In this important session, learn how to pitch your business, whether in an elevator or in an investors’ board room. Conference attendees will learn the key elements of any good pitch, which will prepare them well for the optional Pitch Perfect Workshop and Idea Storm later in the conference.

1.  “You have 45 minutes.”
 “I can’t begin to tell you about our business
in 45 minutes!”
 “Then you have a problem.”

2.  Planning & Positioning
◦ Context
◦ Presentation Strategy
 Preparation
◦ Content & Delivery
 Practice
 Pitching

3.  “What is the best possible outcome for
today’s meeting?”
 Realistic Expectations
 Pique Interest
◦ Provide Follow-on Information
◦ Follow-up Meeting/Discussion

4.  Who Are They?
 What Do They Know?
 What Is Important to Them?
 What Do They Want?

5.  Research in Advance:
◦ Google…
◦ Their Background & Interests…
◦ Look for Connections…
◦ Degrees of Separation…

6.  “…Let me tell you about my company…”
 “Fortunately you have a big white board.”
 Molecule representations/structures…

7.  Available Time
 Time of the Day
 Other Presentations
 Size of the Audience/Venue
 Audience Demographics
 Q & A Format?

8.  10 – 12 Slides
 Simple Fonts
 Fonts 24 Point or Larger
 Your Logo on Template
 Just Enough Essential Info

9.  Jargon
 More than 2 Layers of Bullet Points
 Excessive Detail
◦ Both Exhibits & Presentation
 Complex Charts or Diagrams
 17,576 & 456,976

10.  Trade Show Display
◦ 3.5 Seconds
 Twitter – 140 Characters
◦ Not 1,400
 Brevity - Less is More
◦ 270 Words vs. 7,038 Words
◦ Gettysburg Address vs. State of the Union

11.  Investor Presentation:
◦ Opening Statement – What You Do – 1 Minute
◦ The Problem
◦ Your Solution - Benefits
◦ Opportunity/Market
◦ Business Model
◦ Competitive Landscape
◦ Marketing & Sales
◦ Management Team
◦ Financial Summary
◦ The Deal

12.  Seek a Critical Audience
 Video Record your Pitch
 Time Your Presentation
 Strategy to Handle Interruptions
 Get Comfortable: “Rinse & Repeat…”

13.  Provide Info in Advance
 Confirm Available Time & Agenda
 Request that Audience Hold Questions
 Ask: “What do you want to know?”
 “Read” the Audience
 Allow Time for Questions/Discussion

14.  Back-up: Murphy’s Law
◦ Presentation – Digital & Hard Copy
◦ Technology Tools – Computers, Projectors…
 Handouts
◦ Topics Only – Prior to Presentation
◦ Full Handout – Following Presentation

15.  Connect Ideas to Resources, Mgmt, Investors
 Statewide
 Innovative Technology
 Collaborative Network

16.  www.venturenetiowa.com
 515-471-1300
 Find Us on facebook