In my opinion, public speaking is one of the most important qualities someone can possess, especially if you’re starting a company. Public speaking is a skill, like others, which can be learned, practiced and eventually mastered.
Part of the startup process involves pitching to potential investors in the most effective possible way, something on which you want to be an expert. I saw this first-hand as I recently attended two pitch competitions at Forward Festival, a local eight-day conference made by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs.
Investors only get a small amount of time to listen to your company, so making a great first impression is key. Here are four tips to acing your next pitch:
1. Improve your delivery. I’d argue that the delivery makes up 75% of the pitch. Add audience engagement and humor to make you/your company seem more personable. Investors want to know if they are going to be able to have a good working relationship with you.
2. Practice timing. Many pitch competitions have a set time limit to each presenter. Practice beforehand to make sure you don’t go over time, miss out on giving important information and/or rush through to make it to your last slide.
3. Don’t use too many slides. This can distract or confuse investors. Depending on the time limit, I recommend 5-10 slides in your deck. If you’re using more, you’re likely including extraneous information.
4. Include information that investors want to know. When presenting, include detailed information about your product/service, its need, size of market, revenue model and short facts about your team. In other words, make a strong case of why an investor should give you money. This seems obvious, but so many startups forget to include relevant information.
As with anything, the more you practice, the better you get. Good luck pitching!