Written By: Celine Duenas
Knowing how to pitch your startup is essential to the success of your business! You can have the best product or service, but without the attraction of investors, your business will have difficulty scaling up. We’ve rounded up some tips for you to remember when you’re making your startup pitch.
Remember Your Goals
Before you begin your pitch, consider why you are pitching. Ask yourself what milestones and goals you want to achieve and structure your pitch on those milestones. Why are you creating the pitch? Are you trying to bring your idea to the world? Are you trying to gain interest from an investor or investors? Or are you trying to find partners? Be aware that this can change over time as your pitch and business evolves. With your goals in mind, consider how you structure your pitch.
Connect With Your Audience
In order to make an impactful pitch, you must cater your messaging and story to who you are speaking to. Remember who it is you are pitching to. Is it an investor? A venture capital fund or a government funder? Whoever it is, you must create that connection and involve the audience! Replace “I” with “we” and prompt the audience to feel! The intention is to share your problem and make it relatable to people with like minded beliefs.
Highlight Proven Traction
Make sure you provide numbers in your pitch! This means showing investors valuable traction that demonstrates progress and momentum of your business. This can be things like number of downloads, achieved revenue, social media insights and growth, etc. Showing numbers and proven traction will illustrate your customers, opportunities, and problems that you want to solve.
Tell Your Story
Although numbers matter, so does your story. Structuring your pitch or any presentation for that matter, in a story format, creates emotional attachment with your audience. Remember that stories are compelling and can sell your business because they tell people about who you are, convey your values, foster community and collaboration, and impart knowledge and education. Include an opening that involves the audience and shares your problem. Your closing must offer a call to action to join your organization’s journey and offer your solution.
Make Use of Visuals
Provide visuals to your audience! Facts, Numbers, and important details can easily be presented through visuals such as photos, graphs, diagrams, infographics, and charts! Your slides should visualize your business solution, business model, market opportunity, and competition in a clear and concise format. Visuals can speak louder than words, so consider how you visually communicate your idea to your audience.
If you want to watch a real pitch competition live with real young entrepreneurs bringing their ideas to life, LOI is hosting the Impact Innovation Challenge Pitch Off on August 24, 2021. Click here to register and attend the free online event!
