1. DELIVER A KILLER PITCH
Ian Jeffrey | General Manager, FounderFuel
September 2013
Whip your startup into shape

2. The Pitch Is NOT A Presentation
It’s a performance.
Whip your startup into shape

3. Objective For Today
variety of small tips
when put together
make a HUGE difference!
( some of these you know already )
Whip your startup into shape

4. Whip your startup into shape
https://vimeo.com/70404101

5. Pitch. Listen. Learn. Repeat.
‣ Every time you meet someone, pitch!
‣ A/B test your elevator pitch.
‣ Look for the "Ah, ha!" moment.
‣ Record whatever you just said and insert
into your pitch next time.
‣ You have (only) 90 seconds.
‣ You're the expert, but don’t be defensive.
The more you do it, the better the story gets.
Whip your startup into shape

6. Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
‣ Speak in short, sharp and concise
sentences.
‣ Say your brand name as often as possible
rather than “we”.
‣ Get to the point. Fast!
‣ Don’t ask the audience questions.
‣ Every word costs you $1,000
‣ Use Excel. Yes that’s right!
Whip your startup into shape

7. Whip your startup into shape

8. Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
‣ Speak in short, sharp and concise
sentences.
‣ Say your brand name as often as possible
rather than “we”.
‣ Get to the point. Fast!
‣ Don’t ask the audience questions.
‣ Every word costs you $1,000.
‣ Use Excel. That’s right Excel!
The script guarantees you cover the key points.
Whip your startup into shape

9. Preach. Don't sell.
‣ Slow down to make a point.
‣ Repeat to emphasize important points.
‣ Speak faster to show progress and
‣ Be assertive!
momentum.
‣ Insert pauses to be dramatic.
Confidence instils trust...
Whip your startup into shape
‣
Don’t say things like “We think we can be number 1.”
‣ Practice. Practice. Practice.
Arrogance evokes doubt!

10. Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
Whip your startup into shape

11. Progress so far
- We started by launching in 3 cities across North America
-
Montreal, Toronto & Québec
- We added 40 additional cities in the last 12 months
-
Transit App
New York City, Mexico City, Paris, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Boston, Vancouver, Washington, Ottawa, Atlanta,
Seattle, Miami & Baltimore
- Next is Europe and Asia very soon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aganderson/6221646727/
@thetransitapp

12. Montréal
Toronto
Québec

13. Montréal
Toronto
Québec
New York City
Mexico City
Paris
Chicago
Philadelphia
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Boston
Vancouver
Washington
Ottawa
Atlanta
Seattle
Miami
Baltimore
and 25 more

15. Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
Whip your startup into shape
‣ Fewer words is always better.

16. ★★★★★
1,000+ 5-star reviews

17. Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Demo the product with video.
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
Whip your startup into shape

18. Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Hire a graphic designer.
‣ Demo the product with video.
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Use devices when showing screenshots.
Whip your startup into shape

20. Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Hire a graphic designer.
‣ Demo the product with video.
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Use devices when showing screenshots.
The screen supports what you say.
( not the other way around )
Whip your startup into shape

21. Use Animations Wisely.
‣ Good animations illustrate what you say.
‣ Bad animations make you look like an amateur.
Animations tell the story for you.
Whip your startup into shape

22. Print. Edit. Rework. Repeat.
The storyboard helps
you illustrate your story.
Whip your startup into shape

23. Know Your Audience.
‣ They aren't clueless. Understand what
they know and don't know.
‣ Research their past investments
(partnerships or competitiveness).
‣ Prepare an investor data sheet in excel.
‣
all contact information
‣
typical investment
‣
last contact with them
‣
your rating
‣ Anticipate questions. Use backup slides.
Whip your startup into shape

24. Whip your startup into shape

25. Know Your Audience.
‣ They aren't clueless. Understand what
they know and don't know.
‣ Research their past investments
(partnerships or competitiveness).
‣ Prepare an investor data sheet in excel
‣
all contact information
‣
typical investment
‣
last contact with them
‣
your rating
‣ Anticipate questions. Use backup slides.
You can never be over prepared.
Whip your startup into shape

26. Get In The Zone.
‣ Nothing in your pockets!
‣ Never look at the screen behind you.
‣ Stand straight on two feet.
‣ Don’t say “sorry.” Just move on.
‣ Keep your hands out of your pocket.
‣ Smile. Be excited and share
‣ Hold the clicker steady in one hand.
your enthusiasm.
‣ Stand on the left side of the screen.
Body language often says more than words.
Whip your startup into shape

27. In Summary
Pitch. Listen. Learn. Repeat.
Use Animations Wisely.
Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
Print. Edit. Rework. Repeat.
Preach. Don't sell.
Know Your Audience.
Show. Don't Tell.
Get In The Zone.
Whip your startup into shape

28. And Remember...
The Pitch is a performance.
Whip your startup into shape

29. Ian Jeffrey
founderfuel.com
ian@founderfuel.com
@founderfuel
@ianmtl
facebook.com/founderfuel
ca.linkedin.com/in/ianjeffrey
angel.co/founderfuel