No matter what industry you are in, there will come a time when you have to convince a potential customer, partner or investor about you, your products, your services or your company. And this pitch should be a good one, because in most cases there is no second chance. To ensure that your presentation will blow your interview partners away, we have collected the five most important tips - including special tips for investment pitches!
1. People in focus
When you meet with a potential customer, you should focus on one thing above all else - your conversation partner. Address their needs, wishes and problems and explain how you can satisfy or solve them with your products, services or skills. By the way, personality and sympathy play a decisive role - because in the end it is always the person who convinces.
Special tip for investment pitches: Investors love not only exciting ideas, but also outstanding teams! In addition to a strong, responsible CEO or leader, the talents of the individual team members are therefore also a key factor. Important: Make sure that everyone who is present at the pitch is also actively involved in it.
2. Speak the language of your audience
If you sprinkle in masses of technical terms, your pitch will not be more convincing than it actually is. Therefore, when writing your documents, make sure that you don't get lost in industry terminology, but speak a language that everyone can understand. Consider what terms are common and what prior knowledge is available, and remember that there may be someone in the audience who was called in at the last minute.
Special tip for investment pitches: In order to win over investors, you should not only use clear language, but also show a deeper understanding of the problem you want to solve with your company. Therefore, explain conclusively why your solution is better than previous solutions or why your team can solve the problem better.
3. Convey the right content
Before you start working on your pitch, you need to know who the people you want to convince are. Therefore, try to gather as much information as possible about your conversation partners. Then, create a customized outline for your presentation and, even before it is drafted, eliminate any details that are not absolutely necessary to get your message across. This will ensure that you don't get bogged down in a flood of information and that the right content gets across.
Learn how to save valuable time when creating your presentation!
Special tip for investment pitches: What investors want to know about your company is completely different from what customers, partners, friends or relatives are interested in. Therefore, your pitch should definitely cover the following topics: Market size or opportunity, business model, proprietary technology or expertise, competitive landscape, competitive advantage, team, strategy (to enter the market), finances and investment amount. Important here: keep it short, simple and honest. Realistic goals and thoughtful analysis are key.
4. Show passion
One thing is clear: You have to be on fire for your ideas in order to inspire others for them! Personal stories and anecdotes can help make your passion directly tangible. In addition, they are an effective means of arousing the interest of your listeners and keeping their attention high. Depending on the situation and the person you are talking to, it can also be helpful to include friendly chit-chat to get to know each other on a more personal - and not just professional - level.
Special tip for investment pitches: Numbers are a crucial factor of every investment pitch. However, not only which numbers are important, but also how you present these numbers. Try to tell a story with your data. Your investors must be able to feel the problems of your customers as well as the relief when your product or service suddenly solves all their problems.
You can read about how to become a compelling storyteller here!
But the all-important feeling you really want to give your investors is the fear of missing out. You want them to feel that your idea is so good that they have to invest immediately - before anyone else does.
5. Focus on good design
Design plays as big a role in the success of your presentation as your data or your presentation skills. After all, good design tells your story in a visual way and can not only reinforce your message, but also strengthen the emotional connection with your audience. When preparing your pitch slides, you should therefore pay particular attention to the following three points:
- Branding: Use a consistent corporate design to vert your interlocutors with your logo and brand identity.
- Images: Use effective and relevant images that help tell your story. Try to avoid generic stock images!
- Style: Keep it straightforward and simple.
Here are the most important Dos & Don'ts for exceptional slides!
Special tip for investment pitches: If you are not a design genius and cannot hire an agency for your slides, professional templates are highly recommended. In part 2 of this blog post, we'll soon tell you how to build your perfect pitch deck and what you absolutely mustn't forget!