Many founders know every detail of their product and still feel uncomfortable in front of investors. That is normal. Confidence comes from preparation: knowing your material and practising out loud, not just reading through the slides.
I’ve screened more than 30 pitches for Keiretsu Forum London. One thing I see confident founders do differently is their physical presence. They look relaxed and confident, and you can see it before they say a word. When they speak, they keep a measured pace, neither too fast nor too slow, and you can hear every word. They guide the audience through the business and pause to give them time to take in what they are hearing. There is a logic and a flow that leads to a clear conclusion, and these are often the founders who win the investment.
Rehearse the argument, not a script
Know what each part of the pitch is meant to achieve. Practise saying the same point in different words, so that a forgotten sentence does not throw you. You want to sound like you are explaining something to someone, not reciting it.
Pause
When you reach a key result or your funding request, stop for a moment and let the investor take it in. Speaking faster does not solve a lack of time. Cutting material does.
Make your delivery support your evidence
Look at the investors. Stand or sit still. Point to a slide only when it helps you make your point. Do not apologise for your presentation, and do not say “sorry, I’ll go quickly” or “I’m running out of time”. Both undermine what you are about to say.
When the nerves hit
Nerves usually hit just before you start, but they can also appear when you get flustered, perhaps by an unexpected, difficult question. Know this: the investors want you to succeed. Say that to yourself when the nerves kick in. Then pause. Take a deep breath, hold it for two or three seconds and let it out gently. That gives you time to regroup and carry on. I still do this when I present.
Practise the whole meeting
Run through the opening, the moves between slides, the funding request and the questions that follow. An investor pitch is a conversation about a business, not a performance. The best delivery makes that conversation easier to have.
Check your delivery
- Can you explain each section in your own words, without the slides?
- Do you pause after your key points?
- Do you look at the investors, not the screen?
- Have you practised the opening, the funding request and the questions out loud?
Want help with how you deliver your pitch?
Send me your pitch deck along with a short summary, and we can arrange a run-through.