How can you improve your startup pitch?

This involve customizing message to resonate with specific need interest and expectation 1 Determine who will be in audience, research their background, what they value most. Identify specific pain points or challenges audience face 2 Adjust content of pitch to align with what matter most of audience, use case studies or success stories that audience can relate to. Anticipate question or concern from audience to address proactively 3 Using storytelling technique to make pitch engaging memorable, start compelling story that highlight problem you are solving. Articulate value proposition how it benefit audience. Convey passion for startup vision for future 4 Use clear and simple language, focus on key points, incorporate visuals such as slide

To improve your startup pitch, focus on clarity and impact. Start with a compelling hook that captures attention, followed by a clear problem statement and how your solution addresses it uniquely. Highlight your market opportunity, business model, and competitive advantage. Use data and evidence to support your claims. Keep the pitch concise, avoiding jargon, and tailor it to your audience. Practice delivering it with confidence and enthusiasm. Incorporate feedback to refine your message, and be prepared to answer questions. Engaging storytelling and a strong call to action can also make your pitch more memorable and persuasive.

Understanding who the potential investors or partners you are pitching to are is key to adapting and personalising your pitch. This includes researching their areas of interest, previous investment history and what their main criteria are for evaluating startups. If you're pitching to a technology-focused venture capitalist, you may want to emphasise the innovative and scalable aspects of your product or service. On the other hand, if you're pitching to a more conservative investor, it may be more important to emphasise financial stability and the potential for a return on investment in the short term.

Founders in my portfolio come to me when they are ready to raise and we spend about 4 hours on a “deck doctor” review of what they have built. Here are my most common pieces of advice. 0/A deck is the table of contents to a story you tell, not the story. 1/ It is not your job to stop when there is nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to remove. 2/ Simple and understandable without jargon. 3/ Lead with the team. They are backing you. 4/ cover the Ws - Who are you. What are you doing. Who are you doing it for. What is the business model / how are you paid. how is it going so far - traction. Plus competition and TAM. And close with what you are raising.

Crafting a compelling pitch requires a meticulous structure that effortlessly guides your audience through your narrative. Embracing the tried-and-true problem-solution model, you begin by pinpointing a challenge within your target market and then unveil your solution as the ultimate remedy. Alternatively, consider the hook-benefit-proof-call to action model, where an attention-grabbing hook kicks things off, followed by a breakdown of the solution's benefits, evidence of traction or validation, and a compelling call to action that directs your audience on their next move.

- Know Your Audience: Customize your pitch by understanding the investor's or customer's background, goals, and pain points. - Structure Your Pitch: Utilize a clear framework like the problem-solution model or the hook-benefit-proof-call to action model. Ensure a compelling opening and closing. - Research and Insights: Dive deep into your market, highlighting unique insights that set your startup apart. - Demonstrate Traction: Show real-world evidence of your startup's success and growth potential.

Here's a bulletproof structure to build your pitch on: 1) Problem. The big thing we are addressing. Add a killer stat. (2) Solution. We are here to solve this problem. Let's tell you how. (3) USPs / Value Prop. These (3?) things set us apart. (4) Traction. Look, we already launched, and here are some early results. (5) Competition. This is what the market looks like. This is how we stand apart. (6) TAM. Here's the size of the market, here's the share we can compete for. (7) Revenue. This is how we make money + our projections. (8) Ambition. This is where we want to be in the next 3-5 years. (9) Team. This is our line up of avengers who can make this happen. (10) Ask. This is what we need to make it a success.

Structuring your pitch is the backbone of capturing attention and driving your message home. One powerful framework to consider is the problem-solution model. Start by vividly illustrating the problem your audience faces, drawing them into the urgency of the issue. Then, seamlessly transition to your solution, showcasing how it uniquely addresses your highlighted pain points. Let me share an example: Imagine pitching a health app. Begin by painting a picture of people's challenges in staying fit amidst busy schedules and unhealthy lifestyles. Next, introduce your app as the ultimate solution, offering personalized workouts and nutrition plans tailored to individual needs. Remember, a well-structured pitch persuades you to take action.

Everybody likes something different in a pitch. You can choose to be general, and make an overall good pitch, but I would recommend tailoring it to specifically who you are pitching to. If the fund or competition is focused more on environmental, highlight that about your business. It depends isn't always the best answer to hear, but there are overarching themes that can be followed to ensure a successful pitch.

As an active angel investor and VC, evaluation of over a dozen pitch decks a week and hundreds on other weeks, simplicity allows for easy sourcing, reviewing, syndicating and sharing of the best deals. When a message is clear & concise around value proposition, competitive advantage, founder-market fit, product-market fit, business model, capital raise ask and team, investors can more quickly pick the startups that fit their investment thesis and ultimately, receive funding. Make it easy for us to do just that. Bucket, box, list, & organize info so that it's easy to understand at a simple glance. The more time you spend on distilling the information, it actually makes for a more mindful pitch with the most focused information discussed.

Mastering the art of simplicity is paramount when it comes to pitching. Steering clear of jargon, technical terms, and acronyms is vital to ensure your message resonates rather than confuses or alienates your audience. Resist the temptation to overwhelm your pitch with excessive information or data, as it could distract or bore your audience.

Say less. If your startup does 5 cool things, consider the audience you are pitching, and pick the ONE that will be most compelling to them. Then say it in a way that is relatable to them. Your pitch is about THEM - not about YOU. Read that twice. Once more now. We good?

80% of all VCs will ask the same questions. While this makes meeting number 50 super boring, it’s an opportunity too. Frequently asked questions are the areas in which our startup should shine. If we don’t have a good answer to these key questions, we should change something in our business, fast. A great approach to fundraising is not to start it with the big names. Instead, we start with smaller VCs. This way, we can practice pitching and become a pro at it. This way, we find the real issues with our business model, our product, and our marketing. This way, we can fix all of these issues and help our startup grow faster. When we fixed serious issues with our business and our pitch, then it’s time to start the discussion with big names.

Be yourself. That should be the core of a good pitch. Anything else will set off alarm bells. You can practice techniques and you can rehearse (usefully) but pretending to be something you are not is not going to work in a pitch.

Practice and refine: To enhance your startup pitch, rehearse in front of diverse audiences like friends, mentors, or peers, and solicit their insights. Recording and reviewing your pitch can help tweak your delivery, tone, and body language. Ensure your pitch fits within the allocated time and prepare for potential questions or objections. Continuous practice and refinement will sharpen your presentation skills and elevate your pitch's effectiveness.

The more you pitch, better you will get! Pitching in roadshows & events can help you get a lot of customer feedback and also some attention to your brand! Pitching with founders, help you refine your pitch, delivery style & vision deck. Pitching to friends can get you a good criticism of your product because good friends either have a lot of questions or just dont hold back :P If you are looking to raise funds - Start pitching with smaller investors or angels - which will give the final shape to your pitch. And eventually, you go on to pitch large investors who will lead your funding round.

Practise is everything. Some people work well with no rehearsal, just reading over slides. It really depends on you. You should sound relaxed, slow and smooth. A good rule of thumb is to slow down to the point where you think you're talking at a good speed, then slow down even further. Everyone is harder on themselves than they need to be, and this carries over to how fast you talk and the intonation you put on certain words.

?? Remember, every pitch is a learning opportunity. Listen to the feedback, observe the reactions, and be willing to iterate on your approach. Real-world examples or personal success stories can be incredibly powerful in illustrating the impact of your solution. Don't underestimate the power of storytelling in creating an emotional connection with your audience. Sharing challenges you've overcome or unique insights you've gained can add depth and authenticity to your pitch, making it more memorable and persuasive.