Adding Power to Your Pitch

Today, almost all road show presentations include a well-designed, high impact PowerPoint presentation. In most cases, the presentation should be limited to 20-25 slides. Don’t read the text on your slides to the audience. Instead, use the slides as an outline for the story you are telling about your company. But remember to limit your presentation to about 20 minutes or you may lose the audience’s attention.

Dr. Michael Davis of The Graziadio School of Business and Management advises entrepreneurs to put every effort into the preparation of the road show. Then he says, “Practice the presentation as a team over and over until each member is fully comfortable both with his or her material and with possible questions or criticisms that may be raised.”

Most importantly, show your passion for your business. After all, if you are not excited about the company, why should investors be excited? Dr. Davis recommends hooking the audience at the very beginning of your presentation by telling them what excites you most about your company. Then move on to other key information, which includes:

• An overview of your business/industry
• The size of your market
• Key milestones or accomplishments
• Strategy for growth in the next 3-5 years
• Your team’s ability to carry out your goals
• The competitive environment
• Possible risks of investing in your company
• Company financials – past and present

(Read more of Dr. Davis’s advice by clicking: http://gbr.pepperdine.edu/003/ipo.html.)