Pitching to investors can be a gruelling task, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make the process a little less painful and stack the deck in your favour. We’ve compiled five of the best tips we’ve found below. If we’ve missed any then share them with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Tell a story

Humans love stories. They hold our interest and they tug at our heart strings. It may be tempting to hit investors with spreadsheet after spreadsheet of cold hard data, but how would you feel sat in a presentation while numbers whizzed across the screen? The story of your startup is one that only you can tell, so tell it!

Start with the solution

It’s tempting to start with a problem, but by starting with the solution you make sure that the audience immediately know where your product or service fits within that industry. You can then elaborate on information that strengthens your pitch and builds a picture of why your business is worth their investment.

Be concise

There’s nothing worse than a presentation that drags, especially for investors that want to know the facts so they can come to an informed decision as quickly as possible. Think of the quickest and most coherent way to explain what you do, why it’s unique, who your audience is and how you intend to make money.

Be enthusiastic

Enthusiasm is infectious. Investors want to know that the individuals they meet with are passionate about what they are doing, and the pitch is the perfect opportunity to not only demonstrate your expertise but your excitement about your business.

Prepare

That doesn’t just mean practicing your pitch until you can repeat it in your sleep, but getting ready for any potential questions or queries that your audience may throw at you. If you’re expecting these questions then not only do you have the opportunity to work the answers into your pitch, but if you do get quizzed then you’ll be a lot more confident answering them!