What your bank manager wants to know ...

So you have a business idea or you want to grow your enterprise and are seeking finance.

You get a meeting with a loan officer at your bank and want to make your presentation persuasive. What should you focus on?

Any presentation you make for investors should answer the following questions:

• What is your business about? What product or service do you intend to provide and what are the benefits?
• Who is your target market? Why did you choose that market and quantify how large it is.
• What equipment or expertise is required for the business?
• How will you make money? When borrowing the investor also wants to know how much you require and how you will repay the loan amount.
• What is your experience and why are you best suited to operate the business?
• Who are your competitors? How long have they been established and what market share do they hold?
• What is your unique selling proposition particularly in comparison to your competition? How much are you going to price the product/ service as compared with your competitors?
• How will you distribute your product/ service? How will you ensure that your supply chain remains efficient?