You probably feel confident and excited about the new product you are about to launch. But, what if your investors don’t feel the same way? We’ve compiled a list of common mistakes entrepreneurs make when pitching their business to investors, so you can avoid them.
Not Having Realistic Market Figures
“Everyone is our market” is not a realistic statement, and sounds like you did not do your research. Understanding your market potential is important for making a number of strategic decisions including distribution and product development. To accurately estimate market size, first define your customer, then estimate the number of customers, and finally estimate the penetration rate of your product.
Having a Long Presentation and Summary
Investors have a short attention span. For this reason, it is best to keep both your executive summary and presentation deck as succinct as possible. While it is tempting to write a 50-page summary with every detail, stick to a few pages with only the most essential information. The same goes for an in-person presentation.
Not Including Your Best Employees
Investors don’t only care about the CEO of a company, they want to know that you have a competent staff as well. If you don’t allow your employees to speak at a presentation, you also run the risk of looking like you have an ego and don’t allow your employees to contribute.
Being Over the Top
Inject some personality into your presentations and documents, but don’t be so flamboyant you appear to be difficult to work with. It is possible to go to such lengths to make a presentation entertaining that you end up appearing unprofessional. Show your passion and humor, while maintaining poise.
Being Negative
Nobody wants to work with a complainer! If you are pitching to investors, focus on the positive. Don’t blame past failures on prior partners or investors and certainly don’t blame bad luck! This will make the impression that you are difficult to work with or don’t take responsibility for your company. Think of it as an interview. Nobody wants to hire the person who speaks poorly of their former employer.
If you have a great product, AsSeenOnTV.pro would love to hear from you! Contact us at www.asseenontv.pro for more information on marketing your product.