is often even more important than your idea. People come up with good ideas all the time. Investors are looking not just for a great idea, but for a team of people who can turn that idea into reality. Use this slide to provide a brief overview of your team and the rationale behind why your team is the right team to make the business a success. 

9. Use of funds

Assuming that you are presenting your business plan to raise money for your business, you’ll need to explain how you’re going to use that money. Is it for marketing or perhaps R&D? Maybe you need to raise funds to hire key additions to your team or to expand to a new location. Make it clear why you need the money and how you’re going to use it.

10. Call to action

Finally, don’t forget your “ask.” If you’re seeking investment, ask for it. If you are trying to convince someone to join your team, ask them to join. Your business plan presentation exists for a reason and there’s no harm in being direct about what you are looking for.

11. Appendix

Aside from the core slides of your presentation, it’s always useful to have additional slides ready to answer questions that come up. A great presentation leaves the audience interested and wanting to know more. Try and anticipate those questions and add slides in the appendix that helps answer those questions. When the audience asks a question that you’ve prepared a slide for, skip into the appendix and answer that question with your slide. This method shows your audience that you’re well prepared and have thought through all aspects of your business.

This is where it all comes back to planning. The plan document itself may not be useful, but the process you went through will leave you well-prepared to present your business plan expertly and successfully.

Check out our analysis of 7 well-known startup pitch decks for examples of businesses that successfully did this.

• Download your free pitch deck template

Get a jump start on your business plan presentation by downloading our free pitch deck template . It has everything you need to get started and includes all the key slides you need for a winning presentation. 

But a good business pitch is only as good as the business plan behind it. So, to be sure you’re prepared to pitch to investors, you can also download our free business plan template . It has everything you need to back up your pitch and impress external stakeholders.

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

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