slide decks

WelcomeWelcome

Pitching Explained: Structure and practice for a Winning Pitch

Presented by Roy TerryThePrimalPitch.com

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Pitching Explained""Pitching Explained"

Tuesday, 13 May 2014Hanhai Investment Inc.

Goals and QuestionsGoals and Questions


Challenge: Are you feeling Silly?Challenge: Are you feeling Silly?


How would you know? Pitch it!

Challenge: How to stand out?Challenge: How to stand out?


Jessica Livingston, co-Founder of Y Combinator describes Y Combinator “Demo Day” pitches:

Please click image to open Youtube video window

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66_obXGqt4o&feature=youtu.be&t=3m1s

Truths about PitchingTruths about Pitching


• An opportunity• Structure will make or break • Multiple modes of communication

(Personal, EMO, Evidence, Establish propositions)

• Brush your teeth! (practice)• Hidden benefits (thinking, progress, reality)

Pitching ExplainedPitching Explained


A conversation, 10 seconds to 15 minutes, designed to create interest, emotion and eventually action. We need the listener to

TAKE A RISK!Purposes:

• Find a co-founder• Money from your mom• Get accepted into a contest• Win a contest and find an Angel• Go to a VC office for a 1 hour meeting• “Due Diligence”!• Along the way: test validity of enterprise, test your passion and develop your passion. YOU must be the first total supporter!

Starting Points: SlidesStarting Points: Slides


Slide Decks• “standard” slide lists of 10 to 15 slides (David S. Rose, Steve Austin, Nathan Gold, et al. =>See YouTube and Slideshare• Problem, Solution, Market, Business (credit: Chris Lipp) • 10-20-30 Rule – Guy Kawasaki

Starting Points: SlidesStarting Points: Slides


Fly-by Examples

Starting Points: styleStarting Points: style


Styles are like movie genres: romance, drama, documentary, adventure…

“Meet Bob, he loves to … with Suzie, but …”Hi, at xyz we do xxx and here’s why? “Today there are over xxx Million..”Six months ago, I set out for a normal day and then…When I found myself at the top of Mount Everest I never expected my iphone to…

Watch COMMERCIALS to see how they get attention and introduce a problem.Watch winning pitches on YouTube.

Starting Points: DeliveryStarting Points: Delivery


• Flat? (the facts)

• Cool? (“Hey what’s up?”)

• Hollywood? (Wow!)

• Ideal

Pitching ImprovedPitching Improved


Practice and feed back clears Errors• Confusion (don’t put FUD in your own pitch)• Got Evidence? (if not then your audience will doubt)• Gaps (did you leave out the competition?)• FLAT delivery with no stories or actualities?

Mental, cultural, and habit blocks: Replace with1. It’s Showbiz so just get over it!2. Appeal to emotion AND logic3. Use stories and dialogue to connect the parts4. Be willing to sort of suck == maximum learning!

Pitching Explained – Structure (again!)Pitching Explained – Structure (again!)


Goal: A conversational message, 10 seconds to 15 minutes, designed to create interest, emotion and eventually action. We need the listener to

TAKE A RISK!Preferred Structure:• 10 second overview (What we do…)• The Problem (People, Pain, Frustration)• Your Solution (Cool, unique, practical,…)• The Market (Money, competition, timing,…)• The Business (How do you make money?)

Pitching Explained – Structure & EMOPitching Explained – Structure & EMO


The human, emotional level also operates at the same time…

Preferred Structure:• Overview => He’s OK, sane normal dude• Problem => He’s helpful passionate like me.• Solution => Bold, creative HERO• Market => Hero is also visionary leader• Business => AND he’s pragmatic (Wow!)

EMO Problem = Where’s the Bear?EMO Problem = Where’s the Bear?


BEAR == “The Problem” with passion, conviction, evidence

A mental shortcut

How’s this…..

Where’s the Bear?Where’s the Bear?


Illustration: Where’s the BEAR?Illustration: Where’s the BEAR?


Kindara Pitch Segment (leading with Problem):

“…Worst years of her life!”

11th “Founder Showcase” Runner up

Please click image to open video window

http://vimeo.com/46512342

Where’s the BEAR? DEMOWhere’s the BEAR? DEMO


Live DEMO1 volunteer to practice YOUR problem statement:

Listeners: Where’s the BEAR?see, hear, feel, sense?

