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Selling Your Idea
(in 2 Minutes)
Stephanie Patterson
Can you really sell your idea in 2-minutes?
No. But you can get
a second meeting.
Warm Intro
Flat Deck
First Meetin
gElevator Pitch
2 minutes = 250 words
What we’ll cover today• Pitch content and structure
• Common mistakes and fixes
• Prompts for idea generation
ProblemSolved
High concept pitch
Unfair Advantage The AskProof
Pitch content
Single sentence
description; product
category; metaphor; analogy
The opportunity, need, desire or epiphany
moment
Credibility; team; how
we’re different;
why us
Traction; market;
people want this
What you’re looking for
from investors
ProblemSolved
High concept pitch
Unfair Advantage The AskProof
Pitch structure
25 seconds 25 seconds 25 seconds 25 seconds 20 seconds
“I know it sounds a little crazy, but I’ve come to believe that a clear, compelling elevator pitch is essential to growing a business. And I’ve paid dearly for the evidence.”
-David Cowan
High concept pitch
Mistake#1
You gloss over what your product is and does.
Write a single sentence description.
Solution
Platform
Solution
App
Device
SaaS
Software
Hardware
Wearable
Service
Engine
Network
Community
Marketplace
Experience
Interface
Monitor
Dashboard
Database
Tool
Sensor
Machine
System
API
AI
VR
Machine learning
Digital therapeutic
What it is; who it’s for
[PRODUCT CATEGORY] for [NEW DOMAIN]
Rhumbix is a labor productivity platform for construction.
Common is communal living for millennials.
Getable is construction equipment networked.
Key benefit; primary differentiator
[WHAT YOU DELIVER] and [WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT HOW YOU DO IT ]
Joymode. More fun while owning less.
AeroFS. Sync all your stuff, with or without the cloud.
Value propositionOur [COMPANY NAME] is [PRODUCT CATEGORY]
For [TARGET CUSTOMER]
That [KEY BENEFIT]
Adapted from Geoff Moore, Crossing the Chasm
[COMPANY NAME] is a software-only orchestration platform that lets service providers and large enterprises create low-latency Cloud infrastructure anywhere, at any scale, on any network.
Omada is a 16-week online digital health program that coordinates everything people at risk for chronic disease need to embrace lasting change.
[COMPANY NAME] is a real-time analytics platform that makes asking questions of your data as easy as having a conversation.
Today, business intelligence is like...
Today, business intelligence is like...
...but with us, it’s like...
Problem solved
Mistake#2
Your problem is too complex.
Solve for complexity 3 ways1 2
Use targeted data
Focus on the opportunity
3Tell a story
Unfair Advantage
Why us?
Team credibility
Growing user base
Paying customers
Defensible IP
Partner sales
Leadership
Track record of founder(s)
Industry insider
Network
Marquee customer(s)
Rapid growth
First to market
Successful pilotsTiming
Size of market
Proof
Mistake#3
You “fluff your numbers.”
How are you delivering value right now?
Types of proof• User numbers
• Customers
• Revenue
• Interest generated
• Pilot results/case study
• Quotes from important people
• Demo
• Beta testing results
“This is the most innovative thing we’re doing right now as company.”
“This empowers our field crews with a greater understanding of how their time impacts the bottom line and how to address it.”
The Ask
“Conviction about the inevitability of success is contagious.”
-Chris Sacca
ProblemSolved
High concept pitch
Unfair Advantage The AskProof
Pitch structure
“Your pitch is your first prototype.”
-Baehr & Loomis, Get Backed
The secret to a great pitch is how you arrange and present your ideas.
Complete these sentences...The standard approach to [PRODUCT/SERVICE NAME] is [CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME]
But what if you could… [HOW YOUR COMPANY WILL CHANGE THE WORLD]
Introducing… [SINGLE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION]
It’s like… [METAPHOR/ANALOGY]
Now is the time and we are the team, because… [UNFAIR ADVANTAGE]
and… [PROOF]
If you’re ready to be part of this, then… [CALL TO ACTION]
Nancy Duarte’s sparkline
The call to adventure
The new bliss
What could be
What is
Using contrast
rather than a practice in intentional value creation.
Most people think of seed stage investing like panning for gold…What is
What could be
Using contrast
to the character and skills of the founders that will build the company.
We look beyond the analytics and number crunching of a smart investment…What is
What could be
Final thoughts• Use creative prompts to begin generating content
• Unclutter your problem
• Don’t fake it
• Use contrast to your advantage
• Make it a conversation; read your audience well
