This is by far the BEGINNING and the END for Founders to know. For some reason, Founders think all investors are the same. They are not. They have different personalities and interests and strategies for how they invest. Do you know what they are looking for? It's pointless for a real estate company to pitch to investors that only invest in tech unless the real estate has some sort of tech component. It's additionally futile for early stage companies that are pre-revenue to pitch to most VCs. Know who you are pitching to and who you NEED to be pitching to and save yourself time, money and headache.

Presenting your company to potential investors requires a blend of clarity, persuasion, and professionalism. Key practices include developing a concise, compelling pitch that clearly articulates your value proposition, business model, market opportunity, competitive advantage, and financial projections. Tailor your presentation to the interests and backgrounds of the investors, highlighting aspects most relevant to them. Ensure your pitch is supported by robust data and realistic financial forecasts. Practice your delivery to be confident, engaging, and prepared to answer tough questions. Transparency about risks and challenges, along with your strategies for addressing them, builds credibility.

Startup founders need to be excellent story tellers. You’ve gotta have a few versions ready to roll on a moment’s notice. A quick one liner. Then a more involved one minute overview. If there’s interest, you move right into a 3-5 min deep dive. Then when they’re hooked, the full 30 min pitch deck review. Drill, drill, and drill again until you can tell these stories in your sleep.

Humans love a good story. It’s a lot easier to be drawn into a well-crafted story than a dry presentation of numbers and financial projections. When presenting to investors, one should tell a compelling story backed by numbers, instead of bombarding them with numbers and little narrative. Approaching it this way will spark curiosity and interest and lead to a deeper conversation.

It is true that investors make up their mind really quickly. Some tips: 1. Use the 10-30-180-300-Beyond rule. That's how you break your story down - in seconds. 2. Instead of thinking what you want to tell, flip the question. What do they want to know? 3. As you start speaking, within the first few seconds an investor is already doing a rapid analysis of TAM, SAM, SOM, Team, IP, moat, sustainable competitive advantage, growth, trust etc. A seasoned investor can do all this and make a go/no-go decision in a matter of the first 2-5 mins. Some may do this even faster. Start with the most compelling part of the story first. 4. If in-person or on video, carefully and continuously assess their body language as you speak, and then adapt.

"Entrepreneur creates, storyteller sells" When presenting your company to potential investors, leverage the power of storytelling to create a compelling narrative. Clearly articulate your company's mission, vision, and unique value proposition. Share the story of how your business came to be, highlighting key milestones and challenges overcome. Use anecdotes and real-world examples to illustrate the market need for your product or service. Weave in a narrative that communicates not just the features but the broader impact of your solution. By integrating storytelling into your presentation, you can engage investors emotionally, making your company not just an investment opportunity but a captivating journey they want to be part of.

With the attention span of seasoned investors ranging from 30 sec-1.5 min., mastering the art of storytelling is crucial. Some strategies: - Adhering to the "KISS" principle (keep it simple and short) - Demonstrating passion and energy, with confident delivery of the pitch - Establishing trust - investors invest in people - Concentrating on answers to important questions like WHY our team, WHY this solution to the problem, H]OW you will make money, and WHAT is your unfair advantage - Integrating personal narratives to connect and resonate - Researching in advance who you are pitching to, what is their background, how knowledgeable they are in the industry, etc. - Staying abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and the competition

When I work with early stage founders on their pitch deck, the one thing I keep preaching is for them to show traction, traction, traction. As a founder, if you can credibly demonstrate that others are not only interested, but willing to pay for your product or service, you win. Even if you have not launched yet, show that people are bending over backwards to get their hands on your product/service. Examples for powerful metrics at pre-launch stage could be letters of intent, it could be a big email list with people who signed up to be notified when you launch, a big social media following or even pre-orders.

When presenting to potential investors, it's essential to highlight your team members' diverse skill sets and experience. This will demonstrate how each team member's unique expertise and background align with your startup's vision and goals. You can give investors higher confidence in your ability to execute your plans and achieve your objectives. Additionally, showcasing the diversity of your team can demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity and innovation, which are highly valued attributes in today's business world. During the process of scaling a startup, founders and investors will need to work together to overcome many challenges and reach multiple milestones, so it is vital to know whom you are dealing with for both parties.

My first and most recommended one: 1/ Seek warm introductions. Then, for the ones less connected: 2/ Research investor background. 3/ Personalize outreach. 4/ Craft compelling email. 5/ Offer value proposition. 6/ Highlight traction. 7/ Be persistent yet polite. 8/ Demonstrate readiness. 9/ Maintain professionalism. 10/ Keep informing them even if they don't care.

Here are 6 best practises, from top founders I’ve seen in meetings. 1.) Research the investor ↳ Understand their industry and deal preferences, past investments 2.) Know your numbers ↳ About your market, customer acquisition, product development and budget 3.) Don’t read your presentation ↳ This is always a bad sign as it shows you are not well prepared 4.) Talk traction ↳ Show real-world evidence that you are progressing with customers - customer interviews, LOI’s, product-usage, revenue, waiting lists, etc 5.) Answer questions to the point ↳ Aim for clarity and don’t overwhelm them with information 6.) Follow up (soon) afterwards ↳ This demonstrates discipline. Send follow-ups with whatever you promised You’ve got this!

The hardest part is getting to a meeting. Try to get that warm introduction. Call that other startup that this investor invested in, and ask that founder about their experience with this investor. And don't be shy to ask this startup to introduce you to this investor!

Do your homework. Know the types of questions asked and be prepared to answer them; positively pivoting prevention questions with promotion responses might be the thing that makes you “14% more likely to secure investment” - if you’re female, that is.

Well, be introduced by someone they know and trust! The ideal is someone who leads a company in their portfolio, but at least some intro from a trusted contact makes a huge difference. Most VCs take "cold" pitches but a lot that have a process for that never end up investing in ANY of them. They want the option, and it's interesting who's working on what. But if you don't show up with some reference you're most likely not going to get funding. YMMV as investors vary a lot but get introduced is widespread rule of thumb.

Regarding effective fundraising, demonstrating interest from other investors can significantly impact. Personally, I always inquire about the number of commitments startups have received from other VCs. It's also crucial for me to know if current investors are participating in a follow-on round if they have previously raised funds. Having a term sheet from another VC is particularly advantageous, as it indicates that other parties believe in your team and often assists in the decision-making process to join the round. Remember to maintain transparency and honesty in your conversations with VCs. VC funds frequently collaborate and exchange information, so it's important to know that what you say can be easily verified.