No Cheating!

Where’s the BEAR? PracticeWhere’s the BEAR? Practice


ALL PRACTICE seated pairsGroups of 2, pick ‘A’ and ‘B’• A: Speak for 1 minute about problem• B: 10 seconds feedback• B: Speak 1 minute on problem• A: Feedback

No Cheating!

Debrief: ProblemDebrief: Problem


SOLUTION: How You Tamed the BEAR!SOLUTION: How You Tamed the BEAR!


When Solution is well delivered…

1. We’re surprised and delighted = “Wow”(we’re safe from bear and you are hero!)

2. Any doubts or complications will be addressed. (“don’t worry some things stay the same”)

3. We’ll realize how competitors would have a hard time duplicating your solution

4. We’ll hear why now is the best time to strike

What is your solution? Simplify, make analogies, tell a story of discovery.

BEWARE! This is usually Peak Skepticism

Solution: Taming the BEAR?Solution: Taming the BEAR?


Live DEMO1 volunteer to explain the solution:

Listeners: Sensible, intuitive, credible, unique, cool and

appealing?

No Cheating!

Solution: Taming the BEAR?Solution: Taming the BEAR?


ALL PRACTICE in seated pairsGroups of 2, pick ‘A’ and ‘B’• A: Speak for 1 minute about Solution• B: 10 seconds feedback• B: Speak 1 minute about Solution• A: Feedback

No Cheating!

Tame BEAR For Tame BEAR For The WorldThe World


This is your market opportunity description, including competition, go-to-market plan. AND Business Model

“HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY?”

Bonus structure caboose: The ‘Ask’Bonus structure caboose: The ‘Ask’


A pitch without an ask is just a presentation. A missed opportunity in most cases.

The ASK:• Describe the specific resources or actions wanted• What will the resouces allow you to do/accomplish?• How long will the tasks or accomplishments take?• What will be concrete added value to investor?• Be ready answer: What if you got less? Or More?

Bonus: Supporting detailsBonus: Supporting details


Depending on length, your pitch will address some or all of these aspects as well…

• The overview statement (of course)• How, in detail, does the solution work?• Describe traction, validation, customer testimonials, etc.• Cover Potential objections and practice Q/A• Revenue or promise of revenue!• A Demo or prototype• Advisors, Board members, and CoFounders Would I trust you to lead my Wagon Train West?

Example for review: EnigmaExample for review: Enigma


Presentation at TechCrunch

Overview? Problem? Solution? Bear?

Enigma at TechCrunch Disrupt, New York 2013 (Winner)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GM-TBzIlX8

QuizQuiz Answers Answers


1. World’s shortest and biggest Pitch?2. Why was Steve Jobs moody?3. Is the pitching game more like…

• A gold rush? (just be first!)• A TV reality or game show? (no

inhibitions or manners?)• A marriage? (serious money)

WrapWrap


• Follow a pitch structure!!!!! No pitch can succeed w/o a clear structure and simple language. Repetition is your friend!• If you can’t remember, it’s too complicated!• Reality on your side: stories, actualities, rapport• Practice meeting objections and Q/A• Watch YouTube and COPY the good

Closing thoughts about VCs and Pitching


Ben Silbermann – coFounder Pinterest


http://youtu.be/KYQHPHYs2Os?t=11m3s

Thanks!Thanks!


Roy Terry at thePrimalPitch.com

• Meetup.com: SVSIAN(SV Startup Incubation Acceleration Network)

• HanHai Investment Inc.• Meetup.com: Find Your CoFounder• Meetup.com: Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Toastmasters

Primal Pitch Cheat Sheet!Primal Pitch Cheat Sheet!


Process1. Where’s the BEAR?2. How did you tame that BEAR problem?3. How will you tame that BEAR for the whole WORLD?Audience Test 1: Did you see, feel, sense, and respond to the BEAR? 2: Did you feel relieved and say “wow” when you learned the

solution? 3: Did you nod and approve of the whole world plan?Spice it up!

• Tell us the pain and suffering when the bear wins.• Give a story about how you discovered and realized solution

was GREAT• Quote positive comments of others: users, analysts, etc.• Give a number of people who love being free from the bear.

slide decks

Documents