Art and Science of the Pitch by Ken Singer

Transcript

2. What is your goal when presenting?
3. Setting up a Date with an Investor • Do research • Know who you’re looking for • Don’t waste time on investors who aren’t interested or don’t have “dry powder” • Understand their interests • Assess their style: listening? Active or passive • Don’t be too eager: Investors run from desperation • You are looking for the right match
4. Fundraising: Two Player Game -> ACT You -> Investor
5. Vendor selection End User LoB IT Department IT Proj. Manager Mgr App Developer Sponsor Enterprise Architect Finance Legal Review License Mgmt Exchange Admin Security BES/MDM Admin Network Admin Tester Compliance Procurement Legal Enterprise Sales: Multi-player Game
6. • 20-second pitch (Wow statement) • 3-minute pitch • 1-hour pitch Be aware of time…
7. Provocative. Quick, powerful… 20-second Wow Statement
8. 3-minute “Public” Pitch Incisive, interesting, thought provoking…
9. 1-hour Investor Pitch Important stuff first, cogent, interactive…
10. What you need to do in that time… • Hook the audience – first 10 seconds • Teach them something new • Make them believe • Qualify yourself • Be memorable
11. What makes people take action?
12. The Dirty Little Secret of Presenting… • People make decisions on emotions • Justify with logic
13. Principles of presenting well
14. Know your Audience: Speak to their interests No one makes a decision by themselves…
15. Belief leads to confidence
16. High Energy: Be Passionate!
17. Project Confidence: Natural Loose Posture
18. Smile: Americans Smile to Project Confidence
19. Don’t Appear Too Confident
20. Hands… Controlled. Not in your Pocket.
21. The Presentation…
22. The Music The Performance
23. The Music: “The Dirty Dozen” • The “Problem” • The “Solution” • Value Proposition • The Market & Opportunity • Product, Distribution Model • Revenue Model • Technology • Competition • Team • Financials • Funding strategy and needs • Timeline and action plan
24. Game FAIL A Note about Facts… Must be relevant, current and RIGHT.
25. The Music
26. The “How” Frame your story… • Context is everything • Keep your specific audience perspective in mind • Be Provocative / Interesting
27. How to Present Yourself: Must be qualified to tell this particular story...
28. The Power of Simple Storytelling: The best stories travel word of mouth…
29. Building a case – logical order
30. Importance of the Narrative Arc… • Goal: create an intriguing storyline • Different narrative arcs • Problem-Solution • Market • Team • Different strategies • Start with strengths • Start with weakness head-on • Start with what the specific audience cares about
31. Standard Arc or “Problem-Solution” Strategy • Begin with a “hook” (something they don’t know) • Convince them of the problem • Introduce your solution • Show them how it works • Prove how big the opportunity is: • Market size • Competition can be beaten • Show timing is right • Give them confidence you’re the right team • Close with the exciting next steps
32. “Team-centric” Arc or “We are Awesome” Strategy • Begin with a Team qualifications • How the problem or technology was discovered • How you discovered the problem was big • Show them how it works • How your solution is better than existing solutions • Limitations of current technology • Limitations of market / competition • Show timing is right • Show how team has been making the right decisions and executing • Close with the exciting next steps
33. “Research-centric” Arc or “Holy Grail” Strategy • Begin with the technological breakthrough • What did your team just discover • Convince them this could be applied to solve a costly problem • Introduce your solution and how it works • Prove how big the opportunity is: • Market size • Competition can be beaten • Show timing is right • Give them confidence you’re the right team • Close with the exciting next steps
34. • How you Frame the story… • Keep your specific audience perspective in mind • Be Provocative / Interesting • Keep it simple and recognizable • Qualify yourself… • The storyteller must be credible • Narrative: build your case… • Logical, consistent, relevant Recap: Storytelling is Performance Art
35. Tactics in Storytelling. Advice from the Trenches…
36. Tactical Advice: Visuals should assist. Not distract.
37. Tactical Advice: Careful Word Choice
38. Tactical Advice: Models are powerful storytelling aids
39. But they can be dangerous too…
40. Demos: Required. Keep them simple and canned.
41. Not so awesome slides… Example Slides
45. More effective slides… Example Slides
49. Tactical Advice: Make them feel intelligent Make People think…but not too hard
50. Tactical Advice: Comfort with the Material
51. Tactical Advice: How to Answer Questions
52. • Slow down • Annunciate • Simple language choice Principles of Speaking for Non-Native Speakers
53. • Use powerful images • Few words • Use large font • Animate slides that show “process” • Slides must be easy to understand Principles of Slide Design
54. Your Turn: Practice • Use the principles outlined here to tweak your pitch • PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
55. Dekuji!