The "4" Minute Pitch

Below is a sample presentation outline which you may find helpful as you prepare your presentation:

INTRODUCTION (15 seconds) A single sentence on: Your name and company name The product or service you provide The uniqueness of your product/service

INDUSTRY (30 seconds) In what industry are you competing? Size, rate of growth and projected growth of the industry Industry trends Major competitors.

PRODUCT/SERVIC (100 seconds) What is unique about your product or service? How or why it serves a need? Competitive advantages Target customer profile Expected pricing and how it compares to competition Break even in sales/units

MANAGEMENT (30 seconds) Your relevant experience (but not your life history!) Your management team's qualifications Recent company history

FINANCING (30 seconds)

CLOSE (20 seconds)

How much money do you need? Do you want debt or equity? What will you use money for? Equipment, inventory, etc? Do you have a business plan available? Sumerise in one or two sentances.

Many of the Four Minute Forum presenters run out of time and have to cut their presentations short. This is usually due to the speaker trying to cram too much information or too many introductions into a short period of time. The three most common mistakes presenters make are:

1) not practicing their presentation ahead of time


2) using time consuming audio visual materials


3) spending too much time on management and company history

Remember, the purpose of the presentation is to get the audience interested in your company - interested enough to want to get more information from you. Think about how you can present your company in the most concise, clear manner possible. Keep in mind also that you will be asked a question or two from the Founders Forum panel. This will provide you an opportunity to present additional information on your opportunity if needed. And good luck!

Pitching


So, you have your product or service, you have your business plan, you've looked at the market and you've compiled your list of possible funding sources - what now?
It is time to sell your idea to those with the money - in other words, it's time to pitch.

Pitching in Writing:


Successful pitching is a combination of many things, but primarily - luck, timing and skill. To begin with, your initial pitch letter needs to:

• get to the right person;

• get to the point;

• get their attention;

• get their confidence that you are a pro; and

• not get too long-winded. Remember - the person you're aiming to entice into business with you is likely to get information overload every day. Keep it short, concise and simple.

Here are some suggestions that may help in the initial stages of pitching your idea.

Do your homework. Know about the investor you're approaching. Find out everything you can about them, their company, their operations and their mission. Show you fit in with their long-term vision.

Phone first. Call the company before you even put fingers to keyboard. Get a name - the right contact person to send your information to. If you don't do this, you may as well not send the pitch in at all.

Network, network, network. Yes, you've heard it a thousand times, and that's because it's true - networking is a great way to unearth contacts, and contacts often mean that pitching is that little bit easier. It is much more difficult to get a positive response from cold calling.

If someone is prepared to introduce you to a potential investor, you already have your foot in that proverbial door, before you even open your mouth.

Write a punchy pitch letter. A good pitch letter consists of a lead, a body and a close. Take the time to write a catchy lead that grabs their attention, then compose some brief and interesting text about your idea and lastly, wrap it up as fast as politely possible.

Your pitch letter is crucial to getting interest in your idea. Sometimes it is the only thing a potential investor has time to read, so if you lose them in the letter, you've lost them - period.

Pitching in Person:

But what if you get that "one in a million" chance to verbally pitch your idea, face to face to your intended target? Be it in an elevator, a party or a boardroom - here are some basic guidelines on how to survive the verbal pitch.

• Know this: verbal pitching is an art form comprised of about 50% solid homework and 50% improvisational skill. If you are not too good at public speaking, go and do a course, or start practicing in front of a mirror or your family or friends. Confidence is the key and you'll need lots of it to successfully verbally pitch your idea.

• Remember: you have about 60 seconds to win your target investor over. First impressions do count, so make sure yours is a good one. You're not only selling your business idea - you're selling yourself.

• Research, research, research. Be professional and be clear. Know what you're talking about inside-out. If you're not sure what you're pitching, neither will the investor, and you'll lose your chance of securing interest.

• The in-the-room improvisation requires a lot of instinct. Learn how to "read" the people listening to your pitch. If they start to glaze over - hit them with the best angle on your idea: clearly, succinctly and forcefully. This kind of pitching isn't called the "hard sell" for nothing!

• Be passionate about your business. If you are excited about it's potential and have backed up that excitement with cold, hard business research, the odds are that your target will "catch" your enthusiasm. If they themselves can't help you with your business, then they are likely to then suggest others you should talk to.

• Remember: they don't want your whole business plan repeated verbally, they want to know what your idea's about. If you can't tell them your business in a paragraph (about 1 minute), then you don't know your business at all. This is what you have to remember in pitching.

• Keep your pitch short (2-3 min), even shorter if the idea's pretty simple (1-2 min). You give someone a 15-20 minute pitch, they probably stop listening half way through.

The Ten Commandments for Verbal Pitching:


Know your business idea backwards and be professional, yet passionate.
Give the buyer an emotional/personal investment in the idea. If they're talking, let them.

Get them involved.


Your goal is to reach a point of intimacy. Be responsive, listen to them and hear what they want.

Don't rely on notes - they distance you. Have them, but don't rely on them. Include everybody present in your pitch (assistants too).

Make comparisons to successful businesses.

Don't pitch what you don't believe in. Know their business and their background well. Refer to it in the pitch.

Don't promise what you don't intend to deliver.

When it's sold, shut up.

Remember: You usually get just one shot at a pitch, so you better be great!

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