Pitch perfect.

Pitching to investors to raise money is an important skill to have as a startup founder: it’s your ticket to growth. When you think about raising money, you might want to build a strong fundraising deck and deliver an impressive pitch.

But there is more to it: it’s about telling and living your story. This module will help you to start telling your story.

Let's meet Bonnie!

Bonnie is an Amsterdam-based, American-born actress and director turned pitch and speaker coach. She's here to help you by sharing her tips and tricks about communicating consistently with clarity, integrity, and enthusiasm.

So, what is a pitch exactly?

A pitch - or so called elevator pitch - is a method that’s used by entrepreneurs to pique an investor’s curiosity about their business, a first step towards getting funding. The main purpose of a pitch is to share your story in such a way that the listener is interested in scheduling a follow-up meeting that will offer you the opportunity to have a more in depth presentation and conversation.

Different types of pitches.

Click on the terms to learn more.

Oneliner

Explains your company in 1 sentence. 30 seconds max.

Networking pitch

An engaging, informal and super compact 1 minute pitch that focuses on the problem, your solution, your target market and where you are now and how people might help.

General Pitch

A more in depth description of your plans and ambitions, but without a lot of details or a slide deck. You’ll find more information about this pitch in the next section. General Pitch (5-7 minutes)

Pitch accompanied by slide deck

More elaborate version, accompanied by slides. You dive deeper into the product, market, traction, team etc. 20 minutes.

A general pitch.

Of course, there are many different ways to ensure that your pitch is authentic and tells your story. In the next screen we will share the basic elements of any good general pitch.

A good pitch generally consists of the following elements:

Your solution and the reasons why your solution is unique or better than other solutions
A clear and concise description of the problem your company will solve and for whom you'll solve it
Your solution and the reasons why your solution is unique or better than other solutions
The current traction and the financial perspectives that your business will offer
A straightforward call to action for your listener.

Did you know?

An analysis of 495 pitches given in the TV-show “Shark Tank” showed that adding interaction with the product to your pitch - whether it was tasting your product or playing around in a demo environment - would also increase the likelihood of the investors wanting to be involved.

Show who you are.

Bonnie shares in the video that an investor is not only looking at the content of the solution you are providing, but the investor is also looking for you.

Take a moment to explore the following:

If you can already think of ways to do this, write them down and save these for later.
What professional skill would you like to emphasize during your pitch?
If you can already think of ways to do this, write them down and save these for later.

This is chess, not checkers.

When you pitch, your personal story and competencies are important, but of course investors also want to know what your ambitions and perspectives are for the future of the company. They are keen to see if and how you are thinking ahead and are prepared for the future.

If you have the opportunity to include a summary of your growth plan in your pitch as well, you will make a good impression.

Are you doing a pitch or a presentation?

A slide deck, the length, the setting or the audience? What is the actual difference between a presentation and a pitch? Bonnie will explain the main difference for you!

The difference.

Bonnie shared in this video the difference between a pitch and a presentation: A pitch is about getting people interested to learn more about your company, and a presentation is about taking them on a journey. Most people listen to a pitch and want to know what is in it for them.

How to deal with pressure.

Do you get nervous thinking about giving a pitch or do you put a lot of pressure on yourself? This can get in the way of giving a good pitch and also makes it less fun!

Ask yourself how you would give a pitch:

Do you manage to tell your story, or do you feel pressure to give a good performance? What is the image you have of investors? Would you tell your pitch differently if it were to friends or acquaintances?

Keep this in mind for the next time you are going to give a pitch, so that you are aware of your own pitfalls.

Body language.

Body position and body language tend to communicate to the outside world how you feel inside. For example, you tend to sit closed or tight when you are feeling sad.

Amy Cuddy found that the opposite is true as well.

Amy Cuddy:

”How you stand and position yourself can affect how you feel inside. For example, if you are sad and try to smile, you will have difficulty staying sad.”

Clarity is essential.

That’s kind of obvious: of course you want to give a clear pitch to potential investors, but this is not only about your words. Bonnie will explain to you other aspects that contribute to clarity.

It's a two-way street.

Bonnie shared that clarity in your speech and language, considering that maybe different cultures are listening, is crucial. Clarity in pitches is important for others to let your investors see and realize that you know what you are doing.

But make sure you realize that the investor needs you as much as you need them. Their reactions to your clear and concise pitch will uncover if they are the correct partner for you to work with.

Learn from the Q&A.

If you keep getting the same questions after your pitches, you’ve just discovered something unclear. Pay attention to the questions the investors ask you because those are the most valid indicators of confusion.

Questions and answers

When you give a pitch, you’re talking a lot. After a pitch, it is usually time for a Q&A session. Bonnie shares the most important aspect of this session

Try to answer the questions below to prepare (or practice).

What are questions you can already think of?
What are the questions that friends and family have asked you when you shared your idea?
What are your unique selling points and how do these play a key role in your business?
Identify how these unique selling points will benefit the investor
Prepare answers to those question, drawing as much as possible from your unique selling points.

Module 4 afgerond!

NEXT UP: Concluding

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