There’s nothing to it, just walk in the room full of potential investors—don’t worry about your appearance, you’re probably fine just wearing a t-shirt—and say, “My idea is great. Trust me, just fork over the dough.” That’s always worked for us.
Okay, maybe there’s a little more to it than that.
Obviously a huge amount of time and effort is required for the formation of your business model, building resources, and the plethora of other milestones before one gets in a room full of angel investors. We won’t spend time on that vital aspect of the process, instead, we’ve got a few often overlooked tips for when you’re in the room with the investors.
Know Your Audience
Walking into an angel investor presentation blind will not only diminish from your presentation, it’s a huge risk. Know the people you’ll be presenting to: their educational background, what fields they’ve worked in, what businesses they’ve been a part of. Identify the ones that you feel your pitch will resonate closely with and cater your presentation to them.
The Q&A session that will follow your presentation will play a key part in gaining the trust of potential investors. Anticipating what questions you may be asked will go a long way in putting their collective mind at ease. Predicting what questions you’ll be asked ties back to knowing your audience. Rehearse your responses to potential questions just as you would your actual presentation.
Be confident, Assertive, and Passionate
These are important qualities when giving any presentation, but especially in an investor presentation, where the sell is often difficult. Presenting an assured front is imperative to show that you truly believe your pitch.
But you need to go further than just showing the likely success of your business model, you need to be passionate about your idea, about your product. Don’t forget that your investors are investing in the financial viability of your idea, not the idea itself; still, don’t underestimate the selling power of visibly caring about what you’re doing. It can go a long way in building confidence in potential investors.
Be particularly assertive with those you’ve researched and identified as likely to resonate with your idea. They deserve extra attention because of the higher probability of investing.
Prove that your idea is unique
It’s vital to identify a specific problem and your proposed solution to it (i.e. your business idea.) And remember to show, not tell. Rather than saying, “this is a unique idea and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity;” it’s much more impactful to present concrete examples and evidence showing why that’s true.
Explain why your business model will succeed where others have failed, what makes your management team distinguished and capable, and tell a compelling story. Focus on the who, what, and why.
Investor presentations may seem daunting, but if you’ve put in the adequate time and effort (and followed these tips on crafting a professional presentation) then showing the merits of your pitch should be a walk in the park.
