On June 21, serial entrepreneur Jeff Hoffman and global venture capitalist Oltac Unsal took part in a mock pitch during “Perfecting Your Pitch,” our live Guru broadcast from the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The experts also shared a broad range of pitching best practices. Below is a highlight of key takeaway advice.
Tell Your Story
Capture an investor’s attention with a story. Make it relatable – and memorable. Investors sit through many pitches. Slides begin to blur together. Stand out with a narrative that illustrates why and how your idea is a worthy investment.
Always be Prepared to Pitch
Sometimes opportunity knocks when you least expect it. Be prepared with the right pitch for the right occasion. Practice a one-minute, a five-minute, and a 12-minute pitch. Always start with the value proposition. Why am I interested in solving this problem? Why can’t customers live without it?
Measure Traction
Investors want to know if your venture will have traction in the marketplace. Ideally they want to see a real person using your product.
Editor’s note: Watch our recent TechConnect on Product-Market Fit
Pitch Strategically
Segment investors like you segment customers. Just because a potential investor will take a meeting with you – or simply write you a check – doesn’t mean they’re the right partner for your venture. Do your research. Find investors with other valuable resources such as industry experience or access to talent currently missing from your team.
What Not to do in a Pitch
- Don’t read your slides. Tell your story and use the slides as a general guide.
- Don’t create confusing slides. Each slide should communicate a clear intention.
- Don’t be careless with details. Talk about your competition or other market conditions that are important for the investor to know.
Watch the Full Recording of Perfecting Your Pitch
Upcoming Guru: The Startup Checklist
Join us for the next Guru webinar, “The Startup Checklist,” on July 12 at a special earlier time: 8 am EDT/1200 UTC. David Rose, CEO of GUST, will present key lessons from his latest best-selling book 25 Steps to a Scalable, High-Growth Business. David will discuss the details of starting up a high-growth business, and take us on a whirlwind trip through all of the things that first-time entrepreneurs are never told.