Pitch like a king
Our presentation tips
for business ideas.
by @boardofinno
boardofinnovation.com
IMG: World Travel & Tourism Council via Flickr

Template to start from:
1. Problem Statement
2. Your solution (product)
3. How to capture value ($)
4. Credibility
5. Call to action
The 5 key topics you should cover,
preferably in this sequence.

Used in our innovation bootcamps:
Bookmark this list
PDF download

1. Problem
What pain in the market do you solve?

Start with the problem you plan to solve.
Example: MissApp, apps for women by women
full clip: youtube
play
video

Start with the problem you plan to solve.
Problems she identified in the first 30 sec:
- “Man don’t understand women”
- “Not a lot of apps exist for women.”
- “the app that exist are not good enough (developed by men?)”

2. Solution
Show your product or service.

Show what your product or service can do!
Example: Catchbox, throwable microphone
full clip: youtube Video jumps to 1m20s
play
video

Show what your product or service can do!
Avoid abstract buzz-lingo, just demo your service.
- Try to make it tangible (bring props?)
- A live demo will pull your audience in the story (will it work?)
- Although Catchbox demo failed at first, they were able to convince
their audience about their solution.
!
important:
- Have a back-up plan:
e.g. “When live doesn’t work, switch to a pre-recorded demo”

3. How to capture value
How will you make money?

Explain how you plan to monetise your product:
Example: Foursquare, original slide deck

Explain how you plan to monetise your product:
Example: Foursquare, original slide deck

Explain how you plan to monetise your product:
Example: Foursquare, original slide deck

Explain how you plan to monetise your product:
Example: AirBnb, original slide deck

4. Add credibility
Why should they believe you?

Most important: share numbers
Example: Doordash, next-gen food delivery
full clip: youtube Video jumps to 1m30s
play
video

Add credibility by using numbers
Doordash uses several techniques
- Compare own results with competitors (3500 deliveries so far!)
- Share user uptake, market growth
- First revenue figures and sales
- …

Add credibility by using numbers
Example: Envolve, website chat service
full clip: youtube Video jumps to 1m10s
play
video

Add credibility by using numbers
Envolve
- 29% growth, month-over-month
- “4 million unique users”
- “Our revenue is growing just as fast as our chat messages.”
!
Additionally, Envolve drops references from big clients
- Universal, Mitsubishi, Empire Avenue,…

Add credibility by using numbers
Example: MOZ, SEO service.

Add credibility by using numbers
Example: MOZ, SEO service.

5. Call to action
What are the next steps?

What is your long term plan?
mint.com had a clear!
long term strategy,!
!
with 4 options to exit.

What is your long term plan?
They managed to sell!
to Intuit (goal 3)

General tips

Make a personal connection
Example: Scan, barcode & QR scanning app
full clip: youtube
play
video

Do you have a WOW moment?
Example: Scan, barcode & QR scanning app
full clip: youtube
play
video

Use metaphors to explain a complex story
Example: Twoodoo, next-gen collaboration service
full clip: youtube Video jumps to 2m30s
play
video

Now your numbers by heart!
Example: zapper.co.uk (resell books & media, ft. Dragons Den)
full clip: youtube Video jumps to 1m50s
play
video

Practice, Practice, Practice!
Example: CupAd (ads on coffee cups)
full clip: youtube full clip
play
video

What other examples
should we add?
Tips to
@nickdemey or @boardofinno