2. The pitch isn’t a pitch
It’s a roadmap for your business
Its a window to your product or service
It’s a decision making tool
It’s a living document
3. It’s outrageously hard and time
consuming to prepare
Unless you really, really, really understand the opportunity,
milestones & challenges ahead !
4. Help you bring clarity to order
(ie how you should think about pitch structure)
Not order to clarity
(ie how you should structure your pitch)
goal for today
6. The Brave Intro
(give a sense of your “space” & size of your ambition)
We are (Company Name) and we going to tell you how we are
going to
(something)
(and don’t forget that the objective is to make money doing so !)
7. The Attention Catcher
‣ It’s not about your Company or Product !!
‣ Tell me something I didn’t realize about the world or about your industry ; or
‣ Tell me something obvious that I can easily relate to (perhaps something that
frustrates or excites everyone - and I mean everyone!)
‣ It should be something that will focus and narrow your audiences attention.
‣ In either case, the attention catcher is your start to a “story” that will give you
a lead into the next slide...
8. The Opportunity
‣ Sometimes this slide is referred to as THE PROBLEM, but often it can be thought
of in terms of a “gap in the market”
‣ If you could provide “something” the problem would be solved or you would
be able to attack an untapped market
‣ Please don’t say “(something) is broken”
‣ Limit saying anything negative - people “feel” negativity and it sticks with them .... even if
they can’t remember why !
9. The Insight Slide
‣ Assume you’re never the first people to have seen the opportunity - so what is
unique about the approach that your company is taking that will give you a:
‣ Short term competitive advantage
‣ A long term competitive advantage
‣ Two companies that look similar at “a point in time” but are driven by different insights will
end up in very different places
‣ Where you are going is more of a “competitive advantage” than what will get you
there ...
10. The Greedy Slide
‣ Give a sense of scale for this size of opportunity for making money
‣ Remember that this is a pitch to an investor - she shouldn’t “care” about your product, just
the opportunity you represent
‣ Give a degree of comfort that if you can just execute well the world is your
oyster
‣ Investors see many ideas with potential but don’t invest because they don’t have faith that
the opportunity can be delivered ....
‣ ... so once you get them excited by the opportunity, move on to execution and team - not
product (unless that proves execution)
11. Option 1 - The Team Comfort Slide
‣ What is it about your team that should give an investor comfort that you can
execute
‣ Past track record of execution
‣ Knowledge of the industry
‣ Just the highlights and only stuff that is directly relevant to execution (e.g. education
per say doesn’t matter - only applicability of educational experience)
12. Option 2 - The “So Far” Comfort Slide
‣ What has the company achieved to date that proves in some way your ability
to execute
‣ Stage of the product (beta, live, customers etc) and time frame of
development (double edge sword !!)
‣ What metrics are you measuring (explain why they are important first !)
‣ If the team haven’t had startup success before this is more important
than the Team Comfort slide - and in fact it’s often a good idea not to
have the Team Comfort slide if there isn’t much on it
13. What Are We Going To Do Next Slide?
‣ What is the next “proof point” for your business?
‣ What would reaching this proof point mean to the validity of the hypothesis
‣ You aren’t going to prove you can win, but prove you have a chance of winning
‣ What would reaching this proof point mean to the viability of the business
‣ technology or market interest proven ? (would make investment less risky
for follow-on investors and valuation would rise)
‣ Cash flow positive isn’t a necessary objective at this stage
14. Who Or what Is Trying To Stop You?
‣ What are the barriers to your eventual success, but more importantly what
difficulties are you going to face in achieving your next milestone?
‣ Competitors ?
‣ Legislation ?
‣ Customer habits or embedded culture ?
‣ There is a fine distinction between a visionary and a dreamer - visionaries can see the
hurdles too !
15. How Are you Going To Get There?
‣ This is a slide that shows you can take strategy and turn it into execution
‣ This slide shows that you understand exactly what you need to do to achieve
your next proof point
‣ Provides key tactical steps that you are going to take
16. The Ask (with more greed on the side)
‣ What do you need to help you get where you are going?
‣ Investment (be specific about amounts)
‣ Anticipated future investment (at the next milestone)
‣ Assistance other than money (smart investors)
‣ Finish with greed: This “ASK” will provide investors with access to “AN
OPPORTUNITY” that doesn’t come along very often
17. Whip your startup into shape
DELIVER A KILLER PITCH
Ian Jeffrey | General Manager, FounderFuel
September 2013
18. Whip your startup into shape
The Pitch Is NOT A Presentation
It’s a performance.
19. Whip your startup into shape
Objective For Today
variety of small tips
when put together
make a HUGE difference!
( some of these you know already )
21. Whip your startup into shape
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.
22. Whip your startup into shape
Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
‣ Speak in short, sharp and concise
sentences.
‣ Get to the point. Fast!
‣ Every word costs you $1,000
‣ Say your brand name as often as possible
rather than “we”.
‣ Don’t ask the audience questions.
‣ Use Excel. Yes that’s right!
24. Whip your startup into shape
Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
‣ Speak in short, sharp and concise
sentences.
‣ Get to the point. Fast!
‣ Every word costs you $1,000.
‣ Say your brand name as often as possible
rather than “we”.
‣ Don’t ask the audience questions.
‣ Use Excel. That’s right Excel!
The script guarantees you cover the key points.
25. Whip your startup into shape
Preach. Don't sell.
‣ Slow down to make a point.
‣ Speak faster to show progress and
momentum.
‣ Insert pauses to be dramatic.
‣ Repeat to emphasize important points.
‣ Be assertive!
‣ Don’t say things like “We think we can be number 1.”
‣ Practice. Practice. Practice.
Confidence instils trust... Arrogance evokes doubt!
26. Whip your startup into shape
Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
29. New York City
Mexico City
Paris
Chicago
Philadelphia
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Boston
Vancouver
Washington
Ottawa
Atlanta
Seattle
Miami
Baltimore
and 25 more
Montréal
Toronto
Québec
30.
31. Whip your startup into shape
Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
33. Whip your startup into shape
Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Demo the product with video.
34. Whip your startup into shape
Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer.
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Demo the product with video.
‣ Use devices when showing screenshots.
35.
36. Whip your startup into shape
Show. Don't Tell.
‣ Pictures. Graphs. Visuals. Video.
‣ Hire a graphic designer.
‣ Let the screen do the talking.
‣ Fewer words is always better.
‣ Demo the product with video.
‣ Use devices when showing screenshots.
The screen supports what you say.
( not the other way around )
37. Whip your startup into shape
Use Animations Wisely.
‣ Good animations illustrate what you say.
‣ Bad animations make you look like an amateur.
Animations tell the story for you.
38. Whip your startup into shape
Print. Edit. Rework. Repeat.
The storyboard helps
you illustrate your story.
39. Whip your startup into shape
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.
41. Whip your startup into shape
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.
42. Whip your startup into shape
Get In The Zone.
‣ Nothing in your pockets!
‣ Stand straight on two feet.
‣ Keep your hands out of your pocket.
‣ Hold the clicker steady in one hand.
‣ Stand on the left side of the screen.
‣ Never look at the screen behind you.
‣ Don’t say “sorry.” Just move on.
‣ Smile. Be excited and share
your enthusiasm.
Body language often says more than words.
43. Whip your startup into shape
In Summary
Pitch. Listen. Learn. Repeat.
Write A Script. Don't Freestyle.
Preach. Don't sell.
Show. Don't Tell.
Use Animations Wisely.
Print. Edit. Rework. Repeat.
Know Your Audience.
Get In The Zone.
44. Whip your startup into shape
And Remember...
The Pitch is a performance.
