Five Mistakes that Result in Pitches that Strike Out

You come up with an excellent idea for a business or a way to solve a problem. However, the main showstopper is the budget or funding. If you have a good business idea but don’t have any money, you need investors. If you need extra equipment or a way to solve a company problem, you need to discuss things with management. Many a good idea gets shot down however because of lousy pitching. You can’t seem to get through to the powers at be. Here are five common reasons why:

Mistake Number 1: Is There is a Problem?

Start your pitch by getting to the point. Here ladies and gentlemen are the first-ever, easy-to-install, full-back coverage loofah back-scrub. You are guaranteed to thoroughly clean the hard-to-reach areas of your back making you feel cleaner and refreshed. Do not beat around the bush by saying: Did you know that blackheads also form at the back? That 60 percent of blackheads in the back form from lack of hygiene? Then coming up with boring stats and graphs and showing what you’re supposed to pitch at the last moment but when the time comes, your investors are bored and unreceptive. It should be the other way around. Describe your main problem first, then your product, then the details.

For your pitch to be delivered, you need to be understood clearly. People tend to speak fast when they’re nervous about presenting something. Can’t be blamed for that — when you’re in high school. In the world of business, getting understood by your audience is crucial. Be prepared with your presentation and speak slowly and clearly.

Mistake Number Two: Bad Delivery

For your pitch to be delivered, you need to be understood clearly. People tend to speak fast when they’re nervous about presenting something. Can’t be blamed for that — when you’re in high school. In the world of business, getting understood by your audience is crucial. Be prepared with your presentation and speak slowly and clearly.

Speaking of clearly, try and lose the accent. It’s not easy to find nuclear wessels in Alameda nor get authorized by saying 9–5-wictor-wictor (95VV). Hold practice sessions by yourself or with others to make sure you’re clearly understood.

And speaking of understanding, choose the right words. Try to articulate the proper terms, not to mention memorize everything that needs to be said. Frequent uhms and ahhs is a sign of poor preparation, and it’s a major turn off for investors.

Mistake Number Three: What Will Make Your Product Stand Out

There must be an essential difference or advantage between your brand and Brand X. What will make your brand stand out? What are your advantages? Ensure those can be patented, if not, they should be difficult to copy. For example, Our full-coverage back-scrub loofah is made of a soft but effective and cheap scrubbing material. This revolutionary loofah substitute is cheap to make and is ready for patenting. 95 percent of our test users are satisfied with the results with sixty percent saying they’ve had a good night’s sleep because their backs felt fresh.

That last sentence means that there must be figures and numbers to back up your claims. You need to have evidence that the product is as good as you say. And from there comes the confidence to pitch and speak.

Mistake Number Four: Too Much Info

There’s such a thing as too much information. While it’s good to remember the right technical words and present figures, what’s important is the heart of the presentation, not the other entrails. Our full-cover back scrub loofah can also massage your back as you move over it, thanks to a water-proof motor. Don’t bother mentioning how that motor came to be waterproof nor how much force and voltage the engine has.

Also, do not bother highlighting or referencing your sources unless asked to. The same goes for any plans or sales projections until your investors express interest.

Mistake Number Five: Bad Design

Simply put, your presentation and maybe even your prototype product need to look pretty enough to get your investors’ attention. Investors will tend to focus their attention at the colorful gifs and twinkling stars instead of taking an interest in your pitch. Make your presentation look professional but captivating at the same time. Not too captivating of course or your investors will be focused on your slides instead of what you’re saying. It’s not a sin to ask for professional help.

Pitching is not a natural process, but it is entirely manageable as long as you have faith and confidence in your idea. Just follow these simple rules and you could be the next successful startup or promotion could be around the corner.

Hey! I’m Tomer, an entrepreneur, and maker. You might know me from Mevee, Crane, and Shots, and now Slides among other products I’ve launched! This article is a part of a more extensive series I’m writing mostly based on my experiences and is mainly made of me and my team’s opinions.

I hope this helps you to avoid making the same mistakes I did, and remember to keep shipping!

This article is part of a series to help you with your startup launch and capital raise :

1. How To Build a Pitch Deck
2. How to Raise Venture Capital Money
3. How to Launch A Successful Startup Business
4. How To Value a Business
5. Five Mistakes that Result in Pitches that Strike Out
6. The Do’s and Don’ts for Pitch Decks
7. How To Master the Art of the Elevator Pitch
8. Watch Out For These Common Questions that Investors Ask
9. Five Pitch Deck Design Tips
10. What You Need To Know About Growth Hacking