Startup Pitching Tips & TricksHandling The Hot Seat

@tomfrazier

‣ Lose the 1st, most, best, only, smallest, fastest crap

‣ They want you to succeed or they wouldn’t be there

‣ Try to give more (information) than you take (time)

‣ What you don’t know is ...

Primer On Startup Audience

@tomfrazier

‣ Visual‣ Imagery, charts, handouts, props,

colors, shapes

‣ Auditory‣ Speak in a frame most people

understand‣ Lots of jargon

‣ Kinetic‣ Movement on stage‣ Gestures‣ Eye contact

Primer On VAK Learning

@tomfrazier

1.The Complete Pitch

2.Traction : Added 1M users

3.X for Y : Facebook for dogs

4.Personal Story : Dropbox because forgot a USB stick

5.Derivative : Twitter Bootstrap

6.Evolution : AirBnB or RightSignature

Primer On Pitch Types

7.Service At Scale : Freelancer

8.It’d Be Cool If : Pair for couples

9.Tech : Tesla Motors

10.Dream Team : Parse

11.Consumer->Enterprise : join.me

@tomfrazier

The Meat (Content)‣ Title Slide‣ Problem‣ Market Size‣ Solution‣ Business Model & Projections‣ Secret Sauce‣ Competition‣ Team‣ Traction‣ Summary

@tomfrazier

My CompanyV: logo, name, url

A: My company X is developing <website, app> to help <buyer> <solve problem> <secret sauce>

IS@tomfrazier

What’s The Problem?V: Sensory image instead of chart

A: Story of who has it and why it sucks

IS@tomfrazier

It’s a huge problem actually...V: Chart, metrics, etc

A: Give the story and problem a sense of scale

IS@tomfrazier

SolutionV: Screenshot of app, photo of widget, etc. (Optional 2nd slide with one liner text from title slide for readers in room)

A: Convince the room that they can’t live without it. Sell the vision

CB@tomfrazier

Business ModelV: Construct to making money

A: Share how this model has a strong network effect so 1 new user attracts > 1 more new user

IS@tomfrazier

Financial ProjectionsV: Combo chart showing sales/revenue against growth metrics

A: Explore the aspects that make your business a homerun and not a base hit. P.S. it better be a homerun!

CB

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

@tomfrazier

Secret SauceV: Another screenshot, secret weapon, whatever

A: Address how you will protect this secret sauce through scale, IP, barriers, exclusivity, etc

CB@tomfrazier

CompetitorsV: Logos in a list or chart or marketshare

A: Honesty is best here. It shows you’ve thought about who you are up against

IS@tomfrazier

TeamV: Faces and 1 line bio

A: Tell me why this combo is the ideal mix of hustler, hacker, designer and domain expert

NB@tomfrazier

TractionV: Compelling information. Numbers, growth, savings, faces, etc

A: Make the room believe that in X period of time you have achieved Y which shows you are on the right path

NB@tomfrazier

SummaryV: Product - Yes!, Team - Yes!, Can make money - Yes!, Traction - Yes!, The Ask!

A: Provide a quick summary of all content. Your one-liner pitch again, read all points on this slide. Success is in our future

NB@tomfrazier

The Potatoes (Delivery)

@tomfrazier

You brand is not pitching. You are.

Be Authentic

@tomfrazier

Take Us On An Emotional Journey.

Show/Tell A Story

@tomfrazier

It builds trust, confidence and offers theaudience something new.

Recency Is King

@tomfrazier

Constantly and subtlety show it.

Personal Credibility

@tomfrazier

The Gravy (Speaker Presentation Form)

Source: Nancy Duarte@tomfrazier

Extra Gravy (Anchoring Your Presentation)

Left = Today = Problem Right = Tomorrow = Your Solution

@tomfrazier

& keep pitchingThanks!

Awesome images from jdhancock on flickr!

@tomfrazier