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What our members have to say...
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"Just want to thank you for the service. I have spoken to an investor who wants to invest available funds of £900,000, that's £400,000 above my expectation. We spoke property language for 1 hour and he likes what he hears. We will meet next week and hopefully thrash out something. "
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Gary Gordon - Bluapple Properties Ltd |
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Develop Killer Pitch Technique
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How you pitch is as important as what you pitch an investor. Politicians, entertainers and attorneys well understand the importance of great pitch technique. While great delivery is not likely to convince an investor to invest in a poor product; poor delivery can kill your chances of getting funded; even if you have a great product.
This may be because your audience loses interest in your dull investor presentation and start focusing on their Blackberrys. Or it may be because they decide that if you can’t ‘sell’ to them, you won’t be able to sell to partners and customers. Whatever the reason, the outcome is the same.
Implement the following eight steps into your investor pitch preparation and delivery to increase your chances of winning investment.
1. Put Yourself in the Shoes of Your Audience.
People have a natural tendency to focus on what they want to say, rather than what their audience wants and needs to hear. Spend a couple of hours just thinking through what are likely to be the concerns of your audience? What is most likely to motivate them to invest?
Research your audience in advance of your meeting. If they blog, read their posts. Look at their prior investments. Speak to people who know them. The more you are able to understand about their world view and how they think, the more you will be able to tailor your pitch to meet their concerns and requirements.
2. Be Authentic.
People make the mistake of trying to adopt a new ‘persona’ when delivering a presentation. It is much harder to pitch as someone else than it is to pitch as yourself! No one likes to listen to a ‘wooden’ cold presentation delivered by an emotionless, personalityless (if there is such a word) entrepreneur.
An audience connects with a speaker who comes across as authentic and natural. Steve Jobs and Bill Clinton are great examples of people who seem relaxed and authentic when presenting. When you allow your true personality to shine through your presentation, you are more likely to be likeable and deliver an enjoyable, believable presentation.
3. Tell a Story.
Your pitch must not be a checklist of strung together facts and figures. When you tell the story of your business, you bring it to life in an engaging, memorable way. Stories make sense and persuade in a way that a list of facts and figures can’t. Which is why we (including investors) have liked stories since we were children and continue to enjoy them as adults through reading, television and film.
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4. Don’t Read From the Slides.
People read faster than they listen. Your pitch deck is there to support you, not replace you. You must deliver your content in an engaging manner. Your deck simply has key facts, figures and images that are there to reinforce what you say. If you don’t ensure that your audience focuses on you, your ability to persuade drops dramatically.
5. Pitch with Energy and Enthusiasm.
Remember that College Professor who had the ability to make you feel sleepy within minutes? You don’t want to have that effect on your investor audience. You want to inspire, not simply convey information. Energy and enthusiasm are infectious and positively affect how we feel about a presentation.
And to be clear, I don’t mean shouting and jumping up and down like a lunatic. Vary your voice and pace of speaking. Use your body language. For a great example of presenting with energy and enthusiasm watch this enjoyable clip of Tony Robbins .
Use Your Body Language.
It’s a fact that actions speak louder than words. Body language amounts to 55% of your communication impact. When you are rehearsing your pitch, use video and watch yourself. For most people it is an unpleasant surprise.
Rather than fall victim to gestures and movements that you are not aware of, use your body language to enhance your pitch. Use open postures, smile, maintain good eye contact and use hand gestures to reinforce your key points.
7. Utilize the Power of the Pause.
When a speaker pauses while delivering a presentation, it conveys confidence and control. Strategically placed pauses create drama and suspense and support a good story.
Conversely, someone who speaks at a hundred words a minute conveys nervousness. When you deliver a presentation you are speaking must faster than you think. Slow down, pause and give your audience a chance to digest your key points.
8. Practice, Practice, Practice.
Great speakers spend hours and days perfecting their presentations. Ronald Reagan (known as the ‘Great Communicator) was widely known for his extensive preparation. Communication superstars like Bill Clinton and Steve Jobs, who appear to be ‘naturals’ also put in the hours when it comes to preparation.
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If you want to deliver a high impact preparation practice, practice and practice. Use a video camera and record your presentations. Bring along a friend and get their feedback. The more you do something the easier it becomes. And with feedback and continuous improvement, the closer you’ll get to delivering your killer pitch. |
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