Techniques and mistakes to avoid for a winning pitch
Analyze My PresentationMaster these four areas to deliver presentations that captivate and convince
Your message should be understood in 30 seconds by someone outside your industry.
Your numbers and examples should be memorable 24 hours after the pitch.
The investor should be able to summarize your pitch in 3 points.
If you don't believe 100% in your project, nobody will invest.
Investors care about the market before your solution. Show the problem's magnitude first.
"Hi, I'm John and I founded SuperApp 2 years ago..."
"Every year, companies lose $2B because of X. SuperApp solves this."
Replace vague adjectives with concrete data proving traction.
"We have very strong growth and many satisfied customers."
"340% YoY growth, 2,400 active customers, NPS of 72."
Address weak points before they're raised. It shows self-awareness.
"(Waiting for) 'What about competition?'"
"You're probably wondering why Google isn't doing this. Here are 3 reasons..."
Don't say 'we're raising money'. Give the amount, use of funds, and timeline.
"We're looking for investors to accelerate growth."
"We're raising $500K for 12 months runway: 60% tech, 40% acquisition. Closing March 15."
A great pitch sounds natural because it's been rehearsed dozens of times.
"(Reading notes, hesitating on transitions)"
"(Perfect fluidity, anticipated Q&A, mastered timing)"
20+ slides with walls of text nobody reads. Investor tunes out by slide 5.
Maximum 10 slides. One idea per slide. Text supports your voice, doesn't replace it.
'We'll do $100M in 3 years' with no justification. Immediate credibility loss.
Show your assumptions. 'If we convert 2% of addressable market X, we reach Y.'
'We have no competition' = red flag. Shows you don't know your market.
List 3-4 competitors and explain clear differentiation on 1-2 axes.
Rushing at 200 words/minute. The investor retains nothing.
Practice with a timer. Better to say less but have it remembered.
'That's it, thank you, any questions?' Investor doesn't know what to do next.
'Let's schedule a 30-min call this week to discuss further. Here's my calendar.'
Ideally 5-7 minutes, followed by 10-15 minutes of Q&A. Demo days are often 3-5 minutes. Prepare both a short (3 min) and long (10 min) version to adapt.
Yes and no. Memorize the structure and key phrases (intro, numbers, conclusion). Keep flexibility on details to stay natural. Goal: seem spontaneous while being fully prepared.
Three techniques: 1) Deep breathing before starting, 2) Practice until it's automatic, 3) Remember the investor WANTS you to succeed—they're looking for deals. Nerves decrease with practice.
It's a good sign—shows interest! Answer briefly and return to your thread: 'Great question. [Short answer]. Coming back to traction...' Don't get derailed.
Minimum 30-50 times before an important pitch. Top founders rehearse 100+ times. Record yourself, show to friends outside your field, iterate on feedback.
Get detailed AI feedback in less than 2 minutes
Analyze My Presentation