The pitch is an essential part for a start-up, as it can make you get the investors you need, clients or even partners. Here are some key points to keep in mind to make a good presentation:
1. Work on managing your emotions
You may feel anxious or insecure when speaking in front of a large audience… Train as much as possible to be more relaxed and express yourself better. This can help you react well to anything unexpected.
2. Remember, the brevity is the soul of wit
You only have a few minutes for your pitch! You have to be clear and get the attention of your listeners, be specific and spend your time on what is really important to say.
3. Introduce yourself
Name your company, your work group…
4. Make sure that your pitch contains some key points
What need have you identified and what solution do you provide? What differentiates you from other possible competitors? Road map, what phase is your project in? What technology are you going to use in your project? Is your opportunity to show the potential it has. A visual support could be helpful.
5. Be realistic
Explain the knowledge you have needed for the project. Make it understandable, don’t use technical terms if it’s not necessary and give examples to better understand how your product works without overestimating its possibilities.
6. Empathy always helps
If you were the investor, what would you like to hear? Be clear and listen to the attendees. You can investigate to know who your listeners are.
7. Beware of not speaking too fast
Less is more in terms of quantity of information. Warning!
8. Close your pitch with your solution
It would be a good idea to close your pitch with the solution that your product gives for emphasising it.
9. Prepare potential questions
Pitching in front of someone as a training can help you predict potential questions. It is human not to have all the questions answered, don’t be afraid to say that you need to dig deeper into the question.
10. Train yourself!
Think of the pitch as if it was a theatre performance, train the non-verbal communication too (voice, gestures, posture, eye contact, interaction…). The appearance is also important, take your clothes and the background into account.
11. Adopt the right attitude
And last but not least: having the right attitude is so important! Be natural and do not say the automated speech from memory… It will make your speech more fluent. Share your energy, show your motivation and smile, it is contagious.
These are some of our tips to make an excellent pitch! Making a pitch requires skills to sell your idea, it’s a chance to make a marketing strategy for your product and if it’s well done, it can be the beginning of new opportunities. We hope we have helped you take another step in your project.
If you are a student, entrepreneur or start-up active in the brain area, don’t miss this opportunity to impress our jury members with those trips and tricks at the Brain Innovation Days Pitch Competition. The application process is currently underway and is open until 30 November 2020.
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