- Jun. 14
- Richard Parker
Win over New Investors with These Tips for Your Business Pitch
When you are just starting out with a new company, one of the first things you need to do is find some funding. This money will be essential in covering all of the important startup costs that you might face. Without it, you might really struggle to get your new business up and running.
The best way to find that all-important funding is to approach investors. There are lots of professional investors who put their money into new companies in the hope that they will grow and make them a huge profit. Think that could be your business? If so, you will need to start pitching to investors and tell them why you think they should trust you and your company with their money. Here are some tips to help you nail your business pitch.
Don’t Make Them Come to You
Investors are very busy people, and they may not be so willing to travel to your office. That’s especially the case if they aren’t based in the same city as you. So, you should offer to visit them if they have the time for a meeting. However, some investors might prefer you to pitch over the phone. This is becoming increasingly common. If that is the case, make sure you have one of the reliable business phone systems in place so there is no risk of the call cutting out. Not only that, but these systems should also make it cheaper to call any international investors too.
Make Your First Impression Count
If you do meet with investors in person, you really need to make your first impression count. Some investors might be quick to judge and could base their final decision just on what they first thought of you! So, be sure to dress smartly and to always conduct yourself in a professional way. You should also introduce yourself to everyone who is in the meeting. After all, you may never be quite sure who will have the final say on whether you get the money or not!
Don’t Beat Around the Bush
The investors will really appreciate you being straight to the point about the kind of money you are after. It’s also important that you are completely transparent and explain everything about your business. Once the investors do hand over their money, they will have a stake in the company and you will need to disclose everything to them. It’s better to disclose everything right from the start so that there are no nasty surprises for them at a later stage.
Practice Makes Perfect
Make sure you don’t try to give your pitch without going through it at least once before. In fact, it will pay off to practice it as much as possible. It could be worth trying to pitch your managers to see what they think. They will be able to tell you what went well and which bits of the pitch should be improved.
Hopefully, these tips help you land some new investment!