The goal is to attract investors. To achieve that, the deck should draw them in and pay to them. Don’t be just another pitch that they are able to hear, only to forget. Failure isn’t an option, and these are some of the typical errors that scream “Fail”:
1. The wrong investors One of the most costly errors made by businesses
looking at venture capital investment is not knowing who they’re meeting with. The wrong investors are an unnecessary waste of time and your time. Does your company fall into the category of what the company usually invests in, or is their field of expertise? Although you have a pitch that is fantastic, conducting some research prior to the presentation can help avoid the disappointment that comes with an unsuccessful pitch. Check out the kinds of companies that your investors have supported before. What is their size? Do they prefer established firms only, or can start-ups be considered? Also, ensure there aren’t any conflicts with competitors.
2. A universal pitch:
Different pitches stand out; canned pitches do not. You’re missing out on a massive chance by approaching each investor in the same way. They have different preferences and likes, which are the people you should be catering to. Not being aware of these is a significant error.
3. The difficulty of deciding what time to stop:
Once is a fluke, but more than that could be an issue that you’ll need to resolve before proceeding. In the event that one or more of your shareholders voice an issue with a particular section of the pitch, take note of their remarks carefully. If others raise the same concern making no changes will get you nowhere. Restart your pitch deck when it’s flawless.
4. Lifeless and dull First impressions can make the difference.
Dress up in a professional manner and engage your audience. The fact that you read your slides in a sloppy manner is a way to miss out on an opportunity to connect with your audience and evaluate the tone of your presentation. It’s true that most people have a significantly shorter attention span, so it is best to keep things short. It is essential to ignite a fire quickly. Slide after slide is likely to lose the interest of the viewers unless everyone shines.
5. Unprepared:
The sole reason why a potential investor would not ask questions is if they intend to reject you. Potential investors will need to know where their money will go and how you plan to go about it. Be aware that they owe nothing, not even their signature on a check. Before you begin your pitch, take note of the possible questions investors might ask and make sure that you have the appropriate answers for them in the wings. Be aware that specific questions could make you be defensive, and you should be ready to avoid reacting that way! There is nothing that can turn off potential investors faster than a company that thinks they are more intelligent than investors. They’ve made profits, so they must be doing things right.
6. Doing nothing to take advantage of an opportunity that is informal:
formal pitches are the best way to attract investors; however, when you see opportunities that aren’t formal, it is to be made use of. Requesting the opinion of prospective investors after giving the investor a brief overview can be followed by the formal invitation of your business to give presentations.
7. Not revealing changes:
Even investors who are passing at your presentation would like to know you respect their opinions and will listen to their critiques, mainly when you take action on their suggestions. Recalling them after a certain amount of interval has come to inform them that you’ve made adjustments in response to their suggestions shows that you’re willing to put in the effort needed to get things completed. Making sure that previous turndowns are not aware that you made fundamental modifications will ensure that you get no term sheets from these areas.
8. Infidelity Honesty is valued and for a reason.
If an investor talks about something that they think could be a risk, You will lose all credibility when you admit that you are aware of it. Be honest and stay clear of negative feedback about the issue you know about.
You’ve invested many hours in creating an ideal pitch deck. Be sure to prove it with every word you do or say. Beware of the most commonly made mistakes and see investors gather to get a chance to work for your company.