Venture Capital For Dummies

Chapter 14

Planning Your Pitch

In This Chapter

Defining the scope and purpose of the pitch

Designing a new pitch

Knowing when to start pitching to investors

Measuring the success of the pitch

Keeping a positive and productive attitude

An investor pitch is the standard way that investors learn about you, your product, and your company. The pitch is meant to be short — always under an hour and almost always under 20 minutes. You are expected to convey tons of information in this short presentation, which is why pitching is an art form that you must practice.

In this chapter, we discuss the convention of the investor pitch. Even though the invitation to pitch to an investor may seem informal, there are definitely rules and traditions associated with the pitch. We outline the importance of the pitch, explain how to plan the pitch, and talk about the best attitude leading up to giving your pitch. (For a review of the process from initial screening to the party you plan after you close ...