WelcomeWelcome

Hacking the Pitching

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry““Hacking the Pitch"Hacking the Pitch"

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

- Hanhai Investment Inc., Startup University - SVSIAN- Startup Cofounders

Roy Terry at thePrimalPitch.com

A Tale of Two AngelsA Tale of Two Angels

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Have you attended other pitching sessions?

Bill and Steve…

=> Pitching needs disruption

Check-inCheck-in

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Questions and Goals for today

The Primal PitchThe Primal Pitch

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Tech, Slide Decks, VCs, Angels plus…

• The Structure of Clairity• The Inner Game• The Show biz• Live Coaching

Goal for today: Think Different about pitching. Structure and practice a better pitch.

A Hack?A Hack?

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

To Modify, co-opt or leverage an existing system so that it works much better for a specific goal

Donuts, Unix, and ear bones.

Hacking…• The Rules• The Code (mechanism)• The Mindset

Disclaimer Disclaimer

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

You’ll still need reality on your side!

…and…

Raising money might be a bad idea!

Hack #1 – Investor MindsetHack #1 – Investor Mindset

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Reflexive Beliefs

• There is strong competition

• Seen the idea before

• The market is “competent” at finding new ideas already

• You do not have magical abilities

• Odds of success about 100 to 1

• Adoption is highly questionable (most people don’t change)

• Hates: confusion, “it depends”, no traction, no “friends, fools, and family”, no Prototype

IMPLICATION: Stop practicing a bad pitch. Get Better

Hack #2 – Know your structureHack #2 – Know your structure

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Examples• The Movies: A script is structure• The typical News Story• Your Pitch!

• Good Structure creates understanding and positive emotion.• Failed structure creates frustration, resentment, rejection.• Structure embodies your story

Pitching is NOT for “Cowboys”

Knowing your structure is THE METHOD used by professionals to achieve reliable results!

“Secret sauce” (like nobody else)

Hack #2 – StructureHack #2 – Structure

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

• Overview

• Problem

• Solution

• Market and how to get it

• Business Model

• Ask

Insert Headlines

Here!

Tell of “old failed

solutions”, transition to

your discovery of the REAL

solution.

Notice! The embedded story:

•setting

•conflict

•struggle

•victory

•Happily every after

(creates good emotion)

Hack #3 – Understand “Stories”Hack #3 – Understand “Stories”

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

• 4 Key leverage points- Your inspiration to solve - Your solution discovery- Your Traction triumph- Your gritty problem solving

tactics

• Use some “Actualities” instead of stories

• 3 Images in every story: Problem appears, conflict ensues (the fight), Victory image of happiness

• ALWAYS: put the story in context by explain the meaning for the pitch.

Hack #4 – Did you prove the Hypothesis?Hack #4 – Did you prove the Hypothesis?

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

“This business opportunity justifies investment”

Unspoken Hypothesis of every pitch

Business Model +Evidence: MarketEvidence: TeamEvidence: Tech

Evidence: Traction

Hack #x – Steve’s ObservationsHack #x – Steve’s Observations

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Mark Lichman of MDITouch

Hack #5 – Break Habits and Mix it upHack #5 – Break Habits and Mix it up

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

• If you talk fast. Insert slow parts

• If you are always intense insert some kind of joke or humor

• If you get wound up about the technology, make a joke about it

Be Human and find ways to relate to the listeners

RESULT: You’re viewed as a better leader, better collaborator, more trustworthy and more likeable

Everybody has a “persona” and can get stereotyped – fight it.

Hack #6 – Feature you HEADLINES!Hack #6 – Feature you HEADLINES!

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

What get’s you to the fabled “WOW”? Put it early in the

structure!• Traction• Tech Prowess• Truly rock star team• Revenue• Endorsements (name dropping)• Media coverage

• IMPLICATION: If you have none of these, GO GET SOME!

Hack #7 – Get a “use case”Hack #7 – Get a “use case”

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Who, specifically, uses the product?

In what concrete situation?

By what “modality” do they use it?

How easy and different is the experience?

What’s the result?

Who gets paid by whom?

Hack #Bonus – Talk like a 12 year old!Hack #Bonus – Talk like a 12 year old!

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

“We do Chicken Right”

“The Friendly Skies”

“Think Different”

“1000 songs in your pocket”

“Get a winning pitch!”

Beware of: Buzzwords, Business speak, over qualification, too much detail, etc, etc….

Show timeShow time

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Practice with Live Coaching

Thanks!Thanks!

© 2014,© 2014, The Primal Pitch The Primal Pitch Roy TerryRoy Terry"Hacking the Pitch""Hacking the Pitch"

Roy Terry at thePrimalPitch.com

• Meetup.com: SVSIAN(SV Startup Incubation Acceleration Network)

• HanHai Investment Inc.• Meetup.com: Find Your Cofounder• Meetup.com: Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Toastmasters