Before you can pitch a group of venture capitalists, they have to actually agree to meet with you. Securing that initial meeting can sometimes be as hard as getting the financing itself.
The first thing you'll need to consider is pitching a VC firm that is closely tied to your specific business sector. There are various websites out there with venture capital directories, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get your hands on one. Once you've found a firm that you'd like to pitch, find a way to get introduced to either the firm or a particular venture capitalist. It's far more effective than cold calling or sending mailings. You can try reaching out to respected experts in your field and attempt to work out an introduction. You could also attend seminars or panel discussions that are put on by VC associations.
After you've secured a meeting, then you need to start doing some prep work. First and foremost, write a business plan, if you haven't already. Your business plan is most likely the first thing that the VC firm will want to see. It will also give them their initial impression of you, so don't take this step too lightly. It will also help you prepare for an intense due diligence process in case the firm shows interest in your company.
Giving the actual presentation is no easy task. It takes courage and intelligence, so do yourself a favor and be well-prepared to answer a wide array of questions. Focus on the problem you are solving and how your solution is different from others. Identify potential customers with specifics, not vague general references to ?parents? or ?young women.? You'll of course want to give projections about how much money you will need to reach your goals, but make sure to be realistic. If you're not, then you could destroy your credibility in the eyes of the firm. The same goes for explaining the abilities and experience you have that makes executing the business plan possible. If you overstate your abilities, you'll look like you're just trying to inflate your own ego. It's unnecessary. VCs realize that most founders will need to build a broader team once they get the money.
The goal of your pitch should be to pique the VCs? interest and make them excited to learn more. They are not going to make a final decision on anything based on your initial meeting, so don't feel the need to overload them with every possible piece of information right off the bat. Give them enough to keep them engaged and energized.
There are a few other things to remember about a VC pitch. Only bring the people who are truly essential to the pitch itself. There may be people who are going to be a part of the business once it gets going, but if they aren't absolutely necessary to the pitch, then they don't need to be there. Don't rely too heavily on PowerPoint. The slides are only meant to support the messages, not be the message. Listen carefully to the VCs? questions, and make sure you are actually answering them. This sounds simple, but many entrepreneurs prefer to talk about the things that they think are important and end up never fully answering the questions. Also, follow up the meeting by promptly providing any and all information that the VCs requests and check back to make sure they got it.
