Pitching with Confidence: Key Steps to Prepare

You’ve already worked hard to bring your startup to this point – got a great idea; launched the company; secured initial investments; and are now pitching to investors.

Investors receive many pitches per week, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd and make a good impression. A well-rehearsed deck is one way to do this.

Create a tailored deck for each investor.

Investors are looking for a clear, concise presentation that highlights the value of your business. Make sure your deck includes key themes, such as the size of your potential market, your product’s competitive advantage, and your financial projections and models.

Use visuals sparingly to emphasize your key points and avoid cluttered slides that can distract the audience’s attention. Avoid using unfamiliar terms and acronyms, and explain complex ideas by comparing them to something the audience is familiar with. Find out more at flawless pitch deck!

Investors are also interested in your team, so be sure to highlight their credentials and any strategic partnerships you have forged. Lastly, investors want to know how you plan to return their investment, so be sure to include your exit strategy in your pitch deck.

Save time with AI-powered presentation generator.

With an AI presentation maker like GenPPT, you can create professional slides in minutes. With automated content generation and multilingual support, this free and accessible tool is an excellent alternative to industry standard software such as PowerPoint or Prezi.

Unlike other AI tools that require manual design and text input, GenPPT uses an intuitive interface to create a professional presentation. Simply enter your topic and the platform will do the rest.

The generated presentations can be saved as PPTX files, presented online or shared via social media. They are also easily editable with a simple drag-and-drop editor. You can change colors, fonts, graphics and more to customize the presentation to your unique needs. For advanced customization, you can even add data visualizations and connect them to live data using Visme’s extensive royalty-free library of assets. You can also find ready-made templates on the platform that you can use as a starting point for your own custom deck.

Customize your pitch to address the specific interests of your audience.

The main reason investors say no to businesses they’ve heard of is “It doesn’t feel right.” You can create a positive feeling by tailoring your pitch to the specific interests of each investor you meet.

For example, you can mention your experience working with other investors in the past to build rapport. You can also use your pitch to highlight the unique strengths of your team, which will help you establish credibility. Investors invest in people, so highlighting your team’s expertise will make them more comfortable with your business.

Keep your pitches short and sweet. Investors get thousands of pitches, and they don’t have the time to decipher lengthy presentations. Use visuals sparingly, and always ensure that they enhance your message, not take over it. This will make your presentation more interesting and memorable. You can even use an animated pitch video to catch your audience’s attention. This is a great way to make your business stand out from the crowd.

Collaborate with your team.

During your pitch, try to connect with investors by showing your passion and enthusiasm for the business. Be personable and maintain eye contact, especially when presenting to an online audience. If possible, test your presentation out on a small group before taking the stage to get constructive feedback and identify areas for improvement.

It’s also important to show your team’s expertise in the field and highlight any strategic partnerships you have. These are factors that can give your business a competitive advantage and help you secure investment.

Investors are commonly thought to back around 1% of the pitches they receive. Invest your time in researching each potential investor’s background and area of interest, and tailor your pitch accordingly. Then practice your presentation until you can confidently deliver it and leave investors with a strong impression of your business.