News, tips, and opportunities pertaining to small business grants and other forms of business funding.
Everything To Know About Small Business Grants and More |
Home | About Us | Find/ Apply For Grants | News/Blog | Resources | What To Know |
5 Tips for Pitching to Investors
The pitch is a crucial part of growing your entrepreneurial interests. You could have the best idea in the world, but if you don’t have the resources to put that plan into action, then it remains just that - an idea. It’s up to the generosity of investors to make your dream a reality, and in order to get them to back you up, it’s essential that you show them how great your idea really is.
We’ve compiled a few tips for pitching to investors to get you on track and achieving your dreams:
1. Tell a Story
Storytelling has been the best way to attract an audience for a long time. Listeners are able to retain more of your information, as well as understand it better if it’s spun to them in the form of a tale. Keep in mind that the story itself doesn’t have to be about you, though it should relate to your motivations for starting the project and what you hope to accomplish. Show investors what makes you different from others pursuing this problem through the circumstances that inspired you to take action. Remember not to get too technical in this part of your pitch as it disconnects people from the story and ruins the flow.
2. Know Who You’re Pitching To
It’s crucial that you go into a pitch well-informed. Knowing who the present investors are will help you decide how to structure your pitch. For instance, if the potential investors are known to prefer strong statistics in the research they support, you might want to consider collecting more data on your subject. If you understand the investor’s needs, motivations, and interests it’ll be easier for you to show them something that they will be interested in.
3. Be Detailed About the Product and the Process
Along with knowing your investors, you should also have a solid understanding of your product and your field. Being able to show that you’re knowledgeable will add to your credibility, making you seem like a reliable and trustworthy source. Having planned out the process ahead of time will also demonstrate to your investors that you’re committed to the cause—the only thing stopping you is the lack of support. You should have the project’s cost, length, goal deadlines, and even a rendering of the product itself to display your ideas.
4. Create an Engaging Presentation
Though the majority of your pitch will be verbal, you need to have some visual elements to provide listeners an image of the problem as well as your desired solution. The main thing to remember is that your visual presentation is there to enhance your verbal pitch, not to replace it. It’s for this reason that it should consist mainly of images and timelines and include very few words.
5. Be Professional and Prepared
While this may seem like an obvious tip, it has many facets that you need to keep in mind as you get ready for your pitch. Beforehand, it’s crucial that you anticipate possible questions to your presentation as well as practice your pitch several times to make it sound as natural as possible. You want to appear knowledgeable and reliable; you will be neither if you’re constantly reading off of your note cards. Dress in professional clothing and present in an enthusiastic, confident manner to show them that you’re passionate about your cause.