Pitching for investment? Make sure your pitch tells the full story: - how to make your pitch memorable - avoid the most common mistakes - use persuasive language - create professional looking design in no time

1. Tell your
start-up story
Pitching for investment success
Miriam Gilbert – Storytelling with Numbers

2. 90%
start-up
investment
pitches fail
No compelling story
Product / Business idea is not convincing
Lack of preparation
Of content and soft skills
Weak team
Expertise and dynamics are not convincing
No investment fit
Does not meet investors’ portfolio need

3. Understand your
audience
Not all investors are the same – who are they?

4. What do you
know about
your
audience?
Are they:
• Angels or VC’s?
• Leaders of followers?
What is the investment fit?

5. Common mistakes
and how to avoid them when pitching

6. Solve a
problem
Focusing on the
problem rather than
your solution creates
interest and human
connection

7. Present a
strong team
Make sure your team’s
expertise shines
through and you
demonstrate great
team dynamic

8. The right
balance
Present all the critical
data but don’t provide
a lecture. You want to
sell your idea, not
educate
Level of detail
Critical
information

9. Address
the obvious
questions
Don’t pretend there
are no competitors or
risks. Admit past
mistakes and explain
what you learned from
them.

10. Keep the
audience
engaged
Don’t talk too fast or
too long (20min max)
Never read the slides
Make eye contact
Invite questions

11. Be mindful
of cultural
differences
Shaking hands
Eye contact
Common phrases
Using first names
Other?
I say
tomatoes,
You say
tomatoes

12. Use storytelling for
impact
Make your pitch really memorable

13. Audiences remember
pitch data
10%
100%
of the
data
during pitch
10 min after pitch
but almost
1 day after pitch
1 week after pitch
0% 20% 40%
% data retention
60%
80%
100%
of the
Story

14. How stories work
Stories provide a frame of
reference and can create an
emotional connection

15. Simple storyline
Real solution
Proposal
Status Quo
Conflict
Challenge
Call to
ACTION

17. Ideas from everyday life
Set in context

18. Simple language
tricks
To achieve greater influence

19. This is great
BUT…

20. I agree and that is why…
I agree and that means…

21. As you notice / realise /
see / experience…
you will…

22. Use straightforward
design techniques
You can apply immediately

23. Uncluttered – lots of white space
Consistent backgrounds
– simple is best
Chose a theme and
apply consistently
Consistent fonts –
max. 3 styles
Consistent style elements

24. A monochromatic colour
scheme looks professional
14
FREQ.
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95

25. Slides to include in your slide deck
Details in
hand-out
Keep technical
details, complex tables
and drawings for the
hand-out
0) Cover Slide
1) Elevator Pitch Slide
2) Team
3) Board Members & Advisers & Future Hires (Optional, combine w/
team slide)
4) Market Opportunity: Define Market, Size & Target Client
5) Market Problem & Current Solutions
6) Your Solution (1-5 slides)
7) Traction & Awards (Optional, if none yet) (1-3 slides)
8) Market Fit / Competition (Optional, can be explained in slide 5 & 6)
9) Competitive Advantages (Optional, can be explained in slides 5 & 6)
10) Business Model: Key Revenue Streams
11) Marketing Approach & Strategy: Key Expenses / Time-Efforts
12) Financial Projections
13) Exit Strategy (Optional)
14) The Ask: Capital Raise / Uses / Intros
15) Closing Slide: Questions? Contact Details

26. Q&A

27. THANK YOU!
Wishing you the best of luck, Miriam Gilbert
Email: miriam@storytellingwithnumbers.com
Tel:
+44 (0) 783 40 59 240
Web:
www.storytellingwithnumbers.com
Twitter: MiriamRGilbert