How To
How To Pitch To Investors
If you own a startup, one of the few important things in the startup game is to pitch to your investors and close the sale with success. To help you understand how to approach investors and close the deal without too much trouble, we have curated a list which just might help!
1. Give your investors a reason to invest in your company
While you may think your startup requires, needs and deserves the investment you seek from potential investors, the people you approach will not necessarily agree with this idea. Investors also want to find companies which are worth the time and money, which essentially means that this is a two way courtship. Give your investors a reason to believe in the long term goals of your startup, so that they don’t just invest in them for now, but for the coming years as well. An added benefit of this is that not only are you ensuring a continuous influx of cash, but you are sure of what you want the next five years to look like for your startup.
2. Show your investors where they fit in your startup
When you are pitching to your investors, tell them exactly where the money they are giving is going. For example, if you are pitching to your investors about a new product you are building, tell them how you plan to use the money to build the product. From the sourcing of the material, to the final development of the product, outline all the fine details of where the cash is going and make sure your investors understand what the final output is going to look like as well. By doing this, not only do you tell your investors that the final product is already conceptualized, but that you know exactly what the funds are going to be used for and the transparency is clearly maintained.
3. Let it be made clear that you understand the competition
Accepting and acknowledging the competition is an important step when it comes to asking for investment. Position yourself in a way that that puts you one step ahead of your competitors to show your potential investors how dedicated you are and why they should place their bets on you. Don’t undersell your goals and always ensure you are prepared for every situation good or bad with contingency plans. This way, you know what you are doing and can therefore ask for appropriate funds keeping in mind the future of your company and the marketspace.
4. Don’t rely on small talk to fill the gaps
When meeting with investors, understand what makes them who they are. Get your background research on them down to a tee and take into account what makes them tick. When talking to the bigger fish in the market, it is always useful to acknowledge their backgrounds. Not only does this ensure a strong relationship between you and the other person, it also shows them that you are prepared and aren’t just going to them because they have money. A point to note here is that if you do have gaps, don’t engage in small talk because the whole vibe of the pitch just gets affected in a negative manner.
5. Practice your pitch
Practice makes you perfect and that is a principle which is applicable in every sense of the word. Once you have all the information about not just your startup, but about your investors as well, have a mock pitch so you know exactly what to say. Be prepared with the kind of questions they might ask and make sure you have all your bases covered. In order to avoid the blind spots, ask someone who isn’t connected to your pitch in any way to critique your product and idea. This way, you know you’re getting an honest opinion and you know exactly what to expect from the other side. Being over prepared is never a bad thing! Be quick and concise with your strategies and make sure that when you do make your final pitch, you have everything in place for the pitch to be a success.
Talking to investors is a tricky business. Sometimes, just a couple of words is enough to finish a deal and sometimes, it takes months to see the deal through. If you think we missed out on any other facts about how to pitch to your investors, comment and let us know!
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