You did it. You’re in a boardroom full of potential investors. In the next ten minutes, they could decide to invest in your startup…or not. It’s all up to not only what you do that day but also what you did the weeks before to prepare. It’s time to wow them and make that boardroom fall in love with your idea. When it comes to pitching your new idea, here are three key factors to keep in mind while you prepare for the moment of truth.

1st Key to Success: Plan, Rehearse, and Rehearse Some More

The opening minutes are vital to getting your audience interested. Whether you start with a story, a joke, an overview, or a combination of the three, make sure you make it an enjoyable time for your audience. You may be the only person they see that day, or you may be the 50th. A good opening will set you apart. The best way to make sure of this is to plan ahead. Write a script, and rewrite it. Practice in front of friends or family who will give you constructive criticism, and adapt your script until it becomes an engaging, informative, and persuasive presentation that will leave your audience wanting more of you and your idea. Then rehearse, rehearse, rehearse until you can perform it in your sleep, until the script sounds like a conversation, and you’re confident with what and how you’ll be presenting.

2nd Key to Success: Keep Things Simple

When writing your script, it’s important to keep things simple. This is a pitch—a taste of what you and your idea have to offer. There’s no need to bombard your potential investors with needless, show-offy facts or figures unless it’s going to help with your ultimate argument. Whatever materials you give the investors after you leave will contain the bulk of the information; your job is to reduce that information down to its most important parts and present your idea in a clear, focused, concise, and engaging way.

3rd Key to Success: Make a Connection; Sell Yourself

When going into the pitch, you could have the best script and best idea, but if you yourself come across as bland or uninterested, your audience will mirror your attitude. Show off your personality—your fun but professional side. The pitch isn’t just for your idea; it’s also to see if you connect well with your investors so that they can assess whether or not they want to work with you in the future. Be passionate about your work, and the audience will feed off your energy.

The most important takeaway to keep in mind is to be prepared. Don’t think that just because the idea is yours and you know everything about it that you can wing it on the spot. Rehearsing, adapting your concise and simple presentation after feedback, and making a connection to your audience can mean the difference between walking out of that boardroom with investors ready to back you or walking out empty-handed. So be sure to bring your best game.

Contact us info@consultbuildingblocks.com if you need help preparing for your pitch!

References & Further Research:

Kim, Larry. “Your Startup's Pitch Needs Only These 10 Slides.” Inc.com. [https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/your-startup-s-pitch-only-needs-these-10-slides.html](https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/your-startup-s-pitch-only-needs-these-10-slides.html) (accessed August 24, 2017).

Lee, Aaron. “30 Legendary Startup Pitch Decks And What You Can Learn From Them.” Piktochart.com. [https://piktochart.com/blog/startup-pitch-decks-what-you-can-learn/](https://piktochart.com/blog/startup-pitch-decks-what-you-can-learn/)(accessed August 24, 2017).