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FAVORITE TIPS FOR INVESTOR PRESENTATIONS

I am betting that most of us have seen “good” investor presentations and many undoubtedly also have seen investor presentations that were “not-so-good”. Reflecting on all the sweat & tears that it takes to put the company together and build a pitch … then the 10x effort that it takes to generate each opportunity to deliver that pitch… it is just plain tragic to take a risk on a not-so-good outcome.

I have learned a lot from past mistakes… and spent some time recently reviewing past notes and various advice sources on this topic. I have given credit to these sources below… and these will provide anyone interested with good starting points for further reading on investor presentations.

Here is a compilation of notes that I hope can be useful:

  • The “pitch” will be your primary and critical communication tool!

  • Plan on updating it frequently… possibly after every practice presentation, and almost definitely after every investor delivery = learning experience.

  • Don’t hesitate to customize your pitch for your audience… the more you know about a potential investor, the more you can tailor the pitch toward success.

  • The pitch you deliver will depend on the current stage you and the investor are in. Do your homework! You likely will need versions for:

  • Elevator Pitch

  • Email Pitch…

  • Be sure to craft a company profile “one-pager”.

  • In-person presentation

  • Likely you will need both a full and a brief version.

  • A more complete version with back-up info for handling questions.

  • General principles

  • Keep it as short as time permits.

  • Practice… practice… practice…

  • …with coworkers, friends, family, pets…

  • DO NOT read from your slides!

  • Your professional wording & delivery make all the difference.

  • Tell a compelling story

  • Define the Problem

  • Show a demo, if possible

  • Articulate your Product’s Value

  • Talk up your Team

  • Some special “DON’Ts”:

  • DON’T evade questions… anticipate possible difficult questions.

  • DON’T try to hide the risks

  • DON’T forget an exit strategy

  • DON’T neglect your business plan…

  • Yes: a more complete written plan will be expected after your pitch generates interest.

  • Some critical “DOs” for medical devices:

  • Include a level of clinical background info appropriate to the audience

  • Outline Regulatory and Reimbursement pathways

  • Go BIG on Market Potential

  • Describe your Revenue Model & Marketing Strategy

  • Accurately describe the Competitive Landscape

  • DO outline Use of Funds and the impact of the investment you are seeking.

  • LISTEN to your audience

  • Project confidence

  • Lessons from Hard Knocks:

  • Begin at the END…

  • Begin your pitch with your “Ask” … what are you looking for? …

  • … and the overall exit strategy that you plan.

  • BALANCE the Impossible!

  • Keep it brief… but don’t leave out details

  • Present the Positive Picture… but be realistic

  • Wrap it up with your Ask and clear Next Steps


SOURCES

1. Nimesh Shah, currently with K2 Hth Ventures , provided great concepts in an article written for MDDI by journalist Arundhati Parmar

2. Finmark has many helpful points from Josh Krissansen.

3. Bennett Conlin wrote a “How to…” article in BusinessNewsDaily

4. Catherine Cotȇ wrote in HBR Online

5. Fundable publishes an Investor Guide

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