Whether we like it or not, investors make a judgment on your company and yourself before meeting you; and you usually have 3 to 10 seconds before they make a judgement on the day of the meeting.

No pressure, right?

Another thing to understand is that, with the number of decks received by an investor, they are more likely to say “no” than to say “yes” to you.

Consultancy32 has acquired extensive knowledge in training hundreds (each year) of CEOs prior to a fundraising, from series A to D. Although there are nuances between rounds of funding, there are also common principles to take into account.

As we coach startups from different continents, countries, backgrounds, sectors and maturity, we understand what works best and the common pitfalls to avoid when pitching to investors.

Here Are Our Top 10 Fundraising Tips:

1. Tailor your pitch – Don’t use the same script for every investor.
2. Pitch with emotion – Don’t read your slides. Show passion and conviction.
3. Know your audience – Align your message with their objectives and background.
4. Avoid jargon – Never assume the investor understands all technical terms.
5. Don’t dominate the conversation – Ask thoughtful questions. A dialogue is better than a monologue.
6. Nail your elevator pitch – It’s often more critical than the investor deck.
7. Be ready to proactively respond to fundamental questions — Prepare for “Why us?”, “Why now?”, and “As an investor, why should I invest?”
8. Align verbal and non-verbal communication – Avoid crossing arms, hiding hands, excessive movement, or forgetting to smile.
9. Don’t pressure the investor – Take the time needed to create a real dialogue. We have seen startups that weakened calls because they repeatedly said that they had another meeting in a few minutes.
10. Keep your deck concise – Clear, compelling, and to the point. Remember that communication is not what you say but what your audience hears and does.

Convincing an investor takes time. It’s a long term dance. You’ll likely meet more than once.

But the first impression is key.

Share just enough to intrigue while making it clear you’ve prepared specifically for them. Put yourself in their shoes: how would you feel if a startup repeated a pitch learnt by heart and if they didn’t know your background & interests? Would you stay or would you run away?

Jokes aside — if you’re a CEO preparing to meet investors and want to be sure you’re truly ready, get in touch. We’d be glad to support you on this journey, no matter if you have a natural sense of rhythm or not!