♞ 5-point checklist before pitching

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5-point checklist before pitching

In my newsletters, I try to provide you with every edge possible to help you raise funds, from psychology tips to examples, deck breakdowns, and much, much more.

The reality, however, is that at a fundamental level, pre-seed pitching is really all about reducing investors' fear and helping them feel like you are someone who can be successful and that this idea is the one that you will be successful with.

There is just so little data to go on at this stage that it really does come down to instinct. That being said, there are a few key points that can help investors build trust and faith in you and your company. Here is a short five-point checklist that I would go through before you even decide to start pitching or talking to investors…

1. Have you ever done something difficult? This may seem weird, but investors like to know that you’ve shown an ability to overcome and adapt when times get hard. Being a founder is extremely difficult, and without evidence that you can overcome, even with the best pitch, investors will be concerned that it will all fall apart when you hit your first major roadblock.

2. Have you ever built something? Building something is hard. There is a big difference between an idea and a product. Whether it is this company or something in the past. Have you ever built something? This is something investors need to know.

3. Can you sell? With the rise of AI, building products is becoming increasingly easy. Being able to market and sell is the new challenge. Can you do it? Do you have proof?

4. Are you solving a real problem? Once they know that you are someone who is determined, can build and can sell, they want to know that you are focused on solving the right problem. The first step is figuring out if that problem even exists. You should have plenty of evidence of the pain points that your target consumer is facing.

5. Is your unique perspective believable? Every startup believes one thing that the market incumbents don’t. What is that? And is it good enough to put millions of dollars into your business believing you can unseat incumbents? That is the challenge. You need to convince investors that you have a billion-dollar perspective.

If you can’t answer yes to all five of these questions, then it likely isn’t worth your pitching at all.

Are you looking to grow your business? Here is how I can help:

📱 Book a Strategy Call to get 1:1 feedback on your pitch, pitch deck and/or fundraising strategy. (If you need general startup advice, then reply to this email, and I’ll let you know if/how I can help.)

Onwards and Upwards,

Liam Gill