Startups, always be Pitching!

Recently, I attended two pitch events where early-stage and not-so-early-stage Startups pitched to gain the experience of presenting to a panel of experts/investors. The audience consisted mainly of wannabee Startups and the occasional private investor.

On both occasions, when the audience was asked to vote, the winner was the presenter who demonstrated passion and enthusiasm for their idea. 

Why does this not surprise me?

I have been coaching/preparing startup businesses to pitch their story for fifteen years, and the foremost quality that good presenters consistently demonstrate is believability! 

You must demonstrate this quality, whether it’s a public audience or a judging panel. 

The question foremost in every person’s mind is, would I believe/trust this person? 

You can have a great business idea and a confident presenter, but without believability, you will not gain your audience’s attention or hold their interest for very long. 

How to get attention and hold interest: 

Gaining interest is best done by telling your audience a story with all the critical questions to be answered upfront. E.g., Example of problem, Sales/Markets/Team. 

Then and only then will the listener remain engaged and attentive to the business questions that need to be explored. 

It’s your job to create a situation where the listener or someone close to them DESIRES what you have to offer, be it a person or an industry. 

Put simply: 

WOW!  

I immediately understood the problem and would like to support the solution and help bring this to market as soon as possible. That’s what I mean by creating DESIRE. 

At this type of event, you, as the Startup, must have confidence in yourself and believe in how you tell your story. 

Why? 

Because often, the judges/investors provide conflicting advice. 

• Start with the ask.
• Team much earlier/team later (who is full-time/part-time)
• How do you make money?
• Devote more time to the problem.
• I did not understand your solution.
• You’re pitching to the wrong customer.
• Even more scary, who is your customer?
• Fewer slides/more slides?
• Finish on time, always.

My advice: 

Do not keep important information until the end, as the audience may have already (mentally) left the building.  

Pitching to investors takes a lot of hard work before the opportunity finally arrives. Get it right the first time, as there may not be a second opportunity. 

Find the pitch coach who fills you with confidence and helps you create a pitch conversation that flows and, above all else, demonstrates your passion and enthusiasm.

By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie