The Art of the Pitch

January 20, 2013

Forget “I think, therefore I am.” For entrepreneurs, the salient phrase is “I pitch, therefore I am.” - Guy Kawasaki “The Art of the Start”

A Pitch is a Story

Do Your Homework

Get Organized

Start Strong

End with an Ask• Ask for the Money• Ask for the Sale• Ask for the Job• Ask for Advice/Mentorship• Make an Ask

Finish Early

Own the Stage• 2 minutes before you go “on”• Smile• Breathe • Make Eye Contact• Pace Yourself• Be Authentic• After: Ask for Feedback

Practice, Practice, Practice

• Practice EVERYWHERE• Practice the Q&A• Put together a Pitch “Gauntlet”• Find a Simon• Video tape yourself & review• Visualize Yourself NAILING the

PITCH!

Stupid Stuff Matters• A Picture is worth 1000 words• Font size minimum = 30• Watch font color versus

background• Just say no to animations • Exception to animations: bullets• One level of bullets

3 minutes - The Format3 minute pitch – timed5 Slides• Slide 1: Who You Are• Slide 2: The Problem• Slide 3: The Solution• Slide 4: How You Make Money• Slide 5: The Ask

5 minutes - The Format5 minute pitch – timed8 Slides• Slide 1: Who You Are• Slide 2: The Problem• Slide 3: The Solution• Slide 4: The “Magic”• Slide 5: The Market• Slide 6: How You Make Money• Slide 7: The Team• Slide 8: The Ask

Other SlidesOther Slides you might add for Investors:• Competition• Financial Projections & Key Metrics• Accomplishments to Date

Sales/Partners Pitch:• Slide 1: Who You Are• Slide 2: The Problem• Slide 3: The Solution• Slide 4: The “Magic”• Slide 5: Sales Model / Current Customers• Slide 6: Competitive Analysis• Slide 7: The Team• Slide 8: Demo• Slide 9: The Ask

Resources•“The Art of the Start” – G. Kawasaki• The Canaan Pitch Deck (slideshare)•Andrew Stanton TED Talk

The End

Questions???