How and what to pitch?Elevator pitch & Slide deck

Aleksandar Tasev27.11.2013

Elevator pitch

~30 Seconds

● Make a first impression● Sell● Open doors

Be prepared for opportunities: know your work, know what you want/offer.

Elevator pitch formula

[Product name]is a [Definition]for [Target customer]that [What job it does].Unlike [Competing or legacy alternative],our product [has Competitive advantage].

Google is a keyword search engine, for all Internet users, that finds the most relevant results.

Unlike Yahoo and Bing, it has the best Page Rank algorithm and smart auto-complete results.

Tips

Avoid internal corporate jargon:“My company provides integrated solutions to clients world-wide.”

Use examples - comparisons“Facebook for teenagers”

Pitching presentation - goals:

Establish competence and trustAttractive marketCompetitive advantageEliminate risks (validation)Profitable business model and forecastReasonable investment ask

In summary: Establish a compelling belief (knowing) in your vision!

Ideal presentation structure

1. Presenter general data2. Overview3. Team 4. Problem or Opportunity5. Unfair advantages6. Product Demo7. Sales & Marketing8. Competition9. Business model

10. Forecast11. Status & Milestones12. Sign off

A smooth introduction:

Logo

Name

Perhaps a tagline

1. Basic data

Create excitement

Communicate the elevator pitch!

Win the attention of the audience until the end.

2. Overview of what you are

3. Team

Establish credibility of the team:

Images titles and experiences of the members

Create a bridge towards the personal story…

How and why you came up with the idea

Why are you the best team to implement it!!!

4. Problem - Opportunity

Continue the story, from the team into problem & market

Establish a clear need or pain in the market

Market size

Customer profile

5. Unfair advantages

State your market advantages

How you fight competition or replacements

IP protection

Strategic partners

6. Product Demo

Don’t do live. Murphy’s law.

Use screenshots, diagrams, use cases.

Show not-implemented features.

Don’t show long videos.

7. Sales

Go to market strategy

Distribution channels

Capability, expertise

Status, traction?

8. Competition

Competition is good!

Demonstrate:● competence by knowing competition● you have it under control

Avoid saying “we are the only one”● shows incompetence● shows lack of market, + risk

9. Business model

Pricing

Highlight strengths in your model: suppliers, partners, customer segments

Key metrics: customer acquisition cost(CAC), customer lifetime value(CLV), monthly recurring revenue (MRR)...

10. Financial forecast

Show 3-5 years forecast, based on rock-solid assumptions from a detailed model.

Show profitability margin, IRR, payback period.

Make the investment ask.

How will you spend the money?

11. Status

Milestones:● Customer development● Launch● Traction● Revenue● Break even

12. Sign off

Product logo, tag-line, short elevator pitch(repeat)

Contact info:● twitter● email

During Q&A, this slide will be visible for 5-10 minutes. Use it.

Extra tips

Story● Weave a story throughout, that you and audience can identify with.

Content● Beautiful design, images, minimum text to support the story

Bottom up thorough competence● Have all your numbers and complete vision.

Swagger, confidence● Confident voice and non-verbal. Believe what you say. Energetic

Emotion● Don’t be stiff, be sincere, witty, passionate.

Be amazing and undeniable

Impress,Tell a story,

Engage, Get trust,

Show validation, Present Vision,

Show firm belief.Know the result.

Key: The strongest belief always becomes reality!Persuade by truly believing(knowing). First persuade yourself!!!