Our brains are wired to make snap judgments about our surroundings and the people around us. We remember the most memorable events, how someone made us feel, how they carried themselves, and how they expressed crucial information. Your potential investors are no different! However, our Advisors know that navigating this world can be tricky, so we’ve put together some valuable tips to help you make a lasting positive impression on investors and land your initial investment.
Get to know the different types of investors:
- Angel Investors: typically high-net-worth individuals who invest in new or small businesses. They usually provide capital in exchange for equity in the company.
- Venture Capitalists: private sector firms with a pool of funds to draw from corporations, foundations, pension funds, and organizations.
- Family Offices: private wealth management advisory firms serve ultra-high-net-worth investors usually exceeding $100 million to manage their investable assets.
Make a good impression on your potential investors:
- Be clear, articulated, and a storyteller: Prepare a short pitch that clearly communicates your idea, the value of your business, and why you need funding. Be straightforward and bring them into your vision through storytelling. A compelling, well-articulated story will help them connect with you and feel personally invested.
- Be casual: Investors are humans! Don’t panic. Treat them the way you would like to be treated. If you loosen up and make them feel comfortable, it will be easier to create rapport and allow for a positive flow of conversation and information.
- Show your accolades and progress: Showcase your hard work and how far you have come! Investors love seeing what you’ve worked on and being updated on future projects, as it builds credibility.
- Do your research and be prepared to discuss credible competitive threats, strategies, ROI, and execution. Then, show your investors how you have achieved significant milestones and how you will continue to do so with their help.
- Be memorable: The way you carry yourself is just as important as what you say. Talk positively, smile, and be slightly personal with them. Empathy goes a long way; learning their names and specific details about them is important. Be punctual, have a good posture, and carry yourself genuinely and confidently.
- Be specific: You should be able to say and answer what their funding will provide and how it will return their investment. Provide all the details that will create a successful impact. Highlight and cater to the company’s beliefs, such as sustainability or LGBTQ, Latinx/POC support, and more!
The right investor will open doors for you by providing support and connections. But, remember, investors take chances on people and their businesses in the end.
After the meeting with investors, you should do a follow-up. Send them a thank-you note expressing your gratitude for their time. To grow your business, practice building strong relationships of trust, even if they don’t end up investing, as these connections may come in handy in the future.
At DuartePino, our licensed advisors help your business design and manage an effective internal and external communications strategy aligned with your overall brand and reputation management strategies—two areas of our expertise. Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your comms and public relations strategies.
*This blog post was written by Laura Rentas-Giusti, Senior Comms Advisor & head of the Communications Practice at DuartePino.