How to Give a Great Sales Pitch III

You’ve got an important sales presentation to a group of potential investors or partners who have the money necessary to make your deal a success. Are you prepared? In this last part of our three part series, guest entrepreneur Creag Banta gives you the guidelines for the presentation of your pitch.

Know what you want.

Never ever be vague or generic.
Type of investment
Amount
Timing and consequences of timing.

Ask for it!

Describe investment requirements and investment exit strategy
Use multiples not percentages – What is in it for the investor
Buy-out, acquisition, public offering – How much and when

Prove it:

Prove you can sell your product or service by selling your investment.
Your presentation demonstrates to investors your ability to manage your team and your team’s ability to promote and sell your product or service.

Know the investor sales cycle.

Work this defined process well.
Include exit strategies.

Always, always get a next step:

Who – a specific person, not “we”
When – a date and time specific, not “sometime next month”
What – a specific action or deliverable, not “let’s discuss”

Ask for a commitment.

“When we do this will you do that?”

Three acceptable outcomes:

Here is your money.
Explicit next step: Who, When, What.
Explicit “NO” we are not going to do this deal at this time.

Do not get caught in a “Southern No”. Do not accept a, “Call me back later next week” without a defined next step, just sort of stumbling forward. A “NO” now is much better than a “NO” later. Saves time and focuses effort.

Summary:

Know what you want, ask for it, prove you deserve it, leave with the money or with an explicit next step.