A Totally Underrated Pitch Skill

We are in the height of conference season here, which usually means demo days, showcases, investor nights, and pitch panels.

People are pitching left and right! And, this usually means you will hear some really great presentations…and some that miss the mark.

As a founder, not only should you take a minute to see what worked and resonated with you as a listener but also make note of where the speaker lost you. (Or where your mind drifts to your to-do list rather than to their innovation...)

Because, this is inline with what we are talking about today in this Question of the Day around pitching.

Startup founders from the very early stage to those raising their first proper seed or pre-seed round have came to me advice—and a lot of the times it is around the pitch. From decks around novel therapeutics to disaster relief services, alternative proteins from insects and business consultancies, I have seen it all. (I could probably write a book around pitching advice, but hey maybe something like that is in the works!)

But, just to keep it brief for you on a Sunday night, I wanted to share with you a few quick pointers you could apply today.

In various startup pitches, what impressed me most was not what was in the writing or slides, but what was left out.

Self-editing is one of the most underrated pitch skills an entrepreneur can have.

We—as human nature—love talking about ourselves. And the same is true when it comes to our venture. Oftentimes, we are so excited to share the ins and outs of our invention and solution, that we often lose the storytelling arch in the process.

So, instead of an investor, partner or client joining us on a communication journey, they are bombarded with a freight train of information that leaves their head spinning.

You need to reframe the way you pitch as a trailer for your business than the full length Oscar film, and though this sounds good in theory, many do not implement this in practice.

So, how can you practically self edit that deck or pitch script today? Here are five tips to help you self edit:

Do a slide audit

• Think about the how long you actually have to pitch versus how many slides you have. Example: if you have a five minute pitch and 22 slides, that is roughly 13 seconds per slide…is that reasonable given the amount of information you want to portray? Do the math and check yourself.

• Take a look at your text to image ratio. If your slides look more like a class presentation, PhD viva, or a McKinsey proposal, you probably have too much text and information to process on them.

• A simple audit can help clean up information overload.

Conduct a pitch edit session on your verbal pitch

• Actually run through what you want to say on every slide. So many people do not do this, but it is essential. Be ruthless about the way you edit your pitch script.

• Do you repeat yourself, waffle along on your features, or use vague language? Then we need to take an axe it. If you repeat yourself, cut it. If you get lost in the weeds of jargon, edit it out!

Practice, practice, practice

• Making slides is not practicing them... You should verbally practice your presentation well in advance (and multiple times) before a big event.

• Record yourself pitching or review it with a fellow startup founder or mentor. You can go down rabbit holes of rambling without you even noticing (but someone else will!)

Look at your slide designs and copy with fresh eyes

• Anytime I need to make changes or edit, I look at it first thing in the morning with coffee. That is when I work best. The worst thing I think you can do is rush your slides or pitch and not letting it ‘sit’. Put your deck or pitch away for a day or two and look at it with a new viewpoint at a time you are your sharpest.

• (Often times founders will look back at their old pitches and see a few mistakes that are blatant as well with sleep, coffee, or both!)

Know when to call in professional help

• Don’t always trust what you get from ChatGPT. If your pitch is sounding robotic or forced, don’t be afraid to call in help.

• If you need additional coaching, 1:1 pitch workshop, or a investor prep review, look at calling in a mentor, expert, or a business coach for that third-party expert feedback

Let me know what you do to self edit in the comments or if you have any great tips for you to share!

And have a question you’d like to submit? I would love to hear about your own QoD here, and it may be answered in a subsequent edition!

If this has been useful to you or if you have feedback to improve, please drop me a quick line. Or share with a friend!