Startup Pitching Tips & TricksHandling The Hot Seat
@tomfrazier
‣ Lose the 1st, most, best, only, smallest, fastest crap
‣ They want you to succeed or they wouldn’t be there
‣ Try to give more (information) than you take (time)
‣ What you don’t know is ...
Primer On Startup Audience
@tomfrazier
‣ Visual‣ Imagery, charts, handouts, props,
colors, shapes
‣ Auditory‣ Speak in a frame most people
understand‣ Lots of jargon
‣ Kinetic‣ Movement on stage‣ Gestures‣ Eye contact
Primer On VAK Learning
@tomfrazier
1.The Complete Pitch
2.Traction : Added 1M users
3.X for Y : Facebook for dogs
4.Personal Story : Dropbox because forgot a USB stick
5.Derivative : Twitter Bootstrap
6.Evolution : AirBnB or RightSignature
Primer On Pitch Types
7.Service At Scale : Freelancer
8.It’d Be Cool If : Pair for couples
9.Tech : Tesla Motors
10.Dream Team : Parse
11.Consumer->Enterprise : join.me
@tomfrazier
The Meat (Content)‣ Title Slide‣ Problem‣ Market Size‣ Solution‣ Business Model & Projections‣ Secret Sauce‣ Competition‣ Team‣ Traction‣ Summary
@tomfrazier
My CompanyV: logo, name, url
A: My company X is developing <website, app> to help <buyer> <solve problem> <secret sauce>
IS@tomfrazier
What’s The Problem?V: Sensory image instead of chart
A: Story of who has it and why it sucks
IS@tomfrazier
It’s a huge problem actually...V: Chart, metrics, etc
A: Give the story and problem a sense of scale
IS@tomfrazier
SolutionV: Screenshot of app, photo of widget, etc. (Optional 2nd slide with one liner text from title slide for readers in room)
A: Convince the room that they can’t live without it. Sell the vision
CB@tomfrazier
Business ModelV: Construct to making money
A: Share how this model has a strong network effect so 1 new user attracts > 1 more new user
IS@tomfrazier
Financial ProjectionsV: Combo chart showing sales/revenue against growth metrics
A: Explore the aspects that make your business a homerun and not a base hit. P.S. it better be a homerun!
CB
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
@tomfrazier
Secret SauceV: Another screenshot, secret weapon, whatever
A: Address how you will protect this secret sauce through scale, IP, barriers, exclusivity, etc
CB@tomfrazier
CompetitorsV: Logos in a list or chart or marketshare
A: Honesty is best here. It shows you’ve thought about who you are up against
IS@tomfrazier
TeamV: Faces and 1 line bio
A: Tell me why this combo is the ideal mix of hustler, hacker, designer and domain expert
NB@tomfrazier
TractionV: Compelling information. Numbers, growth, savings, faces, etc
A: Make the room believe that in X period of time you have achieved Y which shows you are on the right path
NB@tomfrazier
SummaryV: Product - Yes!, Team - Yes!, Can make money - Yes!, Traction - Yes!, The Ask!
A: Provide a quick summary of all content. Your one-liner pitch again, read all points on this slide. Success is in our future
NB@tomfrazier
The Potatoes (Delivery)
@tomfrazier
You brand is not pitching. You are.
Be Authentic
@tomfrazier
Take Us On An Emotional Journey.
Show/Tell A Story
@tomfrazier
It builds trust, confidence and offers theaudience something new.
Recency Is King
@tomfrazier
Constantly and subtlety show it.
Personal Credibility
@tomfrazier
The Gravy (Speaker Presentation Form)
Source: Nancy Duarte@tomfrazier
Extra Gravy (Anchoring Your Presentation)
Left = Today = Problem Right = Tomorrow = Your Solution
@tomfrazier
& keep pitchingThanks!
Awesome images from jdhancock on flickr!
@tomfrazier
Recommended