EC – Funding Advice – Guide to Pitching!
We can not repeat strongly enough that approaching Investors before you are ready can spoil the only chance you may get. That is why you need a Pitch! Below we have listed the most important and necessary items the Pitch should include.
Professional Investors look at dozens of business plans every week, and if your proposal does not include the information below, it is unlikely they will be interested. See also the document “Are you ready for investors?”
What should be included?
Remember that a Pitch is not a full company presentation. Remember that you only have limited time. Do not bore the listener with endless speeches and give him a chance to give his remarks, comments or even better; questions.
You need to prepare seven slides. When finished make sure you have ticked all boxes.
Slide 1 -The Introduction
- Company Name
- “Tagline” – “We provide Funding”
- Name of presenter – Job title
Slide 2 -The Team
- Names
- Position in the Company
- Previous jobs
- Industry experience
- What do they bring to the team?
Slide 3 -The Service or Product
- What does your business do?
- What problem does your product solve?
Slide 4 -The Market
- Size
- Segmentation
- Growth
- Market Share
Slide 5 -The Competition
- Who are your competitors?
- What makes your product or service better?
Slide 6 -The Financials
- Previous turnover & profit
- Projected turnover & profit
- What are you offering the investor?
- What is your exit strategy?
- What return do you expect the investor to make?
Slide 7 – Contact Details
- Phone numbers
- e-mail address(es)
- URL – Blog -Web
Presentation Tips
The best way of thinking about writing a Speed Pitching Presentation is as an “Elevator Pitch”. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch should be possible to deliver in the time span of an elevator ride, and to show you can get your point across clearly and concisely.
Try to start with “a hook” – a statement or question that grabs the investors’ attention and makes them want to hear more. It is really important to give an explanation of exactly what your service or product does. We often hear investors saying they had no idea what the company actually does.
Learn how to describe your company quickly and succinctly.
The investors will not expect you to cram everything into your four-minute pitch. The most important thing to remember is that the one aim of your pitch is to get the investors to your table – nothing more.
Quite often the people with the shortest pitches have the most interest afterwards, as they leave the investors wanting to find out more.
Timing
- Time is limited, so learn how to summarise your business in a short amount of time.
- Think hard about what your key message is and cut out any unnecessary detail.
- Do not get bogged down with the technical details – just tell them what it does.
- Do not repeat yourself.
- Four minutes is only around 600 words, so every sentence counts.
- Remember to check how many words your Pitch contains.
Presentation Style
- Speak clearly.
- Be enthusiastic – Investors expect energy and dedication from entrepreneurs.
- Do not use acronyms or technical jargon.
- Explain all abbreviations. Everyone should be able to understand it.
- Look at the audience, not the screen.
- Do not just read what is on your PowerPoint presentation.
- The presentation should only contain visuals and bullet points.
- Gestures and body language (e.g. nodding and smiling) are very important.
- Look your best!
- If you are not an experienced public speaker, do not be afraid to read from a script.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
- Can you do it within the time limit?
- Did everyone understand it?
- Ask family, friends and colleagues for feedback.
- Did it convey the desired message?
- The more you practice, the more relaxed you will be when you are in front of the investors.
Proper Preparations – Proper Result!
