Tag: making a pitch

Sample questions for a venture capital pitch

There are many sources to help you create a powerful venture capital pitch presentation, but they all agree on a few things. The most common tips are: keep your presentation short; don’t read from the slides; be well rehearsed, and know your material inside and out.

Common VC pitch content guide

  1. What is the problem your company addresses?
  2. What is the solution you propose?
  3. Describe your business model.
  4. What do you do that’s unique, special or patentable?
  5. Describe your marketing and sales plan.
  6. Who is your competition?
  7. Who’s on your team?
  8. What are your financial projections?
  9. What is the current status of your business, and milestones?
  10. Summary and “the Ask” – or how much money you’re requesting and why.

Venture capital pitch example questions

If you’ve never developed or given a pitch before, you might want to find an experienced entrepreneur or venture capitalist to help you organize a presentation. Practice on friends, family members and other business owners. Be prepared to answer the following five questions:

  1. Explain to me what your business is all about (this is the classic elevator pitch question – tell me about your company, what you do, why you’re so special, in the shortest possible amount of time).
  2. What will prevent others from doing what you’re doing – what is your competitive advantage?
  3. What are you going to do with the money you raise? Or how will the money you raise help you achieve your goals?
  4. What’s your marketing strategy? Who’s your market? Why will they buy from you?
  5. What does your venture/management team look like?

These are common questions, but every investor will have their own set of questions for you. You can’t prepare for every question, but you’ll get so used to pitching your idea that you’ll be ready for anything.

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How to pitch your small business to investors

Pitching to potential investor or customers can be nerve-wracking, and we recommend getting as prepared as you can. Start with these 7 essential tips for making a small business pitch.

How to pitch your small business to investors

  1. Know the key components of your business. You should be able to describe your business model, explain what unique need your small business fills, who your competition is and your marketing and sales plan – to name a few.
  2. Know your basic financials. You should also have a basic understanding of your business’ financial elements. For example: yearly sales (volume and dollar amount), cash flow projection and net worth.
  3. Research your potential investor. Familiarize yourself with your prospective investor as much as possible. This will help you accurately address what they’re looking for. You’ll also know what issues may arise or what they might ask.
  4. Be concise. You might have five minutes to make a pitch, or you might have 30 seconds. Prepare a few pitches of varying lengths that get the point across and still sound compelling.
  5. Put yourself in your investor’s shoes. If you were being pitched to, what questions would you ask? Make a list of these questions to help you become better prepared.
  6. Practice. Go through your pitch in front of your business partners, trusted friends or family – or even in front of your mirror. Worry less about memorizing your “speech” and more about pinpointing strengths or missing pieces. Some cities even have networking groups where entrepreneurs can practice their pitches.
  7. Act natural! Making pitches is a lot like public speaking, but it doesn’t have to be terrifying. Just be professional, friendly and try to relax!

Want more tips for pitching to investors? Check out the 6 common questions investors ask in a pitch.

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what do investors look for in a business pitch

What do investors look for in a business pitch?

We know that preparing to pitch to potential investors can make your head spin, so here are seven tips to help you start things off more confidently:

  1. Know your numbers. You don’t have to know everything in detail, but you should familiarize yourself with the basics: things like yearly sales, cash flow projection and net worth.
  2. Be able to explain your business. Prepare to describe your business model, explain what market need your business satisfies, who your competition is, and your marketing and sales plan – to name a few.
  3. Research your potential investor. You should be able to speak accurately about what your market is looking for, and how you can give it to them.
  4. Act natural! Pitching feels intimidating. But be professional, friendly and try to relax! Your investors are looking for someone they want to work with.
  5. Practice in front of your business partners, trusted friends or family or even in front of your mirror. This will help you pinpoint strengths or missing pieces, and give you confidence if you need to go “off-script.”
  6. Be concise. You might have 20 minutes to make a pitch, or you might have 20 seconds. Prepare a few pitches of varying lengths that get the point across and sound compelling.
  7. Put yourself on the other side. If you were the one hearing the pitch, what would you ask? Write down these potential questions to help you become better prepared.

What materials should you have when pitching your business to investors? Find out here!

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7 tips for pitching to investors

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Pitching to potential investor or customers can be nerve-wracking, and we recommend getting as prepared as you can. Start with these 7 essential tips for making a small business pitch.

Tips for making a small business pitch

  1. Know your business. You should be able to describe your business model, explain what unique need your small business fills, who your competition is and your marketing and sales plan – to name a few.
  2. Know your numbers. Have a basic understanding of financial elements like yearly sales (volume and dollar amount), cash flow projection and net worth.
  3. Research your potential investor or customer. Get to know who you’re pitching to as much as possible, so you can speak accurately to what they’re looking for – and so you know what issues may arise.
  4. Be concise. You might have five minutes to make a pitch, or you might have 30 seconds. Prepare a few pitches of varying lengths that get the point across and still sound compelling.
  5. Put yourself in their shoes. If you were being pitched to, what questions would you ask? Make a list of these questions to help you become better prepared.
  6. Practice! Go through your pitch in front of your business partners, trusted friends or family – or even in front of your mirror. Don’t worry about memorizing your “speech,” but focus on pinpointing strengths or missing pieces. Some cities even have networking groups where entrepreneurs just like you can practice their pitches.
  7. Act natural! Making pitches is a lot like public speaking, but it doesn’t have to be terrifying. Just be professional, friendly and try to relax!

Want more tips for pitching to investors? Check out the 6 common questions investors ask in a pitch.

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