3 ways to get investors to take your pitch seriously
I’ve spent the last 24 years as a charity auctioneer on stages around the world selling anything and everything to potential bidders. From Robinhood to Goldman Sachs, the biggest names in business and philanthropy entrust me to win over audiences and secure the sale. When I give talks about selling, I always kick things off with one simple question: What’s the most important part of sales? The answers I get are all over the place and sometimes hilarious: persuasion, charm, bringing good snacks . . . but few people get it right. The most important part of sales is listening. This fact is just as true when you’re pitching investors as it is when you’re closing a deal. If you want investors to take you seriously, your pitch can’t be a one-size-fits-all presentation. It has to be tailored to their interests and needs. Your goal should be to meet your audience where they are, not where you are. Here are three surefire ways to make sure you stand out the next time you’re pitching a crowd. 1. Know your audience Before you craft a single bullet point on your deck, ask yourself: Who am I pitching to? What do they invest in? What gets them excited? What have they backed in the past? If your business doesn’t immediately fit into their portfolio, find a commonality to draw them in. Help them draw the line from what they know to what you’re offering. Show them how your vision connects to their world, even if it takes a little creativity. As a charity auctioneer, I’m often handed a sheet of paper with 10 lines about a trip or an item being auctioned off, then am told to get on stage and simply “Raise a million dollars.” I only loosely employ the notes I’m given; I think of them as a reference point rather than the selling point. Because a powerful pitch isn’t about reading a sheet of paper and regurgitating facts—it’s about telling a story that taps into the audience’s emotions. I find the pain point or the dream, and I make it personal. When you’re pitching investors, do the same. Don’t just sell your product. Sell the feeling. Sell the why. Tell the story. 2. Find common ground and lead with it In public speaking, I tell people to “sell to the thing that unites you with the person across the table.” Investors care about your margins, absolutely, but they need to connect with you and believe that you are the type of person they want to invest their time and energy in for the long term. Start your pitch with something that grounds everyone. I like to start with something simple like: “It’s late in the day. I know you’re tired, but I want you to know I’m going to bring the energy to keep you awake.” That simple acknowledgment shows you are invested in making your time with them as engaging as possible. Then, personalize the pitch. If you looked at their website and saw nothing like your potential investment, address it head on instead of shying away from it: “I saw that you’ve invested in sustainable materials and emerging markets. You might be wondering why you’d invest in a platform for teachers—but here’s the connection . . .” Don’t let your audience sit there wondering why they’re in the room. Tell them. Draw the bridge. Find the thread that links your vision to their interest. And if you’re pitching something they might be inclined to dismiss—say, a luxury product to a tech investor—be ready to pivot. During auctions, I am constantly coming up with different ways that someone might use the item I’m selling. A few weeks ago, a nonprofit was delighted to tell me they had secured a ski house in Aspen for their charity auction gala. While they were excited, I thought about it differently. Not everyone likes to ski, nor do they want to visit somewhere in the cold weather. I immediately asked them “Can the house be used in the summer too?” The broader the appeal, the stronger your pitch. Don’t get shut down before you even begin. The more ways you can encourage someone to view what you are selling, the better chance you will have of selling it. 3. Do the work before you get in the room The best place to hear a tough question? In the comfort of your living room. When you are preparing for a big presentation, practice until it looks like you are a natural. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it count. Rehearse the pitch with people who don’t know your business inside and out. Their questions will expose assumptions you didn’t know you were making, and help you refine your message so it lands with confidence. Practice in front of friends, family, former colleagues, or anyone willing to poke holes in your presentation. The harder the questions, the better. You want to know your blind spots before you get in the room with an investor.
I’ve spent the last 24 years as a charity auctioneer on stages around the world selling anything and everything to potential bidders. From Robinhood to Goldman Sachs, the biggest names in business and philanthropy entrust me to win over audiences and secure the sale.
When I give talks about selling, I always kick things off with one simple question: What’s the most important part of sales? The answers I get are all over the place and sometimes hilarious: persuasion, charm, bringing good snacks . . . but few people get it right. The most important part of sales is listening. This fact is just as true when you’re pitching investors as it is when you’re closing a deal.
If you want investors to take you seriously, your pitch can’t be a one-size-fits-all presentation. It has to be tailored to their interests and needs. Your goal should be to meet your audience where they are, not where you are. Here are three surefire ways to make sure you stand out the next time you’re pitching a crowd.
1. Know your audience
Before you craft a single bullet point on your deck, ask yourself: Who am I pitching to? What do they invest in? What gets them excited? What have they backed in the past? If your business doesn’t immediately fit into their portfolio, find a commonality to draw them in. Help them draw the line from what they know to what you’re offering. Show them how your vision connects to their world, even if it takes a little creativity.
As a charity auctioneer, I’m often handed a sheet of paper with 10 lines about a trip or an item being auctioned off, then am told to get on stage and simply “Raise a million dollars.” I only loosely employ the notes I’m given; I think of them as a reference point rather than the selling point. Because a powerful pitch isn’t about reading a sheet of paper and regurgitating facts—it’s about telling a story that taps into the audience’s emotions. I find the pain point or the dream, and I make it personal.
When you’re pitching investors, do the same. Don’t just sell your product. Sell the feeling. Sell the why. Tell the story.
2. Find common ground and lead with it
In public speaking, I tell people to “sell to the thing that unites you with the person across the table.” Investors care about your margins, absolutely, but they need to connect with you and believe that you are the type of person they want to invest their time and energy in for the long term.
Start your pitch with something that grounds everyone. I like to start with something simple like: “It’s late in the day. I know you’re tired, but I want you to know I’m going to bring the energy to keep you awake.” That simple acknowledgment shows you are invested in making your time with them as engaging as possible.
Then, personalize the pitch. If you looked at their website and saw nothing like your potential investment, address it head on instead of shying away from it: “I saw that you’ve invested in sustainable materials and emerging markets. You might be wondering why you’d invest in a platform for teachers—but here’s the connection . . .”
Don’t let your audience sit there wondering why they’re in the room. Tell them. Draw the bridge. Find the thread that links your vision to their interest. And if you’re pitching something they might be inclined to dismiss—say, a luxury product to a tech investor—be ready to pivot.
During auctions, I am constantly coming up with different ways that someone might use the item I’m selling. A few weeks ago, a nonprofit was delighted to tell me they had secured a ski house in Aspen for their charity auction gala. While they were excited, I thought about it differently. Not everyone likes to ski, nor do they want to visit somewhere in the cold weather. I immediately asked them “Can the house be used in the summer too?” The broader the appeal, the stronger your pitch. Don’t get shut down before you even begin. The more ways you can encourage someone to view what you are selling, the better chance you will have of selling it.
3. Do the work before you get in the room
The best place to hear a tough question? In the comfort of your living room.
When you are preparing for a big presentation, practice until it looks like you are a natural. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it count. Rehearse the pitch with people who don’t know your business inside and out. Their questions will expose assumptions you didn’t know you were making, and help you refine your message so it lands with confidence. Practice in front of friends, family, former colleagues, or anyone willing to poke holes in your presentation. The harder the questions, the better. You want to know your blind spots before you get in the room with an investor.
